Engraved in Flesh

Ink Doesn't Lie

Mook wasn't sure what happened. He just knew that he had to react. As soon as he saw the girl's body begin to fall to the ground, he reached out and caught her. He made sure she was breathing and wasn't sick. He watched as the second girl ran around, getting water and a cloth. The two moved the girl to the bed in the guest room upstairs. Mook was then sent downstairs as the second girl tended to the unconscious one. He was worried, but he knew better than to stay. Sitting on the couch, he looked around the room as he waited patiently for the girl to come down. He just prayed that she wouldn't turn him in to the government.

A minute later, the girl came down, gun close to her side as she made her way to him. She sat in the seat across from him and crossed her arms. Speaking in fluent Korean, she began to question him. Mook was surprised, she didn't look like she was Korean at all. When he asked her this, she shrugged.

"I'm a Mexican American, but my friend taught me Korean when we were young. I know your name is Mook, so it's only fitting that you know mine. I'm Xena. My friend is Aru."

Xena then froze, causing Mook to fear that she would faint too. Instead, however, she demanded to see his right arm. He showed her, terrified to get shot if he didn't obey. She eyed the small heart and grunted. Getting up, she grabbed the writing utensil and handed to him. She told his to write her name and the date. Once he did, she excused herself and went upstairs. It was only minutes, but it felt like hours before she came down. Without saying  a word to him, she motioned for him to follow her up the stairs. He obeyed without making a single word, trying to figure out why she was calling him over. He followed her as she walked into the guest room. He quietly watched as Xena walked over to Aru, pulling out her left arm from under the covers. She then turned to him and nodded for him to come over. He hesitantly walked over and stood by Xena as she waited for him. She then showed him Aru's arm. It took a second for him to register what was on her arm, but he almost toppled over after realization hit him. Looking between her arm and his own, he felt his breathing speed up a bit.

Their arms had the exact same writing on them.

She was it. She was the sweet girl that wrote to him every day. She was the one that comforted him and drew him little doodles while she procrastinated while doing her work. She was the girl he had been dreaming of for as long as he could remember. She was his soulmate. He didn't know how to feel. He should be happy that he finally found her, and he was, but something was keeping him from cheering. He was forced into the Japanese army. She was an American. They were soulmates, but they were enemies of war at the exact same time. Mook now felt extremely sick. He let Xena lead him out of the room and back down the stairs, a million thoughts and emotions spiraling inside him. Why did fate hate him? The girl that he dreamed would be his future may not be in it because of this stupid war that he didn't even want to be a part of.

He finally became aware of his surroundings when he saw Xena hold a glass of water out to him. A sympathetic expression painted on her face. Accepting the glass, he shakily took a few sips before setting it down on the nearby coffee table. He quietly watched the gun in Xena's hands, a part of him wishing he could just end it and be reincarnated as a an American. He internally laughed at the thought of reincarnation being possible. He felt like crying. He had finally found his other half, only to end up being her enemy.

"You can stay in the guest room until we decide what our next move is. Aru and I will teach you English so that you can become less suspicious in public. We can also bring you a change of clothes so that no one sees you in that uniform."

Mook looked up at Xena with a surprised expression. Had she said what he thought she did? Did she mean it?

"Why would you help me?"

Xena responded without hesitation, putting the gun down.

"You're her soulmate. I've seen the messages you've written just for her. Honestly, you're such a sap. Point is, you won't hurt her. Right now, you and Aru are like Romeo and Juliet. However, I believe that we can change the ending of this story."

Mook stared at her before letting out a breath of disbelief. He tried to contain himself, but he couldn't. He felt himself tear up as he felt hope in this foreign land. He covered his face and tried his best to contain himself.

Xena watched as Mook broke into tears of relief. Looking down at the gun in her hand, she got up and made her way to her room. Deciding to trust true love over war, she put the gun in her secret compartment in her drawer.

She hoped that true love would reign.