They sat alone together, her head in his lap. He gently strokes her soft cheek, a look of pure love on his face. She smiles sweetly at at him, but this moment is bittersweet. Tomorrow, Hwang was leaving to join Joseon’s Coastal Defense Force. He would have to leave his beloved little Mina. The thought of leaving her side crushes him. He never wanted to cause her any heartache or sorrow, but he was duty bound to honor their country. War was eminent. He needed to defend Joseon, to protect his people, to protect Mina. By defending Joseon, he was defending his beloved Mina as well. Their homeland needed to be saved, so they could be free, free to live and be with each other.

Hwang felt tears fall upon on his hand. Mina was crying. He leans in and kisses her bitter tears away.

“Shh… Do not cry my Mina.” he whispers. “It will be alright.”

Mina suddenly sits up and looks at Hwang.

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“It is not alright! You are leaving me! What if I never see you again?!” Mina cries, heartbroken and angry that fate was taking her love away from her.

It killed Hwang to see her this way. He wanted to comfort her, reassure her, tell her that everything will be all right, that it will all work out in the end.

“You will see me again, my Mina. I promise you.”

“How can you promise that!” Mina cries. “How do you know that you will return?”

“Because I am telling you, my Mina, that I will return for you.”

Hwang then gets up and grabs a calligraphy brush and a bottle of black ink from a nearby table. He kneels in front of her. He dips the brush in the ink, then, with gentle strokes, paints on the chima of Mina’s red hanbok. She quietly sits very still, holding her breath, as Hwang continues to write. She could feel his gentle but firm brushstrokes, underneath her chima, her heart pounding. When he finishes writing, he looks at Mina, his eyes piercing her soul.

“This is my promise to you my Mina. A promise I swear upon my very life.”

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Mina looks down at the Korean characters he had written on her chima. She read the words out loud: “I shall return for you, my Mina. I, Hwang Sung-Kyung, shall promise you that, my love.”

Tears fall down her cheek. She delicately touches the words that he wrote with a shaky hand, completely moved. This was a precious gift he had imparted to her, a token of his love. He had written this oath to her with his very own hands, in his own words. A part of him was forever with her, a piece of his heart, a part of his soul.

She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him, kissing him with intense ardor and urgency. They slowly sank to the floor, wanting to make this moment last.