10 Ghosts Of Snow Mountain

For Manchu, he hopes that these few months will be worth living. He hopes to spend each fulfilling day with Joon, because as time goes by, his time with Joon is getting shorter. For the past three months, he kissed Joon goodnight every night and every morning, because he doesn't know when his last goodnight or last good morning kiss will be.

Manchu was sitting and waiting for Joon when he saw Wu Mei and Wu Xixi approaching the rope bridge. Wu Xixi smiled at him, but for some unknown reason, he didn't feel happy seeing his grandmother and his fiancée.

Manchu walked across the bridge to his grandmother and fiancée.

Wu Xixi smiled at Manchu, "I beg grandmother to come see you."

Wu Mei, "Manchu, two days from now Mi Kyong will be heading up the mountain path to finish you off. This will be the opportunity to get rid of our enemy."

Wu Xixi, "I'll wait for you at the Inn in town."

Manchu smiled at her.

Wu Mei, "I want to let you know that I am so proud of you. We have to go now just in case the Mi offspring come back."

Wu Xixi, "I'll see you in a few days."

Manchu, "Alright."

After dinner Manchu watched Joon sharping the arrowhead around the fire-pit. Manchu knew deep inside his heart that this might be their last night together. He grabbed a blanket from the bed and walked to the fire-pit. He sat next to Joon, and he move the arrow away from Joon.

Manchu smiled, "Tonight...could you only pay attention to me."

Joon scoffed, "Ever since I live here, you have my full attention." He grabbed the arrowhead back and began sharping it again.

Manchu stood up and walked to the other side of the fire-pit. He watched Joon past through the flames. His heart aches knowing fully well that this is their last night together. Without he even realized it, his tears began falling down.

He doesn't know how long had been crying. The next thing he remembered was Joon's big warm arm wrapped around him.

Joon kissed his Manchu's neck, "Why are you crying?" Joon sat next to Manchu, and he smiled. "Don't cry...I'll pay attention to you."

Manchu turned to Joon and Joon wipe his tears for him. Manchu felt Joon warm embrace embracing him.

Manchu asked, "Joon ge, could two enemies with so much hate and grudge able to choose forgiveness and be friend?"

Joon, "I don't know about other, but for me...I choose you."

Manchu, "Joon ge, when I was about fourteen, I have a girlfriend."

Joon, "Mm..."

Manchu, "She asked me if I would die for her."

Joon, "What is your answer?"

Manchu, "I told her that if I die for the one that I love and love me. I'll died without hesitation, but if I did for someone who don't love me than my death will be a waste."

Joon, "What did the lady say afterward."

Manchu chuckled, "She dump me for someone who told her he will be willing to die for her."

Joon kissed Manchu's forehead, "I don't want you to die for me. I want you to live happily if I happen to die. I'll wait for you in the netherworld and when I meet you again you can tell me of all the things I've been missing."

Manchu, "Very well. Let us not die for each other."

Joon, "Why haven't you stop crying yet?"

Manchu, "Joon ge, thank you and sorry."

Joon, "For?"

Manchu, "Thank you for loving me without asking anything in return. Sorry, if I had hurt in the past or about to hurt you in the future."

Joon wiped Manchu's tear, "If you know you going to hurt me, then don't do it."

Manchu, "Sometime, things happen unintentionally." He wrapped his arms around Joon's waist. "Joon ge, let's go into to town tomorrow."

Joon, "Alright. We will go tomorrow."

The next day, Manchu and Joon walked down the snow's path towards Fu village. When Manchu saw Mi Kyong and her men, he knew that his time with Joon had comes to an end.

Manchu looked sadly at Joon. Joon looked at Manchu and said, "No matter what happen don't stay further than an arm length from me."

Manchu knew that these people are here for him, but he still pretended asking, "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.

Manchu looked at Joon handsome face and all he could do was smiled at Joon.

Manchu watched a fiercely fight between the Koreans. This is what his grandmother always wanted. The people who fought with Joon are as skilled as Joon. After some time of fighting Joon was captured by the Mi Kyong's servants.

Mi Kyong ordered her servants to charge at Manchu. Manchu is not Joon, and he has no mercy for these people. He quickly killed the servants that Mi Kyong sent to killed him.

After Manchu finished killing Mi Kyong's servants, he looked at Joon. From the way Joon stared at him coldly, he could tell that he hurts Joon deeply. When Joon pointed Joon's sword at him, his heart trembled. He didn't want to kill or hurt Joon. He was lost of word to say to Joon and all he could think to say to Joon was for Joon to go home. He looked at Joon and felt sorry for himself.

