Dear wonderful and patient readers! Oh, how I've missed you! Sorry, it took me longer than expected to produce the next chapter. I had sort of a writer's block. I was too engrossed with "A matter of marriage" and too busy assisting Nanu with edit for 100 Years that I just could not put anything deserving on a paper. Alas, there is time for everything – and my mind has cleared enough to let in ideas and create another installment for you to enjoy. Without further adieu:

A sound of a pebble hitting the window alerted him. He lifted off his spot, a nimble warrior; not a sound, as his light steps took him to the curtain.

"Stay," he ordered Eun Soo with just one whisper and to make a point pressed a finger to his lips.

She had dozed off by the actor's side and opened her eyes from the sound, ready to ask, but he already preempted her question, making her blink rapidly to wake herself into readiness for his next directive.

One hand on the scabbard, another slowly pulling the curtain, he looked out the window. The ground beneath was empty, but the awnings gave plenty of shade to hide. Choi Young strained his eyes, not able to distinguish a human form in the darkness.

"Show yourself," He called, pushing the window open. A rush of cold air swayed the curtains and brought the sounds of the nights into the silent room.

"Choi Young! Come down, I'm not in a shape to climb." A man's figure moved out of the shadows.

"Have you come to fight?"

"No, I've come to talk. I'm injured."

"Injured?" His voice jumped a little with care.

Eun Soo looked at him with worry, as she witnessed the strange conversation. Lee Min Ho was awake and turned his head to the window and then to his caretaker. "Eun Soo-shi, I think it's Daejan's old friend. I've met him."

"An old friend? It's not possible," she murmured.

"Imja, come with me quickly, he said he is wounded." Choi Young rushed to the door and stopped, turning to her, "Aren't you coming?"

"I'm fine, so don't concern yourself with me," nodded her off Min Ho. She sighed anxiously and followed Choi Young.

A tall and slender man, not unlike Choi Young, but with completely different features, wearing all black Goryeo style garbs, stood with his head hung and long raven hair fallen on his face, completely covering his eyes. He was holding a sword in one hand, slung across his chest and pressed against his body, as if covering something. He lifted his head, exposing narrow brown eyes without a light in them, obviously in pain.

"How?" Only asked Choi Young. "Can you walk?"

"I can. And it's just happened." And with that, man's pale face twisted in a grimace of pain and he bended over in half.

Eun Soo ran to his aid, as his knees buckled and Choi Young barely caught the body before he could hit the pavement.

"Young-ah, carry him he is in no shape to walk."

"Sir, can you hear me, what is your name? Do you know where you are?" The emergency room script kicked in and Eun Soo already started the quick assessment of his condition.

"Jae Su at your service, my lady," the man spoke these last words through his teeth. His eyes closed and he went limp in his friend's arms.

"He lost consciousness. Pick up, NOW!" Eun Soo screamed. And Choi Young lifted the man on his back.

"Where to?"

"Our bedroom."

Eun Soo hurried behind, her steps echoing in the night. She flipped the switch and the light filled the room, making everything less scary.

"Place him carefully on the bed," she directed. "I need to examine his injury. It must be under the ribs to the side, that's where he was holding his arm."

"What can I do? Can I help? How?" General's eyes were running frantically and seemed to have lost his usual composure and confidence. Eun Soo has never seen him so obviously scared.

"Just be calm. He is lucky, I have experience with trauma. Get some boiled water and I need clean bandages, maybe sheets will work. Alcohol for disinfection and something like a scalpel… maybe a few thin knifes, a meat skewer and a pair of scissors."

He ran out only to return in a second, "Imja, where do I get all of that?"

"Ask Min Ho-shi. He will help."

Choi Young stalled, looking nervous.

She understood. "I will do everything I can. But we might need to take him to the hospital. Just like when you got hit by a car – you would have died if had not gotten the surgery."

"Save him, Imja," He asked softly and disappeared into the doorway.

She tried to pry the sword out of the man's hand, but he clutched it tightly. Eun Soo smirked, just like Choi Young. This man was also from the past. How? Why? She did not have time to ponder. She managed to look at the wound. The man was shot! With a bullet! She rolled him on the side and checked – there was no exit wound.

