A/N: This chapter was written by InHwa.

Of a long dreary midwinter night,
I would cut out the middle,
And keep it rolled under my cotton quilt
To be warmed in the spring wind.
The night when my love comes all frozen,
I shall unroll it slowly for him.
- Hwang Jini

Ga Eul stood frozen in place as the ghastly specter of a maiden hovered above them. She wouldn't have believed what she saw, except Yi Jeong had thrown an arm protectively in front of her and was staring at the apparition in horror. He yelled, "What do you want?!"

"Alone," the ghost wailed. "He left me… alone!"

Her voice echoed in the gallery, and the lights flickered erratically as if in response to her shout.

Ga Eul flinched, as if struck by those words. They brought on a familiar wave of anguish that she had been floating in and out of all evening. Was this ghost related to the painting and her visions? She clung to Yi Jeong's arm, his solidness her only anchor to reality. Though Ga Eul's heart was racing, she had to know, so she asked timidly, "Who… who left you alone?"

"He said he loved me. He promised to be with me." The ghost's pale complexion darkened to an ashen gray and her voice rose. "But it was a lie. All LIES!"

The lights sputtered again, this time more frantically. There was a popping sound as a bulb burst overhead.

"You…" The ghost leveled a finger at Yi Jeong. "You noblemen are all the same. You tell lies, with no care for the cruelty you inflict!"

"And you," she said as she directed her finger at Ga Eul this time. "You're a fool to believe in true love! You think he cares for you, but he'll leave you with nothing but broken promises."

It was then Ga Eul noticed the dark drops of liquid falling down the ghost's cheeks. As afraid as she was, Ga Eul couldn't help but feel pity for the ghost. She was broken-hearted and in pain. In an attempt to assuage the angry maiden, Ga Eul told her, "Yi Jeong sunbae never promised me anything. He's not the one you're angry at. Please let go of your anger and leave us be."

The ghost laughed in mockery. "Then you're even a bigger fool than I was. I know your kind. You give him everything, though he'll never love you back."

The ghost's pronouncement pierced Ga Eul, like an arrow to her chest. Yi Jeong had needed her, and Ga Eul, like a fool, had given her all without a thought for herself. She had told herself it would be enough to see him happy again, but the truth was that she had been secretly feeling resentment, though she had worked so hard to let go. Everytime she thought about Yi Jeong she was overcome by longing, which brought on a pain that wouldn't go away. She had wished so desperately for him to be her soulmate, but it was never to be. Never to be…

"He betrayed me for another woman–someone of his kind. He threw me away because I wasn't worthy enough. He'll leave you too!" The ghost seemed to grow in size and wind blew throughout the gallery, though there were no windows, whipping Ga Eul's hair and stinging her eyes.

"I know!" Ga Eul cried out, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I know I'm not the one for him. I know he loves someone else."

The ghost's deathly gaze seemed to bore into Ga Eul, drawing her in and making her so dizzy it caused her to stagger.

In a flash, Ga Eul was standing at a stall selling vegetables at an ancient street market. A handsome nobleman in Joseon garb stood in front of her, smiling at her. His eyes were full of warmth, and she felt her pulse quicken as he presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

In another flash, they were at the top of a hill overlooking the lake from the painting, their special meeting place. The nobleman placed a jade ring on her finger, declaring, "Hee Sun-ah, I love you. I promise to be with you forever. Will you do the same for me?"

She nodded, joy filling her to the brim. "Yes, young master Seo Gil."

His face broke into a wide grin, then became somber almost immediately. "I need to tell you something. I'm the crown prince, Yi Seo."

The crown prince. The words echoed in her brain like a portentous warning. It was foolish of her, but she loved him so much that she accepted his assurances. She spent days working on a painting for him and though it was amateurish, she put her whole heart into it, hoping he would know her feelings were true.

But the hopefulness was quickly swallowed by a dark bitterness, as she was returned to the scene of her final moments of life. On the same hill, as she anticipated her lover's return, she felt a sharp pain in her back. She turned slowly, but this time she could make out the sneering face of her murderer. She was looking into the dark, cruel eyes of a young woman wearing an ornate silk hanbok, with a long braid down her back.

"How dare you seduce my future husband, the crown prince!" the woman snarled menacingly. "Did you think I would allow you to enter his harem, and that I would share him with you?"

