Chapter 36
I stood watching Seung Hoon placing his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him as they sat on the bench, staring up into the night sky. I was plagued by guilt, jealously and anger because it should have been me in Seung Hoon�s place.

�Jong Min!� came the shout from behind me.

I turned my head to find that Anna was running towards my direction. When I turned back to look at Landy and Seung Hoon, they had already stood up from the bench, fixing their gazes on me. I probably looked like sh*t at the moment but I didn�t care.

Seung Hoon moved Landy to stand behind him, thinking he could block her from me. �What are you doing here?� he asked.

I couldn�t tell whether that question was directed to me or Anna because he wasn�t looking at me. My head was spinning and I was not in the mood for discussions. Ignoring him, I said, �Landy, come here.�

She was hiding behind Seung Hoon now and she gave me no answer. Taking a step closer, I said again, �Landy---�

That�s when Seung Hoon held out his hand to stop me. �Go home, Jong Min.�

I took another step toward them. Anna suddenly came to my side and tugged on my arm. �Jong Min, Oppa, please. You�re injured.�

Seung Hoon�s brows furrowed at the sight of Anna�s concern.

I jerked my arm out of her grasp, forgetting that I was still in pain. I tried hard not to cringe as I took another defiant step toward them. �Landy, are you going to let him stop you from seeing me?�

Finally she moved in view, biting hard onto her lower lip with tears in her eyes. �I�m sorry. It�s over, Jong Min.� With those last words, she turned to go.

I shouted after her. �No! It�s not! It�s not over until I say it�s over!!�

She stopped and whipped around. �Everything�s always about you, isn�t it? You don�t care about anybody else�s needs but yourself. What you want, you get. Don�t you see why it can never work out between us, Jong Min? Don�t you see by now that every time I try hard to stay away from you, you show up when I least expect, stabbed, shot, or beaten? Sometimes I wonder if you�re doing this all intentionally because you lack the attention!!�

Those words lashed through every barrier I had put up. It sliced right to the core of my heart. My legs failed to stand up and I found myself falling to my knees. She didn�t see it. She could not see that everything I have ever done up until now, was for her. I fought death for her, but she didn�t see it. You could have died when you had the chance, Jong Min. That way you wouldn�t have to hear that.

Seung Hoon touched her shoulder. �Landy, that was harsh.�

She wiped her eyes carelessly. �Look at him, Seung Hoon. Just look at him. You think I can stand being around a man who�s as reckless as he is?�

�That�s enough!� quipped Anna, as she came to my defense. �Can�t you see that he�s hurt? Why do you have to hurt him more with your words, Landy? He�s come to you injured and this is how you treat him?�

Landy�s expression soften. I could tell how much she was fighting to look at me.

Seung Hoon wanted to say something when Anna barked at him too. �Shut up, Seung Hoon, stop it with your righteousness. You�re not exactly making this any easier.�

�And you are?� he asked in return.

They both just stood there glaring at each other when finally Landy said, �Seung Hoon, I think now�s the time to talk to Anna.�

I flickered my gaze slowly from Seung Hoon to Anna. Was there something between them? I only know that they were friends but the looks they were giving each other, clearly indicated that they were more than that.

Seung Hoon nodded his head and agreed, �Yes. I�ll tell her right now.�

Landy protested. �No, you�ll tell her in private.�

He shook his head, keeping his gaze on Anna. �Why bother?�

�Seung Hoon---�

�I�m leaving to Japan in a few days. I don�t plan on coming back.�

Landy slapped his shoulder. �You idiot!�

�Why? Should it bother me that you�re leaving?� Anna shot back.

I could tell that it was Seung Hoon�s turn to take the knife to his heart. His expression mirrored mine. What was with women and their way with words?

Landy sent a cold glare towards Anna. �Why are you you acting like Seung Hoon�s a stranger?�

�Landy?� I tried calling out for her but my words were suddenly drown out by Seung Hoon and Anna�s argument.

�Landy!� I called out once more, shutting all three of them up.

She swung her head around and balled her fists in anger. �Wait there and shut up, damn you! I�m not done with you yet!� she snapped.

Her words replayed over in my mine. I�m not done with you. It was all I needed to hear before I collapsed to the ground and awaited for the swallowing darkness to envelope me into its wrath. I wasn�t afraid of it, instead I welcomed it because I knew I would wake up with Landy by my side. It was all I needed�

I was wrong. The next time I awoke, I was lying once again in a hospital bed with all my friends surrounding me. And the one person I had hoped to show up wasn�t even there.

�How long was I knocked out for?� I asked Mie Suk who had taken hold of my hand. I didn�t let go because her hand was soft, warm and reassuring, reminding me of Landy�s touch.

�You know, you should really try and not get seriously hurt once. It might help with your dates,� came the voice from my right.

Woojin stood there, rolling his eyes at me. He had a haircut since the last I seen him but I was a little disappointed that he had done nothing to change his white hair.

�Why are you staring at me like that?�

�Mie Suk has really changed you. You look much prettier,� I remarked.

The other guys were there so they laughed at him.

�Bug off!� he told them but they continued to laugh and tease him.

When he started after them, they quickly left the room. �I�ll be back,� he said over his shoulder to Mie Suk, adding a wink.

�You really think he looks prettier? Is that the right word to use for a guy like him?� Mie Suk asked me, still staring at the door that Woojin had left through.

�As long as he looks sober, that�s all that matters I guess,� I replied.

She broke into a smile and turned to face me, squeezing my hand. �Can I do something?� she asked, still smiling brightly.

I itched my head in uncertainty and answered, �Sure.�

That�s when she hugged me, squeezing me tightly in her embrace, sending pain from my ribs. �Uh�Mie Suk---I can�t---�

She broke away suddenly. �Oh gosh, I totally forgot about your injuries.�

�No the pain is bearable---�

She pulled me in for a hug again. �If you say so.�

�Uh---yeah�but what�s with the hugs?�

�My thanks for all you�ve done and besides, Woojin�s not here so that means I can hug you a long as I want.�

I smiled. �Why�s that?�

�Because now that I have Woojin, it�s not gonna be the same anymore. I won�t ever get to hug you like this again.�

�Who says we can�t hug like this when Woojin�s around?� I joked.

She laughed.

I forgot how good it sounded to hear her laugh again. For a moment I debated on whether or not I should tell her about my confrontation with her brother. But seeing she was this happy, I couldn�t bring myself to it.

When she pulled away to look into my face she said, �Can I ask one more thing of you?�

�Anything,� I blurted, caught in the moment.

