Chapter 12
Andy came back out from Terri’s apartment, fixing his tie, and checking his hair to be in place before he got back into his car and drove off. He fixed his rear view mirror as he pulled out of the damp driveway and settled onto the road.
Andy searched for his silver cell phone. He picked it up and called several of his men.
“I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.
Make sure he doesn’t leave the office building. Keep him surrounded.
It’s pretty late, I’m sure nobody will be around,” Andy said harshly into the phone, then with a few more words, he hung up.
He swiftly drove out to Mike’s corporation as fast as he could. Once Andy got there, Junjin was beaten almost into a bloody pulp by his men.
Andy smirked as he stood up and lighted a cigarette. Junjin glared up at Andy and tried to stand up. Andy carelessly walked over and grabbed him by his collar.
He shook Junjin and blew smoke into Junjin’s face.
“What do you want?” Junjin coughed as his head wobbled back and forth.
“Jin, how ya doing man?”Andy asked proudly.
“Get away from me,” Junjin said with a slight shove to Andy. He tossed Junjin back in a pissed off mode and started to kick Junjin’s ribs. Junjin’s nose was bleeding, which made it worse for him now that it started raining.
“I told you man. How many times do I have to tell you?” Andy asked angrily as he crouched down next to Junjin.
He pulled out of his pocket a red handkerchief and tossed it to Junjin.
“I’m going to get it for you. I...I just can’t right now,” Junjin coughed.
“Hey Jin,” Andy said quietly. Junjin looked up into Andy’s face. Andy showed no pity whatsoever to Junjin’s cut up and bruised face.
“Your sister Terri, man, she’s good in bed.”
“You f*cking bastard!” Junjin cursed as he lunged at Andy and pushed Andy to the ground. Both men rolled on the floor grasping each other’s collar and throwing fists to each others face.
Junjin rolled on top of Andy and was about to punch his face, but Andy’s men grabbed Junjin off. Andy stood up and muttered a curse as his lip started bleeding from a cut Junjin gave him.
Andy smiled with a cocky grin as he waved for his men to leave.
“We’re not done yet Jin. I’ll be back to check up on you,” Andy promised as he got back into his car and drove off.
He wiped his bleeding lip and smirked. After all Andy’s men had left, Junjin struggled to get up to his feet. He wiped the blood from his nose and mouth as he walked to his car. He fumbled through the junk in his car to look for his asthma inhaler.
Some of the breathing medicines he took before made him shake. What he didn’t like about them was that they were too hard for his heart. He took deep breaths of the inhaler to soothe down his breathing level.
The rain started to pour harshly down on his windshield as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He was on his way to teach his sister Terri a lesson. .............
Mike walked through the cold lonely streets by himself thinking about his life. His childhood had been a great one. He grew up having no problems compared to what he had encountered just recently as his life now, or was.
His teenage years were full of family and friends. But now, just as he is, a lonely soul with no destination to go, and no promises to fulfill. He was loving and always appreciative of the things people did for him, but he had his needs.
Those needs had to be constantly tended to and watched. It was like a life of eternal vigilance and literally no rest for those who cared for him. He walked amongst a couple of people making their way down the streets trying to dodge the rain.
Li Ann laid down on her bed and kicked off her shoes, and as she lay there, she glanced around. The room was all done in lovely flowered silks that were very delicate as well as pale. There were lavenders and whites, and pale pinks on an ivory background.
In some ways, it felt good to be there, and she realized that she felt incomplete again, as she had when her parents first passed away. Where was Mike?
She wondered where he could be. Outside was raining harshly and it was getting late by the hour. She would herself stupid for waiting for a ghost she hardly knew, but the room felt empty without his presence.
Li Ann thought back to how she felt about Andy, and why she had felt that way. She had made a mistake of falling for him too early. She should have known, or at least listen to Mike. She owed him an apology. A knock was heard on her door.
“Mike?” Li Ann asked.
“Who? It’s me Dongwan,” her brother said. Li Ann quickly got up from her bed and opened the door.
“Hi oppa,” Li Ann greeted him feeling a bit stupid now that she remembered Mike is a ghost.
“Who’s Mike?” her brother asked raising an eyebrow.
“Nobody, I was reading...” Li Ann lied sharply.
“Oh, well, I’m going to Calida’s. Go find yourself something to eat alright? I went shopping earlier,” Dongwan said as he started back out of her room.
“Okay dad,” Li Ann replied sarcastically.
“That’s a good daughter,” Dongwan smiled back.
