No Winner

It was April, and the snow was half melted up in Snow Mountain. The Lovers decided to go to town. The mountain trail down to Fu Village was somewhat visible if they followed the mountain range. A gust of wind blew past them, and Manchu's hat fell to the ground. Manchu stared at it without picking it up. Joon bent down and picked up the hat, then brushed off the snow, then put it back onto Manchu's head. When the lovers entered the main road, they saw ten men and two women waiting for them.

Joon looked at Manchu, "No matter what happen don't stay further than a length of arm from me."

Manchu asked, "Are they thief?"

Joon sighed, "No, they are here to kill you."

Manchu was confused, "Me? Why? I've promised, I will never practice sword."

Joon said softly, "Manchu, they are not me, but I will protect you until my last breath."

Manchu smiled at him.

Mi Kyong said in Korean, "Joon, your time is up. Kill him or my servants will kill him." Joon unsheathed his sword. Mi Kyong was so angry to the point that she felt her body was gulf up in flame in the cool spring temperature. "Break his legs, but don't kill him. As for the Wu offspring." Mi Kyong looked straight at Manchu. "Kill him."

The ten men and the woman launched toward Joon.

Joon quickly said, "If you must, run away if I lose. She is my grandmother she will not kill me."

Manchu said sadly, "Joon."

Joon pushed Manchu and shouted, "Run." He charged toward the incoming servants. "Now!"

Joon tried his best to stop the men from passing by so that Manchu could escape without harm. The ten men was as skilled as Joon. Two of the men grabbed a hold onto Joon's wrists, and the woman put the chain shackle onto his wrists.

Joon screamed at Manchu, "Run away." Two men dragged Joon across the icy cold road to Mi Kyong.

Manchu shook his head.

The servants dragged Joon back and they stood in front of Mi Kyong.

Mi Kyong said angrily, "Hit his legs. The rest of you kill the Wu last offspring."

Joon shouted at Manchu, "Runaway... They going to kill you!" He felt tears falling from his eyes. He watched eight men charged at Manchu. He turned to Mi Kyong. "If you kill him... I will kill myself afterward."

Mi Kyong said madly, "You dare? You are the last offspring of Mi, the best swordsman from Mi Village. Until you have offspring of your own, I will not let you die."

The two men hits hard on the back of Joon's knees, and he went down on his knees onto the cold ground.

Joon whimpered hard as he watched the innocent unarmed Manchu refused to leave him behind. Joon screamed in pain and anger and trying to break free from the chain shackles, "Runaway!" He sobbed. "Please runaway."

Mi Kyong laughed, "Ha...Ha...Ha...Ha... Wu Mei I've won."

Joon screamed in pain as his heart was about to burst out from his chest, "Manchu!"

Mi Kyong held Joon's face straight at Manchu, "Watch. Watch as my servants kill the last offspring of Wu."

Joon watched as one of them reached Manchu first. The man hit Manchu's throat, but Manchu turned slightly, and the man missed Manchu's throat. Manchu grabbed the man's wrist with his left hand, then twisted the wrist halfway, and then grabbed the man's sword with his right hand. Manchu knees the man on the chest then quickly slit the man's throat. He rolled on the dead man's back and stabbed another man on the abdomen. Manchu grabbed the stabbed man's sword, then swung the sword with his right hand, cutting off the second man's head. The man's body stood still as his head rolled onto the ground. Manchu shook the blood from the two swords.

Manchu stared at the remaining men. He sighed coldly, "I hate the smell of blood. I hate killing. If you don't want to die, please leave."

The six men charged at Manchu. Manchu fighting skills are much better than the six men. With a few moves, Manchu killed two more of men and injured four men. The woman jumped and attack Manchu, but at the end she was badly injured by Manchu. Manchu kicked the seriously injured woman across the icy road, sliding towards Joon and Mi Kyong.

From behind, Joon heard the sound of horse which made both Joon and Mi Kyong turned around. They saw an elder woman maybe a year or two younger than Mi Kyong on horseback stop before them.

Mi Kyong, "Wu Mei..."

