Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Black Crown. It’s the name the archaeologists gave to an old crown, found in the ruins of an ancient castle. Even having centuries, the crown was still in great state, all of their gems still in place, the color black still very present, complete. But it had its details like some scratches, and the most notorious thing, its spikes were stained. No one really knows with what, but the mismatched colors of the spikes were very noticeable. 

As time passed by, after the discovery of the crown, archaeologists have found more information about it. 

It was the crown of a monarch of the now disappeared Red Snowfield, Ivan, who's known for being one of the cruelest monarchs that ever existed. It is said that the crown bears a curse, reason for it to be lost and that no other monarch wore it after Ivan's demise. 

It is still unknown how it got its curse and how Ivan's life ended. Archaeologists believe that Ivan enchanted the object so no one will wear it after his demise. 

There's no further investigation, as the last archaeologist that studied the crown almost lost his mind, claiming that voices from the crown were luring him and trying to convince him to wear it. He managed to stop in time and after that, the museum he worked for just took away the crown. 

But recently, the crown reappeared as an exhibition of said museum. 

Worst mistake they ever made.

-I still don't know what to do for the thesis and I'm supposed to do it this semester. 

Yoosung and his friend, Jihun, were walking outside the university, as they ended the classes of the day. 

-You haven't thought of anything? -Jihun asks. 

-I mean, I know I want to do it like the research of an object, but I still don't know what. 

Jihun hums, thinking, -What about the museum where you worked last semester? Maybe they have something you could use. 

Yoosung tilts his head, -That's actually a good idea. 

Jihun laughs, -Come on, you're the archaeologist here. 

Yoosung laughs too, -Well, stress doesn't let me think sometimes... -he checks the time on the watch on his wrist, -I'll be heading to the museum, I have time, will you come with me? 

-I would but I have to see Yunho right now, I promised to help him with... Actually, I don't know what he wants to do, but he asked me to help him last week. 

-Ah, it's okay... I will see you tomorrow then. 

They said goodbye to each other and took different paths, Jihun waiting for the bus and Yoosung walking to the center of the city, where the museum was located. 

He arrived in half an hour, near 7 o'clock. There weren't a lot of people as they were supposed to close soon. He quickly searches for the curator, so he can look around before they close. 

He approaches the office, where he used to work, as he knew he'd find the curator there. 

And he was there, working on his computer. Yoosung approaches and some steps from him, he turns around. 

-Yoosung-ie, what a surprise to see you here. 

Yoosung smiles, -It's been a while, Seungbo hyung. 

Seungbo completely turns to Yoosung, -What can I do for you? 

-I was wondering if... I could see the collection you have here, I'm looking for an artifact to base my thesis on... Whatever that still needs its research will help. 

-Hmm -Seungbo turns to his computer and looks for something in there. 

Yoosung stays silent at his side, holding with both hands the leash of his bag, on his shoulder. 

Seungbo stands up and goes to the printer, taking a paper that came out of it as soon as he arrived at its side. He returns and hands the paper to Yoosung. 

-You know where the storage is, you can check the objects I listed here... Also, I'll need you to sign papers, you know these objects have a high value and we need to– 

-Preserve them, yes, I understand... I don't have the intention to take them out of here anyways. 

-Better for me, you can come to the office to work, I don't have a problem. 

Yoosung bows to him, -Thank you. 

-No problem... Also, you can check exhibitions if nothing on storage convinces you, we have some objects that still need more research. 

-Okay, understood... How long can I stay? 

-Hmm, 10 PM if you want, it's the time I'll be heading home. 

-Enough for me.

Yoosung spent at least an hour checking the storage. The museum had plenty of objects back there, too frail or valuable to be exhibited or just without enough information for exhibition. 

Nothing convinced him. He highlighted some that maybe he could work with, but he wanted to check exhibitions before making his decision. 

Coming out of the storage, the museum was silent and the lights were faint. He could see but at the same time he felt it was a bit dark. 

Checking the time, Seungbo probably was still in the office, he had time to check. 

He took his time to check every exhibition to see if something had little to no information about it, but most of them had a lot of research or just didn't catch Yoosung's attention. 

Until he got to the last hall. 

You could find a lot of ancient objects and paintings that could be categorized as royal stuff. Faces of old monarchs and objects from their kingdoms that currently don't exist. 

Some of them were more interesting, but they already had a lot of information. He couldn't work with that, but he was very interested in the history he had in front of him. 

After a while and almost all the hall checked, he was about to give up and return to the storage to choose one of the things he previously highlighted in the list. But turning around near a corner to go back, his eye caught a dim glow sideways and he turned around abruptly. 

His eyes went directly to the crown that was placed there. A black crown in almost perfect state, within a transparent acrylic box to protect it. The gems under the dim light of the section probably were the thing that Yoosung saw. 

He moved towards it, like being pulled to it, and stared at it for a while. He got lost on the details of the crown, all the gems in perfect state, none was missing, it had other metallic, silver details like spikes in the base, the black color still covered the whole body of the crown, in a perfect tone that looked almost anew. The only thing was that it had some scratches, but you should stare at it a while and closer to notice them. 

It wasn't until Yoosung looked at the top spikes that he noticed the color of them weren't matching the body of the crown, like they were stained with something. 

Details, Yoosung thinks, as the whole crown looked in great shape. 

And fortunately for him, it barely had information. It was perfect, the object was interesting and it was barely investigated. 

He checked the name of the exhibition: Black Crown. 

-Creative... -he whispers sarcastically as he writes it down. 

While writing, he swore he started to hear someone talking but he couldn't understand what they were saying. He instinctively looked at the crown and he felt the voice was louder, but still unintelligible. 

-Yoosung-ie. 

Yoosung gets startled at the voice calling him, as he felt it took him out of trance. He turns around and sees Seungbo standing next to him 

-I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I'm about to go, I need to close the storage and the office. 

Yoosung quickly checks his watch, noticing it was almost 10 PM. 

-Oh, right, I'm sorry, I got too concentrated on this. 

-It's okay, you can come tomorrow again if you have time... Or whenever you need, you know I'm always here. 

-Yes, thank you.

First thing Yoosung did at home was look for information about the crown on the internet. He could confirm there weren't any archaeological papers uploaded about it, so he can use it for his thesis. 

He can't deny he was excited to have an official document online under his name, it's something he always wanted since he discovered his passion for archaeology. 

He was willing to start researching tomorrow after class in the museum, but waking up he was reconsidering it, as he could barely sleep. 

He couldn't explain it, but he felt observed all night and he swore he had a voice in his head talking apparent nonsense. He actually can't recall what his mind was suddenly telling him every five minutes. 

He started his day very tired and he barely paid attention to the first class, but after a coffee he felt more energized and he could go through the day. 

After his last class of the day, he headed to the museum. He arrives at the office, talks a bit with Seungbo and then goes to the exhibition again. 

Last time he didn't read the whole thing, so he was there to write down what was there before going to the storage and look for previous research. Every bit of information will help him, as it was an object they barely know things about. 

Unsurprisingly, the crown belonged to a king of an ancient kingdom that was missing from the map in the actual times. It used to be called Red Snowfield. 

Yoosung knew their world used to be formed by plenty of kingdoms centuries ago, kingdoms that barely survived to the current times. There were only ruins standing up in various places around the world, the information about them was diverse, some kingdoms had more information than others. Red Snowfield was one of those which barely had information written down about.

Upon knowing the kingdom, Yoosung went to the library near the museum, which has plenty of history books, he probably could find something about Red Snowfield. He took some books and returned to the museum.

This time he went to the office to read there and to start writing.

A couple of hours later he felt how a cup was placed by his side on the desk. He turns around, seeing Seungbo standing next to him, with his own cup in his hand.

-How are you going? -Seungbo asks.

Yoosung stretches in his seat and then picks up the cup that had coffee inside, -Well, it could be worse… At least I have some information that can help me where to search.

-I didn’t ask which object you chose -Seungbo leans forward to read Yoosung’s notes.

-The Black Crown.

-Oh, the one in the royal hall?

-Yeah, it seemed interesting and has little to no information about it.

Seungbo stands upright again, -Yeah, that crown has been here for decades, but no one seems to discover much about it for some reason.

-When was the last time someone did research on it?

-20 years ago maybe? I wasn’t working here the last time someone touched it, so, I never knew why it is such a difficult object to investigate… -he then whispers to himself, -No one talks about it either, to be honest…

Yoosung looks at his notes, -Well, maybe it was the lack of information… It’s from Red Snowfield and that’s one of the ancient kingdoms with less records among all…

-Hm, probably… And they didn’t have the technology we have now, maybe you can discover more things.

Yoosung smiles, -It’s what I want.

Chapter Text

Yoosung has been working non stop on the Black Crown since he chose it for his thesis. One could say that he was concentrated to get the best of it, after all, his career depended on it.

But there was something else there that others didn't see that kept Yoosung… Attached to his work.

It happened during his second week working on the crown. For the third time that week, Yoosung visited the Royal Hall to see the Black Crown. He arrived at the exhibition and stood before the acrylic box over the pedestal that keeps the crown protected.

He stared at the crown in silence, trying to listen to the voices he has been hearing since day one when he’s near it or working on his thesis. He knows deep down he should be concentrating on something else, but the voices have come to a point that he can even listen to them –or thinks he does– at any time.

He soon starts to hear whispers and tries to concentrate on them to know what they’re saying. Although he shakes his head after a while, recognizing again that this wasn’t an important thing for the thesis.

Or probably it was, he somehow feels he needs to pay attention to that.