During the fight with Joon, he realized that Joon has a home he could return to. Joon's grandmother is strict towards Joon, but she loves him. Then he thought of himself. He has no home to return to. The person who once loved him is currently aiming for his live aggressively.

Joon was right, he doesn't want Joon to die for him. He wants Joon to continue living. He decided that he should be the one to die. He will die to repay Wu Mei for raising him. He will die to repay Wu Xixi for being beside when he needed someone. He will die to end their family's thirty years old grudge. He will die so he could follow his parents to the netherworld. He will die for the one he loves and who love him.

Manchu strike at Joon's neck. He felt Joon's sword cut him deeply on the side of his stomach but was not life threatened. He walked a few steps forward, then he fell to the ground. He knew Joon's sword must had been poisoned by Mi Kyong.

He heard Joon voice asking him why. He smiled at Joon while reaching his hand to feel 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."

Manchu can't really see that well anymore, but he felt Joon kissed him on his forehead and said, "Let's go home."

Manchu was extremely happy inside his heart. He now has a home to return to. He felt Joon carry him on his back. He was on Joon's back for a longtime. He knew his breath becomes smaller each time he inhales.

Manchu said quietly, "Joon ge, salanghae."

Manchu heard Joon said, "Nado salanghae."

Manchu then gently bit on Joon's neck, and everything went black.

As the years went by, one snowfall after another in a blinked of an eye, and it has already been five years. Joon and Manchu's story became local folklore. The elders will tell this story to scare the children so they will not venture up the mountain during the winter season.

A group of ten children sat around an elder woman.

The elder woman smiled and said, "They said if you venture up Snow Mountain on a snowing day. You will see Joon and Manchu. They are the ghost lovers of Snow Mountain." The ten children gasped. The elder woman laughed, "Scare? If you're scares, don't venture up Snow Mountain during winter season."

After the elder woman finished her story, the children began to leave. Two boys and a girl arguing how true the story is.

One of the boys, "If you really want to know I dare you to go up Snow Mountain and look for the ghost lovers."

Girl, "Do you dare to go up? If you do, I will go with you."

Boy, "It's a made-up story to scares children." He left with his friends.

Boy in brown, "My dad says it might snow in two days."

Boy in white, "Let us go up Snow Mountain and confirm it."

The three children put their hands together and agree.

Two days later three children hid behind three big rocks.

Boy dress in brown gasped, "Look, snowmen." He pointed across the bridge.

Boy dress in white, "That crazy grandma might be right. I am scared now. Look, it starts to snow. Let's go back."

Girl insisted, "I want to see the two ghost lovers."

Boy in brown, "We are not leaving until we proven that there are two ghost lovers."

Boy dress in white, "I am leaving then."

Boy in brown, "Coward, you go ahead and leave us alone."

The boy in white stood and froze, "Guys..." He patted on the boy's in brown shoulder. "Guys." His voices were shaky.

A man voice said coldly, "Children, what are you three doing up here?"

The boy in brown and the girl turned around. They saw a man with a hood standing staring at them. The children stared at the man's face. They screamed, "GHOST!" The three children ran away.

The man in hood walked across the rope bridge, carrying a bamboo basket on his back. He walked into the front of the small house and the man called out, "I am back."

He dropped his basket on the ground as the snow stared scattering across the evening sky. Then, a pair of arms wrapped onto the man's waist. When the other person's hands moved the hood from the man's head, he turned around. Slowly emerging was a half-burnt face on the right. The burnt man smiled at the smiling Manchu.

Manchu teased, "Scarring the children again?"

Joon, "I didn't scare them. I was asking what they are doing up here."

Manchu, "I am sorry because of me you are being named ghost in front of children. At the time, I was thinking of dying with you."

Joon smiled, "As long as you are with me, people can call me whatever they want. I don't care."

Manchu, "It was luck and also fate that Boa-A switch the poison. He looked at Joon. "Joon ge, Boa-A, she like you."

Joon, "We grew up together. She confessed her feelings, but I told her I will never love a woman more than a friend or a sister."

Manchu smiled, "Joon ge, why do you decided to die with me?"

Joon replied, "It just because I very very like you. I don't want to miss your hugs and kisses." He smiled at Manchu. "Also, I've found my Mr. Right at the right time."

Manchu complained, "Why do you always answer with the same words each time I ask you?"

Joon, "Same question. Same answer."

Manchu smiled, "Joon ge, are you hungry?"

Joon nodded and smiled at Manchu.

Manchu wrapped his arms around Joon's waist, and Joon's two hands held on Manchu's face. Joon kissed Manchu while the wind blew the snow across Snow Mountain.