Chapter 16
Hana�s aunt was no different from Hana herself. You can tell where Hana gets all of her attributes from. Once upon a time, Hana�s aunt had dated my uncle, and in the end, she broke his heart, so he left her. It�s as simple as that. No need to get into details, it would only fume my anger.

She was smiling at me. If only she knew that I was the niece of the man she played.

I greeted her with my fakest most endearing smile I could give her. �I�m terribly sorry that my boss couldn�t make it. He�s out on some business trip, that�s why he sent me instead.� With that, I gestured for Soo Min to hand her the birthday present. �Happy Birthday,� I added.

Before she could say anything, we turned from her and end up meeting with her spoiled niece who blocked our entrance.

�You finally came out of your ridiculous cocoon?� she asked, her eyes stopping to stare at my stilettos.

I wasn�t impress with her dress. It was shorter than short, very silvery, and sparkly. She also had glitter in her hair that made her look like she just stepped out of some new years party.

�Face it Hana, you�re gonna have to come to accept that there are many women out there, who are equally---if not, more beautiful than you are.�

�Are you calling me ugly?�

I shrugged and then shouldered her out of my way, having the others follow me as I led the way.

The set up of the club was no different from the way it has always been. It had two floors and a nice stage at the far end. I couldn�t pry my eyes off the stage, thinking Shinhwa were going to show up any second. The only thing that made it look different were the balloons, the white orchids and the table with a big birthday cake in the center. However, in spite of all of that, there was certainly a different vibe to it.

I didn�t realize that I had the ability to walk into a room and make everyone stop what they were doing and turn their attention onto me. Let me correct myself. Or rather, have everyone focus their attention onto us. I almost forgot the others were with me.

I didn�t like the attention at all, so I halted to itch the back of my neck in nervousness and immediately pulled Anna in front of me, thinking I could shield their eyes from me.

�What are you people doing?� she questioned, turning her head a bit to look at me.

When I craned my head to look at the twins, I realized they were doing the same thing. Soo Min had a good grip of the back of my dress while Soo Hyun stood directly behind Soo Min, with his hands tucked inside his pockets and his gaze kept downward, looking slightly embarrassed. Dammit, we had formed a line. Good move, Landy. Now you really have people staring at you.

�You dummies, quit it!� I hissed at them.

They immediately complied. That�s when someone called out Soo Hyun and Soo Min�s name. �Soo Hyun! Soo Min! Over here!�

They quickly left, joining their friends. Yeah, they had friends and I didn't. A pity.

Anna took my arm and led me to corner table, close to the buffet table. The aroma of food swept over me and caused my stomach to churn. It would be nice to have something fill my stomach. I don�t think I�ve eaten anything for the past few days. �Damn, I�m hungry,� I said, ready to pull the chair to sit down when someone had done it for me.

I looked up to find Seung Hoon flashing me that incredibly charming smile of his. He gestured for me to sit down. �For my beautiful lady.�

I smiled in return and thanked him before sitting down. Then he commanded Anna to halt when she was about ready to sit down. He went over to do the same thing and I watched as he made Anna blushed when he whispered something into her ear.

Come to think of it now. Seung Hoon and Anna would definitely make a killer pair. If only Seung Hoon wasn�t gay. No wait, they wouldn�t. If Seung Hoon wasn�t gay, he would look better with me. We were more compatible. Besides, Anna had David/ Jong Min. Jong Min of course, had Mie Suk to take care of him and a girl like Hana to show off. But now it goes back to my dear Anna.

Damn, I really need to spill the beans to Anna soon.

Ugh! Just thinking about him, made me angry. I hope I wouldn�t have to see his face for awhile. The thing that bothered me most was how I kept thinking more about him whenever I didn�t see him. Was he suppose to have this kind of effect on me? Never!

�Landy, you there?� Seung Hoon�s voice cut through my contemplation.

I looked up at him. �Huh? Yeah?�

�I asked you if you wanted a drink?�

�Just water.�

He turned to ask Anna. �What about you, love?�

�I�ll have the same.�

He nodded and stood up. �I�ll be right back ladies. Do not go anywhere.�

When he left, Anna shifted her seat in closer to me. �Are you sure, he�s really gay?�

�I know. He makes you blush, doesn�t he?�

�If Seung Hoon has this kind of effect on me already---�

I pointed an accusing finger at her face. �Don�t even think about it. Park Seung Hoon will be my keepsake and no one else�s.�

�Hey! Remember, you weren�t the only one who had a crush on him.�

�That�s why I made certain that I was the only one who was allowed to have a crush on him.�

She rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly. �Beating all those girls up, didn�t do you no good. They all hate you now. And you�re friendless.�

�I�ve put fear in them. That�s good enough. Who cares about having friends. You�re the only friend I want because you can put up with me.�

She reached out to pinch my cheek. �You�re so cute sometimes.�

And then she immediately dropped her arm as she looked past me with blood-drained expression. �Sh*t.�

I turned to look at her direction and saw a man striding in with Hana clinging to his one arm and few others followed after him. He had to be someone rather important because the entire room went completely silent. I could�ve sworn everyone that everyone gasped at the sight of him.

