Gwi Owns the Night, Part I

22

INT. LIBRARY – NIGHT

HR finds Gwi in the library, knowing that he's been low since the lunch with JS.

HYE-RYUNG
Forgive me for intruding sire, but I thought I might take a walk tonight before bed. Would you like to come with me? I can always go with Kim Mi-sook if you are occupied.

GWI
(considers for a moment then gives in)
Are you leaving right away?

HYE-RYUNG
If you like.

GWI
That's fine.

EXT. GARDEN – NIGHT

They near the garden where they first met. HR wants to distract his thoughts from JS. During their talk they enter the garden and walk around.

HYE-RYUNG
Your Majesty, may I ask you a personal question?

GWI
This should be interesting. You may ask whatever you wish but that doesn't mean I'll answer it.

HYE-RYUNG
A long time ago you told me that when you were a demi-god you fell in love with a woman and then killed her. But why?

GWI
(debates whether to tell her, as he's in low spirits, he knows her pity and compassion will soothe him so he goes ahead)
She betrayed me. When we first met, she was so innocent and beautiful. She was kind to me before she had any idea I was a demi-god. That's how I perceived things at the time. I didn't realise she was luring me into a trap. Her father was a second-rate shaman who believed that he had found a way to capture my soul and control my powers. Of course, he hadn't at all, but by the time they had trapped me, it didn't matter. I killed her on the spot and then hunted him for a few days and killed him as well.

Ironically, this is where the story takes a more tragic turn. I found out after the fact from her mother, as she was begging me to spare her life, that the girl had actually been my older brother's lover all along. Her father was very cruel and was doing everything he could, trying to force her to give him up. But she wanted to save him at all costs. So, when she found out he had a younger brother...

As you can imagine I broke with my brother entirely once he heard that I had killed his secret beloved. When my sentence was passed by the gods, he turned his back on me and walked away without a word. I haven't seen him since then, though I can feel he's been hovering around me for some time now. I suspect that gruesome end I mentioned before is on the horizon, but with gods time works differently so there's no way of knowing how close or far away it is. I am unable to invoke him, though I've tried. Even a child can do it, but I suppose that right was stripped from me as well.

HR goes to sit on a stone in the garden. She looks up at Gwi in the moonlight. He becomes tense waiting for her to say something.

HYE-RYUNG
Will you sit with me?

Gwi does, and becomes even more tense now. HR is also tense but Gwi doesn't seem to notice. She holds her hands tightly in her lap and takes a deep breath.

HYE-RYUNG
Your Majesty, may I hold your hand?

HR puts her hand out afraid that he will reject her or laugh at her. Gwi looks at her trembling hand and at her. He quietly slips his hand on top of hers. HR looks at the moon, tears in her eyes.

HYE-RYUNG
(whispers)
I'm sorry.

With HR sitting there, offering her friendship so candidly and frankly despite everything, something cracks inside Gwi. He laces his fingers through hers.