Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 32
Looking in on her through the glass windows, Mike stood solemnly still, lost in a daze as he watched her work. Just as his day began, all he could do was thinks of her. Despite the strange feelings of his past experience and what he knew about her, he still remembered that it was all an illusion.
He stood in front of the person who changed him. She was so close to him, but so far out of reach. Would she ever give him a chance to obtain what they’d shared in his illusory mental image? Engraved in his mind, he knew it was just an impracticable past.
As the person who was with her, her patient, walked out of the contemptibly unimportant space, he put Ji Yun and all thoughts behind him and made his way across the street.
Li Ann stacked away her previous patient’s files before taking a deep breath and checked her watch. It had been only her first patient of the day, and already she was starting to stress out. She opened the desk drawer and began searching for a pen to write a report with when the bell attached to her door rang.
His blood circulated quicker than usual as he entered and looked around, acting as if he hadn’t been there the day before. She looked up and knitted her eyebrows at him. A moment later, she remembered him as the man from the day before. What was he doing back here?
“Hi, can I help you?” she asked. Mike closed the door and walked into the space where she had a few chairs for waiting patients to sit.
“Yes, I need somebody to talk to,” Mike replied, not knowing what else he could say.
“Mr. Lee, I already told you I-”
“I’m not here to ask you to have coffee with me or anything. I’m just looking for a psychologist and well, your brother said you’re the best in town.”
He tossed in a smile to bring in a natural conclusion.
“He did?” Li Ann raised an eyebrow in question. Mike nodded quickly.
“All right,” Li Ann sighed. “Do you need me to go over with you the details of my weekly sessions or coverage for a reasonable amount of time?”
Mike shook his head. “Your brother has already told me enough.”
Still not fully believing that her brother would care so much to let a “close” friend know about her occupation, she pulled out a clipboard and picked up her pen.
“Follow me,” she smiled. She would give it a try since she didn’t have any other patients soon.
Mike sat down on a long couch while Li Ann sat across from him, slipping on her glasses as she cleared her throat. Mike waited patiently for her to begin.
“Mr. Lee,” Li Ann started.
“Mike. Call me Mike,” he asked politely.
“Okay, Mike.” She felt awkward. “Why don’t you give me the reason why you’re in need of therapy?”
“I...I start first?” Mike asked, uncertainty filling his thoughts.
“Yes,” Li Ann confirmed.
“Well, first reason is that I don’t want to go to work,” Mike replied, debating to himself if that was the initial or second reason. “And second is to get away from my wife.”
“Mr. Lee, I would ask that you be serious on this. This is costing you a lot of money you know,” Li Ann calmly told him.
Mike managed a slight laugh. “Okay, I’ll be serious.”
“Go on,” she continued.
“Two weeks ago, I got into an accident.”
“What kind of accident?”
“The brakes on my car didn’t work, so I ran over a bridge and landed in a stream. My head had a pretty bad concussion and I went into a coma, for two weeks. I just woke up three days ago, and now I’m here.”
She stopped writing for a second, then glanced up at him. Was he trying to ridicule her?
“Is that all?”
“During my coma, I had a dream. I must’ve dreamt every night during my coma, because I counted near 14 days of being in my dream.”
“And what was your dream about?” she was beginning to grow interested in his story.
“I died.”
He stopped there, waiting for her reaction. Of course there was none, but only a mere surprised look on her face. He continued.
“I was a ghost. I saw my destiny for once, and also the person who caused my death. It was like watching a movie of my afterlife.”
Li Ann had stopped writing now, and was listening intently to his story. Not only the way he told it amused her - it was how his dream differed from the usual mind tricks her other patients would tell her about.
“And who was that?”
“My wife,” Mike responded bitterly. She noticed the ring he wore yesterday was now gone.
“You don’t have to believe me, Dr. Kim, but I have a question for you.”
“Yes?” Li Ann wasn’t expecting one. At least not yet.
“Can you see ghosts?”
Li Ann went blank for a second. What did he mean by that? A small smile broke out on her face as she thought he was only joking, but the man’s still face remained.
“No, Mr. Lee. I can’t. I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”
“Are you sure? I believe you can.”
They continued their conversation, but it drifted off the topic of Mike’s reason to be there. It was on blameless topics that he brought up to avoid talking about what really happened in his dream. He didn’t want to scare her off, or reveal too much for her to take in all at once. He didn’t really know why he was there either, but he thought he wanted to see her.
Li Ann was beginning to agree to herself that he didn’t really need the help, but was just there to waste her time. Nonetheless, she treated him as she would any of her patients. The reason she didn’t ask for his personal information when he first came was because she predicted he wouldn’t stay as a patient very long. Not somebody who didn’t seem to have different views of the world.
“Mike, that’ll conclude our session for today. I take that you will come back for weekly visits?” It had been a full hour since they began talking.
“If I have to,” Mike replied, standing up after her. She seemed in such a hurry to get rid of him. Was she nervous?
She walked over to her desk and handed him a form. Mike looked over it and filled it out quickly. After signing his name on the bottom, he gladly handed it over to her. His cell phone rang.
After a few seconds of talking on the phone with Junjin, who had been wondering where he went all morning and afternoon, he was ready to leave. Turning around to say goodbye to her, Mike exited the little office. As he walked towards his car, he thought to himself of how cruel fate had decided to play him. So she didn’t remember anything at all, because it never happened.
But everything between him and Ji Yun did.
-
Casting himself away from the crowd, Hwanhee hid himself behind a row of tall bushes as Eric, followed by a few officers walked into the airport. They obviously weren’t looking for only him, but he knew he would easily get caught if he went in. Deciding it was too much of a risky chance, he whistled to the nearest taxi.
The taxi stopped in front of him and he tossed in his suitcase, half full of money and the other his personal items. He ordered the driver to head to the nearest train station - one which happened to be across town.
-
Ji Yun knew he would be home in less than an hour. Her fingers trembled as she stiffly held the small white package of poison. Contemplating to herself all day about what she would do, she had thought of really killing him after all. She looked over to the pot of soup she’d made earlier on the stove and pondered. Gripping the bag of drugs, she walked over and opened the lid to the pot. The soup was still hot.
It was now or never.
Ji Yun quickly emptied the contents of the bag into the soup. She bit her lips as fresh tears stung her eyes. He wanted to divorce her. She wouldn’t take that as an answer. Never before in her life had anybody rejected her, not even Hwanhee. She wasn’t going to let Mike go that easily.
Ji Yun made sure she didn’t pour the entire thing into the soup. She unknowingly didn’t want the poison to work, thinking that maybe if she poured only half, it wouldn’t harm him. But feeling foolish enough, she changed her mind and made sure all she had left was just the little bag in her hands.
She watched the white powdery drug sink slowly into the thick soup. Her heart sank with it. She would have to watch him die...
Balling her hand into a fist, she spread it back out and looked at the ring on her finger. It glittered from the translucent light above her. He was so happy when he placed that ring on her finger.
Closing her eyes, she tried to remember the past - before she had met him, and when she had just first gone out with him. Their first date, first kiss, and how sweet he was. She was secretly happy with him for a while. Though she knew it, she hid it from Hwanhee, for he expected her to finish her job.
Muttering a curse to herself, she took hold of the handles of the pot and poured out the soup into the sink. She couldn’t do it.
All Mike had ever wanted was to make her happy. Even if she wanted him for only his money, she couldn’t kill him. But what if he divorced her? Where would she go?
Her phone rang disturbingly, causing her to drop the entire pot into the sink. Wiping her hands on a rag, she quickly walked over to pick it up.
“Hello?” Her voice was a mere whisper.
“Ji Yun? Where’s Mike?” Hwanhee’s gruff voice seemed to be in a hurry.
“Still at work. Why?” Ji Yun began to worry about what Hwanhee was going to do.
“When’s he coming home?” Hwanhee’s question sounded like an angry demand.
“Soon.” Ji Yun managed to keep her voice steady.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Why? What are you going to do? Hwanhee?” Ji Yun began to panic.
“Undelivered gift to Mike. We’ll finish the job today.”
He hung up.
Ji Yun glanced around the room and searched for the clock. She didn’t have the car to go find Mike, wherever he was. Hwanhee was coming to kill him, causing all calm feelings to leave Ji Yun. What was she going to do?
Devastated and out of a way to go, she did the only thing she could think of. She found her purse and fumbled around for the second bag of white powder poison.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 31
Once again, the Autumn sky darkened and prepared for evening to arrive. Half of the parking lot remained deserted, and sitting alone far off from the office doors was Mike’s new car. He’d set to work the next day after returning from the hospital.
He’d pondered the previous night mostly about Ji Yun. What if she really was the person he thought her to be? What if she was not? He didn’t know the source for his behavior around her, but something changed him from that coma. He wondered to himself for hours, trying not to fall asleep as his workers lingered in the doorway, waiting for his answer for their jobs to be conducted.
Though he may not remember dreaming, the paper flower that stood for him at home had burned and turned to ashes long ago. Perhaps history may take its turn on him, he did not know. Life wasn’t the same as it was before. Such a sudden rush of painful memories occupied him for more than half the afternoon. He felt betrayed, lost, and even yet, envious.
Pushing the glass doors open, Mike stepped out of the corporation with Junjin by his side, still trying to stack the papers in his hand neatly into a t manila folder. Junjin bid him goodbye, then walked the other way.
He changed the song playing from his CD player as he exited off the highway, down a small street, then turned the corner to a part of town he’d hardly visit. Mike didn’t know what he was doing there, but in truth, he knew he was there to see somebody, still unsure if that one person existed.
He stopped the car and parked on the side of the busy walkway, slightly occupied by the people walking by. In the little crack of two large buildings stood a small one, looking tight of space. There was only one glass door with writings painted over it. He walked up to it and read the name of the doctor there. It wasn’t her name, but he went in anyway.
Mike entered the small but clean office area. Nearby the window was a comfortable chair and across from it was a couch. A coffee table stood in the middle, and on the walls were decorated with pictures of waterfalls and moons.
“We’re closing,” a quiet voice called out from nearby. He turned his attention to where it came from. A woman behind the desk who was picking up scattered pencils, hastily tried to hurry in order to talk to him. Mike walked in closer, afraid to speak. A nervous feeling rushed through him. What if it was her? Would she know him?
The girl stood up, brushed her hair aside and took a deep breath. Mike stood there, a bit taken back that it was actually Li Ann. Although her hair was a bit shorter, and her complexion lighter, she was Li Ann. She placed the pencils in a cup back on her desk, straightened her shirt and smiled at him with a sigh.
“Hi, what can I do for you?” She looked at him with wondering eyes, innocence covering her like powder.
He couldn’t think of what to say. “Li Ann...”
She thought she didn’t hear him correctly. “What? You know my name?”
So it was so. She didn’t remember him, or didn’t know at all. “I...I know your brother, Dongwan,” Mike lied quickly. She smiled with a nod and walked around the desk.
“Li Ann–...”
“Dr. Kim,” she corrected, hoping he’d understand. “My patients call me Dr. Kim.”
He stepped back, hoping she wouldn’t feel offended. After all, if she didn’t know him, it would have to be a new start for him. It would be an awkward one, but at least he had a second chance to be with her.
“But I’m not your patient,” Mike managed to reply easily. She stopped what she was doing and took a second long look at him. Something about the way he looked at her made her wonder if she’d met him somewhere before. Surely she hadn’t. The man was smart to answer.
“Right . . . so what can I help you with, Mr.?...”
“Mike. Lee Mike.” Mike stuck out his hand to shake hers. She took his hand, a firm grip, and shook it.
“Are you here to schedule for an appointment?” Li Ann broke the silence between them.
“Ah, no. Actually, I came to see you,” he replied. She broke into a slow amused smile. Something about him felt comforting, like meeting an old friend of some sort. He had charms to his mysterious presence. He was rather attractive in her opinion.
“Well, you’re a little late Mr. Lee. I’m closing in two minutes.” She walked back to her desk and began packing her things into a small briefcase to store away.
“Would you like to...I don’t know, get a coffee before you go home or something?” Mike asked, stuttering through a bit, yet eager to still talk with her.
She laughed. “That’s very nice of you, but I can’t.”
“You’re married?” Mike asked, a bit surprised by her answer.
“No, but you are.” She glanced at the ring on his finger. Mike quickly took notice of the ring still around his finger. Of course, he was so thoughtless. Muttering a curse to himself, he looked at her again and thought of what to say.
“This–...” Mike opened his mouth to protest. “This, well, I am, but...”
“If you don’t mind Mr. Lee, I’ll have to be going now,” Li Ann said as she picked up her handbag. Knowing it would soon be dark, and she was in a hurry to leave, he decided to go.
“Nice meeting you, Li Ann. Maybe some other time?” Mike began walking towards the door.
“Sure,” she nodded. “Maybe some other time.”