He had the finest and blondest hair ever. It was so blond, it could�ve been mistaken for being white. His hair looked short if you were to look at him square in the face. From the profile view, you�d notice that he has his long hair tied back. His skin was oddly pale. But was a nice sort of pale. Somewhere close to Soo Min�s paleness. I�ve never seen a man that could be this fascinating to look upon, with the exception of Jong Min. Ever seen a western rap video, where they had the pimps with their pimp outfits? Yeah, he had one of those on, along with the bling blings. And hell, he looked good in it. However, the one thing I couldn�t stop staring at was his black eye patch. It was so noticeable. I wonder why. Was it some sort of fashion statement?

�Remember the news about the kid who murdered his parents?� I heard Anna asking from behind me.

I had to swallow back in nervousness, finding my throat going dry. �Yeah.�

�Well, that�s him. They call him Cobra. He�s a gang leader. Rumors has it that even the cops can�t touch him because they fear him.�

Oh no. Not another good-looking gang leader! I turned my head to face her. �Okay, now you�re over exaggerating.�

She puffed. �I�m not!�

�Whatever. If he�s so scary as you say he is, then what the hell is he doing here?�

�Like you. His boss knows Hana�s aunt.�

�How do you know so much?�

She raised both her brows and answered, �I have sources.�

I wasn�t surprised. Anna was rich. She could get all the sources she wanted.

�Look. Notice how no one dares to step in his path when he�s walking. Heck, no one is even budging.�

I had to laugh, finding it all ridiculous, only to find out that Anna was right. �Damn, you�re right---except for that guy---� I stood up, suddenly worried once I realized who it was. �Damn, that�s Seung Hoon.�

Too late. Seung Hoon already crossed the floor and was stopped by two of Cobra�s accomplices.

I looked nervously over to Anna and she pulled on my arm. �Sit back down.�

�Let go. I have to do something. What if Seung Hoon does something stupid to provoke them?�

Too late. He already did. He had splashed the water he had carried onto the two men.

That�s when I was up and rushing towards him, with my stupid stilettos on. I quickly pulled Seung Hoon away before the guys could place their hands on him.

Giving them a look of an apology, I said, �Sorry, he�s already drunk. Forgive him.�

�Idiot!� I heard someone shout out.

That person better not be referring to me.

Seung Hoon pulled out of my grasp, looking more than pissed off. Wow, I�ve never seen him this angry. In fact, I never seen the angry Seung Hoon before. It was pretty damn scary.

Before he could act out irrationally, I managed to drag him from the dance floor but we didn�t get very far when a voice stopped us.

�Have a dance with me, and your boyfriend will be forgiven.�

I spun around, feeling eyes shooting at me from all direction. It was very unsettling. Indeed it was. The voice belonged to Cobra alright. And he was speaking to me. As for Hana, she was no longer clinging onto his arm. Instead, she was fixing me that same hateful glare of hers.

�I�m sorry?� I asked.

A grin appeared on his face. �Do I really need to repeat myself in front of everyone?�

Hearing that he said that in the utmost arrogant way, I already had him summed up. I hated him already and there�s no doubt about it. �No, you don�t. I think I heard you pretty clearly. I�m just a little surprised that�s all.�

�I�ll take that as a yes.�

�Take it however you like.� And then I shrugged, adding, �It�s just a shame that I don�t know how to dance.�

This time it was Seung Hoon who was holding onto my arm. �Forget it, Landy. Let�s go sit back down.�

I agreed when Cobra�s voice cut in again, stopping me dead in my tracks. �You�re a bold one, you know that? But not bold enough.�

That�s when I tore out of Seung Hoon�s grasp and strode directly towards him defiantly. �What do you want?�

He eyed me up and down without an answer. I guess that was his way of answering and I didn�t like it at all. Damn, what have I gotten myself into?

As if on cue, to ease the growing tension, everyone started cheering and clapping. I had to pry my eyes away to see that Shinhwa had finally appear on stage. My Min Woo stood up to introduce their first song. That�s when all the women got up from their seats and started towards the stage.

And that�s when Cobra leaned into whisper into my ear. �I will have that dance, one way or another.�

Before I could say anything more, he strode off.

Just when Shinhwa were about ready to perform, the music suddenly died down. Ah heck, what is going on now?

Everyone turned their attention towards the entrance. And to my surprise, Jong Min and his crew came striding in, with their street racing outfits on. It didn�t look like they were invited. Only that they decided to intrude. And hell, Jong Min looked good in anything he put on, even if it was street racing clothes. There was a determination in his expression which I�ve never seen before. His gaze was fixated on someone and I was glad that it wasn�t me. His aim was at Cobra and Cobra only.

