So I now had to travel to Seoul. I cringed at that right now. It wouldn't be far, but it was still a hassle to do. I went back home that morning after Jia dismissed me and I called Miya over. It was still early so I woke him up. When I told him I would have to be leaving again. His soft face frowned slightly as he said,

"Again?"

"Yeah...I have to leave. I rather not say how long...but..."

He cut me off with a wave of his hand and said,

"Forget it. Let me help you pack."

We went to my room where I got my suitcase out and we started packing my clothes. The whole time Miya was frowning.

"You just got back."

"I know."

"Why'd you take this stupid job anyway?"

'Because I need money and a place to stay."

"There are other jobs."

"None that pay this well for driving a car."

He said nothing else. When we finished, I said,

"Listen...I was thinking about something."

"What?"

"When you get your exam results back and whatever you college you end up going to, you should move in with me."

"How come?"

"Because. I need you to come home to. And so you can take care of this place when I'm not here."

Miya smiled as he said,

"There's only one room though."

I looked around as I then shrugged and said,

"It's okay. Not like we haven't slept next to each other before."

He smiled as he zipped up my suitcase and said,

"Go book your ticket."

"I will."

So I got on the phone and did that right away.

An hour later, I kissed Miya on the cheek good bye and got in the car as I called Mikkie. He let me know he was already on his way to the airport and to just meet him there. When I got there, I found him standing near a gate, his hair falling down over his eyes and past his shoulders as he carried a black bag in his hands. I went over to him and he asked what time does and what gate does my ticket say. Once I told him, he went and bought one himself. As we waited for the plane, I studied my English again and then we boarded. We got to Seoul a little less then an hour later. The small plane took us there and we stepped out, carrying our bags over our shoulders. After we booked a hotel room, Mikkie got to work right away. I wasn't sure of what to do but I know I had to do something so I worked with Mikkie, never stopping until we found out more information. Not all Koreans where loyal to their boss either. A few won waved into their faces or a gun jabbed into their sides and we were easily led through the underground of Seoul. Sung Hyun was every bit as devious and malicious as thought. Mikkie found out the strongest lead was a young man named Chun. Chun worked as a common thug but had good connections. Mikkie paid him well for the information he gave.

"What do you know about Sung Hyun?"

"Enough. The guy pays well for his silence."

Mikkie went into his pocket, withdrawing some won as he pressed it into Chun's hand.

"I know about his wife."

"His recent wife?"

"Nah, the first one. He offed her himself, made sure it looked like a break in. Gutted her from thigh to throat."

"Why?"

"Because he wanted to marry the little sister of a former crime lord in New York."

"His recent wife has no actual ties to the crime in New York."

"He knows that. It's not about that but the leads it could bring and who it can attract."

"The Japanese syndicate runs and owns New York."

"Yeah I know your boss. But Sung Hyun doesn't care. The way of the gun here is much different then in any other place. We live by a knife because the sword is hard to hide."

"Not you though huh. You're like anyone else."

"I gotta eat to live."

"What else about Sung Hyun do you know?"

"He's pretty cut throat. Sacrifice what he can to whoever and whatever to advance himself."

"That would mean his wife if she crossed him wrong."

"Actually not his wife. He only killed the last one because it was loveless. That and he found out she was a whore. She was bangin anyone and everyone. It was pretty easy for him to."

"How about the empire he's got?"

"It's based here in Seoul. But he's got connections in other parts of Asia. Even the North. He's working to get outside of that though. It's why he's moved onto California and to New York."

I then spoke.

"But if he knows that someone is running New York already why even bother trying to get in?"

Chun shrugged as he said,

"It's his own ideals. He thinks he can top the man in charge over there. He's got too many loyal people around him willing to die for him if need be and he's a strong himself. It's why he made in Seoul."

Mikkie and I looked at each other as I said,

"That all you know?"

"Ne....that's about it."

"You have any idea where we could find any of his places?"

Chun nodded as he smoothed back his short bleached hair as he said,

"That I actually don't know. Rumors all over the place about where his places of business is."

Mikkie nodded as he said,

"Go."

Chun thanked him for the money as he then left and Mikkie and I were left in the restaurant. I picked up the tea cup and said,

"So now what?"

Mikkie shrugged as he said,

"We need a place of business if we're going to be finished working."

I nodded as we got up and left.

We spent the entire week in Seoul trying to find more leads to where Sung Hyun might have businesses. During the day we slept and at night, we would go seek out more contacts like Chun. It wasn't easy to do. A lot of people couldn't be bought and they were loyal to Sung Hyun. Mikkie and I made them talk because the gun is often more powerful then the money. Some spoke, some were actually killed and left in allies. Those that did speak told us about the buildings in the downtown distract of Seoul where Sung Hyun conducted a legit business but he was on a leave of absence for his honeymoon since he just got married. It left Mikkie and I to form the conclusion that he had only murdered his first wife recently. And since the company he ran was legit, it probably meant the people that worked for him where not all criminals. Mikkie and I sat outside one afternoon, the last day of our stay in Seoul as he pulled back all his hair and said,

"A week and we find this out."

I nodded as I looked over my English again. Once Mikkie finished he said,

"Jia is gonna be proud of you."

"Why me? You did most of the work."

"You did your piece."

I gave a slight smile as I said,

"So do we go back or something now?"

"We go to New York. Jia already went back."

"Back to New York?"

"Yeah."

"Oh..."

I was looking forward to going back home already.

"You seem disappointed."

"I am."

I watched Mikkie lean back on the bench and said,

"Who it is, you can't get in too deep."

"Hisoka explained to me already. Big taboo and all that."

"He's right. Love will screw everything you have up. It will put you in the biggest risks of your life and you'll lose everything."

"Personal experience?"

I turned and looked at him. He looked at me with a serious look in his eyes as he said,

"No. I'm too dead inside to feel anything."

"I still...feel."

"Knock it off. That will get you killed or someone else killed."

I frowned and looked away as I said,

"How do you learn not to feel?"

"You wanna stay in this game?"

I nodded.

"Then you'll find a way."

I nodded as he stood up and said,

"Come on. Let's go pack."

So we returned to the hotel room to pack.

Hisoka had told me of Mikkie. How he was colder then most stones in the Arctic, how dead his eyes are because he really is lifeless, cold on the inside. His eyes give no sparkle of joy or life, no one's ever seen him smile or laugh. It was frightening to know that they were all like that. Except Toki. Toki lived for life. He laughed and smiled and he drank, expressed himself...in whatever bizarre why that may be, he was more alive then anyone else I've been around. Even Hisoka. He was all about the job. I've been around him most and he doesn't give off half as much as anyone else. To think I would have to reduce myself to that...Miya would hate it. Anyway we packed and went back to New York. I was still working. I was also grateful I didn't give Miya a time limit...he would be so pissed to know I wouldn't be back after a week.