.................
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know. We were unlucky the first time. I don’t suppose we should try again. The risk is too high.”
“Then what am I gonna do? You can’t just leave me with him!” Bitterness flowed from her words, yet she was in a desperate state.
“I don’t know anymore. One of the guys said the cops are on the lookout for me, so I can’t stay here any longer. I’m gonna get away.”
“But what am I gonna do?!”
“I don’t know. You...you’re on your own. I mean, you couldn’t kill him, and you won’t do it again, so you’re on your own baby.”
“Hwanhee! I can’t believe you...”
“Look, we were very close to killing him, but fate wasn’t on our side this time. Unless you want to come along with me, you’re going to be on your own.”
“What? I’m not going to move? I have a good life here. Mike loves me very much, I...I don’t think we should...let’s just quit while nobody knows.” She took a deep sigh.
“He loves you? Ha! Come on Ji Yun, how stupid could you be. You married him for his money. We made this deal together and you’re going to stop?”
“Hwanhee, the cops already have evidence that somebody tried to kill him, so I’m not going to risk my chances for it. Either way, I’m bound to get what I want.”
“So you’re not coming?”
“Hwanhee...”
“No?”
“No.”
Without a goodbye, he hung up. Ji Yun fiddled with the phone as she started trembling. She didn’t know what else to do. Her secret companion had left her, but to a man of purpose, somebody who could actually give her what she wanted. Maybe killing Mike in the first place was not meant to be. She is married to him, so what could be better to her benefit?
Over and over again, she told herself it would be okay. As long as Mike didn’t know, she would pretend it never happened and stay with him. He did love her after all, even though she had loved Hwanhee instead of him.
She walked away from the phone and listened to the silent house. Only the dim lights from the kitchen bar were turned on. She walked towards it, then around to the other side where the drawers were located. She pulled a drawer out, then picked up Hwanhee’s gold watch.
With a last glance at the prized possession in her hands, she tossed it to the trash can. Losing Hwanhee wouldn’t be a big deal. Being with him for three years, and he couldn’t give her what she wanted. Mike, in contrast, gave her everything she wanted. He was rich, young, and powerful. She was sure she had him wrapped around her finger when she married him. Now she just had to make sure he would fall again.
Ji Yun jumped in surprise as Mike opened the door. Rain pounded on the doorstep outside as he shook the remnants off his jacket and hair. He tossed his keys to the lamp table and took off his jacket, then pulled down his tie knot. Ji Yun faked a smile as she walked over to him. Mike looked stressed and worn out, yet in a bad mood.
“Hi honey, are you hungry?”
He didn’t answer as he remitted to the couch. Ji Yun sensed his relentless attitude, but she still continued to question him. Mike slumped down on the couch, surrounded by misery and darkness. Ji Yun sat down next to him, being extra close so she could whisper to him.
“Why don’t we take a vacation? Huh?”
Mike turned over to face her. Her delicate expression mirrored back, and the angelic smile once again danced across her face. Though she had herself covered by her questioning looks, the devious cast in her eyes gave her away. She was no more than an imaginary life he once held.
“Are you okay, Mike?” Ji Yun asked, her voice becoming softer and quieter. She knew not to disturb his mood. She had to learn a lot of new things now.
“Tell me a story,” he said, his voice demanding in a sharp tone.
She leaned out of his view, her eyebrows questioning his request. “A story?”
“You don’t know one?” Mike asked. She dumbly shook her head.
“There was this man. He married this woman he thought he loved, but it was heartbreaking when he found out she was the one to kill him. He died and tumbled into a world that was falling apart. When he discovered why she did what she did, it was too late for him. It was so unfair, despite how hard he tried to say it wasn’t her.” Mike turned to face her again until they were eye to eye.
“As far as he went without turning back, he couldn’t. Now Ji Yun, tell me, why would a wife try to kill her husband, or even lie to him in the first place, to trick him into marrying her while she loved somebody else? You tell me.”
Ji Yun swallowed, but her throat went dry. Her conscious kicked in quickly, reminding her of her little scheme. She looked away, breaking eye contact as she pulled her hand away from his.
“What are you talking about Mike? Why such a...story?”
Mike didn’t take his eyes off her. The shadow in his face seemed to take over as he stood up, brushing her hand off his arm.
“Because it’s true.” He bent over the coffee table and pulled out some documents from his folder. Throwing them to her, he walked away.
Ji Yun looked at the header on the documents, neatly stapled together. Her eyes grew worried as she glanced toward Mike, who was now upstairs.
“Divorce papers?”
Chapter 31
Once again, the Autumn sky darkened and prepared for evening to arrive. Half of the parking lot remained deserted, and sitting alone far off from the office doors was Mike’s new car. He’d set to work the next day after returning from the hospital.
He’d pondered the previous night mostly about Ji Yun. What if she really was the person he thought her to be? What if she was not? He didn’t know the source for his behavior around her, but something changed him from that coma. He wondered to himself for hours, trying not to fall asleep as his workers lingered in the doorway, waiting for his answer for their jobs to be conducted.
Though he may not remember dreaming, the paper flower that stood for him at home had burned and turned to ashes long ago. Perhaps history may take its turn on him, he did not know. Life wasn’t the same as it was before. Such a sudden rush of painful memories occupied him for more than half the afternoon. He felt betrayed, lost, and even yet, envious.
Pushing the glass doors open, Mike stepped out of the corporation with Junjin by his side, still trying to stack the papers in his hand neatly into a t manila folder. Junjin bid him goodbye, then walked the other way.
He changed the song playing from his CD player as he exited off the highway, down a small street, then turned the corner to a part of town he’d hardly visit. Mike didn’t know what he was doing there, but in truth, he knew he was there to see somebody, still unsure if that one person existed.
He stopped the car and parked on the side of the busy walkway, slightly occupied by the people walking by. In the little crack of two large buildings stood a small one, looking tight of space. There was only one glass door with writings painted over it. He walked up to it and read the name of the doctor there. It wasn’t her name, but he went in anyway.
Mike entered the small but clean office area. Nearby the window was a comfortable chair and across from it was a couch. A coffee table stood in the middle, and on the walls were decorated with pictures of waterfalls and moons.
“We’re closing,” a quiet voice called out from nearby. He turned his attention to where it came from. A woman behind the desk who was picking up scattered pencils, hastily tried to hurry in order to talk to him. Mike walked in closer, afraid to speak. A nervous feeling rushed through him. What if it was her? Would she know him?
The girl stood up, brushed her hair aside and took a deep breath. Mike stood there, a bit taken back that it was actually Li Ann. Although her hair was a bit shorter, and her complexion lighter, she was Li Ann. She placed the pencils in a cup back on her desk, straightened her shirt and smiled at him with a sigh.
“Hi, what can I do for you?” She looked at him with wondering eyes, innocence covering her like powder.
He couldn’t think of what to say. “Li Ann...”
She thought she didn’t hear him correctly. “What? You know my name?”
So it was so. She didn’t remember him, or didn’t know at all. “I...I know your brother, Dongwan,” Mike lied quickly. She smiled with a nod and walked around the desk.
“Li Ann–...”
“Dr. Kim,” she corrected, hoping he’d understand. “My patients call me Dr. Kim.”
He stepped back, hoping she wouldn’t feel offended. After all, if she didn’t know him, it would have to be a new start for him. It would be an awkward one, but at least he had a second chance to be with her.
“But I’m not your patient,” Mike managed to reply easily. She stopped what she was doing and took a second long look at him. Something about the way he looked at her made her wonder if she’d met him somewhere before. Surely she hadn’t. The man was smart to answer.
“Right . . . so what can I help you with, Mr.?...”
“Mike. Lee Mike.” Mike stuck out his hand to shake hers. She took his hand, a firm grip, and shook it.
“Are you here to schedule for an appointment?” Li Ann broke the silence between them.
“Ah, no. Actually, I came to see you,” he replied. She broke into a slow amused smile. Something about him felt comforting, like meeting an old friend of some sort. He had charms to his mysterious presence. He was rather attractive in her opinion.
“Well, you’re a little late Mr. Lee. I’m closing in two minutes.” She walked back to her desk and began packing her things into a small briefcase to store away.
“Would you like to...I don’t know, get a coffee before you go home or something?” Mike asked, stuttering through a bit, yet eager to still talk with her.
She laughed. “That’s very nice of you, but I can’t.”
“You’re married?” Mike asked, a bit surprised by her answer.
“No, but you are.” She glanced at the ring on his finger. Mike quickly took notice of the ring still around his finger. Of course, he was so thoughtless. Muttering a curse to himself, he looked at her again and thought of what to say.
“This–...” Mike opened his mouth to protest. “This, well, I am, but...”
“If you don’t mind Mr. Lee, I’ll have to be going now,” Li Ann said as she picked up her handbag. Knowing it would soon be dark, and she was in a hurry to leave, he decided to go.
“Nice meeting you, Li Ann. Maybe some other time?” Mike began walking towards the door.
“Sure,” she nodded. “Maybe some other time.”
.................
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know. We were unlucky the first time. I don’t suppose we should try again. The risk is too high.”
“Then what am I gonna do? You can’t just leave me with him!” Bitterness flowed from her words, yet she was in a desperate state.
“I don’t know anymore. One of the guys said the cops are on the lookout for me, so I can’t stay here any longer. I’m gonna get away.”
“But what am I gonna do?!”
“I don’t know. You...you’re on your own. I mean, you couldn’t kill him, and you won’t do it again, so you’re on your own baby.”
“Hwanhee! I can’t believe you...”
“Look, we were very close to killing him, but fate wasn’t on our side this time. Unless you want to come along with me, you’re going to be on your own.”
“What? I’m not going to move? I have a good life here. Mike loves me very much, I...I don’t think we should...let’s just quit while nobody knows.” She took a deep sigh.
“He loves you? Ha! Come on Ji Yun, how stupid could you be. You married him for his money. We made this deal together and you’re going to stop?”
“Hwanhee, the cops already have evidence that somebody tried to kill him, so I’m not going to risk my chances for it. Either way, I’m bound to get what I want.”
“So you’re not coming?”
“Hwanhee...”
“No?”
“No.”
Without a goodbye, he hung up. Ji Yun fiddled with the phone as she started trembling. She didn’t know what else to do. Her secret companion had left her, but to a man of purpose, somebody who could actually give her what she wanted. Maybe killing Mike in the first place was not meant to be. She is married to him, so what could be better to her benefit?
Over and over again, she told herself it would be okay. As long as Mike didn’t know, she would pretend it never happened and stay with him. He did love her after all, even though she had loved Hwanhee instead of him.
She walked away from the phone and listened to the silent house. Only the dim lights from the kitchen bar were turned on. She walked towards it, then around to the other side where the drawers were located. She pulled a drawer out, then picked up Hwanhee’s gold watch.
With a last glance at the prized possession in her hands, she tossed it to the trash can. Losing Hwanhee wouldn’t be a big deal. Being with him for three years, and he couldn’t give her what she wanted. Mike, in contrast, gave her everything she wanted. He was rich, young, and powerful. She was sure she had him wrapped around her finger when she married him. Now she just had to make sure he would fall again.
Ji Yun jumped in surprise as Mike opened the door. Rain pounded on the doorstep outside as he shook the remnants off his jacket and hair. He tossed his keys to the lamp table and took off his jacket, then pulled down his tie knot. Ji Yun faked a smile as she walked over to him. Mike looked stressed and worn out, yet in a bad mood.
“Hi honey, are you hungry?”
He didn’t answer as he remitted to the couch. Ji Yun sensed his relentless attitude, but she still continued to question him. Mike slumped down on the couch, surrounded by misery and darkness. Ji Yun sat down next to him, being extra close so she could whisper to him.
“Why don’t we take a vacation? Huh?”
Mike turned over to face her. Her delicate expression mirrored back, and the angelic smile once again danced across her face. Though she had herself covered by her questioning looks, the devious cast in her eyes gave her away. She was no more than an imaginary life he once held.
“Are you okay, Mike?” Ji Yun asked, her voice becoming softer and quieter. She knew not to disturb his mood. She had to learn a lot of new things now.
“Tell me a story,” he said, his voice demanding in a sharp tone.
She leaned out of his view, her eyebrows questioning his request. “A story?”
“You don’t know one?” Mike asked. She dumbly shook her head.
“There was this man. He married this woman he thought he loved, but it was heartbreaking when he found out she was the one to kill him. He died and tumbled into a world that was falling apart. When he discovered why she did what she did, it was too late for him. It was so unfair, despite how hard he tried to say it wasn’t her.” Mike turned to face her again until they were eye to eye.
“As far as he went without turning back, he couldn’t. Now Ji Yun, tell me, why would a wife try to kill her husband, or even lie to him in the first place, to trick him into marrying her while she loved somebody else? You tell me.”