Suddenly I felt the rise in tension as they exchanged glares.

And then I had to look at Hana and her aunt who were arguing over something.

And then my eyes searched for the twins. They were nowhere to be found.

And then I looked at Seung Hoon who was now holding Anna back. Oh no! Anna. My poor Anna. She didn�t need to see this.

And that was how I knew that things were definitely looking bad for everyone, including myself.

Once again, the room had gone silent�

Chapter 17
Just when I thought things were about to get chaotic, the lights dimmed and the music started. Shinwha began performing Younggunz. Yippee for Shinhwa!!

The women started going wild over them as the men stood back to watch. I turned to see that Jong Min and his crew who were now standing a few feet away from Cobra and his men, exchanging messages with their eyes. Ah, so they weren�t as foolish as I thought they would be.

That�s when someone yanked me by the arm and spun me around. It was Hana who still looked quite pissed off. �What are you playin� at?�

�Playin� at?�

She waved her fingers forward and that�s when I saw two big security men coming towards me. Damn. Now I couldn�t see Shinhwa perform because Hana saw me as the threat. Funny Hana. I should really knock her teeth out.

Before they could touch me, I stepped out of reach. �If you�re here to show me out. I think I can walk on my own thank you.�

They ignored me and ushered me towards the back doors, keeping a solid grip on my arms. Damn bastards were holding on so tightly that it hurt. There was no way I could let the others know because they blocked my every view. I couldn�t take them on. They were much bigger than I was. I nearly stumbled as they shoved me through the doors, into a dark alleyway.

�I should have knocked her teeth out,� I mumbled, gazing around in the darkness, kind of relieved and disappointed at the same time. �Stupid Hana.�

Suddenly, I heard voices not far from where I stood. I slowly trotted over to peer behind the wall, to find three men confronting a single defenseless woman.

On second thought, she wasn�t at all defenseless. She did knee that big fat one right in the middle of his you-know-what. However, she made the wrong mistake of doing so, because the other guy had backhand her hard enough to knock her to her knees, making her spew out blood.

I tried making out her face in the darkness and somehow, she looked vaguely familiar. It was the way she carried herself. Her hair was braided back and she had on a street racer clothes. Damn, it was Mie Suk.

Witnessing something like that only caused my blood to boil. I hate seeing a man hit a woman. And this was not just some woman. It was Mie Suk.

Those bastards were suddenly upon her, yanking her by her hair and forcing her to face them. She spat in their face, only to receive a hard blow to her stomach.

I didn�t care what I did next. All I knew was that I had to do something.

Simultaneously, my stilettos were in my hands and as I ran, chucking one at the fat guy�s head, causing him to stumble back a few steps. When the next guy looked up, he too received the same fate. The third guy holding onto Mie Suk, immediately let go of her and stood up to face me.

�Who the f*ck are---�

He didn�t expect me to do anything. So he watch me run past him, and before he could turn around to look, I pulled the ribbon out of my hair, and used it to wrap tightly around his neck, choking him in the process.

�You like hitting a woman?� I asked, tightening the ribbon.

He was choking for air. I looked at the sprawling Mie Suk. �Get up, Mie Suk!� I commanded.

She lifted her head enough to look up at me. �Landy, is that you?�

I didn�t answer her. �Show this bastard what he deserves.�

�I would but my arm is broken at the moment,� she mumbled.

�Then kick him!�

Mie Suk slowly raised her voice. �Hell, Landy! If I could feel my f*cking body, these f*ckers would be dead by now!!�

Mie Suk was useless at the moment. �Move closer to me then,� I ordered, seeing that the others were on their feet again.

Surprisingly, she did. And being Mie Suk, she always had something to say. �You�re very demanding, you know that?�

The other two guys came at us from both directions. �If you guys come any closer, I�d make his head burst into tiny particles!�

�That�s impossible,� one of them said in disbelief.

That was true. Damn. I suck at trying to sound threatening. �Ever seen a man choke with a ribbon around his throat?� I asked.

They froze. �I thought so.�

The man in my grasp, tried struggling and I kicked him from behind the knee, making him kneel. I couldn�t take it, so I hit him at the back of his neck, putting him to rest for a bit. At least now, my hands were free.

�We�re not afraid of you. Do you even realize who you�re threatening?� the other one asked.

I had to ask Mie Suk. �Who the hell are they?�

�Cobra�s men. Someone you don�t know.�

Damn! If I hear that man�s name again, I will scream my head off. Cobra this. Cobra that. F*ck Cobra! I�ve never met someone in my life who has irritated so much as Cobra did. Just the mentioning of his name got me fired up. Just because he was some notorious gang leader, doesn�t mean that they should kiss up to his annoying a$$.

