Memories of Love - Story by 珊

2008-02-08T12:54:00.000+08:00

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.

2008-01-12T14:42:00.001+08:00

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?”

2007-12-26T21:36:00.000+08:00

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.

2007-12-02T21:47:00.000+08:00

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.

2007-11-07T22:07:00.000+08:00

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.

2007-10-26T00:08:00.000+08:00

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.”

2007-10-08T22:51:00.000+08:00

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.

2007-10-08T22:44:00.001+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 25

Junjin cut around the corner and pulled to a stop in front of Mary’s house. She stared at her knees and tapped her fingers lightly on the window, not realizing that they had reached her house.

“Mary,” Junjin said to wake her back into reality.

“Hmm?” She turned her head around to face him. He cocked his head forward to her house. She looked surprised for a second, then smiled and thanked him for the ride home.

“See you later,” Junjin said as he leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek.

“Okay,” Mary replied as she opened the door and stepped out. Junjin smiled and waved after her. She turned around when she approached her door and waved back at him. Junjin started his car again and continued down the street, passing a dark little car that sat still in the nearby alleyway.

Hyesung’s eyes seized up on Junjin as he squeezed his mouth in side to side motion, thinking of the easiest and painful way to hurt him. He smiled to himself at what a sly man Junjin is, almost admiring his guts. He tapped the driver’s seat, telling him to start the car. The driver did a curvature of the lonely street and proceeded onwards.
.........

“What are we doing here? Why did you bring me here? Take me back. I have to find Li Ann!” Mike commanded Brian. Brian just smiled and walked around the sepulcher that laid in front of Mike. Mike glared down at the tombstone and paused for breathe.

“Li Ann’s long gone,” Brian replied cooly.

“What? What do you mean?” Mike’s eyes looked at him questioningly. Brian fumbled with his sleeve as he straightened out his suit.

“Hwanhee has her,” Brian answered. Mike’s face turned from angry to stone cold as he heard the name of his most hated enemy. Was Brian lying or not?

Mike walked up to Brian’s face and breathed in on him. Brian’s cyan eyes glared back at him with no emotions. Mike’s hands grabbed his collar and shook him.

“Take me to her,” Mike demanded angrily, feeling all his patience being drained from him by Brian’s cockiness.

“No,” Brian shoved Mike back to get out of his grasp. His face suddenly turned from a cool pale color to a light dapple look. Mike stepped back, shocked that Brian looked like he was going to turn into the Devil himself.

“It won’t do you any good,” Brian said finally after calming down. Mike seemed so determined and dauntless that he had to use his bitter attitude towards him when his deadline came and he knew Mike didn’t want to go yet. He decided to dawdle around until Mike would eventually forget about Li Ann, but from the looks of it, Mike wasn’t anywhere near forgetting about her.

“Fine. I’ll go alone.” Mike turned his back on Brian and started to walk out of the cemetery.

“I brought you here for a reason. It’s an important one too,” Brian called after him. Mike stopped and breathed in the fresh air around him. The dead air.

Mike glanced around again to see Brian still standing where he was, both hands in his pockets. His black suit with red tie seemed to fade now as the background grew into a daub like scenery.

“And what’s that?” Mike asked with a swallow.

“It’s time. Judgement day awaits you,” Brian smiled frankly.

“What?” Mike squinted his eyes to gaze up on Brian.

Brian quickly pulled out is hand to check his Rolex. “We have...exactly three hours before your time is up. Then you will follow me to the East Gate.”

“Wait...my time is up?” Mike asked, still a bit confused.

“Yes. Every soul, or ghost, has a timing here on earth. Yours has just ended.” Brian looked ultimately happy to be announcing him this news, for he stood proudly next to Mike’s grave.

“No,” Mike slightly shook his head. Brian’s smiled died. “I’m not leaving until Li Ann’s safe, along with my niece.”

“What?” Brian let out a slight laugh. “You can’t do that. You aren’t able to help her anyway, Mike. Remember who...or what you are.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” Mike turned around again and walked away.

“And why not?!” Brian shouted after him. He paused once more.

“Because I love her,” Mike answered back coldly.

Brian started laughing. “Love? You’re crazy, Mike. You’re in love, with somebody who can’t love you. Don’t you get it by now? You’re a ghost! You can’t love her. She and you...your roads were never meant to be crossed.”

“What would you know about love? Obviously nothing,” Mike replied bitterly before passing the dark gates of the empty cemetery and started downhill.

Brian sighed a moment later. “I’m sorry, Mike. You won’t be able to help her.” He had actually grown to tolerate Mike since the past few weeks that he had to work with Mike, and with the situation he was in, Brian couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Brian couldn’t remember the last time he was in love. He could only remember the smell of the hospital as they rushed him to the emergency room for urgent care.

He stopped to look at Mike’s grave. Brian, having nothing to do, walked around senselessly until he approached a tombstone he hadn’t seen in ages. The sunlight crawled halfway upon it, revealing the neatly written descriptions of the person that laid in ground beneath it. He bent down and squatted as he tried to read the name carved onto it. He brushed back the ferns and vines crawling all over the tombstone to read out the description.

“In Loving Memory of Brian Joo” the carved letters made out. Brian swallowed a hard lump in the back of his throat as everything around him grew dead silent. He could remember. He just didn’t want to. He remembered clearly, everything that happened that day at the hospital.

“I need a check on his condition!”

“Somebody get the doctor!”

“He’s had a hard head injury. This is really bad. I mean look at the guy!”

“Brian! Brian, can you hear me?!” Alena’s voice echoed through his ears. Brian’s eyes could barely make out who she was. Blood was everywhere, covering his eyelashes, clogging his nose and mouth, leaking out from his head.

“What happened to him?” the doctor asked as he slipped on a pair of gloves.

“I don’t know...he...he pushed me out of the way and then was suddenly on the floor. You have to help him,” Alena pleaded desperately.

The doctor bent over Brian’s head to examine the injury. His eyes fell silently on the spot where he was hit. Brian was struggling for air as the nurses everywhere moved rapidly to clean him up. He looked over slowly to where Alena stood, her knuckles as white as chalk.

“He was hit by a speeding vehicle. His head is deeply injured and he lost a lot of blood...I’m afraid I can’t do this kind of operation,” the doctor told Alena silently in the corner. Her eyes grew full of shock when she heard this.

“What do you mean? You can’t save him? You’re...you’re just going to let him die?” Alena couldn’t believe her ears.

“I’m sorry dear. I can’t do anything about it. If I try, it will hurt him, and the chances of him surviving are getting lesser by the minute. All we can do is wait...”

“And let him die?!” Alena raised her voice.

“Alena...” Brian’s ghastly voice whispered out.

“Brian? Yes, I’m still here,” Alena said as she walked over and gripped his bloody fingers. She tried her best to contain herself and not fall to pieces in front of him.

“Alena...” he called out again. Her name was all what he could make out with the strength he had. His eyes, brimming with fearful tears told her he knew what was going to happen. He was dying slowly as the clock continued to tick.

“No, Brian. I’m not going to let you go...I love you.” Tears started streaming down her cheeks. Brian tried his best to smile for her. To tell her that he would be okay. That everything would be okay. She smiled back and whipped around to the doctor standing behind her.

“I’ll do it. I’ll operate him,” Alena announced to him. The doctor’s face fell as he examined her.

“What?”

“I said I’ll operate him. I am also a doctor...in training,” Alena managed to spat out. She had done operations before, but never one this serious. It was between life and death for him, and she had no choice but to risk it.

“I’m...”

“He doesn’t have a lot of time for you to think!” Alena shouted. The tears stained on her face told him she was serious. Wasting no time, the doctor agreed and called for a operating room to be prepared.

Within the next few minutes, Brian was placed into the room, left in pain as Alena stood over his shoulder and examined the injury on his head. He looked up at her as he could feel his strength weakening. She could barely stand to look at him like this. She took a deep breath and repeated in her mind that he would make it.

“I love you Brian,” Alena whispered out. He gave her one last weak smile before closing his eyes. The drug they had injected him with was taking over, putting him into a deep sleep.

Alena started to pry his head open with the sharp tools they had on the platter. More clogged blood started spilling out, all over her gloved hands. His heart monitor beeped.

“Heart rate dropping,” called out the nurse.

“Okay, this has to be quick,” Alena told herself as she searched for the open cut to close it.

“45, 44, 43, 42...” the nurse called out again.

“Brian...come on,” Alena said to him as she choked back her tears. She grabbed the pair of clippers and a clean cotton ball to clean the head area, trying her best to remove the clogged substance in his head.

“35, 32, 30, it’s jumping by two’s now,” the nurse called out again.

“Brian! Cooperate!” Alena shouted frustrated. Suddenly everything went deaf-mute. All was silent around as her eyes disobeyed her and looked over to the heart monitory. 15, 11, 9, 5, 4, 0...

“Brian...” Alena whispered as a tear drop escaped her eyes, followed by another, then by another. She looked down at Brian’s delicate face. He was gone.

Brian’s eyes were clouded with fresh tears. He coughed and stood up, feeling a bit light headed. He looked around and scolded himself for bringing back long forgotten memories.

2007-09-27T21:06:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 24

Hyesung sat up in his leather chair and tapped the edge of the polished desk, thinking about Mary. He picked up his black cell phone and dialed her number. The only sound being heard in his large office was coming from the ringing tone as he waited for her to pick up.

“Hello?” Mary answered.

“Hey, this is Hyesung. What are you doing later tonight?” Hyesung smiled at hearing her voice.

“After work? Oh, I’m busy. I have to go to my sister’s house,” Mary lied.

“No, it’s okay. Take the night off if you have to. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Hyesung sounded a bit disappointed.

“Alright. Have a good night then Mr. Shin,” Mary replied.

“You too darling.” Hyesung smiled to himself. He had always liked Mary the most among his masseuses. She was good with her hands and very charismatic. He had never asked her on a date before though, due to his demanding schedules, but both of them knew his feelings for her.

She hung up the phone and walked back to the mirror to finish up her mascara. Mary was getting ready for work, but since Hyesung cancelled it, she figured she’ll take Junjin’s wallet back to him. She didn’t know why everyone wanted the number so bad, especially Hyesung. Her phone rang again. Mary rushed to it and picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Mary? It’s Junjin, the guy you robbed.” Mary rolled her eyes.

“Where do you want to meet?” Mary asked immediately, eager to hang up on him.

“Hmm...” Junjin thought for a moment as he picked out a photo of her with her puppy from her wallet and slid it into the back pockets of his pants. “How about my place?

“Your place?” Mary sounded uncertain for a moment. “Fine.”

Junjin told her the directions, and specific instructions to come alone. She didn’t know why he was so paranoid or suspicious, but was leaning more towards the thought that he could be harmless to her. He pretty much seemed to be a schlemiel anyway. She strapped on her black heels to match her ruffled black top and slanted red skirt.

Mary knocked on the wooden door outside Junjin’s home. She moved a few strands of her hair out of her face behind her ear as she tried to beat the nervous feelings bubbling up in her belly. Why was she so nervous and afraid to face Junjin?

Junjin opened the door with a smile on his face. She ignored his smile and handed him his black wallet, ready to take hers and leave. Junjin ignored the wallet as he kept staring at her. Why must she always looks so good to him, he thought. He wanted to compliment her, but didn’t want to seem so lenient.

“Hi, come in?” Junjin stepped out of the way to let her in. She hesitated, but after a few seconds, followed him in. Junjin walked over to his kitchen bar and started pouring her a drink.

“Nice place you got,” Mary commented as she looked around.

“Thanks,” Junjin smiled as he handed her some sparkling water. Mary didn’t seem tempted to drink at all. Junjin chuckled as he drank his.

“It’s safe. I won’t poison you.” Junjin sat down on the large leather couch. She followed his moves as she sat herself down across from him. She set the glass down onto the table and carefully leaned back into the soft cushion of the leather couch, yet still acting a bit sleuth.

“What is it with his number you all are after?” Mary asked. Junjin raised his eyebrows suspiciously at her, then chuckled and looked away.

“Is it such a big deal? Hyesung wants it so much, so I guess you’re lucky I haven’t gave it to him yet,” Mary shrugged. Junjin stopped laughing and stood up.

“Did you give him a copy already? I’m supposing you’re lying to me,” Junjin said as he looked down at her. Mary shot him a disgusted glare and stood up after him.

“Here.” Mary placed the wallet in Junjin’s hands, causing him to nearly drop his drink and walked away.

“Wait!” Junjin suddenly grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back to him, making her slam into his broad chest. His drink wasn’t anywhere to be found now as he suddenly pulled her into a deep kiss.

Her sounds were muffled by his kiss as she hesitated and tried to pull away. His hold was stronger now as his hands wrapped around her waist. The wallet was dropped, along with the empty glass, making a loud clank sound, but no glass was broken.

Mary soon gave in and kissed him back. There were little whimpers that could be heard in the back of her throat, driving him crazy. Mary’s hands suddenly forced him away as she gasped for air. She shot him another death glare.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Mary sounded angry, but Junjin knew she wasn’t. He sent her a mocking grin.

.........

Mike, Li Ann and Dahye sat in the body of the train, waiting for it to reach Seoul. Dahye tried her best not to fall asleep, afraid that Li Ann might trick her. Mike could tell she was tired, but Dahye had nothing to fear, for Li Ann was sleeping uncomfortably in her seat. Mike smiled as he continued staring at her from the seat across. Her delicate face was pressed onto her palm that was holding her head up. Mike reached over slowly to brush the small strand of hair that was bothering her, but retreated when he thought of the consequences.

Dahye’s eyelids kept on slipping as she tried hard to keep awake. Mike studied her for a minute. She looked like she had a hard life, running around with the kids she hung around with. He wondered what kind of person she would have been if she lived the same lifestyle he did. Well, now she would, because all his money was going to her, he thought. Perhaps she’ll make good use of the money. He couldn’t think of the negative results now. He had to think positively, it was for her own good.

The train came to an abrupt half, jerking Li Ann forward. She awoke and moved her cranky neck back and forth. Mike looked around and saw that they were already in Seoul. They did not rest in Pusan after finding Dahye, riding back to Seoul all in one night.

“Finally,” Dahye muttered.

Li Ann looked out the window and saw that it was already morning, people walking around and waiting for their trains to come.

“Good morning,” Mike smiled. Li Ann returned his smile and nodded. She made a grab for her backpack and nudged Dahye to stand up. The three of them made their way out of their section and down the long corridor to the exiting door.

Neither Mike nor Li Ann noticed a pair of dark eyes gazing over them from the crowd that the people in the train were making. Li Ann smiled as she smelled the fresh air once she hopped off the floor of the train.

The sound of a cell phone clicked.

Mike followed after Dahye had jumped off with her duffle bag. She looked around curiously with a sigh.

“So this is Seoul huh?” Li Ann looked back to Dahye and smiled.

Loud footsteps were heard walking around them in the midst of the crowd. Neither paid any attention.

“Yeah, it is.” Li Ann smiled as she motioned for Dahye to follow her towards the exit of the train station. People started scattering everywhere going in and out of the train.

Mike glanced around, realizing that he had lost sight of Li Ann and Dahye. He searched quickly around him, trying not to go too far. How had he lost them so easily? He searched down the body of the train, hoping he’d spot Li Ann, or that she’d spot him.

Seeing nothing of Li Ann or Dahye, he quickly turned around, only to bump into Brian, who had his hands in his side pockets, waiting for Mike to realize that it was him waiting for Mike.

“Mike?” Li Ann asked into the air.

“Who?” Dahye asked. “Why did we stop?” She looked around curiously at the crowd of people walking everywhere. Li Ann looked at Dahye, then tossed her head back and forth to search for Mike.

“Hey lady, wanna tell me what–...”

A gunshot was heard.

People started running and screaming as they panicked. Li Ann quickly looked back at Dahye. People were running and some ducking. Li Ann grabbed Dahye’s arm to run out of the crowd to someplace where there was less people to be seen by Mike, but before she could move, somebody’s hand clasped over her mouth, and an arm around her waist.

A man who was wearing dark sunglasses and a trench coat grabbed Dahye from behind, trying to cover his hand over her mouth too. Li Ann’s eyes widened as she heard Hwanhee’s voice whisper to her ear.

“Move or I break your neck.”

Dahye shot a blow to the other man’s knee, but he didn’t flinch. He grabbed her waist and tossed her over his large shoulder. With Dahye kicking and struggling to scream, Hwanhee and the mysterious friend of his walked out of the train station, unnoticed.

2007-09-22T21:55:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 23

Mike and Li Ann stepped off the train and made their way through the crowd out of the train station. Li Ann tiredly looked both ways, unfamiliar with the streets. Mike was just as tired. They had been traveling all day, and now it was beginning to darken in Pusan. Somehow there seemed to be a bond between them, as they both felt worn out and heavy.

“Do you want to find a place to stay first?” Mike turned to Li Ann with his question. Although she looked tired, she shook her head no.

“Let’s just find your niece first, it’s not that dark yet,” Li Ann replied as she picked up her little backpack. They checked the address once again, then started off down the busy street where luminous lights hung over the light poles. It was like a festival. It was like walking through a lithe dream as they strode down the street market.

Li Ann came to a halt when she saw the numbers on a building. It was the numbers in the address. She had guessed right. The place would be near the train station. The old building seemed to be littoral when there was no water near by. It seemed deserted and run down.

“Is this it?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” Li Ann responded with a glance to him. Mike walked on ahead in front of her into the old building. He guessed it had been an old apartment unit, no longer in use.

“Li Ann, what room number?” Mike asked from over his shoulder. Li Ann quickly glanced down at the piece of paper in her hand.

“104 B.” They continued to walk up the long staircase hallway that led to the second floor. Mike looked at the doors, tightly locked closed. He wondered if his niece would have been living in a place like this, and why had he not known about her. There were a few doors that were seemed to be made of molybdenum and cold as ice. It looked more like a prison. The smell was hardly bearable to Li Ann.

“This is the room,” Mike said as he stepped out of the way. Li Ann moved up to the door and slightly knocked. There was no reply for second. She knocked again, this time louder. Still there was no answer. After a few minutes, Mike decided to pull Li Ann out of the hallway, afraid that she might faint from the intoxicating smell.

“It’s probably the wrong address,” Li Ann implied once they were outside.

“I don’t know,” Mike replied back.

“Do you want to come back tomorrow morning?” Li Ann asked. A noise clanked from a few meters off. Both turned their attentions to the little back alleyway behind the building. Female and male voices were heard. Mike slowly walked towards the invisible people conversing.

“Mike...” Li Ann called out after him quietly. He didn’t reply. He kept on walking closer and closer to the alleyway until he was completely gone. Li Ann got to her feet and paced herself after him. She stopped when she saw Mike’s back, facing a bunch of teenagers who were lounging around in the alleyway. A few of the young boys were smoking and most of the girls were dressed in baggy jeans and tanks. Some were squatting, some were leaning on the walls, and some were just standing with their arms crossed like the leader. They looked more of a gang. Li Ann swallowed back the lump in her throat.

“Ask them for Dahye,” Mike whispered to her. Li Ann looked at him and remembered he was a ghost, therefore only she could see and hear him. She had to do this on her own.

“Um, excuse me...” Li Ann stammered out. All their heads turned towards her. They blank stares questioned her authority.

“Hey lady, you ain’t here to collect rent money are you?” one of the boys shouted with a snicker from the background. The grouped joined him and started laughing.

“No, I’m....I’m looking for Lee Dahye,” Li Ann announced. A few of them stopped laughing.

“Dahye? Why?” one of the boys in front asked as he crossed his arms.

“It’s important. This concerns her uncle Lee Mike,” Li Ann stated clearly. They all ignored her and continued to talk to each other, laughing and joking around. Li Ann turned to Mike for help. He looked stuck too.

“Hey! Please tell me if any of you guys know where I can find Lee Dahye?!” Li Ann shouted once again to the crowd. A small pair of hands squeezed herself out of the few boys standing in the center of the alleyway.

A young skinny girl wearing baggy torn blue jeans and a red tank top stepped out. Her hair was partly braided and half tied into a bun. She wore a red bandana on her right arm and had an attitude of a bull.

“I’m Dahye, what do you want?” asked the young girl. She didn’t look much younger than Li Ann.

“I’m Kim Li Ann, and I need to talk to you,” Li Ann said. Mike was still trying to absorb the fact of seeing his lost niece.

Dahye looked back to her friends, then backed at Li Ann. She kept chewing her gum as she tapped her foot impatiently.

“About what?” Dahye asked.

“Your uncle.”

“What uncle? I don’t have any relatives. Sorry lady, you got the wrong person,” Dahye said dully as she started to walk back. Li Ann pulled her elbow to stop her. Dahye turned around a bit surprised. Li Ann moved her hand and stepped back.

“Please, it’s important,” Li Ann asked. Dahye thought momentarily with brisk silence. She turned around to face her group. Li Ann thought she was going to be ignored again.

“Hey, I’ll be back later,” Dahye shouted as she turned around to face Li Ann again. She started to walk off the opposite direction away from her group. Li Ann guessed this meant to follow her.

Dahye led Li Ann away from the dirty neighborhood there and out to a promenade like street where she stopped by a store to buy a soda. She offered Li Ann one.

“So what’s this gotta do with me? I mean, who are you?” Dahye asked once they were sitting down at a bench. Mike stood behind the bench as he waited for Li Ann to explain everything to Dahye.

“Okay, listen carefully. This is very important. You had an uncle named Lee Mike, he died a few weeks ago. He was killed by his wife because she wanted his money, but since you are Mike’ niece, you inherit all the money and corporation, since he didn’t write a will before he died. Now his wife Ji Yun and a guy named...”

“Hwanhee,” Mike answered.

“Hwanhee, is trying to find you. Once they do, they’re going to make you sign a paper that consists you to give all the money to Ji Yun. If you don’t, they may kill you,” Li Ann explained, nearly out of breath by her last sentence.

Dahye stared back at her blankly. A few seconds later, Dahye started laughing out loudly. She looked at Li Ann’s serious face and couldn’t believe what Li Ann was telling her.

“Hey lady, are you okay? Are you on drugs or something?” Dahye chuckled.

“I’m not joking,” Li Ann said defensively.

“I don’t have an uncle,” Dahye cut in.

“But you did have a grandfather, right?”

“I did,” Dahye shrugged. “But it’s not like he cares about me or anything. Geez lady, what does this have to do with me? I have no uncle, and I don’t know you, so just tell me what you really want and leave okay?”

“I just told you what I wanted to say,” Li Ann simply replied.

“And why do you know all this? Are you related to my grandfather or something?” Dahye asked as she stood up.

“No, I’m just a friend...” Li Ann replied gazing down to the floor.

“Just a friend? Ha, sure, your story is really good. Thanks for wasting my time. Bye,” Dahye said rudely before she started walking.

“Dahye! Listen to me, if I tell you another thing, you won’t believe me,” Li Ann pleaded. She couldn’t believe Dahye’s stuck up attitude was so hard to get through.

“What?” Dahye stopped and turned around to face her.

“Your uncle is right here– he’s a ghost, and I’m helping him,” Li Ann explained frankly. Dahye’s stare was even more lost now as she didn’t know whether to laugh or get angry at Li Ann. She took a deep breath.

“Look, I have a hard life enough already alright? I don’t need some person who doesn’t know me to be lying to me about stupid things like this. Just leave me alone.”

“Dahye, please, you have to believe me. If you don’t come with me–...”

“Then what? What’s going to happen huh?” Dahye asked with a chuckle.

“Then Hwanhee and Ji Yun will find you and they’ll kill you!” Li Ann shouted in frustration. Dahye shook her head with sympathy.

“Look, if you come back with me, I promise you that you will inherit all your uncle’s wealth. It’s solely to you only, that’s why Ji Yun is so eager to get it. By the way I see it, you need the money now right? And why would I travel all the way from Seoul just to lie to you?”

Dahye stopped as she stared at Li Ann’s face. There was something in Li Ann’s eyes that told her she wasn’t lying. Perhaps a little crazy, but definitely not lying. Dahye chewed her gum back and forth between her teeth as she continued to stare at Li Ann.

“So...if I come with you, how much do I get?” Dahye asked as she raised her chin with interest.

“I don’t know the exact amount–...”

“9 million,” Mike cut in. He crossed his arms aggravated.

“But it’s around 9 million,” Li Ann smiled at Dahye.

“Plus the corporation and all of my grandfather’s remaining wealth,” Mike added.

“Plus the corporation and all of your grandfather’s remaining wealth,” Li Ann added to Dahye.

Dahye and her group of friends huddled as she explained to them the deal she was getting. Li Ann looked from afar with a bit of hope that Dahye would say yes. She turned to Mike, who had his hands resting in his pant pockets, gazing up at the stars, waiting along with Li Ann.

“There’s really 9 million of yours?” Li Ann asked in amusement.

“12 to be exact, but I just said 9 to make it more reasonable,” Mike shrugged without looking at her. Li Ann’s eyes widened as she couldn’t believe how much Mike had earned in his short lifetime period. No wonder Ji Yun was so aggressive to carry on her plans to get the money.

Dahye walked back to Li Ann with the same blank expression she had when they’d first met. She stopped shortly in front of Li Ann and pursed her lips together.

“If anything happens to me, my family over there will make sure you receive the first blessings of death,” Dahye stated as she looked back to her group. They were all standing proudly around as they watched Dahye and Li Ann. Li Ann smiled and nodded understandingly.

“Fine with me,” Li Ann shrugged. Mike smiled at her boldness.

“When do we leave?”

2007-09-09T20:44:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 22

The unguided rain splattered onto the cold pavement as Mike quickened his pace. He trampled through the near empty streets alone and wondered what Li Ann was doing at the moment. He had decided to go off to find Dahye. He didn’t know how he would help her, but he had to find her before Hwanhee and Ji Yun did. Suddenly he paused when he saw the train loading. Where was Li Ann? She was the only person he was worried about. Now that he got the address of his niece, surely Hwanhee would be after her as well as Andy.

Hesitating, and thinking twice, Mike took a deep breath and turned around. He should have thought of her before leaving. He had left her when she fell asleep in her bed, thinking that she would be safe, but neither Hwanhee nor Andy was on his mind. Not until now.

Junjin sniffed back the running nose and entered Hyesung’s masquerade. People were standing around wearing expensive suits and cocktail dresses that were embroidered with diamonds. Junjin scooted past several people who knew him. They welcomed him with warm welcomes, but his main business here was with Shin Hyesung.

“Hey, I’m here to see Hyesung,” Junjin informed the security guard standing in front of a large doorway. The security guard nodded and allowed Junjin to enter.

“Thanks,” Junjin said quietly as he entered into the large room where it was highly more sophisticated than the party outside. There were masseuses dressed in thin clothes and tanks full of rattle snakes. Junjin’s face grew disgusted once he saw the reptiles in those tanks. He noticed a few men standing around, but then spotted his main target.

Hyesung sat with his close associates, engaged in a conversation. Hyesung’s eyes spotted Junjin and excused himself from his group of friends. Hyesung walked over to Junjin with a mellow attitude.

“Junjin! So glad you could make it! Have a seat.” In the middle of that room were large comfortable couches and a coffee table in the middle, all on top of an ancient rug from China that was hand sewn. Junjin was quite impressed with Hyesung’s lifestyle.

“So Junjin, what have you got so far?” Hyesung asked as he sipped his red wine. Junjin bit his lips and twiddled his hands nervously.

“I haven’t gotten anything yet,” Junjin lied as he perked up more confidence.

“Really?” Hyesung set down his glass and looked at his watch.

“Yeah. I’ll get it soon. The codes to the locker are still locked, so I’m waiting for the key,” Junjin explained.

“Very well. I have plenty of time on my hands, speaking of which I’m late for my meeting. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you later.” Hyesung stood up and straightened his shirt. Junjin arched his neck back and forth.

“I should get going too,” Junjin said as he stood up.

“No, don’t do that. You should stay and enjoy the party. Do you want to relax first?” Hyesung asked noticing the tension in his muscles. He waved at a young masseuse to come over. The young and tall girl with light brown tanned skin looked over. She had brown sugar wavy hair and was dressed in a red camisole top and a little over the knee length skirt that had a split down the side up to her thigh. Her pretty oval face was soft and flawless and her large eyes twinkled as she approached Junjin.

“Yes sir?” She asked Hyesung as she came up to him.

“Give Mr. Park a massage. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Junjin, this is Miss Kim Sianna. She’s an expert. Enjoy,” Hyesung slyly smiled as he patted Junjin’s shoulders and walked off.

“Hello Mr. Park,” Sianna smiled seductively as she held out her hand.

“Hello,” Junjin replied as he took her hand and kissed it. She blushed bowed.

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to a more private room.” She led him to a dark room with maroon walls. Soft music played in the background as Junjin looked around curiously. A messaging table was set in the center, and next to it were bottles of body oils that laid around in fancy little potion like glasses.

“Nice room,” Junjin commented as he kept his eyes looking all over, trying to avoid her. She was extremely attractive and sexy to him.