Ji Yun swallowed, but her throat went dry. Her conscious kicked in quickly, reminding her of her little scheme. She looked away, breaking eye contact as she pulled her hand away from his.
“What are you talking about Mike? Why such a...story?”
Mike didn’t take his eyes off her. The shadow in his face seemed to take over as he stood up, brushing her hand off his arm.
“Because it’s true.” He bent over the coffee table and pulled out some documents from his folder. Throwing them to her, he walked away.
Ji Yun looked at the header on the documents, neatly stapled together. Her eyes grew worried as she glanced toward Mike, who was now upstairs.
“Divorce papers?”
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 30
He sat alone on the bed, looking lost and paralyzed, a bit unconcerned for the world outside. Minimum noises went about outside his room, but he didn’t listen. Instead, thoughts of the “dream” floated about his head. He remained silently still and hoped he’d wake up again. A knock was heard, followed by the door creaking open.
Mike recognized the man - Brian, only this time he wore a long white lab coat and had a pen stuck in his breast pocket. He smiled at Mike as he walked closer and took a seat next to him, pulling from behind him a writing pad.
“Hi,” Brian whispered out as he slipped on his glasses and took out his pen.
“How are you feeling?” Brian asked. Mike looked at him in the eyes and waited for Brian to suddenly tell him something familiar. Anything . . . There was only silence.
“If you don’t talk at all, I can’t guarantee when you’ll get to go home,” Brian smiled. He began scribbling down some notes.
“I’m fine.” Mike’s response was quick and short. He didn’t show much interest in talking to anybody at the moment. He wanted to be left alone.
“Alright. I’ve called your wife. She’ll be coming in a few minutes. Why don’t you get dressed? She brought your clothes in that bag right there.” Brian pointed towards a black shiny bag, placed next to the table near Mike’s bed. Brian stood up to leave after neatly placing his pen back.
“Wait,” Mike called after him. Brian stopped and turned around. “When I was in a coma, did you see my wife with anybody?”
Brian paused to think for a moment, asking himself of a purpose to why Mike would ask an odd question as such.
“I don’t really remember, but she did show up once with a man.” Brian nodded to himself, sure that it was correct.
“What did he look like?” Mike wanted to make sure it was not Junjin.
“Fairly tall, built, clean cut and short hair.” Brian shrugged.
“Do you know his name?” Mike questioned.
“No.” Brian shook his head. He waited for a moment before Mike mumbled a ‘thank you,’ then left.
With a shadow falling over one side of his shoulder, Mike fixed his tie, then straightened his new suit. He’d shaved, once again looking like his old self; the person he remembered so well. Looking into the mirror, he didn’t want to look angry, but he knew he did.
“Mike, honey? Where are you?” Ji Yun called out as she dropped her bag on the bed that was already made.
“Over here,” Mike called back, not bothering to look her way. She walked over to him, a surprised smile plastered onto her face. She placed her hands on his shoulders and then to his tie.
“You look so handsome,” Ji Yun complimented as she helped him tighten it around his neck.
He brushed her hand off and walked around her. “Let’s go.”
He took a step into his home. The place looked familiar, but slight changes have been made throughout the entire interior of the living room. The once spacious bamboo floor was now scattered with papers and documents Mike didn’t recognize. He could tell she had done a bad job with house keeping while he was gone. Passing by the kitchen bar, he spotted a gold watch laying on the counter. Mike couldn’t help but wonder whom it belonged to, since it wasn’t his.
“Honey, could you help me out with this?” Ji Yun called out as she tried dragging a large box in. Mike turned his attention back to her and looked at the large box.
“What’s in there?” he asked. The contents of it seemed heavy, stamped all over.
She sighed and shrugged. “I brought it over from your office. They said it was yours so I had Junjin put it in the trunk.”
“You went to my office?” Mike asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Well, I...I just wanted to see if you had any unfinished work that I could help with.” She smiled and kissed his cheek.
“I’ll get dinner started.” Ji Yun walked away to the kitchen.
Mike brought in the box, despite his weakness, and placed it near the chimney. He made his way over to the kitchen and realized the watch was now gone. Ji Yun happily walked around in the kitchen with an apron on, going back and forth from the stove to the sink, finding her utensils. Mike walked over to the refrigerator and looked in. He closed it and stepped back. Crossing his arms, he stood back to watch her.
“Ji Yun.”
“Yes?” She looked up with bright eyes.
“What are you going to cook? There’s nothing in the refrigerator.”
To her surprise, she couldn’t reply. “Oh...I...I guess I was too busy for these past few days, I forgot to go shopping.” She looked away, biting her lips anxiously.
“That’s fine. We’ll go eat out.”
“Really?” She looked back at him with relieved eyes, half thankful that she didn’t have to cook.
“Yeah. I never really liked your cooking anyway,” Mike replied as he walked off to his room, leaving Ji Yun a bit surprised and speechless.
Chapter 30
He sat alone on the bed, looking lost and paralyzed, a bit unconcerned for the world outside. Minimum noises went about outside his room, but he didn’t listen. Instead, thoughts of the “dream” floated about his head. He remained silently still and hoped he’d wake up again. A knock was heard, followed by the door creaking open.
Mike recognized the man - Brian, only this time he wore a long white lab coat and had a pen stuck in his breast pocket. He smiled at Mike as he walked closer and took a seat next to him, pulling from behind him a writing pad.
“Hi,” Brian whispered out as he slipped on his glasses and took out his pen.
“How are you feeling?” Brian asked. Mike looked at him in the eyes and waited for Brian to suddenly tell him something familiar. Anything . . . There was only silence.
“If you don’t talk at all, I can’t guarantee when you’ll get to go home,” Brian smiled. He began scribbling down some notes.
“I’m fine.” Mike’s response was quick and short. He didn’t show much interest in talking to anybody at the moment. He wanted to be left alone.
“Alright. I’ve called your wife. She’ll be coming in a few minutes. Why don’t you get dressed? She brought your clothes in that bag right there.” Brian pointed towards a black shiny bag, placed next to the table near Mike’s bed. Brian stood up to leave after neatly placing his pen back.
“Wait,” Mike called after him. Brian stopped and turned around. “When I was in a coma, did you see my wife with anybody?”
Brian paused to think for a moment, asking himself of a purpose to why Mike would ask an odd question as such.
“I don’t really remember, but she did show up once with a man.” Brian nodded to himself, sure that it was correct.
“What did he look like?” Mike wanted to make sure it was not Junjin.
“Fairly tall, built, clean cut and short hair.” Brian shrugged.
“Do you know his name?” Mike questioned.
“No.” Brian shook his head. He waited for a moment before Mike mumbled a ‘thank you,’ then left.
With a shadow falling over one side of his shoulder, Mike fixed his tie, then straightened his new suit. He’d shaved, once again looking like his old self; the person he remembered so well. Looking into the mirror, he didn’t want to look angry, but he knew he did.
“Mike, honey? Where are you?” Ji Yun called out as she dropped her bag on the bed that was already made.
“Over here,” Mike called back, not bothering to look her way. She walked over to him, a surprised smile plastered onto her face. She placed her hands on his shoulders and then to his tie.
“You look so handsome,” Ji Yun complimented as she helped him tighten it around his neck.
He brushed her hand off and walked around her. “Let’s go.”
He took a step into his home. The place looked familiar, but slight changes have been made throughout the entire interior of the living room. The once spacious bamboo floor was now scattered with papers and documents Mike didn’t recognize. He could tell she had done a bad job with house keeping while he was gone. Passing by the kitchen bar, he spotted a gold watch laying on the counter. Mike couldn’t help but wonder whom it belonged to, since it wasn’t his.
“Honey, could you help me out with this?” Ji Yun called out as she tried dragging a large box in. Mike turned his attention back to her and looked at the large box.
“What’s in there?” he asked. The contents of it seemed heavy, stamped all over.
She sighed and shrugged. “I brought it over from your office. They said it was yours so I had Junjin put it in the trunk.”
“You went to my office?” Mike asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Well, I...I just wanted to see if you had any unfinished work that I could help with.” She smiled and kissed his cheek.
“I’ll get dinner started.” Ji Yun walked away to the kitchen.
Mike brought in the box, despite his weakness, and placed it near the chimney. He made his way over to the kitchen and realized the watch was now gone. Ji Yun happily walked around in the kitchen with an apron on, going back and forth from the stove to the sink, finding her utensils. Mike walked over to the refrigerator and looked in. He closed it and stepped back. Crossing his arms, he stood back to watch her.
“Ji Yun.”
“Yes?” She looked up with bright eyes.
“What are you going to cook? There’s nothing in the refrigerator.”
To her surprise, she couldn’t reply. “Oh...I...I guess I was too busy for these past few days, I forgot to go shopping.” She looked away, biting her lips anxiously.
“That’s fine. We’ll go eat out.”
“Really?” She looked back at him with relieved eyes, half thankful that she didn’t have to cook.
“Yeah. I never really liked your cooking anyway,” Mike replied as he walked off to his room, leaving Ji Yun a bit surprised and speechless.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 29
Li Ann stood still frozen with terror as Andy held still with his gun pointed to her neck. She knew he wouldn’t stop if he was going to shoot her the next second. Her eyes stared straight into his, looking at his clean-cut face, seeing Mike walk up behind Andy.
For a moment she forgot why he was there. She couldn’t speak as everything seemed to be like a dream. Her heart was pounding faster than she could think when Mike slowly put his hand around Andy’s gun and suddenly yanked it from him.
“What the...” Andy thought he had accidentally dropped the gun. Without warning, a kick from Mike was directed towards his abdomen, followed by a punch to the face.
The main door flushed open as Eric and his crew came storming in with their guns aimed straight ahead of them. The entire room was now confiscated with four different groups.
Hwanhee grabbed the laptop and pulled out his shiny black caliber while Hyesung slowly walked backwards behind his men, ducking for cover. The entire warehouse became a wild rampage of men running around with guns, shooting aimlessly at one another.
Dahye suddenly yanked her wrists from the rope that she was bound with and worked on Li Ann’s knot. She cursed out loud as she kept fumbling with the knot. Slowly, the knot began to loosen.
Junjin had managed to struggle to his feet. Ignoring the pain ripping in his arm, he grabbed the rope that tied Mary’s hands and quickly unworked them.
“This way!” Junjin shouted as he followed Li Ann, Dahye and Mary out the little exit nearby, trying to dodge the flying bullets.
Another unseen force struck Andy in the jaw, knocking him down. He picked up his gun and started to wildly shoot into the air, hoping to hit whatever was attacking him.
“Put your weapons down!” Eric shouted. Hyesung pulled out a gun from one of his men’s grasps and aimlessly shot at the group of cops, while Andy’s men fought for cover. The surroundings weren’t so easy to hide, due to the room that had been cleared out earlier.
The exit that Junjin led them through came to a dead end, stuck between a door that was jammed tightly and the other side full of danger.
“Shit!” Junjin cursed as he grabbed his arm, which was now more painful than ever. He searched desperately for a way to open the door that was still jammed tightly.
“Shit shit shit.” He looked back at the three other girls, then back to the door, unable to configure a way out.
“Move,damn it,” Dahye suddenly said with a slight shove to Junjin. She took a deep breath, then threw a hard kick at the door. It shuttered noises as the weak walls moved, but the door didn’t budge. Dahye kicked again, and didn’t stop until the knob of the door nearly fell out of its place.
Inside the large warehouse room, the conglomerated situation caused confusion between Andy and Hyesung’s men, whom were all dressed the same way in black suits. One didn’t know of the other, nor what side they were from.
Like a conflagration, Hyesung’s men stirred and turned on each other. More police force poured from outside as Eric’s backup arrived. They surrounded the building firmly, corresponding to the situation Eric was in.
Eric leaned against a wall where it blocked him out of view from Hyesung as he gave what was left of his men countenance to continue their shootings. He looked around the scene. Hwanhee was missing.
A shout tore from Andy as he lost all senses. Not know what or who was against him, an invisible force that rapidly beat him, he grew frustrated and scared. He was in destitution for anything to help him while he still had time.
Brian remained silently still in his crouched position as he stretched his hands and cracked his knuckles. At the right time which he knew, he turned to see Hwanhee making his way out of the warehouse through a secret passageway. Brian knew what his intentions were. Even if he had no reasons with Hwanhee, he couldn’t let the man get away. Brian found the man despicable.
Before Hwanhee could make it past Brian, something lurched at his knees, tripping him over. Hwanhee fell over his laptop, which cracked in half. Not caring much about it, he picked himself up, then reached for his gun.
A hand, obviously of a male, picked up the gun before Hwanhee could. He looked up to see the young man around his age holding the gun securely, pointing it towards him. Brian wondered why Hwanhee was looking at him like he was crazy. Reasonably because Brian was in a suit, and Hwanhee had never seen him before.