Yoosung sighs, -No, what are you doing, Yoosung? -he whispers to himself, -It’s probably nothing, you’re just… Imagining it.

To his surprise, this time he heard something very clearly.

- Is that so?

Yoosung got startled and put a hand on his head. He was pretty sure that voice came from his mind.

It can’t be, someone was messing with him for sure.

- Did I scare you? -Yoosung hears a laugh after that, - I tend to do that a lot in many different ways.

-Who’s there? This is not funny, don’t play with me like this -Yoosung speaks and turns around.

He got even more nervous when he noticed he was alone in the room. Did he really have a voice in his mind talking to him?  

- I’m not physically here… But at this point I’m sure you can see me… You’ve been near my crown for a lot of time already.

Yoosung felt a shiver running down his spine and suddenly he felt something was behind him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to turn around and find out if there was something really there.

But at the end, he turned around slowly, only to jump when he actually saw someone standing right behind him, a couple of steps away.

And to make it even scarier… That person looked almost exactly like him.

The only difference was his aura. His heavy stare gave away his dark nature. Even evil, Yoosung could say.

Yoosung felt the urge to run away, but for some reason he couldn’t move. It could be the entity in front of him who provoked both things at the same time.

- It’s nice to meet you, Yoosung… I see we have some… Resemblance.

-Who–Who are you? -Yoosung asks after some seconds being in complete silence, frozen after hearing the entity say his name.

The entity’s serene but dark expression suddenly changed to an angry one, - You–You didn’t get it when I said my crown?

Yoosung’s prolonged silence –as he was thinking– exasperated the entity and was visibly losing his patience, which scared Yoosung as he made eye contact with it, his heavy gaze giving him shivers.

But the eye contact was what he needed to remember his name and he softly gasped.

-Ivan.

- Thank you! I thought I needed to tell you that for a second!

-This can’t be -Yoosung says out loud, not directly at the entity.

- I thought you were investigating it, what kind of archaeologist are you?

-I’m not even graduated yet -Yoosung says and then shakes his head, -Why am I talking with you?

- Because I talked to you first.

-Yeah, but I don’t need to keep the conversa–Ugh, I’m going.

- No! Stop right there! I’m talking to you–

-Nuh uh! This is creepy, you weren’t here five minutes ago and suddenly I’m seeing a double of myself that claims to be the king who owned this crown centuries ago. I’m definitely sleep deprived or something.

- Yoosung–

Yoosung covers his ears.

- You can still hear me even if you don’t want to -Ivan’s voice echoed inside Yoosung’s mind.

Well, something unusual was definitely going on.

-I need to keep working and I’m taking this with me so you don’t keep bothering me -Yoosung says and picks up the acrylic box to uncover the crown and take it.

Instead of stopping him, Ivan lets him do it, a smirk forming on his lips. It was just what he needed.

As soon as Yoosung takes the crown, he speaks again.

- You’re not going anywhere.

Yoosung seemed to freeze after Ivan spoke, like it was a command that had an effect on him. He looked at the crown, which was shining dimly, and not because it was reflecting the light of the place.

He then felt a shiver as Ivan stood behind him, just centimeters away from Yoosung. He swore he could hear Ivan let out a soft laugh near his ear.

- My crown, my rules, Yoosung… 

Ivan makes Yoosung turn his head to him. Yoosung felt the anxiety as his head moved on his own, and the smirk in Ivan’s lips didn’t help at all either.

Yoosung was definitely getting himself into something dangerous and paranormal, he needed to get away from Ivan soon.

- Now… You made things easier for me… Put on the crown for me, Yoosung… I’m sure it’ll look good on you as it did on me long ago…

Yoosung’s hands started to move on his own, pulled by an invisible force that he was sure was Ivan’s influence. He quickly assumed Ivan had power over him as he was in contact with the crown. 

He tried to fight back but he was losing, until he felt the crown very near his head and that made him draw strength out of nowhere to pull away and put the crown back into its exhibition.

Ivan growled as he couldn’t control Yoosung anymore, and Yoosung took a few steps back from him to feel a bit safer, panting as he was still startled by the events.

Yoosung flinches when Ivan turns his head to him and their eyes meet again.

- You have a strong will, I give you that… The strongest I have seen… You and I aren’t really that different, huh? -Ivan smirks when he says the last phrase.

-We look alike but that’s all, don’t drag me to your level, you maniac.

Ivan’s laugh echoed in the room, being the loudest Yoosung has ever heard him, which makes him cover his ears, in vain as he still hears the laugh in his mind.

- Maniac, such a word, I feel honored… But others preferred to call me… Monster.

-I don’t doubt they had so many ways to call you… I have read about you already.

- Oh, really? Did something actually make it to your times? -Ivan sounded angry this time, putting his hands on his waist.

-Very little but yes… Enough to know about the cruel monarch you were… 

Ivan smiles again, - They also called me cruel… 

-You’re enjoying this a bit too much.

Ivan laughs again which makes Yoosung flinch, - What can I say? I’m very proud of what I could do in life… Did you know Red Snowfield was called like that because of me?

-Why?

- Take a guess… A snow field shouldn’t be red, should it?

That comment sent a shiver down Yoosung’s spine.

- You know? I have plenty of stuff to help you in your investigation.

-You were kinda possessing me like three minutes ago! Can you decide what you want to do with me?! 

- Ah, I was testing you, Yuyu–

-Don’t call me Yuyu.

-Whatever -Ivan crosses his arms, -As I said, you really have a strong will, so you're worthy of my knowledge… You won’t find a lot of information in books, I’m your best option.

Yoosung looks at him for a while, -And how do I–How do I quote that then? I can’t put that my resources are the deceased spirit of the last owner of the cursed object I’m investigating.

- Details–

-Important details, Ivan–WHY AM I STILL TALKING TO YOU–

-Yoosung?

Yoosung turned around as fast as he could as he recognized Seungbo’s voice.

Seungbo was walking towards him at a slow pace, visibly concerned. He picks up the acrylic box when he arrives at his side and covers the crown with it.

-What’s going on, Yoosung?

Yoosung was going to answer, but he suddenly felt his throat closing, like he was being strangled by an invisible force.

Ivan.

- Keep your mouth shut or you’ll regret it.

Yoosung gasped as he felt the pressure go away, -Nothing -he clears his throat, -nothing, just… Discussing… With myself.

Seungbo wasn’t convinced, -With the crown uncovered? 

-You said I can take it if I want.

-Yes, but you didn’t even pick it up to start with. And you were screaming at the air.

Yoosung laughs, -Just got frustrated, it’s so hard to get information because Red Snowfield doesn’t have a lot of records and it’s slowing down my work.

- I wonder why -Ivan whispers but Yoosung is able to hear him in his mind.

-I got distracted discussing it with myself, that’s why I didn’t pick up the crown immediately.

Seungbo wasn’t convinced yet, but he checks his watch instead of keeping the conversation, -You know what? I think you’re just too tired and I need to close the museum soon, let’s forget this for now.

Seungbo starts walking back to the office and Yoosung sighs with relief. 

-Yeah! I’m tired! I need to sleep, I’ll be better tomorrow, I promise!

-Yeah, just take a proper rest, please, no work is worth more than your health -Seungbo says before leaving the hall.

Yoosung sighs heavily again.

- You’re awful at this…

-Oh, shut up, Ivan! Leave me alone.

Yoosung starts walking away to go back to the office but even being at the door, the crown at the other side of the room, he could hear Ivan’s laugh very clearly in his mind.

- You can’t escape me anymore, Yoosung… 

Yoosung felt a shiver again, but he shakes his head and exits the room.

Ivan sees him leave and crosses his arms, sighing.

- He’ll be harder to bend than the others… But he’s the one I’ve been waiting for all these centuries…

Yoosung couldn’t sleep the night he talked to Ivan for the first time. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the event that still had him anxious or he was actually hearing Ivan’s voice again even in his own home.

Ivan’s “you can’t escape me anymore” surely didn’t help with his paranoia.

Next day he didn’t even put a foot on the Royal Hall. He concentrated on reading and writing the thesis, he was still startled by the events and the less he wanted now was seeing Ivan again.

He couldn’t do much about “hearing him”.

Seungbo also seemed to forget yesterday’s conversation as he didn’t bring it up again. Yoosung assumed he didn’t feel the need because he didn’t go to get the crown again.

Yoosung also wasn’t sure how he went through all the day, classes plus work for his thesis on the museum, without any sleep. Probably coffee did its work very well.

-You probably should go home, Yoosung-ie -Seungbo says suddenly.

Yoosung got startled and checked the time on his laptop, -But it is barely 8 PM, I still have a couple of hours before you close.

-Yes, but you’ve been staring at your screen with your eyes extremely open, like, you’re trying too hard to stay awake, you better go home and rest.

Well, coffee didn’t fully work…

-Ah… I’m okay, I swear, I’m just concentrating.

-Are you sure? 

-Yes, don’t worry.

He could end the day pretty well in his opinion and that night he could sleep. Maybe just a few hours and not very well, but it was better than last night that he couldn’t sleep at all.

He slowly started approaching the crown again, still paranoid to see Ivan so he kept his distance for the first days. Until a week passed by and he stood up in front of the crown again.

- I thought I wouldn’t see you near the crown again.

Yoosung got startled again by Ivan’s voice but he turned around calmly to see the entity standing in the same place he presented the first time, with his arms crossed and a smirk on his lips.

-I needed time away from you.

- You can’t really be away from me anymore.

Yoosung felt a shiver, -At least I can choose when to see you and I didn’t want to these days.

- Fair.