Wu Mei, "Mi Kyong, you lose then, and now you still lose. I made a bet with my grandson. If you show up, he will kill you, included your offspring. If you don't show up, insist on killing him, then he can live peacefully in Snow Mountain." She laughed out loud. "There are so many roads to choose from. Why did choose the road that will lead you to hell?" She charged her horse towards Manchu and threw a large kitchen knife at Manchu. "You lose. Do as you promise."

Mi Kyong looked at Joon, "I've told you. He pretends to love you so that he can kill you." She hugged her grandson. "The only person you can trust is me. No one will love you more than me."

Joon said coldly, "Unshackle me."

Mi Kyong nodded at the two men. Then the two men released their grips and unshackled Joon.

Joon walked slowly to Manchu. Every step he took towards Manchu pierced his heart like a knife. He has never trust anyone wholeheartedly other than Manchu, but Manchu is the biggest mistake he has ever made. He stood ten feet away from Manchu, he stared straight into the eyes of his enemy.

Joon said coldly, "You are a fine swordsman. Maybe better than me in many ways. Why lie to me?"

Manchu said sadly, "It's because I am your enemy."

Tears fallen from Joon's eyes, "I really love you and trusted you completely. I was willing to lay down my life to protect you. Why lie to me?"

Manchu, "I don't want to hurt you. Go home, Joon."

Joon, "You've already hurts me deeply. You killed those servants my grandmother sent, did you?"

Manchu, "Yes."

Joon asked, "How? I was with you on that night."

Manchu, "You are not the only person who are able to drug others with sleep power."

Joon, "Why sleep with me?"

Manchu, "To gain your trust."

Joon cut in, "To gain my trust completely you willing to trade with your body."

Manchu, "It was just sex, we both didn't lose anything."

Joon, "Why stay with me if you knew that I am your enemy?"

Manchu, "To learn the weak points of your sword's skills."

Joon laughed hysterically, "Have you ever...Never mind. Why asked question when I already knew the answer?"

Mi Kyong handed Joon his sword, "Avenge your father." She stepped back and stood beside Wu Mei.

Joon unsheathed his sword and pointed at Manchu, "Unsheathed your knife."

Manchu, "Do we really have to kill each other?"

Joon said coldly, "I've once promised you. The day you held a sword... I will kill you."

Manchu sighed whiling shaken his head, "You are badly injured. You will not win this fight. Go home Joon. I really don't want to kill you."

Joon clenched his teeth, "Unsheathed your knife. Let us end it."

Manchu unsheathed his knife as Joon charged at him.

Mi Kyong, "Junior sister, you really believe your grandson will win."

Wu Mei smiled, "Senior sister, I don't believe he will win. I know he will win."

Mi Kyong, "Back then we fought for Senior brother's affections, but at the end he chosen you not me."

Wu Mei, "So you decided to marry someone that you didn't love and seek revenge. Mi Kyong, back then I've won and now I will win."

Mi Kyong, "Don't speak too soon the show is not over yet."

The two elder women watched as the two young men fought fiercely aiming for each other's lives.

Joon kept attacking Manchu, and Joon realized that compared with Manchu, Joon's skills were unmatched. Manchu may have understood his weaknesses, but not all. He loved this man with all his heart. No matter how much Manchu betrayed him, he didn't want to kill Manchu. He could defeat Manchu, but he chose not to defeat him. He watched Manchu charged his knife at him. He recalled the big smiled and the lively personality of Manchu, while Manchu aimed at his neck. Manchu slit his throat, he slightly cut Manchu's left abdomen. He knew Manchu would survive. His neck hurts severely. He closed his eyes and awaited death to take him away. Then he heard a loud thump.

Wu Mei screamed, "Manchu..."

Joon open his eyes and touched his neck. There is not a lot of blood there. Manchu must had used the back of the knife to cut his throat. He turned around and saw Manchu lying on a pool of blood on the white ground. He dropped his sword and ran to Manchu. He knelt down and held Manchu.

Manchu looked at Joon and smiled, "You were going to ask me, if I ever love you... right?" There were tears coming from the corner of his eyes.

Joon, "Why?"

