PROLOGUE

 

Beads of cold sweat formed across her smooth forehead as she twisted back and forth on her four-poster bed.

 

“Omo ottoke, omo ottoke…” she repeated over and over again deep in her dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

The blindfold which had covered her came lose and fell off, allowing light to enter her windows to the world for the first time in the past three days.

 

“Ajusshi… what are you doing ne?” she said in her timid10 year old voice.

 

“Moh?? YAH!! HER BLINDFOLDS CAME LOSE! WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? QUICK! TIE THEM BACK!”, a loud voice shrieked from behind her.

 

“Y-yeeea, I’m on that.” said the man, that Hae Ri recognized as one of her grandfather’s business associates¸ in a panicky voice.

 

He scrambled from his sitting position upon a tattered and torn copy of last week’s newspaper on the grubbyfloor of a run-down shack. His hands made their way to the piece of cloth which had slipped out of place, resting upon the tip of Hae Ri’s nose. He roughly connecting the ends, tying the slip of dirty fabric securely this time, blocking off all Hae Ri could see once again.

 

The man then headed towards his other accomplice who in the shadows.

 

“OMO, OTTOKE? She has seen my face, what should we do? I think she recognized me!” said the voice belonging to the man who tied Hae Ri’s blindfold in a half-whisper.

 

Another man spoke trying to steady his trembling voice. “W-we should a-a-abolish this plan. Its not gonna work. I-I-I knew it the moment we l-l-lured her here.”

 

“Y-yes,” said the previous voice, pushing forth his views in a definitive tone, “We should just give up now, the Parks are just too influential and powerful, we’re lucky to have survived three days without getting c-cau...” His voice immediately trace off as he caught the eye of the third man.

 

The atmosphere immediately became tense. The two men who spoke fell silent, not even moving a muscle as though they were playing freeze.

 

The third man broke the silence.

 

“We have already made it thus far, do you want all our efforts to go to waste? All we have to do now is to make sure that son-of-a- Park transfers the ransom request to the offshore account just as we demanded, then we let this kid go and we’ll be able to repay our debts, and live the rest of out lives without having to work anymore!” the man concluded with a hint of madness glowing from his eyes.

 

The timid one whispered, “d-d-do you honestly think Mr. Park doesn’t know its u-us behind this? He has been visiting my family family the past two days, enquiring about my whereabouts. We are going to get c-c-cau…”

 

“SHUT UP! WE WILL NOT GET CAUGHT! STOP SAYING THAT ING WORD OR I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE SURE YOU DO GET CAUGHT AND BLAMED FOR THIS WHOLE FIACSO!!!” the third man shouted with command, then glared at the timid one.

 

“You will ing carry on with this plan, arraso? And you,” he said, fixing his glare on the man who tied Hae Ri’s blindfolds.

 

The man jumped at the glare of the third man, “y-yeea?”

 

“Go keep watch, take over Taemin’s shift, he is in no mind to keep watch in this state.”

 

Hyun Joo glanced down and saw Taemin nervously gluping down soju, spilling all his face as tears trickled down the sides of his face, he was shivering in fear. Hyun Joo put his hand upon Taemin’s shoulder and gave in a light squeeze, looking into his eyes to comfort him, silently telling him that things will work out. Taemin nodded back.

 

 

Hae Ri felt her self floating in her darkness, making her way in and out of other dreams. Other scenes flashed before her eyes, all blurry.

 

Then she entered a particular dream.

 

Themetallic blade of the dagger, was reflecting what little sunlight that shone inside the filthy shack, blinding Hae Ri. She couldn’t make out who was about to kill her, all she could see was a dark figure fast approaching her.

 

“No, please, don’t, d-d-don’t do this…” She was too weak, she couldn’t escape, she was bounded tightly.

 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? S-T-O-P!!!” Hae Ri looked around but couldn’t find the owner of the voice.

 

“I can’t, not now, I have to end this. Let me do it.”The figure before her yelled in fustration.

 

“NO! DON’T! MAN I KNOWWILL NEVER DO THIS! PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!”Pleaded the new voice.

 

“Mianhe, forget that you were ever related to me.”The dark figure whispered in a grave voice, raising the dagger once more, positioning himself to stab Hae Ri's heart.

 

“NO!”

 

There was a loud thud. Hae Ri heard violent struggles, crashing and pushingabout the shack.The owners of both voices panting heavily.

 

This is my chance to escape! She thought to herself.

 

Just as she was about to sit up and assess the situation, the owners of the two voice crashed into the table besides her. It began to fall on her. Everything played in slow motion, as though some one was playing with the speed settings of the DVDplayer.

 

“AAAAAHHHHHHKKKKKKK! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”HaeRiscreamed out loud but no one seem to be able to hear her cry for help...