Yoosung stares at the crown in silence, unsure of what to do now. Now that he saw Ivan he wasn’t sure why he went there in the first place. Maybe curiosity just took the best of him and he just went to see Ivan.

- You are not picking it up again, are you?

-So you can control me? No, not again.

- So, why are you here?

-I’m not sure, actually… I think I just got too curious.

- Oh, so you came to see me -Ivan’s smirk grew bigger, with pride.

Yoosung turns around to see him, -Don’t get used to it.

- We will see.

Yoosung just ignored his last comment and stared again at the crown in silence. He noticed that the whispers stopped but another sensation was taking over him: coldness.

He assumed it was because he had a ghost beside him.

Yoosung shivered suddenly at that thought.

- Are you going to write in your thesis that you’re talking with a ghost or something?

-Of course not.

- Then you’re really wasting your time for nothing -Ivan approaches him, which makes Yoosung flinch, - Like, are you really here trying to experience whatever the crown makes you feel to then just not use it at all? I think you’re here because you’re intrigued by me.

Yoosung turns around slowly, making eye contact with Ivan who was just a few centimeters away from him. Ivan rises his eyebrows while smirking, his ego over the clouds because that guy had an actual interest in him.

It’s been so long since he got that kind of attention he always loved.

-You’re enjoying this too much…

- What can I say? I love attention.

-How narcissistic… -Yoosung whispers to himself.

- I really have a lot to say, and you won’t find it anywhere else.

-I just could use a book, you know?

- Oh, to learn about me and my kingdom? I highly doubt you’ll find something else.

-I have found records of your kingdom.

- Oh, really? What do you have?

-Well -Yoosung scratches his chin, -Your kingdom was located in an extremely cold area, that you even had low temperatures during summer. It was small compared to other kingdoms, not the best to live on but still pretty much a good place where you can live… And that you’re considered the cruelest monarch the kingdom ever had, killing a lot of people for fun or because you claimed it was necessary, someone with knowledge on dark magic that you used for your own benefit… Even your own people were scared of you.

Ivan laughs proudly, - Oh, they really say those things about me?

-Can you please think of something else beside yourself?

- That part of the dark magic sounds pretty much like Dann, can I see those books?

-Like who–The books? You want the books?

- I want to read it with my own eyes.

-I will not feed your sick ego, Ivan.

- No, no, I swear it’s not for that, not now, I need to see the handwriting.

-Oh… These are printed, not actually written by someone.

- Printed? -Ivan sighs, - Are you sure there’s only that?

Yoosung thinks, -I mean, I think they have some old books in the storage…

- Great, that could work, go get them.

Yoosung turns around but stops suddenly, slowly turning around again to face Ivan, -Why am I obeying you?

Ivan shrugs, - I don’t know, maybe because you’re intrigued?

Yoosung sighs, -This is the only thing I’m doing for you -he says and leaves.

- It’s not precisely the first one nor will it be the last one… -Ivan whispers to himself, looking at his nails, - I still have pretty nails…

Yoosung arrived at the office, which was empty and he assumed Seungbo went to get something to eat. He went to the storage and started to look inside some boxes. After digging for a while, he found some old books that their content was written instead of printed.

He took the ones that clearly had Red Snowfield in their titles and went back to the Royal Hall.

Ivan didn’t move from his position and he smiled when he saw Yoosung came back with books.

-I think these could help -Yoosung says and leaves them on top of the acrylic box of the Black Crown.

- I can’t touch them, so you’ll need to show me.

Yoosung took the first book and opened it, showing the pages to Ivan.

- Hmm… I don’t recognize that handwriting.

-Do I open the next one?

- Yes, please.

Yoosung closes the book and puts it aside, picking the next one and opening it like the previous one.

- No -Ivan says, - Next one.

-That would be the last one.

- Just three books? -Ivan scoffs, - Why am I getting surprised anyways?

Yoosung was starting to get curious at Ivan’s reaction towards the lack of information. He demonstrates he is aware of it and he even knows the reason behind it, but he was just throwing vague comments. He wasn’t sure if he should ask about it or just let Ivan open up about it.

Which it was highly likely to happen, seeing that Ivan was pretty egotistical and would talk about himself a lot without even asking. The lack of information seemingly hurted Ivan’s pride, he’d totally start speaking about it to complain.

Yoosung opens the last book and lets Ivan take a look. This time the king approaches the book to take a closer look and his smile just gives away he found what he was looking for.

- This is it… -Ivan says and starts reading, - ”The cruelest monarch to ever exist in this world, not just of his own kingdom, his evil and twisted nature was his doom at the end as it blindly guide him to take the decisions that ended with his life and his kingdom, which fell short after his demise as no other monarch could make it stand during the war” -Ivan scoffs, - This is the shit he wrote? 

Yoosung was thrown off guard a bit after hearing Ivan curse, -Wrote who?

- Dann, that piece of shit.

Yoosung didn’t know how to react to him insulting whoever he was talking about.

Ivan sighs as he sees Yoosung wasn’t understanding, - King Dann from The Door to the Four Seasons.

-Oh -Yoosung checks the cover of the book to look for a name.

- That’s his handwriting, and what he wrote in that paragraph I just read is a lie.

-A lie?

- There says that my decisions were the ones that ended my life, when in reality I was murdered.

-But are you sure you weren’t doing something… Wrong? 

- Of course not! I was demanding what I truly deserved!

Yoosung looks at him, -You know? I can’t really take the word of a narcissist in this case.

Ivan sighs heavily, clearly annoyed, - You sound like him.

-I’m thinking that most of the people called you narcissistic back then.

- Out of jealousy.

-Yeah, you are definitely extremely narcissistic -Yoosung closes the book and picks the others.

- But it’s true that I was murdered! I’m not lying about that.

-But maybe there were good reasons for that, seeing how you are.

Ivan crosses his arms, - I can’t believe I’m being attacked by my doppelganger too, even centuries after the events.

-You probably deserve it.

- Shut up, Yoosung.

-Oh, now you want me to stay silent? Let me think… No.

- You little…

Yoosung had to admit he was happy he was annoying Ivan this time.

- Look, Yoosung, maybe I was a bad person–

-Maybe?

- Okay, I was. I actually take pride in that, but it’s clearly not helping me right now… But despite that, Dann manipulated that stuff, I swear.

Yoosung looks at him, not very convinced, -You want me to believe you that they’re lying about you.

- Not about me but what happened to me… I swear I was murdered and books are not showing how everything exactly happened, nor the true reasons.

Yoosung quickly checks one of the books, -Here says that your kingdom fell during the war…

- War that happened after I was killed… And against who, you may ask… Dann and his kingdom, of course.

-You seem to have a rivalry with him…

- He wanted me dead and erased from existence completely… And apparently he managed to do it, at least a great part it’s missing and I know he did it. The crown was in my castle, my soul was there–I was there to see Dann burning everything down, and he even threw the crown directly into the flames in an attempt to destroy it… But it survived… I survived… And now you’re the only channel I have to the living world thanks to the crown.

Even if he was speaking mainly because of his ego, Yoosung felt Ivan was being sincere this time. He felt it was a genuine distress call over the fact the true events were distorted against him.

Not that he wanted to side with a person like him, but history needs to be told correctly to not repeat it.

-Let’s do a thing.

Ivan’s eyes sparkled.

-I’ll take some time to come and talk with you about all of this... I doubt I’ll use it in my thesis but… Personally I’m interested in this.

- Fine for me.

-Great.

-Yoosung.

Yoosung gets startled and turns around, seeing Seungbo standing near him.

- God, this fucker… -Ivan complains and rolls his eyes.

Yoosung wanted to scold him but he couldn’t just talk to him with Seungbo there. He knew Ivan was invisible to his eye and he needed to keep the secret.

-Is it time to go home already? -Yoosung asks.

Seungbo checks his watch, -Not exactly -he looks at Yoosung, -I’m just worried.

-Worried? Why?

-Because you spent too much time near the crown–

-I’m investigating!

-But you’re talking to the air like you’re actually speaking to someone! Are you truly okay, Yoosung?

After that, Yoosung wasn’t sure what happened. He just remembers he was suddenly screaming at Seungbo, angry. They clearly fought but he can’t remember what he said precisely.

He was aware of his surroundings and actions once he was at the office’s door, with his bag over his shoulder, all his things inside, like he was about to leave.

- You better go home and rest, we can talk tomorrow .

And with Ivan’s comment, Yoosung understood the entity took control of him back there.

Chapter Text

Yoosung didn’t go back to the museum for days. Right after he arrived at home the day Ivan controlled him he couldn’t sleep at all. He couldn’t even move from the entrance of his home. He managed to enter and close the door behind himself, to then drop to the floor in shock and he stayed there, sitting with his back against the door, his legs close to his chest, his arms hugging his legs to seek some comfort.

He felt terrified, he was so exposed and vulnerable to the entity, no matter what. They could be talking and suddenly he was being controlled.

His thoughts were racing in his mind. He probably has been enough time exposed to the crown to allow Ivan to have that control over him, days pass and he feels more tired than before, he’s slowly drifting from anything else, his mind is just Ivan and the Black Crown.

He felt he was losing control, the grip on the real world. Hearing Ivan wasn’t helping at all, and the darkness of his home that night just made everything worse. He could hear whispers, some were unintelligible, some were words without coherence, but overall he felt the evil and dark nature of these voices, trying to break him down again.

Yoosung even swore that he could feel that Ivan was present in that room with him, constantly feeling shivers running through his body, but he was unable to see him. 

Even being in his home, Ivan was able to reach him and was somehow pressing him to give in. The entity was looking for something and he found it with –or within– Yoosung.