“Take off your shirt if you like,” she said as she poured out some oil onto her palm. Junjin started stripping off his top. Sianna’s eyes gazed over his broad shoulders and hard abs. She looked away and walked over to the other side of the table. He laid down chest first and relaxed his arms. Her slender fingers ran over his shoulder blades and down his spine. She started messaging him as his body seemed to relax a little.

“So...where are you from?” Junjin asked.

“What do you mean Mr. Park?” Her voice was soft and melody like to his ears. He felt he was going to fall in love.

“Well, you don’t look like you’re Korean,” Junjin smiled to himself.

“I’m half Caucasian, one forth Japanese, and the rest is Korean,” she giggled.

“What?” Junjin said in a confused tone. She continued to giggle as she message his shoulders.

“My father is Korean and Japanese, and my mother is Caucasian,” Sianna explained.

“Oh, no wonder your name is so different...” Junjin implied with understanding.

“That’s not my real name,” Sianna said quietly. Junjin tensed up under her. He looked over his shoulders and into her brown eyes. He looked at her questioningly.

“May I know?” Junjin smiled mischievously.

“Mr. Park, I’m afraid that is not allowed,” Sianna joked. She continued to massage his shoulders, then moved down to his lower back.

“Why not?” Junjin asked laying his cheek back down again. He felt Sianna’s leg move over his back as she suddenly sat on top of him, on his back. He glanced over and saw her exposed thigh that showed through the split on her skirt. She leaned down until she was pressed onto his back.

“Because I’ll have to kill you,” Sianna whispered quietly into his ears. He smiled at her boldness. He relaxed some more as he felt Sianna’s hands run up and down his back.

“I don’t care. Tell me,” Junjin continued. His voice was drowning, as he felt tiresome overcome him. She smiled to herself, feeling a bit guilty.

“Relax Mr. Park,” Sianna said as she felt him slowly drifting off.

“Call me Junjin,” he yawned back. He closed his eyes and in a matter of minutes, was asleep. The last thing he remembered hearing was a soft voice whispering to his ear.

“My name is Mary.”

He opened his eyes. He is still in the same room with dark red walls and soft music. He slowly rose from the table and looked around. He saw his jacket and shirt piled on a chair nearby. Junjin stood up and yawned. He pulled on his black sleeveless shirt and picked up his jacket. An odd feeling came over Junjin as he suddenly searched the pockets of his jacket. His wallet, cell phone and the number were all missing.

“Sh!t! No, damn,” Junjin muttered as he looked around everywhere in that room for his items. All the bottles were gone, and so was the girl. That girl. He remembered. It must have been her. He shouldn’t have trusted her that easily. Such a poisonous rose she is. He cursed himself out and grew more pissed by the moment. Junjin slipped into his jacket and stormed out. Oddly, the masquerade was over. There were no rattlesnakes in the large tanks, no rich men in sophisticated suits or beautiful women in cocktail dresses. And most significantly, there was no Shin Hyesung or masseuses.

Li Ann sat in front of the television screen watching an engaged mellifluous speech by a politician when she heard a knock on her door. She got up to go open the door, only to find a bundle of pink roses at her footstep. They were slightly wet from the rain, but still neatly wrapped in cellophane. She picked them up and read the note. It was from Andy. She rolled her head back and closed the door. Coming back into the kitchen, Li Ann tossed the roses into the trash can and opened the refrigerator to find something to eat.

She walked over to the dining room and strode out back into the living room. She felt as melancholy as the dim living room itself. The quiet room made up a musical composition like a medley as she listened to the rain pour from outside. She stood quietly still, listening to the splatters, to the wind, the footsteps.

“Mike?” She turned her head to the side to see Mike standing there, with sorry written all over his face. Her face lightened up a bit as a weak smile appeared.

“Li Ann...” He walked up closer to her. There had seemed to be melanism in his face as he too, smiled back.

“Where did you go?” She tried to sound as casual as she could, as if nothing ever happened between them.

“Just to finish some business,” Mike lied. He couldn’t look her in the eye. She stepped back, letting the shadow from the living room cover her face. He stepped in closer to the light showing from the kitchen.

“Why are you all alone in the dark like this Li Ann? I worried about you a lot,” Mike stated as he looked down to the glossy wooden floor.

“Mike...do you like me?” she asked with her eyes fixed on him. He looked up with a confused look on his face. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and nodded slowly.

“I like you too,” Li Ann said quietly. She was being blunt and open with him. They had to write this down and figure out what they needed to do. She knew far off that he was a ghost, and she was human, but her feelings were real this time.

“We can’t be together,” Mike choked out quietly as he looked away, both hands in his pant pockets. Li Ann didn’t reply. She didn’t know how to respond to that. It was the truth, and it won’t change.

“If only I was still alive,” Mike faked on a small smile to try and cheer her up. The moment grew quieter until near silence.

“In that case, we would not have met,” Li Ann replied. Her emotion and tone of voice were still the same, in doubt and pain. He searched her blank face for any expression of what she was thinking, but he found none.

“Li Ann...I’m sorry,” Mike whispered.

“Don’t be. It’s okay Mike. I still want to help you out though.” It was now Li Ann’s turn to cheer him up.

“You really do?” Mike asked not surprised. She nodded.

“Will you go to Pusan with me?” He thought it would be a good idea to keep her safe if she went with him, rather than stay here. At least he could keep a good look out for her. Li Ann was always so uncaring of who was around her. He felt he needed and owed her to protect her.

“To find your niece?” Li Ann asked.

“Yes,” Mike answered in his serious tone. Li Ann smiled. The echoing of her brother’s footsteps approached the doors. Li Ann turned startled and aware that her brother was home.

“I’ll ask him for the car,” Li Ann stated as she moved from her spot towards the door.

“Don’t,” Mike stopped her. “We’ll take a bus.” The look in his eyes assured her that he knew what he was doing. She nodded obediently and agreed.

“Man, it’s raining like no tomorrow,” Dongwan muttered as he closed his umbrella. He was wet from head to toe, with water droplets dripping off the tips of his hair.

“I know oppa. How was your day?” Li Ann asked brightly as she took his suitcase.

“I got into traffic jam, and I dropped my coffee all over myself,” Dongwan said recalling his day. “How was yours? Didn’t you go to class?”

“No, there was no class today. My day was gloomy. Um, oppa, I’m going to take a trip to Pusan this weekend,” Li Ann said.

“What?” Dongwan stopped taking of his jacket and looked at her with a frustrated expression.

“I’m going to visit a patient down there oppa. I’ll be back soon. Is that okay?” Li Ann asked.

“A patient? Who?” Dongwan asked as he hung up his jacket.

“A girl. She needs my help, so I need to go down there,” Li Ann answered, feeling not so guilty because she told half of the truth.

“Who are you going with?” Dongwan asked.

“Myself.”

“In this weather?” Dongwan’s face was in disbelief. She nodded and smiled. His face slowly softened as the thought about it.

“Well, if you need my car–...”

“I’m taking the bus,” Li Ann cut in quickly. Dongwan studied her face for a minute, then nodded. She smiled excitedly and hugged him.

“Don’t you have to go to work?” He asked one last time in protest.

“My work is in Pusan!” Li Ann shouted back as she jumped upstairs to her room.

Dongwan smiled at Li Ann’s childish attitude and carried his suitcase into the kitchen. He noticed the bouquet of roses in the trash can and picked up the note in between them. He read Andy’s name and tried to recall who Andy was. Not caring much, he tossed the note back into the trash can and continued on his way.

[To be Cont]

2007-09-07T06:57:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 21

Hwanhee and Ji Yun reached home by early dawn with pissed expressions of not completing either of their tasks.

He paced around the room while she was boisterously fussing with the kitchen. Hwanhee had no idea what she was doing, but cared nonetheless.

He wondered who that man was that had attacked him earlier. He didn’t even get the name of the girl he danced with. He remembered the information the lawyer had given him, as he reached into his pockets to take it out. Nothing is there.

“What the...” Hwanhee mumbled as he suddenly stood up and looked all around him. Realizing that he was in no luck whatsoever, he cursed out loudly.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Yun asked, walking back from the kitchen.

“Sh!t! Somebody took the address out of my pockets!” Hwanhee shouted as he slammed his fast down on the lavender colored walls.

“What?!” Ji Yun stood there looking at him shocked.

“I...I was dancing with this one girl and then this guy came up and just started beating me! I think he took it! Damn!” Hwanhee continued to ramble on, cursing himself as Ji Yun stared back at him in disbelief.

“You bastard! Why did you? How could you!” Panic struck her gaze as she glared at him.

“Did you get the number?” Hwanhee suddenly asked her. She looked up and blinked. “No, I didn’t.” Ji Yun crossed her arms and looked away.

“Why?”

“I don’t know! I was close to it until people started screaming everywhere about a fight!” She spat back at him angrily.

“I’ll be back,” Hwanhee said as he quickly turned around and sprinted out the door.

..........Li Ann grabbed her throbbing head as she continued to feel dizzy. She checked her alarm clock, it was 7:39 a.m. She quickly recalling the events that had happened the night before, she got out of bed and changed immediately.

Although she felt as if her whole body had been on a cathode ray, she forced herself to be fully prepared. Coming out of the restroom, she glanced around the room. Nothing had changed. A questioning look danced across her face as she wondered where he was.

“Mike?” she asked into the still of her room. No reply. Had he really left?Li Ann made her ways downstairs where Dongwan was, cooking breakfast in his always natural cheery mood. He greeted her with an awkward look as she walked past him.

“Where are you going?” He asked, still holding the frying pan in his hands.

“I’m going to get your car.” Li Ann walked around the living room before deciding to go back to the club to find her brother’s car. She wondered where Mike was.

He’d usually see her early in the morning before she’d left for work, but feeling drowsy and tired, she didn’t want to go to work either.

Li Ann took the bus downtown to Club Xtasy. Outside the perimeter of the club was all quiet and deaf, like it was already shut down.

Of course, the midnight scene was much different, but early in the morning like that, hardly anybody would be around. She walked around to the back of the club where the car was still parked. She sighed with relief, thankful that his car was still in good condition.

Suddenly a tap was felt on her shoulders before she could get into the car. She wisped around, shocked to see Hwanhee smiling down at her.

“Good morning,” he acknowledged.

“Uh...hi,” she replied a bit confused.

“Do you remember me?” He asked with a full grown serious expression.

“Yes.” Her simple reply astounded him. Although she looked a bit weary and out of shape, he was still feeling attractiveness towards her.

“What are you doing here?” He asked looking at Dongwan’s car behind her.

“I’m here to pick up my brother’s car,” Li Ann mumbled as she looked away, wanting to seem in a hurry, eager to get out of this conversation.

“Mind if I have breakfast with you?” Hwanhee asked with an eyebrow raised at her.

“No thanks. I really have to get going,” She said opening the door to her brother’s car.

“Wait,” Hwanhee said as he suddenly grabbed her elbow and pushed her against the cold surface of the car.

“What the hell are you doing?!” She protested. He leaned in on her closely to her ear with a dead serious expression on his face. His grip on her wrist tightened.

“Where’s the address?” He asked with his cold chilling voice. Li Ann’s eyes shot up as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

“What...what are you talking about?” She asked with quivering lips.

“You know what I’m talking about! Where is it?!” Hwanhee shouted into her face making her wince. His breathing was fierce as his eyes bore angrily into hers. He looked as if he hadn’t had any sleep all night.

She didn’t answer him. She was too startled and afraid to think. He sensed her fear and suddenly released her wrist.

She gripped it, finally feeling her blood circulate correctly again.

“Who’s that guy? The one that messed with me?” He asked as he took a step back.

“An...Andy Lee,” She stuttered back with a grim look as she held her wrist tightly to herself. Hwanhee looked at her, searching her face for any sign of honesty.

He finally gave up as he turned around to leave. A moment of silence and coldness passed through her before she finally snapped back into her own reality and got into the car.

Taking a big swallow of the lump forming in her throat, Li Ann started the engine and drove off, wishing Mike was there to protect her.

She didn’t know why she would really care if he was there or not, but after that unfortunate encounter with Hwanhee, he was the first person on her mind.

“Mike, where are you?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:51:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 20

Mike lifted his gaze and see an angry Brian standing in front of him.

Brian’s eyes were lighted with fire as he breathed out fog. Mike stood up slowly and dusted himself. Brian once again shoved Mike all the way back further into the alleyway.

Mike shouted as he tried to push Brian back, but Brian’s strength seemed to be supported by some unseen force of nature.

“I told you to stay away from her!” Brian shouted angrliy.

“What the hell is your problem?!” Mike shouted back as Brian backed off a few steps.

“Look!” Brian said as he pointed to where Li Ann was. She was now in a sitting foetus-like position, clutching her knees closely to her as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back to catch some air. Mike paused for a moment, too, to catch his breath.

“What...what happened?” Mike asked seeming out of breath.

“Li Ann?” he called as he tried to walk towards her. Brian stepped out in front of him, stopping him from going any further.

“Get the hell away from me!” Mike shouted trying to shove Brian aside.

“I wouldn’t get near her if I were you. Unless I want her to die,” Brian replied cooly. It had seemed as if all of a sudden his attitude had shifted from a angry menacing beast to the all around easy going Angel of Death Brian.

“What do you mean?” Mike asked, confused by Brian’s explanation.

“You–...I didn’t tell you this before,” Brian said with a loud sigh.

“What?” Mike asked more concerned for Li Ann that for what Brian had to say.Suddenly Andy appeared from around the corner. He looked down to see Li Ann holding herself, tired and unable to move. He immediately bent down to see if she was okay.

“Li Ann is human, Mike,” Brian replied, looking at Li Ann and Andy.

“Li Ann? Hey, wake up. Are you okay?” Andy asked quietly, tapping her cheek to see if she was conscious.

“I know she’s human!” Mike retorted back angrily.

“Yes, but that’s why!” Brian shouted back at Mike’s stubbornness.

“Why can’t I be with her?!” Mike asked fiercely.

“Because the more time you spend with her, you take more of her energy. She is translucent to you and will eventually die if you get too close to her! That right there– that kiss! You nearly drained her! If you don’t stay away from her, she will eventually be too weak to live,” Brian explained calmly.

“What the f***?” Mike stated back, uable to believe what Brian was telling him.

“Your paths are not supposed to be traversal, but you crossed the line. I warned you already,” Brian said as he started to walk away.

“Wait! You never told me about this!” Mike called after him.

“Oh, but I did warn you,” Brian said quickly.

“And–...” he added.

“– you won’t be able to touch her for a while. It’s a transverse wave passing through.”

“What the hell does that mean?!” Mike asked angrily.

“It means stay away from her!” Brian shouted as he turned around, but still kept his pace.

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Mike questioned. Brian finally stopped and turned around.

“Because for ghosts, they will take advantage of people. That’s why I didn’t tell you. They have no use for the energy they take, but if they take enough, they can become almost invincible and have accelerated chances.”

“What makes you think I’ll do that?!” he asked a bit angry.

“I learned from experience, and now I hope you will too,” Brian shot back as he started walking again.

“Wait, how will I get her home then?!” Mike shouted back.

“That’s her problem,” Brian replied, suddenly disappearing out of sight.

“Andy?” Li Ann whispered back feeling the dizziness back down a bit.

“Yeah, it’s me. Are you okay? Did you drink that much?” Andy asked with a slight chuckle.

“Mike?” Li Ann asked as she lifted her gaze to Mike, who was now standing behind Andy. Andy looked back, but then turned back to her with a confused look on his face.

“Pardon me, who?” Andy asked. She slightly shook her head as she grabbed Andy’s arms to try to get up.

“Whoa..easy. Let me take you home,” Andy said trying to hold her up. She shook her head violently.

“No, that’s okay,” Li Ann mumbled back shaking him off.

“Li Ann,” Mike called out. She looked over to him.

“I think it’s better if Andy takes you home.” Mike’s voice was full of an apologetic tone. The look in his eyes told her that he meant it.

“Wait,” she said to Andy.

“Please take me home.” Andy smiled in triumph to himself as he helped her to his car. Sitting in steadily, Li Ann waited for Andy to drive her home. She had not thought so much of Mike, but she thought about why she had suddenly just collapsed like that.

Andy pulled the car out of the parking lot and headed towards her home.

“So...why were you dancing by yourself tonight?” Andy asked as they were halfway to her house. She still held her head as she shot him a annoyed glare.

“I was dancing with that man until you came,” she muttered.

“Hey, I’m just doing my part. He’s not supposed to be dancing with my girl,” Andy shrugged.

“What...Your girl?!” Li Ann asked shocked. Andy smiled amusingly to himself as he kept his eyes on the road. He soon stopped in front of her house. Li Ann didn’t wait to walk out of his car, slamming the door behind her. She could barely walk to her front door. Andy wrapped his arm around her waist as he tried to hold her up all the way to her door. She pounded on the front door for her brother to open.

“Oppa! It’s me!” She called out. Dongwan opened the door, but his face frowned when he saw Li Ann’s pale face.

“What the hell did you do to my sister?!” Dongwan asked angrily to Andy, ready to pound Andy right there.

“Hey, hey! Cool down man. I didn’t do anything to her! I just help to bring her home!” Andy said defensively.

“Oppa, it’s okay,” Li Ann said putting a hand against Dongwan to stop him.

“Later Li Ann,” Andy stated as he started to walk back to his car. Li Ann turned her head back to Dongwan and fumbled to walk inside.

“Li Ann? What happened to you?” Dongwan asked concern.

“Nothing oppa, I just got a little drunk,” Li Ann lied as she pushed her way past him and up to her room.

“Li Ann, you know you shouldn’t be drinking. You know you have a problem with that. And where’s my car?” he asked crossing his arms.

“It’s at the club oppa. I’m sorry. I’ll get it tomorrow,” she said as she walked into her room and closed the door.

“Good night!” Dongwan shouted back. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked into his room. Li Ann sat down on her bed and began to slowly remove her boots. She was too tired to even try to remove her jacket.

“I’m sorry,” Mike whispered from behind her. She turned her head around and saw him standing there, the shadow overseeing half of his figure. She smiled weakly.

“Here,” she slowly handed him the crumpled up piece of paper. He was too worried about her to even care for it. In fact, he had forgotten about it. He reached for it, trying his best not to touch her hand.

“Thank you Li Ann. I’m really sorry,” Mike said again with a hint of sadness in his tone. She made a face that asked him why he was being sorry.

“I should have never kissed you,” he mumbled lowly. She lowered her gaze to the floor, thinking that he only thought of her as a friend perhaps.

“It’s okay,” Li Ann shrugged it off. “I’m going to have to leave you now,” Mike choked out, looking away from her out through the window.

“Why?” Her question was so innocent, it made him almost feel guilty for dragging her into this mess in the first place. “

I have to Li Ann,” Mike responded, looking at her in a serious way, but added on a smile anyway to comfort her.

The room was dark. Only half of it was visible by the light shown from the moon outside.

“Is there a problem? Did I do something wrong?” she asked worried.

“No, it’s not you,” Mike said lifting his chin up with a wider smile.

“Then why do you have to leave?” she asked blinking her tired eyes to stay awake.

Mike paused to think for a moment.

How would she understand something that isn’t visible to her?

“Because, I don’t want to drag you into the world of dark blue,” he replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:38:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 19

Wondering endlessly when her brother would return, Li Ann slouched down even further on the couch until she was sure her eyes were going to close on her.

She yawned and stretched, trying to stay awake. The television screen seemed to blur even more as she blinked her eyes continuously. She checked her watch, only to find that it wasn’t even at all dark out yet.

She yawned again and wondered what she had eaten earlier to feel so tired and sleepy. She wished there was a certain kind of sport there was that she would actually enjoy without procrastinating for once, but there wasn’t.

Without further due, she finally got up and stretched, arching her head back and her arms straight out. She suddenly felt the presence of somebody else around her.

“Mike?” she asked quietly.

“It’s me,” he replied. She turned around and looked at him wearily.

“Oh, hey,” she replied as she fell right back down onto the couch. He smiled as he sat down next to her.

“Are you that tired?” he asked. She sat back up straight and looked at him intensely.

“No?” she replied hoping that he would have something for her to do.

“Do you wanna go out?” he asked sounding a bit nervous.

“Out where?” Li Ann asked raising an eyebrow.

“To a club,” Mike shrugged. Li Ann cracked a little smile as she leaned back.

“Are you serious Mike? We can’t go to a club...” Li Ann laughed.

“I’m serious Li Ann. Why not?” he asked looking at her questioningly.

“Because...” she said unsure.

“Because?”

“Because I would look funny if I talked to you,” Li Ann rolled her eyes.

“No you wouldn’t. Come on, get up, get dressed and I’ll wait for you here,” Mike said as he tugged her arm upward. She slowly rose from her seating position but immediately felt lightheaded and collided back down, pushing Mike down with her.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Mike asked as he helped push her shoulder up. She grabbed her head and nodded.

“I don’t know, I’m just so tired today,” Li Ann said with a light yawn.

“Well, you don’t have to go if you don’t feel–...”

“No no no no no, I’m going too. I can’t stand being alone,” Li Ann said as she stubbornly got herself up. She paced herself upstairs as Mike sighed to himself, wondering if taking Li Ann would really be a good idea.

The door unlocked as Dongwan and Calida strolled in, both carrying a large load of laundry.

“Lili! I’m home,” Dongwan called out as he and Calida set down the laundry baskets.

“I thought I was Lili?” Calida asked with a bright smile.

“No, you’re Leeli, with a L-E-E,” Dongwan corrected as he brought his arms around her.

“Where’s Li Ann?” Calida asked getting out of his hug. She walked into the living room and sat down on the large warm couch. Mike leaned by the wall for support as he crossed one foot over the other and waited for Li Ann.

His arms were crossed and his head was busily tilted down, examining the floor for some odd reason.

“Li Ann?” Dongwan called out once more as he poked his head into the hallway. “Right here oppa!” Li Ann shouted back as she clipped on her silver hoop earrings.

She grabbed her Suede leather jacket and rushed out. Footsteps were heard coming from downstairs as Li Ann made her way down. Dongwan came out from the kitchen when Li Ann walked past him.

“Where are you going?” Dongwan asked raising both his brows up as he inspected what she was wearing. Dark denim jeans and a ruffled top black tank, under her creamy Suede jacket. Mike glanced up at Dongwan’s voice and saw Li Ann in a different way, one that he’d never seen before.

She was looking more beautiful and daring than ever. Li Ann smiled at her brother.

“I’m going out oppa,” she replied.

“Out where?” Dongwan asked raising his eyebrows even further up. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Do I always have to be treated like a five year old? I’m going out with Min– Lindsey,” Li Ann managed to cover up his name and lie about it, smiling after her sentence that she did.

“Lindsey?” Dongwan asked. She nodded quickly.

“Fine, have a good time,” Dongwan said with a wave of his hand. She walked over to hug him, then asked for the car keys.

Dongwan handed them to her as she headed out, motioning for Mike to follow. They stood outside the long line, waiting for their turn to enter the already packed in full Xtasy Club. Li Ann folded her hands neatly in front of her and waited like an excited little girl, while Mike guiltily followed behind her.

She turned around and noticed the attitude change when he wasn’t even looking the right way.

“Mike, is something wrong?” Li Ann asked. He looked up from out of his trance and shook his head, adding on a smile to cover it up. She smiled, then turned back to the line excitedly. Mike bit his lips as he forced himself to speak up.

“Li Ann...” Mike’s hoarse voice called out quietly. She wisped around with a questioning look. “Can you do me a favor tonight?” Mike asked nervously.

After a moment to think, Li Ann’s face grown serious as she replied, “We’re not here to have fun, are we?” It was like she had already known Mike’s proposition for having her here, and that made her sad to remember the fact that he was only using her to help him, but she didn’t mind.

She told herself she didn’t.

“Not exactly,” he replied feeling guilty for having to lie to her.

“It’s okay, I understand. What are we here for then?” she asked with a smile, making him feel more comfortable after a minute.

“We–...”

“Excuse me Miss, can I see an ID?” the bouncer interrupted Mike. Li Ann turned around surprised. She suddenly nodded as she pulled out her wallet and showed him an ID.

He waved his hand and let her in as Mike followed. Inside the loud booming club, Li Ann’s excitement rose as she remembered her first time going to a club. Of course that was in the States, so a club in Seoul would be slightly different– for one thing there were only Koreans.

She held onto the railing as they walked down to the bar. The club was highly stylish, with a water like theme to it. It was more like an aquarium.

On the walls where fish tanks carved into it, with gold fishes swimming in them, their scales glistening as the light shown upon them. The dance floor was in the middle of a fountain like structure, surrounded by a ring of water, and a bridge over to the bar.

Mike poked Li Ann’s arm, causing her to turn her attention towards him.

“You see that guy over there?” Mike said as he pointed a finger towards Junjin, who was sitting next to a young girl, talking and smiling like a devious player.

“Yeah,” Li Ann slightly nodded.

“That’s Junjin. He worked for me. He was a very loyal man to me, but I guess things have changed. He went to my office earlier today and stole the number,” Mike said, regretting the fact that he had trusted Junjin in the first place.

“And what do you want me to do?” Li Ann asked unsure of why Mike was telling her about Junjin.

“Not yet. Hwanhee’s the guy. Hwanhee has my nieces’ name and address. He’s coming here later to get the number from Junjin. Can you get it from Hwanhee?” Mike asked looking her in the eye.

She looked at him as if he was crazy, but as crazy as she was herself, she nodded with confidence. Across the room was Andy, sitting with his men, drinking and playing jokes with the waitresses that worked in that club.

Andy’s eye caught sight of Li Ann as she walked over to the railing. He smirked as he wondered why she was there alone. Mike turned and looked around the club to see if he would see any other familiar faces.

The moment was right on time when Hwanhee walked through the door, wearing the same jacket he had on earlier, with his one arm around Ji Yun’s waist. She was dressed in black leather pants and a red backless shirt.

Her makeup was utterly thick and her hair was curled into a style that Mike had never seen her in before. Hwanhee spotted Junjin in the spotlight and pointed a finger towards him. Ji Yun nodded as she kissed Hwanhee’s cheeks and walked off.

“Li Ann,” Mike said quickly turning to her. Li Ann turned her head around and smiled.

“There he is. Have you thought of how you’re going to get it?” Mike asked a bit worried for her safety.

“Um hm,” she nodded as she sipped her drink. Mike’s eyes widened with surprise as he didn’t recall seeing her get a drink.

“Where did you get that?” he asked a bit surprised.

“Oh, they were passing it around. Did you want one?” Li Ann asked, but immediately felt stupid, forgetting that Mike is a ghost.

Mike smiled and shook his head. He then turned his head back to find Hwanhee.

“He’s going to sit down over there. Do you think you can get the paper out of his pocket?” Mike asked.

“So you want me to seduce Hwanhee and try to get the piece of paper in his pocket out?” Li Ann asked jokingly.

“No! I didn’t say that,” Mike retorted. She started laughing as she pushed him slightly back with her palm.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it,” she said as she swallowed the rest of her drink down.

“Li Ann, do you get drunk easily?” he asked feeling a bit nervous once again. She shook her head stubbornly, then glared over to the dance floor.

“Mike yah,” she said in her husky voice.

“Take me to the sea. I want to go swim with the fishes,” she said as she suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bridge.

“Li Ann? Are you okay?” Mike asked not knowing what she was going to do next. Li Ann somehow managed to make it over the bridge without falling down.

She pulled him into the center of the dance floor and started to move her body to the fast trance song. Mike stood there dumbfounded, not really sure of what she was trying to do. She moved in closer and pulled his arms around her.

“Move like this,” she said as she started dancing, swaying her body from side to side. Mike laughed out loud as he saw her wobble in her drunken state of mind.

She pouted and shoved him aside.

“Fine, you don’t want to dance with me?” Li Ann said angrily crossing her arms as she felt a burp coming along. Mike ceased his laughter and glanced over to where Hwanhee was sitting. He didn’t seem to be going anywhere soon, so he turned back to Li Ann.

She had just swallowed down another glass of wine and gave the empty glass to the waiter, who took it away with a smile.

“Li Ann! What are you doing?” Mike asked shocked that out of nowhere she was drinking.

“Don’t worry. I’ve done this a million times before,” Li Ann said as she shoved him once more and stared dancing by herself. She turned around and started to feel the wine rush down her body into her blood.

It was intoxicating. She loved it. Alcohol was her enemy, but once with her, it becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, Mike didn’t know that. He walked up behind her and slowly started to dance with her. Li Ann turned around and smiled, half surprised that Mike was actually dancing with her. He wasn’t so bad of a dancer.

He just didn’t want to dance. She moved in and pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck as she moved along with him in a synchronized motion. Andy drank his wine from afar, looking at Li Ann. He chuckled to himself, seeing her dance by herself. Surely, he thought, after their “breakup,” she probably went crazy.

He leaned back and watched her as she danced, by herself. Hwanhee’s friend tugged his elbow. Hwanhee stopped talking to a nearby friend and turned to the guy who tugged his elbow. His friend pointed towards Li Ann and cracked a joke.

Hwanhee laughed along too, but when he turned to see Li Ann, he thought she wasn’t bad looking at all. It was kind of fun to see her dance by herself.