Come to think of it, how in the hell did Mie Suk get herself entangled with them? �What were you doing with them in the first place?�

�I was ordered by Jong Min to wait outside while he went inside. These punks came out of nowhere and started pushing me around.�

�No, we didn�t. We asked you to come along with us nicely. Up until you struck us.�

She glared at them. �Shut up.�

�You mean, you know these bastards?�

�Of course, she does. Cobra is her brother.�

Huh? Cobra was Mie Suk�s brother? Could any of what was happening get anymore worst?

When I looked at her in surprise, she averted my gaze. �That true, Mie Suk?�

WHAM! The blow caught me off guard as I stumbled and hit the ground. Damn painful. Sh*t! It had to be the same spot as always. I tasted the blood and spat it right out, into the bastard�s face when he force my head up. But I wasn�t going to allow him to do to me what he had done to Mie Suk. As he swung another fist at me, I caught it.

Forcing a smile to my face, I said, �You�re gonna die.�

Now that�s when everything went chaotic. I swung my right arm to catch him just below the jaw and then I quickly stood up to add a kick to his ribs. He fell back on his behind and groaned in pain.

The other one had come up from behind me, I elbowed him, jumped up to send a spin-kick at his face. I heard the material of my dress tearing. Oops. When I was on my two feet again, I checked to see that I had managed to put a slit from the hemline to mid-thigh. �Damn, stupid dress.�

The bastard fell and I strode towards him, adding another kick to his face. �That�s for Mie Suk.�

�Landy,� someone muttered.

I whirled around to see that Mie Suk had sat against the wall, holding onto her stomach. Rushing towards her in concern, I crouched and asked, �Can you walk? I�ll take you to the hospital.�

She shook her head vigorously. �No, no hospital.�

�You look terrible.�

�Not as terrible as you, I hope,� she retorted.

I put her arm around my shoulder and supported her up to stand, taking her away from the bastards. When we were far enough, that�s when I asked her. �Why not the hospital? Why are you being stubborn at time like this?�

She shot me a sideway glare. �I said no hospital.�

�Fine then. Where to?�

�Mie Suk! Where are you?!� I heard Jong Min�s voice call out.

I quickly lowered her down, in fear that Jong Min see me there too. I really didn�t want to face him yet. �Jong Min�s here. You stay put. I�m out.�

She grabbed my arm. �You�re not going anywhere.�

I tugged at my arm. �Let go!�

Too late. Jong Min and the others caught up to us. I supported Mie Suk as she pushed to stand up. �I�m okay.�

�Damn Mie Suk. You stubborn little cow!� Woojin cursed, at the sight of her.

Once Jong Min was close enough, Mie Suk threw herself at him, holding on tightly and then she sobbed. �I�m sorry, Jong Min. I should�ve listened to you when you told me to stay home.�

�It�s alright. I�m here,� he comforted her, holding her tightly.

I stood there feeling like I didn�t belong. Okay, I must admit that seeing Jong Min holding tightly to Mie Suk like that, bothered me because it was the same way he held onto me. I felt out of place and decided to go when Jong Min�s voice stopped me. �You�re not leaving anywhere.�

I turned back around and said, �Who said I was leaving? I was just---looking for my stilettos.�

He ordered for Woojin to take care of Mie Suk as he came towards me. �Let me see your face.�

�It�s dark.�

�Look at me.�

I did and that�s when he reached out, lifting my chin up. �Your lips are swollen. You look terrible.�

�Yeah, Mie Suk told me. But did you see me earlier?�

�I did.�

�What did you think?�

His gentle fingers were probing the side of my face. �It�s not you.�

What did he mean by that? That I was meant to look like a tomboy for the rest of my life. Was I not allowed to look like a woman?

�Ow!�

�Quit whining.�

I slapped his hand away. �Well f*ck, it hurts dammit.�

�What else did they do to you?�

�Nothing much.�

�Don�t underestimate them.�

�Should I overestimate them then?�

�You�re asking a stupid question again.�

�You�re done right?�

�Done what?�

�Done being the doctor. I really gotta get going.�

�You�re planning on walking home barefooted?�

�Obviously.�

�I won�t let you go home unless I walk you home and I don�t want you to go home yet.� He grabbed my arm and dragged me along with him. �You�re coming with me. We need to talk.�

I couldn�t fight against his strong grip. �You know you don�t have to walk so damn fast.

Something had punctured the heel of my feet. Sh*t, I think I stepped on broken glass. I stopped, causing Jong Min to stop to. I yelled out, �Jong Min, you bastard! It�s all your damn fault!!�

Jong Min turned to me, watching me hop on one leg, trying to remove the glass. He came over and did it for me. Blood oozed out and yet Jong Min was gentle. Then he tore a strip of his shirt and used it to hold the bleeding. He turned his back to me. �Get on my back.�

That idiot. The least he could do was apologize. �What?�

�Get on my back. Unless you want me to carry you over my shoulder.�

�Are you stupid? Look at my dress.�

He turned to look at me and a smirk played on his expression. �Fine. Over my shoulder it is.�

Before I could protest, he had me over his shoulder and I was staring towards the ground. Whoa, why was it so dizzy. �Ugh! I hate you.�

�I know you do.�

�Jong Min?�

�Hmm?�

�Thank you.�

�Whatever.�

�I mean, thank you for binding my feet. I still hate you though.�

�Whatever.�

�Jong Min?�

�What now?�

�I think---I think�� I didn�t get to finish what I wanted to say because the swallowing darkness came over me. Too late.

