. . . And with the evil vanquished, the kingdom could now work towards rebuilding itself. Peace could now flourish without the threat of annihilation. THE END.

The writer sat down his pen and stared at the stack of papers before him. He had been working on the first draft of his book for months now. It was such a bittersweet feeling that the draft was finished and sitting before him. The end of the story he had become so absorbed in, characters he had gotten to know so well they seemed so real. 

"Chani. . . ?"

The writer at the desk raised his head recognizing the voice. It was the voice he had given to one of his protagonists, the character he felt the most attachment to. It was the leading male role, the prince from the very kingdom that was rescued in the end, Rowoon. Grown from being a spoiled, self centered snob of a prince to that of a strong, curagious and caring prince. A Prince ready to take his throne and become king. 

"Yes?"

"Is it really over?"

The sound of Rowoon's voice caused an ache in Chani's chest. He had to choke back a sob, unable to turn in his chair to look behind him knowing no one would be there. He, however, nodded slightly. 

"Yeah, it's over."

Silence befell the room as if both of them were contemplating what that meant. It was the end of a story, Rowoon's story. There would be no more chapters, no more story to tell, no more Rowoon. There was nothing left to write, no planned sequel. . .this was all there was.

"So, what foes that mean?"

The dreaded question Chani didn't want to hear had been asked. 

"I don't know. I'll send the manuscript in to my editor and from there it goes to the publicist."

"I see, but. . .what about me?"

A heavy sigh escaped from Chani as he stared at the manuscript before him. He knew what was going to happen. He would add the last page to the stack causing the end to truly happen and Rowoon would disappear for good. The character he created, that became so real to him and a friend through the writing process. He would disappear, leaving him once more alone. 

"The end. . ."

More silence, but what was said seemed to click pretty quickly what that meant for Rowoon.

"No. . .no. . ."

"Yes, the moment the page is added to the pile. . ."

". . .I'll just disappear? No, I don't want to disappear."

The panic in Rowoon's voice forced a sob from Chani. He was doing the best he could not to cry, but was failing miserably. Chani was finding it nearly impossible not to cry. 

Reaching forward, Chani lifted the page and held onto it. His tear filled eyes locked on the two words that sealed Rowoon's fate. 

"I don't want you to either, but what can we do?"

Chani sounded desperate for an answer to the question. He would give anything to keep Rowoon around. 

His thoughts halted when arms wrapped around his shoulders, and he could feel the presence of a person behind him. Chani's tears fell down his cheeks, his body frozen from the sudden surprise. 

"Don't end it. . .please." 

Rowoon's soft breath brushed his ear as he spoke his gentle plea. It was the desperation that caused Chani to hang his head and cry.

"I have to, I don't want to, but I have to."

Lifting his head, Chani slowly began moving the page towards the pile. The hold Rowoon had on him tightened ever so slightly as the page got closer to the pile. The pile of papers that made up his story. 

"No, please. . ."

Closer. . .and closer still.

"Chani, I'm begging you. . ."

Chani was shaking as he held the page over the rest of the manuscript. 

"Im sorry. . ."

He set the paper on the rest of the stack, it was done. With that paper he felt a part of himself die. 

"I love you. . .Chani. . ."

The weight of someone holding him vanished, those final words lost amongst the silence that now surrounded him. Chani sat along, tears cascading down his face like waterfalls as he let everything sink in. Rowoon was gone, the story finished, he felt empty inside and lost all of a sudden. As another set of sobs broke free from him, a whisper of goodbye slipped from his lips.

"I love you, too. . .Rowoon. . ."

-------THE END-------