Note: "Italic" = conversation in Korean.

 

“Shoot them, then we’ll deal with you.”   As these words escape his mouth, he raises his weapon and places the muzzle on the back of Amber’s head. Seeing this, the four men still and watch him cautiously.   Amber inhales deeply and takes a look at the blond man; tall with wide shoulders and muscled arms holding her little girl, a gun on the other.   This cannot be happening.   If this is one of her recent weird dreams, please wake her up now.   She could feel sweat trickling down the side of her face; not from the humidity of the hut, but from the adrenaline that is pumping throughout her body. Her heartbeat is loud and clear in her eardrums and at that moment, she makes a decision.   Paris’ eyes remain closed as she could not handle what is going on before her.   Myung Soo swallows, keeping a close observation on the man behind Amber.   She examines the blond man again. His shoulders are wide and the distance between where Paris is and his other shoulder gives her enough space to shoot a bullet without hurting her girl. She is aware that the man behind her has a gun pointed at her, but her little girl’s safety is more important beyond anything. Paris is bright girl; she would know to run.   After she takes down the blond man, she would turn around—she only has a fraction of a second—and deals with the one behind her.   “Amber…” She hears Myung Soo calling her and turns to lock gaze with him. “Shoot me!”   The look in his eyes is that of pleading. He is communicating with her through his eyes. Don’t do it. You don’t have time. Shoot me and save yourself and Paris.   Amber shakes her head slowly, telling him that she cannot do that. She would admit she is upset with him, disappointed in him, angry with him, hates him… but it goes against herself to kill him.   If he was in her spot right now, she knows he would not do it either.

 

∞

 

“Shoot them, then we’ll deal with you.”   Sung Yeol still.   His mind whirls fast.   I’ve got to stop him. I’ve got to do something.   He looks around the area and realises that they are surrounded by stacks of steel stockholders. The height is enough to hide someone up to 185 centimetres. Slowly, cautiously, he walks backwards—his heart hammering against his chest—and then sideways behind a tall stack. The blond man is too focused on his partner-in-crime to even notice his disappearance.   He exhales a sigh of relief as step one has been passed successfully.   He now just has to move to the next one, which is about three big steps apart from the one he is standing behind.   When he manages to pass it again, he holds his chest in an attempt to calm his heart down because it is getting hard to hear what is happening behind him. He takes a peek to the side and sees everyone still rooted to the same spot.   To be able to save Paris, he has to reach the third one, but that would expose him to the blond man. Even though he is looking straight at his partner, a slight movement from Sung Yeol would catch his attention.   Sung Yeol decides to wait.   However, the next moment, the sound of two bangs reverberates in the building.   Myung Soo’s shout follows before Paris’ scream rips through the air.   Sung Yeol’s heart ascends to his throat.   He steps out of his spot and freezes seeing Amber and the scar man on the concrete floor, lying in a pool of blood.

 

∞

 

