ENDING WITH A 10 BC PERFECT 10

Jae Suk had to hold on to Jihyo to stop her from falling. HaHa patted her back silently.

“What is wrong with him?” Suk Jin asked the physician.

“I can’t really tell which organs are injured, either,” he confessed. “But his pulse is very weak and erratic- it doesn’t seem like he would last long. There is nothing I can give to help him,” he said apologetically.”

“How long do we have to find the cure?” Kwang Soo asked.

The physician shook his head. “I really don’t know. I don’t even know if there is a cure.”

Suk Jin sent the physician out. They exchanged nervous glances with each other, before looking at Jihyo. Although Jihyo wasn’t the youngest of the team, they still treat her like the baby, because she was the only girl. They were very worried to see her like this- crying and holding on to Gary, willing him to wake up. HaHa and Kwang Soo put their hands on her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

But Jihyo is not Jihyo if she gave up just like this.

She dried her tears after a while. “I’m going back to the Martial Art’s House,” she announced. They all looked at her in surprise.

She informed them that while she was training there, some of her seniors were badly injured, but her Shifu managed to treat them with his skills. He might be able to save Gary.

“But I heard that the Martial Arts House only treats their disciples,” Jae Suk mentioned.

Jihyo nodded. “Yeah, but I still have to try.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Jae Suk agreed.

Jihyo shook her head, thinking more logically now. “No, Jong Kook oppa needs his rest, and the fight hasn’t ended yet- we shouldn’t end just like that. We still have to defeat all the Dream Snatchers Mukk sent out before his death.”

“That’s right,” Suk Jin agreed. “Although our parents ended their work once Mukk was defeated, but our work shouldn’t end here. we need to restore things back to how they were.”

“But I thought you said we would be together forever,” Kwang Soo said, whining a little. Suk Jin patted his back. “We’ll still re-join each other,” he said. “But for now we have to work separately.”

Kwang Soo nodded reluctantly.

“Okay, then I will set off now,” Jihyo said.

“Wait,” Suk Jin interrupted her packing. “You should rest first, we fought all day.”

She shook her head, and Suk Jin could sense the urgency in her voice. “Oppa, we have no time!”

“Okay, then I’ll come along,” Jae Suk suggested. “You can’t take care of Gary alone for so many days.”

Jihyo agreed, but Kwang Soo wanted to go instead. “Hyung should stay behind. You are the leader. You still need to direct them,” he told Jae Suk. “I’ll go.”

Jihyo was fine with anything, as long as she could set off as soon as possible. Jae Suk agreed and Kwang Soo went along instead. Gary was still unconscious, so Kwang Soo tied him to his back while he rides the horse. Jihyo took another horse on her own. It took them slightly more than five days to reach the Martial Arts House.

When they reached, her seniors refused to let Kwang Soo or Gary in, because they weren’t the disciples there.

“But can’t you see, he is badly injured when he was helping to defeat Mukk. He needs help,” Jihyo pleaded desperately. “Please, senior, just this once?”

Her senior shook his head. “Rules are rules, Jihyo.”

“He was fighting for all of us- trying to save the world. Why can’t you just close one eye!” she nearly screamed.

The seniors shook their heads.

“Why don’t you ask Shifu! He will surely agree,” she suggested.

“No. He wouldn’t break the rules for you. And we can’t have him break the rules for you, either.”

She nearly cried out of frustration. Then she remembered how Gary lied his way through to get Kwang Soo’s aunt’s address. Determination shone through her eyes.

“Fine, he is my husband,” Jihyo said, shocking both her seniors and Kwang Soo. “And he,” she said, pointing to Kwang Soo, “is his brother. So we are all related. Can you let us in now?”

“Jihyo!” her senior said, obviously annoyed. “How could you get married without Shifu’s permission?!”

“You are going to get severely disciplined for this,” the other senior said.

Jihyo remained calm. “I know, but now, I’m still a disciple. And according to the rules, my relatives can come it,” she said. Kwang Soo look at her with admiration. Left with no choice, the seniors had to tell Shifu, and finally let them in.

She hurriedly went to find Shifu, who was in his room, practising calligraphy.

“Shifu!” she called out. “Please help me,” she pleaded. She explained Gary’s situation to Shifu. He nodded gruffly, and motioned for Kwang Soo to put him on the bed. He ordered Kwang Soo to go outside the room.

After Kwang Soo left, Shifu took Gary’s pulse. He frowned, and Jihyo watched him nervously.

“How did he get injured?” he asked.

“He… he was trying to protect me,” Jihyo said. “Mukk hit him on his back. Is it very serious?” she asked.

He didn’t reply to that. “Take off his shirt,” he ordered.

“Huh?!” she asked, surprised. Then she remembered that they were supposed to be ‘married’, so she took it off, although she couldn’t control her blush. Shifu noticed her awkwardness, but he said nothing. He took several needles and heated it with a special flame. Then he pierced them onto Gary’s skin. Jihyo watched in amazement as no blood flowed out. He took his candle and lighted the other ends of the needle. Then he did some movements with his hand, channelling his energy to the needles. Jihyo could see Gary’s eyeballs move under his eyelids. The entire movement took almost one hour. Shifu was visibly exhausted.