"Your future husband?" Ga Eul heard herself say, tasting blood in her mouth. He was to be married? No, he couldn't have betrayed her. He said he loved her. He had promised to meet her tomorrow. "Where is young master Seo Gil?"

The woman smirked. "He's not coming. He said he had his fun toying with you and now he's done. He wouldn't dream of being with someone so common and filthy. He didn't want to bother dealing with you anymore, but unfortunately, I can't let you live."

"No, no he wouldn't—" Ga Eul's voice broke on a sob. A pain worse than her wound gripped her heart. The woman only said everything that she had feared but dismissed because she had believed in true love. She had believed in him, but he had deserted her.

The woman drew the knife back and Ga Eul could only watch silently as she was stabbed violently in the stomach. She crumpled to the ground and her mouth gurgled with blood, making her choke, slowly suffocating her.

#####

Yi Jeong caught Ga Eul by the shoulders before she fell to the ground. He had been watching her with increasing alarm, as the blood slowly drained from her face and she started to cry. Her gaze was unfocused, as if she was in a trance. Ga Eul must have gotten caught up in another vision, and it had something to do with the ghost.

She whimpered, "Young master Seo Gil!"

Seo Gil? Could it be the name of the man in the vision he had? Was the ghost his long-lost lover?

Ga Eul seemed to be growing weaker and weaker. Fearing for her life, he shook her. "Ga Eul yang! It's just a dream. Wake up!"

Her eyes fluttered and refocused on him. "Yi Jeong sunbae?"

"Ga Eul yang, are you okay?" Yi Jeong embraced Ga Eul, trying to protect her from whatever the ghost was doing to her.

"You see now, don't you?" the maiden specter howled. "He's the same. He'll abandon you for another!"

"Sunbae, why are you doing this to me?" Ga Eul had come to, but was still weeping. She struggled against Yi Jeong. "You know how much I like you. I know you're in love with someone else. I've been trying to forget you, to let you go and be happy, but you keep making me want more. Stop playing with me, it hurts too much."

The ghost grew larger and larger as Ga Eul wept, until it nearly filled the entire room. Her voice boomed, "YOU'LL BE ALONE!"

Yi Jeong held Ga Eul tight, as she sobbed and tried to push him away. He faced the ghost, determined to fight off the despair it was drowning Ga Eul in. "No! I'd never leave her! Once you find your soulmate, you hold on and never let go."

Abruptly, Ga Eul stopped fighting against him. She looked up at him and whispered, "Sunbae, you… you remember?"

"Ga Eul yang, I'm sorry I hurt you so many times. I was so stupid. But now I know. I– I love you, and you alone. There's no one else." Yi Jeong's voice shook, his pent up emotions finally forming into words. He cupped her cheek with one hand. "Please forgive me. Please… please don't give up on me."

Ga Eul's eyes shone, the corners of her lips turning up into a tremulous smile. "Sunbae."

"Lies!" The ghost shouted angrily. Her skin had turned almost black and her eyes burned bright red. "They're all LIES!"

Yi Jeong and Ga Eul covered their ears at the high pitched screech. They watched with horror as the ghost's robes and hair stretched longer and longer, into strips that were long enough to reach Yi Jeong. He batted them away as they grasped at him, but there were too many and he was quickly being engulfed.

"Sunbae!" Ga Eul grabbed his hand with both of hers and yanked him out of the tangle of cloth and hair. "We need to run!"

Without looking back, they raced out of the gallery. Yi Jeong could still feel the tendrils brushing against him and saw Ga Eul being similarly attacked, so he ran even faster, pulling Ga Eul through one room after another. When they reached the stairs, Yi Jeong shut the door behind them, only for it to be blown open as they quickly ascended to the main floor. There were loud crashing sounds as displays were knocked over, glass cases shattering, priceless porcelain broken into shards. Bulbs exploded overhead, showering them in bright sparks.

They had outpaced the ghost, but there was only so long that they could run blindly. Ga Eul was already slowing down and it wouldn't be long before the vengeful wraith reached them.

When they reached the weapons room, a thought occurred to Yi Jeong that would normally have been absurd if not for the extraordinary situation they were in. He quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher and threw it against a large display housing multiple swords. He selected a long sword inscribed with runes along its length on one side, and constellations on the other. The Sa-In Geom, or the Four Tigers Sword, wasn't sharp, but legend told it could slay evil spirits.

