THE TRADE

Yoo-ri smile

"You'll meet him soon"

As Rang continued trying to call Yeon, the Magistrate cautions Yeon not to keep Ji-ah near. That man said she has "the king's scales." Yeon turns to him in surprise as he asserts that she has the king's energy.

Yeon glanced concernedly at Ji-ah and recalled that weird incident in the woods where Ji-ah's skin looked scaly and she seemed possessed. Now, he wondered,

"Was that Ah-eum? If not …"

Elsewhere, the imoogi boy picks up a dead bird and cups his hands around it. Moments later, it revived and flies off.

Ji-ah racked her brain trying to think of who that man could be. What is she that her family had to suffer like that? And why does Yeon keep protecting her without telling her anything? Yeon looks at her compassionately

"I don't want you to get hurt or do anything for my sake ...trust me"

Yeon suggested that they should start with catching that man and finally answers Rang's call, figuring he'll know something. Rang snapped at him.

Did he not see the 22 missed calls? He claimed he's not up to anything and asked to meet.

Yeon plans to let Rang lead them to the man. He borrows a calligrapher's brush and dips it in water. He writes a charm on his shoe that will take Rang to that man. This is their only chance, so they can't lose Rang.

Ji-ah goes inside to meet Rang while Yeon presumably switches their shoes. Rang found Ji-ah's irritation amusing as she repayed his compliments with barbs.

When Yeon arrived, Rang brought in the fortune teller, calling Yeon an idiot for not knowing he's the real deal.

Rang told the fortune teller to "appraise" Yeon, muttering that he's not sure if this is a valuable item to him or not. After examining Yeon with a magnifying glass, the fortune teller declares his brother is indeed the most precious thing to him. HA! Rang closed his eyes and sighed in embarrassment.

The fortune teller hands over the tiger's brow and Rang leaves. Ji-ah wanted to follow, but Yeon holded her back. Outside, Rang coudn't believe Yeon is childish enough to steal his shoes and wears Yeon's instead.

The fortune teller stopped Yeon from leaving, claiming he's his property now. He rapped him on the shoulder with his cane. Ji-ah watched in shock as Yeon turns to energy and is sucked into the fortune teller's mystical bag.

Ji-ah was torn between following Rang and helping Yeon but ultimately chooses Yeon.

To get Yeon back, Ji-ah must also trade her most precious item. He gives her until that 9:00 that night to return with it. She rushes home, struggling to determine what's most precious to her...

When she returns, the gates were closed. Thankfully, the Magistrate recognized her voice and let her in. Ji-ah make it right in the nick of time and hands over her musical carousel, the reminder that what happened wasn't a dream and her parents might be alive.

While he appraises her item, Rang makes his way to the CEO's house in a trance. He comes to with no idea why he was there. He looked down at Yeon's shoes and scoffed when he sees the charm lift.

The fortune teller declares Ji-ah's item lacking for the trade. He gives into Ji-ah's pleading and uses his magnifying glass on her to see what she can do. He jerks back in surprise at what he sees in her eyes and asks to see her hand.

He excitedly discovers that she has a special fate and recites:

"Water and fire are at odds,

and the earth is dense

gold will temper it.

Even if you are surrounded by darkness,

the moon rise in your sky."

The moon refers to her fox bead. He breathlessly asks for it, saying her future is full enough without it. Ji-ah doesn't hesitate to make the trade. He smiled and says their deal is complete. Ji-ah watched as a new palm line appears on her left hand, changing her fate...

The imoogi boy looks up from his game of chess and notes that the fox bead has disappeared from her body. An evil glint was in his eyes.

Yeon, on the other hand, was not so happy once he was released. And he doesn't even know about the bead yet.

Ji-ah assured him she didn't trade years of her life and calls the price "cheap." She said he is hers now, likening him to the genie in Aladdin. They drink at her place, and Ji-ah explains that she did waver, but in the end, she decided to give up their lead with Rang and trust in Yeon.

Ji-ah got a far-off look and reminisces that there are lots of times when kids need their parents. For her, it was being the only one without homemade kimbap at school picnics or when kids would threaten to tell on her to their mom.

She used to feel resentful that her parents left her, but now she's learned it's her fault their lives were ruined. Yeon encourages her to cry, but Ji-ah would rather eat spicy chicken feet and let the tears come that way. Yeon is relieved she's not pretending to be fine. When he tries the chicken feet, he about dies from the spiciness but pretends the tears are from something getting in his eye.

Yeon drapes a blanket over Ji-ah who fell asleep on the couch. She stopped him from leaving and asks him not to treat her too well since it'll make her want to lean on him. She worried it'll make her weak.

Yeon wiped her tears and promised the sleeping Ji-ah that she'll live a peaceful life.

It's okay if she one day needs to forget him and his world. He just wanted her to live an ordinary life.