�Will you stay with Landy forever? I can�t stand seeing you with anyone else but Landy. The reason is because I can tolerate her and she�s a lot like me.�

Sadness washed over me. �I don�t think it will work out between us. She�s leaving to America soon and---�

She cut me off, looking at me questionably. �Soon? She�s already gone. It�s been two weeks already, Jong Min.�


====

Chapter 37
(Landy's POV)

So I lied. I wasn�t leaving for America in another week. I took week from the city to visit my aunt in the country side. My family came along with me, including my uncle. It was my mother�s idea to drag my him along. Seung Hoon and Anna also came along too. The two have finally made up. We all swore that we put our past behind us and move on. I was never really angry at Anna for her mistakes. I just wanted her back. I wanted the old Anna and she returned that night. I was more than glad that she finally accepted Seung Hoon as her boyfriend.

Let�s get back to my mother. Just recently she discovered that her daughter was employed at her younger brother�s bar because her mother(my grandmother) had the tendency to blurt out every little secret. She was more than angry and went off blaming my father again. This time around, she didn�t let him get away so easily. My poor father of course, had survived my mother�s abuse and swore to me that he was never going to keep anymore secrets from her. Yeah, my mother always held that power over him. She doesn�t realize that sometimes she was more manly than he was. So my mother being afraid that I would end killing myself because of my current problem, had forgiven me right away. Just because I wasn�t exactly in the bestest of moods, that didn�t mean I was going to do something foolish. Even Jong Min couldn�t make me end my life.

Ah, that Jong Min. Every second my heart cried out to him when it shouldn�t be. We weren�t together anymore and I find it harder getting through the day without seeing his face.

It was wrong of me to leave him lying unconscious at the hospital when he needed me most. I pictured his handsome face, looking upset. Gosh, it would only break my heart to see it so. Which was why I left. It would only be harder if I remained by his side. Jong Min may not have the ability to end my life but if he had asked me to stay, I would have. I know I would. For him, I would. Doesn�t that sound a bit crazy? But then again, life is about making sacrifices. You just have to know what kind of sacrifices to make. Just like this one.

It broke my heart enough to see him that particular night when he stumbled upon us, bloodied and bruised. I would have done everything to run to him, even tear out of Seung Hoon�s grasp and yet I didn�t. I had asked myself many times. Why didn�t I? He might have died while I stood there watching him. Something in my gut kept telling me that I wanted him to hate me instead. I said those things on purpose. Perhaps it would make things easier for him when I leave? I was wrong. Little did I know, I had ended up hurting him instead. I know this because that look that crossed his face, was enough to tell me.

Droplets of water fell onto my journal as I was flipping through the pages. I felt a presence behind me and the first thing I did was placed my journal aside. I didn�t have to look to know who it was. �What do you want Soo Hyun?�

�How did you know it was me?�

�You reek of pig�s sh*t.�

�Oh. But I thought jumping into that crystal clear stream might�ve helped---�

I was still sitting when I reached out to yank on his arm so that he would have to lower his head and then I went for his ear, twisting it. �You nuthead, that water is used for drinking only---aunty will kill you!�

He smiled mischievously, through his pain. �So, I lied.�

I let go. �Urgh!�

�Urgh!� he imitated me, sitting down as he puffed out his bare chest. �You�re so out of words, sis.�

He was flaunting chest like it was the best thing in the word. Gosh, I hate him for being so damn cocky at times.

�Go put a damn shirt on,� I told him, pushing his head.

He rubbed the spot where I had touched. �No. I need a tan.�

�Why?�

�Because I�m pale.�

�Well, if you haven�t realized it yet, we all are.�

�I want a nice tan.�

�You mean burn.�

�Tan.�

�Burn.�

�I will not burn.� He said it with such determination, I might have believed it.

I tilted back a bit to examine his backside. �Oh yeah? What if I tell you, it�s got your back first.�

�Tan?�

�No, burn.�

�Hmm�what if I tell you that my back feels like it�s on fire?�

I laughed at him and he laughed along with me when Soo Min appeared behind us, gagging. �Damn, Soo Hyun, talk about smelling like crap.�

�He was playing with the pigs again,� I told her.

�I know, I can smell them all over him.� She hurled and ran to hide behind a tree, emptying her stomach. �Soo Hyun, I will kill you after this!�

Soo Hyun made a face. �Hmm, I don�t know Soo Min. I think your puke smells worst than the pigs.� And that was when he started hurling too, seeing that Soo Min was retching. But unlike Soo Min, he didn�t find a suitable spot to throw up. He did it right into the stream in front of us. That�s Soo Hyun for you.

�Aunty is really going to kill you now. If I were you, I�d drown myself.�

He wiped his mouth and said, �Can�t, water is too shallow.�

�What if I cut off his head and drown him? Would that work?� interjected Soo Min.

Ah, Soo Min and her violent thoughts.

�You can�t,� he quipped back.

�Why not?�

�Because, I smell too much. You�ll die before you even have the chance to touch me.�

�SOO HYUN, YOU JUST WATCH!!�

�I am watching right now. Watching you turn all red face and puking, not a pretty sight. I wonder what the others would think if they saw this�,� he trailed off, quickly reaching into his pocket and pulled out a small camera and taking a snap shot of the furious Soo Min.

She picked up a rock and hurled it at him but her aim was way off.

�Enough, you two,� I warned.

They stuck their tongues at each other like children.

�Soo Hyun give me the camera,� I commanded with a deathly tone.

He pouted. �Not fair, sis,� he said, passing me the camera.

I took it from him and looked down at the stream. �Is that a fish I see?�

Once Soo Hyun turned his back, I raised the camera and took a snapshot of his backside. When he didn�t spot the fish, he turned back around, asking, �What fish?�

�Didn�t you see it? It was a big red one. Gosh, you�re so blind, Soo Hyun.�

Soo Hyun frowned as he looked at Soo Min. �Did you see it, Soo Min?�

She forced her laughter down. �Uh huh. It was big---and red.�

He smiled, flashing his dimples, the truth finally dawning on him. �The least you could do was take a picture of my chest, so you can show it to your American friends.�

�I think I�m gonna hurl again,� Soo Min commented making a face.

�Maybe I will,� I said to him.

He raised a single brow, getting ready to strike a pose. �Really?�

�Yeah, whenever you grow out of your boyish figure and become a real man.�

�Hahahahahha!� Soo Min laughed, leaning back against the tree for support.