Yi Jeong stood at the ready, both hands holding tight to the ceremonial sword, as the ghost flew at them, its ropes of hair and cloth writhing all around her. When it was close enough he swung the sword, and like a miracle, it slashed through the long tentacles. The ghost shrieked and recoiled as if in pain. Yi Jeong was both shocked and relieved that it had worked. He pressed on further, slashing again and again. The ghost retreated several paces, and Yi Jeong was about to land the finishing blow when it shot up into the air out of reach. The ghost screamed with rage, as it regenerated its flowing hair and robes.

It attacked again, and again, Yi Jeong fighting it off and the ghost regenerating each time. His arms were growing sore and sweat was dripping down his face as he took his battle stance yet again. He saw no end in sight, but he had to keep it up. He had to protect Ga Eul.

"Sunbae!" Ga Eul tugged at his arm. He looked down at her, and saw that she was holding up the scroll in her hand. "This."

Of course. They had to return to where it had all started. Yi Jeong nodded once, grabbed her hand, and they took off running again before the ghost had a chance to fully recover.

They managed to escape, but soon the ghost resumed the chase, destroying everything in her path. When they got to the main entrance hall, Ga Eul screamed. Yi Jeong lost hold of her hand as she was pulled away from him. A coil of hair had wrapped itself around Ga Eul's ankle and was dragging her back towards the ghost. At the same time, the great stone monolith teetered perilously, and was about to fall on her. Yi Jeong's heart clenched in terror. He wouldn't reach her in time. In a split-second decision, Yi Jeong threw the sword at their pursuer. The ghost roared on impact and let Ga Eul loose. She scrambled to her feet and ran clear just before the monolith toppled to the ground and cracked into pieces.

Together, Ga Eul and Yi Jeong finally made their way to the sijo exhibit, panting and gasping for air. They quickly located the first half of the painting and removed it from its frame. They placed it on the ground, then unrolled the second half next to it, lining the two torn edges up.

Nothing happened.

The sound of crashing came closer and closer.

There was panic in Ga Eul's voice as she exclaimed, "Sunbae, it's not working! What are we going to do?"

"It's going to work! I know how he felt, and it wasn't the end for him," Yi Jeong said with conviction. "He would have never left her, the same way I would never leave you."

Suddenly, the two halves of the painting under their hands started to vibrate, and light burst out of them with a force that threw Yi Jeong and Ga Eul back. Yi Jeong sat up, squinting at the glowing artwork, and noticed an ethereal form standing in the light. It was an elderly buddhist monk.

Yi Jeong stood up and helped Ga Eul to her feet. He asked the monk, "Who are you?"

The monk said nothing, but smiled at them enigmatically.

Immediately, the wind died down and everything became silent. The maiden ghost was suspended in the air nearby, staring at the monk.

The monk gazed up at her, as he raised both arms and called out, "Hee Sun-ah!"

"Young master Seo Gil?" said the ghost tremulously. She floated down, her robes and hair back to their normal lengths.

"I've been waiting for you," Seo Gil took both of Hee Sun's hands into his.

There was a blinding light, and Yi Jeong felt as if he were sucked into a vortex.

He was once again in a vision as the nobleman in the painting. He was holding hands with a beautiful young woman in a plain hanbok, unadorned, colors faded. Her eyes were bright with tears.

"My lord, didn't you marry?"

"I couldn't marry someone else when I still loved you," Yi Jeong heard himself say, his voice quavering. "I'm sorry I was too late. You died… because of me. Hee Sun-ah, forgive me."

"She said you didn't want me anymore. That I was filthy," the woman choked out, tears flowing down her cheeks.

He held her face in both his hands. He brushed her tears with his thumbs. "I left my family, I left everything behind, because I couldn't forget you. I promised to be with you forever, and that never changed. Will you still keep your promise?"

The woman nodded, smiling.

He felt joy radiating from his chest, its warmth filling his entire body. He had prayed for this moment for so long, though he had never believed it would be possible. At last, he was with his one true love again. He drew her face closer and bent down to meet her lips with his. The centuries of bitter longing and regret finally released in a torrent of emotions, like the heavens bursting into rain to end a long drought.