“Amber!”   He screams and sprints towards Amber’s body on the floor. The side of her face is down on the ground, her eyes are closed, and she lays still. Blood oozes out of her blonde hair.   When he nears her, he halts.   His heart sinks as he kneels down next to her, his eyes wide and his face pale.   His mind utters a silent pray. Oh God… please let this be a nightmare.   “Mum!” He hears Paris’ piercing cry from his side, and then Sung Yeol’s voice of telling Paris to move away, as another shot is heard. But these do not make Myung Soo move an inch.   He feels moisture warming his eyes. Blinking away the tears, he his dry lips. “Amber?” he whispers.   Suffocations squeeze his chest as his heart shatters into a million pieces. The tears from his eyes fall down faster than ever and gingerly, he slips his hand under her neck and lifts her into his chest.   ”Oh God, Amber… please don’t do this to me…”   He bends down and presses his lips on hers. He sniffs and caresses her cheeks. “Please don’t leave me like this.” His eyes fall upon her tattoo and his lungs burn. “I don’t want to live these ten years all over again. I want to be with you again, hold you in my arms, and make love to you.”   His tears fall on her face, but he does nothing about it. Dizziness spins his head as his energy depletes.   He cannot go through the ten years again.   He wants to go with her.   “Myung Soo…” her voice cracks, but he hears her loud and clear.   His heartbeat skips when he finds himself staring into Amber Liu’s eyes. He glances at his bloodied hand underneath her, then his scope of vision is filled with the lying man behind her. His mind works quickly. Amber wasn’t shot, he was. The blond man was shot too, by Amber, but who shot…   He scans the area and sees Sung Yeol bending down, his legs gushing out blood as he pants in exertion. Paris is crying next to him. She lifts her head up and sees Amber in her father’s arms. She stands up and runs to Amber.   “Mum!”
  Amber pushes Myung Soo away gently and pulls Paris into her chest vehemently.   “Why didn’t you run?” she reprimands her and smacks her bottom.   Paris quivers and sobs in her arms. “I’m so-sorry… I didn’t want to leave you alone…”   “Don’t ever do that again!” Amber drawls and hugs her tighter, almost to the point of suffocating her. “I’d die if something happens to you!” She withdraws and rubs her thumb on Paris cheek. She threads her fingers into Paris’ hair and places her lips hard on the girl’s forehead. “You’re going to kill me, you know that?” she whispers through her sobs.   “What are you doing?” The blond man furious shout causes Myung Soo to lift his head to the other side.   His ire returns when he sees a tall, brawny figure that belongs to Sung Yeol’s father. Mr Lee stares calmly at the blond man.   “I told you to kill the lady five hours ago, but why is she still alive now?” He waves his hand in Amber and Paris’ direction. “Also, I told you to kill the lady, not shoot my son!”   “Get your hands off me!” Sung Yeol shoves his father’s men away. Two men are crowding around him to help him.   “Take him to the hospital!” Mr Lee orders with an authoritative tone.   “Y-your son?” the blond man’s eyes expand in surprise and he glances at the bleeding Sung Yeol, who he obviously has shot earlier.   “I’m not going!” Sung Yeol counters and hits the men away. “We came together, we’ll leave together!” he grounds to his father.   At his words, Myung Soo and Amber share a brief exchange of glance before she breaks it off and attempts to pull herself up with Paris. She allows Myung Soo to help her as her legs feel so weak that she couldn’t feel them anymore. Myung Soo holds her close as she does the same to the frightened Paris.   “Fine,” Mr Lee replies. “Take L and your friends and leave. But that woman and her daughter are staying.”   “NO!” Sung Yeol bellows. “They are coming too.”   Mr Lee frowns at his son’s attitude. “They are meant to die ten years ago.” He turns to face Amber. “When my man said he saw you with a baby, I thought he was crazy! But I told him to kill you both. I didn’t even care if it was just a baby you’re looking after. I can’t believe that bastard lied to me!” he roars and throws his revolver onto the ground. Hard.   Sung Yeol smirks smugly. “I sent that text to you.”   A flash of shock passes Mr Lee’s eyes. “Excuse me?”   “You want to know where I’ve been these past years? Hyun Ah lied to you. I told her to,” he reveals, not caring of the consequences now. He tilts his head towards Amber and Paris. “I’ve been with her and her daughter.”   Mr Lee stares at him in utter disbelief. “What on earth, Lee Sung Yeol?”   Sung Yeol attempts to bring himself up and hobbles before caught by one of the man next to him. He pushes the man off and manages to stand up on one leg.   “You heard it right,” he replies courageously in perfect Korean. His accent can be heard, but he speaks in a loud and confident manner. “Since I’ve told you this fact, I’d like to tell you another.” He pauses and glances briefly at Amber, who has no idea what he is saying. “I want this woman. I want to marry her. I want her alive,” he adds, “with the child. I want her too.”   Another shock hits Mr Lee like a pile of brick. His jaw drops down, staring at his son as if he is an alien now. Words are lost as he tries to comprehend what his son has just said.   Paris gasps following Sung Yeol’s confession and clasps . Amber’s brow creases at her daughter’s response, but looks on at the scene before her.   Myung Soo wants to step in and claims his right over Amber and Paris, however, he is aware that this could perhaps be the only way Mr Lee