“What is she doing? Man, she’s crazy,” his friend said as he leaned back and laughed to himself. Hwanhee stopped laughing and looked at his friend.

“She’s not crazy. She looks hot, well, maybe a little crazy, but that makes it better right?” Hwanhee joked as he drank down his cold beer. Ji Yun walked up to Junjin, who was by the bar getting a drink. She leaned in casually on the counter of the bar and ordered a drink.

Junjin recognized her voice and turned to her.

“Ji Yun? Hey! What are you doing here?” Junjin asked sounding happy to see her.

“I’m here with a few friends,” she lied as she smiled at him through her fire red lipstick. Her eyes scanned him up and down, then taking her drink, she winked at him and walked away back to her seat. Junjin smiled to himself, then grabbing his drink, he followed.

He sat down after her, sitting across from her as he made himself comfortable. Ji Yun knew now that she had him trapped.

“So tell me Jin, what are you doing here?” she asked as she laid back and played with the tip of her wine glass.

“I’m just here to meet a friend,” Junjin said with a shrug as he set down his drink.

“Business meeting?” she asked with her seductive voice. Junjin swallowed as he shifted. Ji Yun scooted in closer to him.

“Yeah, um, sort of like that,” Junjin said nervously as he clasped his hands together.

“Really? How come you didn’t come visit me anymore?” she asked leaning in closely to him. Junjin gulped.

“I...well, I’ve been busy. Why are you here again?” Junjin said quickly as he reached over for his drink, trying to get away from her intoxicating smell of perfume. She smiled at his weakness.

“Oh, you know, after Mike’s tragic death, I’ve been very lonely...and I just thought that I’d come out here to see what I could get,” Ji Yun said as her voice grew sexier, pulling him deeper into her eyes as she leaned in closer to him again.

Junjin forgot to pick up his drink all of a sudden. She pulled his collar and got up.

“Follow me,” she whispered into his ear as she walked out of the sitting lounge and into a dark hallway.

“Where the #### is Junjin?” Andy asked frustrated as he checked his watch again. He wanted to go dance with Li Ann, but feared that Junjin would not see him if he did. He angrily glanced back towards the dance floor to see her, still dancing to herself, but something nearby her caught his attention.

There was another man approaching her. Li Ann danced easily with Mike to the R&B beat when suddenly Hwanhee cut in through Mike.

He smiled as he scooted in closer to Li Ann. Mike stood aside and waited as he tried to forget what he saw in her face when he had moved in closer to dance with her just a few minutes ago.

She was so beautiful, energetic, so full of life, something Mike now wished he had. Li Ann’s conscience suddenly kicked in as she remembered what she was supposed to do. She smiled playfully as she wrapped her arms around Hwanhee.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and started dancing with her.

“You look awfully lonely out here by yourself,” Hwanhee said into her ear.

“Oh, but I wasn’t alone,” she replied, winking at Mike with a grin.

He smiled back, but then suddenly made a scolding face for her to hurry up. She rolled her eyes at him. The music’s pace quickened as Li Ann pulled apart from Hwanhee to match the music scenery. He refused as he pulled her arms back to him.

Hwanhee suddenly felt a tap on his shoulders. Turning around, he felt a hard punch to his nose.

“Ahh! What the–...”

“Get the #### away from my girlfriend!” Andy yelled.

“Sh!t,” Hwanhee muttered as he threw a punch back at Andy. Li Ann swallowed as she stood there shocked, not knowing what to do. Suddenly people were scattered all around, shouting

“Fight! Fight,” as Li Ann tried to see what was going on.

“Crap,” she mumbled as she stood over on Hwanhee’s side and reached into his pocket. Feeling a crumpled piece of paper, she had no time to see what was happening. Hwanhee was pushed down by Andy, causing Li Ann to fall onto his lap.

She laid there startled. “Mike?” she whispered as she looked around frantically for him.

“F###, son of a b**ch,” Hwanhee cursed as he stood up and jumped Andy. Both men were rolling on the floor taking turns at each other.

Fists and cheers were thrown up into the air by the people standing by with their screams filling up Li Ann’s ear as she searched desperately for a way out. Junjin rushed out of the hallway, followed by Ji Yun as he saw what was going on. He scanned the crowd quickly for the people who were fighting.

“Sh!t, it’s Andy,” Junjin said as he saw Andy’s men approaching the fight scene.

“What’s going on?” Ji Yun asked. She looked towards where Junjin was looking and gasped when she saw Hwanhee in the middle of the fight.

“Jin! What’s going on?” asked Junjin’s friend from behind.

“I’m out of here,” Junjin said as he made sure the number was still in his pocket. He and his friend started walking out of the club when Ji Yun stopped him.

“Where are you going?” she asked knowing that her task was not done.

“Sorry Ji Yun, I gotta run,”Junjin said as he shook his arm off her grab and headed out. She glared evilly back at him, but then turned to see if she would find Hwanhee.

“Mike?” Li Ann asked trying to remove the hair strands out of her face. Suddenly somebody grabbed her wrist and started pulling her out of the crowd. She closed her eyes, scared of somebody’s fist accidentally hitting her.

Mike ran with her across the bridge, passing by the security guards and over to the high platform where the railing was. Andy caught a glimpse of Li Ann as she exited out the front gate. His men held Hwanhee down as he got out of the crowd and ran over the bridge, trying to chase after her. Mike and Li Ann ran around the front entrance and turned the corner into a dark alleyway.

Li Ann was laughing with excitement and being overly hyper when Mike finally stopped running. He looked in both directions to see if they were safe, as he panted for breath.

“That was so cool!” Li Ann said as she laughed and tried to catch her breath at the same time.

“What? Are you okay?” Mike asked as he leaned his hand over her shoulder to support his body weight.

“I’m fine,” she replied as she leaned back on the cold brick wall. She still felt tingly inside as she tried to hide her laughter. “Did you get it?” Mike asked with a deep breath.

She giggled and nodded. He smiled with relief and let out a little chuckle along with her.

“Did you see Andy? What a loser,” Li Ann continued to laugh as she spoke of Andy.

“Yeah,” Mike breathed out as he smiled at her last comment. The moon was not showing that night, but the lamp post above her shone a light yellow light onto her glimmering skin. Her smile enlightened him as her eyes twinkled with a spark.

He didn’t realize what he was doing, but it was too late to return when he pressed her up on the wall and stared into her eyes. She suddenly forgot to laugh when he was so close to her, breathing into her face. Chills were sent up and down her spine, reaching her joints and neck as he leaned in.

She closed her eyes shut and waited for the moment of his lips being pressed upon hers. They were warm and soft, against her glossy lips that tasted like cherry. She deliberately kept her mouth shut as tightly as a locked door.His hand moved to her chin, then she felt pressure when he forced her mouth open for him.

As soon as she gave in to his silent request, he thrust his tongue inside her mouth, deeply, swiftly, completely. Li Ann was so startled she tried to move, but he wouldn’t let her. His mouth slanted over hers, sealing the whimper of her weak protest.

Li Ann’s last coherent thought was that Lee Mike certainly knew his way to kiss. She was beginning to kiss him back, feeling more loose and comfortable, when all of a sudden a enormous force out of nowhere shoved Mike out of her sight.

Right at that moment, she dropped to her knees, feeling ultimately weak and tired. Her vision immediately blurred as she felt her head spin.

She closed her eyes as she felt the sudden coldness that not even her jacket can protect her from.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
Brian’s voice echoed throughout the dark alleyway.

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:31:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 18

Li Ann skipped downstairs while humming a soft tune to herself. She flipped her hair out of her face and became a bit frustrated with its annoying way of always getting in her way. She had thought of cutting it several times, but never got around to it.

She walked over to the patio that stood outside her kitchen and spotted Mike, leaning against the wall, staring off into the endless distance. Li Ann didn’t ponder him with questions, but instead just stood there next to him and stared.

A few minutes later, Mike finally turned to face her. She smiled.

“Hi,” Li Ann greeted cheerfully.

“Hey,” Mike asked in a low tired voice. Her smiled slowly faded as she wondered what was up with the sudden down change of his attitude.

“Something wrong?” she asked just to break the silence between them. Mike slowly shook his head as he looked down.

“I’m going to a Manchurian restaurant this afternoon,” Mike said, still keeping his gaze on the ground.

“For what?” she asked, suddenly feeling like she was intruding his private space. She backed up a little like she was going to walk back in.

“My lawyer’s going there to tell Ji Yun who my niece is. This may be my chance to find her,” Mike spoke ever so casually.

“Do you need me to come with you?” Li Ann asked with a hint of hope in her voice that he would eventually say yes.

“No, that’s okay,” Mike replied quietly. Li Ann’s reaction was a silent stare. She somehow felt a bit betrayed that he didn’t need her.

“Good luck then,” Li Ann said with a small smile as she walked back into the kitchen, slowly sliding the door behind her.

Mike leaned back onto the wall for support and wished he had a cigarette. He had quitted years before he died, but now he suddenly had the desire to taste one. He rested his head and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry Li Ann,” Mike whispered to himself as he walked out of the patio and onto the sidewalk of the street.

He was headed downtown to that Manchurian restaurant. Li Ann, feeling a bit disappointed and lonely, decided to keep herself busy.

That day had been a warm sunny day, not like the regular stormy gray ones, but with Mike’s rejection brought her a feeling of depression.

She told herself she shouldn’t feel this way. Mike has his own business to take care of, and it be best if she stayed out of it. She plopped down onto the bouncy couch and popped in a movie. #### it if she didn’t have any clients that day.

Her class was not going to start anytime soon, and her friend Lindsey is busy with her boyfriend.

Li Ann asked herself why she didn’t have a boyfriend either?

Maybe it was Andy? He was the first man she had peculiarly dated first since coming back from the States, but other than that, she questioned herself for not obtaining one.

Mike brushed passed the busy crowds as he made his way into the busy marketplace. Up ahead of him was the Manchurian restaurant that he could tell was already filled with costumers. Suddenly he stopped.

His eyebrows tighten as he thought of what had just happened a few seconds ago. Had he just brushed passed some people? Did this mean he can touch things without having Li Ann around? To try out his hypothesis, he reached over to a nearby pole, but felt nothing.

It was the same. Perhaps it was just his illusion. Perhaps he was stressing himself out with his journey to find his niece and save her. But why save her?

He had never met her before, nor seen her. He didn’t even know he had a niece. Then he remembered his cousin Lee Tae Jung.

His cousin was much older than he was, and he remembered that Tae Jung had married, and had a daughter before passing away.

So that must be the niece?

Could it be?

All these questions had an insurgence to Mike as he tried to recall the past. He was seven years old when his cousin Tae Jung had his daughter. So would that mean his niece was already seventeen years old?

He stepped into the restaurant and looked around for a familiar face he would recognize. He immediately spotted the lawyer who sat nervously at the end of the restaurant, with a coffee cup on his table.

He kept glancing at his watch as Mike approached.

“Are you Mr. Choi?” asked a voice from behind Mike. He turned around and saw that it was Hwanhee, who was talking to the lawyer.

The lawyer nodded and motioned for Hwanhee to sit down. Hwanhee looked around uncomfortably, then sat down. He kept glancing over at the other side of the restaurant.

“Such a bad place to meet,” Hwanhee muttered as he kept looking at everything in sight with suspicion.

“Where’s Ji Yun?” the lawyer asked nervously.

“She asked me to come get the information. Do you have it?” Hwanhee asked with his eyes boring directly into the lawyers. The lawyer nodded in response and took out his small brief case. He took out some papers and shuffled them in his hands.

“Can you hurry up?” Hwanhee asked impatiently.

“What’s the hurry?” the lawyer asked still browsing through the papers.

“There’s a detective over there,” Hwanhee pointed a weak finger towards Eric and his friends sitting at the opposite end of the restaurant, talking and eating.

“A detective?” Mr. Choi asked looking towards where Hwanhee was pointing. Mike looked the same direction and analyzed Eric, who was enjoying his conversation with Tae Hyung. They looked like impersonate fools to him instead of detectives.

Perhaps they were undercover impersonate detectives? He shrugged off the thought and turned back to the conversation.

“Yeah, he’s on Mike’s murder case,” Hwanhee stated as he leaned back in his seat. Mike crossed his arms smiling at how pathetic Hwanhee must be to just give away secrets like that.

“Oh, okay,” the lawyer replied. He handed the papers to Hwanhee and sat back, drinking the rest of his coffee.

“What the ####’s all this crap?” Hwanhee asked looking over the thick pile of papers in his palm.

“Those are just outside information, but the info on the niece is also in there,” Mr. Choi explained. Hwanhee picked out the paper on top of the pile and looked over it. “Lee Dahye?” he asked raising his eyebrows.

“Yes, she’s seventeen years old and she lives in Pusan. Her address is there, and the rest is just outside information like I said,” Mr. Choi explained again.

“Seventeen? And she doesn’t know about Mike right?” Hwanhee asked with some kind of interest in the girl.

“Of course not...yet,” Mr. Choi mumbled back.

“All right, fine. Thanks,” Hwanhee noted as he stood up, folding the top piece of paper into four parts then stuffed it in his jacket. He tossed the other bunch back down onto the table as he stood up to leave.

“Keep this informational confident,” Mr. Choi shouted back in a low voice as Hwanhee walked towards the exit.

“Lee Dahye?” Mike said quietly to himself. Now that was a name he had never heard in his family before. He walked out to follow Hwanhee when he suddenly saw Eric and his men shift out of their seats to follow after Hwanhee.

Hwanhee walked quickly out to his black BMW when Eric suddenly tapped him from behind his shoulder. Hwanhee turned around and shown a surprised expression on his face. Tae Hyung, Tony and Jae Won followed and stayed a few feet away from Eric and Hwanhee.

Eric smiled cooly at Hwanhee as he checked out Hwanhee’s car.

“Can I help you?” Hwanhee asked as he looked around.

“I was just wanting to ask you a few questions as I saw you in there,” Eric replied stepping a few inches back.

“Sure...” Hwanhee said trying to sound calm.

“Do you know anything that has to do with Lee Mike? I mean, I saw you in his home the other day I went to see his wife, so I was thinking maybe you could be a friend of Mr. Lee?”

“Oh, no. I don’t know that guy. I am just co-workers with his wife, so I went to talk to her,” Hwanhee shrugged as he explained his relationship with Ji Yun. Eric nodded slowly.

“Oh, I see. Well, thanks for your time then,” Eric acknowledged.

Hwanhee shook his hands and got into his car. With a innocent look on his face, he glanced at Eric and waved, then drove out of the parking lot.

Mike sat in Hwanhee’s car, in the backseat with a cold glare at Hwanhee. He wanted to see what Eric was doing, but couldn’t afford to lose Hwanhee either. Eric put his hands on his hips and bit his lip, thinking to himself.

Tae Hyung, who was talking to Tony and Jae Won, walked over and stepped in front of Eric. “Hey, who’s the guy?” Tae Hyung asked.

“He knows Mike’s wife. I don’t know, but it feels as if I’ve met him somewhere before...hey Jae Won! Can you do a background scan of Hwang Sung Hyuk?” Eric shouted from where he was to Jae Won.

“Yeah sure,” Jae Won shouted back. Eric rolled up his sleeves and walked over to his car. The other three men followed. Tony stepped into his silver convertible while Tae Hyung and Jae Won got into Eric’s four wheeler.

Jae Won sat comfortably and took out his lap top.

Typing in the name “Hwang Sung Hyuk,” he glanced over to Tae Hyung.

“I’ve never heard of a guy like that in my files,” Jae Won muttered. Eric slammed the door in the drivers seat and looked back over to Jae Won.

“Anything?” Eric asked with one hand over the steering wheel.

“Nope,” Jae Won shook his head as he kept staring at the laptop screen.

“All right, maybe he’s never had a record before,” Eric muttered as he started the engine and started the car into gear. Hwanhee drove to a familiar territory that Mike was known to and stopped when he reached the parking lot of Mike’s corporation. Nobody was in the corporation at that moment, making Mike wonder why he had come there.

Hwanhee stepped out of the car and walked over to the entrance. Mike got out and quickly followed behind, keeping a close look on Hwanhee. Hwanhee glanced around the empty parking lot for signs of anybody, but without anyone in sight, he took out a silver key and unlocked the gates. Oddly, the security system didn’t go off. Mike inspected even closer, wondering what Hwanhee was trying to do.

Break in? But why?Hwanhee got through the glass doors and locked it. He walked into the quiet lobby. The elevators were shut down, so he walked into the staircase room and climbed up the stairs. Mike followed right behind. Making his way to the sixth floor, Hwanhee looked around pantingly for Mike’s office.

Mike also wondered why the security cameras were off also. Hwanhee found Mike’s office and used yet, another key to open it. It had seemed as if Hwanhee knew his way pretty much around the building. This surprised Mike. Hwanhee walked into Mike’s office and headed straight to Mike’s desk.

Mike walked slowly behind and looked on to see what Hwanhee would do next. Hwanhee bent down behind his desk where Mike had kept all his personal files.

“X marks the spot,” Hwanhee smiled slyly as he inspected the shiny brown desk that held a small drawer behind it. He used a smaller key this time to open the desk drawer. Mike grew concern as to what he suddenly knew what Hwanhee was trying to do.

He was searching for that number. How would Hwanhee know that Mike also kept a record of the number in his office. Obviously Mike was not that stupid to keep it right in his desk drawer. He sat down on top of his desk and crossed his arm, amused.

“#### it,” Hwanhee muttered in frustration as he searched through the pile of papers in that drawer. Mike smiled as he waited for Hwanhee to drive himself insane. After a few minutes of sifting through every single paper there is, there was no luck for Hwanhee.

No number. Hwanhee poked his head up when a clicking sound was heard. Mike looked up and towards the door. The sound was heard from far away, as if somebody else had gotten in. Hwanhee immediately pushed the drawers back in and locked it.

He got out quickly from behind the desk but figured it was too late to run out, so he ran for cover behind the bathroom that was in Mike’s office. Mike stood there still, waiting for somebody to show up through the doors.

A minute later, Junjin walked in with his fast pace. He didn’t seem to wonder why Mike’s office was unlock. Hwanhee peeked through a open crack from the bathroom door to see what Junjin, a man he’d never seen before, was doing.

Hwanhee smirked in disbelief when he saw Junjin kneel down behind Mike’s desk and also used a small silver key to open. So everyone was after that number? Mike stared in half questioning shock as Junjin looked through every single piece of paper there was. He looked back up a bit frustrated as he seemed to have no luck either.

Hwanhee wished he had a gun with him so badly. Five minutes in the room, Junjin finally stood up, holding a small piece of paper in his hands. Hwanhee’s eyes grew wide as he suddenly wanted to jump up and strangle Junjin, but from his estimation of Junjin’s size, he’d probably have a slim chance only.

Junjin walked around the desk with a sigh in triumph. He walked away from the desk and towards the door to leave when his cell phone suddenly rang. He picked it up and answered it.

“Hello? Yeah, this is Jin. Okay, sure, okay.

I’ll meet you at club Xtasy later tonight then,” Junjin said as he closed his phone. He folded the paper into four parts and slipped it into his jacket.

With that, he walked out and locked the door to the office behind him. A few seconds afterwards, Hwanhee stepped out of the bathroom and walked out of the office, forgetting to lock it up. Mike stood inside his office, still puzzled.

Was Junjin becoming a traitor too? He had fully trusted Junjin when he was alive, and now he couldn’t believe what he just saw. He felt as if the whole world had betrayed him, yet the only person he could really trust was Li Ann. Hwanhee walked out of the building, securing the lock behind him. Junjin had already left the area.

He stopped walking when he reached his car and pulled out his cell phone.

“Ji Yun?” he asked. “Get ready baby. We’re going to club Xtasy tonight.
Don’t ask why, I need you to do something for me alright? I’ll see you in a while,” Hwanhee said as he hung up, stepped into his car and drove off.

Mike walked out of the building, right through the glass pane doors.

He knew where Hwanhee was headed now.

He had to get to Li Ann.

Club Xtasy was the destination.

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:24:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 17

The loud rumbling sound of cars was heard passing by as Junjin emerged from his bedroom towards the sound knocking on his front door. He rubbed his head lazily and reached for the doorknob.

“Hello,” said Eric from outside the door.

“Hi,” Junjin replied dully.

“May I come in?” Eric asked.

“May I ask who you are?” Junjin asked back not moving. Eric reached for his wallet and flipped it open, revealing a photo and identification information.

“Detective Eric Mun, I’ll like to ask you some questions regarding the death of your former employer Lee Mike,” Eric said sharply as he stuffed his wallet back into his coat jacket.

Junjin stepped aside to allow Eric in as he walked over to the kitchen nearby to pour some coffee. Eric looked around the house like he always did, inspecting everything in sight. Junjin sat down and motioned for Eric to do the same.

“When was the last time you were with Mr. Lee?” Eric asked taking out a notepad and black pen to scribble down notes.

“A little more than a week ago, Friday night,”

“And where was he headed?” Eric asked not lifting his head up from the notepad.

“Home,” Junjin replied bored.

“How long have you known Mr. Lee?” Eric asked flipping the page of the small notebook he held in his hands.

“Almost two years,” Junjin replied sipping his coffee. Eric nodded as he seemed to be in deep thought.

“Do you happen to know any hated rivals or enemies that Mr. Lee might have encountered?”

Eric asked ending the blank questions as he moved on the important ones. Junjin thought for a moment before clearing his throat to reply.

“I’m not sure on that. Mr. Lee has a lot of rivals,” Junjin said blankly.

“Can you give me a name? A source? Or a reason why he had so many rivals?”

“Well, if you think about it, he owned the whole banking system in Seoul, and his corporation is extremely profitable, so would that be the cause of him making enemies?” Junjin said slyly as he leaned in to rest his elbows on his knees, setting the coffee cup down onto the coffee table in between them.

“His corporation?” Eric asked paying a little more attention to the hidden details Junjin was hinting to him.

“Shin Hyesung wanted the corporation, and offered Mr. Lee millions for it, but he refused,” Junjin explained.

“So are you saying Shin Hyesung killed Mr. Lee?” Eric asked, leaning back in his seat as he wrote Shin Hyesung’s name down.

“Killed? I thought it was an accident?” Junjin exclaimed a bit shocked himself.

“That’s what everybody thought, until we did further investigating. His car, the brake wire had been purposely cut, but unprofessionally did, because the end of the wire was jaggedly cut,” Eric said as he closed his notebook and stood up.

Junjin immediately followed.

“Wait, so you’re saying somebody murdered Mr. Lee and you’re looking for the killer?” Junjin asked finally realizing the cause of Eric’s visit.

“Well, we don’t have any familiar suspects, until now,” Eric said putting away the notebook.

“Shin Hyesung?” Junjin asked raising his eyebrows. Eric walked to the door.

“And you,” Eric said as he slightly nodded and closed the door. Junjin stared out the small window next to the door looking at Eric got in his car and drove away. He was now a suspect too?

As if his life wasn’t miserable enough. With Andy hunting him down for the number to unlock the bank accounts and him almost having no job was making it hard for him.

Even his sister Terri didn’t agree with him about Andy. Eric walked into Seoul Police Headquarters, taking quick glances at his watch as he paced up to the main office. He walked in to find about five men sitting down at a long black desk with papers and coffee cups scattered all over.

“Hey Ric,” shouted his partner Tae Hyung.

“Hey,” Eric muttered as he took off his jacket and sat down. He crossed his feet on top of the table and leaned back.

“Where did you go man?” Tae Hyung asked as he sat down next to Eric.

“Talked to that Junjin guy. Says he knows that Shin Hyesung was trying to buy Lee Corporation, so we have him listed under suspect now,” Eric explained as he took out a cigarette.

“Shin Hyesung?” asked another guy named Tony. He tossed away his gum wrapper and chucked.

“No donut head, I was talking about Shin Mi Hae, and how fine she looks when she walks into his office with that mini skirt,” Eric joked as he rolled his eyes back to Tae Hyung.

Tony made a face as Eric teased his girlfriend.

“Hey you be careful Eric,” Tony warned.

“At least I have a girlfriend.”

“You mean that hoe you pimp around? We all know she’s slept with half the officers in here,” Eric said as he and Tae Hyung started laughing.

“Ha-ha, f*ck you too,” Tony muttered as he turned away back to his paperwork. Just then the commander in chief walked in. Eric removed his feet off the table and sat up straight.

Tae Hyung stopped laughing and stood straight.

“Good afternoon boys. Eric, how did the case go?” he asked as he sat down at the head of the table.

“Sir, we have another suspect, Shin Hyesung. Hey Jae Won, have you found anything on him yet?” Eric said leaning to the side to see Jae Won who was in front of a computer doing his research.

He turned around and stuffed a bagel into his mouth as he carried a file over to the table.

“Um, yeah,” Jae Won said handing the file over to the commander in chief.

“Shin Hyesung, age 24, accused for crimes before such as bribery, robbery, printing counterfeit bills and owns a ring of corporations for his private matters.”

“Good work brainiac,” Eric said as he reached for a paper that the commander in chief gave him. A picture of Shin Hyesung, walking out of a black car wearing a suit and black sunglasses was stapled onto the front. “This guy looks gay,” Eric said as he tossed the paper down.

“I bet you’re interested huh?” Tony cut in.

“Hey why don’t you go f*ck your boyfriend,” Eric shouted back not being happy about Tony’s black humor.

“Gentlemen,” the commander said in his stiff tone. Both men stopped arguing and turned to him. Tony and Eric glared at each other with tension as the commander went on. “We will have to work together on this case.

I’ve been trying to track down some people lately, but with no results, so this is the best case we have so far. Don’t screw it up, got it?”

His order was immediate as Eric, Tae Hyung, Jae Won and Tony all agreed. ...........

“Oppa! I’m home!”

Li Ann shouted throughout the house as she carried a large bag of groceries towards the kitchen. Her shouts weren’t really heard because her house keys were stuffed in between her lips. She kicked the door closed as she struggled to walk.

She fumbled over her keys, sunglasses and purse, about to drop the whole bag when Mike walked out from the hallway and ran to her.

“Whoa, Li Ann,” Mike said as he tried to take hold of the grocery bag. He didn’t seem to be touching it in any way.

The bag passed through his arms. Li Ann’s speech was muffled by the keys in her mouth when Mike wrapped his arms from behind her around her waist. His arms then held the heavy bag from under her hands, helping her balance it.

Slowly they made their way to the kitchen. Setting the large grocery bag onto the counter, Li Ann finally breathed for air. Mike took a step back to give her room. She removed her hair strands out of her face and sat down.

She had never felt so tired and exhausted before. She was normal before encountering Mike, but then the bag was heavy as well.

“What do you have in there?” Mike asked looking at her confused.

“Lots of cans,” Li Ann shouted out in exasperation.

“Cans?”

“Dongwan eats mostly canned foods,” Li Ann said a bit annoyed that her brother wasn’t there to help her.

“Every time he goes shopping, it’s no problem for him.” Mike chucked at her with his arms crossed.

Li Ann pouted as she walked over to the refrigerator for some water. Dongwan walked into the kitchen with a towel around his neck.

“Hey Li Ann. Did you get tomato?” Dongwan asked sifting through the bag. Li Ann glared at him from behind her cup.

“Yes, and next time you’re going to do the shopping! I nearly died trying to carry that bag out,” Li Ann said as she washed her glass.

“#### woman, you need to work out or something. Like me!” Dongwan said ignoring her look as he continued to take out the groceries.

“Whatever,” Li Ann mumbled as she walked out. Mike followed her with an amused grin. She turned around to face him.

“What?” she asked.

“You drove?”

“Of course I did,” Li Ann said as she continued to walk to the living room.

“I didn’t know you can drive,” Mike said as he sat down across from her. He was already getting accustomed to living in that house.

“I can drive. It’s just that Dongwan needs the car all the time, and I’ve only been there for three and a half weeks, so I don’t have one yet,”

“Three and a half weeks? You mean you weren’t living in Korea from before?” Mike asked surprised.

“No. I studied in the United States ever since I was seventeen,” Li Ann replied.

“I lived with my aunt while I was over there. I had just recently moved back when I got my degree.”

“Oh, so that’s why I’ve never seen you before when I was alive,” Mike replied. Mike stood up and walked towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Li Ann asked feeling a bit of need to follow him.

“I’m going to see Ji Yun,” Mike replied. Li Ann suddenly felt a bit of hesitation and an urge of envy.

“I need to know who my niece is,” Mike continued. Li Ann finally smiled and nodded.

“Do you need me to drive you there?” she asked.

“No, I’ll be fine,” Mike replied as he walked through the door and disappeared. Li Ann sighed and leaned back and took a deep breathe.

She felt her body weakening as the need of sleep kicked in. She dragged her tired body upstairs and flopped down on her bed as a blanket of warm feeling rushed through her. She was already asleep before she knew it. Mike made his way quickly around the city and soon he was back at his layer’s office to find information regarding his niece. He walked in without being noticed at all and made his way to the lawyer’s office.

Mike walked over to the desk but before he could do anything, the door had swung open. His lawyer quickly walked over to the desk and picked up the phone. After a few rings, he breathed out a sigh of relief and spoke into the phone rapidly.

