Here's my take on Damdeuk and his relationship with Sujini and Ki Ha. haha! I saved the best for last!
Damdeuk and Sujini:
LOVE THAT WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME
She came into Damdeuk's life like a breath of fresh air. Yes. That's how I describe Sujini. While Ki ha is the steady rock in Damdeuk's life, she became the hurricane that took him by surprise.
Upon knowing the real identity of Damdeuk, it did not stop her from doing those stupid and sometimes childlike stuff with and in front of him. Much to Damdeuk's amusement! Rather than being intimidated by his presence, she took no notice of it and treated him like an ordinary person.
Damdeuk at first treated her like a kid sister and would watch in sidelines as she gets herself in trouble expecting him to bail her out but instead he would either scold or watch her wriggle out of trouble.
What they did not know is that in moments like these that the seeds of love that was planted from the time of King Hwanoong and Sae Oh is slowly starting to blossom.
When Sujini learned that Damdeuk be possibly the awaited King of JooShin, she was there by his side as a friend and trusted ally even though Damdeuk would sometimes dismiss her as a mere nuisance. But she did not back out. She stood her ground and never faltered in her belief that Damdeuk is the real King of Jooshin even though Damdeuk himself thought otherwise.
As Damdeuk was about to face death in the Temple of the Priestess, she was there to oppose anyone and was ready to to fight if anyone dares to harm Damdeuk.
She fought and stood by him. While Ki Ha wanted Damdeuk to give up, she on the other hand encouraged him to stand up and fight. I dare say that with Ki Ha, I saw Damdeuk as a weakling. He was hiding under her care and what he thought was their love for each other.
Sujini has Damdeuk's best interests on top of her lists all the time. Everything she did, it's always for the sake of Damdeuk and what he was fighting for even though more often than not it puts her life in danger.
Damdeuk on the other hand was starting to look at Sujini on a different light even though he was trying so hard to suppress it. The fact that he wants her *GLUED* to him is enough manifestation of how much he cares for her. He wants Sujini by his side always. She has a soothing effect on him...the calm amidst the storm in Damdeuk's life.
When he gave her the bottle (originally from his mother) it certainly speaks of how deep their relationship has become. Must I point out that in all the years he spent with Ki Ha, it never crossed his mind to give her such a special memento like that bottle?
* You never know what you got till it's gone.
Upon learning that she might possibly become the Black Phoenix and would put Damdeuk's in danger, she decided to leave him even if it meant giving up her chance of loving Damdeuk. I believe that it was during these parts that both of them started to acknowledge the fact there really is something special between them.
I was really crying when she showed up in front of Damdeuk wearing that dress and looking so cute and silly in it. It was so hard for her to say goodbye to him without really saying it and at the same time wanting him to remember as a woman who loves him and not just a friend or an ally. Boy...did she have a hard time conveying all of those emotions to him.
* Damdeuk's feelings started to unfold when he learned that Sujini has gone and no one knows where she is. I dare say that he probably felt like a part of him was torn away with the departure of Sujini. He went mad and would stop at nothing just to find her.
*Absence makes love grow fonder.
Let me start by saying that even though he shared most of his life with Ki Ha, what he thought was love for her faded so easily. But this was not the case with SUjini.
In the years that they were apart from each other, never did their love for each other wavered.
On Damdeuk's part, he never lost hope that one day (soon) when everything is settled he'd be able to find and be with her again. Her face, her smile and her funny antics gave him comfort in a battle scarred world he was living in. Even when she was far away, she's still the source of his strength and the hopes of finding her again gave him the courage to continuehis battle with Ho Gae and the rest.
I so love the part in the series wherein they were at the same place at the same time and Damdeuk felt her presence. Indeed she was just around. So near yet so far...It was so hard for her to watch him from afar.
When Cheuro finally found her, she told him that he must always ne by Damdeuk's side. Obviously still haunted by the idea of the Black Phoenix not knowing that she will never become the Black Phoenix for a whole lot of reasons!
So the time came when Damdeuk finally found her. This is the very first time that the words *i love you* need not to be spoken. It was in their eyes...the love and longing for each other. *From now on..where you are is where my palace is...* arrgghhh...If that's not enough declaration of love then I don't know what that is!
And even though he was about to go into a battle...you can see in Damdeuk's eyes the peace and serenity that only Sujini can give.
So there...that's my take on Sujini-Damdeuk-Ki Ha relationship.
--------> Even thought the ending was not what I expected (due to Bae YOng Joon's injury), I would like to believe that Damdeuk and Sujini lived a happy life together. Well...I hope that part two of this series will push through.