After Dongwan left, Li Ann slumped back down on her bed with nothing to do. She was bored and tired, yet energetic with the need to talk to somebody. She skipped downstairs and walked into the kitchen, but didn’t feel hungry.
Li Ann’s face pouted as she walked back out and into the living room. She had just barely sat down when a voice from behind her made her jump.
“Mike?”
“Hi Li Ann,” he said, his voice warm and gentle. He slowly walked into the living room where she was and sat down across from her.
She sat up and smiled.
“Where have you been all day?” she asked casually folding her legs up to sit in a more comfortable position.
“I...I came to say goodbye,” Mike said quietly as he looked down to the carpet. His elbows were placed on his knees and his hands clamped together.
“What?” Li Ann asked a bit disappointed.
“I’m sorry for all the times I’ve forced you to do things you didn’t want to, like talking to Ji Yun,” Mike’s voice was raspy and exasperated, full of sorrow and regret.
“Wh-why?” Li Ann couldn’t help but ask. Mike sighed and sat back. He wasn’t even looking at her.
“I went to see her today,” Mike said in a low quiet, almost dead tone voice.
“I wish I never had.”
“What happened?” Li Ann felt a lump forming in her throat as she tried to swallow the nervous feeling down.
“Have you ever wondered why there are so many stars?” Mike asked looking up at her. His eyes sparkled with mystery, but a cold theme was sketched over his face.
“No...” Li Ann replied back unsure of his answer.
“The sky has a lot of stars, so that a man can pick out one to be his true love. Well...I guess I picked the wrong star,” Mike’s voice was so sad it made Li Ann want to choke the straight answers out of him.
“What do you mean?” she asked with a serious expression.
“I picked the brightest of all stars. I thought I had the perfect star. You know...sometimes people aren’t what they seem Li Ann. I hope you find the right one.”
“Mike, what are you talking about?” Li Ann asked demanding the straight forward truth. Mike took a deep breath and lowered his gaze.
“Ji Yun,” he slowly shook his head.
“She killed me.” Li Ann’s eyes widened as she moved in closer. It was hard enough to concentrate on his varied forms of therapy, and he tried to keep the personal issues down to a low dull roar.
“She planned this out. She was the one that went into the garage and cut the brake wire to my car, that’s why I died.
She did it, and it was a plan with a man she had secretly dated while she was dating me. I shouldn’t have trusted her, but I fell in love,” Mike stated as he let out a chuckle.
His simile quickly disappeared.
“I fell in love too soon Li Ann.”
“W...why would she?” Li Ann asked shocked and confused.
“The money. She did it for my money. I inherited all my grandfather’s wealth and corporation.
She killed me so she can have it all,” Mike replied. Li Ann was too speechless to speak.
“What are you going to do now? Do you want me to tell the cops?” Li Ann asked feeling a bit anxious to help.
“No, forget it. They won’t believe you. I don’t want them to think you’re crazy.”
“But they have to, I mean, you can’t let her get away with it,” Li Ann said urging him to ask her to do something.
“What can I do? I can’t do anything. It’s useless. I don’t want to put you in danger,” Mike said trying to sound as confident as he can.
“No, I want to help too Mike. I will do whatever I can. We’re in this together remember?” Li Ann said with hope.
She had no idea what she was doing, but she felt too sorry for him.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Mike protested.
“But I am the only one who can see and hear you Mike, therefore I must be the one to help you. You aren’t just going to insult and threaten me for nothing. I’m going to help you,” Li Ann said gently touching his hand to assure him.
Mike’s frown slowly faded away as a bit of hope appeared in his eyes.
“Thanks Li Ann...I don’t know how I can ever repay you back. If...there is ever a next life for me, I will come back and repay you,” Mike smiled wearily.
“Sure,” Li Ann smiled back.
“How was your date with Andy?” Mike asked.
He felt his feelings towards Andy to lighten up a bit as he’d hoped for a good answer.
“We’re not together...anymore,” Li Ann replied removing her hand away from his. Once she did, she suddenly felt herself loose and tired.
Her head blurred a bit with slight dizziness. She certainly thought his Andy topic was giving her a migraine
“Why not?”
“He has a girlfriend,” Li Ann managed a smile.
Mike nodded slowly. Of course, he was right. Andy could never be trusted.
“I’m sorry Mike, for not believing in you when you told me he wasn’t a good man,” Li Ann apologized looking down at the small coffee table between them.
“It’s okay,” Mike smiled. He reached over and lifted her chin with his index finger to make her look into his brown eyes.
Li Ann’s face was weary and hurt.
She could barely fake a smile.
“There are still many stars for you to choose. Andy, is not your star.”
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[To be Cont]
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