It was past midnight and my heart felt aching. In my confusion, I changed into my own attire when I first came here. I looked at the wrist guard but I could not remove it at all.

Did I have to wear it back?  It should be okay, I guess. At least it served as a souvenir of what happened here. For each task, I sort of could not bear to leave and especially this time. Before I leave, I had to see King Minu for the last time.

I made my way quietly to King Minu's chambers and I saw that there was no guards. I walked into the chambers and King Minu was sleeping soundly.  I sat at the edge of the bed and looked at his sleeping face. The moonlight shone onto his handsome face and his thick eyes lashes moved as he breathed. His lips were pursed into a thin line. I laughed silently because he was fuming even in his sleep. My smiles was replaced by sorrow.  I touched King Minu's face gently and I withdrew my hand when I saw him moved slightly.Seeing that King Minu was still asleep, I began to relax.

' Minu,  sorry that I had to leave. You must carry on with your life. You will become the greatest ruler in the history of Egypt!  You will be honoured by the future generations. You are son of the God of Sun! You will have many wives and a lot of children. You will live to ripe old age and you will forget my existence....' I thought aloud in my heart.

I felt my nose itched and my heart was heavy. Deep down in my heart, a voice told me : Kim Dongwan, you had to leave now and you could not linger anymore.

I took a last look at King Minu, pondered for a while before I kissed his cheek. I stood up and left quickly. I ran out and I could not bear it any longer. I covered my mouth and cried silently as I squatted down.

"You are scared to wake me up." I felt a body over mine. I tensed up and looked above. It was King Minu with a sleepy face.

He pulled me up and was alarmed, " Wan,  why are you dressed like this?"

I bit my lower lip," Because I am going back. "

"What!" King Minu's face turned pale.

" Minu,  I am sorry. I...I had to go back. I do not belong here." Why did I have to repeat this line all the time?

King Minu grabbed my shoulders roughly," No! I forbid you to leave!" He hugged me tightly," Wan,  tell me. How to make you stay by my side? Please do not go back. Please..." 

I had to remind myself that I was here for my task and I had to bade farewell but it torn my heart again....

"I had to leave you." I struggled to say these words.

King Minu turned violent and grabbed my shoulders forcefully, " Wan, you are not going anywhere! I will use force to compel you to stay if neceassary!"

"Well, Minu.  Sorry...." I pasted my talisman on him.

" Wan, what are you doing?" He roared as he could not move at all.

"Minu, you forgotten that I am Messenger of Bastet?  No one, not even you, can stop me from leaving."

"Wan, do you hate me so much?" King Minu's expression calmed down. He was no longer in fury but I could not read his expression now.

" Minu,  how would I hate you." I started calling Hyesung. 

"Do you hate me so?" He asked again with a tingle of sorrow in his voice.

My bracelet began to glow. I turned and looked and King Minu for the last time and I saw his sad eyes.

I felt my heart ached again. I could not bear it and I ran up to him and hugged him. "Minu, I do not hate you at all but I had to go.. I had to go back."

King Minu did not say anything but I could heart his irregular heart beats. I could not linger anymore else I would really can't bear to leave. I pulled away from the hug and took a few steps back. The white lights started to surround me.

"Wan," He spoke suddenly," I do not know where your place is and I can't stop you from leaving. But remember that you drank from Nile river and no matter how far you are, you will return one day. So I will wait for you. waiting for the day that you will return to my side!"

My tears rolled down and my vision was blurry," I loved Egypt very much because there is someone I like. ...." before I could complete my words, I disappeared with the white lights.

Good bye Minu and my tears just could not stop.

When I opened my eyes, I was at 'Twist of Fate'.

"Erowan,  what happened?  You cried?" Eric hyung was startled while Hyesung gave me an odd look.

I rubbed my eyes and faked a smile," Eric hyung,  I did not cry. You seen wrongly as you are getting old."

"Dongwan, its time that we three go for a vacation together. You remember my suggestion before you set off for the task? " Hyesung sounded extremely gentle.

"Yes. I want to go for a vacation." I nodded.

" So where do you want to go, Dongwan? "

I saw my wrist guard and without thinking," To Egypt. "

"Erowan,  why do you want to go to Egypt?  You just came back from ancient Egypt? " Eric hyung looked at me with a puzzled look.

" Alright. We shall go to Egypt then." Hyesung patted my back," We shall go next week. Eric, go and book the air tickets and the accomodation"

                                                        *******************************************************************************

Modern day, Cairo. 

I had a mixed feeling when I stepped onto Egypt again. I recalled King Minu's last word of me returning back. Yes Minu,  I came back as you had predicted. But you are no longer here. No, you are here. Lying in the museum here. I knew that it would be heartache for me but I still went into the museum.

Through the glass display panel, I saw Minu again. The son of God of Sun.  But he was a mummified figure. Still he had that majestic aura about him. He seemed to be in deep slumber and anytime,  he would wake up smiling at me and told me, " Wan, you are back. Stay by my side forever...."

Slowly more and more tourists gathered and whispered, pointing at him. Why the great ruler, the radiant man once, was lying lifeless here. To be gossiped and criticised by others. If Minu's soul was here, would he have cry.... why do we have to disturb him. I started to tremble and Hyesung took my hand, leading me out of the museum.

"Dongwan, let's go." I was led out of the museum and followed Hyesung absent mindedly.

We walked quietly along an alley to meet up with Eric hyung at a restaurant. An old Egyptian man stopped us and spoke in broken English.

"Oh, that thing on your hand is priceless." He pointed at my wrist. I realized that he was talking about my wrist guard. I was surprised that he recognized such a valuable thing.

"Can I have a look?" the old man asked me.

"I can't remove it off." I gestured to explain to him. However, the wrist guard dropped off to the ground unexpectedly and I hurriedly picked it up. I discovered a string of words engraved underneath. I saw my name in Korean but I could not understand the rest of the symbols. I remembered showing Minu once how my name was written back then.

The old man came over and took a look and he was very surprised. He translated the symbols to me.

I dropped on my knees when I heard the translation, with assistance from Hyesung. My tears rolled down as well. The message was:  "Wan - My Only Love."

My heart ached and ached and I kept repeating the words. " Teacher, why do I have to continue with task? I do not want to do it anymore.  I do not want to travel through times. I do not want!" I had my emotion outburst and I was crying on Hyesung's shoulders.

Hyesung hugged me and smoothen my back. His voice was chocking," All this are punishment. .." I could not understand him and I cried harder. Hyesung hugged me tighter and consoled me," Dongwan, all this will end soon. You, Eric and me will be released from all this.... "

After the trip from Egypt,  Hyesung did not assign me with any tasks and I could sense that he wanted me to have a good rest. All this while, Eric hyung was busy with one task after another. I had time to think: why do we need to do tasks? Why Hyesung had to collect tears drops?  What is the punishment that Hyesung mentioned previously? Why Hyesung could send us to travel through time but he himself can't travel through time? 

I asked Hyesung about it but he merely said the same thing, " All this will end soon. We will all be released from this."

" I do not understand teacher."

"Dongwan,  you will understand in due time." Hyesung spoke coldly and drank his cuppacino.

"Teacher, what is my past life?" it took me great courage to ask Hyesung.

Hyesung looked at me blankly," everyone have many different past lives which i could see. But I could not answer your question."

"What is the punishment that you mentioned before." I was not satisfied at all.

" Dongwan, knowing too much is not a good thing.  Just remember what I had said previously." Hyesung looked at me sternly.  I knew that I could not find out anything from Hyesung.