A Night To Remember

After Joon left, Manchu stood outside in the cold winter, listening to the wind blowing over him. He lowered his head and saw his blood dyed the white snow to red.

Manchu still had his eyes closed when heard a soft footstep approaching him. He took a deep breath, "The fish eaten the bait."

Wu Mei, "I know. You did great."

Manchu, "How is Xixi?"

Wu Mei, "She is doing well?"

Manchu, "Grandmother, I don't want to do this anymore."

Wu Mei, "Why? We had a deal. You kill them and you go home to marry Xixi. Don't you love her anymore?"

Manchu, "Joon took the bait. I don't want to kill anymore."

Wu Mei walked in front of Manchu and faced him. She grabbed Manchu front collard and said angrily, "Don't forget that I picked you up from the street. Without me, you are a no body." She pushed him backward. "I raised you, I clothed you, I shelter you, and I even allow my beloved granddaughter to be your fiancée." She looked Manchu in the eyes. "Without me... you are nothing but a piece of garbage."

Manchu, "Grandmother, but Joon...Joon kissed me..."

Wu Mei laughed out loud, "Ha...ha...ha...ha...Very good. Did you kiss him back?"

Manchu shook his head, "No."

Wu Mei, "Kiss him."

Manchu, "He is a man."

Wu Mei, "I know he is a man, but so what? Kiss him, sleep with him, make him fall deeply in love with you, and then kill him." She held Manchu's right hand in her hands. She coaxed softly, "Manchu, even if you do those things with him. I promised you. I will never let Xixi know. After you kill him, we will go home together." She smiled at him.

Manchu nodded sadly. Now, he understand the reason why his grandmother sent him to kill Joon instead of Xixi. It is because Joon like man.

Wu Mei hugged him, "My good grandson." She patted Manchu twice on his back.

Manchu deliberately lay on the table, not to bandage the wound. He wants his blood to runs dry and he die there. He remembered that fourteen years ago it was snowing badly and very cold. He ate his last bun he picked from the garbage. He believed he would die that night. The wind blew through his tiny body. He watched people's feet walking past him, and no body care whether he was alive or not, but then a pair of black boot stop right in front of him. He looked up and saw that it was an elder woman and a young girl.

Since Wu Mei rescued him from the street, he has been Wu Mei's right-hand man. Wu Mei trained him to be an assassin. He killed many people before he turned fifteen. He hated the smell of blood. He hated to unsheathe his knife and kill someone. Therefore, two years ago, he reached a deal with Wu Mei. After he turn twenty, if the Mi does not seek revenge. He would live a happy life with Xixi, and Wu Mei will no longer talk about revenge.

His life always comes with heavy price tags. At that time, if he wanted to live with his uncle, he had to bear heavy chords. At that time, he was too little to do those heavy chords, so his uncle told him they were going shopping. His uncle the younger brother of his father, took him out shopping and left him at a corner street. His uncle told him to stay there until his uncle came back. He waited for two months and finally understood that he was abandon by his uncle. In order for his grandmother to give him food, clothe him, he had to practice hard, and killed for her. In order for Xixi to love and accept him, he had to promise to seek revenge for her. The more he thinks about his past and the unseen future, the more painful and burning his heart will be. He wondered if there is someone out there who will love him without asking for anything in return.

Manchu heard the familiar footsteps walking toward him. Then the hand gently shook him. He groaned in pain, "It hurt don't shook me too hard." He looked up and it was Joon. "Are you back to finish me off?"

Joon shook his head. He said, "I will help you tend your wound."

Manchu watched as Joon tended his wound for him with tenderness. After Joon finished tending his wound and they ate dinner, Joon kissed him again. This time Manchu decided that he will not back down and kissed Joon back. If Joon wants to have sex with him so be it. It is only sex. Only skin touches skin and this will not change his feeling for Xixi.

When Joon sent his tongue down into Manchu's mouth and stroked Manchu's member. Manchu's mind is no longer function. He felt strange, but in a good way that he had never feel before. When Joon sucked gently on his neck it sent shiver down his spine and his entire body was full of goosebumps.

After a while, he released his body fluid in Joon's hand as Joon also released Joon's body fluid in his hand. The special feeling he got from Joon was something he never got from anyone. It is a mutual feeling that the other person ask nothing in return.

Manchu want to know if he asked Joon to stay here with him and stop seeking revenge will he agree. After they parted their lips. Manchu asked, "Would you be okay to stay with me like this and forget about revenge?"