Yoosung was wondering if he let his guard down. Anxiety was rising as he was understanding he was messing with something too dangerous and inexplicable by logic –magic, dark magic to be precise.

The darkness of the room suddenly felt like it was moving towards him, like trying to swallow him, the voices started to get louder, and Yoosung felt his body wasn’t responding. His chest started to hurt, his throat started to close, making it harder to breathe, he was shaking, sweating, his hands completely cold, his head hurting as the voices didn’t stop. 

He felt so tiny in that dark and loud place and even if he tried to move, his body was still not responding. He wanted to run away as he felt Ivan was too close, the darkness was too close. 

The temperature dropped suddenly, the whispers turned into laughing, Ivan’s laugh, Yoosung was trying too hard to get air into his lungs but nothing comes in, he just feels the air keeps escaping, that his body was numb and trembling uncontrollably to even try and move, his heart was beating too fast that he swore he could feel it was about to explode anytime, the beat on his ears as loud as the laughs. He could hear words in between the laughs but he couldn't comprehend what was being said to him.

And then he feels he’s completely swallowed by the darkness.

Yoosung is not sure when he recovered consciousness. He just found himself laying on his side, almost in fetal position, the daylight entering through the window dimly. 

He could feel his body again, but he felt weak. He tried to sit up and he managed to do it slowly, and he was sitting against the door again, just like when he came back from the museum last night.

Shit, last night?

Yoosung stood up quickly but his body was getting adjusted again and he felt dizzy for a moment. He then walked clumsily to the kitchen and upon entering, he saw the clock, which marked almost 7 AM.

He spent the whole night on the floor. It didn’t feel like it, it was just a couple of minutes since he came back until everything just started to feel like it was too much and his surroundings distorted.

Did he pass out? He wasn’t feeling that well after all.

He went to the bathroom and he could see the mess he was right now. His face and eyes were swollen and red because he apparently cried, his cheeks had the dry trail of his tears, part of his clothes had the dry stain of sweat. Fatigue was starting to hit as he hadn't eaten anything since lunchtime yesterday, plus he didn’t even rest properly, his body just shut down after all the overwhelming sensations he felt.

He decided to skip class that day. He took a shower and then had something to eat to try and recover strength. He felt a bit better but he still felt exhausted.

He saw himself using the frontal camera of his phone. The swell and redness of his eyes was still there and he now noticed dark circles too. He wasn’t getting enough sleep these days for sure, so he went to his room and tried to sleep.

But even with the sunlight filling his room enough to see but not bother him he was restless. He was scared to be in his room alone, Ivan could start talking again, filling his mind when he just wanted some peace.

Ivan.

Yoosung started trembling again with the mere thought. Suddenly he was cold and his chest was hurting again.

-No, not again -he whispers to himself.

Air wasn’t getting to his lungs again, his body trembled even more than before and he started to feel that his surroundings were distorting again. Yoosung desperately tried to get out, but he could barely move.

He obligated himself to fall from the bed in an attempt to recover control over himself. He briefly crawled trying to get to the door, but then again his body stopped responding to him, trembling uncontrollably, feeling he was suffocating and his heart pounding again like it was about to explode.

And the darkness swallowed him again.

Yoosung didn’t know when he recovered consciousness again, but as soon as he could move, he stood up and dressed up to take a walk. 

To where and for how long? He wasn’t sure, the only thing he was sure about is that he doesn’t want to be alone in his home, that only has stressed him a lot to the point of losing consciousness.

It wasn’t until later that he understood he had two panic attacks, when he sat for a while in a park and checked the internet to find an answer for those overwhelming episodes.

Now he was afraid again, even more than before, that those could repeat again if he puts a foot on his home. 

He didn’t return until it was late at night, past midnight. The first thing he did was turn on every possible light, he needed to be in contact with his surroundings and darkness won’t help with that. He stayed up doing anything to keep his mind working, to avoid thinking again in the panic attacks.

Next day he went to classes, he felt safer in the university. He wasn’t paying full attention to the classes but he felt relieved because nothing in there brought any stress at all, linked to the events that triggered the panic attacks.

For days, he just went to the university, wasted the rest of the time going to the parks, malls, and more, until he couldn’t postpone going back home, to then stay up all night, if his body didn’t shut down on its own due to exhaustion.

His sudden change in his lifestyle didn’t go unnoticed. He was purposefully avoiding Jihun so he doesn’t see him like that. Jihun started to message him and he just responded that he needed to be alone right now. 

It was working for him, he seemed to be avoiding Jihun pretty well and that’s all he needed now.

Even Yunho tried reaching him and he also pushed him away. It was easier with him as they don’t go to the same university and spend less time together, compared to Jihun.

Surprisingly, he still wanted to touch the subject of the crown. When he felt stuff was a bit more settled down, he started reading his notes again.

He was studying what he got from Ivan now, and soon he noticed he needed more stuff to make everything fit together.

He appeared suddenly in the museum days later.

Seungbo was surprised and relieved to enter the office and see Yoosung there. He hasn’t seen him in days. He got very thrown off when Yoosung suddenly yelled at him and acted violently. He was angry because he left without even saying sorry, but then his absence was worrying him, as he couldn’t reach him nor he was going to the museum like usual.

Seeing him there was relieving… Until he saw his face.

Yoosung’s stare seemed lost, unfocused, even if he was looking directly into the screen of his laptop, not to mention the dark circles under his eyes, he looked incredibly exhausted. He wasn’t sure how he was able to keep walking or working at all, he thought Yoosung was going to pass out anytime.

Seungbo noticed Yoosung didn’t see him enter. He places his cup on the table and Yoosung flinches violently at the sound, rising his head to see Seungbo.

-Ah, Seungbo hyung, hello -Yoosung says and goes back to what he was doing.

His voice sounded even more tired, which worried Seungbo more.

-Are you okay? -Seungbo asks.

-Yes, please, leave me alone.

-You’ve been acting very weird–

Seungbo stops abruptly when he sees Yoosung rise his head again, visibly angry. His stare wasn’t like something he saw from Yoosung before, piercing and dark, he felt intimidated.

-Leave. Me. Alone. Thank you.

His voice also sounded different. Deeper, stronger, Seungbo felt shivers down his spine by hearing him.

He was worried but he preferred to let things be and he didn’t pressure Yoosung again.

It went like that for days. He saw Yoosung entering the office, barely saying hi, then staying in silence for all the time he was there. He then started to appear earlier, to stay more time.

Seungbo even started to think he was skipping classes just to be there, but he preferred to not say a thing about it.

And he looked more exhausted with each passing day. He wasn’t sure how Yoosung hadn't fallen asleep in the middle of the day, it felt like something was keeping him up.

Seungbo started to consider that something –or someone– was affecting Yoosung, as the temperature always drops and the vibe of the place gets heavy when he enters.

He hasn’t felt safe for days when he’s present. He’s always looking at him, fearing that Yoosung was going to jump over him or start yelling again. One day he even scared him as he heard Yoosung talking very softly to himself.

It started to repeat. Yoosung suddenly was talking to himself in whispers, moving his head, shaking suddenly, rubbing his head frantically from time to time. Seungbo felt the vibe even heavier when Yoosung talked to himself, like there was something else there.

He really didn’t want to fall into paranoia, but the situation wasn’t helping, he couldn’t find a logical explanation for it. 

Seungbo started to sleep pretty badly, as Yoosung didn’t leave his mind. He was trying to find anything that could tell him what was going on.

It wasn’t after Yoosung spent two full days in the Royal Hall instead of working in the office that he got a clue. 

It was weird that Yoosung just dropped everything to spend time in the Hall to then just not use anything about what he –supposedly– gathered. Seungbo even spied on him the second day to know what was going on and he saw he was talking to the air again.

Probably it wasn’t to the air after all…

The Black Crown. Since Yoosung started working on it, Seungbo only felt he was getting exhausted with the passing days, like the crown was draining him.

Seungbo took a quick look at Yoosung’s notes one of the days he spent in the Royal Hall, trying to get something. He noticed how hectic Yoosung’s writing appeared, he could barely understand what was written, but he could understand some names: Ivan and Dann. He knew Ivan was the owner of the crown, but Dann wasn’t a name related to the crown.

Not that he remembered… And he couldn’t remember where he read that name previously either.

Apart from those names, he could read other words: crown, ring, fight, war, burning, death.

Somehow, everything had a connection, but he had no idea how.

The next day, Seungbo went to the Royal Hall before Yoosung arrived. He stood up near the crown and suddenly felt the change in temperature. The vibe was heavy there, even heavier than before Yoosung started working on it.

Seungbo stared at the crown, remembering that it’s been decades since someone tried to study it. He was probably seeing the reason now.

His ears suddenly filled with noise, whispers, and he felt the urgency to leave, like he was in danger. He turned abruptly to his left, the same point he always sees Yoosung looking at, but he saw nothing.

He preferred to leave before the feeling grew more. And he felt safe in the office for a while, until Yoosung arrived. It was like a cold was always following him, Seungbo trembled when Yoosung walked by his side.

Yoosung didn’t even say hi this time. He left his bag on the seat and turned around to leave, to the Royal Hall, Seungbo guessed.

-Yoosung, where are you going? -he asks.

-Royal Hall -Yoosung answers.

-You’ve been there enough time these days, you better work today.

-Don’t tell me what to do, I know what I’m doing.

The fury and violence that has taken over Yoosung lately filled his voice again. Seungbo just sees him leave and doesn’t move, not sure what to do. Insisting will just make things worse.

