Epilogue

Wind blows light. The grass dances with grace. The smell of jasmine lingers into the nose. From far, the grass looks just like a green carpet. Soft. Meadow.

A beautiful sight to remember. Store and keep deep into the memory.

The finger keeps storking the brush on the off white parchment. Minds wander a bit before continues stroking delicately. Sometimes, the finger stops dancing, try to figure what should it goes after the last word.

From afar, the ear catches a melodic sound, coming straight from the outside.

Khittan stands up from his chair, checking outside due to curiosity. It's been a while since he heard those melodious sound around The House of Jade. Usually, no one ever dares to make a noise. He is sensitive to it. Especially, at night. As he is a light sleeper, even a droplet sounds can wake him up.

It will cost him the next day.

However, today, someone dares to breach the most important rules ever in here.

A sound of someone blowing a flute keeps dancing into his ears. At first, he feels a bit annoying. But then, he realizes something. The song that the blower plays. It's his favorite song. The one that his grandmother used to play.

Khittan walks out from his room, straight towards a balcony where he can checks everyone discreetly. The sound obviously coming from the main arena in the middle of the lake, just right in front of his room.

There is a crowd. All in pink. A woman stands in the middle of the crowd. She must be the blower of the flute. Khittan stops a guard that walks pass by the path.

"Who invited the entertainer?" Khittan asks him.

"No one invites an entertainer, Your Highness..." the guard politely replies to him.

"Who blows the flute then?"

"It's The Crown Princess..." he bows a bit before leaves Khittan, standing there in awe.

Khittan draws a smile softly. He enjoys the music alone. His heart feels at ease, an action that he doesn't know how to explain. It's unspeakable. Yes, he loves Karin. Ever since their unfortunate meeting at the fabric house at The House of Sun.

It's a love at the first sight.

You make me fall for you all over again, Karin...

***

"What happened?" the priest asks the boy. The wind blows violently all of the sudden. Since the ritual started, the weather seems disagree with them. Thunderstorm happens all of the sudden. The sky turns red, the moon looks bloody.

"Keep calm. Just stay where you are," the boy demands the priest. The man freezes on his spot. Unable to move. The boy stares at the unconcious Karin and Khittan.

Slowly, he draws a smile.

When the fate sealed, there is nothing that us; the human, can do.

"Love wins all..."

The boy whispers to himself.

***

"The ritual only bind the fate, but the fate itself seal the deal," says the boy. He nods in tiny as he watches two bodies glowing under the tree. A string of the red thread binds around those two, making an unending loop.

"What happened?" asks the priest.

The boy stares at him, softly showcases his smile. As he looks up, those bodies levitating in the air, he hides his thumb, ring finger and little finger. With his pointy finger and middle finger, he cuts the red thread.

Slowly, the red loop loses its color. However, the new golden loop forms around them this time.

"Venerable..."

"These two... They love each other so much. No red thread in this world can put a curse to them. The curse, it's just overshadowing the test by Heaven to them. No life in this world can escape the test by God..." the boy says with a smile still intact on his face.

"Love is unpredictable. When it comes, with whom we will be, in what form our love story is, how are we gonna tackle it... All these... We have no answers. Only time can tell," softly, the boy swipes the air with his fingers. "But, don't worry. God won't test us more than we can handle. By the time comes, everyone will find their happiness. Just... Believe in it."

The priest nods. He finally smiles at the boy. The ritual seems coming to end.

"I better call the Royal personnel..."

***

Karin and Khittan standing next to each other, watching the sunset in front of Karin's house.

"You're lucky that your house is up on hill..."

"You will take it back when you have to hike up that road," Khittan bursts a fainted laugh. Karin stares at the road in front of them and giggle as well.

"So, coming back to Fransco?"

Karin shakes her head in tiny.

"I have a family there. But I have my life here. I guess, I spent half of my life in here than Fransco," Karin replies to him.

"You know, it's a rare case of The Queen not to reside at the Kingdom. There is no such thing as Royal Long Distant Relationship-"

"I wanna be your wife. But, I don't wanna be The Queen. I love you for you. Not a fan of the throne."

Khittan holds Karin's hand delicately. He stares deep into her eyes as he draws a sweet smile.

"If I can alter the universe... I'll choose you rather than the throne. Or maybe," he looks down at her hand. Then, looks up, locking his lips on hers a bit before retreat. "I can do that even in this universe..."

Karin touches his face with her palm and shakes her head.

"Fransco needs you. I know you'll do that but I don't think I wanna marry a guy who abandoned his duty for his people," she says. "And... You do know I'm still the citizen of Fransco. I am your royal subject. I want you as my King," she continues.

"Well then... You have no choice but to come with me later," Khittan puts his words in firm. "If you still wants me to be The King. You told me, my people needs me. As The King, I need The Queen. And, I only want you. No one else," says Khittan.

"Wait... What about...?"

"Ivry? She had already accept the fact that I'll never love her like how she loves me. Besides, she told me, once, there was a woman who taught her to put herself first before others..."

"Jeez, I taught her too well!" Karin sighs.

"Believe me, this is for her own good. Besides, she's in good hands now. If my cousin screws up, I'm fucking cut his throat!"

"Ivry... And Yug?"

"Well... At least she's still with the Royal family. And she gets her own castle, too!" Khittan laughs in merry. Karin shakes her head in disbelief.

Man... I hope she's savage enough to handle Yug's playboyish act! Karin murmurs alone.

"So... If I become the Queen... What will I get?" asks Karin in tiny.

"Somebody puts some interest..."

"Nah! Just curious..."

"Well, having me is enough, I think?"

"Ew, like I wanna stare at you day and night! Who do you think you are, huh? Cha Eun Woo?" Karin playfully pushes Khittan away from her. The man laughs as he attempts to hug Karin. But the girl resists with her might.

"Okay... Okay!" Khittan throws a white flag. "You will manage some charity boards, be the chairman of woman's association, have gazillions number of people who love you. And..."

"And?"

"You can keep your cafe. Don't worry. If you want, we can even open a branch in Fransco," Khittan replies. Karin gazes at him with sparkles in her eyes.

"Okay, it sets then!"

"Wait. You... Accept... My proposal??"

Karin nods, looking at Khittan with subtle reaction.

"I just want to run my cafe. If I can keep it, that's means my future is still secure if something happen in the future," she replies to Khittan.

"Something happen? Wait, how can you assume something bad even before we get marry??!"

"What? I just wanna have a secure future!"

"How dare you!"

"Take it or leave it, sire!"

Khittan halts a bit.

"Fine... I'll let you run the cafe..."

Karin nods and glares at Khittan with her savage mode.

"But, right now... Let me just hug my Queen..."

"Halt! No hugging until we get marry!"

"Don't be old school... Let me!"

And, for that, the day ends in good for them. Two people who basically just met each other in such a roller coaster way. After four reincarnation and two years in waiting, finally, the true happiness knocks their door after a rapid thunder storm.

Love is so unpredictable!