"Damn it! Young, where are you?"

Both men came in with the items she requested, looking quite shaken. They stared at Eun Soo, who moved deftly, her hands working with swift precision. Jae Su was still unconscious and she was grateful, but still needed him immobilized. "Hold him. Both of you."

She tore the bloody clothes off and disinfected the area; the red pool of water ran down on the white sheets, leaving a sad mark. Sheinserted her finger into the wound, causing the man to groan and open up his eyes. He looked confused at the two men who were holding him down and was ready to fight them off. One of them was familiar and another - he zeroed on the almond eyes of Choi Young, who nodded, reassuring, - and Jae Su relaxed in their arms.

"It will hurt a lot, sorry," she simply stated, continuing the procedure till she was able to extract the bullet.

She disinfected the area again and dressed the wound. "Stay on a side, like that for a bit. I need to speak with Young."

She left the room and both men followed. Min Ho stopped a few steps behind, giving them privacy for a conversation and since he was completely ignored, returned to the patient to keep him company and watch. Although he had no idea what he was supposed to do, but he figured, it was better to have a set of eyes on him in case he asked for something.

"You," the man said hoarsely, able to tell even with his back to the door who came in.

"Yes, me," Answered Min Ho, knowing exactly what it meant.

"We meet again," Jae Su strained and coughed, disturbing the injury with the convulsions that spread through his body.

"I don't think you should be talking. I will stay here till the doctor and Daejan come back. Don't worry. It is my house, it's safe," commented Min Ho. He was harboring a dangerous criminal, who just yesterday held a sword to his throat and now the man was disabled and under his protection. How ironic it was that the roles got reversed. One thing was for sure – he was not an enemy and he was not somebody to be afraid of. Otherwise, Daejan would not allow him to be here.

Behind the closed door, Eun Soo finally had a chance to take a breath. She pierced Choi Young with an angry stare. "Now, can you tell me what the heck is going on here? Why is there a Goryeo man, perforated by a bullet, right now in this house?! Who is he and why did he come here?"

Choi Young lowered his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that whatever he will say next will elicit a very loud and a very strong response, and got prepared.

"Imja, he is the assassin I've told you about." And his hand covered her mouth promptly as it opened for a scream, which he successfully muffled. He eyes were bulging and she waved her hands awkwardly, trying to push his hand off. Choi Young pulled her closer, still covering her mouth well. "Imja, I will explain everything, promise me you would not scream."

Pressed against him, she felt safer, although confused and still frightened. The man, who supposedly came to kill Choi Young was saved by her own hands.

She nodded and the General slowly lifted his palm off and just to make sure, instead covered her mouth again, this time only with a kiss, fully engulfing her with his lips. Hungry for connection, for closeness, finally feeling all that's he kept pushed down within the last few days. With her lips to his - the fear, the worry, the anxiety, all the emotions that helped him be alert - were rendered useless. The "assassin" was not a threat, at least not for now. He thought a lot about Jae Su during the night, but could not figure him out. It was not an easily trip – through the Hwata's gate – and if not to kill or seek revenge, then why go through such trouble?

"Imja, you will be all right. He is my friend," He explained. That seemed like the most direct and reasonable way to approach this situation. "He needs to speak with me. I believe him. Don't know what it is about, but it must be important enough for him to cross the gates of time."

"Assassin?" Whispered Eun Soo. "Assassin that you were so paranoid about is in fact your old friend. Does that make any sense? How is it even possible?" She shook her head in disbelief.

"Eun Soo-ya, the truth is I don't know, but I intend to find out. When can he talk?"

"I think we should take him to the hospital to be sure he will recover properly."

"I don't think he will come, maybe, after we speak."

"I want him in a hospital right away, he might develop an infection, fever, who knows what else; I went in blind."

"Did not you say you can heal with your KI?" Suddenly asked Choi Young.

With everything happening so quickly, she completely forgot of this newfound and not clearly understood or tested ability. "True," She said, thinking. "It won't hurt to try, right?"

"I trust you. You are very special, my Eun Soo," said Choi Young with a certain pride and conviction.