In the Royal Hall, Ivan smiles at Yoosung arriving.

He let Yoosung exhaust himself after that day, the fear and panic did its thing. He started talking to him again now that he was barely processing his surroundings, just moved by the crown, by him.

As Yoosung was exhausted, he was easier to manipulate now, and his influence already twisted his mind to be practically obsessed with the crown. Yoosung wasn’t thinking about anything else.

- You arrived early today too.

-I need to be here.

- You do?

-Yes… -Yoosung turns to the crown, -I’ve been learning a lot these days… I need more… 

Ivan smiles proudly, seeing how he finally broke Yoosung down, - I have something else for you today… But let’s talk a bit more, it’s too early yet.

-Too early? -Yoosung turns around to him.

Ivan had to admit he felt a shiver when he made eye contact with Yoosung, but that was a good sign. It was like seeing himself in a mirror, Yoosung really was the perfect host.

- Yes, too early… For it to work, I need more time, afternoon is the best timing…

Ivan turns around to the door, as he swore he felt someone there. He could imagine who.

- Although Seungbo is making this harder… He probably would get in the middle of this… -Ivan whispers.

-I can do something about it -Yoosung sounded sinister.

- No! -Ivan yells, turning around to him and then clears his throat, - I mean, not yet… I’ll do it myself when the time comes… Now, where were we? 

-Dann… The burning of Red Snowfield.

- Oh, yes.

Seungbo just spied on Yoosung once that day. When he tried to enter, he felt the urgency to leave again. He’s completely sure something is there, keeping Yoosung near the crown and keeping him away from him.

When Yoosung didn’t appear in the office for hours, Seungbo’s anxiety just won over him and he stands up, turns around and leaves the office to get to him.

He didn’t care about that sensation of danger, he needed to reach Yoosung.

He entered the Royal Hall abruptly but that didn’t seem to alert Yoosung. He walks towards him and when he’s a few steps away from him, Yoosung turns around abruptly to him, making him flinch when they make eye contact.

-Yoosung–

-Why can’t you keep your distance? I’m telling you to leave me alone.

Yoosung’s voice wasn’t like before anymore, there wasn’t any trace of the cute, funny guy he once met. The crown had him completely drained, changed.

-Please, get away from the crown–

Yoosung suddenly kicks the nearest exhibition, making Seungbo react to catch the object before it falls to the floor.

That was enough to get the cue. Seungbo wasn’t getting a civilized conversation with Yoosung in that state. There must be another way to make him snap back to his old self.

-Okay, whatever -Seungbo says and puts the object back in its place, -don’t break anything at least, please.

Seungbo turns around and leaves. Yoosung turns around to Ivan again.

-I tried to not touch him…

Ivan nods slightly, - Greatly appreciated… -he sees that Seungbo took another way, instead of the usual way he takes from the office and back to it, - But I think it’s time to move…

Seungbo checks his watch, seeing it’s 6:40 PM. He arrives at the entrance and goes directly to the guard.

-Are people still inside the museum? -he asks the guard.

-No, the last one just left.

-Okay, great… Show me the cameras please, the ones from the Royal Hall.

The guard does as Seungbo says. He moves the screen so Seungbo can see from his position. When he gets the camera that it’s recording Yoosung, he approaches to see better.

Yoosung is talking again, to then stop and walk outside the frame. Seungbo tried to pick Yoosung in the other screens, but he didn’t appear again, he was purposefully hiding from the cameras.

- I know what you’re doing .

That felt almost like a whisper in Seungbo’s ear and instinctively turned to the previous screen, that points at the Black Crown exhibition. Now, in the darkness that Yoosung is always looking at, he swore he could see something.

No. Someone.

There was a person looking directly at the camera. It was dressed completely black, except for the fur jacket that was white. He had a serene but sinister expression, Seungbo swore he was almost smiling, in a creepy way.

He approaches even more to the screen in an attempt to see better. The person then rises a hand to wave at him, he knows he’s looking and that sent a shiver down his spine.

But what really scared him… Was that the person looked exactly like Yoosung.

Wait… Where did he see him before?

-He is…

- It’s too late, Seungbo.

The voice was in sync with the person’s lips, and just when he said that, the screen went static. Seungbo couldn’t see the exhibition anymore and his heart dropped to the floor.

The camera allowed him to see what he can’t, and what probably Yoosung has been seeing all this time: the entity of the Black Crown. The entity talks with Yoosung and he probably told him to get out of the frame.

Whatever he was planning to do, he needed to stop it now.

-Be alert -Seungbo says to the guard and runs back to the Royal Hall.

His heart was beating faster, his body was sweating, he didn’t know if it was because he was running or it was the panic he was feeling with the situation. The lights flickering as he gets closer to the hall weren’t helping him either, they just added to the stressful situation.

He needs to take Yoosung away from that crown. Now.

He arrives at the Royal Hall and enters abruptly, seeing Yoosung giving him his back, in front of the Black Crown exhibition. He had the crown in his hands, above his head. And now Seungbo could see the entity very clearly beside him, turning around to him with the same creepy smile on his lips and the piercing and dark stare he once saw on Yoosung eyes.

-YOOSUNG, NO!

Yoosung flinches for a second and Ivan moves to get closer to his ear:

- Put on the Black Crown.

Seungbo runs again, towards Yoosung, as he saw the entity move closer, with the intention of taking the crown from his hands. But Yoosung moves faster and puts it on his head, just when Seungbo was a few steps away from him.

What followed was something that horrified Seungbo.

He saw how the entity entered Yoosung’s body as soon as the crown was on his head. Yoosung’s body started contorting and cracking, in ways Seungbo wasn’t sure the body could move. It suddenly seemed like Yoosung and the entity were fighting each other inside the same body, for control, and nothing that came out of Yoosung’s mouth seemed coherent.

Seungbo couldn’t move to help him or stop whatever he was looking at, he was terrified, the cold invading the room completely, he felt he was frozen in his place. 

Seeing Yoosung convulsing and trying to take off the crown without success was terrifying. He was losing against the entity. His body contorts for some seconds and then he suddenly stops, his head looking at the ceiling, with his eyes completely white, his arms dropped on his sides like dead weight and then he falls forward, hitting the wall in front of him with his head.

He was still standing, holding himself up against the wall, but he wasn’t moving at all.

Seungbo was feeling sick to his stomach after seeing that. And he flinches when he sees Yoosung standing upright again, using his hands to pull away from the wall. More bones cracked as he moved weirdly, like he was adjusting to his body and then inhales and exhales deeply, a sinister tone on his voice.

Seungbo felt shivers as he heard the entity’s laugh, Ivan’s laugh, coming out of Yoosung’s mouth.

As Yoosung, now possessed by Ivan, turns to him, Seungbo noticed that there wasn’t any difference between Yoosung and Ivan. He was looking at Ivan now, the crown back on his head and the heavy, piercing stare with the evil smirk drawn on his lips.

- Ah, Seungbo… I really, really think this was destiny… A boy that looks exactly like me living at the same time as a boy that looks exactly like Dann…

-Dann… -Seungbo repeats under his breath, now it was the time to remember where he saw that name before, it seemed important to understand the situation.

- Someone needs to pay on his behalf… What a better choice than his doppelganger, am I right?

Seungbo looks around quickly, his gaze stopping at a bow in one of the exhibitions and that refreshes his memory.

-King Dann from The Door to the Four Seasons, is that who you’re talking about?

Ivan laughs, - Intelligent as him… Yes… He’s the reason I’m still here, the reason my Kingdom has been lost in time -he starts to walk towards Seungbo, his expression changing as anger was taking over him.

Seungbo starts to walk away from him, slowly and not breaking eye contact, to avoid any surprise attack.

- He felt he had the right to erase me and my Kingdom from existence because we didn’t align on our beliefs… 

-Weren’t you committing war crimes or something?

- I was doing what was right for me and my Kingdom! -Ivan lets out a soft laugh, - Not every person in this world is a saint that solves things without violence… Sometimes it is necessary to be cruel… And some of us even like to be it… But he couldn’t accept that… He preferred to erase all the evil, have a world in peace without end… But even he solved that by staining his hands with blood… My blood.

Seungbo suddenly tripped and fell down on his back, sitting almost instantly to not lose sight of Ivan.

- How ironic for a king to die because of his own crown… -Ivan stopped in front of Seungbo and kept talking while looking at him, -Just a moment of distraction and the spikes of the crown were buried deep inside my abdomen, piercing and tearing up my skin and muscles, blood dripping from the wounds… If he had more strength, Dann surely would have gone all the way through with the crown, but he stopped half way… Gave me enough time to keep living with the crown embedded in my torso for a while, until he pulled it out again… And I bleed to death… Not before tying my spirit to the crown of course… He wouldn’t get rid of me that easily.

Seungbo looked at the crown, remembering how the spikes had a different color, -It’s blood what stained them… -he whispers.

- Oh, you guys hadn’t that detail solved? -Ivan laughs, - Of course… Dann really made a great effort to burn and destroy everything… I can’t totally blame you all for not knowing how or where to look.

Seungbo sees Ivan walk away a bit, taking an old hwando that was in exhibition, that belonged to Dann back in their times.

- Well.. It’s my turn to kill a king with his own weapon.

Seungbo stands up, -I don’t think Dann is alive anymore for that, you both used to live at least three centuries ago.

Ivan turns around to Seungbo with the creepiest look and smile Seungbo has ever seen on Yoosung’s face, to the point he felt that wasn’t Yoosung’s face anymore, - You didn’t get it when I said someone needed to pay on his behalf, did you?