�Hey, I�m still growing, sis. You just wait until next year. I�ll tower over everyone in school.�

�You mean, you�ll finally tower over the garbage can?� put in Soo Min.

�Ten of them stacked together, yeah.�

Gosh, I�ve just realized that I would have to put up with the two of them until I leave. Strangely enough, at the very thought of it, I wouldn�t mind leaving earlier.

Chapter 38
Seung Hoon and Anna joined us shortly afterward. Anna had pulled me aside and asked me to take a stroll to through the woods with her.

She took hold my arm and stopped me. �I�ve something to tell you.�

Once I looked into her eyes, I knew it wasn�t good.

She turned her head and blinked her tears away before facing me again.

�What�s wrong?� I inquired.

�The time Jong Min was stabbed, it was because of me.�

Her shoulders shook. I placed my hands on either side, trying to calm her even when I couldn�t calm myself. �He was stabbed because---because I stabbed him. It was me.�

My heart sank and my hands immediately dropped from her sides. I wish she hadn�t told me. �You stabbed him?�

�I didn�t know what I was thinking at the time. I really didn�t mean to do it, Landy. I did it to myself. I wanted to hurt myself to stop him. I was overcome with jealousy and anger. It took control of me---�

I would have slapped her. I knew I would have. And yet I didn�t. �Did you do it because of me?�

She refused to answer me.

�You would take someone�s life away because of me? Would you take your own life because of one guy Anna?�

�Landy, I told you---I didn�t mean---�

�To hurt him,� I finished for her.

�Nor you!�

I didn�t know what was driving me to probe deeper and deeper. This was the friend I thought I knew. How could she have been so selfish?

�And what was crossing your mind when you stabbed him, Anna? Was it the fear of me taking him away from you? Did you really think I would have betrayed you?�

�Stop it, Landy. Please!� she pleaded desperately, sinking to the ground.

I squatted in front of her. �I don�t know what�s happening between us anymore. I just know one thing. That after I leave for America, things are never going to be the same between us. I would have never blame you for loving Jong Min nor would I take him away from you. And I would have never�ever sacrifice friendship over a guy. Never.�

She reached to cling to my arms, unwilling to let go. �I was wrong. And I�m sorry.�

Lately, there�s been too much of that. It was hard pushing the pain away. I held her closely to me. �Please, no more apologies. From now on, we�ll erase all those memories and start anew. Dry your eyes. That Soo Hyun is probably giving Seung Hoon hell.�

When we returned, the others suspected nothing. We all sat and chatted about our childhood, until the sun began to set . Once in a while, Anna�s eyes met mine. There was some kind of understanding between us now. But it wasn�t the same anymore. The closeness, the trust, the honesty I shared with her, had vanished. I caught that wistful expression crossing her face and I knew she sensed the same thing. I stole a look at Seung Hoon and he was lost in oblivion. Oh, the irony of it all. It was better if we kept it that way. Sometimes it was better to leave things unsaid.

It was my uncle who came to get us. We all knew he wanted to escape the other members of my family. Especially my grandmother who has a problem with keeping her mouth shut when it comes to nagging at my uncle. It was nice to see him dressed in normal clothes for a change. Still as equally as handsome and charming, he didn�t exude the same confidence when he was in a suit.

�You guys go on ahead first. I want to be alone for a bit longer,� I said to them.

My uncle raised his brow in curiosity. �Landy, you haven�t eaten all day.�

�I will eat. I promise. I just don�t want to go back yet.�

He nodded in understanding while turning to the others. �Let�s go back and have a feast.�

Soo Hyun stopped and turned to look at my uncle in question. �Feast? What kind of feast?�

�Pork roast----�

�YOU DIDN�T HURT BABE, DID YOU?!!�

�Uh oh�� Soo Min said, backing away and took off on a run. Seung Hoon and Anna looked from Soo Hyun to my uncle and then to me. I shrugged at them and that�s when Seung Hoon pulled Anna aside, whispering a few words to her and they both took off in the same direction.

�Soo Hyun---� my uncle wanted to say when he was suddenly cut off by Soo Hyun�s sharp words. �You murdered my pig?!�

Before my uncle could say anything more, Soo Hyun was off running. �Nooooooooo�.� he cried out along the way.

Damn. There goes Soo Hyun looking like a crazy idiot, losing his senses again. He was probably going to bawl his eyes out over his pig.

That�s when my uncle burst into an abrupt laughter. �And so I lied.�

I shot him a look. �That wasn�t very nice.�

�The prick deserves it. Look at him. When will he ever grow up? He�s made a habit of acting like he�s still 3 years old.�

I was still looking at him. �How would you feel, if someone roasted your bar?�

He looked at me once and had to look at me twice to see if I was being serious. �What you mean?�

�You like your bar, right?�

�Yes.�

�That�s how Soo Hyun likes his pig.�

�But it�s a damn pig!�

�Think about it.�

He did. �What are you trying to say here that if I had roasted his pig. He would have done the same thing to my bar?�

I shrugged. �I don�t know.�

�Ridiculous.�

�You should know Soo Hyun by now. He has Umma�s temper.�

�All three of you do,� he corrected me.

�I know.�

�I guess, I should be going after him before he gets lost.� He started down the path, Soo Hyun had taken off and stopped to crane his head. �Don�t stay out too late.�

�I won�t. Besides, I�ve brought a flashlight and I know these woods more than anyone else.�

Watching him go, I fought of the urge to spill every little details about my relationship with Jong Min, thinking he could do something about it. What could he have done? Offer to rid of Jong Min with his methods? Just the way he had taken care of Cobra?

I sat myself back down and picked up my journal. Just when I was about to write again. I caught a movement at the corner of my eye. Craning my head just a bit, I looked to the trees. Nothing was there. It might have been some animal.

I couldn�t help but start to feel nervous and wary. Perhaps now was the time to go? So I did. I didn�t waste any time investigating. I was out of there. Or at least I thought I was, up until a figure simultaneously appeared from behind a tree and stood directly in my path. Woops, too late.

I lifted my eyes to meet the face that belonged to the figure. And I had to curse when I saw the fine blond hair and black eye-patch. �F*ck!�

He smiled mischievously at me. �Afraid I might bite?�

Okay, so I was a little afraid. Just a wee bit. Whatever was hiding under that leather jacket of his, I didn�t want to know. �You�re here because?�

There it was again, that usual mocking smile of his spreading across his face. I hate this Cobra guy. I not only hate him for carrying a gun all the time but I hate him for looking good. I bet it�s the blond hair.