Chapter 18
.:: Flashback ::.

Eleven years ago�


He waited patiently like always, sitting on the swing, dragging his small feet back and forth against the dirt.

�Kim Jong Min, what are you doing here?�

Upon hearing her voice, he turned his head quickly to look at her.

Pretty, was the only word he could think of to describe Chung Boo Bae. She had big round eyes with pretty lashes, a cute nose and small rosy lips. And it was her long dark silky hair that Jong Min admired most. However, that particular day, she wore a baseball cap. Jong Min knew right away that something was wrong.

He stood up and tried his best to wipe the dirt from his school uniform. �Boo Bae---�

She giggled, making Jong Min blush. �You�re always looking like that.�

He suppress a grin, thinking he could make up for his messy hair, disheveled clothes and scraped knees.

She went to him to mess up his hair more. �I like your hair messy. You look cute.�

Standing so close to her was hard. Being only ten years of age, he didn�t know how to act around girls. He had always been told by his friends to keep away from girls because they had cooties. Chung Boo Bae was different from the other girls. She made him feel things he never felt before. She was the precious light to his soul. And the only person in the world who made him happy.

They met up regularly at the park. Boo Bae had to be the first real friend Jong Min had, even if she was a girl. He never headed home unless he saw Boo Bae first. His parents disapprove of him having a friend who was a girl. Besides that, they looked down at people who didn�t meet their specific standards because they were more wealthy than others. Others like Boo Bae. They were strict on him, despite the numerous times he tried making them happy. Even if he tried his best in everything they wanted of him, it was never good enough because he was simply not good enough for them. They favored his older brother, not him. His older brother was everything he was not. Sometimes he wondered why he was put on earth, if there was nothing to live for, especially when he never received the proper tender loving care like all the children had while growing up.

Chung Boo Bae changed all that. She cared when no one else didn�t. That was why he liked her so much.

�Why are you wearing that cap?� he asked.

The smile on her face suddenly faded. �Because I don�t want to look ugly,� she answered, averting his gaze.

He almost laughed until she glowered at him. �Don�t laugh. It�s not funny.�

�Wearing that hat makes you look funny. Take it off!� he said, snatching it off her head.

He suddenly wish he hadn�t.

Chung Boo Bae no longer looked like the little girl he once knew. Not with all that hair gone. �Boo Bae, what happened to you?�

Tears were already brimming her eyes when she answered, �I don�t know what�s happening to me. Maybe I�m suppose to go bald. I don�t know.�

She broke into a sob, turning away from him.

Jong Min felt her sadness. He hated himself for making her upset. They only knew each other for five months and he felt like he still didn�t know her enough. Boo Bae had always been the quiet reserved type. Not once had he seen her cry. Not until that day. �Boo Bae, I�m sorry.�

He touched her shoulder but she shook him off. �Leave me alone, Jong Min.�

�No. I can�t.�

�I�m ugly.�

�No. You�re never ugly. You�re pretty to me, no matter what.�

That was when she turned around and wiped the tears from her eyes. �Really?�

He nodded, placing the cap back over her head and touched her nose playfully. �Always.�

�But my hair!� she whined.

�I�ll keep it for you,� he blurted.

She looked at him in puzzlement. �You�re gonna keep my hair?�

He surprised even himself. �Yes. Every single strand that falls out, I�ll keep it.�

�And then?�

�And then, we�ll figure out a way to put your hair back onto your head.�

That made her laugh and cry at the same time.

He had to force a smile to his face for the sake of Boo Bae.

She threw her arms around him. �Thank you, Jong Min. You�re the coolest friend ever.�

Boo Bae was the first in the world to ever hug him. He would remember that forever. And he would never forget that it was the first time that he had shed his tears so freely in front of her.

A month passed and Chung Boo Bae, rarely showed up. When she did, she didn�t speak much. She looked more pale, dark circles shadowed under eyes, and she lost weight. Not only was there a drastic change to her appearance but she wasn�t as joyful and lively as before.