Later, Shifu took out the needles and ordered Jihyo to dress him. He told Kwang Soo to bring Gary to Jihyo’s room, and ordered Jihyo to stay behind.

Jihyo helped her Shifu to his seat because he looked weak.

She poured a cup of tea and knelt before him. “I’m sorry, Shifu…” she said guiltily.

He sighed.

“He… he will be okay right?” she asked apprehensively.

“I tried my best,” he said. “Whether he wakes up or not, is up to fate now.”

Jihyo was stunned for a moment. She thought Shifu would be able to save him no matter what. She managed a ‘thank you’ weakly.

“Nonetheless, it was lucky that you managed to get here today. A day later, it would be a gone cause.”

Jihyo nodded. At least they still have hope now.

“You never lied in the past,” Shifu said, although no anger in his voice.

She bit her lips, knowing that he already found out her lie about the marriage. She bowed and apologised once again.

“It’s not just about lying… it’s about your lie itself. Getting married without permission… do you know how serious that is?”

Jihyo sighed. She never really considered it just now, but now that she starts to think logically… it was punishable by death. Although there were lighter sentences such as getting stripped off the disciple status.

“And if he doesn’t wake up…?” Shifu asked. Even if Jihyo was given the lighter sentence, if he doesn’t wake up, Jihyo would have to live as a widow for life. And she would be kicked out of the place. Jihyo has no other skills except fighting- how else would she stay alive outside?

She shook her head, not knowing how to answer.

“Go to the hall later, we will have a meeting about this,” he said.

Finally, it was decided that on account of her contributions in defeating Mukk, she wouldn’t have to face death, but she would be kicked out of the Martial Arts House. She returned her badge, and tears welled up her eyes. She lived here for 16 years of her life. Although she should have expected this the moment she lied, it still hurt. She was given one day to leave, regardless of whether Gary woke up or not.

She asked Kwang Soo to stay with Gary for a while, while she packed up. She walked around the compound for the last time. She walked through the courtyard, where she trained for 8 hours a day, every day in the past. She walked through the field, where they had punishments. She walked through the garden, where she used to play with her friends. She went into the canteen, the storeroom… every corner. She never expected to be kicked out of the place she known as home.

Some of her batch-mates and juniors came to join her.

“Eonnie/ Jihyo-ah!” they called out.

“They said you were kicked out!” they asked anxiously.

She nodded sadly.

“So it’s true that you married without permission?!”

She looked away, unable to reply.

“Eonnie…” one of them said, holding her hand. “I will miss you.”

“I will miss all of you too,” Jihyo said, forcing herself to stop crying.

“Do you think they will listen if we all suggest keep you?” a friend suggested.

“Don’t go, Jihyo-ah. Let’s find a way,” another one said.

She started to tear. She tried to break away from the crowd, not wanting them to see her cry. They cried together, laughed together, played together, suffered together. Whenever she had punishment, they would sneak into the punishment room to accompany her, and vice versa. When she was sick, they looked after her. And when they were sick, she looked after them. They were her family for 16 years. She arrived in her room, crying.

Kwang Soo looked up. “Noona!” he called.

“Kwang Soo-yah… what am I going to do?” she cried into his shoulders. “I will miss them…”

Kwang Soo knew what she was talking about, without the need for further explanation. To be honest, he felt a little jealous, but he still patted her silently.

When she finally stopped, he said, “It’s okay… you have us now.”

She smiled weakly.

“I’ll go to the guest room,” he said, so that Jihyo can spend some time with Gary. She nodded.

Their one day deadline was up, and Gary hadn’t woke up. Jihyo had no choice but to go to Gary’s house. Which meant his father would know. It worried her about how to break the news to Gary’s father, but apparently, he was back to his old self- unaware of anything. It broke her heart to see him like that again, after Gary said he spoke to him. But maybe it’s better for him this way. Kwang Soo got a shock when he saw him, and Jihyo explained to Kwang Soo. His heart ached, wondering if his own parents suffered the same way, but he said nothing.

They realised that Mukk had already sent the Dream Snatchers to Gary’s village. In the day, Kwang Soo and Jihyo would hunt for them, then at night, Jihyo would accompany Gary. Kwang Soo was in charge of taking care of the affected victims.

Jihyo spoke too Gary a lot, like how she did for his father.

“Oppa, do you know we caught one Dream Snatchers today? I bet there are still many out there. I wish you were awake, then you could help.”

“Oppa, another five people were infected today. We caught another two Dream Snatchers.”

“Oppa, your neighbour was infected today. We didn’t manage to find the Dream Snatcher that attacked her.”

“Oppa, do you know what’s worse than the Dream Snatchers? It’s the other people. I can’t believe how people are attacking each other for their own security. At least the Dream Snatchers don’t know what they are doing.”

“Oppa, you know, the fight has just began. Please wake up.”

“Oppa, you said you will see this to the end with me. Please wake up.”

“Oppa, I want to talk with you. I mis