Chapter 21: ... Let Her Go

[Jae Wook’s POV]

Music: 태양 - 나만 바라봐 (Tae Yang - Look At Me)

“How was the sundae? Wasn’t it heavenly?” the annoyingly perky waitress asked as she cleared the table. “Would you like some coffee while waiting for your girlfriend to come back?”

I looked up at her but decided not to say anything. I wasn’t sure if I could stop myself from attacking her in a fit of rage. She looked at me questioningly, then smiled.

“Just call if you need anything else,” she said, and walked away.

She probably sensed the vibe of hostility emanating from me.

I sat there for awhile, staring blankly. It has been such a short time since I started at Dae Sang High, and yet, it feels like I’ve been stuck in this limbo forever. I knew why Sierra had to choose Han Kyung, and yet, part of me still didn’t want to give up. It may not sound right, but it wasn’t just about having her anymore. My pride had been beaten down for as long as I could remember. So much that I am now contemplating to do something I’ve avoided for the last 10 years of my life.

Maybe it’s time to call on my father.

[Han Kyung’s POV]

Eunice practically jumped out of the car when we stopped outside her mansion.

“You’re not gonna give me a kiss before you go?” I teased.

“Kaseyo,” she said.

“Araso…” I winked at her, and closed the door.

As the car pulled away, I took out my phone and dialed Ryeo Wook’s number.

“Have you found them?”

“Hyung-su is with me,” he said. “We’re on our way back.”

“Send her to my apartment,” I said.

“Algaesseumnida,” he replied, and I hung up.

“Take me home,” I said to my driver, and he nodded.

Music: Clazziquai -금요일의 Blues

When I got there, she was laying face flat on my sofa, like she always did. This would be the first time she’d set foot into my new penthouse. In the past, she would hang out with me at my father’s house. My father spent most of his time at his office and spent his nights at the homes of his many mistresses. His wife spent most of her days going from monastery to another, claiming that she was praying to clear my father of his sins. When she wasn’t doing that, she would be at some spa retreat in Europe. My only companion, before I met Sierra, was my half-sister, Yoo In. Yoo In is a great sibling to have. She’s smart, adorable, and very talkative, but I needed a different kind of love. The kind of love I could get only from Sierra.

I sat down next to her. The sofa sank and she did not stir at all. I touched her hair lightly, then leaned down to kiss her on the top of her head. She continued to sleep. I smiled to myself as I got up and walked to my room. I could forgive her for anything; a feat which I still found to be unbelievable, coming from me. Before I met her, no one who crossed me would’ve lived. Since knowing her, I have refrained from participating in fights, and left all physical activity to my men. I only attended meetings and negotiations because I knew how much she worried when I attended fights.

I showered quickly and walked out to the living room again to see if she’d awakened. She was still asleep. I walked to the kitchen and took out 2 cups of ramyun from the cupboard and filled them with hot water. As I’d expected, she woke up to the smell of the ramyun.

“Slept well?” I asked her.

“When did you get back?” she asked as she got up in the most unladylike way, rubbing her eyes.

Sierra played the persona of an heiress to perfection. In public, she was always poised and perfect. At home, she was like any other girl; relaxed and casual. But of course, because of the habits instilled by her upbringing, no matter how unladylike she behaved, she still did it in a way that made her look graceful. I doubt Kim Jae Wook has seen this side of her. The side that was what made her attractive.

“Long enough to see that you’ve drooled on my new sofa,” I smiled and put down the 2 cups of ramyun on the coffee table in front of her.

“Mmm…” she said, her eyes fixed on the ramyun as she slid off the sofa to sit on the floor, totally ignoring my teasing.

“Here,” I said, shifting one of the cups so that it was right in front of her.

“I’m starving,” she said, and started digging in.

“That run must have exhausting,” I said, reminding her of what she did to me this afternoon.

She stopped slurping her noodles midway, looked at me, and smiled sheepishly before swallowing the mouthful. So she was going to use the cute card to get away with it this time.

“I came back,” she said sweetly.

“Aratda…” I sighed, and mussed her hair.

I picked up my cup, and we ate in silence for awhile. When she finished, she put the cup down and leaned back into the sofa.