Notice how I always forget myself when it comes to Jong Min or Cobra? I returned the smile indignantly before throwing a punch to his face but he caught my fist in his hand. I swung my other fist, hoping to catch him off guard and it met with the same fate. Great going, Landy. But don�t give up yet, you�ve still got your legs. Aim for the weakest spot. I found myself stealing a glance down there before I reacted like a defenseless woman who was about to be mugged. I tried to knee him but I missed. Again.

The idiot had moved his body back, forcing me to fall forward against him. He caught me and we ended up falling right into the stream because he had loss his balance too. My face came within inches of his. Very close. Too damn close. He searched my face with his one eye. That�s when I quickly pulled away, trying to hide my flushing.

He chuckled, pushing himself upright as observed his jacket. �This is just crazy.�

I glared at him. �You�re crazy.�

�You think so?�

My fingers already curled around a large rock, ready to launch on instinct. �I know so.�

�Good.�

�Huh?�

�Let�s face it, Landy. I�m not made out for you.�

He was definitely right about that. �Who said you were---�

�You could stop fighting your attraction for me. I don�t mind.�

Why that cocky bleachhead!

�Have you forgotten already, that you shot Jong Min?�

He stood up to remove his jacket and to my surprise, there was no gun. The black button down shirt now clung to his upper body like a second skin. It was enough to prove to me that he worked out. And quite enough to get me wondering�

�He�s alive, isn�t he?� he asked, removing the hair band that held his hair together.

My voice was caught in my throat. �Yeah well it doesn�t mean you can go around just shooting anyone---�

Shaking his wet hair, he interrupted me, �You care for him, don�t you?�

Why was he always distracting me with his gestures and movements? �No,� I answered.

�Liar,� he said back, rolling up his cuffs of his shirt and I spotted the cobra tattoo that ran up his arm.

Liar? What the hell did he know?

He unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt, revealing the top flesh of his chest. Damn. Not good. It was like he was seducing me in a non-seductive way? Did that make sense? What was with this guy anyway?

Finally looking over to me, he said, �If you didn�t care, you wouldn�t have brought up Jong Min.�

I was shivering now. I had been too distracted looking at him that I forgot about myself. I pushed to stand up, facing him. �Why would you care if I care or not?�

He faced me, this time looking serious. �If I didn�t, I wouldn�t be standing here.�

I wanted to laugh in his face. I wish I could. I didn�t. Gosh, if this could get anymore complicating. �It could never---�

He broke into another smile. �I�ve already told you that, didn�t I?�

Was it wrong to feel sorry for a man like Cobra? I did wonder if he would ever find the right woman to make him change his unlawful ways. �I�m sorry,� was all I could say.

�You don�t need to apologize to me. It should be the other way around.� Reaching out, he touched the side of my face ever so gently. �I�m sorry.�

I touched his hand, uncertain what to say next. �You�re sorry?�

�Yes, for what I�m about to do.�

I tried to pull away but he had encircled his arms around my waist, drawing me closer to him. �What do you mean?� I asked, without pulling away.

He answered my question by angling his face down and I backed my head away that instant. �What do you think you�re doing?�

He licked his lips and smiled again. �I was playing with you.�

He was only teasing me? Okay, I didn�t want him to really kiss me. I should have known that he was a tease. Damn.

At times like this, I wish that Jong Min was here. I wish that it was Jong Min who was holding me or attempting to kiss me. Again, I only blamed myself for that.

When I pulled away from Cobra, my wish came true. Standing directly behind Cobra was Jong Min. He wore his usual hooded sweatshirt, his face expression, though barely readable, I knew he was angry.

�Duck,� I told Cobra.

Chapter 39
Cobra raised his one brow. �Duck?�

�Not duck as in quack, quack! Duck as in duck now, you dummy!� I said, pulling him down in time to see Jong Min�s fist swinging high above us.

Cobra kicked out with his feet, sweeping Jong Min�s legs from beneath him. Jong Min fell back hard and I worried that he might�ve hurt that head of his again, so I ran to him thinking he might need my help. But I was wrong.

He was up by the time I could reach him, and he had chosen to ignore me by charging right past me instead. That bastard! Was Cobra more important to him than I was?

I spun around quickly to see that he and Cobra were exchanging blows. There were a couple of hits and then misses. And then more hits, and more misses. Truthfully, I was in awe at the sight of them going at it with each other. Come to think of it, I�ve never really seen an actual one on one fight like this before. I�ve seen plenty of challenges from my experiences in Tae Kwon Do, but this fight was different. You could say it was a fight without the special affects. Although, I have to admit, it was a bit more sloppy than the movies.

Frankly, there was nothing I could do about it but make myself comfortable and try to enjoy the show. I returned to my spot and wondered what people would give to see such a show? Let�s see. Two good looking guys. Two opposing leaders. Two very crazy guys with weird colored hair and sexy bodies, beating the crap out of each other. Over what? Me? Gosh. Pretty pathetic, to say the least.

Ten minutes into the fight, I was already yawning. Boredom was setting in. It was getting very dark and I was left with no choice but to flick on my flashlight, shining it over in their direction to offer them light. �You guys done yet?� I asked, sounding melodramatic.

That�s when they both stopped and looked at me for the first time since the fight ensued. �Had about enough yet?� I asked, between gritted teeth switching my gaze from one to the other.

Releasing their grips on each other, they broke away. And it was Cobra who said, �Sh*t, you couldn�t leave my face alone, huh?�

�It�s the first thing I always aim for,� came the retort from Jong Min�s mouth.

�Yes, I�m aware of that. My face is undeniably attractive, even if I do have one eye. You just can�t stand seeing me this way.�

This is the moment where I start rolling my eyes. Men and their stupid egos.

�Now that you say that, I�ll be honest with you. I wanted to take out your other eye and leave you with none.�

The tension between them was pretty thick that I could have choked on it.

�You know Jong Min, I�ve always wondered how you would look like if you were bald.�

Yeah. That did get me wondering. How would he look like if he was bald? And how would Cobra look like, with both eyes gone? Wah, not a pretty sight. But let�s not get carried away here. �Guys? I�m still here, you know.�

They both tore gazes away from each other to look at me for the second time.