“Who the hell are you?” Hwanhee asked with a low growl in his voice as he stepped back from Brian.
“Nobody you should know of,” Brian returned.
“Put your hands up!” Tony appeared from the door as he pointed his gun at Hwanhee, who was standing alone. Hwanhee threw his hands above his head in equanimity and glanced back at Brian, but found nobody. It was just him and the cop.
Junjin helped Dahye push against the door. This time, it surprisingly gave way with Junjin nearly landing hard into the ground with the force he put in. Mary helped him to steady ground and towards the officers nearby.
Li Ann followed last, but suddenly remembered one thing. She turned around and ran back towards the warehouse room. She didn’t know what she was doing back there. It wasn’t an escapade she was playing, but the feeling that Mike was still back there led her into the room.
The firearms had been laid down with a bullet in Hyesung’s leg. Most of his men were either dead or caught, and Jae Won slightly injured. Andy remained in hand cuffs as he saw Li Ann from the far side of the wall. She only glared back with a merciless look.
“Mike?” Li Ann quietly called out, hoping he’d pop out of somewhere to surprise her.
“Miss,” a voice provoked her from behind. She spun around to see Eric.
“I’ll need you to go to town with me to testify as a witness,” Eric explained. Li Ann merely nodded as she worried about other things instead; she worried about where Mike was.
With less than a few minutes on Brian’s watch, he literally dragged Mike out. Holding a tight grasp on Mike’s shoulder, he didn’t know how Mike had suddenly pulled away.
“I have to go back!” Mike shouted in argument against Brian.
“No, we’ve done enough, and if you don’t hurry, you’re gonna end up–...”
“I know! Just let me go back to say goodbye,” Mike interrupted. His eyes were focused onto Brian’s with his jaws clenched, and for a second there, he could actually see that Brian’s eyes had a bit of green in them.
“Sorry, can’t.” Brian looked at his watch as the minute hand moved up a notch. “You can’t.”
Ignoring Brian, he broke away and ran back towards the warehouse. Anger and confusion erupted his mind as he was suddenly in a place unknown, a place he’d never seen.
Moving across an empty field, Mike shielded his eyes from a bright light that began to form around him. The wind picked up an increasing pace as the world around them spun, making him more transparent than ever. He could feel the wind goin through his body as it began to decrease. Then he could feel no more.
His head began to throb with an undeniable pain, wrecking his soul. Claustrophobia set in and his mind began to stir. Where was Brian?
Water rose up to his neck, pulling him in, drowning him. He could feel the cold steering wheel beneath him, and his belt pushing against his chest to hold him to his seat. Then the water stopped.
He cringed as the white particles surrounding him lessen its pace and started floating off. He was suddenly unaware and mesmerized by them. Oddly, they unknown particles began to focus into view. His upside down position had been switched to horizontal, and he could move his eyes to blink at the white light.
Where am I? Heaven?
The endless beeping from a machine and the intoxicating smell of a place familiar invaded him. He could tell he was still alive, or at least breathing.
A soft touch was felt on his hand. Immediately, he grabbed what it was. A warm hand, he felt. He opened his eyes to wait for the image in front of him to come into view. He wished he hadn’t.
“Mike, honey, wake up,” Ji Yun’s soft voice spoke to him, soothing and comforting.
“Ji Yun? Wh...where am I?” Mike found his voice weak and his throat dry, as if he hadn’t drank anything in years.
“Mr. Lee?” He looked to the other side to see a female dressed in white with a clipboard in her arm. “I’m Alena Lee, your doctor.” A wedding ring sparkled off her finger.
“Where am I?” Mike asked again as he looked around now as his vision became clearer.
“You were in a bad car accident, and you’ve just woken up from your coma. You’re very lucky for waking up after only three weeks. Most patients don’t wake up for years.”
“What?” Mike found himself shocked to hear what had just came out of the doctor’s mouth. What struck him the most was the word ‘coma.’ He half wished he really did die, and remained half thankful that it was over. Ji Yun smiled at him as she patted his arm.
At the foot of his bed was Junjin, grinning at him. It could only be as Junjin returning from work once again; his entire attire was usual, and his hair ruffed from a long day’s work. His thoughts returned to what the doctor had been saying.
“I was in a coma? Where’s Brian?”
“You remember Dr. Joo? He’ll be back shortly,” the doctor replied explained.
“Brian’s a doctor?” Mike asked, confused.
“Yes.” She gave Mike an odd look. She turned to Ji Yun, “Patients that just woke up tend to think of people they saw in their dreams.” Ji Yun nodded in response.
“Mike, what did you see in your dream?” Dr. Lee turned to him and asked as she picked up a black inked pen from her pocket.
“I...” Mike thought for a moment. “I died.”
Alena’s eyes shot up, and so did Ji Yun’s. They were a bit surprised by his answer. The look Alena gave Mike wanted him to continue explaining.
“I died...I really did.” Mike’s voice grew quiet. He said no more.
Not wanting to pursue her task in asking about his dream, Alena wished him goodness and left to tend her other patients. She passed by Brian, who was talking to a registered nurse by the counter. He nodded and took a clipboard from the nurse. Alena smiled at him as she walked up to him.
“Patient in room 204 woke up,” Alena reported. Brian remained stunned for a minute.
“Already? Wow.” He nodded with a smile. “That’s wonderful, I’ll check up on him later. Thanks hun.” With a kiss to her cheek, he proceeded onwards to the opposite direction.
“How are you feeling man?” Junjin asked as he shook Mike’s arm carefully.
“I don’t know. Okay, I guess,” Mike replied, choosing his words carefully.
“Glad you’re alive. I have to run now, so I’ll check on you again later. I got a date with this really pretty girl named Mary. I'll come back later.” Junjin patted Mike’s shoulder before heading out, glad that after a long three weeks wait, Mike had finally woken up.
He lay quietly still on the bed, his mind locked in recaps of what had just happened. The two and a half weeks he’d been with Li Ann was all faked? And some how he knew of all the other things that happened, wether or not he was involved. Did he really have a niece named Dahye?
It felt like watching a movie...only that it was a dream; a dream real enough to be true. A dream of his life...the past? Or the future? The thought scared him. The questions confused him. So many remained unanswered. He remained at lost. He was afraid of the truth.
Ji Yun’s hold on his hand tightened. He finally realized she was still in the room with him. He looked at her face, beautiful and charming as ever. Light blush streaked her cheeks and her lips shined from the gloss she wore. Mike found her different. She smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the forehead.
“I’m going home to cook dinner for you, okay?” she asked softly to his ear. Ji Yun leaned back, but Mike didn’t let go of her hand yet. He only squeezed lightly back.
“Stay with me,” Mike whispered. Ji Yun slowly lowered herself down to the seat next to him. He wondered if Ji Yun had, or would really betray him.
His thoughts slowly drifted off back to Li Ann. What happened? Where was she? He wanted to see her.
Chapter 29
Li Ann stood still frozen with terror as Andy held still with his gun pointed to her neck. She knew he wouldn’t stop if he was going to shoot her the next second. Her eyes stared straight into his, looking at his clean-cut face, seeing Mike walk up behind Andy.
For a moment she forgot why he was there. She couldn’t speak as everything seemed to be like a dream. Her heart was pounding faster than she could think when Mike slowly put his hand around Andy’s gun and suddenly yanked it from him.
“What the...” Andy thought he had accidentally dropped the gun. Without warning, a kick from Mike was directed towards his abdomen, followed by a punch to the face.
The main door flushed open as Eric and his crew came storming in with their guns aimed straight ahead of them. The entire room was now confiscated with four different groups.
Hwanhee grabbed the laptop and pulled out his shiny black caliber while Hyesung slowly walked backwards behind his men, ducking for cover. The entire warehouse became a wild rampage of men running around with guns, shooting aimlessly at one another.
Dahye suddenly yanked her wrists from the rope that she was bound with and worked on Li Ann’s knot. She cursed out loud as she kept fumbling with the knot. Slowly, the knot began to loosen.
Junjin had managed to struggle to his feet. Ignoring the pain ripping in his arm, he grabbed the rope that tied Mary’s hands and quickly unworked them.
“This way!” Junjin shouted as he followed Li Ann, Dahye and Mary out the little exit nearby, trying to dodge the flying bullets.
Another unseen force struck Andy in the jaw, knocking him down. He picked up his gun and started to wildly shoot into the air, hoping to hit whatever was attacking him.
“Put your weapons down!” Eric shouted. Hyesung pulled out a gun from one of his men’s grasps and aimlessly shot at the group of cops, while Andy’s men fought for cover. The surroundings weren’t so easy to hide, due to the room that had been cleared out earlier.
The exit that Junjin led them through came to a dead end, stuck between a door that was jammed tightly and the other side full of danger.
“Shit!” Junjin cursed as he grabbed his arm, which was now more painful than ever. He searched desperately for a way to open the door that was still jammed tightly.
“Shit shit shit.” He looked back at the three other girls, then back to the door, unable to configure a way out.
“Move,damn it,” Dahye suddenly said with a slight shove to Junjin. She took a deep breath, then threw a hard kick at the door. It shuttered noises as the weak walls moved, but the door didn’t budge. Dahye kicked again, and didn’t stop until the knob of the door nearly fell out of its place.
Inside the large warehouse room, the conglomerated situation caused confusion between Andy and Hyesung’s men, whom were all dressed the same way in black suits. One didn’t know of the other, nor what side they were from.
Like a conflagration, Hyesung’s men stirred and turned on each other. More police force poured from outside as Eric’s backup arrived. They surrounded the building firmly, corresponding to the situation Eric was in.
Eric leaned against a wall where it blocked him out of view from Hyesung as he gave what was left of his men countenance to continue their shootings. He looked around the scene. Hwanhee was missing.
A shout tore from Andy as he lost all senses. Not know what or who was against him, an invisible force that rapidly beat him, he grew frustrated and scared. He was in destitution for anything to help him while he still had time.
Brian remained silently still in his crouched position as he stretched his hands and cracked his knuckles. At the right time which he knew, he turned to see Hwanhee making his way out of the warehouse through a secret passageway. Brian knew what his intentions were. Even if he had no reasons with Hwanhee, he couldn’t let the man get away. Brian found the man despicable.
Before Hwanhee could make it past Brian, something lurched at his knees, tripping him over. Hwanhee fell over his laptop, which cracked in half. Not caring much about it, he picked himself up, then reached for his gun.
A hand, obviously of a male, picked up the gun before Hwanhee could. He looked up to see the young man around his age holding the gun securely, pointing it towards him. Brian wondered why Hwanhee was looking at him like he was crazy. Reasonably because Brian was in a suit, and Hwanhee had never seen him before.
“Who the hell are you?” Hwanhee asked with a low growl in his voice as he stepped back from Brian.
“Nobody you should know of,” Brian returned.
“Put your hands up!” Tony appeared from the door as he pointed his gun at Hwanhee, who was standing alone. Hwanhee threw his hands above his head in equanimity and glanced back at Brian, but found nobody. It was just him and the cop.
Junjin helped Dahye push against the door. This time, it surprisingly gave way with Junjin nearly landing hard into the ground with the force he put in. Mary helped him to steady ground and towards the officers nearby.
Li Ann followed last, but suddenly remembered one thing. She turned around and ran back towards the warehouse room. She didn’t know what she was doing back there. It wasn’t an escapade she was playing, but the feeling that Mike was still back there led her into the room.
The firearms had been laid down with a bullet in Hyesung’s leg. Most of his men were either dead or caught, and Jae Won slightly injured. Andy remained in hand cuffs as he saw Li Ann from the far side of the wall. She only glared back with a merciless look.
“Mike?” Li Ann quietly called out, hoping he’d pop out of somewhere to surprise her.
“Miss,” a voice provoked her from behind. She spun around to see Eric.
“I’ll need you to go to town with me to testify as a witness,” Eric explained. Li Ann merely nodded as she worried about other things instead; she worried about where Mike was.
With less than a few minutes on Brian’s watch, he literally dragged Mike out. Holding a tight grasp on Mike’s shoulder, he didn’t know how Mike had suddenly pulled away.
“I have to go back!” Mike shouted in argument against Brian.
“No, we’ve done enough, and if you don’t hurry, you’re gonna end up–...”
“I know! Just let me go back to say goodbye,” Mike interrupted. His eyes were focused onto Brian’s with his jaws clenched, and for a second there, he could actually see that Brian’s eyes had a bit of green in them.
“Sorry, can’t.” Brian looked at his watch as the minute hand moved up a notch. “You can’t.”
Ignoring Brian, he broke away and ran back towards the warehouse. Anger and confusion erupted his mind as he was suddenly in a place unknown, a place he’d never seen.
Moving across an empty field, Mike shielded his eyes from a bright light that began to form around him. The wind picked up an increasing pace as the world around them spun, making him more transparent than ever. He could feel the wind goin through his body as it began to decrease. Then he could feel no more.
