Chapter 7 – Trap of Samsara

Nam Ji Ah dreams she's standing in a dark room. She sees the boy with the scales.  He turns to Ji Ah and says hi. She wakes and she's in her apartment.  Scales appear on Ji Ah's neck. As she calms, the scales disappear.

Granny says the Imoogi that exited the well went into hiding. However, a piece was recently found…on Ji Ah. Granny states Ji Ah lost the fox bead. The consequence was the stirring of this inside her. Lee Yeon can't believe it. Hyun Ui Ong (Granny's husband) walks in on the conversation and hears Lee Yeon bemoan that it took A Eum 600 years to reincarnate and THAT is in her. She wants a normal life. Granny snaps this is Ji Ah's destiny. Lee Yeon refuses to accept this. Granny tells him not to question what the higher powers have decreed. Lee Yeon realizes Granny knew this would happen shown in her stance against waiting for A Eum's reincarnation. Lee Yeon feels betrayed and wants compensation. He turns on his fox eyes, and sends shards of glass towards granny. She stops them and barks she cared for him when no one else did. Ui Ong orders them to stop. Lee Yeon snaps that if Ji Ah dies early, there will be hell to pay. Granny orders him out.

The CEO asks the boy what it was like to finally meet that person. The boy senses the CEO's = tension. He notes if he's different, it is because the world has changed to one where Imoogis and nine tailed foxes coexist. The CEO says they will be hunted. The boy says he welcomes meeting that person.

Ui Ong soothes Lee Yeon and says Granny cares for him. He advises Lee Yeon to take a step back. Lee Yeon can't turn his back on Ji Ah.  Ui Ong points out either Lee Yeon or Ji Ah will die. That is their fate when the Imoogi was born again. Lee Yeon declares he will protect Ji Ah even if it costs him his life.

Love his determination.

As he walks, he sees parents and children and remembers Ji Ah's words about not having parents, wanting them in her life, and missing them. He stares at her house.

Ji Ah admits she gave her fox bead to the fortune teller. Lee Yeon can't believe she gave it up so easily. Ji Ah declares she had to save him. Lee Yeon says he'll stay at her house for the foreseeable future. She agrees. She mentions her dream of the little boy. She admits it was initially creepy then she felt like she knew the boy.

Lee Rang recalls the fortune teller confirming Lee Yeon was the most precious thing in his life. Ki Yoo Ri arrives but decides not to drink alcohol so she won't eat the pigeons in her neighborhood again while drunk. Lee Rang shows her the glasses that allows one to see past lives that he traded Lee Yeon for. She notices his mood. Lee Rang admits human emotions suck. He notes he's half-human (mother) and half-fox (father). Yoo Ri wishes she felt emotions like love.

Flashback…Lee Rang's mother walks with Lee Rang in the woods. He senses she's leaving. She snaps she ruined her life for him. She leaves him in the middle of the woods. Alone Lee Rang hears a snap. It's not his mother but a zombie like creature that charges him.

Lee Rang says love makes you the prey. Yoo Ri declares she only wants to be the predator. Lee Rang realizes Shin Joo has gotten to Yoo Ri. She swears Lee Rang's enemies will always be her enemies. Lee Rang sends her away. He drinks and broods.

Vet Gu Shin Joo tells his dog he and Yoo Ri could be an excellent match. The dog tells him to back away from Yoo Ri. Shin Joo says Yoo Ri isn't a bad person.

Ji Ah struggles to sleep with Lee Yeon literally watching her. He declares he must be close enough to see her. Lee Yeon crawls into bed. Ji Ah decides to allow it. When Lee Yeon can't sleep, she suggests her think of something pleasant. She likes the smell of cookies. He likes baseball…. they list more items. As she drifts to sleep Ji Ah says red umbrella. Lee Yeon watches her sleep.

A little boy pushes Lee Rang out of the way of a bike. He declares he's like Spiderman. Lee Rang tells him to buzz off and walks away. The little boy picks up the glasses he dropped.

The next morning Lee Yeon's cooking skills appall Shin Joo who takes over.

Ji Ah wakes alone in her bed. She heads downstairs and finds Lee Yeon putting the finishing touches on breakfast.  She's impressed with the buffet of food. Shin Joo enter and starts listing all the cleaning he must do. Ji Ah sees Lee Yeon's abandoned cooking attempts. She chuckles. They eat and enjoy.  Shin Joo smiles as he watches.

