Hello. I will try to post another chapter soon. Thank you for your patience. Please don't forget to leave your comments. I don't have any new prompts for oneliners, still the old ones: 1) Date 2) Parents 3) Sacrifice 4) Secret. Believe it or not: I'm still using the ones you left me and they are inspiring. Be creative and wild.
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Her hands trembled as the flow of KI surged, coating her nerve endings, light tingling at the very fingertips as if a very weak electrical current was present, and with that she could tell exactly what was going on. Concussion was not severe, but there was still some internal bruising, there was an under cranial edema, small, the size of a walnut, however, dangerous.
"There is a problem, Min Ho-shi, we need to go to the hospital now."
"What is it?"
"You need to be under observation to make sure edema dissipates, otherwise, you might have to get surgery."
"Surgery? No, I can't. I'm in the middle of shooting. We have a very tight schedule."
"You agreed in the car, so let's go."
"Can't you observe me here?"
"I don't have any equipment."
"How did you find out about the edema then?"
Eun Soo looked at her hands and then at the actor, who expected a legitimate answer.
"Hmmm. I can't tell you that. I don't understand it fully myself, but you have to trust me, you have one and it needs to be monitored."
"Then you know where it is, so you can monitor it."
Eun Soo put her palm against the area and focused. She decided to try something, a completely crazy idea, and if it would not work, which it should not, of course, then she would be loading him up in a car and admitting him to the nearest hospital. But she just wanted to see if the KI ability she seemed to have acquired was not some kind of fluke. She could practically visualize and locate the spot. Then she checked the opposite side – nothing. Then she checked herself – nothing. The feeling was completely gone. It just felt like healthy tissue and normal blood flow. So she was not imagining this. So she could tell the difference.
"What if… Do you mind if I look at it some more?" She decided to try something simple. She pressed gently and directed a low grade KI current toward edema. Her fingers started to heat up quickly, and she felt like her skin was almost burning.
"Are you feeling anything?"
"It feels warm, no, actually very hot. What are you doing?"
"Just give me a second." Talking broke her concentration. What if she could gently dissolve the edema with KI? Magic? Not really. She knew of bioenergetics – it was a proven fact that each person's energy produces some signature. But with her KI, charged and transformed by Choi Young's she intuitively recognized that she could do much more and could possibly manipulate in ways, he would not have thought about, since he was not a doctor. But she was. She was a healer. Did not they tell her she has golden hands, magic hands? Now she did!
After the treatment, she let the actor rest. However, the next 24-48 hours were the most crucial: he had to be monitored for any new symptoms, because they could indicate a more severe form of concussion. So he was instructed not to go to work and take it easy, resting at home. He, of course, objected, but Eun Soo was firm.
"Let me talk to Choi Young, we can figure something out." The three of them did a conference call, with the General surprised at first to talk to Lee Min Ho over the phone. He was already comfortable chatting with Eun Soo and had an understanding that the apparatus allowed to communicate with whomever was holding it, but talking with two people at the same time was something new. Hee Jun also jumped in, wanting to be a part of the conspiracy and the actor with Eun Soo could barely contain laughter listening to the slaps and banter on the other side of the line.
Lee Min Ho was now under the house arrest of the watchful eyes of his new doctor, who, despite her sweet appearance, was strict when it came to following her orders. Choi Young would cover for him till he gets better – taking his place in fighting scenes and working with the stunt coordinator. And when he returns, the director would film his other scenes. So with everybody's cooperation it seemed that the filming would not be affected.
. . .
Choi Young arrived to the agency and changed his clothes to look like himself, and then went up to the top floor, out to the observation deck to think. He recently discovered this place by accident. Being this high up reminded him of climbing to the top of a mountain and having the world outstretched on the palm of your hand in front of you. Just you and the world, anywhere you turn, beautiful solitude.