His head began to throb with an undeniable pain, wrecking his soul. Claustrophobia set in and his mind began to stir. Where was Brian?
Water rose up to his neck, pulling him in, drowning him. He could feel the cold steering wheel beneath him, and his belt pushing against his chest to hold him to his seat. Then the water stopped.
He cringed as the white particles surrounding him lessen its pace and started floating off. He was suddenly unaware and mesmerized by them. Oddly, they unknown particles began to focus into view. His upside down position had been switched to horizontal, and he could move his eyes to blink at the white light.
Where am I? Heaven?
The endless beeping from a machine and the intoxicating smell of a place familiar invaded him. He could tell he was still alive, or at least breathing.
A soft touch was felt on his hand. Immediately, he grabbed what it was. A warm hand, he felt. He opened his eyes to wait for the image in front of him to come into view. He wished he hadn’t.
“Mike, honey, wake up,” Ji Yun’s soft voice spoke to him, soothing and comforting.
“Ji Yun? Wh...where am I?” Mike found his voice weak and his throat dry, as if he hadn’t drank anything in years.
“Mr. Lee?” He looked to the other side to see a female dressed in white with a clipboard in her arm. “I’m Alena Lee, your doctor.” A wedding ring sparkled off her finger.
“Where am I?” Mike asked again as he looked around now as his vision became clearer.
“You were in a bad car accident, and you’ve just woken up from your coma. You’re very lucky for waking up after only three weeks. Most patients don’t wake up for years.”
“What?” Mike found himself shocked to hear what had just came out of the doctor’s mouth. What struck him the most was the word ‘coma.’ He half wished he really did die, and remained half thankful that it was over. Ji Yun smiled at him as she patted his arm.
At the foot of his bed was Junjin, grinning at him. It could only be as Junjin returning from work once again; his entire attire was usual, and his hair ruffed from a long day’s work. His thoughts returned to what the doctor had been saying.
“I was in a coma? Where’s Brian?”
“You remember Dr. Joo? He’ll be back shortly,” the doctor replied explained.
“Brian’s a doctor?” Mike asked, confused.
“Yes.” She gave Mike an odd look. She turned to Ji Yun, “Patients that just woke up tend to think of people they saw in their dreams.” Ji Yun nodded in response.
“Mike, what did you see in your dream?” Dr. Lee turned to him and asked as she picked up a black inked pen from her pocket.
“I...” Mike thought for a moment. “I died.”
Alena’s eyes shot up, and so did Ji Yun’s. They were a bit surprised by his answer. The look Alena gave Mike wanted him to continue explaining.
“I died...I really did.” Mike’s voice grew quiet. He said no more.
Not wanting to pursue her task in asking about his dream, Alena wished him goodness and left to tend her other patients. She passed by Brian, who was talking to a registered nurse by the counter. He nodded and took a clipboard from the nurse. Alena smiled at him as she walked up to him.
“Patient in room 204 woke up,” Alena reported. Brian remained stunned for a minute.
“Already? Wow.” He nodded with a smile. “That’s wonderful, I’ll check up on him later. Thanks hun.” With a kiss to her cheek, he proceeded onwards to the opposite direction.
“How are you feeling man?” Junjin asked as he shook Mike’s arm carefully.
“I don’t know. Okay, I guess,” Mike replied, choosing his words carefully.
“Glad you’re alive. I have to run now, so I’ll check on you again later. I got a date with this really pretty girl named Mary. I'll come back later.” Junjin patted Mike’s shoulder before heading out, glad that after a long three weeks wait, Mike had finally woken up.
He lay quietly still on the bed, his mind locked in recaps of what had just happened. The two and a half weeks he’d been with Li Ann was all faked? And some how he knew of all the other things that happened, wether or not he was involved. Did he really have a niece named Dahye?
It felt like watching a movie...only that it was a dream; a dream real enough to be true. A dream of his life...the past? Or the future? The thought scared him. The questions confused him. So many remained unanswered. He remained at lost. He was afraid of the truth.
Ji Yun’s hold on his hand tightened. He finally realized she was still in the room with him. He looked at her face, beautiful and charming as ever. Light blush streaked her cheeks and her lips shined from the gloss she wore. Mike found her different. She smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the forehead.
“I’m going home to cook dinner for you, okay?” she asked softly to his ear. Ji Yun leaned back, but Mike didn’t let go of her hand yet. He only squeezed lightly back.
“Stay with me,” Mike whispered. Ji Yun slowly lowered herself down to the seat next to him. He wondered if Ji Yun had, or would really betray him.
His thoughts slowly drifted off back to Li Ann. What happened? Where was she? He wanted to see her.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 28
Ji Yun stumbled backwards, trying to get away from Mike. She ran out the door as quickly as she could and sprinted down the stairs, forgetting to grab her purse as she slammed the door shut. Running to her car, she took her keys out of the pocket and jammed it into the door lock, but of course, it wasn't locked.
Muttering a curse, she opened the door and sunk into the seat. As soon as her eyes lifted up to start the car, there he was, standing in front of her car. Ji Yun's fingers gripped the wheel. Within a moment of staring into his icy eyes, the car screeched out of the driveway.
“Nice work,” Brian complimented as he leaned cooly on the garage door. Mike turned around and looked at him in a sarcastic way.
“That bitch...” Mike mumbled to himself.
“Yeah, Mike. I’d like to stay here and help you scare people, but you do have some people to save, and you only have two hours.” Brian glanced at his watch and smirked.
“Do you know where Ji Yun’s going?” Mike asked, still feeling the anger fuming in his mind. Brian stood up straight and walked on ahead of him.
"I don't get it. An hour ago you were in such a hurry to do your own thing, but now you're helping me. Why?" Curiosity filled Mike's mind as he walked along side Brian. Mike kept glancing back to his house, then back to the road, wondering why they were walking so slowly if they only had two hours left. Brian didn't look at Mike. He kept his eyes steady on the road and walked with the same pace.
“Well, just because I’m wearing black and red all the time doesn’t necessarily mean I’m all evil,” Brian replied with sarcasm dripping from his lips.
“Why are we walking so slowly? Can’t you do that...magic thing you always do so we could just get there already?” Mike implied with impatience. Brian stopped and looked over to him, his eyebrows raised in amusement.
“Like this?” Brian turned back to the road, and so did Mike. They were in front of the old warehouse with a few black cars parked out front. Mike's mouth dropped in shock, but he quickly closed his mouth and just tried to look surprised.
.............
Eric picked up his cell phone and dialed the Seoul Police Headquarters quickly. He spoke sharply into it, ordering them to send backup and sharpshooters if necessary. Junjin sat in his seat a bit dumbfounded and stunned that he was involved. The chance of him getting killed was high, since he was the man to go negotiate with Hyesung.
Half a block before reaching the warehouse, Eric brought the car to a halt and looked over to Tony and Jae Won.
“You boys stay behind me and have fun, alright?” Eric asked with a confident look on his face. Tony and Jae Won merely nodded as they snapped their guns into place.
"Hey, what about me?" Junjin asked, looking really lost. Eric stared at him curiously.
“Aren’t you supposed to be the hero and save the girl?” Eric laughed as he stepped out of the car. Junjin rolled his eyes and followed.
"Hold up - so what am I supposed to do?" Junjin's question caused Eric to pause and think for a second. He chewed deliberately on his gum, thinking deeply of his plans.
"Go in there like you usually would. Negotiate with him until we come in. Got that?"
Junjin looked from Tony to Jae Won, who were minding their own business and focusing on the target. He nodded back to Eric and straightened out his suit. Junjin took a deep breath, then proceeded onwards towards the warehouse.
A black car pulled up and parked behind Eric’s SUV. Eric looked over and waved for Tae Hyung to come over to where they were standing. The large brick building blocked the four officers out of view, as Junjin walked into the warehouse, more than ever, feeling a desperate need to jump up and run away.
“What are we doing here?” Tae Hyung asked Eric outside as they stood there waiting for something to happen. Eric shook his shoulders and suddenly felt frolicsome. The exciting part was just about to happen.
“We are waiting for back up.” Tae Hyung’s expression changed as he looked at Eric in a funny way. He glanced over to Tony and Jae Won questioningly, but they only shrugged. Eric usually didn’t need backup. Tae Hyung guessed Eric just hated explaining things; he always did. That answer wouldn’t be the reason why Eric kept his position. He glanced at his watch. At the same time, Eric looked at his watch too.
“Damn it. By now somebody should be shot already,” Eric muttered as he pulled out his gun.
Jae Won chuckled. “You’re expecting Junjin to get shot?”
Eric gave him a look that read "yes". Suddenly, a Silver BMW pulled into the warehouse parking lot. Eric's eyes were focused on it like a hawk. He had a sneaking suspicion of whom would it be.
Andy stepped out, followed by four of his men, all dressed in neat suits, wearing dark shades. They strolled into the warehouse, a few of them looking around for any signs of cops.
Junjin turned the corner and came to face his biggest fear. He glanced around and felt very nervous but tried to look as confident as possible. Mary was tied to a pole, along with two other females he did not know. Hyesung stood in the middle with his arms crossed, and Hwanhee sat down on a desktop next to a silver laptop.
“How nice of you to show up, Mr. Park. Right on time,” Hyesung announced with a devilish grin. Junjin stood his ground as he scanned the entire room. There were about 10 men lined up against the opposite wall, their arms held tightly behind their backs and their gaze straight toward him, as if they were angry soldiers. Mary looked back at him, debating in her mind what he was thinking. He wasn’t even looking at her.
Hwanhee almost cavorted from his seat as he paced slowly towards Hyesung. Junjin remembered him from the night club. It was like a stare-down contest when all eyes were locked on Junjin alone. He glanced at Mary suddenly didn't feel as nervous as before. He tried to tell her that things were going to be okay by giving her a slight smile, but she only looked at him with confusion as her fingers continued to fidget with the rope tying her hands back.
Hyesung walked over to the desk and turned the silver laptop around. On the screen showed the entering page to the Seoul National Bank systems, with a box for a code and password
“Give me the number,” Hyesung demanded.
Junjin cleared his throat. “Not until you let the girls go first.”
Hyesung’s face went from hazy to dark as he looked over to Hwanhee. “Let Mary go.”
Somebody’s footsteps clicked, walking into the large room of the warehouse. All heads turned towards Andy, and his men. Andy grinned as he examined the situation.
“Well, well, look what we have here. Good job Hyesung. You were so close to getting through, but now that I’m here, I’ll take over,” Andy said loud enough for everyone to hear. He walked farther into the room. He glanced over to where Li Ann was, tied to the pole securely. She only stared back at him blankly.
Hyesung shook his head and managed a laugh. “Nice to see you here, Andy. I thought you would have died by now.”
“I don’t take life too seriously, but I don’t think I’ll be the next one to die. It seems like you and Mr. Hwang will be having a hard time cooperating with each other. Did you know that Mr. Hwang planned to kill you after you guys break the code?”
Hyesung looked over to Hwanhee. The hard look on Hwanhee’s face was still the same. Obviously Andy was telling the truth, but Hwanhee didn’t show any emotions. Now a lost Hyesung wondered to himself if what Andy said would be true, or if he was just trying to confuse them.
“So state your business, Andy?” Hyesung asked.
“The same as yours,” Andy smiled. He pulled out a 22 caliber and pointed it towards Junjin’s head. “What’s the number?”
Junjin sighed. He was surrounded by three of the nastiest crooks, a whole bunch of people who would be more than happy to kill him, a gun pointed to his head, and all for that number. He looked at Hyesung, then at Andy, wondering what was going to happen next. Obviously half of him was sensing that he would feel the bullet penetrate through his brain at any minute.
“You think I’m going to tell you the number if you when you have the gun pointed to my head?” Junjin asked, suddenly feeling a bit more confident. Andy raised an eyebrow at him, astonished.
“You’re right...” Andy suddenly pointed the gun to Junjin’s arm and pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed through the room and out. Eric pulled his finger over his ear, then threw it forward. The four of them quickly closed in on the building.
“Ah! Shit!” Junjin screamed out as he grabbed his arm in agonizing pain. Andy’s smile disappeared as he walked in closer to Junjin.
“Do you want me to finish off the job?” Andy pointed the gun at his face. Junjin’s face was twisted with pain as he tried to struggle for air. He could barely stand up straight as blood dripped from his fingertips. He waited for something to happen. Where the hell was Eric?
Hyesung and Hwanhee just seemed to stand and stare as Andy’s patience slowly disappeared. He pulled the gun into motion, ready to shoot.
Li Ann glanced from Hwanhee to Hyesung, to Andy. Nobody was going to do anything. The poor man was just going to die. She bit her bottom lip as worry and panic filled her eyes.
“I’m counting to three. One, two–...”