Yi Jeong's eyes opened partially, and he realized he was back in the museum—except the woman he was holding was Ga Eul, the lips brushing against his were hers. He had never experienced anything as intoxicating as her sweet kisses before, and he closed his eyes again, reveling in how good it felt. He threaded his fingers into her hair and angled her face to deepen the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into his mouth. A sense of peace washed over him. Everything felt so right.

He wouldn't have stopped if Ga Eul hadn't pushed against his chest and mumbled against his lips.

"Mm?" he said between kisses. Yi Jeong kissed the corners of her mouth, then her cheeks.

"Sunbae look—" The rest of what she said was muffled by another kiss on the lips.

Yi Jeong was just noticing how she tasted of hot chocolate, when Ga Eul pushed at his chest even more forcefully, enough so that he had to disappointingly release her.

"Sunbae look! The ghosts from the painting!"

The two figures standing on each half of the painting had transformed. The vengeful ghost and the old monk were once again the young maiden and nobleman from his visions. They were hand-in-hand, faces luminous with happiness as they gazed at one another.

The lovers were reunited. Their sorrow was at an end.

"Sunbae, their souls found one another," Ga Eul said softly by his side.

"Of course. They're soulmates," Yi Jeong replied. He placed an arm around Ga Eul and drew her next to him. She was the one who made him believe, the one who was his very own soulmate.

Ga Eul smiled up at him, then leaned her head against his chest. They watched as the two ghosts slowly faded away.

Strangely, it seemed as if the lights in the gallery were also dimming. The last thing Yi Jeong felt was Ga Eul embracing him as everything turned to darkness.

#####

Ga Eul didn't want to wake up. She was having the most blissful dream of her life and she didn't want it to finish just yet. Somewhere in her half-conscious state she knew she had a free day, and she reasoned it wouldn't hurt to sleep for another hour or so. Ga Eul shifted, trying to get more comfortable, and snuggled into her pillow. It was strange how cold and hard her bed was, but how warm and pleasant-smelling her pillow was. It had a musky, heady scent that hinted of danger, much like…

Ga Eul's eyes flew open with a start and she found herself wrapped in two strong arms, nestled against a familiar looking chest. Her gaze slowly lifted until it landed on Yi Jeong's handsome sleeping face. A rush of embarrassment overtook her. Had she just slept with So Yi Jeong? And why were they on the floor?

The sound of a rolling cart came nearby, and a woman exclaimed, "Omo, what's this? Were you here all night?"

Ga Eul scrambled to a sitting position and saw the janitor from the night before peering down at them with curiosity. Confused, Ga Eul examined their surroundings and saw paintings and calligraphy scrolls on the walls, and a mannequin dressed as a gisaeng in a glass display in the center of the room. The morning light was peeking through the high windows, banishing any remaining shadow in the gallery. Ga Eul realized with horror that they had indeed spent the entire night in the museum.

Ga Eul shook Yi Jeong by the shoulder, muttering, "Yi Jeong sunbae, wake up!"

Yi Jeong groaned and slowly sat up, holding his head.

"Oh, it's Director So!" The janitor clapped her hands together once. "Did you sleep well?"

Yi Jeong looked around in a daze for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Yes… No! I mean we just…"

Ga Eul stayed silent in chagrin. There was simply no way to explain their situation in a way that made sense.

"You must be hungry. How about some banana milk?" The janitor took two small plastic bottles from her cart, stuck a thin straw in each, and handed them to Yi Jeong and Ga Eul.

Ga Eul nodded her thanks and sipped on the overly sweet drink, thankful it would prevent her from having to speak.

"Well! Then I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. I have to go clean up the costume gallery. Someone left a big mess there." With a grin, the janitor strolled away, wheeling her cart ahead of her.

When the janitor was gone, Yi Jeong and Ga Eul rose to their feet and awkwardly brushed off their clothing.

"So last night…" Yi Jeong paused, scratching his head. "Do you remember anything unusual?"

Unusual? She remembered lights shutting on and off; mysterious music; a disembodied voice; visions of a sorrowful maiden and her prince; a vengeful ghost chasing them and destroying the museum; dead lovers from ancient times reuniting… and Yi Jeong passionately kissing her. Her face felt hot remembering the feeling of his lips pressing against hers. "Unusual" was not the word she would use to describe last night.

Yet, Ga Eul nodded. "Do you remember anything… unusual?"