Seungbo didn’t have the time to process he was talking about him when Ivan suddenly moved again, trying to hit Seungbo with the hwando. He managed to avoid the attack but fell to the ground again.

If Seungbo doesn’t find his way out, he will surely get murdered there, he doesn’t have any knowledge on weapons other than historical records and Ivan sure knows how to fight even with his bare hands. He was doomed.

-Seungbo–

The voice and the door opening distracts both of them and makes them turn around. Seungbo recognized the boy standing there: Jihun, Yoosung’s friend.

Jihun was confused with the scene developing in front of his eyes. Yoosung’s guiding professor on the floor looking at him and… Yoosung, also looking at him, who seemingly attacked Seungbo just before he opened the door.

With the crown on his head.

That was Seungbo’s chance.

Seungbo stands up quickly and runs towards Jihun, -Run! Follow me!

Ivan couldn’t catch Seungbo and started running towards him. Jihun exits the room with Seungbo behind him, and the latter closes the door, hearing how Ivan collides with it on the other side.

Jihun doesn’t have time to react or even asks what’s going on and he’s being pulled by Seungbo through all the museum. 

Seungbo pulled Jihun from his wrist all the way back to the office, but taking the longest way so they could lose Ivan and gain more time. To his surprise, there was another person there.

-Who– Nevermind, that’s less important -Seungbo interrupts himself, picks the other guy by his wrist and pulls both of them inside the storage and closes the door behind them.

You could only hear their panting inside that place.

-What–

-Shh -Seungbo interrupts the other guy and puts his ear against the door.

Ivan arrived at the office but seeing it was empty he just turned around and kept going around the museum, trying to find Seungbo and the guy again, who looked very similar to another king he fought back then.

Jahan. He was sure he killed him that day, before Dann could end his life with his crown.

Seungbo sighed relieved when Ivan’s footsteps vanished as he walked far away from them. He turns around, looking at Jihun, who was clearly scared, and the other guy, who was more confused than anything.

-How did you enter? -Seungbo asks in a whisper.

-Oh, we just… Entered… The guard was busy fixing a camera and we didn’t want to interrupt him… We’re on schedule to enter the museum anyways.

Seungbo sighs heavily and rubs the bridge of his nose, pushing up a bit his glasses, -One thing… One thing I asked… -he whispers to himself, then he lowers his hand and looks at Jihun again, -And who is this guy? 

-Yunho hyung… He’s our friend -Jihun answers, -we came together to see Yoosung, we were worried, he has been avoiding us and even skipping classes…

-Ah… -with that Seungbo was sure they also noticed the sudden change in Yoosung’s behavior.

-What’s going on? -Jihun asks.

-Yeah, like, why are we hiding here? And from who? -Yunho enters the conversation.

-Yoosung.

-What? -both of them exclaim.

-Not exactly Yoosung, more like… A possessed Yoosung.

-Possessed? -Jihun asks, starting to lose what little of calm was left on him.

-Long story, let’s say the crown is cursed… The spirit of the crown has taken possession of him by wearing it, which is the king who owned it, Ivan.

Seungbo looks around the storage and then walks towards a bunch of boxes that were on a corner of the place. He now remembers where he saw Ivan before.

-No one told me that an archaeology thesis could be this… Odd -Yunho says.

-I’m sure thesis don’t involve possession -Jihun says.

-The crown had its fame for driving crazy anyone that dared to study it, but it’s been decades since the last investigation and no one talked about it either… Now I see why -Seungbo explains while he looks for something near the boxes, -Turns out the crown is cursed as Ivan’s spirit is tied to it… But that’s not the scariest part.

Seungbo takes a portrait and pulls it from behind the other portraits that are grouped behind the boxes. He turns around, showing the portrait to the other two.

-This was King Ivan.

Jihun and Yunho felt their hearts skip a beat when they recognized Yoosung’s face on that portrait.

-It’s… Identical to Yoosung… Except he looks dark and evil -Yunho says.

-That’s exactly how Yoosung was looking right now -Jihun admits with fear.

-And he’s going to kill us out of resentment towards a king that looks exactly like me -Seungbo says, -So, we need to take the crown away from Yoosung, that should force Ivan out of Yoosung’s body, the crown is how he connects to him.

-Wait, are you telling us that we need to go out and confront… Yoosung? Possessed by someone that clearly is more agile than any of us? -Jihun says, incredulous.

-It’s the only thing we can do, we can’t let Ivan do as he pleases, we won’t be able to explain the situation if he manages to get out of the museum.

-We can’t just… You know, jump into action blindly… What else can we get about this? -Yunho asks.

-Maybe we can find records from Dann here -Seungbo looks around and then goes to a box that Yoosung moved.

He opens the box and finds more old books. The other two approach him while he quickly checks the content of the box. 

-Looks like a journal more like a book -Seungbo says, -I think this hasn’t been studied yet, I don’t remember this being listed on the objects with archaeological papers.

-Whatever, if it helps, it helps -Jihun says.

Seungbo quickly reads an entry that caught his attention as Ivan’s name was written there. Overall it was Dann talking about how Ivan’s nature was scaring him, as he felt he was overpowering them. He took the decision to cut Ivan and his kingdom off from the Alliance he had with other kingdoms, before he could make any move to overthrow them.

But it seemed that his decision was what finally impulsed Ivan to go against them, as he felt wronged by him. It was a decision taken behind his back and he wasn’t even notified properly of it.

-”He came back to finish us off once and for all…” -Seungbo starts reading, -”I had to act first or he could have gotten Arthur and Jahan killed… Whatever happens next –war probably as Red Snowfield lost its king– I’ll make sure Ivan is erased completely from this world, I won’t allow his legacy to live, less when it’s been born in hatred, evilness and cruelty… I’m sure the incantation has protected me in this fight and I hope it keeps protecting me until everything is finished… Something tells me Ivan won’t make this easy for me.”

-Incantation? -Jihun asks.

Yunho stands up and starts checking the place.

-Please, be careful, this stuff is old, valuable and frail -Seungbo tells Yunho.

-I’d be more worried about the maniac that is wandering in the museum trying to kill us rather than these objects -Yunho says, -Plus, maybe we can find something to face him.

-But what incantation is he talking about? Maybe we should be looking for that -Jihun says

-Ah, maybe he wrote something about it before -Seungbo starts flipping pages.

Seungbo was trying to remember the words he could read on Yoosung’s notes. Probably he can find in Dann’s journal how they connected.

It was obvious that Ivan had a personal matter with Dann, now he understands how he connects with the evil monarch. If Yoosung wrote stuff that came from Ivan, he was sure he’ll find the answers with Dann’s side of the story.

Yunho kept looking around while Seungbo read the journal, and he stops when he finds more portraits.

-Uh, I don’t think Ivan will be so happy to see us.

Both Jihun and Seungbo turn around to Yunho, who is holding two portraits.

King Arthur and King Jahan, who looked eerily similar to Yunho and Jihun respectively.

-It feels like the conflict just caught up with us… -Jihun says.

Seungbo sighs heavily, -Those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it…

-I kinda get why Ivan is mad, I feel I’m mad at that Dann now -Yunho says.

Seungbo stands up, -Okay, well, we–

A blow on the storage’s metal door scared them, making them scream.

- I know you’re there, Dann… And with Jahan, I saw him too.

Jihun felt the anxiety hit him, his chest hurting as he feels he’s about to hyperventilate. Yunho gets closer to him, but he doesn’t touch him just in case.

-He doesn’t know you’re here -Seungbo whispers to Yunho.

-Is that good or bad? -Yunho whispers back.

-Good, will give us an advantage… Pick anything here to use as a weapon, then hide at the left side of the door, he won’t see you there.

Yunho moves silently to do what Seungbo told him.

-Ivan -Seungbo rises his voice, -Let us go out first, don’t attack us… I want to talk.

Ivan laughs, - Talk, how funny… You wish to beg? Well then, let’s see how long you can postpone your death.

Seungbo turns to Yunho, -You need to attack him so the crown falls from his head… Wait for my cue to do it, you’ll know what will be.

Yunho nods too, from his position.

Seungbo opens the door, finding Ivan standing outside with the hwando on his hand. Jihun can’t help but flinch at his sight, but then he calms down a bit when he feels Seungbo holding him by his wrist.

Both of them exit the storage and Ivan’s eyes move to see what Seungbo had on his hand.

- What do you have there?

-Nothing special.

- Do you think I’m stupid? You were looking for something to stop me–

-Do you want to check by yourself? -Seungbo moves with Jihun, leaving the entrance uncovered for Ivan, -Take whatever you want, so we can’t stop you.

Ivan hesitates but then walks towards the storage. Jihun felt the air escaped his lungs knowing Yunho was still inside. Ivan noticed they looked for stuff frantically by the looks of the storage, it was a mess.

Yunho held his breath as he saw Ivan standing there, near him but unable to see him just yet.

- What do you have here that you desperately looked for?

-The past to understand our present… And we have a little present for you, right, Arthur?

Ivan turned around with Seungbo’s comment, only to be hit by someone on his face and fall to the floor thanks to the force.

Yunho walked away after hitting Ivan with a piece of wood he found.

-Oh, I think that was too hard -Yunho says.

But even with all the force and movement, he noticed that the crown was still on Ivan’s head.

-It didn’t dropped–

Ivan turns around his head, which scares Yunho and he drops the wood, walking backwards to get closer to the other two. Ivan’s cheek was bleeding as the blow hurt him.

- This must be a joke, not you too -Ivan says, looking at Yunho.

