I had a lot of questions in my mind  while I walked towards my bedroom. I passed by Hyesung's room and I saw it slightly ajar. I took a look inside and saw Hyesung sitting on the edge of his bed, holding onto the small clear crystal bottle which contained the tears drops. Hyesung seemed to be looking at it but his gaze seemed far away as if he was deep in his thoughts. Was he recollecting something from his memories? Because his expression seemed so gentle and it was the first time that I saw this expression.

While I was trying to figure out Hyesung's expression, I discovered that his expression changed suddenly.  The gentleness was replace by the saddest expression and he seemed to be in great torment. His hand trembled and the bottle trembled too. 

"Teacher!" I could not help but to call out to Hyesung.

Hyesung heard my voice and he snapped out from his emotions.  " What is it Dongwan? Shouldn't you be resting?" Hyesung spoke calmly.

I looked at the little bottle and pointed at it," Teacher, when will the bottle be full?"

Hyesung stared hard at the bottle in his hand before he spoke," I dont know but this bottle  never seem to be full, no matter how much tears drops is filled. When the liquid turned white, it meant that it will be full with just 1 more tears drop. Everything will end!"

"So Teacher, what will happen when it is full?" I was still staring at the bottle.

Hyesung did not answer me but fell into silent," Dongwan, its time for you to rest.You will know everything soon."

I knew that no matter what I asked, Hyesung would never answer me. I left Hyesung's room without any answers still. Who could answer me?

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

For the next few months, I was assigned to a mission. A middle age office lady came to 'Twist of Fate', requesting Hyesung to prevent another miscarriage. It seemed that she had been married for 10 years and suffered a 3 miscarriages. Currently, she was pregnant for the 4th time. She was crying badly when she recounted the past 3 miscarriages and this would be the last pregnancy for her. Her doctor warned that should she suffered another miscarriage this time, she would never be able to conceive again. The creepest thing was that each time that she had miscarriage, she heard a woman's laughters which terrified her. Finally, she dreamt of ' Twist of Fate' and decided to come to us to seek assistance. After talking to the lady, Hyesung sent her off.

"You should appear now!" Hyesung spoke to the corner of the room.

A female ghost appeared before us. She was simply gorgeous if not for her greyish face and skin colour and that she appeared from thin air, no one would guess that she was not a human being. From the kimono that she was wearing, she was a Japanese ghost. In fact, she was a famous concubine - Lady Yuki in ancient Japan history. She gave birth to the Crown prince but due to the jealousy of another concubine, Lady Miko, the Crown prince was killed. Lady Yuki was devastated and ended her life. Before she died, she cursed her murderess, vowing to take her revenge.  The middle aged lady was that jealous concubine, Lady Miko. Hence, that was why she suffered from miscarriages becase the Lady Yuki was taking her revenge. Lady Yuki committed grave sins all this time and she was unable to reincarnate.

Lady Yuki shrieked that she had been suffering for the past thousand years and she would not let us interfere to help her arch enemy. Hyesung sealed Lady Yuki temporarily while I was sent to Ancient Japan to stop the tragedy. 

I managed to complete my task with the help of a young samurai warrior. The Emperor learnt of the murder plan he merely banished Lady Miko from the Palace.  The Crown prince was safe but he did not become the future Emperor because he passed away in his teenage years due to an unknown disease. 

When I returned to 'Twist of Fate', I saw Hyesung and I fell asleep in his embrace due to sheer exhaustion.  I took in Hyesung's faint cologne which reminded me of Spring in ancient Japan and the brave young samurai warrior. 

When I woke up from my slumber, I visited Eric hyung but he was still the same. Eric hyung was sleeping peacefully and I his cheeks tenderly. Hoe I wished that he could wake up and made fun of me like before,  bickered and wrestled with me, drank and laughed with me....

Hyesung explained the matter to the middle aged office lady and she was shocked that she was such a vicious person in her past life.  She requested to meet Lady Yuki and to apologize. Hyesung allowed them to meet but she was sealed away. Lady Yuki hissed and cursed at the office lady. 