Manchu felt Joon soft lips kissed his forehead and nodded, "Mm..."

As the candle burned, Joon fall deeply asleep. Manchu unsheathed his knife and placed it on Joon's neck. One quick cut across Joon's neck, Joon will die in his sleep. He could go home tomorrow and be with Xixi. Then he felt Joon's arms held him tighter.

Joon murmured in his sleep, "Don't be afraid...I'll protect you."

Manchu heard a knock at the door. He got out of bed and dressed himself and walked to the door. When he opened the door Wu Mei stood in front of the door.

Wu Mei, "Where is the Mi offspring?"

Manchu, "Sleeping." Manchu hesitated and asked, "Do grandmother want me to kill him now?"

Wu Mei, "Why do you even ask? Go kill him."

Manchu knew that Joon and him would fight each other sooner or later, so maybe letting Joon sleep peacefully like this is the best way for Joon to die. If he could choose his own way to die, he would also prefer like this. Die happily, without fear. Manchu slowly walked to the bed, and every step he took hurt him deeply. He sat on the bed and stared at Joon.

Manchu murmured, "I am sorry." He unsheathed his knife.

Wu Mei, "Wait...I have a better idea."

Manchu, "Grandmother, please let him die peacefully?"

Wu Mei, "You go to Mi Kyong and wound her instead. Don't kill her, but just wound her." She laughed out loud. "I want to see her grandson go against her. I want to see her facial expression when she realized that her grandson no longer obeying her."

That night, Manchu sneaked into Mi Kyong's room and injured many of Mi Kyong's men. Mi Kyong also had minor injured.

The next morning, Manchu know that soon Joon will know about the news of Mi Kyong injury. He act as if he knows nothing about it. He heard Joon's footsteps walking very soft behind him. He felt Joon's sword only half an inch from his back. He clutched his small kitchen knife tightly and preparing to defend himself if Joon attack. He stood there for a while, but Joon didn't move. He deliberately drop his knife on the floor and bent down to get it.

Manchu still with his back on Joon, "Did you just get back?"

Joon sword still pointed at Manchu, "How do you know?"

Manchu, "I saw your shoes when I went down to pick up the knife. Go wash your hands. The food will be ready in a bit." Manchu exhaled deeply as Joon walked out.

That night after they made love, they chatted. They lay in bed and fooling around for a while. Then Manchu realized that even though the time he had spent with Joon is short, Joon is truly happy and he don't think about revenge. Thinking that one day they will end up in opposite side, aiming their weapons at each other's throat, hurt Manchu deeply.

Manchu murmured, "Joon ge, there is a say 'if you find Mr. Right at the right time, he will be your Mr. Right, but if you find Mr. Right at the wrong time, no matter how hard you try to work things out, Mr. Right will never be Mr. Right."

Joon, "Do you think you've found Mr. Right at the right time?"

Manchu didn't want to answer Joon, so he closed his eyes and pretend to be asleep. He stay quiet while Joon washed him, put new clothes on him, carried him to bed and finally tucked him in.

With a kissed on his forehead, he heard Joon whispered softly, "Sorry, I drugged you. Sleep tight." He heard Joon opened the door and walked outside.

Manchu walked to the window and he saw Joon kneeling down on the cold ground, and the elder woman slapped him. He knew that the women must be Mi Kyong. The group are too far away from Manchu to hear what they are saying. Even if they are right in front of him, he couldn't understand what they were talking about since they spoke Korean.

Their actions made Manchu wondered. Could it be Mi Kyong came to confront Joon about the attempt assassination he carried out the other night. After a heated argument between the grandson and the grandmother, Mi Kyong left with her three servants.

Manchu watched Joon kneel for a long time, until Joon decided to stand up and walked towards the house. He witness Joon wiped the blood from his mouth when Joon was closer to the house. Manchu quickly went back to bed pretending he was asleep. He heard Joon climb onto bed and cuddle him tightly inside Joon's arms. Joon kissed his left temple. When Joon stroked Manchu's left cheek, Manchu heard Joon's defeated voice whisper beside his ear, "You won't lie to me right?"

Manchu wanted to cry when he was held in Joon's arms. He will remember this night forever, because for once in his life, there is someone who is willing to leave his grudge behind to be with him. He knew deep down inside his heart that he had found his Mr. Right, but at the wrong time.