�Umma says were moving to the country side, the day after tomorrow.�

Jong Min took her hand, feeling like someone had sliced his heart in half. The news came too sudden. Why couldn�t she have tell him early? �I don�t want you to go.�

Tears flowed from her eyes to cascade down her pale cheeks. �I�m sick, that�s what my parents tells me.�

He tried to do his best to comfort her. �When a person gets sick, it means they can get better.�

�I don�t know about that. But I coughed up blood last night. It�s scary Jong Min.�

�Are you scared?�

�Kind of.�

�I want to help you Boo Bae. I want to help you get better.�

She cried again and leaned her head against his shoulder. �You will remember me, right? You have my hair. You�ll remember me?�

�Of course. You have to give me your address. I can visit you sometimes.�

�How? It�s far.�

His parents wouldn�t allow him but he no longer cared what they think. Being punished wasn�t going to do anything to him. �It doesn�t matter how far you are. I will find a way.�

�You�re the coolest friend.�

�You�re cooler.�

She lifted her head up to look at him and managed to smile. �Guess what day it is tomorrow?� she asked, wiping the last of her tears away.

He returned the smile when he answered, �Your birthday.�

�Yeah, Umma says that we can celebrate it one last time in the city before we move away. Will you come?�

�I will.�

And those were the last words Jong Min ever said to her. Little did he know, his parents had forbid him to see her again after that day.

On the day of Chung Boo Bae�s birthday, Jong Min was locked inside his room, screaming and crying to be let out. Whenever his father couldn�t take much of his incessant pounding and screaming, he went upstairs to punish Jong Min the same manner he had always done.

�Please Appa, let me go. I have to see her one last time,� he begged, holding onto his father�s leg.

�Don�t call me that! I don�t have a son like you!� his father would say in return.

And then he was gone, leaving the bruised Jong Min alone in the darkness, curled in one corner, sobbing uncontrollably.

.:: End of Flashback::.

Chapter 19
++ Jong Min�s Apartment- 1:00 am ++

(Jong Min�s POV)

Woojin took it upon himself to get drunk over Mie Suk�s injuries. He blamed himself for refusing to watch her over when I asked him too.

Mie Suk refused to sleep even when I sat watching her. She was upset over the fact that her brother was back in town. She hated him as much as I did. You can say that the knife fight happened because we fought for Mie Suk. Cobra was the most selfish and heartless person that I have ever encountered. If he had to give up blood for money and power he would do just that. And he did exactly that to Mie Suk. I should have killed him when I had the chance. The only reason he was still alive today because Mie Suk still had sympathy for him.

�I�ll kill that bastard if he lays a finger on Mie Suk,� Woojin slurred out through his drunkeness. �Sh*t man, I carve out all of their balls---if they try---if they try anything to hurt her.�

Woojin never realizes he speaks the truth whenever he was drunk. Anything that concerning Mie Suk, all came out through that mouth of his. I�ve always knew he had something for her. It didn�t take a dummy to figure that out.

�Sit down,� I advised, forcing him down on the seat.

�Not so hard, Jong Min. It�s dizzy.�

I shook my head, trying not to laugh and stood up. �I�ll be back. I need to check on Landy.�

Woojin looked lost. �Who�s Landy?�

�Go to sleep,� I said, walking away from him to enter my room.

To my surprise, Landy sat on the foot of the bed, rubbing her forehead. �Jong Min, why am I not wearing my dress?�

I had to say something before she started fuming again. I hated when she was angry. In fact, she was angry most of the time, so I hated her most of the time. �Don�t worry. You�re wearing Mie Suk�s pajamas and she was the one to change you,� I lied.

The truth was, Mie Suk was too weak to change her out of her own clothing, there was no way in hell she was going to change Landy�s clothes too. I had to do it myself because it bothered me too much that the other guys kept staring at her, in places that they shouldn�t be staring at. Let�s hope she believed me.

She shot me a disbelieving look.

Or, maybe not.

�Liar!!� she yelled, jumping off the bed, ready to scratch my eyes out but I had caught her on time, throwing her on the bed while she kicked and screamed. �You lying bastard!!�

I covered her mouth with my hand. �Quiet down!�

And that�s when I realized that I was pressed against her body. Her eyes widened in shock before she bit hard on the hand that covered her mouth. I pulled away and her fist caught me off guard, knocking me off the bed. Damn, I hate her.

She was on her feet rushing for the door but I quickly reached out to grab her ankle, pulling her down with me. And then I was upon her again, locking every possible movements she might have made.

�Let me go! I hate you Jong Min. I hate you for doing this to me. I hate for fooling me in joining your stupid gang. I hate seeing your face. I hate you lying to Anna. I hate thinking about you when I shouldn�t be thinking about you. I hate that you always have to show up when I do think about you!!�

I wasn�t certain if I heard her correctly but I was pretty sure that Landy had just downright admitted that she liked me, even if it wasn�t in the way that I anticipated.

I stared down at her face and she stopped struggling. Tears had leaked from her eyes. Not as tough as I thought she would be.

I wiped them away gently as I asked, �You like me, huh?�

She didn�t answer me. Instead she turned her head to the side so that she wouldn�t have to look into my eyes.