I raised my flashlight to shine it on Cobra�s face and observed him in a studious manner. �Ouch, bleeding nose. Swollen lip. Purple cheek. Still good hair though,� I remarked. �I actually like the down look.�

I heard a snort that came from Jong Min. I shone the flashlight on him. I was surprised to see that he wasn't as hurt as Cobra was. �As for you. You never look normal whenever I see you. Let�s see, besides the bruised purple cheek, and ugly hair, you�re still in check. Although I still think Cobra could have done worst.�

Cobra smiled at that. At least---he did try to smile with his swollen lip.

Jong Min�s brows furrowed as he pointed at Cobra�s face. �You�re siding with him now?�

I admit, I said that on purpose to get Jong Min�s reaction. Seeing his reaction now, I enjoyed it. �No,� I answered him.

�Then what?�

�What, what?�

�Uh---he means what now,� interjected Cobra.

We both turned to glare at him. He raised his hands in the air and backed away a few steps, mouthing an apology.

I stood up and strode closer to Jong Min, shining the flashlight at him. He folded his arms, still looking quite pissed. �Get that light away from my face,� he commanded.

If only he knew how much I wanted to throw my arms around his neck and hold him close. �Why can�t I look at your face?�

He pulled the hood all the way up, turning his face away. �I don�t like the light.�

�You�re being immature.�

�I agree,� Cobra put in, who came to stand beside me.

Growing annoyed with him, I blurted, �Don�t you have people to shoot?!� When I realized what I said, I quickly covered my mouth. �Just be quiet or get lost.�

�Now that you mention it, it wouldn�t hurt to go hunting in the dark. The---birds could be my target practice. The only problem is, I�m weapon-less at the moment.�

�Quit it, you snake. We had a deal,� Jong Min said, stepping closer to us.

I looked from him to Cobra and then asked, �What deal? And why would you make a deal with Cobra?�

Cobra looked at Jong Min when he said, �If I was to recall. The deal was for me to lead you here to her. And that I would have my last few words with her before I go. Or have you already forgotten?�

A deal? How was that possible? I mean, had Jong Min forgiven Cobra for shooting him? And how the heck did Cobra know where to find me? Too many damn questions were swimming in my head at the moment and all I wanted to do was, make them all go away.

Jong Min�s lips curled in disgust. �Then hurry up,� he quipped.

�One more thing, I do not need you listening in on---�

�Dammit, Cobra. Just say what you want to say!� I snapped at him.

He smirked at me as he raised his brow. �In a rush to make amends with loverboy, aren�t we?�

Before I could open my mouth, he drew me by the arm and led me a little further away from Jong Min. �I�ll be leaving. This will probably be the last time we�ll meet.� He exhaled deeply, thinking about something and then said, �You�re the only girl I know that I found a challenge. You�re cute, brave, tough. The only reason why we would never work out is because you seem to be immune to my charms.�

Damn, that was so not true. I wasn�t exactly immune to his charms. If only he knew that his strange charms did in fact worked on me. �And you�re here to say goodbye to me?�

�Yes.�

�And this is it?�

�Yes.�

�Then we are done?�

�I guess---�

�You want something else.�

�Yes---�

I hugged him, right then and there, in front of Jong Min. And I didn�t do it to spite him. I did it for Cobra. He held me like he was never going to let me go. I had to pull away before Cobra decided to take it upon himself to do something more than hugging.

He bobbed his head in appreciation while saying, �That was nice. Thank you. Now, I will go.� Then in leaned in close to add, �You know, you still owe me a kiss.�

�Go now, Cobra,� I warned.

He flickered his gaze over to Jong Min and saluted him a goodbye before going off into the darkness, disappearing behind the trees. When he was out of sight, I closed my eyes to prepare for my confrontation with Jong Min.

Here goes nothing�

Yeah. Nothing, was what I got. Jong Min wasn�t standing there like I had expected. He too, had suddenly vanished like some kind of magician.

My heart fell as I called out for him, worried that he might have left me because of a hug with Cobra. �Jong Min?!�

�I�m still here,� his voice came from behind me.

That�s when he grabbed my arm and forced me to turn around to meet him. He had his hand around the back of my neck as he drew me closer to him. We stared into each other�s eyes for the longest time. The memories came rushing back in the flood of the moment. Our expressions and thoughts probably mirrored each other at that point.

Sadness washed over his face and the pain filled his eyes. I hated seeing that look on him. �I was and idiot to have done what I did,� he uttered.

That look was enough for me to forget all that bad things that ever happened between us. I only wanted to forget everything and focus more on Jong Min. Right now, it was only us. Nothing else mattered.

I reached up to place a gentle hand on the side of his face. �I think we were both wrong about it.�

He looked down as if he ashamed. �I don�t want anything more to come,� he looked up again, placing his hand over mine, �to come between us anymore.�

�I feel the same way.�

That brought out a smile to his face. He took my hand and kissed it, causing me to jerk it back.

�What�s wrong?�

�It�s just weird---�

�That I kissed your hand?� He raised his brow and leaned close. �Would you rather that I kiss you---�

I drew my head back. �No.�

�Then what?�

�Just hold me,� I told him.

�Alright,� he said as he wrapped his arms around my waist, and drew me closer. The scent of him reached my nose and I wanted to bury my face in his shoulder. Gosh, he always had to smell good.

�Jong Min?�

�Hmm?�

�After all we�ve been through, I never knew it was this difficult to be in a relationship. You think perhaps we could go back to being strangers and bite each other�s head off like we used to?�

He chuckled. �Bite each other�s head off? The only one who�s capable of biting anyone is you, Landy.�

I drew my head back to look at his face. �Excuse me?�

�I was kidding.�

I punched his shoulder playfully as he laughed some more. I continued to watch him until he stopped to look at me. �You�re pouting, Landy.�

�Why does everyone think I pout?�

�You do.�

�You do too.�

�I don�t,� he argued.

�It might not look like a child�s pout but you do pout!� I accused him.

�Landy, be serious.�

It was my turn to laugh. If only he knew how cute he looked, pouting. This was a guy who pouted and claimed that he didn�t. I knew I pout. I was just in denial about it. It�s what I do best. �I am.�

It was his turn to watch me laugh. He reached for my hand and pulled me into his embrace again. �I miss everything about you, you know that Landy?�

�Like what?�

�Your laughter. The way your eyes pierces right through me whenever you�re angry. The scent of your hair. Your stubbornness. The way you tell me you need me even if you don�t admit it.�

�How do I tell you I need you. I don�t remember---� he put his finger to my lips to shut me up.

