Warning: This chapter contains violence.

Day 6

Assistant Kang couldn't leave today because the storm in the town had gotten worse and no planes could land. Jumin was about to lose his mind. He still had crappy signal and virtually zero internet. He couldn't research about MC. The library in town was also closed. He lowered his head and gripped his hair, swearing. He hadn't felt this helpless in a long time. His worry for MC grew and even though he knew he should be exhausted from getting very little sleep the night before, the stress and anxiety he felt kept him going.

Thunder broke through the loud pitter patter of the rain on the roof and Jumin groaned.

He wanted to do something. Was time travel possible? Maybe he could organize a team of the most brilliant scientists and ask them to find a way to allow him to go back in time?

And then what? He was going to change history? He would save MC and bring her into the future? For all he knew, MC could be alive and well right now, albeit he would be as old as his grandmother. But that didn't matter. If she was alive, then he would be able to alleviate some of the stress.

Finally the phone rang and Jumin picked up before it could ring for more than a second.

"MC? Are you okay?"

She didn't answer, which made him worry even more.

"MC?"

"Jumin."

He inhaled sharply. Her voice was hoarse, as if she'd been crying. The way she said his name sounded so broken that Jumin's heart shattered into a million pieces.

"MC, what happened? Are you hurt?"

"Jumin, I'm scared."

He gripped the phone so hard he thought it would break in two.

"What happened? Tell me everything."

MC marched into her father's office and demanded him to call off the wedding. Her father was taken aback, of course, but his shock quickly turned to fury.

"You should be thankful Hong Chul fell for you and wants to marry you! Such a strapping young man with a bright future ahead —he will make a fine husband, MC!"

"But father, that man is mean and cruel and vile. I can't stand the sight of him, much less imagine living with him!" MC screamed, frustrated. Why can't her father see what a terrible person Hong Chul was? Why wouldn't he listen to her?

"Nonsense! He's quite the gentleman and I heard from his father that he fended off men who were rude to you!"

MC looked at him incredulously before slamming her fist on her father's desk. "He attacked men who were simply talking to me! Father, there is a fine line between a jealous boyfriend and an obsessive psychopath!"

"How dare you throw a tantrum here! Slamming your fist down a man's desk? My God, have I taught you nothing?!"

"Father, please," MC begged. "Please listen to me. I cannot —no, I will not marry Hong Chul!"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. MC and her father both turned towards it. Without waiting for permission to enter, the door was knocked back against the wall and MC paled.

Hong Chul strode inside, his face twisted in anger, a bouquet of roses in his hand.

"What's this? I come over to surprise my bride-to-be with flowers and I hear her say that she will not marry me?" Hong Chul said, glaring menacingly at MC.

"I'm so sorry, Hong Chul. MC doesn't know what she's saying. Don't worry, I will speak with her and—"

MC took a deep breath and met his gaze. It was now or never.

"No." MC said loudly and clearly. "You heard correctly. I will not marry you, Hong Chul."

Hong Chul's handsome face morphed into the ugly man that she knew he was as he gave MC a vicious snarl. "How dare you insult me! After I've given you money, this is how you repay me?!"

MC's eyes widened and she turned to her father, who held his head high but refused to meet his daughter's gaze.

"Father, how could you?"

"How could he? He did it so he could feed you and your sisters! He's doing his duty as the man of the house! You're quite bold to be so selfish when your father is doing everything he can to keep you alive!" Hong Chul screamed, taking a step closer to her.

"Father, we can find a way out of this. Please reconsider! I can help you, father! We don't need them—"

All of a sudden, strong fingers wrapped around MC's upper arm and yanked her back, making MC cry out in pain.

"You don't know anything, do you?" Hong Chul said, drawing his face close to hers. "I bought the vineyard from your father. I own this place now."

MC felt the floor disappearing from under her as her legs gave way. But Hong Chul wouldn't let her go. Instead, he tightened his grip and kept her upright, an evil smile making its way to his face.

"Everything you own is now mine, MC. In a few days, your soul will be mine too."

MC shook her head. "No."

She turned to her father, who had sunk to his chair and had his head in his hands. "Father. Father, take it back. Please. Father, I'm begging you. If you love me, don't let me do this, please!"

"Shut up!" Hong Chul exclaimed, his nails sinking into her arm as he shook her. He turned to her father and said, "Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure MC knows that this deal is final." Before dragging her out of her father's office.

"Let go of me!" MC screamed, struggling against his grip. Several of their workers who were inside the house turned to look at them. MC saw her friend looking at them with worry, heard her sisters calling out to her, but she was pulled forward by Hong Chul towards her room.

"How dare you make a fool out of me?! Me! Your husband!"

"We're not married yet, Hong Chul." MC responded vehemently.

Hong Chul gritted his teeth. He pushed open the door to her room and dragged her inside, shutting the door behind them. MC's heart banged against her ribcage and her eyes unconsciously slid to the phone sitting on the bedside table.

Jumin…God, please help me.

Hong Chul grabbed her face in his hand, forcing her to look at him.