After getting ready for work, Shin Joo gives her a drink to take with her. He tells her to be safe. He knows Lee Yeon would be hurt if she were hurt. Ji Ah promises to take care of herself. She admits she cares for Lee Yeon too.

Ji Ah comes downstairs and sees Ji Ah sporting a suit. He drives her to work, which is where he plans to work too. Ji Ah says only execs wear neckties. Lee Yeon says he'll pretend to be an executive.

Lee Yeon tells her he'll wait in the lobby for her. She straightens his tie. He smiles. She smiles. She thanks him for driving. Lee Yeon remembers Ui Ong's prediction that one of them will die. Lee Yeon says if this is his last life, it won't be bad one.

They are cute!

The next babysitter arrives at the CEOs house. He tells her to feed him well. As the CEO leaves, he smiles thinking today is the day the boy becomes a man in a new body with a new face.

Flashback… The governor says a man in a blue suit visited him that day and told him about the accident that would occur. Ji Ah is surprised the accident wasn't an accident. The governor believes the man was human. He says the man was average looking and easy to forget except for the sign of human branding on the man's forehead. The branding stated Seogyeong.

Ji Ah reads that the branded humans couldn't live with others.  She reads Seogyeong is the old word for Pyongyang. She reads about humans that revolted against the government were branded. She mutters the branded on was a traitor.

As Lee Yeon waits in the lobby, he remembers the Governor saying Ji Ah was the original target, not her parents. He calls Shin Joo who is following Lee Rang. Shin Joo assures Lee Yeon he'll be on the lookout for a branded human who is working with an Imoogi. Lee Yeon is certain Lee Rang is involved.

Lee Rang searches for the glasses. Shin Joo watches. Lee Rang calls to someone. Shin Joo uses his super hearing and learns Lee Rang is looking for glasses he lost. Shin Joo wonders who Lee Rang called.

Shin Joo checks the forehead of coworker Pyo Jae Hwan when he arrives with coworker Kim Sae Rom. They admit to a bet about Lee Yeon. Ji Ah says she's not sure what Lee Yeon means to her. Their boss interrupts. She checks his forehead.

The babysitter runs from the boy Imoogi, who drags her back to his room. A nail falls from her hand. The Imoogi opens the door a man and of course a good looking one.

Shin Joo watches Yoo Ri get in Lee Rang's car.

She reports a kid has Lee Rang's glasses.

Shin Joo remembers Yoo Ri telling him about a someone that saved her from an evil zookeeper.

The boy wears the glasses while he walks.

Yoo Ri exits Lee Rang's car. Shin Joo isn't happy. When he looks again, Lee Rang is next to his car. He breaks Shin Joo's car window.

At the snail eatery, the team talks work. They are taken aback when the meal is free because one of them is a special guest. The boss assumes it is him. Ji Ah watches Lee Yeon who sits at another table. Jae Hwan spots Lee Yeon. Sae Rom calls and invites him to join them. Lee Yeon tells her coworkers he has feeling for her.  Ji Ah declares she has feeling for him. They both smile as her coworkers watch.

Lee Rang hits Shin Joo repeatedly and demands to know why Lee Yeon is having him followed. Shin Joo says he doesn't need to explain that. Shin Joo says he owes Lee Yeon even if it costs his life. Lee Rang kicks Shin Joo. He calls Shin Joo dumb for his loyalty. Shin Joo counters that Lee Rang has similar intense feelings for Lee Yeon. Lee Rang strikes Shin Joo unconscious.

Ji Ah's coworkers grill Lee Yeon. Ji Ah claims he's a real estate expert who is single. As lunch winds down, Lee Yeon receives a text with photos of a beaten Shin Joo. Lee Yeon excuses himself.

The little boy runs into Jae Hwan and Sae Rom. He looks at them with and without the glasses. He sees Sae Rom as a pretty in dress from Joseon times and tells Jae Hwan he is a eunuch. Jae Hwan is not pleased. Shin Joo arrives. He cries when he looks at her through his glasses. He says her face is scary. He runs away. Ji Ah shrugs it off.

