Chapter 24: Caught Up

[Sierra’s POV]

“Wake up,” Hee Chul shook me by my shoulders.

“Hmm?” I got up, and licked my chapped lips.

“What’s up wit you?” he asked. “You don’t usually fall asleep in class.”

“Long night…” I yawned. “Don’t ask.”

He shook his head and turned away to pay attention to the lesson. I turned my head to look back, out of habit. Jae Wook wasn’t there, and Si Won caught me looking. I quickly looked back in front. With 2 guys driving me crazy now, I had no time to swoon over Si Won anymore; as hot as he may be.

I was up all night, thinking about Han Kyung, thinking about Jae Wook. Why did Jae Wook go to Japan? Was he gone for good? Then again, I didn’t care. I sent him away, and I should be relieved that he took my word and did as I asked. Then what do I do with Han Kyung? His father had never and will never approve of us. But if I lose him too, I’ll be left with no one.

Lunch time finally came. Hee Chul and Sung Min had to guide me to the cafeteria since I was still feeling blue, and I was actually feeling a little nauseous.

“Nuna…” Sung Min said. “Do you need to see the nurse?”

“She just needs to eat and take a long nap,” Hee Chul said, clucking like a mother hen.

“Why don’t you go home?” Sung Min suggested.

I shook my head in protest. Yong Min and Sang Hoon oppa have both gone on a day trip to Taiwan. There was no one at home, and I didn’t want to be alone.

“Just feed her some rice and let’s get back to class,” Hee Chul said.

“Are you okay?” I heard Si Won say.

I looked up and he was standing right in front of us in all his manly glory. If this were one week ago, I’d have just swoon and melted to the floor in a puddle. But today, I was too numb to care. I’m not even sure why I feel sick.

“I’m fine,” I smiled.

“You should really go home if you’re sick,” he said.

“We tried all morning,” Hee Chul complained.

Si Won looked at me for awhile, and he reached forward, taking my hand out of Hee Chul and Sung Min’s.

“I’ll take her home,” he said.

“I’m fine,” I protested and tried to get away from him.

“Kaja,” he said, and dragged me off before I could protest further.

What annoyed me was that Hee Chul and Sung Min just stood there and waved at me.

“Si Won!” I’d been protesting since we’d left the cafeteria. “I don’t want to go home.”

“Why?” he finally stopped walking and looked at me.

“I don’t want to be home alone!” I said.

He stared at me, as if I’d just said the weirdest thing he’d ever heard.

“Weren’t you always home alone?” he said.

“I don’t feel like it today,” I said.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll stay with you for the afternoon.”

“What?” I managed to blurt out, and he started dragging me off again.

We reached the gates, and he sat me down on a bench, then whipped out his phone to call his driver.

He’d only just gotten through to his driver, when suddenly, a car stopped in front of us. 2 men jumped out and grabbed me.

Music: M - I'm Here

“Si Won!” I screamed.

He turned around, and ran forward to try and stop them. One of the guys punched him, and he fell backward onto the ground.

“Si Won!” I screamed. “Save me!”

“Sierra!” he shouted, and scrambled to get up, but it was too late.

The men pushed me into the car. Inside was another guy, who grabbed onto me while the other pushed himself in so that they sandwiched me between them.

“Who are you?” I screamed at them. “Let me go!”

“Shut up!” of the men said, and slapped me hard.

Tear sprang from my eyes from the stinging slap he gave me. I could feel the blood in my mouth, but I wasn’t going to cry like a girl in front of them.

The car lurched forward, and I could head Si Won shouting my name. I couldn’t look behind, but I could tell that he was chasing after the car. A few blocks later, I couldn’t hear him anymore.

[Han Kyung’s POV]

I’d just driven up in front of Sierra’s school. I received a tip that my father had ordered her to be brought to him. When I got there, I saw Choi Si Won walking towards the school gate, he had a black eye and bleeding nose.

“What happened?” I asked him.

“Some guys kidnapped Sierra,” he said, breathing heavily. “I couldn’t stop them.”

My father had struck, and I was too late.

“Check where they went,” I said to Ryeo Wook.

“Ne,” he said, and quickly went off to do my bidding.