His gaze was penetrating. He saw right through me. �Through your eyes.�

I burst into another laughter, unable to contain my amusement. �Oh, come on, Jong Min. That�s like, the cheesiest line you could give me.�

�Cheesy? It�s the truth, Landy.�

�Okay, okay. I�m sorry for laughing. And um, it�s getting really dark. I can barely see your face.�

�Like I said, dark is better.�

�Whatever, you�re just ashamed of your bruised up face.�

�Ha ha, very funny.�

�It is funny.�

�Landy?�

�Hmm?�

�I want to kiss you, Landy. What do I have to do to get you to kiss me?�

Nothing. I wanted to answer. �Then kiss me,� I said.

�No.�

"WHY NOT?!" I blurted.

�Because I want you to kiss me.�

�And make the first move? Why the hell would I do that for?�

�You�re telling me that, you�ve never once looked at me and thought about kissing me?�

That left me baffled. �Uhh��

�I�m sorry, what was that?�

Damn you, Jong Min!

�I uhh�.�

�Answer this then. When we were together, how many times have I kissed you?�

Oh no. I was so hoping he wouldn�t bring it up. �None?�

�I�ve only kissed you once and that was when I was stabbed. Dammit, Landy. Why are you toturing me like this? What do I have to do? Stab myself?�

That kiss was my first kiss ever. I don�t know if you counted that as a kiss, considering Jong Min was near fainting mode. I didn�t know what the hell I was doing then. I wondered how he would react if I told him that I didn�t know how to kiss. Shame on you, Landy!

I disengaged myself from him and turned away, embarrassed. �I can�t, Jong Min.�

�I�m sorry?�

Feeling frustrated with myself, I turned back around and said out loud and clear, �I CAN�T KISS YOU, BECAUSE I DON�T KNOW HOW TO KISS YOU�� I trailed off, leaving it unfinished.

He began laughing at me as he kneeled down. �I�ve never heard any girl tell me that before.�

What did he mean by that? How many girls have Jong Min been with. �Quit laughing at me!� I snapped at him.

He angled his face upwards. �I�m sorry, but that�s gotta be the funniest thing I�ve heard in awhile.�

�You wanna see funny?� I asked, squatting down in front of him.

�Landy---�

I did something I�ve always wanted to do again. I plucked out his hair.

He growled like he did, when we first met. �Sh*t!! Did you just pull my hair out?�

�A few strands is not gonna hurt.�

�Oh yes, it f*cking does,� he said, sounding angry as he stood up.

Ooh. I think I got him angry and hurt. �Suits you for laughin� at me.�

He began walking away from me and he had me blurting out, �Jong Min, I didn�t mean to do it.�

He stopped to pick up what looked like a back pack and continued on.

�Okay, I admit! I did feel like doing it!�

He was good at ignoring me, I�ll give him that much. �Don�t make me run after you, Jong Min!�

My eyes started watering. I couldn�t bear it if Jong Min was to leave me again. �KIM JONG MIN, YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!!�

He stopped and turned around. �Tell me, you need me here with you. And that I will have that kiss from you.�

�Why you difficult son-of-a-b*tch!�

�Fine, I�m gone.�

�No, wait. Okay, okay. I need you here with me, Jong Min. Don�t walk away from me. I need you, and I do want to kiss you. And you�ll have that kiss from me,� I spoke, trying my best to sound extra feminine.

�Okay,� he said as made his way back to my outstretch arms.

We held each other once more. I could never get enough of holding onto Jong Min. If I had a choice, I wish that we could be this way forever. I drew my face back enough to face him. �I�m sorry.�

�I wasn�t angry with you, Landy---�

I had kissed him to shut up. And he had kissed me back. You could say that kiss lasted longer than I had anticipated.

Chapter 40 - End
(Jong Min�s POV)

As it turns out, we both gotten very drunk that night. I�ve never seen Landy so happy in her drunken state. It was pretty amusing to see her make these unusual funny faces, blurting out obscenities and plus the fact that she couldn�t keep her hands off of me. It was very unwomanly of her, you could say. I didn�t mind.

I had to carry her on my back because she had somehow lost a shoe. She insisted that I went looking for it and I did, for her sake. That�s the thing about Landy, you never want to argue with her, unless you�re only playing around. If she intended to make you look like the fool, then she would.

When I returned, without the shoe, she looked at me like I hadn�t made any effort to do so. �You�re not gonna look for my shoe?!� she asked, her mouth gaping wide open.

�It�s gone, Landy. Besides, it�s too dark to see.�

She nearly staggered on her feet, trying to keep balance. �So?� she placed her hands on her hips, waving her hand in a careless gesture. �Who cares if it�s dark. We have a flashlight, duhhh�� Then she scratched her head. �Hmm? Where did I put that flashlight?�

That�s when she fell back on her bum and then started crawling around, searching for the flashlight.

I went to her, holding my hand out. �Landy. C�mon, we�re going home.�

She puffed her face at me, sitting there looking hopeless. �But my shoe, Jong Min. It�s not my shoe either. Why is that I keep losing my shoe, huh?�

I helped her up to her feet and she swayed as she smiled at me. �Jong Min, I�ve something to tell you.�

�What is it?�

�I like your hair.�

�You�re lying.�

�How can I lie to you? I�m drunk remember?� She suddenly shook her head. �No, no. I�m not drunk. I�m trying to be honest.� She giggled, reaching up to touch my hair. �It feels nice. It looks nice. What did you do to it?�

�Landy---�

She belched loudly in my face. Covering her mouth, she said, �Sorry.�

I tugged lightly on her arm. �Let�s go.�

�But my shoe!�

�Who cares about your shoe!�

�Jong Min, if you don�t look for my shoe, we are never ever going to see each other again.�

�You wouldn�t even remember it,� I retorted as I turned my back and gestured for her hop on.

When I felt her kick my behind, that�s when I realized she was serious about it. �Find that shoe, or else.�

I exhaled slowly before saying, �Okay. Okay. I will look for it. I promise. But for now, let�s get going.�

She finally agreed and hopped onto my back. I had to do my best to hold her up. Damn, being drunk didn�t help. She felt ten times heavier than before.

�Jong Min?�

�Yes?�

�You�re not moving.�

�I�m trying to but first, you have to wrap your arms around my neck, or you�ll fall.�

�Oh, sorry,� she said, pressing her face against my back and keeping a tight grip around my neck that I nearly choked.