Lee Yeon arrives and tells Lee Rang if he has a problem, he should deal with him directly. He asks Lee Rang why it had to be an Imoogi. Lee Rang is pleased Lee Yeon knows. Lee Yeon says there are many ways to hurt him. He wonders what the Imoogi is blackmailing Lee Rang with. Lee Yeon advises his brother to stop while he can. Lee Rang asks what Lee Yeon would do if his life was the one in danger. Lee Yeon tells his brother to save himself. Lee Rang notes that Ji Ah seems to enjoy his company but wonders if she'd change her mind if she knew the truth about the past. Lee Yeon says touching Ji Ah may lead to Lee Rang's demise. That wipes the smile off Lee Rang's face. Yoo Ri calls Lee Rang to say the child has been found. As he walks away, Lee Rang points to where Shin Joo is and tells Lee Yeon he owes him for Shin Joo's life.

Lee Yeon rushes to Shin Joo and helps his friend out of the car.

Lee Rang tells the boy to give him the glasses. The boy refuses. Lee Rang takes them. He looks at the boy through the glasses. He's stunned to see his puppy from long ago. Lee Rang says it can't be. He remembers moments with his puppy including finding him killed. Lee Rang cries. He almost touches the boy then walks away. The boy follows. Lee Rang looks at him. He takes the boy for a treat. He tells the boy he's paying a debt then he's leaving. The boy annoys and charms him. Lee Rang bemoans that he was reincarnated as a human.

The team arrives at the CEO's house. As they wait the boss puts out a hand to touch the ground cherry tree. The CEO comes down the stairs and states the 2 rules of the house – don't touch the ground cherries and don't go upstairs.

Lee Yeon tends Shin Joo. He tells Shin Joo that Yoo Ri got involved with him because of Lee Rang. Shin Joo counters their numerology is excellent. Lee Yeon isn't happy to see his with Ji Ah's isn't strong. He starts to recalculate.

CEO toasts the team and wishes them continued ratings dominance. Dinner goes well. The CEO shares he almost died once. Ji Ah heads into the house for the restroom and hears someone upstairs. The CEO said he lives alone.

The Imoogi uses the dead babysitter to bang on the wall. Ji Ah starts up the stairs. She heads down the hallway. She tells herself she better head back. She steps on the nail the babysitter dropped. She hears the banging from the room at the end of the hall. She walks to the room.

The CEO notices Ji Ah has been gone for a while and heads into the house to find her.

Ji Ah puts her ear to the door. The Imoogi stands on the other side and whispers welcome.

The CEO sees the bathroom is empty. He looks upstairs.

Ji Ah put her hand on the door knob. Just as she starts to open it, Lee Yeon calls. She tells him that dinner will be done in 30 minutes. She says she'll take a cab back. The CEO touches her shoulder. Ji Ah says she heard noises from the room. The CEO says the window was left open. Ji Ah heads down the hallway at the CEO's insistence. The Imoogi watches her go.

Shin Joo cries at Lee Yeon's happiness. Lee Yeon tells him to enjoy it while he can. Shin Joo wishes them well.

Ji Ah and the CEO return to the table.

Later in the cab, Ji Ah shares the artificial nail she found. She wonders who dropped it. Jae Hwan suggests it could be the CEO's girlfriend.

Ji Ah returns home to freshly cooked rice. She smiles. Lee Yeon promises to make rice again and again. Ji Ah gives him mint ice cream. He's all smiles.

They sit on the couch at a loss for what to do. They decide to watch a movie. It's a scary one that Ji Ah loves but Lee Yeon doesn't. Instead he watches her. She glances at him and asks if he likes the movie. Lee Yeon continues to stare and says he'd love time to stop. She puts her head on his shoulder. He smiles. Lee Yeon takes her hand. She smiles.

The next day Lee Yeon cooks more rice and goes in search of new sneakers for Ji Ah.

When Ji Ah returns home, she finds a package outside the house. She opens the note (from Lee Rang) which "reads put the glasses on and get the answer to your question". Ji Ah goes into the house with the glasses in her hand.

Lee Yeon shops for sneakers. Lee Rang calls and says he sent a gift, the eyebrows of the tiger, to Ji Ah. Lee Yeon runs out of the store.

Ji Ah stands in front of the mirror holding the glasses. She doesn't hear the phone ring. She puts the glasses on. She sees herself.  She starts to take them off and realizes the image in the mirror isn't moving. She stares and then sees herself as A Eum. She sees Lee Yeon mock her, stab her, as she cries. Ji Ah takes the glasses off. Lee Yeon rushes into the house. He finds her in front of the mirror. He asks if she saw. Ji Ah says nothing. Lee Yeon spins her to him. He sees the tears. He asks what she saw. Ji Ah says she was murdered in her past. Ji Ah says he killed her. She says she was used to find the Imoogi. She looks in his eyes and says she was a sacrifice.