�Admit it. You like me.�

�No.�

�What was it that you wanted to tell me earlier before you fell unconscious?�

�Nothing.�

I turned her face so that she would look at me. �Tell me.�

�It was nothing.�

�Are you sure?�

�Yes.�

�Liar.�

�Fine. You really wanna know?�

�Yes.�

�I wanted to tell you that I think I was going to faint.�

I was slightly disappointed. �That�s it?�

She rolled her eyes. �Yes. What did you expect? Or maybe you thought that I would say something like, �Jong Min, I think I�m falling in love with you�? C�mon you�re not that special.�

�I am special. If not to anybody else, it�d be you.�

She was blushing. A rare moment for Landy. Why did she have to look cute doing it too?

�Watever buddy.� She went for another round of struggling. �Get off me Jong Min, before you really regret it.�

�Tell me you like me first.�

�No.�

�Fine, I guess we�re going to have to stay this way until you admit it.�

She whined. I liked it when she whined. It made her more womanly. Not that she wasn�t womanly enough. I�m quite certain that she�s a real woman, considering�

Her voice drew me back to my attention. �Why are you doing this?�

�Why do you always ask why, when you already know the answer?�

�I�ll never come to understand a man like you. One moment you�re all mister tough-guy and in the next, you�re mister sentimentalist.�

Before I could say anything more. My mobile phone rang. I got off her and kept a good grip on her arm. �You�re not leaving me. Behave.�

�Stupid, I�m not a dog you know,� she retorted as I dragged her with me to get the phone.

I saw the phone number belonging to Landy. Someone called using her phone. Glancing nervously at her I answered, �Hello?�

�David?� came the voice belonging to Anna.

I couldn�t say anything. My mouth suddenly went dry and I was no longer holding onto Landy�s hand.

�David, Jong Min, whichever which.�

Judging by the tone of her voice, I knew she was drunk. �You wanna know where I am? I�m parked just outside your house. Your parents told me earlier that you haven�t been home. They told me you went to a party---�

�Stay there. Don�t move,� I said, hanging up.

I couldn�t face Landy when I said, �It�s Anna. She knows.�

When I was almost out the door, she said something that stopped me. �Did you think she wouldn�t find out?�

I kept my face lowered, my eyes closed. �Don�t do this to me, Landy.�

�You did this to yourself. Deal with it!� And then shoved me out of the way and headed out.

And before I could stop her, she was gone out of the apartment.


* * *


I opened the car door and slipped in beside her, noticing that she still had on the white dress, with her head slumped over the steering wheel.

�Hand me the keys, Anna,� I commanded.

She lifted her face to look at me. The real me. Not David but Jong Min. �Jong Min?�

�Yes. It�s me.�

�But you�re David without the glasses.� She smiled with tears in her eyes. �Amazing. You�re very good.�

That�s when I reached out to remove the keys from the ignition and snatched the bottle of brandy from her grasp. �Stop it, Anna.�

�Stop what? My crying or my drinking?�

�Both.�

I wanted so much to tell her the truth. If only she knew how much it hurt me to pretend. For a good half of my life, I had been living a lie. My parents disowned me at the age of 12, forcing me into an orphanage where I met both Mie Suk and Woojin. They had a reason to disown me you see. I was the cause of my older brother�s death. I was the reason why he died. Not long after, I met with my adoptive parents. They were a loving couple with a warm house. They cared nothing of my past. They were willing to accept me and I thanked them for that. They even given me a new name. The name David. I end up becoming David who was someone ambitious with a dream and a goal to accomplish. I had to make them happy, even if I wasn�t happy myself. I was afraid of losing them like I did with my real parents. The truth was, I was afraid of being alone. And if making Anna happy would keep my parents happy, I was willing to risk almost everything.

�I�m sorry,� I apologized.

�You ignored me at the party, why?�

�I�m sorry.�

�Is that all you can say?�

I couldn�t find the right words to even begin. �I�m driving you home. We�ll talk later.�

She threw her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. �I don�t know what�s going on anymore, David. You know what the sad thing is, the one person I trusted most, betrayed me.�

I felt my heart drop. She was speaking of Landy. I was suddenly worried in how was Landy going to handle it.

�How about we leave this place?� I blurted.

�What you mean?�

�How about we leave the city?�

She pulled back to face me and then she broke into a smile. �That is a good idea. Don�t you know that you�re very handsome without your glasses?�

That was when she pulled my head and kissed me full on the lips. I didn�t know what came over me because I returned the kiss eagerly, thinking I could erase all thoughts of Landy out of my head. Where ever you are Landy, I�m sorry.