Yi Jeong nodded as well. He looked around with a bewildered expression on his face. "I thought the museum got destroyed by… something. Maybe it was a dream."

This was consistent with her "dream", but everything in the gallery was in its place, undisturbed. Ga Eul felt more than a little disappointed. Not that she wanted the museum to be wrecked, but if it was a dream, then Yi Jeong had never really confessed to her, and she was back to having her one-sided feelings for him.

"Wait." Yi Jeong pointed at the wall in front of them. "Wasn't that in two pieces?"

Ga Eul had a moment of shock when she saw the painting that had caused so much trouble last night in one continuous piece, with no trace of a tear. The commoner woman was standing on the shore of a lake looking across the water at a man who was sailing away from–no, was it towards the woman? They were both smiling now, whereas last night their expressions had been full of grief. In the second scene, the colors looked even more vibrant than before, the blossoming cherry tree even fuller as it sheltered the two happy lovers on the hill.

"It was in two pieces last night," Ga Eul confirmed.

Yi Jeong stared at the painting with a bewildered expression as he said, "I dreamt I was that young nobleman. He was a prince in love with the commoner girl, but they couldn't be together. Her name was–"

"Hee Sun," Ga Eul finished for him.

Yi Jeong looked back at her, eyes wide. "And he was Seo Gil."

"Then… it was real? The two ghosts? Everything that happened last night?" Your confession to me? Ga Eul held her breath, hope rising in her.

Yi Jeong shook his head slightly. "I don't know what was real and what wasn't."

Ga Eul searched his face. She at least had to know the truth about them. "Sunbae… was what you said the truth? Did we really…"

Yi Jeong pulled Ga Eul into a firm embrace. She felt him gently kiss her forehead, then lean his cheek against her temple. His lips close to her ear, he said softly, "Yes, it was real Ga Eul yang. I love you. Will you forgive me? Will you be my girlfriend?"

Ga Eul's heart soared. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing closer into his warmth. She smiled into his shoulder and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend."

They held one another for a long while, not wanting to let go of the moment that both of them had so long been waiting for.

Then Ga Eul's belly rumbled. She silently cursed her stomach for its terrible timing.

She could hear the smile in Yi Jeong's voice when he said, "I'm hungry. Want to go get some breakfast?"

"Neh, sunbae," she replied, delighted. Ga Eul paused, realizing something. "Wait, would this be our first date?"

Yi Jeong looked at her with incredulity. "What exactly did you think last night was?"

Ga Eul's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, we've been on so many fake ones, how was I supposed to know?"

Yi Jeong sighed. He gave her a knowing smile and a small kiss on the nose. "It doesn't matter anymore. They'll all be real from now on."

Ga Eul liked that idea very much. "Let's go sunbae. It'll be my treat."

As they walked out of the room holding hands, two sets of eyes watched the smiling lovers go.

The janitor looked up at the mannequin in the center of the room and said, "Not bad work, Jini-yah. I was beginning to think that kid was hopeless. You really are the expert on love."

The mannequin's eyes glimmered, as if she were smiling back at her friend.

"And thanks for getting rid of that crazy ghost. I couldn't stand all her wailing and crying anymore!" the janitor complained. "Of course she had to leave a huge mess behind. I barely managed to clean it all up before they woke up."

There was the sound of a geomungo playing its high notes, tinkling like a bell.

The janitor frowned. "Are you laughing at me?" Then her face relaxed into a smile. "But, I suppose you're right. I really do love a happy ending."

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References:

Sa-In Geom, or the Four Tigers Sword, is only forged at the Hour of the Tiger, on the Day of the Tiger, in the Month of the Tiger, in the Year of the Tiger, when yang energy is at its strongest. That means it can only be made within a 2 hour time period once every 12 years. The Sa-In Geom lacks any cutting edge, as its purpose is to cut down evil spirits and not people.

For those of you who haven't watched it, the janitor is a reference to "Ghost Doctor", Kim Bum's latest K-drama. I highly recommend it!

This chapter's sijo was translated by Sung-Il Lee (from his book "The Crane in the Clouds"). The translations to most of the other poems in this story were found in "The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Korean Poetry", by Peter H. Lee. The one in chapter 3 that starts with "On bright moonlit nights, what do you think of?" was translated by me from the Korean translation.