When we started down the path, Landy still couldn�t keep her mouth shut. �Jong Min?�

I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time. �Yes?�

�I�ll be leaving tomorrow. I don�t know when�when we�ll see each other again. Nothing you do now, can change it.�

That had to be the most sober or drunkest line that I heard coming out of her mouth that night. I had refused to believe it. She was not leaving me. Not when I was there. �You�re not going anywhere.�

She was slowly slipping off my back and I had to use my strength to lift her back up. �I don�t want to go, Jong Min. I don�t, but I have to.�

She held me tighter, clinging desperately, as if it was the last time she was ever going to hold me.

�You�re not. You�re just drunk.�

�Maybe I am, but still. If this is the last time we�ll see each other, I want to tell you now that---that uh---that---�

�That you love me?�

�No.�

�Then what?�

�That I like you---very much. A lot. A whole lot.�

That was enough. It was all I needed to hear from her. �I like you too. More than you like me, Landy.�

�Good.�

�Good?�

�It should always be that way.�

�Landy?�

�Yes?�

�Are you really drunk?�

I felt her stiffen on my back and then she relaxed again. �Am I?�

�I guess, you are.�


* * *

(Landy�s POV)
-- 5: 00 am --

I was up and ready to leave but I couldn�t go without seeing Jong Min first. My mother told me he was up all night, being interrogated by my family members. A little afterward, my father who couldn�t get back to sleep, invited him to play a game of chess. It was only two hours ago that Jong Min had gone to sleep.

I managed to slip into his room and walked up to his bed, staring down at him shirtless and sleeping peacefully. For a moment, he reminded me of a big teddy bear where you just want cuddle up next to.

�I�m so sorry,� I whispered quietly, afraid that I might wake him. Bending down, I planted a soft kiss on his brow and I touched the side of his face. Then I lowered my mouth closer to his ear and whispered, �I love you. Remember that.�

For a moment he stirred and murmured something in his sleep.

The tears that threatened to spill came down that instant and I had to move away before they touched him. I reached into my bag and brought out my journal to place at the foot of the bed. Everything that I written about him was all in the journal. I trusted him enough to take care of it. It was something that became apart of me, and I wanted to share it with him. Hopefully, he would come to understand how I really felt about him all along.

With one last glance, I slipped out of the room and closed the door behind me. Soo Hyun and Soo Min were standing a few feet away, looking concerned. They opened their arms and I went to them. The three of us held one another with tears spilling here and there.

�We�re going with you to the airport,� Soo Hyun declared.

�So are we,� came the voice to my right.

I turned to see that Seung Hoon and Anna were up and ready. Wiping the last of my tears, I said, �Let�s go then.�

A hour later, we arrived at the airport. I had my chance to say my proper goodbyes to everyone except for my uncle who left earlier than I expected. My mother wouldn�t stop shedding her tears. My aunt was no different. It was my father who smiled proudly, stroking my head. �I love you, Landy. Make us proud.�

I leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek. �I will, Appa.�

Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to Soo Hyun who gave me a slip of paper. �That�s my cell number.�

�Thanks, but I�d rather call the house.�

He smiled. �Who said it was for you? That�s for your American friends. I hear the Korean women there are more feisty. If it just so happens their looking for a man who can handle all of that feisty-ness, have them call that number.�

Soo Min knocked the back of his head with her bag. �You and your girls. There�s not a moment when you don�t mention them. Landy�s leaving and you�re still talking about them.�

He rubbed his head as he shrugged. �Can�t help it. I live in a world surrounded by women.� He looked over to my aunt and my mother. �Crying women,� then he looked to Anna, �psychotic women,� then to Soo Min, �stuck up women,� and finally came to rest on me, �and of course, loveable women, like you, sis.�

I shoved him playfully on the shoulder. �Ew, you dork. Are you comin� on to me?�

He made face and then said, �By the way, you want me to teach you some English before you go?�

�Like what?�

He hunched his shoulders and twisted his cap to the side and then he held his hand out in front of him, looking like a retard. �Yo, wassah!� Then he straightened himself up. �That�s the American way for �hello�. C�mon, try it, sis.�

�Uhm, no thanks.�

�Hey---�

I shoved him away and faced Seung Hoon and Anna next. �Okay, guys. This is it. Group hug.�

The two of them came at me the same time and we all embraced. Seung Hoon�s arms were around the both of us. �Have fun, in America,� Anna said to me.

�Thanks, I will.�

Seung Hoon kissed the side of my face. �Don�t forget to write us. We�ll be waiting impatiently for your letters. Oh, and don�t write to us here. Write to the address in Japan. Anna will be coming along with me to Japan.�

I pulled away to look at the both of them. They were happy now. It was good to know that I still had friends. �Wow, that�s good news. I won�t forget. I wish you guys all the best.�

Anna took hold of my hand. �I�m sorry again, Landy. For everything I�ve done. Both to you and Seung Hoon and Jong Min.�

I placed a hand on her shoulder. �Don�t stress about it. Remember, that�s over and forgotten.�

She hugged me once more.

�Landy!!� I heard someone else call out.

I pulled away from Anna and spun around to face Mie Suk who was approaching me with Woojin by her side. The rest of the gang followed behind them. To my surprise, none of them looked the way they used to. All of them, including Big Ears whom I referred to as Dumbo, were dressed like your average guys. It was different, and weird.

I rushed to Mie Suk and threw my arms around her. �Gosh, you don�t know how good it is to see your face again.�

She patted my back. �Same here. Ever since you left, there was no one to argue with. It�s boring.�

�You argue with me all the time,� Woojin interjected.

�Yeah, well you�re no fun.�

�Why�s that?�

Uh Oh. Here they go again. Very typical of them.

�Because you always do what I say.�

�And whenever I don�t, you get angry at me.�

�Shut up!� she snapped at him.

�Okay,� Woojin responded, like an obedient lapdog.

�See what I mean?� she questioned him.

I waved my hands in front of their faces. �Uh---guys, still here.�

They both looked at me apologetically. �Oh man, you two are made for each other. I�m going to miss you both. But before I go, can I ask you a question?�

�Yeah.�

�Whatever happened to The Black Dragons?�

It was Woojin who answered, �Don�t be fooled by the clothes. I just told them to dress more appropriately so that they can see you off.�

�Oh.�

I was a little disappointed to hear that. It would have great to hear that they had given it all up. I was still in question about it though. Oh well, I guess my question would never be answered.

Seeing that everyone was there, made me happy and yet it made me sad at the same time. The one person I needed to see most wasn�t even there. All because I decided to leave him sleeping peacefully. Damn, I should have woken him up.

I looked at my watch and realized that my time was up. Everyone gathered around me and I thanked them for seeing me off. Some of them burst into tears, including Big Ears.

