“We have to get out of here!” I said.
But Hong Gildong wasn’t gawking at the paradox or running in fear. Instead, he let out an impatient sigh and checked his watch. He straightened up, then began chanting in a language I couldn’t comprehend.
Each word sounded like a facet of a diamond glinting in the sun, sharp and bright. It must have been the ancient dragon tongue, which only the highest-ranked descendants were ever taught.
The paradox shivered and shrank back into the wall. Then the room settled, colors blossoming across the white stain.
Hong Gildong has dealt with paradoxes before, I realized as he straightened his tie with one hand.
At first, I had thought the paradoxes were caused by me and Yejun going against Hong Gildong’s orders and messing up the timeline. But if Yejun was working for Hong Gildong the whole time, then Hong Gildong knew everything we were doing and would have made sure none of our actions damaged the timeline. No wonder Yejun was so certain it wasn’t our fault, and was so perplexed that paradoxes were popping up anyway.
“Why is the timeline breaking down?” I asked Hong Gildong. “And why aren’t you worried about it?”
Yejun scoffed, “Because all that matters is who gives him more gold for his hoard.”
Hong Gildong growled, the sound like a low peal of thunder through the floor. “I don’t expect children to understand,” HongGildong said. “Explaining the intricacies of dragon negotiations to you would be a waste of my breath. You’ll both be gone soon anyway.”
Then he turned, drew a gun from beneath his jacket, and pointed it at Yejun. I tried to step closer but froze as Hong Gildong clicked off the safety.
Instinctively, I reached for my box of time magic. Maybe I couldn’t outrun a bullet, but I could go back and make sure we were never in this situation in the first place.
“Before you try to travel,” Hong Gildong said, “there’s something I think you should know.”
Magic was already curling around my wrist, but I hesitated at his words.
“I’ve just flagged you both for neutralization,” he said. “The moment you run to another time, the timeline architects will see it, and a team will already be there waiting for you. So, before you go anywhere, it’s worth considering whether or not you like the taste of time magic crammed down your throat.”
I remembered the hazy image of my last neutralization mission, the way the woman whose name I could no longer remember had turned to dust that the carpet inhaled. Even that broken shard of a memory made me shiver, and I reflexively pulled my hand from my pocket, the magic fizzling out.
“Good girl,” Hong Gildong said, smiling darkly as he turned back to Yejun.
“Yejun—” I started to say, but froze as he smiled. He was no longer looking at Hong Gildong, but at me. He wore the same carefree, easy smile I once despised.
“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’ll find you again.”
I shook my head.He’s going to erase us this time, I wanted to say. “Yejun, you can’t—”
“I’ll find you,” Yejun said, his words tinged with desperation, like he wanted so badly to believe it. “I’ll comb through every timeline, okay? Please don’t cry.”
I didn’t even realize I was crying until he said it. I could only shake my head, for all words in every language seemed to have left me. I should have said something more to him. Something kind and comforting, an apology for how rude I’d been, gratitude for giving up everything for me, but I couldn’t find the words.
I thought of Yejun bringing me strawberry cheesecake, holding my hand as magic flowed through both of us, telling me he would never hurt me. I thought that Hana was the only person to care for me exactly as I was, but it was always Yejun.
I couldn’t let this happen.
“Wait!” I said, taking another step forward.
But before I could do anything else, the door to Hong Gildong’s office slammed open. All three of us turned toward…
“Dad?” I said.
My dad was standing in the doorway, waving awkwardly as my mom peered over his shoulder. At this, Hong Gildong actually did lower the gun as confusion crinkled his face.
“Allen-nim?” Hong Gildong said.
“Um, hello, Sajangnim,” my dad said, giving half a bow and staring unsubtly at the gun in his hand.
My mom pushed him into the room so she could see, bowing slightly before she noticed the gun as well.