The view was magnificent. Seoul with its many districts and the river running through it was such a large city, it took his breath away when he saw it for the first time. So this is how his country would look like in 700 years. Goryeo would give a name to Korea, a magnificent and strong nation respected and liked in the world.
Looking down on this new world filled him with pride and humility. He had to ponder what was his role in all of this: in his time or in the present. His friend Jae Su – who also traveled from the past – what was his role? Was he an unknown figure, forgotten over the millennia? Or was he somebody important who would change the course of history? The two of them from the past, at least the two of them that he knew about, were they supposed to be here? Would they both survive the last fight? Was one of them destined to parish? And if it were to be the outcome, then who would it be? Even a thought of disappearing from Eun Soo's side was painful. He did not know about Jae Su, but for him there was a damn good reason to stay alive. With a heavy heart he committed to living, even if it meant that Jae Su might not.
Choi Young was reminded of those he needed to protect with his life. He has always been in a position to protect others with his own life. It was his job, but now it was his choice. It made it so much more meaningful, but also much more scary. He almost let the actor get hurt. If he stayed away from him and Eun Soo for now till Jae Su comes for him again, they would be safe. But who would be there to take care of them? Who would protect those people, if not him? Will Jae Su try something crazy out of anger or desperation and unintentionally harm the people Choi Young cares about? That man's heart would not be that hardened to actually want to hurt them – he had to believe that. So he should wait…
Eun Soo's call made him worried and he found himself in the elevator heading out and hailing a taxi. He had to be next to her, even if to make sure she can handle whatever is going on with her KI power.
"Stranger, something is happening. I don't understand it, but believe I can control it and I think I can heal."
"I'll be there, wait for me. I'm coming," he reassured her.
. . .
They were seating comfortably in the living room. Eun Soo allowed Min Ho to take a nap, however, only under her supervision. He felt very self conscious with her eyes following him, while he tried to stretch out on the couch. He was tossing and turning, finally, with his back to her, he managed to dose off, but her voice woke him up.
"You can't sleep for too long yet. Just bear with me. I have to check you again. Any new symptoms?" He understood that this torture will continue and regretted not wanting to initially go to the hospital. At least over there, he could try and get rid of annoying nurses, but he could not get rid of Daejang's girlfriend.
"Should we watch a movie or something?" He offered as a good host.
"No, it is not good for you. You can lay and rest your eyes, but we should talk, so you don't sleep."
"Fine. What should we talk about?"
"What was your plan with Daejang?"
"He did not say much, just that he will protect both of us."
"Protect us? From what?"
"These were his exact words: Tell Imja I will protect both of you."
"Do you know something I don't?"
"I don't know what I can tell you. We have not discussed this. I don't want him to be angry with me."
"What happened out there today?"
"Wait till he tells you; honestly, I'm not sure myself."
"Not sure?"
Eun Soo picked up the phone to call Choi Young, her initial impulse was to confront him and force him to tell her everything. But he was not the kind of man to make such statements unless they indeed were in danger. Assassin! That was the only thing that could have made him so paranoid. Ever since he came through the gate, he was looking over his shoulder, expecting an attack. Maybe, that's what it was all about. She will wait to ask, she should be patient. Easier said than done, and five minutes later, she was already probing Lee Min Ho for more information.
"Did he meet a man?"
"A man?" Min Ho tensed. He did not want to say anything. He was not prohibited, but he realized that was not a simple incident that he could just share with anybody. How much did Eun Soo know he was not sure.
"Ask your boyfriend, please. I don't want to be put in the middle."
"So he found him. That's how you got injured, isn't it?"
So it finally happened. The assassin appeared and Choi Young's life will in danger. He will fight with the man, he might get hurt… or kill the assassin. In this time, killing a person is not a small thing. Her heart filled with fear. He would not be so careless as to do it in broad daylight. Right? "Young-ah," she whispered and put her palm on the heart, her eyes widened with anxiety. If something happened to him… she did not know what she would do. She could no longer imagine living without him, even for a second.