“Andy! Wait!” Li Ann called out. Andy’s head turned towards where her voice came from. He showed a surprised expression on his face.
Li Ann took a deep breath. “I know the number.”
“What are you doing?” Dahye whispered. She wretched her hands around the ragged ropes. They seemed to loosen already, since she’d been doing that for the past twenty minutes.
Andy paced over to Li Ann and smiled. “You do?”
“Yes,” Li Ann replied with a nervous swallow.
“What is it?” Andy leaned in near her and placed his arm over her head. His face was nearly an inch from hers as he looked from her eyes to her lips. Li Ann lowered her gaze and tried to recite the numbers.
Hyesung cocked his head over to see if Li Ann was actually going to say something. He motioned for Hwanhee to walk to the laptop while Andy was occupied. Hwanhee reached the desktop and turned the laptop to face him.
“I...I...” Li Ann stuttered.
“What is it? Don’t you lie to me Li Ann...” Andy warned.
“You have to let these people go first.” Li Ann seemed to be doing exactly what Junjin was. Andy sucked in a deep breath and raised his gun to her neck. The tip of his gun felt cool as it was placed near her collar bone. A chill ran down her spine as she looked into Andy’s determined eyes.
“I don’t think so.” Andy shook his head slightly. His fingers wrapped around the trigger tightly, ready to pull.
Chapter 28
Ji Yun stumbled backwards, trying to get away from Mike. She ran out the door as quickly as she could and sprinted down the stairs, forgetting to grab her purse as she slammed the door shut. Running to her car, she took her keys out of the pocket and jammed it into the door lock, but of course, it wasn't locked.
Muttering a curse, she opened the door and sunk into the seat. As soon as her eyes lifted up to start the car, there he was, standing in front of her car. Ji Yun's fingers gripped the wheel. Within a moment of staring into his icy eyes, the car screeched out of the driveway.
“Nice work,” Brian complimented as he leaned cooly on the garage door. Mike turned around and looked at him in a sarcastic way.
“That bitch...” Mike mumbled to himself.
“Yeah, Mike. I’d like to stay here and help you scare people, but you do have some people to save, and you only have two hours.” Brian glanced at his watch and smirked.
“Do you know where Ji Yun’s going?” Mike asked, still feeling the anger fuming in his mind. Brian stood up straight and walked on ahead of him.
"I don't get it. An hour ago you were in such a hurry to do your own thing, but now you're helping me. Why?" Curiosity filled Mike's mind as he walked along side Brian. Mike kept glancing back to his house, then back to the road, wondering why they were walking so slowly if they only had two hours left. Brian didn't look at Mike. He kept his eyes steady on the road and walked with the same pace.
“Well, just because I’m wearing black and red all the time doesn’t necessarily mean I’m all evil,” Brian replied with sarcasm dripping from his lips.
“Why are we walking so slowly? Can’t you do that...magic thing you always do so we could just get there already?” Mike implied with impatience. Brian stopped and looked over to him, his eyebrows raised in amusement.
“Like this?” Brian turned back to the road, and so did Mike. They were in front of the old warehouse with a few black cars parked out front. Mike's mouth dropped in shock, but he quickly closed his mouth and just tried to look surprised.
.............
Eric picked up his cell phone and dialed the Seoul Police Headquarters quickly. He spoke sharply into it, ordering them to send backup and sharpshooters if necessary. Junjin sat in his seat a bit dumbfounded and stunned that he was involved. The chance of him getting killed was high, since he was the man to go negotiate with Hyesung.
Half a block before reaching the warehouse, Eric brought the car to a halt and looked over to Tony and Jae Won.
“You boys stay behind me and have fun, alright?” Eric asked with a confident look on his face. Tony and Jae Won merely nodded as they snapped their guns into place.
"Hey, what about me?" Junjin asked, looking really lost. Eric stared at him curiously.
“Aren’t you supposed to be the hero and save the girl?” Eric laughed as he stepped out of the car. Junjin rolled his eyes and followed.
"Hold up - so what am I supposed to do?" Junjin's question caused Eric to pause and think for a second. He chewed deliberately on his gum, thinking deeply of his plans.
"Go in there like you usually would. Negotiate with him until we come in. Got that?"
Junjin looked from Tony to Jae Won, who were minding their own business and focusing on the target. He nodded back to Eric and straightened out his suit. Junjin took a deep breath, then proceeded onwards towards the warehouse.
A black car pulled up and parked behind Eric’s SUV. Eric looked over and waved for Tae Hyung to come over to where they were standing. The large brick building blocked the four officers out of view, as Junjin walked into the warehouse, more than ever, feeling a desperate need to jump up and run away.
“What are we doing here?” Tae Hyung asked Eric outside as they stood there waiting for something to happen. Eric shook his shoulders and suddenly felt frolicsome. The exciting part was just about to happen.
“We are waiting for back up.” Tae Hyung’s expression changed as he looked at Eric in a funny way. He glanced over to Tony and Jae Won questioningly, but they only shrugged. Eric usually didn’t need backup. Tae Hyung guessed Eric just hated explaining things; he always did. That answer wouldn’t be the reason why Eric kept his position. He glanced at his watch. At the same time, Eric looked at his watch too.
“Damn it. By now somebody should be shot already,” Eric muttered as he pulled out his gun.
Jae Won chuckled. “You’re expecting Junjin to get shot?”
Eric gave him a look that read "yes". Suddenly, a Silver BMW pulled into the warehouse parking lot. Eric's eyes were focused on it like a hawk. He had a sneaking suspicion of whom would it be.
Andy stepped out, followed by four of his men, all dressed in neat suits, wearing dark shades. They strolled into the warehouse, a few of them looking around for any signs of cops.
Junjin turned the corner and came to face his biggest fear. He glanced around and felt very nervous but tried to look as confident as possible. Mary was tied to a pole, along with two other females he did not know. Hyesung stood in the middle with his arms crossed, and Hwanhee sat down on a desktop next to a silver laptop.
“How nice of you to show up, Mr. Park. Right on time,” Hyesung announced with a devilish grin. Junjin stood his ground as he scanned the entire room. There were about 10 men lined up against the opposite wall, their arms held tightly behind their backs and their gaze straight toward him, as if they were angry soldiers. Mary looked back at him, debating in her mind what he was thinking. He wasn’t even looking at her.
Hwanhee almost cavorted from his seat as he paced slowly towards Hyesung. Junjin remembered him from the night club. It was like a stare-down contest when all eyes were locked on Junjin alone. He glanced at Mary suddenly didn't feel as nervous as before. He tried to tell her that things were going to be okay by giving her a slight smile, but she only looked at him with confusion as her fingers continued to fidget with the rope tying her hands back.
Hyesung walked over to the desk and turned the silver laptop around. On the screen showed the entering page to the Seoul National Bank systems, with a box for a code and password
“Give me the number,” Hyesung demanded.
Junjin cleared his throat. “Not until you let the girls go first.”
Hyesung’s face went from hazy to dark as he looked over to Hwanhee. “Let Mary go.”
Somebody’s footsteps clicked, walking into the large room of the warehouse. All heads turned towards Andy, and his men. Andy grinned as he examined the situation.
“Well, well, look what we have here. Good job Hyesung. You were so close to getting through, but now that I’m here, I’ll take over,” Andy said loud enough for everyone to hear. He walked farther into the room. He glanced over to where Li Ann was, tied to the pole securely. She only stared back at him blankly.
Hyesung shook his head and managed a laugh. “Nice to see you here, Andy. I thought you would have died by now.”
“I don’t take life too seriously, but I don’t think I’ll be the next one to die. It seems like you and Mr. Hwang will be having a hard time cooperating with each other. Did you know that Mr. Hwang planned to kill you after you guys break the code?”
Hyesung looked over to Hwanhee. The hard look on Hwanhee’s face was still the same. Obviously Andy was telling the truth, but Hwanhee didn’t show any emotions. Now a lost Hyesung wondered to himself if what Andy said would be true, or if he was just trying to confuse them.
“So state your business, Andy?” Hyesung asked.
“The same as yours,” Andy smiled. He pulled out a 22 caliber and pointed it towards Junjin’s head. “What’s the number?”
Junjin sighed. He was surrounded by three of the nastiest crooks, a whole bunch of people who would be more than happy to kill him, a gun pointed to his head, and all for that number. He looked at Hyesung, then at Andy, wondering what was going to happen next. Obviously half of him was sensing that he would feel the bullet penetrate through his brain at any minute.
“You think I’m going to tell you the number if you when you have the gun pointed to my head?” Junjin asked, suddenly feeling a bit more confident. Andy raised an eyebrow at him, astonished.
“You’re right...” Andy suddenly pointed the gun to Junjin’s arm and pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed through the room and out. Eric pulled his finger over his ear, then threw it forward. The four of them quickly closed in on the building.
“Ah! Shit!” Junjin screamed out as he grabbed his arm in agonizing pain. Andy’s smile disappeared as he walked in closer to Junjin.
“Do you want me to finish off the job?” Andy pointed the gun at his face. Junjin’s face was twisted with pain as he tried to struggle for air. He could barely stand up straight as blood dripped from his fingertips. He waited for something to happen. Where the hell was Eric?
Hyesung and Hwanhee just seemed to stand and stare as Andy’s patience slowly disappeared. He pulled the gun into motion, ready to shoot.
Li Ann glanced from Hwanhee to Hyesung, to Andy. Nobody was going to do anything. The poor man was just going to die. She bit her bottom lip as worry and panic filled her eyes.
“I’m counting to three. One, two–...”
“Andy! Wait!” Li Ann called out. Andy’s head turned towards where her voice came from. He showed a surprised expression on his face.
Li Ann took a deep breath. “I know the number.”
“What are you doing?” Dahye whispered. She wretched her hands around the ragged ropes. They seemed to loosen already, since she’d been doing that for the past twenty minutes.
Andy paced over to Li Ann and smiled. “You do?”
“Yes,” Li Ann replied with a nervous swallow.
“What is it?” Andy leaned in near her and placed his arm over her head. His face was nearly an inch from hers as he looked from her eyes to her lips. Li Ann lowered her gaze and tried to recite the numbers.
Hyesung cocked his head over to see if Li Ann was actually going to say something. He motioned for Hwanhee to walk to the laptop while Andy was occupied. Hwanhee reached the desktop and turned the laptop to face him.
“I...I...” Li Ann stuttered.
“What is it? Don’t you lie to me Li Ann...” Andy warned.
“You have to let these people go first.” Li Ann seemed to be doing exactly what Junjin was. Andy sucked in a deep breath and raised his gun to her neck. The tip of his gun felt cool as it was placed near her collar bone. A chill ran down her spine as she looked into Andy’s determined eyes.
“I don’t think so.” Andy shook his head slightly. His fingers wrapped around the trigger tightly, ready to pull.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 27
“So are you sure there are not more than just Hyesung and his men?” Eric asked directly towards the nervous Junjin again. Junjin only nodded in return as they escalated towards Eric’s black SUV. Tony and Jae Won followed quickly as all of them got into the car and drove off towards the direction of the warehouse.
Junjin knew he’d risk Mary’s life even more now that he brought the cops. He thought it would be the best to do, since he knew he was going to get killed by the end of the day if he didn’t have some force of protection.
Jae Won flipped open his laptop and began searching for background information of Hyesung. His eyes stopped abruptly when it came across the listed names of Hyesung’s company and trade partners.
“Hey Eric, do you remember anybody by the name of Hwang Yun Suk?” Jae Won asked, chewing on his piece of gum.
“No,” Eric replied, keeping his eyes on the freeway.
“How about Hwang Hwanhee?” Jae Won asked again.
“Hwang Hwanhee? Hwang...Hwang...Oh, check under armed robberies in the past six years,” Eric quickly replied. He felt somehow that Jae Won’s research was leading somewhere. It did exactly that when Jae Won smiled and turned his laptop around to show Eric a picture of Hwanhee, with slightly long blonde hair and dark shades.
“Is this the man?” Jae Won crackled.
“That son of a bitch,” Eric muttered, not believing that he had been lied to.
“Is he a part of this too?” Tony directed his question towards Junjin, snapping him back into reality.
“I don’t know. I’ve seen that guy once at this one club, but that was it. He was fighting with Andy Lee.”
“Awah man, all the big ones are in this,” Eric chuckled miserably to himself.
“Is there something else you wanna tell us?” Tony asked Junjin, looking him squarely in the eye. Junjin knew it was either now or never. He might as well tell it now incase he gets killed later on. He swallowed the lump forming in the back of this throat and shifted a little in his seat across from Eric.
“I...I worked for Lee Mike,” Junjin started.
“We all know that,” Eric rolled his eyes impatiently.