Chapter 20
(Landy�s POV)

It�s been two days since I last seen any of my friends. My mother lectured me so did my uncle. Anna didn�t show up for work. Jong Min hadn�t contact me. Seung Hoon has been ignoring me too. All except for the twins. They were always there when I needed them. Technically speaking, of course. And to make matters worst, I�ve been receiving anonymous threatening letters. It was no doubt the guys from Cobra�s crew. I was miserable. Honestly, I was more than miserable. How in the the hell did I get myself entangled in such a mess? Even worst, I placed myself right in the middle of it. I was itching to shout out, �F*ck the world!�

�Finish your sundae, it�ll make you feel better,� my sister said, pushing the sundae closer to me.

�I don�t like it.�

Soo Hyun had been sitting next to me with his arm around my shoulder, trying his best to comfort me. He wasn�t doing a good job because every time some hot chick came strolling by, he removed his arm. That little brat.

I spooned the ice-cream into my mouth and the stupid tears came rolling down my eyes unexpectedly. �You see, I�m crying every single damn moment.�

Soo Hyun patted my back. �Don�t worry sis, you�re just not used to people hurting your feelings, that�s all.�

�Soo Hyun,� Soo Min warned, shooting him a look.

�It�s alright, Soo Min. You can come out with whatever you want to say. I can handle it. It�s not like you to hold it in.�

�You sure?�

�I need you to tell me something that I don�t already know.�

She nodded and said, �You�ve lost weight. Your hair needs to be brushed. And you smell too much like alcohol.�

Damn, that Soo Min. I nearly forgotten that she had a great sense of smell. �What, who said I was drinking?�

�Can�t hide it from me, sis.�

I shrugged and immediately burst into laughter. The two joined in with me. All three of us continued to laugh until our stomach could take no more. By the time it was over, we had everyone in the ice-cream parlor staring our direction and the manager coming over to kick us out.

Soo Hyun blamed it on Soo Min. �It�s all your fault, Soo Min. I didn�t even get to finish my sundae.�

�You�ve finished four of them!!� she countered.

�It was going to be my fifth!�

I shoved Soo Hyun. �Don�t eat too much.�

Soo Hyun made a face and then something came to him. �Speaking of eating too much. I heard our parents discussion over lunch about planning a visit to auntie Ha Neul�s place, since she called. She says she misses us. I wonder how piggy is doing. I missy piggy so much.�

My Aunt Yoon Ha Neul, lost all of her three kids, including her husband within the last twenty years of her life. She now lives alone in the country side with some farm animals. Piggy, that Soo Hyun was referring to, is a real pig.

�Piggy probably turned into pork chops by now,� I said out loud.

They both turned to me, and it was Soo Hyun that said, �Man, she really needs to get out of here.�

Soo Min suddenly stopped walking. �I think I know the right place to get rid of every thoughts inside your head.�

�Where�s that?�

�We�re gonna go give Instructor Lee a visit. Come sis,� Soo Min said, taking my arm.

It worked. I did feel much better. Who said violence couldn�t fix things? By the time my lesson was over, everyone, including Instructor Lee had bruises all over them.

�Landy, you�ve improved but not in the way I expected you to,� he remarked, lightly touching the side of his swollen mouth, and then he added, �You�re fired.�

Fired? What did he mean by that. I wasn�t working for him. How was I fired?

�It means, stop coming here. You�ve got your black belt and you�ve won the championships, why do you still linger?�

I had a problem with my unwillingness to let certain things go. I tend to grow an attachment to things I like. Not only that but I have a problem growing up. It was hard leaving the past behind me. �You don�t want me around anymore?�

�It�s not that. It�s just. You need to move on.�

I nodded and then thanked him for his teachings before I left. On my way home, I had the feeling that I was being followed. I didn�t know who it might be but I had a pretty good idea that it had to be Cobra�s men.

My steps quicken as I turned the corner and then quickly pressed myself against the wall, awaiting my follower, when suddenly Seung Hoon showed up.

I nearly knocked him in the face. �Damn, don�t do that to me!�

�Sorry,� he apologized.

�What do you want?� I asked, beginning to walk away from him, transformed back into my moody self.

�Some answers,� he said.

�What do you want to know?�

�Jong Min, who is he?�

How could I answer that? �Jong Min is leader of The Black Dragons.�

He caught up to me and blocked my path. �Be serious, Landy.�

�Look at my face and tell me I�m not.�

He understood what that look meant. �Why is he playing Anna?�

�I don�t know.�

�Why don�t you know?�

�Why should I know?�

�Because you know him.�

I almost laughed. �Do I now?�

�Look Landy, I�m only trying to figure out why the bastard is playing Anna. I�m concerned about her. She hasn�t called. Her parents tells me she left the city.�

Anna left the city. Damn. She had to be real pissed off at me to leave the city. That wasn�t what bothered me so much. It was the fact that Seung Hoon acted like he didn�t bother considering my feelings. Hasn�t it occurred to him yet, that his closest friend might be hurting the most?

�We�re done, Seung Hoon. Don�t bother calling me.�

With that, I walked away, fighting my tears back. I was done with crying. No more crying from now on, and back to being the b*tch I once was.