Finally, Hyesung persuaded Lady Yuki to let go of the past so that she could move on with her life after suffering for a thousand years. Hyesung also told her that she could continue to be united with her son if she reincarnated. Hyesung collected a tears drop from the office lady but nothing happened. 

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

While waiting for the next mission, I was tending to Eric hyung and wondered when I could go to the Underworld. When I could end all this tasks and missions? When would I know everything? The thrill of time travel was gone for me as each time, I faced heartache only.

During the peaceful days, I worked at the cafe and watched television programmes.  Today, I was flipping through all the channels to find an interesting programme when I spied Hyesung reading magazine.

"Teacher, just how much secrets are you hiding from us?" I hugged the cushion while sprawling on the couch.

Hyesung raised his eye brows while he turned a page. I really wished that I had the ability to squeeze the truth out from him.

"Teacher, once the bottle is filled up and I will know everything?"

Hyesung looked at seriously," Dongwan, you really want to know everything? "

I nodded," Yes, teacher. I really want to know everything.  Why are we doing the missions and tasks? Why I am involved with all the people in my tasks? I do not think that everything was coincident!"

Hyesung stifled at my words and he dropped his magazine. I saw his iris shone with a queer look.  He bent and picked up his magazine," Dongwan, you think too much. Go and rest early."

"No, I want to watch the horror movie which will be showing in 5 minutes. I had not watch such programme for almost a year." I pouted.

"A year? Dongwan, you only left for less than 2 weeks." Hyesung stood up, wanting to take the remote control from me to turn off the television. 

"Teacher, are you going to sleep?" I hid the remote control behind my back.

" No, I am going to finish reading this magazine in my room."

" Why don't you continue reading here. The lights here is better." I pouted and tugged at Hyesung's sleeve.

Hyesung smirked," You are scared to watch the horror movie alone right?"

"Nope. I am not a scaredy cat." I coughed awkwardly as I had been caught. Hyesung did not say anything but sat beside me, reading his magazine. 

I finished the boring horror movie with constant yawns.  I turned around and saw Hyesung dozing off and the magazine lie in his laps. This was the first time that I saw Hyesung sleeping face at such close up angle. Under the bright lights, his long eye lashes fluttered and casted shadows on his cheeks.  His eye lashes looked like butterflies flapping the wings and his thin lips curved in a perfect angle.

How could Hyesung looked like in his 20s? His face did not change at all for the past 15 years. Was Hyesung a human being? Just what secrets he was hiding from Eric hyung and me? Hyesung seemed to emit a golden glow. His handsome features did not make him seem human but more like an angel.

 The next morning, I woke up very early and I opened the window to let in some fresh air. It was early autumn now in Seoul. The next customer came early too and she was very young ( I believed) but her make up was so thick. When she smiled, I thought I saw her foundation powder flaking down. Eeeee. 

As usual, she was stunned by Hyesung's looks and she was unable to say a thing at all.

"Since you came here, it is all fated. Do not be nervous and speak your mind. " I spoke while giving her a fake smile.

She nodded. " I am Han Yunji. I do not know why I liked make up and I spent hours on my make up. Till the extend that I will not go out without make up and even had make up when I sleep."

"That is some kind of sickness." I muttered under my breathe which was heard by Hyesung as he gave me a deadly glare.

" I had seen psychiatrist but there was nothing that can cure me. My condition gotten worse and my previous boyfriends left me because of my obession with make up. I am suffering but I can't stop myself because I kept hearing voices sneering that I am ugly. Please help me. I dreamt of this place." Yunji sobbed and pleaded.

"There must be a cause which resulted in this outcome. Let me see your past life. " Hyesung touched Yunji ' s forehead and chanted. There was a string of words emerging above Yunji's head but before I could see clearly,  the words disappeared. Hyesung sent Yunji off and mentioned that he would call her in a few days' time.

"Yunji ' s past life was an Arabic princess. Though she was from the royalty, she had an ugly face. In order to retain her lover's heart, the princess made a deal with a demon. The demon granted her extreme beauty but the price was painful for the princess. Every night, she had to endure the endless pain because, the demon had to melt her face and remound the same face to her. As the princess had to secretly seek out the demon, she sneaked out after her lover was asleep.  The lover suspected the princess and tailed her one night. He mistook the princess cheating on him and killed her in fit of anger. The lover regretted his actions and took his own life. Though the princess reborn numerous time but her inferior complexity stayed with her. In this life, the princess was reborn as Yunji."