Seungbo pulled both Yunho and Jihun with him and then the three were running back to the Royal Hall. They close the doors and take some steps away.

-You hurt Yoosung -Jihun says to Yunho.

-I’m sorry, I didn’t plan to hurt him with the blow -Yunho apologizes quickly.

-Doesn’t matter now! Prepare to slow Ivan down while I find what Dann was referring to, because we won’t be able to take that crown off by force -Seungbo says.

Yunho and Jihun pick up the first weapons they can find in the hall, which were some daggers.

-I don’t know how to fight with these -Jihun says.

-Me neither… But we just need to slow him down… -Yunho thinks, -I know you don’t want to hurt Yoosung but I think it’s our only option.

-What?! 

-Go for his legs, we need to make it hard for him to walk.

-But–

-We will heal Yoosung later! We need to take Ivan out of him first!

They get scared at the doors opening abruptly, as Ivan arrives there. He was furious now.

- History repeats… But now… I’ll be the one triumphant… -Ivan says, a smirk forming in his lips.

Yunho runs towards Ivan and drops to the floor when he sees the hwando going towards him. He manages to hold Ivan by the leg and stabs him with the dagger.

Ivan complains at the pain and tries to attack Yunho again, but Jihun ran just in time to stop him. He held Ivan’s wrist and started to twist it, making him drop the hwando. Yunho hits the weapon away and stabs Ivan again, in a different part of his leg.

Jihun keeps fighting with Ivan to stop him from attacking Yunho.

Meanwhile, Seungbo was reading as fast as he could to find the incantation.

-Come on, come on… They can’t stop Ivan for long -Seungbo whispers to himself.

A loud blow scares Seungbo and as he flinches, he hits the exhibition behind him, dropping the object that was in there. He first looks at the place, seeing that Ivan just threw Jihun against another exhibition.

-Oh my God… We’re running out of time -he looks down to the book but a small box catches his attention, the object he dropped.

He opens it, finding a dragon ring. 

-Ring…

That was in Yoosung’s notes.

He turns to the exhibition to read it. Dann’s Dragon Ring. He quickly returns to the first entry he read, of Dann talking about Ivan’s sinister nature.

Seungbo gasps, -This is it.

Jihun manages to stand up, seeing how Ivan and Yunho were fighting, or Ivan was trying to cut Yunho’s neck with his own dagger, to be more precise.

-Yoosung-ie, I’m sorry -Jihun says and runs towards them.

As Jihun’s dagger pierces through Ivan’s leg, he lets Yunho go and tries to stop Jihun now. Yunho takes the opportunity to hurt Ivan one more time, by making a shallow cut on the other leg. As Ivan gets distracted by that, Jihun can pull back and run away from Ivan.

Ivan turns around, seeing both of them away from him. His legs hurt and he felt the blood running down, but even being in pain he laughs.

- This is the best you can do? -Ivan laughs again, - You really are trying too hard to stay alive, but you can’t run forever…

-You’re really obsessed with this, you won’t get anything from this -Yunho says.

- Of course I will! If they can’t be here to get my revenge, you’ll take their places… Everything aligned perfectly for me, Dann, Arthur, Jahan, you’ll fall–

As Ivan tried to walk, he fell to the ground as his legs didn’t have enough strength due to the wounds.

-You were right, Yunho… Hurting his legs was a wise move -Jihun says.

Ivan tried to stand up, but the pain was too much to stand again on his feet.

- Oh, come on… I could still walk while I had the crown embedded in my torso, these are just cuts… -Ivan says to himself, frustrated.

While he was trying to stand up again, Seungbo arrived in front of him, making him rise his head.

-Aren’t you forgetting that Yoosung’s body wasn’t in the best condition? Your own trick is playing against you now.

Seungbo, wearing the ring now, holds the crown with both hands and starts to pull it. Ivan starts feeling a tingling sensation and he knows the ring was countering his magic.

The ring he saw Dann use the same day he was killed, that somehow made it too difficult for him to defeat the monarch.

- No, not again -Ivan tries to hold the crown down on his head, but he burns at contact, making him put his hands down, - This can’t be, how is he winning again?!

The crown was slowly pulling away from Ivan’s head. Its own magic was trying to keep it at its place, but the ring was tearing apart the invisible strings. Ivan felt how he was losing control over Yoosung’s body and he was being pulled away too, just like the crown.

Seungbo was getting tired but he kept going, he couldn't stop until the crown was completely pulled away.

As he was gathering the last of his strength, Seungbo managed to talk, -History repeats, yes… Even your defeat.

Just after that, Seungbo pulls with all his remaining strength and the crown finally yields and gets thrown away with the inertia of Seungbo’s movement.

Everyone sees the crown flying across the room, until it falls to the ground with a metallic sound and rolls until it hits a wall.

As Ivan forcefully leaves Yoosung’s body, Yoosung drops to the floor unconscious. Seungbo also falls to the floor as the ring drained his energy, but he manages to stay awake, panting, feeling weak and a tingling sensation all across his body.

Jihun doesn’t wait any longer and runs towards Yoosung. Yunho tried to stop him but seeing Yoosung wasn’t reacting, he was sure Ivan left his body.

Yunho looks for Seungbo and goes to him upon finding him, -Where’s the first aid?

-Office… -Seungbo says, weakly, and he closes his eyes, still trying to recover strength.

He hears Yunho’s steps get away, and then everything goes silent.

Seungbo woke up in the office. He found himself lying down on the floor, near a corner of the room, a jacket acting as a pillow for him. He sat up and saw Yunho and Jihun standing up near the table, where Yoosung was lying down, still unconscious.

-I don’t know how long we can keep waiting for Seungbo hyung to wake up, we need to move Yoosung to my home so I can stitch up his wounds -he hears Yunho.

-Fine, let’s carry both of them, then.

-I think I can walk on my own -Seungbo says, standing up.

Both guys turned around as they heard him. Jihun walked towards him to help him, as he was still a bit weak. It’ll probably take more time to fully recover his energy.

They didn’t need to discuss the situation anymore. Yunho had the knowledge to treat Yoosung’s wounds and he definitely needed medical supplies for that, that he had back in his home.

Before leaving, Seungbo goes to the Royal Hall and takes the Black Crown, which was in the same place it fell. He felt the cold as he picked it up, but it wasn’t as strong as before. It probably was because he was still wearing Dann’s ring or Ivan just lost a lot of power now that Yoosung wasn’t present to act as his channel to the living world.

He hides the crown in a box in the storage and marks it so it’s not touched. He’ll take care of that later.

The last thing he did in the museum was order the guard to clean the Royal Hall and never speak about the situation ever again.

At Yunho’s home, he sat down in the living room to read the rest of Dann’s journal and compare it with Yoosung’s notes –or what he can understand from them.

Yunho stitched Yoosung’s wounds while Jihun was looking at him in silence. He was worried about his friend, who was still unconscious.

As Yunho finishes, he takes a quick look at Yoosung’s face, -I really don’t know how long it’ll take for him to wake up…

-I hope sooner than later -Jihun says.

-Good news is that his wounds will heal… Although it’s highly likely that they’ll leave a mark… Especially the deep stabs.

-It doesn’t matter as long as he wakes up.

-What will happen with… You know… The research?

-That’s not important right now -Seungbo enters the conversation, putting down the journal, -Let’s see if Yoosung can recover from this first, I’m pretty sure that physical marks won’t be the only ones he’ll have.

Seungbo leaves his things aside and stands up to walk to the dining room, where Yunho and Jihun were standing, as Yoosung was treated on the table of said room.

-Yeah, but… How are you gonna explain this? -Jihun points at Yoosung, -You know, for technical and formal purposes…

-I really doubt he’ll be okay to keep going with the thesis and even classes.

Seungbo thinks looking at Yoosung, -My partner is a psychologist… I think I can ask him to help me with this… A mental health issue is enough to allow him to retire temporarily and then join again when he’s better.

-Well, this is a physical health issue too, his legs will take time to heal properly -Yunho says.

-But those will heal faster than his mind to be honest… -Jihun says, looking at his friend.

Seungbo starts rubbing his back to give him some comfort, -Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the matter personally, until everything is figured out… And my main concern is that Yoosung recovers as much as he can from this.

-I assume you’ll do something about the crown -Yunho says.

-Feels like I’m walking on Dann’s steps by doing it… But yes, I need to do something about it.

-Well, we practically saw how Ivan was, I think he deserved everything that happened.

Seungbo turns around to see the journal for a bit and then looks at the pair again, -Deserved or not, I’ll make sure that I won’t be doing exactly what Dann did… Repeating something that leads to failure will just turn out into more failure.

Chapter Text

-10 years later-

As the director of the museum, Seungbo was always going back and forth, leading projects, participating in activities, checking on all the stuff is done in the museum. His past self wouldn’t imagine to be in that position but now he really enjoys it and he’s proud of all the work done to reach it.

Past Seungbo wouldn’t imagine either to still have that particular crown in their exhibitions.

But he was okay with it now, he knows there’s no danger anymore.

That week the museum was having some extra activities aimed at history, such as guided visits. As he finished some stuff, he decided to take a walk around the museum to see how things were developing. He even stopped to talk with some people around the exhibitions or the staff.

After checking every room, he finally enters the Royal Hall. There were some people there but he concentrated in a small group of 4 people, a guided visit.

They were standing in front of the Black Crown exhibition, three of them looking at the crown, and their guide, Yoosung, standing by their side, looking at them in silence.

Seungbo approached them a bit to listen to them.

-Is it true that you worked on the paper of this object? -one of them asked Yoosung, turning around to him.