Manchu reached out his hand and touched Joon's face, "It just because... I very...very like you." He wrapped his arms around Joon waist. He chuckled, "I really going to miss your hugs and kisses." Dark blood gushing out from Manchu's mouth onto Joon's chest. "Joon ge, I hope you will find your Mr. Right at the right time in the future." He took a deep breath. "I've found my Mr. Right, but was at the wrong time."

Joon looked at Mi Kyong and he saw his grandmother with a big smiled on her face. He knew that the sword giving to him must had been poisoned. Joon Kissed Manchu on his forehead, "Let's go home." Joon turned around and Manchu climbed onto his back. "Hold tight."

Wu Mei charged at Mi Kyong, but her servants pushed Wu Mei down onto the cold ground. Mi Kyong walked to Wu Mie and grabbed her right front collar.

Mi Kyong said, "You lose. You have no offspring left. When you died no one will be there to burry you." She laughed loudly.

Wu Mei sat down on the ground, "No... My grandson is much better than you."

Mi Kyong called out, "Joon." She looked at her servant. "She has gone mad. Let her live knowing that she will always be underneath me."

The lovers walked up the mountain, and the blood from Manchu's cut abdomen dripped slowly down onto the white snow on the ground marking a path back to the home they had shared for six months.

Manchu said quietly, "Joon ge, salanghae."

Joon stopped walking and he answered, "Nado salanghae."

Joon felt Manchu bit him gently on his left neck, and then he felt Manchu's arms wrapped around his neck dropped down in front on his shoulders. Joon stood there for a few moments, tears fallen from his eyes, and then he continued carry Manchu back home.

An hour later, Joon approached the rope bridge. Joon walked across the rope bridge, then past the half-melted snowmen and the kitchen. He put Manchu on the bed. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed the knife and began to cut the rope that held the bridge together.

Mi Kyong screamed from the other side of the cliff, "Joon, you are the winner. There is no more enemy left now we can live in peace."

Joon cuts the last rope and the rope bridge fallen. He looked at Mi Kyong and said, "Bridge is broken. You had your revenged. I have no more tied to you other than the blood that runs inside me." He turned around and walked into the kitchen. He poured some hot water onto the wood basin and carried it inside the house then closed the door behind him.

Joon sat beside the bed and began to wipe the dried blood on Manchu's face and his body. He put a new outfit on Manchu. He sat down at the table and noticed the light red candle. He smelled it and realized that the candle was mix with sleeping power. He walked to the dresser and searched. He found a bag full of candles. He started lighting up one candle at a time. He put the candles all over the small house. He added more firewood into the fire-pit as the flame gulf up toward the ceiling. He climbed onto bed with Manchu. He pulled the blanket and covered them.

Joon embraced Manchu. He lowered his head and kissed Manchu's lips one more time. His eyes are getting heavier and heavier. He tried hard opening his eyes one more time, starring at Manchu's face, and then kissed Manchu's forehead. He murmured in Korean, "You were wrong. You've found Mr. Right at the Right time." When their little house was gulf up in flames, Joon hugged Manchu in his arms tightly.

Mi Kyong cried and shouted, "Joon, get out of there." She kneeled down. "JOON GET OUT!" Mi Kyong watched as the tiny house continued to burn. "Joon!"

Approaching from Mi Kyong's back stood Wu Mei and Xixi. Wu Mei sighed deeply, "Senior sister..."

Mi Kyong quickly turned around and stood up facing Wu Mei. Mi Kyong was in shock when she saw Wu Mei, "You did not go crazy?"

Wu Mei laughed, "The only one going crazy is you." She steps closer to Mi Kyong. Wu Mei smiled and said, "How do you feel seeing your offspring burn alive?"

Mi Kyong, "Wu Mei, your grandson is dead and burn inside with my grandson. Why are you so heartless and calm?"

Wu Mei laughed, "Senior sister, my offspring is alive and doing well." She looked at Xixi. "This is my granddaughter Wu Xixi."

Mi Kyong, "Then he..." She pointed at the burning house.

We Mei laughed, "He is some homeless kid I pick up off the street." She laughed. "Senior sister, you lose." Wu Mei and Wu Xixi walked away.

Mi Kyong's heart ache with regret. She looked at the burning house and screamed in pain, "Joon!"