"I will not be made into the laughing stock of this decade. You will marry me, MC. No other man can have you. You will love me and worship me and only me."

"I will never love a man like you, Hong Chul." MC replied.

Hong Chul's eyes burned with rage and MC saw him drop the bouquet to the ground and raise his hand. MC's head snapped to the side as his palm connected with her cheek, her jaw throbbing from the pain. The force of the slap disoriented her for a while and as Hong Chul released her arm, she fell to the ground, clutching the side of her face.

Tears flowed down her cheeks and MC closed her eyes, wishing —no, praying that she could be by Jumin's side instead of the monster who stood in front of her.

"That should teach you to stay in your place, MC." Hong Chul said. He got down in front of her and looked at her and MC stared at him icily, the tears still flowing down her cheeks. Hong Chul chuckled. "You're really something, MC. Such a beautiful girl but I didn't know you had so much fire in you. I can't wait for the day that we get married. Taming you will be so much fun." He reached out to her but MC involuntarily flinched backwards. Hong Chul dropped his hand and got to his feet, smirking.

"I'm so glad we had this discussion. See you tomorrow, MC."

With that, he left, closing the door behind him as MC buried her face in her hands and cried, her sobs echoing around the empty room.

Jumin's fists were clenched and he had gotten to his feet, pacing the room. He kept swearing, seeing nothing but red.

"I'll kill him," he said, his anger rolling off him in waves. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. It killed him to be in this position. He had everything —he had the money and the power to ensure her safety. But what he didn't have was a freaking time machine!

"I'm seriously considering that right now." MC replied quietly.

"I can't stand this." Jumin said, frustrated. "I want to help you. I desperately want to reach you but I can't. How can I be your angel when I can't even do this for you, MC? What is the purpose of letting me meet you if I can't even save you?"

He slammed his fist hard against the wall, angry at Hong Chul, angry at their circumstance, angry at himself.

"What are you doing?" MC asked, having heard the thumping noise from Jumin's side.

Jumin let out a breath and counted to ten in his head, calming himself down. It was like telling an erupting volcano to stop spitting out lava.

"Jumin?" came MC's worried voice.

"I'm here. I…I'm trying to calm down."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dump my problems on you."

"No, don't apologize. I'm the one who should apologize. How can I call myself a man if I can't protect you?"

"Jumin…It's not your fault we're 67 years apart. And hearing your voice is comforting enough."

"I will speak to you until my last breath if only that can save you from that wretched man." Jumin sighed. "I really wish I can protect you. I wish I had invested money into research regarding time traveling."

That made MC laugh a little. "Jumin, I wouldn't want you anywhere near that guy. He's crazy. I don't want you to get hurt. And also, time traveling isn't possible. Don't waste your money on it. I'd rather you put your money to better use."

"I am capable of defending myself. And what better use could there be for my money if not time travel?"

"Jumin…"

"I'm kidding," he replied sadly. "I know time travel is impossible if not dangerous."

But that doesn't mean I won't travel back in time if I were given a chance.

"What are you going to do now?" Jumin asked her quietly, finally getting some control over his emotions..

"I don't know. I want to run away but seeing how violent Hong Chul is, I'm afraid of what he would do to my family if I were to escape."

Jumin groaned internally. MC cared so much about her family that she was willing to sacrifice her happiness and her freedom for them; why couldn't her father do the same? For once, he wanted someone to be selfish. He wanted her to put herself above her family and think about her well-being before theirs. But even though they only spoke through the phone, he knew MC would never abandon her family or put them in harm's way.

"What about the authorities? Have you tried going to them?"

"The authorities are putty in his hands. A little bit of extra cash goes a long here."

Jumin wasn't surprised. "What if you left with your family? All of you."

"I've thought of that as well. But my father…he's quite attached to this place. My mother designed our house, you see…"

"I'm about to lose my mind."

"What?"

Jumin sank onto his bed and propped his elbow on his knee, resting his head on his hand. "I've never felt this helpless in my entire life. It's driving me insane. Why is this happening to us?"

"Jumin," came her sweet voice. "you gave me hope. You're giving me strength to fight. I was quite content to just slip into the role of the obedient daughter and do everything I was told. I was preparing to kill my emotions on the night the phone rang. But as I listened to you talking about Elizabeth the 3rd…well, it was so cute that I was smiling the entire night. And the more we talked, the more I wanted to get to know you more…the more I wanted to see you." She laughed. "It may be impossible, but I…I want to believe that we'll see each other someday. I want to believe that I am capable of shaping my own destiny, like you."

His face felt hot. His pulse quickened and it felt like his heart was bursting out of his chest. His anger vanished and Jumin felt like he was soaring.

"Jumin?"

"MC," he said. "You don't know how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I…I really want to see you."

"Me too. Perhaps in our next life."

"You believe in reincarnation too, MC?"

"Yes. I do. I hope I get to meet you in my next life, Jumin."

He never believed in the supernatural. He was a man of logic, of science and facts.

But for her, he would believe anything.

"I hope I get to meet you in my next life, as well."