Junjin ignored Eric and continued. “Well...Mike’s grandfather was the CEO of the banking securities that were handled in Seoul. His grandfather mysteriously died, but Mike believed he was murdered. There is a bank number code, and only Mike knows it. He gave me a copy of it, and that’s all I know. Andy Lee was one of Mike’s grandfather’s biggest rivals, so now he’s after me in order to get the number. Once whoever gets this number, they can unlock all security codes and transfer millions of dollars to their accounts and get away with it clean. It’s dirty, but clean in a way, because no files or records will ever trace back to the start of it all. That’s why everyone wants this number so badly.”
“So it’s all about the money huh?” Eric unwrapped a piece of chocolate bar and started chewing on it.
“What’s Hyesung in for? The same thing?” Tony asked.
“Hyesung is also after me for the same reason. I was the only one who was told where the number was, since Mike trusted me as his right-hand man. Hyesung kidnaped my girlfriend and threatened to kill her if I don’t bring him the number,” Junjin explained. He took a deep breath once he finished and looked at Eric for a response.
Eric swallowed the rest of his candy bar. “I saw that Hwanhee guy a few times with Mike’s widow. What’s her name? Oh yeah, Ji Yun. You think she has something to do with this?” Eric looked at Junjin.
“I don’t know,” Junjin replied as he turned his head back to the road.
“I think so. Mike’s death wasn’t an accident. His car brake line was cut. I think she planned to murder him in the first place with that Hwanhee guy. Great! This is just great. Now we have a witness, with evidence. I can finally put this Hyesung guy where he belongs, as well as Hwanhee and Ji Yun for the murder of Lee Mike. Damn, why didn’t you come to us earlier?” Eric looked at Junjin in a disappointed way. Junjin looked out the window quickly to avoid his gaze.
“What if I get killed today?” Junjin asked.
“Believe me, that Hyesung guy can’t do more than hurt a fly. Normally I wouldn’t take a witness to a crime scene like this, but you’ve waited long enough to the point when you are needed to be involved Mr. Park,” Eric laughed.
............
Ji Yun flipped open her cell phone and listened intensely if it was Hwanhee calling her. Her eyes were filled with worry and panic, as if somebody knew what they were doing.
“Hwanhee?”
“I got the girls. Ji Yun, come out to the old warehouse on 42nd street in a few minutes okay? I’ll see you there, sweetheart,” Hwanhee said before quickly hanging up.
Ji Yun stashed her phone into her purse and walked upstairs. The only noise in the house was the clock ticking as her footsteps clicked with the sound of her high heels. She reached her bedroom and took off her heels. Digging through her drawer in the dark, she pulled out a pair of black stockings.
Ji Yun started to put on her stockings when she thought she’d felt somebody walking around her. She quickly slipped on the other one and sat on her bed to strap on her black heels. The sound of a coin flip turned her attention towards the far distant wall, halfway covered by the dark.
“Who’s there?” Ji Yun’s voice echoed through the room and back to her. She stopped moving and stared at the dark figure in the shadow, his legs crossed over one the other as he leaned on the wall with his arms crossed.
“Hello?...” Ji Yun swallowed hard and began to feel paranoid. She closed her eyes and shook away the disturbing thought. It was nobody. Nobody at all. She was alone in that house. It was a little past dusk, and she was just probably paranoid because of all that was happening.
She opened her eyes and still the figure didn’t move. He lifted a hand and began to play with the silver coin that the small moonlight craving into the room reflected off. The light reflected off the coin and hit his face quickly. Her eyes widened with shock as she stood there frozen.
“Ji Yun...Ji Yun...” a familiar voice called to her. The voice was barely audible, but she could make out what he was saying, and she could make out who he was. Fear struck her down to her bones.
Mike’s eyes lifted to her as he smirked. The expression on his face was never clearer to her, that he was angry. He smiled, then took a step forward, coming more into view of the moonlight shining through the dim room.
“I loved you Ji Yun. I loved you more than my life. Why did you lie to me? Why did you pretend that you love me when all you really wanted was my money?” Mike asked, his voice smooth and alive. It was if she was staring at a real human. No. This was just her imagination. All her imagination.
She closed her eyes and quickly opened them again. He was still there. He flipped the coin one more time and caught it.
“M...Mike?...” Ji Yun could barely breathe.
“I’m glad you still remember my name, Mrs. Lee.”
Her eyes began to fill quickly with tears, but they didn’t drop. Her lips trembled as she felt her body beginning to weaken. She swallowed again and clenched her jaws. Could he be alive? Or was it just her mind playing tricks on her?
“Wh...who– what are you?” Ji Yun quickly asked, still in her stiff position.
“I’m the man that you married, remember? Your husband? Lee Mike?” Mike smiled. His smile was warm and full of life as he walked closer to her again. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand as he was only a few inches away from her face. Her mouth went dry and her body limped as she repeated in her mind that it was only her imagination. Mike is dead. The person standing in front of her was just an illusion.
“Mike...Mike....you’re....you’re alive?” Ji Yun gasped out with terrified eyes. He shook his head and lifted his finger to her chin. A tear drop escaped the corner of her eyes, but it wasn’t because she was happy to see him. She was terrified out of her skin to the point where she could barely move or make out her words. He touched her cheek, and wiped away the tear falling down her cheek. His touch was warm, his skin was still the same as if he was alive, and his scent was still there. She closed her eyes and quickly opened them again, blinking at him. Her hand touched his, on her cheek.
“Mike....I missed you so much...” Ji Yun hoarsely whispered out. Mike’s warm expression suddenly turned cold as he pulled his hand back and glared at her with a death glare.
“You are such a good liar, Ji Yun. You got me to believe that you were the person who I was going to spend my life with. I can’t believe what a fool I was,” Mike spat out harshly. Her tears choked her as she tried to talk.
“Mike....I...I...Hwanhee made me.” Ji Yun’s voice was as fake as her nails to Mike. He gave her a disgusted look as he moved back to seize up on her.
“Oh, he sure did. I’m sure he made you do a lot of other things.” His cold angry look suddenly stopped as his face went blank. She held her breath as she looked at him face to face. He bent lower till he was barely an inch across from her trembling lips.
“Don’t worry Ji Yun. There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re going to be together forever, remember? I’m here to take you with me.” With his last statement, Ji Yun’s face went white. She knew then that he certainly had died, nor was his image an illusion.
“Take me where?” Ji Yun’s voice trembled the way she was trembling.
Mike paused for a moment. “To the Hell.”
Chapter 27
“So are you sure there are not more than just Hyesung and his men?” Eric asked directly towards the nervous Junjin again. Junjin only nodded in return as they escalated towards Eric’s black SUV. Tony and Jae Won followed quickly as all of them got into the car and drove off towards the direction of the warehouse.
Junjin knew he’d risk Mary’s life even more now that he brought the cops. He thought it would be the best to do, since he knew he was going to get killed by the end of the day if he didn’t have some force of protection.
Jae Won flipped open his laptop and began searching for background information of Hyesung. His eyes stopped abruptly when it came across the listed names of Hyesung’s company and trade partners.
“Hey Eric, do you remember anybody by the name of Hwang Yun Suk?” Jae Won asked, chewing on his piece of gum.
“No,” Eric replied, keeping his eyes on the freeway.
“How about Hwang Hwanhee?” Jae Won asked again.
“Hwang Hwanhee? Hwang...Hwang...Oh, check under armed robberies in the past six years,” Eric quickly replied. He felt somehow that Jae Won’s research was leading somewhere. It did exactly that when Jae Won smiled and turned his laptop around to show Eric a picture of Hwanhee, with slightly long blonde hair and dark shades.
“Is this the man?” Jae Won crackled.
“That son of a bitch,” Eric muttered, not believing that he had been lied to.
“Is he a part of this too?” Tony directed his question towards Junjin, snapping him back into reality.
“I don’t know. I’ve seen that guy once at this one club, but that was it. He was fighting with Andy Lee.”
“Awah man, all the big ones are in this,” Eric chuckled miserably to himself.
“Is there something else you wanna tell us?” Tony asked Junjin, looking him squarely in the eye. Junjin knew it was either now or never. He might as well tell it now incase he gets killed later on. He swallowed the lump forming in the back of this throat and shifted a little in his seat across from Eric.
“I...I worked for Lee Mike,” Junjin started.
“We all know that,” Eric rolled his eyes impatiently.
Junjin ignored Eric and continued. “Well...Mike’s grandfather was the CEO of the banking securities that were handled in Seoul. His grandfather mysteriously died, but Mike believed he was murdered. There is a bank number code, and only Mike knows it. He gave me a copy of it, and that’s all I know. Andy Lee was one of Mike’s grandfather’s biggest rivals, so now he’s after me in order to get the number. Once whoever gets this number, they can unlock all security codes and transfer millions of dollars to their accounts and get away with it clean. It’s dirty, but clean in a way, because no files or records will ever trace back to the start of it all. That’s why everyone wants this number so badly.”
“So it’s all about the money huh?” Eric unwrapped a piece of chocolate bar and started chewing on it.
“What’s Hyesung in for? The same thing?” Tony asked.
“Hyesung is also after me for the same reason. I was the only one who was told where the number was, since Mike trusted me as his right-hand man. Hyesung kidnaped my girlfriend and threatened to kill her if I don’t bring him the number,” Junjin explained. He took a deep breath once he finished and looked at Eric for a response.
Eric swallowed the rest of his candy bar. “I saw that Hwanhee guy a few times with Mike’s widow. What’s her name? Oh yeah, Ji Yun. You think she has something to do with this?” Eric looked at Junjin.
“I don’t know,” Junjin replied as he turned his head back to the road.
“I think so. Mike’s death wasn’t an accident. His car brake line was cut. I think she planned to murder him in the first place with that Hwanhee guy. Great! This is just great. Now we have a witness, with evidence. I can finally put this Hyesung guy where he belongs, as well as Hwanhee and Ji Yun for the murder of Lee Mike. Damn, why didn’t you come to us earlier?” Eric looked at Junjin in a disappointed way. Junjin looked out the window quickly to avoid his gaze.
“What if I get killed today?” Junjin asked.
“Believe me, that Hyesung guy can’t do more than hurt a fly. Normally I wouldn’t take a witness to a crime scene like this, but you’ve waited long enough to the point when you are needed to be involved Mr. Park,” Eric laughed.
............
Ji Yun flipped open her cell phone and listened intensely if it was Hwanhee calling her. Her eyes were filled with worry and panic, as if somebody knew what they were doing.
“Hwanhee?”
“I got the girls. Ji Yun, come out to the old warehouse on 42nd street in a few minutes okay? I’ll see you there, sweetheart,” Hwanhee said before quickly hanging up.
Ji Yun stashed her phone into her purse and walked upstairs. The only noise in the house was the clock ticking as her footsteps clicked with the sound of her high heels. She reached her bedroom and took off her heels. Digging through her drawer in the dark, she pulled out a pair of black stockings.
Ji Yun started to put on her stockings when she thought she’d felt somebody walking around her. She quickly slipped on the other one and sat on her bed to strap on her black heels. The sound of a coin flip turned her attention towards the far distant wall, halfway covered by the dark.
“Who’s there?” Ji Yun’s voice echoed through the room and back to her. She stopped moving and stared at the dark figure in the shadow, his legs crossed over one the other as he leaned on the wall with his arms crossed.
“Hello?...” Ji Yun swallowed hard and began to feel paranoid. She closed her eyes and shook away the disturbing thought. It was nobody. Nobody at all. She was alone in that house. It was a little past dusk, and she was just probably paranoid because of all that was happening.
She opened her eyes and still the figure didn’t move. He lifted a hand and began to play with the silver coin that the small moonlight craving into the room reflected off. The light reflected off the coin and hit his face quickly. Her eyes widened with shock as she stood there frozen.
“Ji Yun...Ji Yun...” a familiar voice called to her. The voice was barely audible, but she could make out what he was saying, and she could make out who he was. Fear struck her down to her bones.
Mike’s eyes lifted to her as he smirked. The expression on his face was never clearer to her, that he was angry. He smiled, then took a step forward, coming more into view of the moonlight shining through the dim room.
“I loved you Ji Yun. I loved you more than my life. Why did you lie to me? Why did you pretend that you love me when all you really wanted was my money?” Mike asked, his voice smooth and alive. It was if she was staring at a real human. No. This was just her imagination. All her imagination.
She closed her eyes and quickly opened them again. He was still there. He flipped the coin one more time and caught it.
“M...Mike?...” Ji Yun could barely breathe.
“I’m glad you still remember my name, Mrs. Lee.”
Her eyes began to fill quickly with tears, but they didn’t drop. Her lips trembled as she felt her body beginning to weaken. She swallowed again and clenched her jaws. Could he be alive? Or was it just her mind playing tricks on her?
“Wh...who– what are you?” Ji Yun quickly asked, still in her stiff position.