Seungbo was guessing they were university students, they looked like Yoosung when he arrived at the museum for the first time.

-Are you really asking that? -another one turns around, -His name is in the paper.

-Just to be sure, what if I have the wrong person in mind?

Yoosung laughs, -Don’t worry, it really is me, that was my thesis years ago.

The third one turns around this time, -So cool to graduate working around such an object.

-Was it hard? I mean, it must be, considering it is noted in the document that there were just a few resources available, but I want to hear your experience.

-Maybe it helps us, we’re supposed to look stuff for our thesis right now.

“Hard is an understatement…” Seungbo thinks.

Yoosung sighs, -Well… It was a… One in a lifetime experience, if you ask me… But I doubt you’ll have too many problems with your thesis.

-Have you discovered stuff by now? 

-Not much yet, but yes, I’ve been in terrain a couple of times already. I’m actually working on something here, but the object is still stored.

The trio gasps in excitement.

-It must be cool to discover things.

-I hope I can find something one day too.

-Is it dangerous?

Yoosung thinks, -I think it depends on a lot of things… But overall just be careful on where you’re stepping on, terrain it’s often dangerous as you’re visiting ruins and abandoned places or just pure nature at its best.

-Did you get the scar on your cheek in terrain?

Yoosung laughs a bit nervously, -Yeah… It was in terrain… My first one.

-Technically not a lie… -Seungbo whispers to himself.

Yoosung checks his watch, -Well, this was the last stop of the guided visit, you’re free to tour around the museum again if you want to look at the exhibitions again.

-Thank you so much, mister Park, it was really an honor to be guided by you today -one of them thanks and the three of them bow to him.

-No worries, it was a pleasure… And I hope for the best for you in your thesis work.

The trio thanks him again before leaving. Seungbo walks to get to Yoosung’s side when the trio walks away, talking.

-I feel he was kinda destined to write that paper, he looks a lot like the king -they manage to hear one.

-He does?

-Didn’t you see the portrait behind?

Both Yoosung and Seungbo watch the trio get outside of the room and the latter talks:

-Archaeology students?

Yoosung turns to Seungbo, -Yes.

-I thought so.

Seungbo crosses his arms and looks to his right, looking at King Ivan’s portrait, which Yoosung was giving his back to.

-Do you–

-I pretend it’s not there.

-Fair.

-Although, I prefer to look at him rather than to listen to him -Yoosung turns around to the portrait.

-I insist, I can take it back to the storage.

-No, no -Yoosung looks at him, -It’s okay… I feel it needs to be there.

Seungbo looks at the portrait again and both of them stay silent for a while looking at it.

-He looks a lot calmer in that painting -Seungbo says.

-Right? -Yoosung turns to him, making Seungbo look at him too, -You’d think he’s a man of few words.

-He wasn’t.

-At all. He always had something to say, especially about himself.

Seungbo laughs, -Well, he’s not going to bother anyone now.

-Fortunately.

-Did you write in the paper about the curse?

Yoosung laughs, -No, I just passed it off as superstitions… They believed me.

-That’s easier to believe than… -Seungbo looks around the room, -Whatever happened here.

-And that’s still a secret between the four of us.

-It’ll stay like that… -Seungbo checks his watch this time, -Speaking of that, are they coming?

-Arthur said he’s on his way.

-Arthur? 

-Ah, I mean, Yunho… -Yoosung rubs his forehead, -I keep mixing names.

-You still have Ivan’s memories?

-Just a bunch of them… Enough to mix up some things, but not too much to distort my reality.

Seungbo nods.

-I think there will be some effects from the possession that I won’t be able to get rid of completely… -Yoosung scratches his head, -But at least I’m happy I’m not hearing him.

-That’s the most important thing.

-Yeah, mixing up names it’s not that bad.

In that moment, Yunho holds Yoosung by his arms from behind at the same time he yells, scaring Yoosung –and Seungbo by extension, as he jumps by seeing Yoosung getting startled and Yunho’s scream.

Yunho laughs, -I’m sorry, I had to -he walks and stands next to Yoosung.

-Where’s–

Jihun appears from behind Yunho before Yoosung can finish his question.

-Ah, there -he laughs.

-Yeah, I went for him to his home at the end -Yunho says.

-So glad to see you two after some time -Seungbo says.

Both Yunho and Jihun bow to him as a greeting.

-We had to make room on our schedules to see Yoosung as a guide here -Jihun says.

-Speaking of which -Yunho, turns to him, -can we have a guided visit?

-I finished the last one I had, I think we can -Yoosung says.

Yunho claps and starts walking, -Good! Then we will follow you–UH?

The trio looks at Yunho, who stops as soon as he exclaims, as his gaze comes across Ivan’s portrait.

-You have that thing here? -Yunho asks and Jihun looks over his shoulder to see what he was seeing.

-Yeah, this is the Black Crown exhibition -Seungbo points at the crown in its acrylic box, over the pedestal.

-And you still have that thing? -Jihun asks this time, pointing at the crown.

-It’s safe -Yoosung says, and turns to Seungbo, -although you never told me what you did with it.

The duo looks at him too.

-Do you remember my friend Sungho? -Seungbo asks, -The one that helped my partner in your therapy for the dissociative trauma the possession left on you.

-The one that helped with my mixed memories and identity?

-Yes. He did me the favor of… Getting rid of Ivan for good.

Yunho gasps, -You have a witch for a friend?

-Yeah, he’s one, that’s why he helped in this. Part of Yoosung’s trauma was rooted in magic, common medicine wouldn’t help that much.

Yoosung nods, -It’s a bit hard to explain, but there were things he could manage that common therapy and medicine couldn’t.

-And the crown is indestructible, so Sungho purged the crown, the object it’s safe and common -Seungbo turns to Yoosung, -he told me he was able to see and hear Ivan the moment I entered with the crown.

Yoosung laughs, -I hope he wasn’t a pain in the ass for him.

Seungbo laughs too, -Didn’t look like that to be honest, and Sungho said he was protected, so Ivan didn’t have any influence on him.

-That’s good…

-So, the crown is purged and it’s a common, old object -Yunho says, -That’s great, people don’t need to know what happened then.

-Okay, but I still have a question -Jihun says, -how’s that thing indestructible? Magic too? It didn’t even get a scratch from the fight.

-Oh, no, that actually has an explanation outside of the paranormal -Yoosung starts, -it because of the way it was forged and the materials… Its metals were mined in Red Snowfield, that kingdom was known for its mining activity and their peculiar metals and rocks, and forged in The Sea of the Desert, kingdom that was known for their unique techniques on forge… Combining those things, you could create an indestructible object and Ivan knew that… He purposefully designed the crown to be indestructible, as a sign of status and to feed his ego.

-I assume he told you that -Yunho says.

Yoosung shakes his head with a smile, -I actually gather that last thing from the memories I got from him… The technical part was in a book Sungho-hyung had that he shared with me when I could go back to my thesis.

-Twisted, he knew what he was doing all the time -Jihun says, looking at the crown.

-The gems and details are also very peculiar, types you only find in what used to be Red Snowfield… Obsidians, silver… And the frontal spike, the only one different from the rest, it’s a black diamond.

-Oh, a black diamond? -Jihun looks at Yoosung, -He really needed anything and everything to feel superior.

-Egotistical maniac, that’s what he was.

-Do you think Dann is writhing in his tomb? -Yunho asks and makes the others laugh a bit, -Like, all he wanted was to erase Ivan from existence but here we have his indestructible and luxurious crown and his portrait beside it… I feel that’s the opposite he’d have wanted.

-But it’s what we need to do -Seungbo says, -History needs to be told properly, with all its ups and downs… And I think its downs especially, to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

-People at least know Ivan as he really was: Twisted, evil, egotistical… That’s what matters -Yoosung says.

-And we also updated Dann’s story so people know he was the one behind Red Snowfield’s fall, it’s all as it needs to be.

-And how do you feel about all of this? -Jihun asks his best friend.

Yoosung shrugs, -That’s a chapter of my life that’s already closed… I still need a bit of time but I’m far better now, I can look at the crown without having a panic attack.

-I’m always making sure he’s fine with the portrait there -Seungbo says.

-And I keep saying I’m fine with it.

-Well, that’s what matters to us -Yunho says, -you really struggled for years to recover from all of that.

-If you feel okay, then we don’t have to worry -Jihun says, smiling softly.

Yunho claps, -So, are we having that tour or nah?

Yoosung laughs, -Of course, we still have time.

The quartet starts to walk to exit the Royal Hall.

-We already saw the crown, we don’t need to go back to it -Yunho says, -I don’t want to see Ivan’s face again -he turns to Yoosung quickly, -no offense.

Yoosung laughs, -I don’t want to either… To be honest, I think I’m not going back to black hair soon.

-Ginger suits you very well tho -Jihun says.

-Thank you -Yoosung smiles.

-By the way, you don’t have anything about Arthur, do you? -Yunho asks.

-Actually, you’ll like this -Yoosung turns to him, -I found a sword some weeks ago and it appears to be his.

-Really?!

-Arthur’s not inside the sword, right? -Jihun asks.

-No, we took the sword to Sungho to be sure it wasn’t cursed or anything -Seungbo says.

-Ow, so I’m not meeting my look alike king -Yunho says.

-No, why would you want that? -Yoosung asks.

-Hey, your experience sounds cool! Avoiding all the stuff he did to possess you, of course… Although I’d like to be possessed by Arthur, he didn’t seem to be evil.

Yoosung laughs and then he looks at Yunho with the most serious expression, startling him -No, believe me, you don’t want that to happen.