“So what do we do now?” she said.

“What do you wanna do?” I asked her.

“I’m talking about your father,” she said. “How are you going to convince him?”

“I don’t know yet,” I replied.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” she asked. “You told me everything would be alright. Are you expecting to put my family at risk just so you could have what you want.”

“I won’t let anything happen to your family,” I assured her.

“You can promise me anything, but at the end of the day, it’s your father who will decide what he wants to do to you and to me.”

“He won’t touch you,” I said, taking her hand in mine.

“You have to come up with a plan, Han Kyung,” she said. “Otherwise, I shouldn’t even be here. We should just stay apart until you’ve handled the situation.”

“I need you,” I said. “I need you beside me while I do this. Can’t you just stay?”

“It’s too risky,” she said, and moved to stand up by the sofa. “I’d better go.”

“Kajima…” I said, tugging her arm gently.

“Han Kyung…” she sighed.

“Kajima…” I said, and hugged her around the waist.

She sighed and cupped my face with both her hands as she looked down at me.

“You’d better think of something, fast!” she said.

“Araso,” I smiled, and she tweaked my nose.

[Jae Wook’s POV]

“You’re still alive!” Dong Hae shouted as soon as he answered my phone call.

“Yes,” I replied. “I need your help.”

“Anything,” he said. “As long as I don’t need to kill somebody or get killed.”

“Get me an air ticket to Japan,” I said.

“Japan? Do you have a passport?”

“I do,” I said.

My family may be dirt poor, but my mother had insisted that Jae Joong and I renewed our passports every time they expired.

“For emergencies,” she said.

She must have known a day like this would come.

“When do you want to leave?” he asked me.

“Tonight,” I said.

“Araso,” he said. “Text me your passport number. I’ll call you as soon as I get your ticket.”

“Komawo,” I said.

“It’s fine,” he said, and hung up.

I flipped the worn and yellowed business card in my hand. I never thought I would have to use it so soon. I’ve always thought that I was able to take care of my family and myself, but I’ve suffered enough. It was time my father did something for me.

My father’s name is Ihara Tsuyoshi. He and my mother met 20 years ago when she was working in Japan and lived together for 6 years. They never married. When my mother’s work permit expired, they failed to get it renewed. By then, their relationship wasn’t as it was before, having met when they were in their early 20s and because of my mother’s gambling habits. She decided to return to Seoul and brought me and Jae Joong along. He did not stop her. He visited us briefly 5 years ago. He was now a prominent yakuza leader in Tokyo. He’d asked me to join him, but I refused. I didn’t want to leave Jae Joong and my mother back then. Jae Joong was too young and weak to join a gang, and without the both of us, my mother would probably rack up more gambling debts.

“Where are you going?” Jae Joong asked me when he came home and saw me stuffing some clothes into a rucksack.

“Class trip,” I lied.

“But I thought your class trip is next month,” he said.

“I’m just going on a trip with a few classmates,” I said.

“With Sierra nuna?” he teased.

“Yea,” I replied curtly.

It stung when he said that, but I told myself that she would soon be back on my side again.

“Asa!” he grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “You’ll be an official couple after this trip.”

“Yea,” I laughed softly.

I stuffed the last of the stuff I was taking along, checked that I had enough cash and my passport with me, then left my room.

“When will you be back?” Jae Joong asked me.

“Maybe a week,” I said.

“You’re allowed to be away from school for that long?” Jae Joong asked with a puzzled expression.

“Sierra and her friends sort of get special treatment. As long as I’m in their clique, it’s okay.”

“If you say so,” he said, still looking unconvinced.

“Take care of omma,” I said to him.

“Ne,” he replied.

I walked towards the front door and started putting on my shoes.

“Take care of yourself,” he popped his head out at the door as I was about to go down the stairs.

Music: 태양 - 나만 바라봐 (Tae Yang - Look At Me) ~ Continued

I just smiled, and went on my way. Dong Hae had sent a car to pick me up and send me to the airport. I hadn’t told him why I needed to go to Japan, and he understood enough not to ask. I guess I’d gained a friend when I least expected to.