Waving them one final goodbye, I turned to leave.

The tears came pouring the moment I turned from them.

I thought about the previous night, how I pretended to be drunk and Jong Min nearly caught me. I wiped my eyes and forced a smile on my face instead when I thought about my shoe. It did make me wonder if Jong Min was really going to look for it. I knew he would. I trust he would. Gosh, I just love that guy.

Epilogue
-- One Week Later --

New York City - 12:01am

�Come here baby,� the white man had beckoned me with his finger.

I looked at him dumbfounded. I understood him enough. I�ve only been there a week and I already made some friends who made me to go out partying with them every night. I don�t do parties. You could say I was the designated driver of the group. You know, the one that had to be sober while they�re left to carry their puking friends to the car by the end of the night. I didn�t have my license yet but I was learning as I go. And the only time I could do that was when I went out partying with them. I never realized how different it would be compared to back home. The atmosphere was different. The people were different. The drinks were different. As for the bartenders, I�ve noticed that they seem to associate more with their customers. Already, I was beginning to feel homesick.

�Hey, you listenin� to me?� the guy asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I gave him the middle finger. You see, back at home when I did that, no one knew what it meant. Over here, they did. And they took a big offense to it. Take this guy for example. He not only frowned but he was turning mighty red.

�B*tch! Did you just stick your middle finger at me?�

�Yah,� I answered. It was one of the few English words I knew.

�I�m going to teach you a lesson!�

�No!� I shouted back, preparing to fight him off. �You! Stupeed!�

No. You. Stupid. My English vocabulary has come to an end.

He swung at me and I swiped it aside with my hand and kicked him hard in the gut. He staggered back and I sent another kick to his face, followed by a punch that struck him in the nose. He bled.

Everyone gathered around us, awestruck and amazed that a girl like myself could do such damage. I guess these people don�t want much martial arts flicks.

Two others that were with him, came charging at me unexpectedly. I backed up a couple of steps, totally unprepared for it when a voice stopped them dead in their tracks. �Leave her alone!�

The crowd broke away to reveal a tall figure with messy hair, wearing a hooded sweatshirt coming into view. I had to blink twice to make sure I wasn�t seeing things. The hell was he doing here?!

�What you say, punk?�

He glared directly at them, when he said, �I said for you to leave her alone.�

He knew English. Gosh, he spoke it so well.

The white guy with bleeding nose, pointed at me. �She your girlfriend?�

�Yes.�

Yes! He said yes. But really, yes to what?

�Then, you don�t mind if we play with her.�

Jong Min moved to stand in front of me, holding the guy back by his shoulder. The guy made the wrong move by touching Jong Min�s arm. Jong Min took hold of the guy�s arm, doubled over and twisted it hard enough behind him that you were able to hear a crack.

The whole crowd gasped in unison.

I caught the other guy breaking a beer bottle in half against the table. Before he could slash it at Jong Min, I already removed my shoe and hurled it at him so that it struck him square in the face, causing him to drop the bottle.

Jong Min charged at him in full speed, grabbed the guy by his throat and pinned him against the wall. �You try something like that again, and you�ll have no face left!�

�Get him!!� the crowd roared at Jong Min.

They all had their fists in the air and I decided to join in.

I couldn�t tell what Jong Min did to the poor guy and I didn�t want to know because he had him screaming in pain.

Before the bouncers were able to reach us, Jong Min had taken me by the arm and we fled the club.

Once we were outside, I stopped to pull out his hold. �You have a lot of explaining to do, Jong Min.�

�No, I don�t.� He pointed to my face, giving me a speculative stare up and down. �You do.�

I was a little dress up. I had make-up on and my hair had been styled and I was wearing clubbing clothes. �Not really.�

�Not really? You were about to get your ass kicked and you tell me, not really?�

The people who passed us on the streets were probably finding us strange.

�I could have handled them!�

�You can�t handle everything. You can�t always make everything right. And you�re not always right either.�

He sounded extremely angry. I�ve never really witnessed this side of him before. This was the beastly Jong Min, not the sweet one.

I took an involuntary step forward and took hold of his arm. �I�m sorry, alright. I won�t go around sticking my middle finger at anymore Americans. I don�t want to argue with you, anymore Jong Min. Can you forgive me?�

�Don�t pout, I won�t fall for it.�

I pouted and that brought a smile to his face. Ruffling my hair, he said, �You�re so difficult, you know that.�

I leaned into him. �I know.�

�Come, let�s go.�

When he started walking, I looked down at myself and realized I lost another shoe. Damn.

Jong Min looked back to realize the same thing. Then he turned his back to me. �Hop on.�

I giggled like an excited child and hopped on his back. I buried my face into the back of his neck.

�Landy, don�t do that, it�s ticklish.�

�Sorry.�

�Besides, you�ll ruin my hair.�

�It�s already ruined.�

�Don�t argue with me.�

�I won�t.�

�Good.�

�Jong Min, you wanna tell me how you learned to speak English?�

�There are still many things you don�t know about me.�

�Like what?�

�I don�t want to get into that.�

�Fine then. You wanna tell me how long you�ll be staying?�

�Until you�re done.�

My heart fluttered in excitement. �You mean, you�ll be staying here too? But where?�

�I�ve decided that I�ll finish my studies here too.�

�You mean, you�ve been here before?�

�Ah ha. How do you think I�ve learned to speak English?�

�Another thing I wanna know.�

�What is it?�

�My shoe. Did you ever find it?�

�Yes. I did.�

I held him tighter around his neck. �Thank you, my loveable boyfriend.�

�If you hold me any tighter than that, I�ll turn into your dead ex-boyfriend.�

I loosen my hold. �Sorry.�

�Let�s go home, Landy.�

�Home?�

�To your aunt�s house, I mean.�

�But I don�t want to go home yet.�

He stopped. �Where to then?�

�I know a few Korean bars here and there.�

�You wanna get drunk again?�

�Why not? So what do you think? Can we go?�

He angled his face to the side and I got a good view of his profile. �I don�t know.�

�Please, please?� I begged in English. �Plus, we never really gotten to finish our spin-the-bottle game.�

�Fine. Which way?�

�Thanks.� I snuck a kiss on his cheek and pointed ahead. �Keep going straight��

And that was it. You could say that was the end of our story, even if our relationship really began from there. I could never fully understand Jong Min. He was like no other person. You could say that he was a man of his own, and that I had loved him for that. I guess, that is all that matters.

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