“Ji Yun? Ah, yes, I’ve found the niece, yes, yes, fine, okay, I’ll meet you tomorrow and the Manchurian restaurant. Have a wonderful day,” the lawyer said with a bit of satisfaction as he hung up.

He looked around his desk, scanning for anything that would be out of place before he grabbed his briefcase and walked out.

“You son of a b**ch,” Mike said with a bit of a smile. He felt betrayed and a sudden need to seek revenge. If this niece of his was to be the sole claimer of his properties, then so be it.

He’d rather let her have it than Ji Yun.

“Manchurian restaurant,” Mike repeated to himself.

“Let’s see who gets there first.”

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:19:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 16

Mike followed Li Ann as she made her way around the small unit of houses to find her art class. They were held in apartment like structure houses, surrounded by trees and green grass. Behind it was a lovely vineyard and the building itself was painted with many different art pieces done by students.

Li Ann was excited to show Mike her class. Mike had never attended one before, so he wouldn’t know what to expect. Upon entering the class, many students were engaged in their activities. Li Ann sighed as she saw her friend Lindsey, chatting away with Amy.

“Hi Lindsey,” Li Ann said as she sat down on her stool in front of the clip board.

“Hey! How are you?” Lindsey said cheerfully.

“I’m doing good. Hi Amy,” Li Ann said as she leaned forward to see Amy sitting on the other side of Lindsey.

“Hello! You look so pretty today,” Amy complimented. Li Ann smiled and said a thank you. She turned to Mike and smiled at him, motioning for him to sit in the empty seat beside her.

“So what do you do in here?” Mike asked eyeing her art piece as she laid it out on the clipboard.

“I’m working on this piece,” Li Ann said proudly.

“So much for a one day a week class huh?” Mike asked as he examined the elaborate painting of a tall white two story house surrounded by bushes and trees, in front of a light blue sky.

“I’ve been working on it for about two weeks and a half now,” Li Ann replied as she sat down and analyzed it.

“What is it?” Mike asked leaning in closer to her ear to speak quieter. He was so close that their shoulders were touching.

“It’s a house,” Li Ann replied looking at him, then back at the painting. Mike chuckled.

“Well, I can see that! I meant, why is it a house?” Li Ann thought for a moment. She had her mind buried in her painting for so long, yet she didn’t really know how she would explain it to the class when she is finished.

She looked at the painting for a minute before finally looking back into Mike’s eyes to tell him.

“It’s my house,” she replied quietly, swallowing a bit. Mike leaned back to look at her, then squinted back at the painting.

“It sure doesn’t look like your house...isn’t your house a lot smaller?” Mike asked raising an eyebrow.

“It was my house,” Li Ann corrected herself as she looked down at her feet.

“It was my house before it burned down.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Mike said understanding Li Ann’s change of tone from cheery to emotional. “My parents died in that house,” Li Ann continued.

Mike went silent for a minute. She looked back up and forced a smile to brush away the moment. She picked up a dab of white paint and gently dabbed on white clouds to it.

“How did they die?” Mike asked, his voice gentle and concerning.

“A fire escaped from the basement and...my father took me out, then he found Dongwan. He went in to look for my mother, but the fire just went wild and covered the entire house. I never saw my father or mother again,” Li Ann explained slowly.

“Who are you talking to?” Lindsey cut into her thoughts, making Li Ann jump a bit.

“Oh...I was talking to you. Weren’t you listening?” Li Ann lied cunningly causing a weird look on Lindsey’s face.

“Oh, sorry, I was still talking to Amy about...wow, is that yours?” Lindsey said as she caught site of Li Ann’s painting.

“Uh, yes,” Li Ann smiled as she turned back to face her drawing. Something strange about it had shown up that wasn’t there before. A red rose stood out from the bush. She looked down to the brush holder, and noticed a small paint brush’s tip dabbed with a reddish pink color. She looked at Mike.

He had his arms crossed, leaning a bit back to examine it once more.

“Looks better like that,” Mike said with a teacher like tone. Li Ann let out a slight laugh.

“I like it!” Lindsey said cheerfully from beside Li Ann.

“Thanks,” Li Ann replied beaming with happiness.

She was glad Mike had done that. She felt as if he had planted a flower in her heart, making her feel better about painting her old house. Indeed in fact, the house did have roses before. Her mother loved keeping the lawn and garden clean and full of flowers.

She missed her mother now. Hours passed by as Li Ann tried not to look too crazy talking to Mike. It was already time to leave.

Mike and Li Ann were engaged in conversing and deciding what to add on the drawing that they didn’t notice most of the students leaving already until Lindsey poked Li Ann’s arm telling her class is over.

“Give me a minute to wrap things up,” Li Ann said to Mike as she took the brushes to the sink to wash.

“Okay, I’ll wait outside,” Mike said as he left the classroom.
Outside he stood as the wind blew a bit harsher than it was earlier that morning. Mike stood there with his hands in his pockets waiting for Li Ann when he heard footsteps coming from behind him.

He turned around to find Brian there, this time dressed in a full black suit. Everything on him always looked perfect. Black slacks, shoes, shirt, and tie. Brian had on a pair of specks and was cleaning them when he reached Mike.

“Hi Mike,” Brian said not looking at Mike. He kept cleaning his glasses with a piece of black handkerchief.

“Do you always have to look so...classy?” Mike said inspecting Brian’s outfit.

“What’s wrong with the way I look? Anyway, I came to check up on you,” Brian said quickly as he slipped his glasses back on. He took a deep breath of the fresh air.

“I’m good and dead,” Mike replied sarcastically as he turned away.

“You’re still hanging around Li Ann aren’t ya?” Brian said. Mike stopped and turned around to face Brian again.

He took one hand out of his pockets and squeezed his cheeks inward not answering Brian.

“Mike, you can’t be around Li Ann,” Brian said in a more serious tone.

“And why not?” Mike raised his eyebrows.

“Why do you want to be around her anyways?” Brian asked back not replying directly to Mike’s question.

“Because she is the only–...”

“She can’t help you Mike,” Brian interrupted.

“I don’t care. If I have to stay in his #### hole, at least she’s the only one that can make me feel alive,” Mike replied harshly, raising his tone a bit.

He paused for a brief moment as Brian kept his silence.

“She doesn’t make me feel like I’m a ghost Brian. I’m happy when I’m with her,” Mike replied with his eyes softening as his voice grows quieter.

“You like her,” Brian replied in more of a statement rather than question. Mike didn’t reply.

“Might I remind you that you’re a dead man? A married one too,” Brian said crossing his arms.

“Li Ann said the same thing,” Mike replied casually.

“I’m serious,” Brian said with a sigh.

“How is it that I can only touch her and not others?” Mike asked questioningly.

“When you’re around Li Ann or near her, you can touch just about anything you like. It’s her that’s giving you the power to do so,” Brian answered.

“How can that be then? Are all ghosts–...”

“I don’t know Mike. There was something that happened during the process of your death and somebody screwed up the system so it’s all twisted right now,” Brian replied sounding a bit impatient and ticked off.

“Fine, fine. I understand,” Mike said as he looked away and walked back to the classroom.

“You be careful Mike. You never may know what will happen!” Brian shouted after him.

Mike walked into the classroom ignoring him. “#### stubborn idiot,” Brian muttered as he backed away and walked off.

Mike walked into the classroom where Li Ann just had put away her painting. She dusted herself off as she smiled gleefully back at Mike.

“Ready?” Mike replied looking a bit uncomfortable.

“Yes,” she replied as she picked up her bag. She looked around outside once they were out.

“Where’s my brother?” she said as her face pouted.

“Late as usual,” Mike joked.

“Right,” Li Ann said dully.

“Come on, let’s walk,” Mike said pulling her sleeve. He walked off ahead leaving her there. She wanted to protest, but feeling alone, she followed him anyway.

Once she caught up with Mike, she noticed how quiet he was, with his hands tucked in both pockets and just staring straight ahead. She sensed a tense feeling, but didn’t want to bug him about it.

“Mike?” she asked after a long moment of silence between them.

“Huh?”

“Why are you so quiet?” she asked trying to bring up a conversation.

“Because if I talk to you then I’ll never stop. Just like if I look at you, then I’ll never stop,” Mike replied still not turning to face her. Li Ann didn’t know how to reply to that. There was another moment of awkward silence before Mike suddenly stopped and glanced at her.

She paused and looked back dumbly not knowing what to say.

“Am I bugging you?” Mike asked.

“No...” Li Ann replied back unsure of what he was asking.

He thought for a second, then nodded. He turned back to walking again. Another moment of awkward silence passed before Mike stopped again. Li Ann stopped in her heels almost bumping into him.

She glanced at him questioningly wondering he was acting so different.

“Want to see a movie?” Mike asked finally smiling. She looked around them and didn’t even realize that they were in downtown, near a movie theater.

“Sure,” Li Ann returned his smile.

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:14:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 15

Li Ann walked home by herself thinking why Mike had just ditched her like that. When she reached her house, she wasn’t looking to see Andy leaning by his car inspecting her every curve. Li Ann looked up to see Andy smiling down at her.

“Li Ann...”

“What are you doing here?” Li Ann asked harshly as she walked around him trying to get to her door. He grabbed her wrist from behind and flung her around back to him.

“Li Ann, listen to me. I’m sorry. Terri is my not my girlfriend, please,” Andy apologized looking sincere and honest.

“Oh yeah, right, I must be so stupid Andy. Leave me alone,” Li Ann said as she pulled her hand out of his wrist.

“Li Ann!” Andy said as he grabbed her elbow and yanked her back. She turned to him struggling to get out.

“Andy! Let me go you jerk!” Li Ann said trying to wretch out of his arms.

“Li Ann, listen to me. I asked Terri to say that just to test you out if you really liked me or not. There’s nothing between us,” Andy pleaded as he held her in a hug from behind her.

Li Ann closed her eyes and thought for a moment. She stopped protesting as she slowly untangled herself free from his hold.

“What happened to your face?” Li Ann asked glaring at the cut on his lips. Andy touched it and grinned.

“I got into a fight because I was mad over you,” Andy lied. Li Ann rolled her eyes and took another deep breath.

She turned to face him and said seriously to his face,
“Andy, I’m sorry...I never really liked you.”

As Li Ann turned around to walk away, Andy angrily pulled her back and grabbed her face in his hands to try and kiss her. Li Ann struggled back as she turned her head way, allowing Andy to kiss her cheeks.

Li Ann’s hands broke free as one of them swung across his cheeks. She glared up at him with her hair messed up and watery eyes from struggling out. Andy touched his lips, they were bleeding again. Li Ann’s nail had scrapped over the previous cut Junjin had caused.

He smiled slyly. His smile suddenly disappeared as he swung his hand across her cheeks. Mike walked up near the house and saw Andy slap Li Ann.

He felt blood and anger rush up to his neck and head as he tightened his fists and ran up to them. Li Ann was holding her cheeks trying to hold in the tears. Andy’s slap was hard and she could still feel the heat on her face after a few seconds.

He still had that mad angry look on his face when she suddenly saw Mike running up closer. She stepped back. Mike lunged towards Andy, but missed.

He tried again, but his fist just went right through Andy’s face. Andy moved in closer, frightening Li Ann as she stumbled backwards. Andy was about to grab her arm until Dongwan shouted from his car.

“Hey! Get away from her!” Dongwan shouted as he closed his car door and ran up to Andy and Li Ann.

Andy stopped and turned towards Dongwan. His face was hard and frozen as he glanced back to Li Ann once before walking away. Mike angrily muttered curses to himself as he turned to Li Ann.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” Dongwan asked Li Ann. She shook her head and removed her hand from her soft cheek. It had a red mark.

“Did he hit you?” Dongwan asked. Li Ann didn’t reply. She lowered her gaze not able to look at Dongwan.

“Li Ann, did he hit you?!” Dongwan asked raising his voice. Li Ann looked back up and shook his head.

“No oppa, it’s okay,” Li Ann said as she quickly walked into the house.
Dongwan looked at Andy’s car sped away, then followed Li Ann inside. Li Ann rushed to her room and looked at her cheek in the bathroom mirror. She blinked back her tears as she washed her face with cool running water.

“Why didn’t you say he hit you?” Mike asked with a cold expression from the corner of her restroom.

“I don’t want to cause anymore problems,” Li Ann muttered as she dried her face.

“I’m sorry,” Mike said with sorrow in his eyes.

“Why?” Li Ann asked putting the towel coming up near Mike. She sat down on the low sink counter and waited patiently for Mike to explain. Mike walked in closer and examined her cheek.

“He shouldn’t have hit you, I saw everything,” Mike said as he raised his hand to touch her soft cheek. Li Ann felt a tint of pink blush filling up her face as she looked away. The moment grew quieter as Li Ann grew more and more nervous as Mike’s eyes traced from her eyes down her cheek to her lips.

She had beautiful eyes. He wished he could softly hold her hand and kiss her, but he couldn’t. She wished he would look into her eyes once more and kiss her, but if only he wasn’t a ghost.

“M...Mike...” Li Ann choked out to break the silence. He immediately dropped his hand and stepped back.

“I’ll get him next time,” Mike said as he looked down to his shoes, then back up and smiled. He walked out of her restroom. Li Ann closed the lights and followed him out.

“Where did you go to?” Li Ann asked.

“I saw Hwanhee,” Mike replied as he sat down by her desk.

“Hwanhee?”

“The man that Ji Yun is with,” Mike replied forcing a smile on his face. Li Ann understood and nodded.

“I think he has something to do with more than just my murder. He’s after something too. Obviously the money, but not my money,” Mike said.

“What do you think it is?” Li Ann asked sitting on her bed.

“They all are after a number,” Mike replied. Li Ann looked confused and lost.

“A number. One single number. This number can unlock all the banks in Seoul, and only my grandfather has it, passed it down to me.”

“Do you know the number?”

“07281980,” Mike recited as he looked down to the carpet. His voice was almost like a monotone.

“And with this number?” Li Ann questioned.

“They can transfer all the money to their accounts and get away with it clean. Shin Hyesung, Andy Lee and the rest of them are trying to get this number, all of them.

It’s harder for them now that I’m dead.”

“Do you think Hwanhee his after this number too?” Li Ann asked.

“Yes, and today I found out I have a niece, but she is unknown. I’m going to find out who she is. She may be in danger if Ji Yun knows who she is. My niece is the one to inherit all my wealth, as well as the corporation and the number itself,” Mike explained.

“Your grandfather...created this number?” “He was in charge of the bank system in all of Seoul. They have one person in charge of everything in every city. I think my grandfather was murdered too, but he told me the number before he was killed,” Mike said as his voice sounded more harsh as he spoke of his beloved grandfather.

“So only you know this number?” Li Ann asked.

“Only me, but I told my partner Junjin where he can find a copy of my number...wait...that means that Junjin could be in danger?” Mike realized the shock and looked worried.

“I’m sure he’ll be okay,” Li Ann replied hoping to bring him comfort. Li Ann walked down to the kitchen to get herself something to eat. Calida was down there with Dongwan as she walked to the refrigerator.

They both were giving her weird stares, especially Calida.

“What?” Li Ann asked innocently.

“Do you think she’s sick?” Calida asked quietly to Dongwan.

“Li Ann,” Dongwan called with his deep voice.

“Yes oppa?” Li Ann asked sounding as normal as she can.

“Have you been eating correctly? Do you chew your food?” Dongwan asked putting his hand over her head to see if she was sick or not.

“You have to chew your food Li Ann. Once you’ve thoroughly swallowed your food, it goes into your esophagus, you know that muscular tube that connects your mouth to your stomach? Well–...”

“Oppa! Are you crazy! Of course I know how to chew my food!” Li Ann exploded as she walked out of the kitchen and upstairs to her room.

She reached her room where Mike was as he sat at her desk and scanned over her patient files.

“Mike, can you give me a minute? I have to change?”

“Where do you want me to go? I’m always everywhere,” Mike joked.

It wasn’t funny to Li Ann. “You’re everywhere? Right. So you’re there when I’m taking a shower too?” Mike paused for a moment.

“Of course.” Li Ann turned a bright strawberry color and glared at him with a lost and pissed off expression. She wanted to lunge at Mike and choke him. He started laughing.

“No, I wouldn’t do that. Go on, I’ll wait in the living room,” Mike continued to laugh.

As he stood up, Li Ann socked him playfully in the arm.

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T12:06:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 14

Ji Yun slammed the door once she and Hwanhee got back to the house. She angrily walked around and headed into the kitchen for a glass of wine. Hwanhee sat around disappointedly.

“So what’s going to happen?” Hwanhee asked as he laid back in his seat.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait until that lazy lawyer finds this niece of Mike’s...” Ji Yun sputtered back pissed off.

“Hmpf, like that’ll happen soon,” Hwanhee chuckled.

“We waited a full seven days just go talk to that guy.” Just then a knock was heard on Ji Yun’s door. She parted her crossing arms and looked at Hwanhee. Hwanhee cocked his head to the door for her to get it.

Ji Yun straightened out her blouse and walked over while Hwanhee sat up. Ji Yun slowly opened the door to find a tall built man, with nice features and a handsome overall look. His hair was light browned and spiked, and he was wearing a long coat along with light brown shades.

“Hi, I’m detective Eric Mun, lead investigator for the murder of Lee Mike,”

Eric said removing his glasses to look up at Ji Yun. Her face turned a ghastly white as she searched her mind quickly for a response.

“M...murder?” Ji Yun choked.

“Yes, we searched the vehicle Mr. Lee was in, and found that his brake line was cut, so we concluded that somebody must have done it. Are you Mrs. Lee?”

Eric spoke sharply. Ji Yun felt a rush of nervous feelings pass through her as she looked at Eric. He wasn’t one of those young idiotic cops. He looked smarter and determined. Ji Yun slowly came back to life and nodded dumbly.

“May I come in?” Eric asked. Ji Yun nodded again and opened the door.

Once Hwanhee saw Eric step in, he stood up immediately to greet Eric.

“Hi, detective Eric Mun,” Eric said as she shook Hwanhee’s hand. Hwanhee gave a slight acknowledge nod and stepped back.

“Um, this is my friend Hwa...Hwang Sung Hyuk,” Ji Yun lied at the last minute, figuring that she should tell Eric Hwanhee’s real name. Hwanhee gave her an approving look. Eric looked around the house inspecting every piece of furniture that was set.

He wasn’t seeming to be leaving anytime soon. Hwanhee gave Ji Yun another look.

“Um...can I answer any questions for you?” Ji Yun interrupted Eric’s thoughts.

Eric turned back to face her and took out a cigarette.

“Do you mind if I?...”

“No, go ahead,” Ji Yun said with a wave of her hand.

“What was Mr. Lee doing that Saturday morning?” Eric asked taking a puff of his cigarette.

“He...was going to a meeting,” Ji Yun replied rubbing her arms with her hands.

“Excuse me, I’m going to be going now. Ji Yun, I’ll call you,” Hwanhee lied as he shook Eric’s hand again and left the house.

He shot another look at Ji Yun before leaving the door. Ji Yun turned to face Eric again after seeing Hwanhee exit.

“And where was this meeting held?”

Eric asked now back to his usual routine of inspecting the house. Ji Yun was getting more nervous by the moment.

“I...I don’t know...” Ji Yun replied. “Oh really?” Eric glanced at her.

She nodded. “Do you know who he was meeting? Or why?”

Eric asked coming in closer to her. Ji Yun looked back up and shook her head courageously.

“Did you know before that he was murdered? Or did you think it was an accident?” Eric asked one last time.

“I always thought it was just an accident...”

Ji Yun replied back sounding as clueless as she can. Eric’s suspicious glare was giving her the creeps every minute that he was there.

“It was murder. I’m sure of it. Certainly it could have been one of your husband’s rivals, somebody in the business that didn’t like him perhaps?” Ji Yun shrugged.

“I don’t know anything about his business...”

“Is there somebody I can talk to? Somebody that your husband knew? A co-worker? Friend?” “Um...I only know one...” Ji Yun replied slowly.

Only one person entered her head. Junjin. If he was found guilty by some hopeful reason, she would be off the hook.

“Junjin,” she replied.

“Junjin?”

“Park Junjin...he...worked with my husband,” Ji Yun said looking uncomfortable.

Eric thought for a moment, then decided to take his leave.

“Well, I’ll be going now. Thanks for your time,” Eric said with a nod to Ji Yun.

She smiled back as she walked him out. Before leaving, Eric turned to her, threw his cigarette below him and turned to Ji Yun.

“Oh, Mrs. Lee, be careful alright?” Ji Yun nodded.

“Thank you detective Mun.” Seeing Eric off wasn’t any comfort to Ji Yun at all. She closed the door and started walking around the empty house.

What would she do if she became a suspect? Certainly they would never think that. Hwanhee would just have to keep away from her in the meantime.

Where did he go anyway?That following evening, Li Ann and Mike didn’t go back to Li Ann’s house. Instead, they decided to walk around the city.

They stopped at the corner of the streets to wait for the light to turn red before crossing. Her light brown hair bounced lightly and swayed over her shoulders, becoming more light with the help of the sunset lights.

Her lips curved into a small smile as she stood carelessly in front of Mike. He was just lost in the moment staring at her and noticing her kind heart. Li Ann turned to face him and she smiled. He grinned back at her, then turned away.

Upon turning his head, he saw Hwanhee stepping out of his car and entering into a building. Is attention became rapid as he pulled Li Ann’s elbow.

“Li Ann, go ahead, I’ll catch up with you later,” Mike said as he walked away from her.

“Mike? But...” before Li Ann could finish, Mike had ran back down the streets to catch up to Hwanhee.

She thought of following him, but decided not to. Hwanhee tossed up his keys and caught it with one swift catch. He stuck them into his jacket pockets and stepped out of the metal door elevator.

Hwanhee made his way down the long hallways and headed for the main office. Mike ran out of the second elevator and saw a slight glimpse of Hwanhee turning the corner. He chased after Hwanhee, but suddenly out of nowhere, an unseen force pushed him back, causing him to stumble and fall.

Mike stood up and glared up to see Brian standing in front of him with both hands behind his back, this time in a light gray suit, gray shirt and silver tie. Brian’s face was motionless. Mike couldn’t tell if he was angry or still alive.

He got up to dust himself and looked at Brian with angry eyes. Mike ignored Brian and tried to walk around him to catch up to Hwanhee, but Brian stepped right in front of him not allowing him to pass through.

“Get out of my way #### it,” Mike demanded as he had his fists balled tightly.

“No, i can't ” Brian said cooly as he stood still in front of Mike with his hands still clutched together behind his back.

Mike rolled his eyes and looked away, then as he returned his look, he came with his fist to Brian’s face. As if Brian had knew the fist coming, he ducked out of the way and shoved Mike back. Brian straightened himself up again and stretched out his suit. Mike stood still and as angry as a bull.

“Chill man, I’m here to talk,” Brian said as he walked closer to Mike.

“Why won’t you let me go after him?!” Mike shouted as his hatred for Brian increased.

“Simple, you’re not allowed to,” Brian replied.

“And why not?!”

“Mike, you shouldn’t be following people you hardly know around, and you shouldn’t be avenging your death like that,” Brian said as he turned to walk the opposite way from Mike.

Mike followed to bug him with questions.

“And why can’t I?!”“Look man, there are some things you do not understand–...”Mike couldn’t stand any of Brian’s annoying attitude anymore.

He grabbed Brian’s collar and pushed his face into Brian’s angrily.

“Look here you stupid angel or whatever you are. I’m going to kill Ji Yun if it’s the last thing I do.” Brian raised up his hands defeated as he chuckled and mouthed to Mike that he was okay with it.

Mike slowly released Brian’s collar, and once again, Brian straightened out his suit.

“That’s fine with me if you want to go to hell,” Brian replied simply.

“Why don’t we take a walk?” Mike and Brian walked out into the city and down to the subway area. It was beginning to get dark as they walked into the center of the subway station.

The longer and farther they walked, the less people there came to be.

“Are you waiting for someone to get run over by a train so you can say bingo, you’re dead?”

Mike said in a sarcastic tone as he crossed his arms and waited for Brian to stop. Brian turned around with an amused face.

“Mike, did you know that there are 365 days in a year?” Brian asked still with that amused smile. Mike was very close to knocking Brian down with his cocky attitude.

“No Brian, I don’t,” Mike said as he walked around tired and frustrated.

“Well, out of those 365 days, I work 360 days, and 300 of those days, I never get a break, so you better #### appreciate my time here with you,” Brian said as his expression turned from fruity to a impatient and meager one.

He got down to business immediately.

“Fine fine, what did you want to tell me?” Mike finally gave in as he calmed down and faced Brian with an open ear.

“You shouldn’t be getting into people’s personal business like this. I can’t watch you twenty four seven, so I’m going to tell you once only. Don’t do anything stupid,” Brian warned.

“Is that all?”

“Well, I was planning to only say that, but since you found out that your wife Ji Yun killed you, Hwanhee was involved, Hyesung wants your corporation, and all your money is going to go to your niece, I’m going to have to put extra watch time to you until you can finally go to the East Gate,” Brian explained.

“East Gate?” Mike asked confused.

“Yeah, you know, East Gate? That place where all souls go for them to be able to go to Heaven,” Brian grinned widely. His smiled disappeared.

“You must not have no life,” Mike slightly smiled with a deep breath.

“No, I don’t,” Brian replied with black humor.

“And how hard is it for you to get actually get a girlfriend?” Mike asked just for the #### of ticking Brian off.

“There’s a lot of hot chicks up there,” Brian smirked as he already knew what Mike was trying to do.

“Too bad I just don’t have any time.” Mike ignored the joke and crossed his arms again.

“So what about my niece?”

“Your niece? I don’t know...” Brian lied trying to look as sincere as he can with a slight shrug.

“You know I’ll find out anyway,” Mike informed.

“Well, that is up to you if you want to get yourself into more trouble. I’ll see you soon,” Brian said as he began to walk off into the dark distance where nobody was.

Mike nodded to himself as he bit his lips. He thought for a moment of what Brian had said, then turned the opposite direction to walk back out of the hallway.

“Oh, and Mike,” Brian called out. Mike turned around to see what Brian wanted to say. Brian turned around halfway with one hand in his pocket.

“What?” Mike asked thinking possibly this would not be the last time that Brian would stop talking.

“Keep away from Li Ann.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-09-04T08:48:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 13

Li Ann stared up at the stars in the dark background of the midnight sky as she remembered Mike’s kind words. There must have been a million stars that night. The sky was just so clear you can make out that tomorrow will not rain.

She’d never knew a guy that would say that to her before. Would she ever find her true star like he said? After that night, Li Ann and Mike got along quite well, and whenever he wasn’t around, she would feel a sense of loneliness.

Li Ann didn’t have much friends except for Lindsey. Lindsey worked hard and was hardly around, so they didn’t get to see each other much.

“Hey Li Ann, since neither of us is working today, I’m going out to play basket ball with some friends. Wanna tag along?” Dongwan asked.

“Tag along? Please oppa, you sound weird talking slang,” Li Ann joked without laughing. Dongwan made a face.

“It’s not slang,” he muttered as he picked up his basketball and left. Li Ann sat down on the tall stools in the kitchen and chewed on an apple to herself, humming a song she had learned. A cool breeze moved swiftly around her, sending chills down her spine.

She could feel warm breathing by the nape of her neck. She slightly turned around, but there was nobody. She looked around again suspiciously, then smiled.

“Mike? Is that you?” she asked. There was no Mike in sight. She turned her attention back to her apple as she tapped her fingers gently on the table top.

Again, that sound of someone rushing behind her was felt. She turned around and glared at whoever was playing tricks.

“Mike, quit screwing around,” Li Ann muttered as she stood up and walked away. She walked down the dark hallway trying to head to the living room when Mike suddenly walked out from behind a corner, scaring her a bit. She jumped and gasped.

“Boo?” Mike grinned.

“Very funny,” Li Ann shoved past him.

“It’s kind of fun playing tricks like this,” Mike said amused as he looked at his hands.

“Yeah, whatever,” Li Ann said sarcastically as she sat down on the couch and picked up the remote control. Mike crouched down in front of the television screen and stared at her. He didn’t blink.

“Um, can you get out of the way, I want to watch t.v.,” Li Ann asked slowly.

“Nope,” Mike replied.

“Why?” “I’m going to look at you,” Mike grinned slyly.

“Mike,” Li Ann stated as in a question form.

“Li Ann,” Mike replied back with the same astonishing tone. She was beginning to get frustrated with him. He just continued to sit there.

“Fine, what do you want?” Li Ann sighed as she gave up and threw the remote aside.

“I want to go see my wife. I have some unfinished business,” Mike said as his happy expression turned slightly cold.

“Um, but, it’s my free day!” Li Ann complained.

“Nope, free day is a good day,” Mike said as he stood up. He looked down at her and demanded,

“Get up and get dressed.”

“No,” Li Ann crossed her arms and looked away.

Mike sighed as he suddenly reached for her foot and yanked her off the couch, making her land on her bottom.