"Teacher, that was scary." I shook my head. " To think the inferior complexity drove the princess to make a deal with the demon. I am glad that there is no such thing as demon now."

"Are you sure of that? " Hyesung raised his eye brows," the demon had changed into another form only."

"Huh, change form? Teacher,  I do not quite understand." 

"A form of deal with the demon which we can't see. You will understand in future. The demon spared no effort in tracking down the weakness of human!" Hyesung gently tapped my head while I was thinking over his words. "Don't think too much. I am sending you to AD 900 years, Arab. The name of the princess is Yaleya."

"You mean the era of 1001 nights?" I squealed and Hyesung nodded.

I managed to complete my mission but it took me slightly longer than the first but I had the assistance of Princess Yaleya's brother - Prince Harian.  The demon that princess Yaleya stuck the deal was one of the 72 demons under the control of King Solomon.  I was almost eaten up by one of King Soloman's demons. And magic lamp did exist and he became my first disciple though he was a bit clumsy and his magic failed sometime. I gave him the name -Jinnie and he was so happy with it. (^_^). 

Along the way, I was blind for a few days before I regained my sight. I managed to stop the tragedy and Yaleya explained everything going to her lover. The lover loved princess Yaleya, not for her beauty but for her charming smile and kind heart. I striked a deal with the demon with help of Jinnie and princess Yaleya reverted to her true form.

I completed my mission and I went to see Hyesung about the information I had from King Soloman. 

"Teacher, I am back."

"Was everything smooth? You did not get into any trouble?  You took longer time than I expected."

"Of course not!" I swallowed the words the I wanted to ask Hyesung because I believed thar he would not tell me anything.  King Soloman's words echoed in my mind.

------Flash back------

" You are not from this era." King Soloman's voice came behind me.

I hesitated before I nodded my head. "Yes, I am not from this era and I am returning soon."

"Your necklace. ..." King Soloman ' s voice was low and I could not see his expression.

"Father,  Dongwan teacher's necklace contained water from the 3 rivers of the Underworld. " Jinnie interrupted.

"Where did you get the gemstone?" I was surprised that King Soloman knew about the gemstone inside the locket. 

"It is a gift from someone." I did not want to say much about M to King Soloman. 

"Whoever gave you this gemstone is not a human being." I was shocked and King Soloman touched my locket," This gemstone possess special power, why would it be given to you as a gift?" I could sense atonishement in King Soloman's voice.

" I do not know." It was truth that I did not know anything. 

"Wait,  could it be... your past life was.... from the Underworld? " King Soloman stopped in his sentence.

"Father, why are you mumbling?" Jinnie looked at King Soloman. 

I clearly heard King Soloman mentioning Underworld! I had heard Melissa mentioned this and Hyesung too. I had a weird idea: was my past life related to the Underworld? 

"King Soloman, please tell me. Was my past life related to the Underworld?"

King Soloman was silent before he looked at me," Tell me truthfully.  Did you travel through time and dimension and collect tears drops?"

My mind buzzed. How on earth would King Soloman knew all this? I nodded vigorously and waited for his reply.

"So that was true and not a legend!" King Soloman gasped. 

"Legend? What legend are you talking about!" I was even more confused. Was this related to the punishment that Hyesung was talking about?

"Jinnie, sent your teacher away. Don't forget what you promise me when I stop the deal that Yaleya had made."

"Jinnie what did you do?" I looked worriedly at Jinnie as he was the one who helped me to stop princess Yaleya's deal.

"Don't worry, I promised father that I will work hard in learning all the skills under his 72 demons. I will be a great demon King one day, teacher."

----End of flashback-----

"Teacher, I am going to see Eric hyung. I miss him." I smiled. I went to Eric hyung ' s room and he was still sleeping. Looking at his peaceful expression, I got emotional," Eric hyung,  what was your past life? Why are you being punished as well?"