Chan-sung looked at the moon garden. New flowers had bloomed since the last time he'd come there. Some had already been picked up by Ma Go and some were ready to open in a few hours. Only the tree was as dried and lifeless as it was the day Chan-sung came to the hotel.

Aera walked around the garden, but she decided not to disturb him and so she sat down among the flowers. It was so lovely to be surrounded by so many beautiful smells while your eyes were delectated with the numerous colours of those thousands of petals.

Ma Go finally came, but she was the Ma Go he'd expected to see there. Not the one who picked the flowers and left behind good energy. This time it was the cruel Ma Go and Chan-sung had the feeling things would change dramatically for the hotel.

"You should start to prepare the people for their journey over the river." Ma Go warned him. "The hotel would stop existing at the next full moon." She continued without offering any further explanations.

"But Mr…"

"He left…his actions caused the death of a person and so we decided he couldn't be allowed to rule this place and that he must be punished accordingly."

"Well, I've told…" He stopped as he noticed her cold glance at him. "What if they aren't ready to go?"

"They assumed their own risk. My sister has prepared the wine, but it might take until she finds someone suitable to fill in the vacant position."

"Fine. I'll warn them. Thank you."

He felt sad. He'd finally found a purpose and he had to leave again. He hated it. Most of his guests weren't ready for the trip. They still had a lot of things to see and experience before crossing the bridge.

"What's going to happen?" Aera asked as Ma Go disappeared and there were only the two of them.

"I don't know. I suppose this place will disappear."

"What about that wine? What's the use of that wine?"

"Whoever drinks it will be linked to the moon tree and he will become the new owner of the hotel. But Mr. Lee was punished. He can't drink that wine again. You should leave, Aera. Without this place, I don't know what will happen to you."

"Do you know where I can find her? Ma Go." She asked.

"I don't think she could help you. You better get ready. I'm going to announce the stuff and the guests."

"I need to ask her a favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes. I can't leave yet."

"Aera."

"I'm sorry, Chan-sung. I really am, but…" She turned around and left him alone.

As she passed by his office she decided to enter inside in the hope she might find Ma Go's address through his possessions. What she was doing wasn't right. She was aware of it. But she had no alternative.

And there it was. A beautifully written address card. Right on his office where he'd left it an hour ago when he'd found it through his old things. She took the address card and hurried towards the subway station and then to the pharmacy where she expected to find the goddess.

None of the many sisters was there when she arrived. She walked around the place for a while until she dared to enter. She'd decided to take the wine. She found an empty bottle somewhere inside the pharmacy and filled it with the wine from the huge caldron. It seemed delicious, but she didn't dare to drink it. The wine wasn't for her.

Her hand trembled as she touched the bottle. She knew it was wrong and unfair. Every part of her being told her she shouldn't do what she intended to, but she wanted to exist whatever the punishment she would receive in the next world. If this would grant her more time with Chan-sung, then she was willing to go on with her plan.

"Whoever drinks the wine will become the owner of the hotel." Those words echoed in her mind.

She grabbed the bottle and ran all the way to the hotel.

Chan-sung had gathered all the ghosts and announced to them Ma Go's decision. Some of them complained, demanding more time. Others agreed to take the bus and leave. A few of them hurried to try all the things they hadn't dared to in their life and promised to leave in five days.

Chun-dung noted all their demands on a sheet of paper. He was going to have a few long days if he wanted to complete those wishes, but it didn't matter to him. It was his duty after all.

"Hi," Aera greeted him as she entered his office. "You seem tired. I brought you something to drink."

"Not now, I'm busy. I have so many…"

"I know, but we might never get a second chance to stay together and I want to spend my last day here with you."

"Have you decided to leave?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"It's going to be alright, Aera. We'll meet in another life. I'm sure of that."

"Who knows what's going to await me in my next life."

"I'm sorry…" he uttered after a short while.

"What for?"

"That you didn't get the life you wished for."

"I got it. Here with you." She answered.

"The sky lounge?"

"Sure."

The city looked amazing from up there.

"It's like the city is saying goodbye to us." She uttered as she handed him a glass of wine.

"The moon is amazing tonight. Almost as it was the day she left. In a week it's going to be round like a balloon." He remarked.

The moon looked eery that night as if something amazing was about to happen. Its light made the roads look like silver. A silver path that led to so many directions and yet it seemed to have a single destination.

Aera's strawberry cocktail reminded him of some flowers he'd seen while he was a kid. Or maybe it was a cake he'd desired and his father couldn't afford to buy.

"It's strange," he remarked. "I suddenly remembered about my childhood and my father. I haven't thought about it for a long time, but this night had something. It's like a spell. It makes me feel sad and nervous. Like I'm leaving somewhere, but I don't know where."

"You aren't leaving, Chun-sung."

"I guess, I'm not." He took a sip from the wine and he was shocked at how bitter it tasted. She observed him. "It's horrible. I mean.." Then everything changed around him.

The moon grew bigger and bigger until it was a huge golden apple stuck in the sky. The hotel started to tremble as if it were an earthquake and rearranged itself and a huge tree grew in front of him. Suddenly, he wasn't in the sky lounge anymore. He was in the garden of the moon.

"What's happening?" He asked confused, unable to say aloud what he suspected.

"I'm sorry."

"What for? What is this?" The tree was so close to him. He ran his hand on its bark and he could feel the soul of the tree vibrating inside. It wasn't a dead three any longer. He put his hand over his heart, hoping to feel its beating, but it was quiet and cold as the big full moon which had just appeared in the sky. "What have you done, Aera?"

"It seems the hotel has a new owner." Ma Go uttered calmly.

"You…I can't…I've done nothing to.." Chun-sung mumbled.

"You drank the wine."

"She tricked me to do it. I've trusted her. I've trusted you " He cried.

"Nevertheless. She will pay for her deed, but it doesn't change the past." Ma Go started.

"How could she…? I'm stuck here. For who knows how much time and…" he interrupted her.

"Please, do not send me to the other world. I want to stay here. With him." Aera begged Ma Go. "I'll do whatever you ask me to do. I'll work harder, better..I…"

"I've warned you, Chan-sung, that coming here might mean you would never leave. Look at your tree. There's not a single leaf on it. It isn't the wine that keeps you here, but yourself. Find a way to help this tree grow leaves and bloom and when the flowers withered and fell you can leave."