“What the!” Li Ann exclaimed shocked as she stood up and gave him a deadly glare. Mike just smiled innocently as he pointed towards her room.

Li Ann obediently obeyed as she stomped upstairs to change out of her sweats. She didn’t want to argue with him on a day that she was supposed to be happy.

“Where are we going?” Mike asked as they neared some highly elaborated apartments. They were white and yellow with lavender flowers and pink roses scattered all around. There was vines and bricks to complete the whole model of the unit.

“To Calida’s. He’s my brother’s girlfriend,” Li Ann said as she walked up the stairs to the glass door. She knocked and a moment later, a cheery Calida wearing shorts and a tank opened.

She was still in the middle of exercising to a Tai Bo video, with the music on loud.

“Hey Li Ann! What’s up?” Calida greeted her as she led Li Ann into the living room.

“Man, you and my brother are so meant to be,” Li Ann joked as she sat down. Calida turned the television off and skipped over to plop down next to Li Ann.

“Calida, I wanted to ask you something,” Li Ann asked. Calida immediately stood up and skipped over to the kitchen.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Calida shouted from the kitchen.

“Um, no, I’m good,” Li Ann replied back. She gave Mike a confused look. She mouthed to him asking him how to ask her.

Mike shrugged and looked on as he stood near the counter separating the living room from the kitchen. Calida walked back and stood by the counter next to Mike as she drank her glass of water.

“What did you want to ask me?” Calida asked in between swallows.

“Um, do you believe in ghosts?” Li Ann asked nervously biting her lips.

“Haha, Li Ann, you never fail to amuse me,” Calida laughed.

“I’m serious,” Li Ann replied back with a serious look. Calida smiled and leaned casually on the counter and waited for Li Ann to continue.

“There’s this ghost, Mike, and he’s following me around, and he needs my help, but I can’t do it without your knowledge Calida.”

“A ghost? Following you? Need help? I though you were a psychologist, not a psycho,” Calida joked as she started laughing again.

Li Ann frowned.

“I’m telling the truth Calida. Besides, he’s standing right behind you,” Li Ann said as she rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

“Yeah, haha, you’re so funny,” Calida continue to giggle. Mike smiled kindly at the back of Calida’s head, then gently he stroked his finger slowly down her slim arm, suddenly sending chills throughout her body making the hair on her neck stand.

She froze. Li Ann glanced back over and saw that Mike was trying to scare her. She smiled back at Calida amusingly and waited. Calida quickly turned her neck around to see if it was Dongwan, but nobody was in sight.

She didn’t see Mike standing right in front of her.

“Mike, stop scaring her,” Li Ann said loud enough to catch Calida’s attention.

“Li Ann, you’re joking right? Please tell me you’re joking...” Calida asked raising both of her eyebrows.

“You can’t see him, but I can,” Li Ann replied. Mike slowly bent over and blew to the back of Calida’s ear.

She screamed and ran over to the couch Li Ann was sitting on, almost trampling over Li Ann. Calida’s arms grabbed Li Ann’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.

“What the hell is going on?!” Calida demanded with frightful eyes. “Now do you believe me? Or would you like Mike to demonstrate some more?” Li Ann smiled tauntingly.

“I believe you. I believe you. Just tell him to leave me alone!” Calida shouted and became suddenly paranoid of her surrounding.

“Ahem, we wanted to know, if somebody dies, how long does it take before their beneficiary can get their money?” Li Ann asked hopefully.

Calida was a professional young lawyer, so she would know such things. Calida thought for a moment.

“If that person has a will, then the beneficiary will get it in five days, but if that person doesn’t, then in a week, or seven days,” Calida explained calming down a bit.

Li Ann looked up at Mike. Mike seemed to be thinking to himself.

“I wrote no will. Today’s the seventh day...Li Ann, we better get moving,” Mike said looking back at her.

“Alright. Well, thanks Calida, see you around,” Li Ann said as she stood up. Calida pulled her arm back down immediately. “Wait! You’re not leaving me alone!” Calida said exasperated.

Li Ann laughed.

“Don’t worry, he’s coming with me.” Mike and Li Ann took a cab out to Mike’s house as fast as they could. Li Ann told the cab driver to stop a few meters away from the house so Ji Yun or Hwanhee would not see her when they stepped out of the house.

Hwanhee was fully dressed in a suit without a tie, as Ji Yun dressed up in a short skirt and white blouse. They both got into Hwanhee’s car and pulled out of the driveway.

“Follow them,” Mike said not keeping his eyes of the target.

“Follow them please,” Li Ann asked the cab driver.

He gave a nod as he started the engine to follow them. They followed Hwanhee and Ji Yun all the way back down to downtown. Hwanhee stopped at Mike’s firm. He kissed Ji Yun’s blushed cheeks as Ji Yun prepared to step out.

She waved goodbye to him and straightened out her outfit before walking diligently into the firm. Mike quickly stepped out of the cab without opening the door. He told Li Ann to wait for him in the cab as he quickly ran to follow Ji Yun.

Li Ann agreed and sat back comfortably as Mike made his way through the glass sliding doors and into the firm after Ji Yun. She stood by the elevator to wait for the doors to open. Once they did, Mike stepped in with her.

They were the only two persons in the elevator. Ji Yun opened her purse and took out a small mirror. She eyed herself and checked for her eye makeup.

As she tilted the mirror to see her lips, she saw at the edge of her mirror half of her husband’s face. She quickly turned around a bit startled, but she was alone.

The elevator clicked open and Ji Yun ignored that suspicious feeling. Ji Yun knocked on the door to Mike’s lawyer, Allen Choi.

Mr.Choi, a middled age man in his forties, looked up from his desk filled with due documents and pushed up his glasses to see Ji Yun enter. She walked over as he stood up to shake her hand.

“Good afternoon Mrs. Lee–...”

“Please, call me Ji Yun,” she interrupted.

“Uh, okay, Ji Yun,” Mr. Choi continued.

“You are here to see the claims of your husband Mike Lee?”

“That is correct,” Ji Yun said as she took a seat. Mr. Choi flipped through his cabinets and pulled out a file. He looked through it and took out a few documents to lay out in front of her.

“These are the legal papers to get you the money,” Mr. Choi said with a cough. Mike’s eyes narrowed on the papers that were already signed and dated.

“When can I withdraw all the money?” Ji Yun asked sounding a bit impatient.

“Soon, soon,” Mr. Choi nodded.

“I just...wait, I found something that I must have missed here...”

“What?” Ji Yun raised an eyebrow. Mr. Choi went silent for a minute to scan over the thick paper he held in his hands.

“Oh dear...well, it seems that...” Mr. Choi stammered. Ji Yun’s back straightened as she leaned in closer to see the document herself. She was feeling a bit impatient with Mr. Choi’s slowness in issuing her the money.

“Your husband, didn’t leave a will...” “So that means all the money goes to me right?” Ji Yun asked immediately feeling a bit excited. She quickly covered her greedy act and smiled innocently.

“I mean, I am, or was his wife...”

“Yes, that’s true, but it says here, signed and dated, when Mr. Lee’s grandfather passed away, he signed a will, giving Mike all his money and corporation, but as stated here, if Mike is to not have any children, and if he is to pass away, the money should go to Mike’s niece...” Mr. Choi explained through his thick glasses.

Ji Yun’s mouth dropped.

Mike stood there shocked. He didn’t know of any niece.

“What niece?!” Ji Yun asked in a louder voice.

“I...I don’t know, it just says niece, oh wait, I think I know where I can access that information, but you’ll have to give me a few days,” Mr. Choi said as he looked back up to see Ji Yun’s unbelievably shocked expression.

“Niece? Mike never said anything about a niece?!” Ji Yun exclaimed still shocked. She protested.

“What do you mean all his money is going to go to his niece if he is to suddenly pass away? What about me?! You told me over the phone that I was going to get the money no matter what?!” Ji Yun asked as she slammed her hand down on his oak wood table. Mr. Choi swallowed and tried to explain again.

“Now now, I did say that, but I must have been mistaken. I will find out for you as soon as possible Mrs. Lee.”

“It’s Ji Yun!” she muttered as she picked up her purse.

“I’m very sorry about this,” Mr. Choi apologized.

“Very well. Make sure you contact me when you find out about this niece,” Ji Yun replied as she bowed and walked out of the office, muttering a curse to herself. Mike had a satisfied smirk on his face as he slowly looked over the document on Mr. Choi’s desk.

‘If Lee Mike is to have suddenly pass away, the money and all its claim is to be issued solely to Mr. Lee’s niece...” and that was all it said.

Not a name or additional information about his “niece.”

“What kind of people did I pay for to do this?” Mike asked as he looked at the document that was poorly written.

He walked out of the office and looked for Li Ann. She was still in the cab, waiting for him.
Whoever the niece was, they would have to find her first before Ji Yun does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-09-03T21:20:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

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.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-09-03T06:24:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 11

Li Ann woke up to a fresh start and got ready for work again. Life was like a dream for her. She’d met the most charming man ever, and she knows a ghost. What more could she possibly come to? Her mind was just let alone to wander endless thoughts of mindless subjects.

She picked a white blouse and khaki skirt that had just reached below her knees. Her hair was neatly curled slightly at the tips and she used light make up to enhance her features. At that moment, her brother came strolling into her room.

“You get up too early these days,” Dongwan said as he sat down on desk.

“You’ll dig yourself a grave if you work form sunup to sunset. I worry about you Li Ann. I still remember those days before mom and dad died. You were so little and a #### raiser at the same time. Remember that time when you climbed on the roof and almost got killed?” Li Ann smiled over the memory.

“I remember you yelled at me for the entire day because you got in trouble for not watching me.”

“But you told dad that it wasn’t my fault,”

“You would have gotten into trouble,” Li Ann announced. Dongwan laughed.

“Mom would have punished you even more if I wasn’t around to yell at you.”

“You sure saved me from death that time,” Li Ann admitted.

“I saved you more than once and that’s the main truth of it.”

“It was along time ago,” Li Ann reminded him, her smile gentle.

“I’m all grown up now. I have many responsibilities oppa, that’s why I have to get to work now.”Li Ann got up from her mirror desk and kissed her brother on the cheeks.

She walked out of her room with her coat and purse. Dongwan followed her out still protesting to her. He drove her to her workplace and headed on his way to the hospital.

She had forgotten once again about Mike, but of course he hasn’t forgot her. Mike followed her into the office and before she opened the door, she turned around to face him.

“Good morning Mike, how are you today?” she asked in a cheerful voice.

“Good,” Mike replied blankly. Li Ann turned back around and pushed the door into her office. Li Ann let out a small sigh when she looked at the left over paperwork and client schedules left on her desk.

She set to work at once, letting Mike sit there to do nothing. Her phone rang and Li Ann immediately sprang to it.

“Hello?”

“Li Ann, how are you?”

“Andy? Oh, I’m good,” Li Ann smiled back to Mike, letting him know that it was Andy.

She sat back down behind her desk to talk to Andy.

“I want to pick you up for lunch, is that okay?” Andy asked.

“Lunch?” Li Ann asked. Mike rolled his eyes.

“Lunch is great.”

“Alright. Pick you up at noon then,” Andy said as he hung up.

Li Ann smiled to herself.

Mike sighed and stood up.

“I’m going out to walk around. See you later,” Mike said as he left the building.

Li Ann looked back at him oddly, then continued her work. Mike walked out and found his way around to an empty road that led to the cemetery. The morning led to a long grueling pace walk. He didn’t mind.

He wanted someplace quiet to recollect his thoughts. It took him almost two hours to reach the cold and lonely cemetery that he was buried in. Mike walked around until he found his familiar tombstone.

He crouched down and looked at it. His name was carved into the stone. He traced the outline of his name, then glanced down to the ground. The flowers on there were as dead as can be. No new ones were set.

All around him were fresh flowers for the dead, but not his. His were the same flowers from the day of his burial.

How could Ji Yun be like so? Had she forgotten him already? He had to see her. The thought shuddered him that his own wife would abandon his memory like this.

“Sad isn’t it? Nobody comes to visit the dead,” a voice said from behind him, startling him. He turned around.

Brian stood there in his black suit and red tie, his hands held together behind his back.

“You again,” Mike mumbled turning back to his grave.

“Life after death isn’t what it seems Mike,” Brian said walking up closer to Mike.

Mike stood up, his eyes still on the tombstone.

“How is it so then?” Mike asked turning to Brian.

“Let me show you,” Brian said with his chin tilting upwards.

He started walking towards the exit of the cemetery.

“Follow me. I’ll show you the world of the dead.” Mike and Brian walked down the rocky hill of the cemetery and back into town.

Mike had kept silent all the way. He didn’t know who to follow or trust, but Brian seemed to be the most reasonable person to follow, so he did as told.

The longer he walked with Brian, the stranger the setting and atmosphere seemed. The sun’s color turned an awkward light blue that stung his eyes, and pretty soon they were near a world of black and white.

They were still in Seoul, with people walking around doing their own things, but it was now that Mike saw things in a bluish tone.

He was too speechless to say anything.

“Cool huh?” Brian smirked.

“What?”

“What you see around you is the world of dark blue, the world of the dead. The lost and confused, just like you,” Brian said letting alone a minute for Mike to grasp and understand the concept that there was to understand.

Mike looked around slowly, and instantly he noticed the change. Everything was in a blue color. Light blue, white, navy blue, dark blue, and just blue.

In between the crowds of regular people were figures he didn’t seem to see quiet well. A few stood out from the norms.

They were looking dazed and lost, some of them white skinned, like ghosts. They didn’t seem to hear what was going on around them. Instead they just walk around all day.

Everything seemed to be going backwards at a slow pace, yet people were moving forward and time was ticking still.

“They are the lost,” Brian said quietly to his ear. A girl passed by Mike. She wasn’t looking anywhere but straight ahead and passed right by like she was deaf or blind. Mike shuddered. After a while, Brian poked his arm.

“Come on,” Brian’s head cocked to the side to show Mike that he was going to walk. Mike followed still looking back once in a while at the “lost” souls.

Pretty soon they were walking over a highway bridge. Brian walked casually ahead of him with his hands in his pockets.

The world had came back to normal now. Color was back into view again. Brian stopped in the middle of the highway.

“Why are you stopping here?” Mike asked.

“Oh, I’m kinda busy. I have a client coming in....two minutes,” Brian said looking at his watch.

“Check this out.” Brian looked at his watch as he waited patiently staring at the middle of the road. Mike looked at Brian strangely, then towards the same direction that Brian was looking.

Exactly in the next two minutes, the cars that drove past them were going as fast as any car would on a freeway. A red car out of nowhere headed right into the head of another, causing a head on collision. Mike cringed at the sight.

The sound of the impact was heard as the red car flipped and crashed into a nearby lamp pole. Brian stared amused as he almost tiptoed to see the results. Rubble and glass pieces flew everywhere as other cars stopped by.

“Bingo,” Brian announced as he put his wrist down and continued to look on. A person stood up from under the red car that had just turned over.

His head was covered with blood as he stumbled, but he didn’t seem at all that hurt. He walked clumsily out of the small crowd looking around confused. Brian walked up to him with a smile.

“Hi,” Brian said to the man. The man put his hand down from his bleeding head and looked at Brian strangely.

“What happened?” the man asked still shocked from the accident.

“You’re dead,” Brian smiled. Mike’s mouth dropped open at the whole situation. So this was Brian’s job. This was how he worked.

This was what was supposed to happen when Mike had died, but why wasn’t Brian there.

“I can read your thoughts Mike,” Brian called back from talking to the now dead man. Mike looked up from his thoughts.

“The reason why I wasn’t there when you died was because somebody messed up the pattern, so I couldn’t find you. It happens a lot,” Brian smiled.

“Hey! Will somebody tell me what the hell is going on?!” the man with the bleeding head asked angrily causing Brian to turn back to him. He pulled Brian’s collar and looked angrily back into Brian’s smiling face. Brian broke free and used his hands to brush himself off.

“Simple. Your time is up. Follow me,” Brian said still in that amused state as he turned back to Mike.

“Look Mike, I gotta go, but I’ll be back later to talk to you. Don’t try anything stupid,” Brian warned. Mike nodded as he stepped back.

Brian looked back to the other man and allowed the man to walk past Brian as Brian followed him. Mike turned and walked in the opposite direction.

He couldn’t believe it. He was shown so much in such a short time, it took him a while to believe it all. ...........Andy and Li Ann walked into yet another fancy restaurant.

They sat near the window and ordered lunch. Li Ann nervously looked at her fingers as Andy silently glared at her. She was so ladylike. He put his hands forward to touch hers.

“Li Ann, did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?” Andy asked in a sly voice. Li Ann slowly moved her hand back.

“Two times,” Li Ann replied returning his smile.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody as lovely as you,” Andy complimented again. Li Ann only smiled back. All his complimenting was getting a little too unusual for her.

She wasn’t used to so much attention from one guy alone.

“I know we’ve only met for two days now, but I really like you,” Andy continued, his fingers tapping on the top of her hand.

“Andy...I hardly know you,” Li Ann stuttered back nervously with a sheepish grin.

“I know, but I don’t care. I don’t need to know you at all to like you. I know you’re a beautiful person, and that’s all that matters,” Andy said slyly.

“You’re too kind Andy,” Li Ann returned his smile still unsure of herself. Why was he acting so affectionate towards her?

“And I love your scent,” Andy said as his other hand reached under the table to touch her knee. Li Ann shifted around uncomfortably as she sat up straight. She looked away and down to the table top. Andy was slick.

He continued to rub her knee as he sweet talked her into his trap.

“Andy...” Li Ann protested.

“Would you like to come see my home after we have lunch?” Andy asked removing his hand.

“Um, that would be nice. Excuse me please,” Li Ann said as she scooted out of her seat and grabbed her purse.

She headed for the ladies room as quick as she could without running. She didn’t want to think of Andy as that kind of man, but his actions were so different from the other Andy she knew. But then again, she had only known him for three days.

Outside, Andy sat back disappointed and a bit angry that Li Ann was so rebellious. Every girl that he took out took no longer than two days to sleep with him.

Li Ann was different, and he wanted her.

“Andy?” a females’ voice called from behind.

Andy turned around and was surprised to see her.

“Terri,” Andy sounded surprised. He glanced around nervously to look for Li Ann.

“Andy, how are you? You haven’t called me back since we met a couple days ago,” Terri said happily as she sat down next to Andy.

Andy moved back an inch, then glanced towards the direction where Li Ann went. “Terri, um...uh,” Andy stuttered as Terri clutched his arm.

“I missed you Andy,” Terri smiled.

Li Ann wiped her hands clean on a towel then pushed open the door out of the restroom. She stopped when her eyes were laid upon Andy, and Terri who was close to him smiling happily.

Li Ann walked over calmly and looked at Andy questioningly.

“Oh, Li Ann, uh, this is Terri,” Andy said nervously as he scooted all the way back to the window.

“Hi, I’m Andy’s girlfriend,” Terri smiled as she held out her perfectly manicured hand to shake Li Ann’s. Li Ann smiled back and shook her hand.

“I’m Li Ann, Andy’s friend,” Li Ann said. She didn’t sit down. She glared at Andy with her eyes burning with flames.

“I’ll be going now. Have a nice day Andy,” she said quickly as she turned on her heels and headed for the door.

How could Li Ann have been so stupid to trust that Andy was a good man.

Mike was right.

Andy was another one of those.

Why hadn’t she listen to him? Li Ann thought herself to be too foolish to not see through Andy’s seductive acts. It was all just a lie.

“Li Ann!” Andy called as he chased her out of the restaurant. He reached for her elbow but she shook her arm free.

“Leave me alone Andy. I don’t want to see you ever again,” Li Ann said back to him as she waved to a nearby taxi.

Li Ann got in the taxi and didn’t look back at Andy. Andy cursed to himself, then took a deep breath and walked back into the restaurant.

“Sorry about that Terri. I had to tell her something,” Andy lied as he sat down across from Terri.

She smiled back sweetly.

“Are you hungry? I was just about to order,” Andy grinned slyly.

“Sure Andy,” Terri replied with a smile from ear to ear. ...........

Mike walked with his head down tracing the small pebbles that lay on the ground. He walked until he reached his house. He stared at the covered windows.

Everything seemed so dead. The house was completely trimmed and neat, yet it looked like nobody lived in there.

Light showers began to spray down as he approached the door. He walked up to the driveway wanting to see Ji Yun more than ever now, but before he reached the front door, a black BMW screeched up and drove onto the driveway.

Mike stopped and stared at whoever was in the car. Did Ji Yun buy a new car? Instead of Ji Yun stepping out from behind the dark glasses, it was a tall built man, in his early twenties, wearing all black and a leather jacket.

He had on shades as he stared at the house up and down and smirked. Mike wondered who he was. The man tossed his keys into his pockets and started to walk up the path to the front door. Perhaps Ji Yun had moved on?

Perhaps she found somebody new? If so, he couldn’t possibly blame her. Ji Yun was still young and she had her life to live. Only Mike would then had to carry on the burden of sad memories.

Mike stood near the door and waited for the other man to reach the door as well. He rang the door bell. After a few rings, Ji Yun opened the door.

Her eyes widened with a spark as she slowly smiled to the man standing in front of the door. “Hwanhee,” she said his name.

“Hey baby,” he replied back with a devilish grin. She opened the door and pulled him in. Mike stared in shock and confusion at the same time.

He walked in after them.

“You’re not supposed to be here yet,” Ji Yun said pushing him backward a little.

“I couldn’t help it. I’ve missed you so much. After two months of not seeing you, don’t you think I deserve a little lovin’?” Hwanhee asked as he pulled her closer.

“But the cops are still investigating. I don’t want them to have any suspicions,” Ji Yun said as she touched his shirt button.

Mike realized what was happening now. He saw where this was going.

“They won’t. Oh, you did such a good job in killing that sucker,” Hwanhee said as he kissed her neck.

“Yes, I did. Aren’t you proud of me?” Ji Yun said as she kissed Hwanhee back and hugged him tighter. Mike’s face dropped.

His cheeks burned as his eyes began to sting and his fists balled at his sides as he clenched his jaw tightly. He felt as if the hands of Death had just grabbed his heart and swallowed it.“Of course I am. I still can’t stand the fact that he had you,” Hwanhee said as he began to fumble with her buttons on her shirt.

She pulled his jacket back and slipped him out of it.

“Oh Hwanhee, he’s no better than you,” Ji Yun laughed wickedly as she kissed him deeply. “When can you get his money?” he asked between kisses.

Mike’s hearing must’ve gone deaf because he suddenly felt anger towards Hwanhee. His wife had planned all this out with this Hwanhee guy even before he married her?

“Soon,” Ji Yun promised. She jumped on him and wrapped her legs around him. He started to carry her upstairs.

“You backstabbing b**ch,” Mike cursed. Mike stared at them disgusted as he walked out. How could she? He never thought she’d be this evil. She married him so she could kill him and claim all his money?

The thought of that sickened him to his stomach. Mike walked out and down the rocky path towards downtown again. He tried hard not wanting to believe that she would do this to him.

“Did you go dancing in the rain?” he remembered he had asked her that after she came back into the house that night before he died.

“No, it’s raining like hell,” she had muttered back to him as she wiped her hands on her sweater. Just then Mike remembered seeing black smudge being wiped from her hands to her sweater. It was her.

She was the one who had gone out and cut the brake wire. She was the cold-hearted murderer. What kind of women would do that?

She definitely had more guts than he thought to be able to do that. He hated Ji Yun, and he despised Hwanhee.

Whoever Hwanhee was, he didn’t care. He couldn’t wait to rip Hwanhee apart and bury him next to Ji Yun.

But it burned him that he loved her so, and yet all he got in return was his own death. Love became the death of him.

“This isn’t over Ji Yun,” Mike muttered as he stared back at his house before continuing on.

The rain pounded harshly on him although he didn’t think it would. He didn’t want to cry. He was a grown man, and grown men wouldn’t cry, but he felt the edge of his eyes growing red.

He turned around and continued walking.

He had to find Li Ann.

She was the only person that was able to help him, or so he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-09-02T07:46:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 10

Andy came in with a big smile as he kissed Li Ann on the cheek. She felt weird already being so open with Andy, hence she only knew him for two days. She felt uncomfortable of course, but she didn’t want to make Andy feel that he’d done something wrong by kissing her already.

He held in his hand a pink rose and handed it to her. Li Ann smiled as she led him into the living room.

“So, uh, where’s your brother?” Andy asked as he sat down and made himself comfortable.

“He’s working late,” Li Ann replied.

“What does he do?” Andy asked.

“He’s a doctor,” Li Ann replied with a hint of proudness in her brother.

“I see...” Andy mumbled.

“Well, would you like to have dinner now?” Li Ann asked as she sat down on the right angle of the couch next to Andy.

“Hmm, how about dessert first?” Andy said as he pulled her from her seat and down next to him. Li Ann was taken back by surprise as she tried to scoot out.

Andy wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed himself up against her for a kiss. Li Ann’s hands pressed upon his chest to move him back.

“Uh, Andy, I think we should just go eat. I’m hungry,” Li Ann said hinting to Andy that she didn’t want to do anything besides have dinner.

Andy smiled as he nodded and released her. Li Ann stood up and turned around. She sighed with relief as she walked towards the kitchen.

How would she tell Andy she liked him a lot, but she wanted to take everything slow. Mike sat still in the dining room as he waited for her.

Li Ann walked in and straight into the kitchen. Andy followed and stopped when he reached the dining room. Mike looked up to find Andy standing there, looking at the dining table that had already been set with wine and water.

Andy smirked as he walked over to the seat where he predicted that Li Ann would be sitting in. Mike paid more attention once he saw what Andy was going to do. Andy looked back and forth across the room to make sure Li Ann would be popping in any time.

He took out of his pockets a small wrapper, and quickly slipped a drug into Li Ann’s wine glass.

“What the...” Mike mumbled looking at Andy in disbelief. Andy stuck the wrapper back into his pocket just right before Li Ann came out of the door to the kitchen.

She held in her hands two plate of pasta.

“Hey, it’s done, let’s eat,” Li Ann said cheerfully as she set the plates down. Andy took a seat in the opposite end of the long dining table.

Li Ann took her seat and started unfolding her napkin.

“Hey Li Ann,” Mike said catching her attention.
She didn’t look over to him but she told him by her actions that she was listening.

“Whatever you do, don’t drink the wine,” Mike warned. Li Ann glanced up with a questioning look. She suddenly shook off that feeling and turned her attention towards Andy.

“Li Ann! Listen to me, don’t drink it,” Mike warned again, this time a bit louder.

“Andy, will you excuse me for a minute,” Li Ann said as she got up and walked into the kitchen. Mike got up and followed her.

“Mike, what are you doing?” Li Ann asked a bit pissed off when she was in the kitchen alone with Mike.

“Look, don’t drink the wine alright. I saw Andy slip in a drug when you were in here,” Mike explained with his hands in his pockets.

“Oh really,” Li Ann shot him a sarcastic glare.

“I’m telling the truth. Why would I lie?” Mike sighed as he rolled his head around in a tired way.

“Why would he do that?” Li Ann questioned looking at Mike suspiciously.

“Like I’ve said before, this guy can’t be trusted. Your brother’s not home you know...”This was making a bit of sense to Li Ann. She looked up at Mike again and saw that he was trying to be as sincere as he can.

She sighed. “Fine,” Li Ann mumbled as she walked out of the kitchen.

Li Ann sat down and smiled when Andy looked up at her. He hadn’t even touched his food. Andy picked up his wine glass and made a toast to her.

Li Ann looked around without moving her head to look for Mike, but he was nowhere in sight. She didn’t want to believe him, but her conscience somehow betrayed her. She picked up her water glass instead of the wine and made her toast to Andy.

She drank it while looking at Andy. His face was quiet surprised that she didn’t drink the wine.

“You look really beautiful tonight,” Andy complimented as he finally took his fork to eat the pasta in his plate.

“Oh, thanks,” Li Ann replied still unsure of Andy and Mike. Certainly Mike could be lying. Just because Mike didn’t like Andy, he shouldn’t be making up lies.

She didn’t believe Mike, but she didn’t drink the wine either. An hour later, after conversing and eating, Li Ann got up to clean the table. Andy looked at her questioningly when he saw that she didn’t even touch her wine glass.

Had she seen him? If so, she wouldn’t act so casual around him. After Li Ann had cleaned up, she came back out and seemed to be in a hurry, rushing Andy to leave. He couldn’t make sense of what she was trying to do, but he loved it.

Andy wouldn’t budge as he sat down in the living room again. Li Ann sat down across from him to talk, but she kept glancing at her watch. Andy sensed that she was waiting for her brother to come home, and he loved it when she looked so nervous around him.

He moved in closer to her.

“Let me show you a trick,” Andy said as he took out a coin. He flashed the coin in front of her eyes, then placed it in his palms and placed it in front of her eyes.

He made sure she was staring into his eyes and not the coin, but Li Ann refused and stared at the coin instead. Strange, Andy thought. She wasn’t like other girls. She seemed to be more interested in the trick rather than him.

