I'm so excited that so many of you are still following the story and are curious about what happens next. It is also a cause for a small celebration - the story hit the 100 review mark. For me it is very special as the story was supposed to end a while ago, but because of you, the readers, I continued and don't regret it. As far as all the suggestions and ideas, some of them are more plausible than others, but nevertheless you might see some of them come true.

Choi Young did not like the conversation in the least. He also did not like the fact that this man seemed to possess some kind of knowledge, especially about him and Eun Soo, and about the Hwata's gate that was hidden from him. Unless he was bluffing, but that did not seem right either. This charade was affecting him; he was becoming paranoid, scanning his environment for people on his tail, it was hard with the amount of people and noise on the streets. A man in a trench coat looked suspicious, standing idly on the corner, looking around. Choi Young lowered his head, passing by, thinking of a way to grab him quietly and question. But the man perked up, a smile on his face and waved at a woman, who hurried toward him. They hugged and embracing, couple walked away together. One down, hundreds more to go. Choi Young had to stop and think. Paranoia did not suit him, it rubbed him the wrong way. He liked things direct and clear, in front of his face, the lines of enemies and friends not muddled. He detested the political intrigues and all the plotting he had to deal with working with the royals. If he could, he would stick to the warfare only, his mind seemed to have a neck for those kind of stratagems. He decided to be on alert and to shake off any tail, he snuck into the nearby metro station, hiding behind a thick column. He waited for about 5 minutes and as he was ready to go, he felt the icy cold look drilling through the back of his head. He turned quickly, trying to find where it originated. The station was not very full, most of the people have already bordered the trains, and a new wave of passengers started to trickle in. He could swear it was the assassin, but he never got a look at the man's face. If the assassin worked for Mr. Kim, he could be placed under surveillance, but if he worked for himself or someone else, then the matters were more grave. He was afraid to go home and bring him to Eun Soo. He exited the station and walked down a wide boulevard with large trees on each side and conveniently placed benches for rest. He picked a spot to seat. He wished he had what Eun Soo called a watch to tell him how much time has passed and also a handphone to contact her and make sure she is OK. Eun Soo was waiting for him at home, anxious probably, that was more important than anything, but he could not return, till he was absolutely sure he would not be followed.

She was at home anxiously worried, just like he suspected. She also wished she would have taught him better how to read the clock and should have given him a watch and a cellphone so that they can be in touch. Modern conveniences were there for a reason, to make life easier. She walked around her room in circles, imagining some horrible bloody scenes of Choi Young slashing Mr. Kim in the cafe and police going after him. She turned on the TV scrolling through the news channels and even checked the internet for any breaking stories. There was nothing of the sort. She did not know what to do with herself. It was more than three hours since he left. She reached for a book that she meant to read for a while, but never found the time. Getting comfortable under the covers, she fluffed the pillow and leaned her back on the headboard. She told herself that all she could do now was wait and that she had to trust her intuition, which did not scream out that something was terribly wrong. If he was hurt, I would know, she was sure.


A feeling of security and warmth woke her up. Choi Young was in bed, hugging her from behind, kisses placed softly on her sleeping body.

"Stranger? When did you get home?"

"Not long ago, sorry, did not mean to wake you up, just wanted to hold you."

"I was so worried!"

"I know, I understand. I want to get that thing called cellphone so that you never have to worry again."

"Stranger, I missed you," and she turned to him, her eyes shiny with love.

"Me, too. Every minute I have to spend away from you, hurts. Imja, we should never separate." He said simply, like it was a matter of fact, not a big pronouncement.

"Then shall you go to work with me?" and she laughed, happy to hear his confession.

"I would like to work so that I can have money. I really dislike having you pay for me."

"Well, maybe, we can find something for you to do. Wait," she lifted up on her elbows, looking at him, "Did you just say you wanted to work? Does it mean you are staying?" She sounded so hopeful and happy, she could not believe her ears. Did that Mr. Kim convince him to stay?

"Imja, I don't know how long I will be here, but for the time being, it seems that there are more questions than answers. I told you before…"

"I know, I know!" She was too excited. "I don't care." She hugged him so tightly he was surprised there was so much strength in this woman's fragile body.

"It's OK," he held her in his arms, feeling her pressed against him so closely, and knew at that moment that it was absolutely essential and necessary for them to make love. Without it they would not be able to survive, they had to do it without a question. Eun Soo figured it out, too. It was all of a sudden, this need that had to be satisfied. Exactly what they both wanted together at the same moment. Everything they were covered with came off, everything, and they watched each other astonished at how much they needed each other to continue living, to exist, to be.

His KI grew strong and steady, a burning point in the low abdomen, emanating powerful bursts of white bright light that glowed; the current not erratic, not dangerous, not distractive, but instead healing and nurturing, giving, loving. As they kissed, their limbs interlaced, their fates entangled, everything intertwined. The moment they merged, something moved within her, something buried deeply and guarded so safely that even she could not find it easily. It moved, it came alive, it began to flow. It started to fill all of her, travel from the center of her soul and pumping through her blood, beating in her heart and outwards, till the very tips of her fingers, it brightened everything within her; her mind, accepted this new force, born the moment she realized that nothing else matters. She gave herself fully, nothing hidden, nothing held back, just the way she was, she is and will be. He felt it, the power that hit him, the storm that took over him, they have finally came to this place together. "Sarang-hejo, Choi Young", her voice completed the circle.

They made love, like a regular man and woman, like the rest of us, simple human beings, who know nothing of KI, they cried and laughed and screamed each other's names and whispered about their most sacred inner desires, they gave with abundance, they rose and fell together, they embraced the genius simplicity of joining their bodies in this act of unity. They were so beautiful together, so special, the only two beings in the whole world, yet like everybody else, they were in love and loved each other, like millions of other couples. It did not matter that he was from the past and she was from the future. It did not matter at all that tomorrow was uncertain and that too many things were unknown. They made love tenderly, with passion, with certainty. And once they have completed each other, something else happened. Something unexpected, something unique that only these man and woman could experience: they truly became as one. The energy exchange, the sharing they practiced before, their ability to feel everything the other one was feeling, it changed into something more. Their energies joined into one. There was no Choi Young or Eun Soo, there was one perfect creation. And as their bodies separated, fulfilled and spent, now what they both carried inside was the same. It was amazing in its purity. They have not discovered it yet and it will be a while till they did, as all they could feel was the electrical current coursing through both of them, like any other time they touched. For now, the future was unwritten, but what they have become together might have started to change what's to come.

This new state of being they possessed was only theirs to share. It was their secret to keep from the prying eyes of the world. As they cradled each other to sleep, they dreamt together about a river that flowed; it flowed to the ends of the universe and sparkled with bright stars, each of these stars waved at them and they could see the faces of the people who traveled along this river before, all of them making sure of their safe passage. They held hands and watched the world move around them and with them. Hwata's gate opened up and swallowed them, together. It was not scary; the journey has only begun. Strangely enough they could change the direction of their movement at will and they could control the gate with sheer thoughts alone. They looked at each other, not needing words to communicate. They were as one and they could do things together that neither of them would be able to phantom alone.