“You know who did it?” Choi Si Won asked me.

“Yes,” I replied grimly.

“Hyung…” Ryeo Wook called to me, which meant he’d found out where they’d taken her.

“Let’s go,” I said, and we got back in the car.

If anything were to happen to Sierra, I’ll make my father pay…

[Sierra’s POV]

It was a long drive, and when they pushed me out of the car, we were in a warehouse. The car windows were so heavily tinted that I couldn’t see a thing outside all the way there. I could hear the horn of a ship blaring from a distance, and the place smelled fishy. We must be near the harbor.

“Who are you?” I shouted at the men around me as I tried to get to my feet.

They didn’t answer, and just then, the door opened.

“I told you to leave my son alone,” Ahn Sung Kyi said as he walked in.

“He came back for me. I didn’t go to him,” I replied as he walked up to me.

“You little tramp,” he said, and slapped me.

I fell over at the force of being hit. My head hurt, my face hurt, and now my butt hurt as well.

“I told you no good will come to you if you keep this up, didn’t I?” he said.

“What’s wrong with me?” I said. “Why am I not fit to be with Han Kyung?”

“You’re not the one,” he said simply.

“I never asked to be the one. He chose me, and I accepted,” I said, and I stood up again.

“Who are you to accept?” he asked me. “Without my approval, you’ll only be some woman in his bed. You’ll never be his bride.”

“What age do you live in, ajeosshi?” I laughed.

It wasn’t a funny situation, but hearing him talk about love and marriage like that sounded odd and hilarious.

“You’ll disrespect me, you whore!” he said and grabbed me by my hair as he swung his arm up to deliver another slap.

“Keumanhaera!” the door opened, and a familiar figure walked in.

Music: Black Beat - 날개 (Wing)

It was Jae Wook, and there were about 20 men walking behind him as he came in.

“Neo mwoya?” Ahn Sung Kyi said.

“Chairman Ahn,” Jae Wook said. “I didn’t think you’d hit women. Especially little girls.”

“Who are you, boy?” he asked Jae Wook again. “Do I need to ask again?” he added sarcastically.

“Kim Jae Wook,” Jae Wook said. “My other name would be Ihara Rui.”

“Ihara Rui?” Ahn Sung Kyi scoffed.

“Does the name, Ihara Tsuyoshi ring a bell?” Jae Wook continued.

“You’re the son of Ihara Tsuyoshi?” he said in disbelief.

He let go of me, and I fell to sit on the floor.

“Ne,” Jae Wook said.

“I never knew he had a son,” he smirked. “And why is this tramp your business?” he asked Jae Wook.

“She’s mine,” he said.

Jae Wook was calm and authoritative. I’d never seen him like this before. It was a side that was totally unknown to me. In my memory was the soft-spoken, romantic guy, who wore glasses. Now he stood before me, a totally different person.

“Yours?” Ahn Sung Kyi said.

“I believe there’s been a misunderstanding,” Jae Wook said.

“Really?” Ahn Sung Kyi laughed.

“I’ve come to take her back,” he added.

The two of them looked long and hard at each other. A lot of unspoken words were exchange, and as if Ahn Sung Kyi understood what Jae Wook wanted, he just brushed his jacket, and started walking out.

“Keep your woman away from my son,” he said, as he walked off.

“And please keep your son away from her,” Jae Wook added.

Ahn Sung Kyi snorted, but did not reply as he left the warehouse.

“Kwaench’ana?” Jae Wook said as he came to help me up.

He was wearing a slim black suit, and a skinny tie. His hair was pulled back in a half ponytail. I’d never seen him dressed like this, and it was quite attractive.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him “How did you know I was here? Who are these men? Why’s your name Ihara Rui?”

He looked intently at me as I fired my questions. When I was done, he just laughed softly.

“My birth name was Ihara Rui,” he said. “My mother changed it to Kim Jae Wook when we migrated back to Korea. My father is Ihara Tsuyoshi, a Japanese Yakuza leader. I guess the first few answers also answer your other questions.”

“Oh my god…” I said, my eyes widening.

“What? Why?” he asked, looking worried.

“Your father’s a gangster too?” I practically screamed at him.

Why did I keep attracting men like that?