He rolled up his fingers into a fist with the coin inside and suddenly flipped it back open again, but the coin was gone. Li Ann smiled. Andy looked at her soft cheeks, down to her pink lips. He wanted to kiss her.

Instead of completing the trick, he pulled her neck with his other hand in for a kiss. Before kissing her, Li Ann disappointed him by pushing him back.

“Where’s the coin?” she asked sweetly.

“Here,” Andy said as he pulled his hand out of her hair and showed her the coin. Li Ann’s eyes grew as she smiled and took the coin in her hands.

Andy sat back to let her look at the coin. It was the same coin of course, but his charm didn’t win her again this time. He was disappointed.

“Well, it’s late Andy. You should get going,” Li Ann said as she stood up.

He faked a smile on as he got up and reached for his jacket. She walked him outside and stopped when they were outside the front door. She looked down at her feet nervously as Andy said his goodbye.

He leaned in for a kiss, making Li Ann blush again. She looked to her side and saw Dongwan walking out of his car. She panicked and turned her head, making Andy kiss her cheek.

“Goodnight,” she said to Andy quickly, then turned to her brother.
Dongwan looked up and waved at Andy. Andy nodded and said goodbye once more to Li Ann.

Andy turned around and walked towards his car. Dongwan’s jacket was hung around his arm as he searched for his key. Li Ann stood by the door with her hands clasped together as she waited for Dongwan.

“Did I interrupt?” Dongwan asked teasing Li Ann. She punched him in the arms and started into the house first. Dongwan laughed as he closed the door.

Andy sat in his car and muttered a curse. He picked up his cell phone and called up a number.

“Hello? Soo Jin? How are you baby? Can I come over?” Andy asked in a charming voice over the phone. He smiled as he nodded and closed his phone. He looked back at the door, then smirked and drove off.

“How was your day?” Li Ann asked before walking up to her room.

“It was good. Who’s that guy?” Dongwan asked putting his jacket away into the closet.

“His name is Andy Lee.”

“Your boyfriend?” Dongwan raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t know...” Li Ann replied unsure of herself.

“It’s a simple question, yes or no,” Mike said from across the room. He was leaning up on the wall with one foot pressed upon it.

“Shut up you,” Li Ann glared at Mike.

“What?” Dongwan asked as he looked up from untying his shoes.

“Oh, not you oppa,” Li Ann replied apologetically as she glared at Mike again. Mike smiled mischievously with triumph.

“Goodnight oppa,” Li Ann said as she jumped up the stairs to her room. She closed the door and slumped down on her bed smiling to herself because of Andy.

“Don’t dream of him. He’s going to break your heart,” Mike said from across her room. She sat up and was surprised that he was there with out her noticing it.

“Mind your own business,” Li Ann rolled her eyes and laid down on her bed again. Mike walked over to the other side of the bed and sat down besides it. Li Ann turned and sat down on the other side.

“You know that trick Andy tried to pull on you?” Li Ann looked up when she heard what he’d said. Her eyes seized up on him as if he was spying on them. She tilted her chin up and rose to put her elbows on the bed.

She placed her head in her hands by the chin and stared at Mike. Mike did the same as he placed his chin in his palms and stared at her back. He suddenly reached into his pocket and took out a shiny gold coin.

“It was wrong, this is how you do it,” Mike said calmly as he flipped the coin in front of her face allowing her to look at it. She was looking into his eyes rather than the coin.

She was somehow being pulled into Mike’s stare. He moved in closer to her so that they were only inches apart. He placed another hand over the coin and suddenly when he removed his top hand, the coin was missing.

Li Ann’s eyes grew wider as she smiled at Mike’s trick. A smile crept upon his lips as he showed her both hands without a coin.

He reached over to her left ear, then smoothed down his fingers to her jaw, and over to her chin, pulling out a coin under her chin. She looked down at his hand where the coin was and smiled in amusement.

He placed the coin back into his pockets, then stood up from her bed.

“Goodnight Li Ann,” Mike smiled down at her.

“That was a nice trick Mike, goodnight,” Li Ann smiled back as she took a deep breath and got up from her backstabbing position.

Mike nodded as he went right through her front door.

Li Ann smiled slowly at the door Mike had went through, then walked up and into her restroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-08-31T18:04:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 9

A figure stepped out of the dark shadow stepped into view under the street lights. He was a young man with high features. Mike could clearly see him now; he looked human.

he figure managed a faint smile as he stood there long enough for Mike to realize that he was able to see Mike.

“You’ve been looking for me?” Mike asked.

“Who are you?”The figure stopped to think for a second. He glanced up towards the dark gloomy sky and looked back into the confused eyes of Mike.

He stood tall and stiff, with spiked hair and a diamond earring to complete the whole youth look.

“You know you’re dead right?” he asked.

“And you don’t know where to go or what to do, right?”

“Where are you getting at? I’m dead but I’m not stupid,” Mike replied back.

“Have you ever heard of...guardian angels?” he asked.

“I don’t believe in them,” Mike replied.

Neither man moved from their positions. The figure thought for a moment to choose the right words to explain. This was always the hardest part of his job.

“How about Angels of Death?” the man asked again.

“I don’t know. Who are you?” Mike asked tilting his head to the side.

“Name’s Joo Min Gyu, call me Brian. I’ll be your tour guide for this session.”

“What?” Mike asked in deliberate shock.

“Yes, I’m supposed to help you through this, but I couldn’t find you until now. I know Li Ann has agreed to help you, but there are some things you must understand,” Brian said thoughtfully.

“You’re supposed to help me?” Mike asked. He let out a small laugh, then regain composure and erased his smile.

“What do I need to understand? I’m obviously dead.”

“Li Ann cannot help you,” Brian replied seriously.

There was fog coming out of his breath as he spoke due to the cold weather. Mike glared at him and instantly didn’t like Brian.

“Well, we’ll just have to see about that,” Mike said as he turned and walked away. Brian sighed, then followed.

The busy street cars passed by with their rumbling engine sounds dropping streams of smoke a long the way making Brian choke.

“Look Mike, why don’t you just come with me alright?” Brian said as he tried to compromise with Mike.

Mike ignored him and kept on walking.

“You can’t force Li Ann to help you. It’s not part of the–...”

“Part of the what?” Mike interrupted.

“The system?!”

“Exactly,” Brian answered. Mike walked away from Brian again.

He walked faster to get away from Brian. He headed towards Li Ann’s house. Brian stopped following Mike. He knew Mike would be like this.

Many of the people he had to watch over before was as hard-headed and stubborn as Mike, but Mike was more determined.

Li Ann stood outside her door as Andy followed behind. She nervously bowed her head down to say goodnight, but instead of bidding her goodnight, he moved in closer to her.

He leaned his hand on the door to hold himself up closer to her. She moved all the way back until her back pressed upon the door. Her heart was pounding so fast and so loud she felt her cheeks burn as Andy smiled.

He knew the feeling he was provoking in her and was easily amused. This was all too easy. Li Ann would fall into his lure just as any other women had. Mike looked up and realized he was near her house.

He’d kept his head hung low all this time and didn’t realize where he was headed. He glanced up and saw Andy’s car, parked in the driveway, and a few feet across from that was Andy, moving in on Li Ann.

Mike took his time to walk up to Andy and Li Ann. Li Ann hadn’t notice Mike coming up behind Andy.

“How about another date?” Andy asked playing with the tip of her hair strand.

“Uh...okay...” Li Ann stuttered as she blinked.

Andy smiled and leaned his head in for a kiss. Li Ann squeezed her eyes shut. Mike wanted to laugh at how nervous she was. This must’ve been her first kiss perhaps, but she seemed terrified. Mike felt pity for her, so decided to step in for her.

Andy closed his eyes ready to press his lips upon Li Ann’s, but Mike walked around Andy and placed his hand right between then. Mike’s palm was against her soft lips, and Andy kissed the back of his hand instead.

Mike wanted to remove his hand disgusted, but he remained still until Andy stepped back. Li Ann opened her eyes and saw Mike standing there next to her, wiping the back of his hand on his jacket.

She realized that Andy didn’t see Mike, so was more relieved. Not wanting to seem crazy, she refused to say anything to Mike.

“Your lips...are so cold,” Andy commented, but then smiled to cover it up anyway.

“Oh...” Li Ann touched her lips. To her, it was Andy who had cold lips.

“Good night Li Ann, I’ll call you,” Andy said as he walked back to his car. She fumbled for her keys as she shot Mike a cold glare.

Opening the door, she waved goodbye to Andy and walked in.

“Had fun?” Mike asked from behind her. Li Ann jumped as she was putting her coat into the closet.

“Do you always have to come up from behind me and scare me like that?” she asked annoyed.

“I’m not trying to scare you,” Mike defended.

“Whatever, I’m off to bed,” Li Ann said in a tired way. She climbed the stairs to her room and ran into Calida.

“Hey Li Ann,” Calida smiled as she saw Li Ann.

“Calida? What are you still doing over here?” Li Ann asked looking at Calida, who was wearing Dongwan’s jersey. Calida blushed.

“I’m staying over with Dongwan,” Calida said as she rushed passed Li Ann into the restroom. Li Ann glared at Dongwan’s door, but ignored him and walked right to her room.

“You really like this Andy guy?” Mike asked from out of nowhere as she entered her room. Li Ann turned around and looked at him angrily.

“Hey! I’m sorry okay. It’s not my fault I just come from behind you and scare you,” Mike said throwing his hands in the air to surrender.

“Yes, I like this Andy guy,” Li Ann replied mocking Mike.

“He’s not a good guy,” Mike said bluntly.

“What?” Li Ann asked astounded. He continued the game in silence. She could tell he did not want to speak of this, but she kept the conversation going, because the pauses became filled with an acute expectation that unnerved her.

“Why do you say that?”

“I’m just saying, ya know,” Mike shrugged.

How would he put this into words to describe what he meant to tell her.

“Just tell me Mike. If you’re my friend, then you’ll tell me right?” Li Ann asked suddenly interested in what Mike had to say.

“Since when am I your friend?” Mike asked surprised.

“Well, since I am helping you, I just though I was considered your friend,” Li Ann said crossing her arms.

“I’m just kidding,” Mike smiled.

“Now, about Andy?” Li Ann asked again denying Mike’s attempt to change the subject. “He’s a corrupt company owner. Many people despises him and he has already started problems again with a band of thieves that had been harassing the area.

Basically, he’s just not a good person, and since you are my friend, I’m warning you,” Mike explained.

“Oh really?” Li Ann raised her eyebrows.

“Well, I don’t care,” she lied trying to stand up to Mike.

“Suit yourself,” Mike shrugged.

“He’s also a big time player.”

“Oh please, if he was a player, then why would he be such a sweet and charming man like he is?”

“Don’t you think he’s only doing that to get to you?” Mike replied. Li Ann looked at him frustrated, then decided not to argue with him any longer. She had only known him for four days and already is starting to argue with him over pointless things.

The next day, Li Ann and Mike took the same route to Mike’s house. Li Ann was fully dressed for her work already, but Mike guessed it was just in case she would run into Andy, that she would want to look good.

Li Ann stood in front of the house and looked at Mike. He nodded and encouraged her to continue. She sighed, then knocked on the door. A few minutes later, the door opened. Ji Yun looked down at Li Ann with dark eyes and then down her suit.

She didn’t seem to remember Li Ann from the other day. Li Ann brushed her hair back and tried to not stutter while speaking.

“Hi, um, do you remember me? The girl from the other day? The one you called a freak?” Li Ann asked trying to make Ji Yun remember.

Mike smacked his head at how stupid the situation was turning to. Li Ann was approaching his wife in the dumbest way she could think of. Ji Yun just looked at Li Ann blankly.

“What do you want?” Ji Yun finally spoke.

Her voice was as sharp as a metal scrape and her eyes pierced into Li Ann’s. Li Ann shuddered as she tried to speak again.

“I’m here to talk to you about your husband, Lee Mike’s corporation, it’s important,”

Li Ann said. She felt a bit relieved after her intro sentence.

“Come in,” Ji Yun said as she opened the door wider, allowing Li Ann to enter. The house was already remodeled. Mike couldn’t even recognize it as his own house.

Instead of white window curtains, and white carpet, the curtains had been changed to dark purple, and the carpet was black. The couches had been replaced with leather sofas. Everything was changed.

“What is it that you want?” Ji Yun asked with a bit of a rush in her voice.

“Um, I...well, it’s kind of complicated to explain. You see, after your husband died, he hung around, me, and he asked me to come explain to you that he doesn’t want you to sell the corporation to Shin Hyesung,” Li Ann said.

In between her words, she would catch a glance at Mike to be sure she was telling the right thing.

“What makes you think I will believe you?” Ji Yun smirked. She crossed her arms and pressed her lips together, with her eyebrows raised. Mike looked on.

“What do you want me to do? I mean, I’m just telling you the truth, you don’t have to believe me,” Li Ann replied cooly.

Mike pinched her arm. Li Ann jumped startled and shot Mike a dead glare. Mike bit his lips and motioned for Li Ann to keep talking.

He didn’t realize that even if he had talked, Ji Yun would have never heard anyway.

“I know what you want. If I give you some money, would you leave me in peace? You’re not the only one who comes up here with all kinds of bullshit,” Ji Yun said as she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

“Hey! I’m not doing this for money!” Li Ann protested. She hated when people looked down upon her like that. Li Ann had to stand up for her self-respect and dignity.

“Ji Yun, listen to her,” Mike pleaded as he came near his wife. Ji Yun walked over to Li Ann and looked at her like she was a piece of throw away trash.

“Listen, I know you’re just one of my husband’s ex-bitches, and you’re just too #### jealous that I married him instead of you, so you can just leave now,” Ji Yun spoke teasingly. She was getting on Li Ann’s last nerves.

If Mike hadn’t been beside Ji Yun warning her, she would have jumped in front of Ji Yun and choked her. Li Ann glared at Ji Yun and took a deep breath.

“Fine. Mike, you’re on your own,” Li Ann said as she picked her purse up higher on her shoulder, then with one swift turn, she walked right out. Li Ann started walking faster and faster down the hill that Mike lived on, angry and pissed off.

She didn’t want to be humiliated like that. Her brother and herself had been in many situations like this before, ever since their parents had died.

“Ji Yun...I can’t believe you would say such things,” Mike said in a sad tormented tone as he looked at her with sorrowful eyes.

She was different. Just as the interior of the house had changed, so has she. He took a moment to recollect himself, then took at long look at her.

She sat down on the leather sofa and cuddled a pillow to herself. No matter how harsh she had been to Li Ann, Mike thought that she only said it because she was scared and defenseless. Certainly she was still his angel Ji Yun.

But he had to follow Li Ann. She was the only one who could help him. Mike ran downhill to look for Li Ann. He stopped by the bus stop as he saw her, waiting for a bus. She kept glancing at her watch. She’d notice him coming towards her, but ignored him.

She was too angry to even speak to him. Mike slowly walked up beside her and stood still. He faced the direction of the street as if he was waiting for the bus, too. He knew that she was mad, so he decided to wait to talk to her.

The bus came, and they both entered. Li Ann found a seat in the back rows. Mike sat down next to her and they rode down to her work place in silence. He shifted a bit, then watched her again with that unsettling gaze.

The afternoon sunlight had dropped down on her long strands of hair, enlightening the once light blond steaks that is now covered by brown highlights. Her soft petal colored cheekbones and her glossed lips matched her brown eyes.

Mike noticed her, again. He smiled then looked away. Too bad he was married. He thought about if he hadn’t married and died, Li Ann wasn’t a bad choice to go after. They arrived at her workplace and Li Ann walked into her office, not inviting Mike. He came anyway. The office had been clean from yesterday.

Li Ann made a quick phone call to a patient, then started filing away more papers.

“Still mad?” Mike asked from his where he sat. He was near slouching down and dying of boredom.

“Yes,” Li Ann answered not looking at him. She kept herself busy still. She had lied to him. She thought that she would have felt more angrier than she had before, but this really didn’t affect her as she thought it would.

The connection was always a possibility when she cared for the dying, or now the dead, but this had been more immediate than ever before. And now this. Different. Stronger. Somehow even dangerous. He wanted something more. She could feel his spirit stretching toward her to break the silence and tension building up.

Li Ann tried to ignore Mike further into the working day. His eyes seemed to trace her every step.Li Ann and Mike arrived home later than usual, but it had not grown dark yet. Andy called and said he would be coming over.

Li Ann asked him if he would like to stay for dinner, and Andy agreed. Li Ann set to work immediately in the kitchen before Andy would arrive. Mike leaned upon the wall near the kitchen to watch her work.

He hadn’t spoken to her all the way from her work place to her home.

“You two aren’t even married yet, and you’re already feeding him?” Mike teased as he stood there with a remarkable amused face crossing his arms.

“No, I’m making dinner for us,” Li Ann rolled her eyes sarcastically.

“Makes sense,” Mike laughed. His wonderful eyes sparkled. He smiled slowly.

“I think,” he continued, “that you do not know what you are talking about.” She felt intimidated and trapped by his attention.

An exhilarating sensation shot through her. She shook her attention away to focus on the cooking. A power emanated from him. Her won will and strength retreated from it, leaving her vulnerable and exposed. She took a deep sigh as she chopped carrots.

“You know Li Ann, you look very pretty when you’re angry,” Mike complimented out of nowhere to brighten up the mood. Li Ann raised one eyebrow to look at him. She didn’t seem to be buying his line.

“I’m sure that’s what Andy sees in you as well,” he continued.

“I wouldn’t mind if he got lost. Makes more room for me,” Mike teased.

“Don’t forget that you’re a married man. A dead one too might I add,” Li Ann shot back as she ignored him and continued her chopping from behind the counter where she stood. Mike laughed.

“Like that’ll change anything. If I wanted to, I’d rip off your clothes right now and drag you upstairs,” Mike said with a playful grin. She somehow did not find that as funny as Mike. She slowly walked around the counter, with her knife in her hand and walked up to Mike.

He gulped and suddenly stood up straight, still with a silly grin. She smiled back, a sexy smile, then placed the knife, in an inward position, in front of his heart.

“Need me to permanently remind you?” she asked, pushing the knife closer to his chest. The tip of the sharp blade was on the edge of his shirt. Mike’s smile faded as he looked into her eyes. Her eyes burned with a soft evangelic glare.

Mike moved in closer. She stood still. The tip of the blade pressed closer now against his chest. It was as if he was tempting her. She began to feel defeated.

“Go ahead, I’m already dead,” Mike smiled slyly. Li Ann stared into his deep eyes.

They were sparkling with a black fire. She gently extricated her hand and removed the blade away from his chest.

“Perhaps next time,” she said as she walked away, feeling strange and shaky. She was not insulted, just surprised.

She could tell that he was watching her.

That confused her.

Had she misunderstood?

She had forced her self to acknowledge what had passed between then, and stepped away.

A moment of silence passed again, followed by a sudden door bell ring.

It was Andy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[To be Cont]

2007-08-30T07:47:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 8

Across the room back and forth Li Ann paced in a hurry to get ready for her date with Andy. Mike sat down near her desk and stared in an amused way.

She had quickly showered, changed, and glamour her way all the way through until the last needed part was fulfilled to complete her look for the night.

Li Ann brushed her hair aside to put on her diamond earrings, which Mike found very stunning on her. Li Ann smiled when he complimented. A bell was rung from the front door. Li Ann rushed out of her room to get the door downstairs.

Dongwan stepped out of his room to get the door also.

“Oppa, I got it,” Li Ann said quickly passing her brother.
Dongwan stared at Li Ann in a weird way, and then returned to his room.

“Andy!” Li Ann nearly shouted as he turned around. Li Ann had swung the door open.
Andy stood there with a single red rose in his hand, long with stem, leaves, and thorn.

“Wow, Miss Kim, you look beautiful,” Andy complimented handing her the rose.

Li Ann felt her cheeks redden, but quickly hid it by welcoming him in. She led him to the living room to sit down. Andy looked quickly around the two story house and sat down.

Mike made his way downstairs and leaned on the side of the wall next to the stairs to over look what they were doing.

A minute later, Li Ann came out into the living room with her purse and coat. She and Andy left the house and drove off to a restaurant, with Mike, in the backseat.

Li Ann had totally forgotten about Mike, again. The soon darkened sky glistened with velvet stars as Li Ann and Andy entered into a fancy restaurant filled with early diners and red cushion seats.

The tables were low to the waist, and the sitting seats were like little couches to suit two people on each side.

Li Ann nervously stood by Andy’s side as Andy did his usual greetings of all the waitresses working there, who gave Li Ann a jealous stare. She shrugged it off and followed Andy to a table in the far back corner, where the lights are dimmer, and the room a lot quietly.

Only a few people sat around there. They sat next to the glass pane that allowed access and full view of the night that was filled with thick clouds shadowing from the full moon.

The city lights and busy street cars ringed from down below. Li Ann guessed the restaurant was a few floors. It was one of those really lavished and expensive restaurants.

“So Li Ann, how do you like this place?” Andy asked as he made himself comfortable across from Li Ann. Mike sat in the table alone behind Li Ann, so she wouldn’t see him.

“It’s nice Andy,” Li Ann replied looking down at the small candle in front of her that sat in the middle of the dark brown table.

“It’s not as lovely as you,” Andy complimented. Li Ann blushed away a bit embarrassed. She wasn’t so used to people complimenting her two times in a row.

Andy sensed her not being very comfortable with the subject and decided to back off. Mike paid a close ear just to hear what they were saying.

“Andy...you’re too kind,” Li Ann tried to compliment back. She didn’t really know how to start a descent enough conversation with her.

“Do you come here a lot?” Li Ann asked. Andy looked up and smiled. He shook his head. The slowly piano music played from the far end of the room, barely reaching them.

“He comes here with every girl he takes out,” Mike mumbled to himself.

“Have you ever been here?” Andy asked. Li Ann smiled back and shook her head. The waitress walked up to them and handed them both menus.

Li Ann looked at the menu, and was completely lost. Crab and green bean paste was not on her mind.

“I’ll have the usual,” Andy said handing the waitress back the menu. Li Ann was too busy looking through the menu to notice Andy’s wink at the young waitress.

She smiled back shyly and nodded. Li Ann looked up and replied she’ll have the same thing as Andy.By the time Andy and Li Ann finished their meal, Mike was nearly asleep in his seat.

Andy reached his hand over and touched hers. Li Ann’s body twinged as she slightly moved her hand back. She smiled back embarrassed and looked away.

Andy reached for her hand again and began to stroke her lean fingers.

“So...Li Ann...What do you look for in a guy?” Andy asked slyly. Li Ann swallowed and tried to think for an answer.

Mike turned his head to glare at them, and his eyes narrowed on where Andy’s hand was. His expression and mood changed suddenly when he saw their eyes in a trance together.

He saw how Andy was luring her into his trap. Mike slowly stood up and walked around his seat to Li Ann. He sat down next to her. Li Ann looked at Mike, then quickly back to Andy. Andy didn’t seem to notice Mike at all.

He kept his eyes on Li Ann and his smile constant. Li Ann wanted desperately for Mike to go way, but Mike just smiled back tauntingly and sat still.

“What’s wrong?” Andy asked with worried eyes.

“Uh, nothing...” Li Ann said quickly turning back to Andy.

Andy smiled again and touched her hand further up. Mike leaned his chin on his palms as he leaned forward and looked mischievous. Li Ann’s heart paced as she tried desperately to get rid of Mike.

Andy lifted the red wine glass up to lips to drink when Mike scooted closer to Li Ann. She tried to scoot away, but he was so close to her she could feel his breath easily flowing out of him. Mike leaned in, like he was going kiss her.

She leaned back the opposite direction trying her best not to say anything unusual or disturb Andy. Mike suddenly stopped halfway near her, and instead of kissing her, his hand reached for her fork.

Li Ann’s eyes widened as she suddenly grabbed the fork out of his hand. Andy settled the glass down and looked at her. Li Ann offered a small smile and suddenly glared back at Mike as she stuck her fork down into her salad.

Mike sat back in his original position, allowing her to straighten out and sit normally. His next move was predictive as he wanted to tip Andy’s red wine glass over to cause a disastrous spill.

Li Ann’s hand suddenly tightened around Mike’s other wrist, which was below the table where Andy didn’t see. Mike stopped his quest and looked back at her disappointed.

“Excuse me, Andy, I have to go to the ladies room,” Li Ann stuttered as she stood up quickly dropping Mike’s wrist.

She motioned for Mike to follow her. He did with a smirk as he followed her into the ladies room.

“Mike! What are you doing?!” Li Ann demanded angrily.

“Nothing,” Mike replied defensively.

“Uh huh,” Li Ann crossed her arms angrily and glared at him.

“Can you leave me alone? Please?!” she asked not being funny at all. Mike’s smile faded as he slowly agreed. Li Ann walked back out of the ladies room looking behind her to see Mike walk out of the restaurant.

She was somewhat relieved when she saw that Mike was soon gone. She sat down in front of Andy, who was now on his cell phone. She decided to keep quiet and wait for him to finish up. Mike walked along the lonely dark street trying to find his way back to God knows where.

He tucked his hands in his pockets and kicked a stone that rolled in front of him with every kick. A slight fog covered the path ahead as he skidded through it. Mike crossed a highway bridge and turned down the dark street.

He passed an old brick building that was empty. Mike glanced up and saw a dark figure quickly moving through the shadows. He squinted his eyes to follow the shadow, but it disappeared. Mike thought to himself for a moment, but continued to walk on.

Once he passed the alley, he saw another row of dark houses.

“Got a lighter?” a male voice asked him from behind.
Mike turned around slowly and stared back into the eyes of another man, around his age.

“I...I don’t smoke, anymore...” Mike replied still pondering the fact why this person could see him.

“Neither do I,” the figure said back carelessly as he leaned against the wall and crossed his legs casually.

“You can see me?” Mike asked coming in closer.

“Of course, I’ve been looking for you.”

[To be Cont]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2007-08-29T07:37:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 7

Li Ann snuggled her warm pillow closer to her chest. She was dreaming. A nice dream filled with the scent of lavender petals and warm sunshine grass.

The heat bearing upon her skin was utterly hot. She peered her eyes open and found Mike sitting across from her room. She smiled and closed her eyes again.

Suddenly Li Ann remembered Mike and opened her eyes. She panicked and turned. A loud thump was heard as she fell off her bed. Li Ann sat up and rubbed her elbow.

Mike grinned.

“Had a good night?” he asked.

“What are you still doing here?” she mumbled with a pouting face as she got up.

“We had a deal, remember?” Mike smiled smartly.

“Oh, yeah...” Li Ann muttered as she stomped into her bathroom. Minutes later, she came back out. Her long hair was tied into a low ponytail as she picked out a pair of jeans and a long sleeved Calvin Klein shirt, then walked into the bathroom again.

“I’m ready,” Li Ann said with a yawn as she walked back out. Mike was suddenly at her side, surprising her. She jumped startled and looked at him with annoyed eyes.

“Will you stop doing that?!”

“Doing what?” Mike asked innocently.

“What you do! That...” Li Ann did little movements with her fingers.

“thing that you do!” Li Ann stomped out of her room frustrated. Mike shook his head and followed.

They walked out of her house and down the neighborhood until they reached the subway downtown. Li Ann held her little bag over her shoulders and down to her side as she waited for the subway to come.

Mike stood next to her with his hands in his pockets, but she managed to ignore him, knowing that if she talked to him, other people would start giving her a weird look.

Finally the subway pulled up as people started filing in and out. Li Ann walked in casually and found a seat next to a young boy. She smiled at the boy, who was reading a magazine. Mike sat down next to Li Ann.

“So, do you have in mind what you’re going to say?” Mike asked her.

“Well, let me think...no!” Li Ann replied sarcastically.

“I suggest you think now,”

“Why don’t you tell me what to say? It’s your wife,” Li Ann suggested in the most annoying way she can conjure up.

The boy sitting next to her glanced at her. She smiled innocently back. She tossed her head back to Mike and mouthed for him to shut up.

“Why don’t you tell her that Shin Hyesung is a liar and he will do anything to get to my company? Even when I was alive, he would throw all kind of bargains in my face just to get me to agree. That last meeting was going to be the big deal. The closed deal. Now that I’m dead, Ji Yun has to step up to the plate and make the final decision. I’m afraid she’ll agree and take the money he’s going to offer.”

“So you need me to persuade her that her dead husband who is now a ghost following me around that she shouldn’t sell your corporation to Shin Hyesung because he’s a maniac?” Li Ann asked with her eyebrows raised.

The boy sitting next to her walked away from her to sit on the other side three seats down. Li Ann sighed and rolled her head back to Mike.

“Mike, you’re making me look crazy,” Mike laughed and patted her back.
Li Ann shot him a pissed glare.

Once they got off the subway, Li Ann asked Mike for directions to his house. Mike showed the way after they got a taxi. Li Ann had trouble telling the taxi driver where to go and for Mike to shut up. The taxi driver gave her odd stares all the way.

When they reached a trimmed lawn and surrounded by flowers house, Mike pointed towards it, and Li Ann followed.

“You know what you’re saying right?” Mike asked with a bit of a worried look on his face. Li Ann nodded and sighed, as she breathed in the cold air and rolled up her sleeves covering her cold fingers.