“I’m the man that you married, remember? Your husband? Lee Mike?” Mike smiled. His smile was warm and full of life as he walked closer to her again. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand as he was only a few inches away from her face. Her mouth went dry and her body limped as she repeated in her mind that it was only her imagination. Mike is dead. The person standing in front of her was just an illusion.
“Mike...Mike....you’re....you’re alive?” Ji Yun gasped out with terrified eyes. He shook his head and lifted his finger to her chin. A tear drop escaped the corner of her eyes, but it wasn’t because she was happy to see him. She was terrified out of her skin to the point where she could barely move or make out her words. He touched her cheek, and wiped away the tear falling down her cheek. His touch was warm, his skin was still the same as if he was alive, and his scent was still there. She closed her eyes and quickly opened them again, blinking at him. Her hand touched his, on her cheek.
“Mike....I missed you so much...” Ji Yun hoarsely whispered out. Mike’s warm expression suddenly turned cold as he pulled his hand back and glared at her with a death glare.
“You are such a good liar, Ji Yun. You got me to believe that you were the person who I was going to spend my life with. I can’t believe what a fool I was,” Mike spat out harshly. Her tears choked her as she tried to talk.
“Mike....I...I...Hwanhee made me.” Ji Yun’s voice was as fake as her nails to Mike. He gave her a disgusted look as he moved back to seize up on her.
“Oh, he sure did. I’m sure he made you do a lot of other things.” His cold angry look suddenly stopped as his face went blank. She held her breath as she looked at him face to face. He bent lower till he was barely an inch across from her trembling lips.
“Don’t worry Ji Yun. There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re going to be together forever, remember? I’m here to take you with me.” With his last statement, Ji Yun’s face went white. She knew then that he certainly had died, nor was his image an illusion.
“Take me where?” Ji Yun’s voice trembled the way she was trembling.
Mike paused for a moment. “To the Hell.”
Monday, October 8, 2007
Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊
Chapter 26
Junjin walked into his home and tossed his keys onto the bare counter when his phone rang. He walked over to it and picked it up.
“Hello? This is Junjin.”
“Jin!” a female’s voice screamed out. Her voice was muffled by somebody’s hand when a laughter filled into the other line. He recognized the voice as Mary’s.
“Junjin...” Hyesung’s cool smooth voice took over.
“Hyesung? What are you doing?”
“I have your pretty little girlfriend here. It turns out that she betrayed me, so I’m going to kill her if you don’t bring me the number and the security code in the next hour,” Hyesung explained.
“What? Mary?”
“I’ll meet you at the old warehouse, down on 42th street.”
Hyesung had hung up on him. Junjin looked at the phone and muttered a curse before hanging up the phone.
Hyesung walked over to a bounded and gagged Mary. Her lips were tightly clasped as she stood there nervously, afraid that he may kill her. Hyesung swiped his dark sunglasses with a clean white rag, then looked up at her terrified face. His men held her still.
“My, my, my,....you are so beautiful Sianna, why did you betray me?” Hyesung asked sweetly as he leaned in to kiss her. She squeezed her eyes and waited for him to finish his kiss. Hyesung pulled back and looked at her tensely.
“My name is Mary...” she muttered back boldly.
“You’re Sianna, and you will always be Sianna...the whore that I picked up on the streets when she needed a home!” Hyesung said in a harsh tone as his angry eyes bore into hers.
“I was stolen from my family...” she replied back, her tone nearly matching his. His expression hardened as he knew what she said was true. He slapped her.
“Tie her up,” Hyesung announced to his men as he walked away.
“Tie these too,” Hwanhee’s voice poured through the room as he tossed Li Ann onto the ground, followed by Dahye.
Li Ann and Dahye looked around them. There seemed to be no escape. Hyesung’s eyes picked up on them as Hwanhee walked up beside him.
“They know about the number too,” Hwanhee told Hyesung. Hyesung nodded and gestured for his men to pick up Dahye and Li Ann by the elbows. They quickly tied and bounded their hands behind their backs, then tossed them aside where Mary was.
“Please let us go! We don’t know what you want,” Li Ann pleaded. Hwanhee walked over to her and smiled.
“Yes you do. You know Andy, and Andy knows the number,” Hwanhee said with a sly grin on his face.
“What? Andy?” Li Ann asked confused. Hwanhee walked away and sat down on the desk nearby. Hyesung took out a smoke and began to inhale it.
“Let us go，you f***ing bastards! When my friends find out where I am, they’re going to shove a large stick up your asses and send you to hell! F***ing assholes!” Dahye cursed out while she struggled to free herself of the ropes around her body. Hwanhee and Hyesung merely paid any attention to her.
“When will Junjin be here?” Hwanhee asked after checking his watch.
“Soon...” Hyesung breathed out the smoke as he looked out the window.
..........
Brian stared into the large rectangular glass that blocked him away from Alena. She was standing there, over somebody while she tried to operate. He was just staring at her, reminiscing the times when they had spent together, when he was alive. When he could hold her in his arms and say he loves her.
She finished and wrapped up the operation. Taking off her gloves, he could see a gold ring glitter off her finger. She washed her hand and smiled at the nurses before walking out.
“Is my husband okay?” a lady in her mid thirties asked desperately as Alena walked out.
“Yes. His liver is functioning well now. You can go see him after they put him in his room,” Alena smiled back as she patted the lady’s shoulder. Alena checked her wrists for the time when she walked past Brian. He looked at her like he hadn’t seen her in a million years.
“Hey honey,” greeted a nicely built young man as he kissed her cheek.
“Hey, how was your day?” Alena asked back as she smiled back at him. Brian walked in closer to see them. He could tell the man was wearing the same gold ring too. He felt his heart ache.
“It was good. Ready to go?” he asked.
“Yes. I just finished operating a patient with a liver problem today,” Alena replied as she signed off at the register desk.
“How is he doing then?” her husband asked. Brian could tell he was a cop. He wore his gun around his waist, and his badge was in front of his belt. He wasn’t just a cop, but rather somebody important, like a detective.
“Wonderful,” Alena smiled back as they walked towards the elevator. Brian stood where he was, a bit shocked and in love at the same time. He smiled to himself. So she had moved on. It was about time when he should too, he told himself.
The sound of a cell phone ringing interrupted Brian’s thoughts as he turned around and saw that it came from Alena’s husband’s cell phone.
“Hello? This is Tae Hyung,” he said.
“Who is it, honey?” Alena asked.
Tae Hyung didn’t answer. He kept on nodding and talking for another minute before hanging up. They were both waiting for the elevator. Tae Hyung hung up and looked at Alena.
“That was Eric. He said they know where Hyesung is. I have to go,” Tae Hyung said as he kissed her cheek.
“Okay. Be careful.” Worry filled Alena’s bright eyes as she saw her husband run off in the other direction where it was easier to exit out of the hospital. Alena watch Tae Hyung disappeared around the hall and sighed.
Brian’s mind clicked. Alena’s husband was after Hyesung too. He was on Eric’s team. That meant he was going to where Li Ann was. And Mike was going there also.
He thought of Li Ann. He felt sorry for her. He knew if he didn’t abide Mike into this whole thing, perhaps Alena’s husband would be the next one he’d pick up. He didn’t want that. The only thing he wanted was happiness for the person he loved.
He had to find Mike now. He needed to help Mike in order to help Tae Hyung. He knew he was crossing his limits, but in the back of his mind, he knew somebody was going to end up dead, and he couldn’t allow Tae Hyung to be that one.
Chapter 26
Junjin walked into his home and tossed his keys onto the bare counter when his phone rang. He walked over to it and picked it up.
“Hello? This is Junjin.”
“Jin!” a female’s voice screamed out. Her voice was muffled by somebody’s hand when a laughter filled into the other line. He recognized the voice as Mary’s.
“Junjin...” Hyesung’s cool smooth voice took over.
“Hyesung? What are you doing?”
“I have your pretty little girlfriend here. It turns out that she betrayed me, so I’m going to kill her if you don’t bring me the number and the security code in the next hour,” Hyesung explained.
“What? Mary?”
“I’ll meet you at the old warehouse, down on 42th street.”
Hyesung had hung up on him. Junjin looked at the phone and muttered a curse before hanging up the phone.
Hyesung walked over to a bounded and gagged Mary. Her lips were tightly clasped as she stood there nervously, afraid that he may kill her. Hyesung swiped his dark sunglasses with a clean white rag, then looked up at her terrified face. His men held her still.
“My, my, my,....you are so beautiful Sianna, why did you betray me?” Hyesung asked sweetly as he leaned in to kiss her. She squeezed her eyes and waited for him to finish his kiss. Hyesung pulled back and looked at her tensely.
“My name is Mary...” she muttered back boldly.
“You’re Sianna, and you will always be Sianna...the whore that I picked up on the streets when she needed a home!” Hyesung said in a harsh tone as his angry eyes bore into hers.
“I was stolen from my family...” she replied back, her tone nearly matching his. His expression hardened as he knew what she said was true. He slapped her.
“Tie her up,” Hyesung announced to his men as he walked away.
“Tie these too,” Hwanhee’s voice poured through the room as he tossed Li Ann onto the ground, followed by Dahye.
Li Ann and Dahye looked around them. There seemed to be no escape. Hyesung’s eyes picked up on them as Hwanhee walked up beside him.
“They know about the number too,” Hwanhee told Hyesung. Hyesung nodded and gestured for his men to pick up Dahye and Li Ann by the elbows. They quickly tied and bounded their hands behind their backs, then tossed them aside where Mary was.
“Please let us go! We don’t know what you want,” Li Ann pleaded. Hwanhee walked over to her and smiled.
“Yes you do. You know Andy, and Andy knows the number,” Hwanhee said with a sly grin on his face.
“What? Andy?” Li Ann asked confused. Hwanhee walked away and sat down on the desk nearby. Hyesung took out a smoke and began to inhale it.
“Let us go，you f***ing bastards! When my friends find out where I am, they’re going to shove a large stick up your asses and send you to hell! F***ing assholes!” Dahye cursed out while she struggled to free herself of the ropes around her body. Hwanhee and Hyesung merely paid any attention to her.
“When will Junjin be here?” Hwanhee asked after checking his watch.
“Soon...” Hyesung breathed out the smoke as he looked out the window.
..........
Brian stared into the large rectangular glass that blocked him away from Alena. She was standing there, over somebody while she tried to operate. He was just staring at her, reminiscing the times when they had spent together, when he was alive. When he could hold her in his arms and say he loves her.
She finished and wrapped up the operation. Taking off her gloves, he could see a gold ring glitter off her finger. She washed her hand and smiled at the nurses before walking out.
“Is my husband okay?” a lady in her mid thirties asked desperately as Alena walked out.
“Yes. His liver is functioning well now. You can go see him after they put him in his room,” Alena smiled back as she patted the lady’s shoulder. Alena checked her wrists for the time when she walked past Brian. He looked at her like he hadn’t seen her in a million years.
“Hey honey,” greeted a nicely built young man as he kissed her cheek.
“Hey, how was your day?” Alena asked back as she smiled back at him. Brian walked in closer to see them. He could tell the man was wearing the same gold ring too. He felt his heart ache.
“It was good. Ready to go?” he asked.
“Yes. I just finished operating a patient with a liver problem today,” Alena replied as she signed off at the register desk.
“How is he doing then?” her husband asked. Brian could tell he was a cop. He wore his gun around his waist, and his badge was in front of his belt. He wasn’t just a cop, but rather somebody important, like a detective.
“Wonderful,” Alena smiled back as they walked towards the elevator. Brian stood where he was, a bit shocked and in love at the same time. He smiled to himself. So she had moved on. It was about time when he should too, he told himself.
The sound of a cell phone ringing interrupted Brian’s thoughts as he turned around and saw that it came from Alena’s husband’s cell phone.
“Hello? This is Tae Hyung,” he said.
“Who is it, honey?” Alena asked.
Tae Hyung didn’t answer. He kept on nodding and talking for another minute before hanging up. They were both waiting for the elevator. Tae Hyung hung up and looked at Alena.
“That was Eric. He said they know where Hyesung is. I have to go,” Tae Hyung said as he kissed her cheek.
“Okay. Be careful.” Worry filled Alena’s bright eyes as she saw her husband run off in the other direction where it was easier to exit out of the hospital. Alena watch Tae Hyung disappeared around the hall and sighed.
Brian’s mind clicked. Alena’s husband was after Hyesung too. He was on Eric’s team. That meant he was going to where Li Ann was. And Mike was going there also.
He thought of Li Ann. He felt sorry for her. He knew if he didn’t abide Mike into this whole thing, perhaps Alena’s husband would be the next one he’d pick up. He didn’t want that. The only thing he wanted was happiness for the person he loved.
He had to find Mike now. He needed to help Mike in order to help Tae Hyung. He knew he was crossing his limits, but in the back of his mind, he knew somebody was going to end up dead, and he couldn’t allow Tae Hyung to be that one.
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