She knocked quietly on the front door.

“I don’t think she’s home,” Li Ann said back to Mike.

“Try again. She’s home,” Mike urged on. Li Ann knocked again, this time harder. A few moments later, the door creaked open and Ji Yun’s lavished eyes peeked out.

Mike stepped in closer to see her. He missed her so much. His face and expression sadden when he saw her.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Ji Yun asked, not opening the door any further.

“Hi, um, I’m Li Ann. I wanted to talk to you...it’s about Mike’s company,” Li Ann stuttered nervously.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know you,” Ji Yun said closing the door.

Li Ann’s palm pressed against the door to stop Ji Yun.

“Wait, I really need to tell you this. Come on, you know, your husband is always stalking me to tell you this. Will you just please let me explain, and I’ll be on my way,” Li Ann said as persuasive as she could.

“My husband? Talks to you?” Ji Yun asked.

“Yes, in fact, he’s right here. He wanted me to tell you something really important, but I need you to believe me that he’s here,” Li Ann said as pleading as she could.

She was trying her best to talk to Ji Yun. Ji Yun only stared back at her with cold piercing eyes.

“Get out, get off my property! If you don’t, I’ll call the cops. I don’t make deal with freaks like you,” Ji Yun said coldly before slamming the door shut in front of Li Ann’s face.

Li Ann was taken back by surprise. Her mouth dropped as she stared at the door shocked. Mike was also surprised too.

“Ji Yun! Wait!” Mike called out stepping in front of Li Ann to knock on the door. His hands swept through the oak door. Of course, he had forgotten.

“That b**ch...” Li Ann muttered to herself.

“Hey, watch it,” Mike replied glaring at her.

“What? This is your wife? Unbelievable,” Li Ann rolled her eyes.

“I think the one being a b**ch here is you,” Mike said looking angry at her. Li Ann took a step back.

“Oh, I see how it is. It’s the same with you rich people. You ask for help when you need it only, and you don’t even appreciate it. I don’t need this,” Li Ann said in a hurt tone as she turned away and started walking.

Mike immediately regretted what he’d said. He chased after Li Ann apologizing. “Li Ann, wait! I’m sorry, I lost control. I’m sorry, wait, listen to me,” Mike pleaded as he pulled her elbow back.

She twisted free from his grip. “Look! Our business here is through. You said if I give it a shot, you’ll leave me alone. There. I did. And I was called a freak, turned down, called a b**ch, and now what?” Li Ann asked angrily.

Her temper was rising. She didn’t even feel the cold air biting through her cold skin. She’d never been talked to like that in her entire life. She felt assaulted and humiliated.

Li Ann rubbed her arms for warmth and didn’t say anything more to Mike.

“Li Ann. I’m sorry I was a jerk. Please understand. I...I just can’t stand it when somebody calls my wife a b**ch. She’s just scared to trust you okay. Won’t you please try again?” Mike begged.

He was practically leaning in on her to ask for her forgiveness. Li Ann thought about it for a moment and felt that tangy spot of empathy return to her. She didn’t want to feel that bit of sorrow for Mike, but she couldn’t help it.

She rolled her eyes and nodded slowly. A faint smile came across his face as he looked down and back up gratefully. “

Can we come back tomorrow? I’m late for work,” Li Ann asked tired. Mike agreed and started walking down the hill with her again.

Pretty soon, the two were laughing and talking again.

“So what do you do Li Ann?” Mike asked as they neared her house again.

“Um, I’m a psychologist,” Li Ann replied. “Oh, is that why...”“I don’t know.” Li Ann shrugged.

“I don’t think it’s the reason why I can see you. There are many other psychologists, but maybe they won’t see you.”

“Can I come with you to your work today?” Mike asked hoping she would say yes.

“Why?” Li Ann asked questioningly as they reached her front door.

“I get bored by myself,” Mike replied. Li Ann nodded slowly after a minute of thinking. She’d hoped Mike wasn’t going to be a distraction. Li Ann took several minutes to get dressed and grab an apple to eat.

Dongwan walked out of his room fully dressed for work. He greeted his sister and looked for his shoes.

“Tell your brother they’re behind the couch,” Mike said as he stood there leaning against the pole by the kitchen staring at Dongwan looking desperately for his good shoes.

“Oppa, Mike says they’re behind the couch,” Li Ann called out as she picked up her purse.

“What? Oh, here it is,” Dongwan smiled as he picked up his shoes, behind the couch. Dongwan stopped, then looked back at Li Ann.

“Who said what?” Li Ann looked up and realized she had said that without thinking.

“Oh, I said I saw them behind the couch,” she lied with a cheesy smile. She hurried Dongwan up and made him take her to work. When Li Ann arrived at her office, it was already noon. She bid her brother good bye and walked over to her office door.

Mike was right behind, but she forgot to notice him again.

“Nice,” Mike said entering the small office space.

“Thanks. I just opened two weeks ago,” Li Ann mumbled as she started picking up the left over papers on her desk. She glanced at her watch and smiled.

“My patient is scheduled at one p.m.,” Li Ann said to Mike. He returned her smile as he sat down in one of the seats in front of her desk. She sat down and began to write in her journal about her patients as Mike just stared at her.

It was funny to him how he’d never notice her attitude change when she was at her work. Dressed up professionally with her hair combed down, naturally waved and light make up on, Li Ann looked more mature, and beautiful. He couldn’t help but smile to himself.

Indeed she was very kind to help him out, and he would miss her when all this was over with. Li Ann looked up when the clock stoke one. Mike looked behind him to see the old grandfather clock. He wondered why she would keep a grandfather clock in her office.

The door bell sounded as a handsome young man fully dressed in a gray suit walked in with his light gray sunglasses on. He smiled when he saw Li Ann.

“Hi, I’m Andy, your new patient,”

“Hi, I’m Li Ann. Welcome Andy. I look forward to working with you as I said over the phone,”
Li Ann smiled back.

“You are too generous, Dr. Kim,” Andy said with a charismatic mode on and a enchanting smile. Li Ann blushed. Mike crossed his arms and sat back with an amused expression.

Definitely Andy was trying to make a move on her. He knew how men worked on their ways of courting girls. He had a foolish grin on as he saw an even more attitude change in Li Ann. During the whole process of talking to Andy about his problems, which to Mike did not seem too troubling at all, Andy couldn’t stop staring at Li Ann.

He couldn’t stop making eye contact with her. Every time Andy said something charming to her, she would shyly blush away and try to get on with business, but Andy seemed to be just lagging on the whole process.

This amused Mike even more. He keeps keen interest with their conversation, as Li Ann bluntly forgot that he was there. Her full attention was on the new and charming patient. Two hours later, Andy finally stood up to shake her hand. He bowed down and kissed her hand, leaving her in a daze.

Andy smiled.

“So Li Ann...Are you busy tonight?” Andy asked slyly.

“Me? Oh...um, I don’t think so...” Li Ann stuttered.

“How’s dinner?” Andy asked.

Mike smiled to himself with the thought that he had been right. Andy was making a move on her.

“Dinner? Uh...” Li Ann, still in a state of daze couldn’t come to an answer.

“I’ll pick you up at seven. Can I have your address?” Andy asked dropping her hand. Li Ann smiled coming back to reality.

“Um, dinner would be nice.” She walked over to her desk and scribbled her address on it. She handed it to Andy, who took it with a grin and waved goodbye. Andy drove off in his dark M Class Mercedes Benz.

Li Ann stared at her office door, which was made of glass, and sighed.

“Ahem,” Mike coughed from behind disturbing her thoughts. She quickly turned around, shocked and realized that he was there all along. She flushed with embarrassment at her recent behavior.

Mike couldn’t help but have an amused silly grin on his face. Li Ann frowned.

“What are you smiling at?” she asked as she stacked her papers away.

“So this is how you do your job?” Mike joked.

“What?! No Lee Mike. I am never like this. Not to my patient,” Li Ann defended.

“Oh really. Then what was that all about?” Mike crossed his arms.

“That...was...um...hey! If you want me to help you, then mind your own business,” Li Ann scolded as she turned away embarrassed by Mike’s joke.

“Fine, fine, with me,” Mike chuckled as he thought to himself.

This “date” should be pretty interesting.

Too bad Li Ann didn’t know that Andy was as much of a fraud as Hyesung was.
Too bad Li Ann didn’t know Andy ran one of the most controversial businesses in Seoul.
Mike knew all this too well. Andy was one of the big boys.
Mike had never met Andy personally, but of course, he knew.
He was just too excited about her date and how it would turn out, so he would just keep quiet and enjoy the show.

[To be Cont]

2007-08-28T07:51:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 6

Mike walked along the grounds of the almost silent cemetery in the higher grounds. He didn’t understand why Ji Yun would agree to bury his body so far away from her home.

He didn’t ponder.

During his funeral, many people came. Some of them, just to show their grieves or pay their respect. He didn’t even know half of the people that came. They offered their condolences to Ji Yun, but she wasn’t even crying or emotional.

She refused to speak when asked. Mike began to sense the change in her behavior. Certainly she didn’t act like she’d lost a husband.

Was she over his death that quickly?

Mike refused to think into that.

He forced himself to abide by her throughout the entire funeral service. Among the people who came, Junjin was one of them.

Junjin stood close to some of his co-workers and associates who once worked for Mike. Now Ji Yun owned the corporation, so they belonged to her.

Most of his men hated to work for a woman, but needed the money, so they stayed. The funeral was held in a chapel, decorated with fine linen and fresh flowers that smelled like the living.

Upon the alter was a black shiny coffin, and inside laid somebody Mike did not claim as himself. It was just a hollow cast, a shell, of who he used to be.

Why couldn’t Ji Yun understand that?

He was sitting right next to her throughout the whole service, wanting to hold her hand so badly, but she didn’t even seem at all moved or devastated.

She was a tough as a boulder and cold as stone. When they lowered his coffin into the ground, he couldn’t look. Mike stayed close by Ji Yun, who at the end of the service walked up and placed a single red rose on top of his coffin. Junjin followed behind.

“Why a red rose?” Junjin asked as he placed his white rose instead of a red. Ji Yun removed her dark glasses and looked up at Junjin.

“It is the color that I like Mr. Park. Indeed, white would be more appropriate, but this service is just so dead with white and black. Red is...more...murderous, you know,” Ji Yun spoke casually with a hint of slyness in her voice.

She winked at him with a foxy grin as she walked away back to her limo.

Junjin smiled and nodded after her.

He glanced back down at the coffin down below him and sighed.

“Goodbye Mike, it was a pleasure working with you, sir,” Junjin stated before walking away to his car.

“Mr. Park,” Ji Yun shouted from the limo she was in.

Junjin turned around to face her in the limo with the window halfway scrolled down.

“Yes?” Junjin asked.

“Is that deal with Mr. Shin still on hold? I would like to talk to you about it. I have my mind set on it. When will be a good time to reach you?”

“Um, I...well, let’s see. Oh, yes, tomorrow I am available at the office, after lunch. I’ll see you then?” Junjin asked.

Ji Yun smiled and rolled up the window.

The limo drove off and out of the cemetery.

Mike was in disbelief as he heard what Ji Yun had just said.
How could she?
Didn’t she know how important that corporation meant to him?

It was useless to regret it now. He felt so helpless and shattered, he just sat down on the freshly cut lawn, next to his grave.

He sat down and rested his harms on his knees, just waiting for the lonely afternoon to pass him by.

-------------------------------------

“Oppa, I am going to wait here for you, so don’t forget to pick me up!” Li Ann strictly ordered before walking into her office.

Dongwan started to laugh at her again.

He thought she was being stubborn again.

Li Ann worked through the day easily without distraction. She forgotten about Mike and carelessly waited for the day to come to an end. She hated her job.

It was frustrating and boring, but her love of psychology was what kept her in that line. She still refused to believe in ghosts.

Li Ann was waking from sleep on her desk when the grandfather clock stroke. She groggily looked around her desk behind the scattered papers.

She shuffled some in her hands and stacked them away. She looked around one last time before grabbing her purse and headed for the door. She stopped the instant she reached the door and remembered Dongwan was supposed to pick her up.

She grumbled angrily to herself at the time because Dongwan was late, again.
Li Ann locked and stood outside her small office, waiting for the usually late or forgotten brother of hers.

Car after car passed by, but he didn’t show up. Finally after a million thoughts of walking home, his car appeared at the corner of the streets. She was relieved and let out a sigh of joy.

“Dongwan! What took you forever! Do you know what time it is? I’m hungry, I’m cold, and I wanna go home!” Li Ann complained stubbornly.

Dongwan chuckled and nudged her arm when she got in. She crossed her arms angrily and stared straight ahead.

Once they got home, Dongwan tossed his keys onto the night stand and sat down on the couch. He reached for the remote control and clicked away.

Li Ann tiredly stumped upstairs to her room. She threw her jacket and purse onto her bed and began to take off her sweater.

“Hi,” Li Ann jumped startled and grabbed her heart.
She closed her eyes and breathed out relief when it was only Mike. Only Mike.

She started to scream and grab the nearest thing next to her to swing at him.

“Hey, hey! Calm down! I’m not going to hurt you!” Mike shouted as he ducked the swing of Li Ann’s night lamp.

She stopped swinging and ran to the corner of the room terrified.

“What are you doing? Leave me alone!” she shouted.

“I told you I’m not going anywhere until you help me,” Mike smiled as he plopped down onto her bed.

“What? You can’t do that! I don’t want to help you!” she protested.

“You have no choice. You’re the only one who can help me,” Mike shrugged.

She didn’t reply. She stood still and stiff as a rock as she didn’t blink at all. He smiled and decided to make her feel more comfortable.

“Li Ann, right?” Mike asked. She slowly came back to reality and nodded.

“Well, Li Ann, I’m going to ask you nicely. Just this once, that’s all I’m asking.” Mike pleaded looking her straight in the eyes.

To her, he didn’t look like a typical ghost. He was in full shape, his warm eyes full of life. His smile enchanted his smile as he stood there so casually in front of her.

She eased and relaxed her frozen muscles a little and finally breathed.

“Just this once? And you’ll leave me alone?” she stuttered. Mike nodded.

“Okay, fine....” Li Ann agreed. Mike smiled and thanked her.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” she muttered.

Mike looked around and sensed her non comfortable feeling of him being around.

“What...how, do I start?” Li Ann asked as she slowly walked back from her corner and sat down in a chair next to her desk.

“Well, I think we can go to my house tomorrow, then you can tell my wife, her name is Ji Yun, that I am here, and I can see her, but she can’t see me,” Mike explain.

“So usual,” Li Ann rolled her eyes. Of course she knew Ji Yun would never believe her.

“That’s not all. She’s thinking of selling my corporation to Shin Hyesung, a rich buyer of many companies. I don’t want my company to become one of them.”

“Oh....I understand,” Li Ann nodded. She suddenly wanted to smack herself in the face for talking to a ghost.

“Li Ann, you hungry?” Dongwan knocked on her door.

“Can my brother see you?” Li Ann asked Mike.

“I don’t think so,” Mike replied. Li Ann walked over to the door and opened it.

Dongwan stood there with his keys in his hands. “No oppa, I’m fine,” Li Ann smiled.

“Okay then, I’m going over to Calida’s for dinner, goodnight,” her brother said as he waved and walked back downstairs.

“Goodnight,” Li Ann called after her brother and closed the door.

“I guess he doesn’t see you...” “Yeah, me too,” Mike agreed.

“How come I can see you?” she asked questioningly. “I don’t know...I can touch you too, funny huh?” Mike asked with a grin.

“That’s weird. I mean, you’re a ghost and all...” Li Ann said quietly.

“Being one is weird enough,” Mike whispered sadly.

“How does it feel? To be dead?” Li Ann asked suddenly interested.

Her psychologic instincts were kicking in when she didn’t realize it.

“I don’t know....pretty much the same I guess. I can’t really explain it, but it’s just different from being alive, you know?” Mike raised his eyebrows.

He saddled himself down on her rug and sat down. Li Ann eased a little more when she realized he wouldn’t harm her.

He wasn’t at all ugly of a ghost either. He was attractive and charming. She thought he must’ve been pretty much the same when he was alive.

“So tell me more about yourself,” Li Ann asked just for the heck of it.

“Haha, what is there to know?” Mike chuckled. She returned his smile and sat down on the floor across from him. They began to talk to each other, for hours.

It was pretty soon when she realized that it was past midnight. She yawned. Mike apologized for keeping her up so late.

“It’s okay Mike, you’re a cool guy, just don’t get too creepy okay? I get mood swings, so I can be a little crazy sometimes...” Li Ann warned.

“Okay,” Mike laughed. He got up to leave. She stood up too but suddenly groaned in pain as she fell down on her bed.

“Are you okay?” Mike asked touching her arm to hold her up.

“My leg, it’s asleep,” Li Ann offered a sheepish smile. Mike released her arm.

She suddenly felt a cold feeling flush through her at his touch. It seemed magical, and she could sense herself tired.

“Okay, alright then,” Mike said as he backed away.

“Thanks,” she muttered as she started punching her leg.

“Hey Li Ann,” Mike turned around before walking out. She glanced up and stared at him.

“Do you mind...if I kick it downstairs? I mean, I don’t really know where to go...” Mike asked with a confused voice. Li Ann understood immediately.

She nodded. “You can sleep in the living room. It’s hardly occupied.” she offered with a smile.

“Thanks,” he grinned.

He was awfully thankful of her kindness. She sat in her bed with her long hair in strands covering her shoulders. She kept hitting her sleeping leg.

Mike looked around the hallway, then back to her.

“Goodnight Li Ann.”

“Goodnight Mike.”

[To be Cont]

2007-08-27T18:06:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 5

Li Ann froze in her place too shocked and frightened to move. A cold swift air passed through her body as she continued to stare at Mike. He walked over closer to her.

“Now do you believe me?” he asked coming close.

She stumbled backwards.

“Don’t touch me! Yo...you’re a....gh-ghost?” she asked.

Her face was the color of white as she shook.

“Don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you, I can’t do no harm, I just need your help okay?”“No, this can’t be. You...you’re not...leave me alone,” Li Ann stuttered as she scurried away from Mike.

He continued to chase her down the dark empty street that led to her neighborhood. Li Ann felt so relieved when she saw her house, beaming with the lights on full. She almost wanted to cry. So many things had happened that day that she desperately needed to see her brother.

“Dongwan!” her scream echoed throughout the house as she flung the door open.

Her purse dropped to the floor as she desperately looked around for him.

“Li Ann?” Dongwan asked coming out from the kitchen with a blue apron around his waist wiping his hands on a white towel.

“Dongwan!” Li Ann cried as she wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him tightly. Dongwan pulled back and looked at her worried.

“What’s wrong? Who took you here? Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost...” he asked concerned.

“I did! Oppa! I’m so scared! Close the door!” Li Ann panicked as she rushed to the open door and slammed it shut, unaware that Mike was already inside.

“Whoa! Lili, calm down, let’s have a seat,” Dongwan said grasping her shoulders. He forced her to sit in the nearest chair.

Li Ann’s dry throat tried to talk, but she was shaken, still not believing what she had saw.

“Okay, what happened?” Dongwan said as he pulled a nearby chair under him. Li Ann took a deep panicking breath as she spoke quickly to Dongwan.

“Oh my God oppa, today was the worst day of my life. First I had three utterly boring patients, then I was so hungry that my brain wanted to explode.

I left a message in your stupid answering machine but you never picked me up, so I walked home and got mugged by this one bum, and then a guy saved me, but he is a ghost!

And he wants me to help him with some corporation crap, and now he’s following me!” Dongwan stared back at her blankly, trying to digest what he was being told. He looked at Li Ann as if she was crazy or had gone psychopathic.

“Okay...I heard something about boring, muggy, and crap,” Dongwan replied with a blink.

“Oppa! This is not the time to be fooling around! I am serious!” Li Ann yelled.

Dongwan started laughing. Li Ann pouted and stared at him as he got up and walked back into the kitchen. A short minute afterwards, Dongwan came back out with a bowl of hot soup.

“Here, I think you should eat, shower, and go to sleep. Maybe you’ve overworked yourself,” he assured her.

“I am not crazy,” Li Ann mumbled under her breath as she took the soup.

Dongwan happily walked back into the kitchen, leaving Li Ann alone in the dining room. Taking deep breath, she concluded that maybe she was just crazy and overworked like Dongwan had said. She calmed down and forgot about why she was frightened.

She was about to sip the taste of the warm soup, but with one glance up, she slammed the bowl of soup down and stood up immediately, bumping into the counter behind her. Mike smiled at her from across the table where she sat to drink her soup.

“Stop following me! Leave me alone!” Li Ann shouted with her fists balled at her sides.

Mike shrugged and leaned back, enjoying himself. She closed her eyes, but quickly opened them again, hoping that Mike would disappear. Unfortunately, he didn’t.

“I just want you to help me, that’s all,” he replied.

“No,”

“Then I won’t leave, I’ll stay here, I’ll live with you and haunt you,” Mike smirked devilishly.

He was beginning to like this whole ghost ideal.

“Go to hell,” Li Ann muttered.

“I can’t, I can’t go to Heaven, I can’t go to hell, I don’t know where to go. So I guess I’ll just stay here with you,” Mike stated as he stared off into the distance.

“Your brother’s a real cool guy.” Li Ann calmed down a bit and took a deep breath.

She looked up again, and Mike was still there, sitting in that chair across from her.

“Who are you?” Li Ann asked quietly.

She stood as stiff as a board, not even blinking.

“Relax woman, I’m not going to eat you. My name’s Mike, Lee Mike?” Mike replied with a half smile.

Li Ann recalled quickly of Lindsey and Amy’s conversation, about the young man that had an accident.

“So you’re Mike,” Li Ann repeated.

Mike nodded understandably. The whole town knew about his death.

Everybody talked about it. News like that was hard to miss, especially for a well known man like himself.

“Tomorrow’s your funeral...”

“It is? I don’t know...I haven’t been around my wife much since I died,” Mike replied.

“What do you want from me?” Li Ann asked. Her voice was slightly trembling as she tried to regain herself to talk to unbelievably a ghost.

“I’m not asking much, I just need your help,” Mike asked quietly with pleading sorrowful eyes. No matter how much Li Ann wanted to believe that she was only hallucinating, that she was just overworked and crazy, she couldn’t.

But then she suddenly felt sorry for Mike. He had everything to live for. Everything. Just like her parents that died in a house fire when she was fifteen.

Remembering her parents, she wondered if they were ghosts just walking around like Mike.

“I...I don’t know how to help you, I mean...wait!” Li Ann stuttered trying to regain and collect her thoughts.

“I can’t help you. You’re not real! This can’t be happening. I’m sick, yes, that’s it, I am ill, I need to go to the doctor.

I’m crazy, I am going to a mental home.”

“Okay, now you’re really crazy,” Mike rolled his eyes.

“You’re not a ghost! You...you can’t be! I mean, I don’t believe in such things!” she pronounced.

“Well, believe it. I’m a ghost and I’m going to bug you until you agree to help me!” Mike teased.

“Dongwan!” Li Ann screamed. She heard a loud cuss and her brother mumbled something as he walked back out of the kitchen into the living room.

“What is it?!” Dongwan asked holding his finger in his hand.

“What happened?” Li Ann asked turning to Dongwan to inspect his finger.

“Will you stop screaming like that?! I burned my finger,” Dongwan said as he looked at his now red finger.

Mike smiled as he saw the siblings acting so funny. He chuckled.

“What are you laughing at?” Li Ann glared at Mike.

“I’m not laughing,” Dongwan replied.

Li Ann suddenly remembered that Dongwan probably can’t see Mike. She looked up at Dongwan’s face terrified and shook his shoulders.

“Oppa! There he is! The ghost!” Li Ann said as she tried to get her brother to believe her.

“Aish, stop with all this nonsense. I’m going to finish cooking, Calida’s coming over tonight. Do you want to join us?” Li Ann took a moment to think.

“No...” she mumbled.

“I’m going to bed.” With that, she went to find her purse and stomped upstairs to her room. Li Ann slammed her door and locked it tightly.

She walked over to her drawer and started digging out something.

“Hey,” Mike said from behind. She jumped up startled and turned around. She stuck a cross in his face. Mike started laughing.

“Die you evil thing!” Li Ann shouted as her trembling fingers held the cross in front of Mike. “Stop it, you’re killing me,” Mike laughed at her.

“What’s so funny? Argh!” Li Ann shouted in frustration as she threw the useless cross on her bed. She crossed her arms and stood in her corner, just looking at the ghost in front of her.

“####, I’m a ghost, not a vampire,” he chuckled.

Li Ann didn’t reply. Mike was getting on her very last nerve.

“Get out,” she demanded.

He stopped laughing and looked at her. He crossed his arms and replied, “No.”

“Get out!” she raised her voice.

He stood still. She was still too frightened to move, so she stood still, just looking back at him. It was like a staring contest.

“Um...I have to go to sleep, can you come back tomorrow?” Li Ann asked innocently.

Mike had a suspicious look on his face.

“Please? I have to change,” Li Ann asked nicely.

“Fine, I’ll let you think about it. You’re still going to help me nonetheless,” Mike replied as he walked out her door, not even opening it.

Mike smiled proudly as he thought he had conquered his ghost antics and could use them however he wished, if only somebody would just tell him what he was supposed to do.

If he’s just going to continue on like this, will he always be like this?

A helpless soul with no place to go?

[To be Cont]

2007-08-27T08:25:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 4

The next morning, Li Ann woke up bright and early. She dressed in her professional outfit; a knee length brown skit, white buttoned shirt, and a brown matching jacket.

She curled the tips of her hair and added light makeup. Li Ann grabbed her portfolios and slipped on her heels. It was Tuesday, and she was booked to meet with patients. She knocked on Dongwan’s door to get his attention.

“What?” Dongwan asked groggily rubbing his eyes as he swung the door open. He let out a big yawn and scratched his head lazily.

“Oppa, can you take me to work? I have an appointment with my patient in one hour,” Li Ann asked checking her watch.

“Sure, put on a coat,” Dongwan replied with a yawn as he walked back in to change. Half an hour later, Dongwan and Li Ann arrived at her office.

It was small, but enough for her to work in. She would have regular patient visits. Li Ann loved talking to people, especially those who were troubled. She bid Dongwan good bye and a few minutes later, her patient Kang Ta arrived.

“Good morning Mr. Ahn, how are you doing?” Li Ann asked as she sat down on a comfortable chair across from where Kang Ta sat, ready to pour out his personal problems.

“Miserable,” Kang Ta mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his knuckles.

“What seems to be the trouble?” Li Ann asked pushing her fake glasses closer to her nose. “My girlfriend...she....says....” Kang Ta said slowly.

“She?” Li Ann asked trying to get it out of him faster.

“She says I am not romantic enough,” Kang Ta confessed.

Li Ann stared at him oddly. She sighed.

“Okay Mr. Ahn, when you girlfriend complained about your smoking, did you quit?” she asked.

Kang Ta nodded.

“Good, now, when she said you were not good in bed, did you try to improve?” she asked again looking at his file.

Kang Ta nodded with a bit of embarrassment. A light pink tint showed in his cheekbones as he blushed away.

“So now she wants you to be romantic?” she asked for the last time. He nodded his head, not looking at her.

“Very well, let’s start with the first principles, first off, we have to talk about what you are doing that is being a turn off for her,”

Li Ann stated in a bored way. This was going to be a long day for her. After Kang Ta left, another patient arrived.

“Good afternoon Vivian, how are you doing?” Li Ann asked.

“I’m in love with my step-brother! Li Ann, you have to help me!” Vivian pleaded desperately.

The third patient was a charming young lady named Frances. She had only been coming to Li Ann for help for a month, but was so far doing better.

“Frances, what is happening in your life right now?” Li Ann asked.

“Well, after my boyfriend cheated on me, I moved from France to here. We were still together, but I went behind his back and cheated on him, then he decided to get back with me, but my new boyfriend won’t let me, so I don’t know what to do Li Ann! Should I just dump them both? I mean, they’re both very hot and all, but I just don’t know!”

Frances said exasperated with her thick half French accent.

Li Ann’s head was pounding with a migraine after Frances left. She packed up her portfolio and decided to eat two head medicine pills before closing the office.

It had seemed to be getting dark outside, so she called Dongwan.

“Yo! You have reached the Kim’s residence, if you want to order room service, call later, too busy right now. Haha! Just kidding, ya’ll know what to do after da beep, bye!” Dongwan’s voice said from the answering machine.

Li Ann had told him plenty of times to change the message, but Dongwan could never get his lazy butt to change it.

“Hey oppa, I need a ride from work, right now it’s 6:37, so see you soon, right?” Li Ann said, then she hung up. She sighed and looked outside.

She was hungry and tired. Li Ann just stuck around the office for a while longer. Dongwan didn’t call back, or pick her up. It was already 7:23. Li Ann picked up her belongings and purse, then locked the office door and walked down the busy streets into the lively market.

She stopped at a little restaurant and ordered a quick meal. Finishing it, it was already 8 P.M. There was no payphone nearby, so she decided she’d either walk back to her office and wait for her brother, or walk home.

She was already half way, so she picked the second choice. Li Ann walked quickly down the streets, which were getting darker by the block.

The chilly air hit her warm cheeks as her teeth chattered, holding onto her portfolio and her purse over her one shoulder. Her long hair flapped in the wind and her long coat waved behind her.

“Hey Miss, got a dollar?” a voice asked from behind her.

She whipped around surprised to find a young looking man in ragged clothes.

“Um...yes,” Li Ann said as she dug her purse quickly for a dollar. She was scared and cold, her fingers trembling and numbed white as she handed the man a couple of bills.

“Thanks,” he said not talking his eyes off her low buttoned blouse. She quickly tried to walk away, but he pulled her elbow back.

“You’re not from around here are you?” he asked eyeing her up and down.

“What are you doing? Let go of me...” Li Ann said harshly as she tried to pull away. His movement was now rougher as he held her still in place.

“I’ve never seen such a pretty face around here for a while. Girls like you shouldn’t be walking around at this hour,” he said with a sly grin.

The color from Li Ann’s face dropped, as she tried to run. Looping his arm around her neck, and the other around her waist, he forced her into the dark alley nearby.

“Help! Somebody help me!” Li Ann screamed. Mike tried to kicked the small stones laying on the ground but was unsucessful as he heard somebody scream for help. He glanced across the street and saw her being mugged and dragged into the alley. He sprinted across the street as fast as he could.

“Get off me you bastard!” Li Ann shouted as she pushed his face away and reached for her purse.

“Let go of her!” Mike shouted as he came near them. Li Ann found her purse and quickly grabbed out a small bottle of pepper spray.

She pointed it to the man’s face and sprayed it right into his eyes. He man yelped and shouted in agony, covering his face with his hands. Mike got between them and reached for her hand to pull her away from the man’s grip. He wasn’t looking at her, but when he touched her arm, the man rushed towards her.

He quickly punched the man’s cheek, causing him to fall back. Then he let go of Li Ann’s arm and kicked his stomach with the knee. The man groaned and fell the ground.

Li Ann stood frozen against the brick wall as she stared from Mike, to the man on the ground. “You b**ch,” the man shouted as he pulled out a dagger.

Before he had a chance to use it, Mike kicked him in the chin, knocking him backwards. “What’s going on? Who’s there?” the man shouted waving the dagger in all directions as he stood back up holding his chin.

He glanced back at Li Ann, who stood there frightened like a block of ice. The man’s eyes were still red and teary from the pepper spray. He couldn’t believe it was her that had kicked him. Somebody, or something, had to be present around her.

Frightened to the senses that something unseen was around, he dropped the knife and ran into the dark alley way, looking back as if something was going to following him.

“Are you okay?” Mike asked panting as he turned back to Li Ann.

“Yes, thank you,” Li Ann said with a quick nod as she started picking up her things. She stuffed them into her purse and walked out of the alley way quickly.

“Wait! Wait,” Mike called after her. He ran up to her still panting. He stopped and looked at her. She looked back.

“You can see me?!” he asked catching his breath.

“Um...yes,” Li Ann said unsure of what he meant. She turned to walk away, but he quickly got in front of her. She stopped and looked up at him.

“Look, thank you very much for helping me out, now I need to get home if you don’t mind,” Li Ann said cautiously as she tried to walk around him.

“You can see me?!” Mike asked again. Li Ann stared at him startled.

“Are you a ghost too?” Mike asked desperately.

“Um...nice meeting you...I’m going to go–..” Li Ann said with a blank look as she thought in her head he must definitely be crazy.

“No wait! You don’t understand, how can you see me? And how come I can touch you?” Mike asked quickly.

“Bye!” she said walking around him.

“Wait! Listen to me, I’m a ghost, I’m dead, and you can see me! I can touch you too,” Mike said with a sparkle in his eyes as he picked up her hand and showed her. She pulled away immediately as she thought Mike was insane.

“Leave me alone,” Li Ann pleaded a bit frightened.

“I’m a ghost! You have to help me if you can see and hear me, please,” Mike asked with serious eyes.

“Okay, you need to come and see me, here is my card,” Li Ann said as she searched her purse for a business card.

“I’m a very professional psychologist, maybe I can help you.”

“No! I’m not crazy, I’m dead. I died a few days ago, and I need your help, please!” Mike begged.

Li Ann tried to walk faster away from him, but he kept following her.

“Go away!” she shouted half running.

“Listen to me, I need your help. Only you can see and hear me!” Mike shouted as he kept chasing her. They reached another busy street, filled with people. Li Ann was relieved when she saw people.

“Look, if you keep following me, I’m going to call the cops!” she threatened.

Mike rolled his eyes frustrated.

“Hey lady, you can go ahead and call the cops, I’m already dead, they can’t see me. I just need your help okay?” Mike said with a impatient tone.

“I’m not a very stupid person, you can quit your jokes now,” Li Ann said annoyed as she stopped at a bus stop.

“No, you have to believe me. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but you have to help me,” Mike asked with his eyes brimming with tears.

Li Ann looked at him, wondering why he was doing this. She sighed.

“Fine, what do you want?” she asked crossing her arms.

“I need you to tell my wife not to sell my corporation to Shin Hyesung,” Mike said quickly in one breath.

“Why can’t you do it?” she asked turning away uninterested.

“Because I’m dead! She can’t see or hear me!” Mike replied.

“Ha, and I’m from South Africa,” she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

“Fine, you don’t believe me? Come here,” Mike pulled her hand towards the nearest restaurant.

“Let go of me!” Li Ann shouted hitting his back with her purse as she tried not to drop her portfolio. People started staring at her weirdly. Mike stopped when they reached the restaurant.

“Excuse me sir, can you see me?” Mike asked the nearest person that walked out. The drunk old man stumbled and walked away. Li Ann crossed her arms and waited for him.

“Excuse me, can you see me?” Mike asked the next couple that walked out, hand in hand, smiling and laughing to each other. They didn’t respond and kept on walking.

“They’re just ignoring you, and so should I,” Li Ann said with sarcasm. Mike was getting a bit impatient. Finally a delivery boy walked out.

Li Ann stepped in front of him and asked him,

“Excuse me, but can you please tell him that you can see him.” She pointed to Mike. The delivery boy looked over to the direction where she was pointing, then looked back at her with a blank expression.

“I don’t see anybody,” the delivery boy shrugged.

“No, I need you to tell that man that you can see him and he’s crazy!” Li Ann said frustrated.

“Uh, sorry Miss, there’s nobody there, I have to go,” the boy said with a weird look to Li Ann as he stepped around her and walked away to his car.

Li Ann fumed with anger as she glanced at Mike. He had an amused grin on his face. It was the first time he’d smiled since he died.

“See? I told you I’m a ghost,” Mike smiled. “Ha-ha, can I go now?” Li Ann said in an annoyed tone and crossed her arms.

Mike looked around and saw a bike parked nearby. He walked over to it and looked over to Li Ann. She stared back. He suddenly swiped his hand through the handle bars, not touching them.

His hand passed through the handle bar, swaying back and forth. Li Ann’s eyes widened as she stiffened her spine and looked at him shock. Scream filled her ears as she saw what she thought would never be possible.

It was after a few seconds when she realized the scream was hers.

[To be Cont]

2007-08-26T12:39:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 3

Mike wandered endlessly down the cold lonely streets of Seoul. He could only remember climbing out from under that bridge and the wreckage two days ago.

He remembered he was stunned, too shock to even ponder anyone with questions. Cops had surrounded the entire accident scene. Mike walked around blankly without a clue in his mind of what had happened.

The only one person he could think of was Ji Yun. Where was he? Where was she? What on earth was going on and why were there so many people around in the middle of a bridge?

“Hey, what’s going on?” Mike asked an investigator who was still in the middle of a conversation with a forensics specialist.

“His car was pulled off the bridge it seems, due the slippery road,” the forensics specialist explained.

“What?” Mike asked. It seemed as if they two other person couldn’t hear him at all.

“Yeah, poor guy, he died immediately, bad head injury,” the investigator spoke as he drank his coffee.

Mike looked stunned. He was dead.
He couldn’t believe it.

So the Mike he is right now was just a ghost? Impossible. Mike had never believed in such things. How could he? Was it all possible?

Still he didn’t know what to think or believe. The thought of being dead still did not settle on him, until he followed the police to the hospital, where they showed his limp body to his wife.

When Ji Yun saw Mike’s dead body lying there, she wasn’t crying at all.
He guessed it was because she was too scared and shocked to react.
When the detective and doctor questioned her about where Mike was headed, only then she let her tears fall.

She could barely speak properly to the cops, and Mike’s heart dropped at seeing her cry so helplessly.

“Mrs. Lee, could you please tell me where he was going that morning?” a detective who was investigating in Mike’s death kindly asked again for the third time.

“He...he...he was going to...a meeting, and...and I...” she sniffed out, then cried again. Her face dropped in her hands and she wept silently.

He wanted to hold her, to touch her again and tell her how much he loved her, and that he was right by her side, but he couldn’t.

He didn’t know what to do anymore. Ji Yun returned home silently that evening after they found his body. Mike walked into his house, unknown to the familiar territory. Everything seemed normal, the way it was and used to be.

A large piece weight hung on his heart to leave such a person like Ji Yun alone in a home like this. He’d never expected to die, to lose her like this. Mike felt guilty, that it was all his fault, but what could he do?

Fate has its perceptions, and destiny is at all determined. Just the night before he was talking to her, holding her in his arms, joking with her, and now all this.

He indeed, was a lost and confused person, just waiting for somebody to tell him what was going on, or what was bound to happen. Ji Yun walked to the kitchen and fixed herself something to eat before cleaning up and heading to bed.

She seemed all the while tired and dull only. Mike followed her closely everywhere, but didn’t say a single word. He feared that he might frighten her, but she would not hear him nonetheless.

Concluding that he’d probably just be in her way, he decided to leave to see what he could do, or what would happen next. He’d not learn much about Heaven or Hell when he was alive, but nothing was happening to him now.

Mike looked back at his wife, sitting on the couch, cuddling a pillow to herself, just staring at the television screen. He sighed to himself, then reached for the door handle, but he couldn’t grasp it. Mike tried again, but his hand seemed to vanish every time he touched the door knob.

Realizing that he was dead, and a ghost, Mike slipped his hand out and felt cold air. Indeed he knew now that he was surely dead. It crushed him to know that he’ll never get to talk to Ji Yun or touch her again.

Would she ever forgive him for leaving her? She had to know, she just had to. Taking a deep breath, Mike swiftly pushed himself forward and soon found himself outside his front door. Mike was amazed.

It felt different, like he was missing something. His skin could still feel the bitter wind’s touch, but he knew in the back of his mind that he was no longer human. Mike walked along the long path of the hill he lived on.

He’d never look back once, afraid that if he did, he would never leave.Mike skidded along the road, with both hands in his pockets and his head hung low.

He’d remembered the details clearly, that he had a meeting with Hyesung; he wondered how that went when he didn’t show up.

Pretty soon, he reached a lighted market, with people still wandering around and business in boom. Prostitutes lined along the sidewalks and bums laying around in the cold night air. He saw the many different kinds of soups and food being sold on the markets, but didn’t feel like he was hungry.

It was odd being dead; you just don’t feel like you are yourself anymore. He trailed down further until he reached a near empty parking lot, in front of his corporation. He walked around the building, examining it closely.

Suddenly the door flew open as Junjin walked out. He was making his way toward his car when his cell phone rang. Mike slowly followed Junjin.

“Oh, yes, Mr. Shin? Oh, you haven’t heard?” Junjin asked into the phone.

Mike just stood there next to him and listened to the conversation.

“Yeah, Mr. Lee was in a tragic accident, he’s dead,” Junjin said with a sigh.

He nodded a couple of times and did a lot of explaining.

“What? Wait, we have to talk about this, I mean, I’m his right hand man, but I can’t do anything about that,” Junjin replied sincerely.

“What’s going on?” Mike asked, but realized a moment later that Junjin cannot hear him. Mike was getting pretty close to driving himself insane not being seen or heard by others.

“What? I can’t sell it to you!” Junjin exclaimed shocked.

“Sell what? My corporation?” Mike asked.

“I...I’m not sure Mr. Shin...perhaps I’ll have to talk to his wife,” Junjin said.

He nodded quickly afterwards and hung up the phone. Junjin stepped into his car, and so did Mike. Somehow, he seemed to not fall out of the car. Junjin drove up a similar way, towards Mike’s house.

A lump rose in the back of Mike’s throat as he sat still in his seat. Once Junjin reached Mike’s house, he stepped out and walked towards the front door. Mike followed closely behind.

After a few knocks, Ji Yun opened, not looking surprised.

“Mrs. Lee? I...I’d like a word with you...it’s about Mike’s corporation,” Junjin stuttered. She nodded and opened the door wider for Junjin to step in.

“What is it Mr. Park?” she asked crossing her arms, not interested.

“I know this is too early for you, but Mr. Shin Hyesung wants to buy Lee Corp., with your permission of course, since now you are the only one that is responsible for upholding it,”
Junjin explained.

“Sit down, I’ll get you some coffee,” Ji Yun said as she walked into the kitchen. Junjin nodded with a thanks as he sat down on the clean couch. He glanced around the clean room, with everything neatly held in place.

It was like a museum, clean and perfect. Indeed, Mike did live a grand life, but only for such a short time.

“What? Sell it? You can’t Ji Yun. That corporation belonged to my grandfather, and my father, three generations, you can’t!” Mike pleaded Ji Yun, following her into the kitchen, but he was ignored, because he was unheard.

Ji Yun came back out with two cups of warm coffee and handed Junjin a cup. She smiled faintly at him at him as she handed him the mug.

“Thank you,” Junjin smiled talking the coffee.

“Now, you were saying?” Ji Yun asked as she sat down from across Junjin. Her eyes were narrowed on him from behind her coffee mug.

“Ah, yes, I received a call, and Shin Hyesung is willing to buy the Lee Corp., because you may not be able to hold the company by yourself, it’s a very profitable business, but he is willing to offer you a high price,” Junjin explained looking down at his coffee.

“How much is it exactly?” Ji Yun asked putting the mug down on the glass coffee table.

“I’m not sure, you can talk to him if you’d like, I’ll give him your number,” Junjin replied.

“Fine, give me a few days to think about it,” Ji Yun said as she looked away and sipped her coffee.

After a few sips, Junjin stood up and said good bye. Junjin walked away from the house and back to his car that was parked by the curb. Mike was left devastated and helpless. The corporation was held and passed down to him from his grandfather and father.

He loved that corporation. In one blink of an eye, it’ll probably be gone too, just as Mike did.

“Ji Yun, you can’t sell the corporation, I know you can hold it, you have to...” Mike said as he bent down near her.

She didn’t even look his direction. Sadness hung in his heart as he sighed and walked out. It was useless. Everything was useless to Mike.

He wanted to ask God why him? Out of all the petrified human beings on this earth, why is him? What had he ever done wrong to deserve such a fatal life?
Mike decided to leave Ji Yun again.
Seeing her without her knowing he was there was eating him inside out.

[To be Cont]

2007-08-26T12:02:00.001+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Chapter 2

Li Ann slept somewhat peacefully in her warm bed.
It had been two days since the news of the fatal accident.

The flashes of lightning stoke through the windows as the wind continuously howled. Chill filled the room and the only light visible was from the dark moon hovering above the thick clouds.

The night had been peaceful, but somebody’s touch was near.
Li Ann stirred in her bed, with her blanket twisted around her feet and waist. A cold finger slightly stoked her cheeks, causing her to turn her head.

She mingled her feet together for warmth as she pulled her blanket up. A voice ran through her mind, and the closer it gets to her head, the closer she can feel the presence of another person. She shivered as the form neared, inching its way towards her.

She opened her eyes and screamed.

“Li Ann!” her brother Dongwan shouted a few seconds later as he ran into her room looking around. He was panting with concern, but seeing her on her bed relieved him.

Li Ann realized she was still shaking and gasping for breath from the nightmare.
“It...it’s okay oppa, I’m okay,” Li Ann whispered as she finally calmed down.

“Bad dream again?” Dongwan asked with a sigh. Li Ann nodded and slowly got off the bed. She walked over to her brother where he welcomed her with a warm hug.

“It’s the same dream again,” Li Ann whispered.

“Ah, come on, let’s go get something to eat,”
Dongwan said cheerfully as he led her into the kitchen. Dongwan walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a tube of ice cream.

He then gathered two bowls and two spoons and handed a set to Li Ann. She sat silently at the counter and waited for him.

“So tell me about this dream?” Dongwan asked as he sat down and started scooping out he ice cream.

“I don’t know...it’s always the same, like a message almost, or a vision, I’m not sure, but I’ve had ever since I came back to Korea,” Li Ann replied with a sigh.

“Hmm...sounds cool,” Dongwan said cheerfully. Li Ann shot him a not-so-funny glare.

“It’s scary to me, I could almost see a resemblance in all my dreams you know, like a person calling to me, but I’m not sure,” Li Ann said as she poked her frozen scoop of ice cream.

“Yeah, but hopefully it’ll pass right?” Dongwan asked as he ate his ice cream. “Yeah...” Li An replied slowly.

“So what are you still doing up?”

“You screamed so I thought somebody had broken in,” Dongwan replied with a chuckle. Li Ann frowned.

“Well, I was talking to Calida.”

“Calida? You guys are still together?” Li Ann asked raising her eyebrow.

“Of course! We’re the bomb!” Dongwan said feeling proud.

“Oh please,” Li Ann mumbled as she got up to wash her bowl. Dongwan just continued to smile to himself thinking about his girlfriend Calida.

After Li Ann finished cleaning her bowl, she stacked it back up in the cupboard and patted Dongwan’s shoulder good night. When she reached her room, she slumped down on her bed, but she kept thinking about her dream.

What did it mean? And who was calling to her? It was all too complicated to make sense of it. The dream was hardly visible, everything was blurry, but she knew there must be a reason for all this. It was the same dream for countless nights ever since she’d arrived to Korea two weeks ago.

Li Ann glanced out the window and stared into the darkness for a few minutes. The sound of Dongwan closing his door snapped her back into reality. Li Ann snuggled back into bed and closed her eyes, saying a quick prayer in her head. Early the next morning, Li Ann prepared herself for her day.

Putting on her long sleeved white blouse and jeans, she tied her hair up into a low pony tail and applied a bit of blush to bring out her cheekbones. Dongwan greeted her in the kitchen for breakfast.

He’d cooked a wonderfully delicious and healthy breakfast for the both of them after he had his jog.

“You seem energetic today,” Li Ann commented as she drank her coffee.

“I am! I’m taking Calida to the museum today,” Dongwan grinned.

“You guys have to be the most boring couple on earth,” Li Ann said sarcastically.

“I wouldn’t want to be your child, you’ll bore me to death too.”

“Haha, yeah yeah, at least I have a life!” Dongwan snapped back.

Li Ann choked on her coffee. “Okay, life? I do have a life!” Li Ann defended.

“What? You call working with psycho people a life?” Dongwan teased.

“Oh, no, you mean, you call painting a life? Ha, funny.”

“Shut up Dongwan, or I’ll make sure you have a miserable life! I promise! I do not work with psycho people, I am a psychologist.” Li Ann shot back.

“Well– ” Before Dongwan could finish, a knock was heard from the door.

“Calida!” Dongwan jumped. He sprinted immediately for the door and opened it with a huge grin. To his surprise, nobody was there.

He frowned for a second, then suddenly Calida jumped out from the side of the door and screamed surprise. She jumped on him with both legs wrapped around his waist and kissed him. Dongwan carried her as he kissed her back.

“Guys, guys, please, get a room, for my poor virgin eyes,”

Li Ann said with all the sarcasm she could find as she walked past them. They fell down on the couch and started laughing.

“Hey Li Ann, I’ll take you to your workshop, it’s a bit cold out today,” Dongwan said finally as he stopped laughing.

“Hi Calida,” Li Ann greeted.

“Hey,” she replied as she got off the couch and pulled down her jacket.

“That’s okay oppa, I’ll manage,” Li Ann said as she started picking up her shoes.

“I said I’ll take you, it might rain again,” Dongwan said as he geared himself up. Thirty minutes later, Dongwan and Calida dropped Li Ann off at her little workshop that she usually take on the weekends; a painting class.

Li Ann loved modern arts and culture, a gift her mother carried. Calida and Dongwan waved her goodbye, then continued on to the museum. Li Ann entered her class, which was already filled with activities by her fellow colleagues.

Li Ann took out her painting piece from the cupboards and sat down at a stool. She clipped the painting onto the clipboard and stared at it.

“Hi Li Ann, good morning,” her friend Lily asked with a bright smile.

“Hey Lily, good morning,” Li Ann replied.
She stared back at her piece and examined it, holding a plain brush in her hands.

“Hey, have you heard of that tragic accident?” she heard Lily’s friend Amy whisper.

“Which one? Oh, you mean that, yeah, it’s pretty sad. That guy was popular when we were in high school, can’t believe he just died like that,” Lily replied.

The two was talking lowly to each other, and helplessly, Li Ann was eavesdropping on them. She inched in closer to hear better.

“I heard he was murdered!” Amy whispered loudly.

“Nah, they said it was just an accident. His car slipped off a bridge or something,” Lily shrugged.

“His poor wife, they’d only gotten married, now she’s gonna be all alone,” Amy said with a bit disappointment and sympathy.

“So what are you and Tae Jung doing?” Lily asked changing the subject. Li Ann leaned in back on her own private matter, but she wondered to herself about the short little conversation the two girls had just had.

Indeed it was a pity, and her heart went out to whoever the dead man’s wife must be. She could only wonder what the wife would do now. Li Ann could never imagine her life being torn like that. She cleared her mind of these thoughts and quickly chose a dab of light blue to finish her scenery in front of her.

[To be Cont ]

2007-08-26T11:23:00.000+08:00

Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊

Intro

A lonely tortured soul with an unhealed wound walks the earth. He lurks in the shadows because he cannot be heard. Twisted fate had caused this tragedy where he could not escape the soles of death, nor could he venture on with life. Stuck in a maze where he must find the path of his destiny, and where it leads him. He sees everything, yet nobody sees him. They say some things are left better unsaid, and some things, are better left unseen.

Chapter 1

On a cool Autumn day, the sky had just darkened and willow trees sway in the night wind, as Mike stepped out of his office building holding a thick pile of papers in his palm.

He had worked all day going through each file of his clients for updates. Happy to go home, and eager to see his wife, he hurried out the door before the rain fell.

“Mike! Wait!” called Junjin.

Mike stopped and turned around to see what his close partner Junjin needed from him in such a hurry.

“What is it?” he asked as Junjin approached.

“Where are you going tomorrow?” Junjin asked with sweat breaking out from his brow.

He had chased Mike all the way from the fifth floor, afraid he may not catch Mike on time.

“I have a corporate bond meeting with Hyesung and regarding his father’s company, why?” Mike asked raising the files over his head to protect him from the rain.

“Oh, okay then, see you back here Monday alright?” Junjin said with a pat to Mike’s shoulder, then ran off back into the office building.

With the rain now coming down hard and wind blowing even faster, Mike made a dash for his car. Reaching home in less than an hour, he embraced his wife Ji Yun in a tender kiss. They had only been married for two and a half weeks.

“Had a good day?” she asked with her bright smile warming his heart every time.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”

“Come on, you’re getting wet,” she said with a smile as she pushed him inside.

Once he had changed, she served him a hot plate of food. She was beautiful with bright features and creamy white skin. Her smile was enchanting, sure to cheer him up any time. Her warm brown eyes that tinkled every time she looked at him made him think what a perfect life he’d chosen for the both of them.

She was perfect indeed, in every way. Not a single flaw could be shown. She was everything to him, all that he’d ever wanted. Mike was a rich young man who had inherited all his grandfather’s wealth, passed on by his father.

They had just bought a grand home on a residence hill with the rest of the wealthy folks and is just starting their new life. The two couple lived alone on a small residential hill, surrounded by rich neighbors who barely came out of their territories.

After dinner, Mike and Ji Yun sat in the living room, cuddled up drinking Mango tea and listened to the slow soft music playing from the stereo in the back of the room. He laced his fingers through hers as he smiled at her every minute.

“Honey, what are you plans for this weekend?” Ji Yun asked her husband.

Mike was amazed at how many times that day he’d been asked that. The house was amazingly quiet, and the only sounds heard was from the rain outside, pricking the windows.

“I just have that meeting with Hyesung, why?” his eyebrows raised to question her. “Nothing, I just wanted to know.” she shrugged, then snuggled in closer to him.

“I don’t want to leave you alone again, but I have to go, why don’t you go shopping or something?” Mike suggested as he lifted her chin up to him.

“I’ll go, but I need some money,” she said with a slight laugh.

“You know where our money is,” he replied. “Our?” she asked astounded.

“Of course, everything I have is yours,” he answered, then leaned in for a soft whispering kiss. A few minutes later, Ji Yun stood up. Mike pulled her hand to sit down again.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I forgot something in the garage,” Ji Yun said with a sweet smile as she kissed his chin, lips, and nose.

“Don’t go now,” he whispered pulling her in close.

“I’m going to fetch it before I forget,” she whispered back, then pulled away. Mike smiled at her as she left the front door. He walked over to his desk and searched for his wallet.

If Ji Yun needed money, he would give her all she wanted. She was his wife, therefore he trusted her with all his heart. As Mike flipped the wallet open, he saw a glimpse of the picture of him and Ji Yun there, when they met just a few months back.

He smiled at it, then flipped it closed. A few minutes later, Ji Yun returned, half soaked and wet.

“Did you go dancing in the rain?” he asked with a grin.

“No, it’s raining like hell,” she muttered as she wiped her hands on her sweater.

“Here, go change, you’re going to get sick,” he said handing her a towel, then turned back away to his desk. Once she came back from the bathroom, he smiled as he handed her a envelope and two credit cards.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“It’s just some cash for you, you know, shopping?” he grinned.

“Hm...thanks baby,” she said with a low seductive voice, then pulled him in for a sweet savoring kiss. The next morning, the rain had turned the day cold and dull, no sun in the sky and the road slippery.

Mike dressed appropriately for the meeting. He wore a simple black buttoned shirt, no tie, black jacket, and black slacks. Once Mike opened the door, Ji Yun tapped him on the shoulder. Mike turned around and smiled, then hugged her and kissed her soft cheek.

“I’m going to miss you, have fun okay?” he said.

“Me too, hurry back,” Ji Yun replied sweetly. He kept kissing her, but she pushed him out the door with a chuckle.

“Good bye sweetheart, I love you,” Mike said with a lopsided grin as he reached his car. “Bye,” she waved her fingers at him with her other arm across her waist.

The garage door was already opened, allowing easier access for him to just drive out and away. The garage door automatically closed in afterwards. Mike smiled to himself intentionally, half excited about what the day would bring about. Along down the hill, his speed increased.

“Junjin? Good morning, I need you to see correctly the time of my meeting, and post a new assignment for Charlie to take care of, if Jung Min calls, tell him I’ll be busy all weekend, and tell Samantha that she needs to file the blocked transcripts away okay? Okay, thanks Jin,” Mike explained.

He hung up the phone and turned on the radio to listen to some news. Once Mike passed the third block, he knew there was a nearby school, and students would be crossing. Mike slowed down his car for the stop sign, but strangely, the brake would not work.

Mike tried again, pressing it down to the bottom, but the car just kept its pace. Mike tried again, pressing harder, trying all he could to stop the car. It wouldn’t.

He glanced up and noticed a few children ready to cross. Mike realized the car wouldn’t stop, so he did a sharp turn and ran over a fence.

The car spun out of control, but Mike managed to pull it back onto the road. The slippery road brushed with that early morning’s rain made the conditions extra worse, as he tried to steady the car.

Living among rich people where it was a high elevated place, and a not flat land was making his task harder. As he continued down the hill, the road twisted and turned. Mike struggled again with the brake, but nothing would work.

Up ahead was a low 15 foot bridge, and below it was a steady stream. Mike gripped the wheel, using all this strength to hold on. He tried turning the car, but the slippery road twisted his turn and pulled him off the bridge.

The entire side of the bridge was torn as Mike’s car headed head first into the canal like stream. It was only a split second before a loud crash was heard, as Mike’s head pushed forward slamming him into the wheel.

It suddenly went pitch black as the water slowly rushed up and claimed his car entirely.

The last person on his mind, was his beautiful wife, Ji Yun.

[To be Cont]

2007-08-26T11:22:00.000+08:00

Anntonii introducing a new writer for this blog.

Her penned name is 珊.

Her works revolved a lot in Korean drama series so names of characters and background setting may be in Korea. Guess people who liked Korean drama series will find her stories very much appealing to you. For those who know her, rest assure that I've obtained her permission and help to be in collaboration. I will scout for more writers who are willing to be involved in this blog.

If you know of anyone or yourself that is willing to share your works in my blog, do drop an email to me anntonii@hotmail.com. Below is the work of shan, it' call Dark Blue.
Stay tune for more of her works to come.