Chapter Two

His name was Sa Rin Jae. He knew what I wanted to know. He had what I wanted to have.

"S-Sa Rin Jae?" I repeated nervously. 

You couldn't blame me - a complete stranger was offering me leads. Leads to the most painful horror movie of a murder case that was close to bringing the century to its knees. The case had been under active scrutiny long before I had even joined the First Degree Homicide Team. For five years since the initial murder the Korean society had been living as though they were suspended by thin rope, dangling above the deep pits of the Grand Canyon. They lived in absolute fear. The case never got any closer to being cracked so many blamed the government and the justice system for their poor response to such wide spread and unexplainable killing occuring in the once peaceful Korean nation. There were too many fake leads, too many gaps in evidence, too much false hope. But that night a tall, handsome stranger named Sa Rin Jae wanted to show me everything there was to that impossible case.

He waved his large hand in front of my face, amused by my stunned expression. "Li Gayeong?"

I almost tumbled off my seat as my name escaped his lips. "H-How do you know my name?!" I exclaimed, utterly terrified.

His perfect eyesmile appeared again, "Your ID," he pointed at my chest.

I looked away quickly and clumsily unpinned the tag before shoving it into my right pocket. I could feel his unreadable gaze wonder over me so I stooped lower and tried to preoccupy myself with the yet-to-be eaten ramen. Suddenly I felt a light grasp around my wrist resting on my lap.

"Let's go, I need to show you something." Rin Jae said, without a hint of if-it's-alright-with-you in his voice.

I didn't even have time to react to his unreasonable request. Before I knew it the steaming bowl of ramen, sitting alone on the bench and barely eaten, was out of my sight.

***

I tried to shake him off but his grip remained steadily on my wrist. His six foot length of a body was much too strong to be simply shaken off and he moved much too fast for me to keep up comfortably.

"H-Hey! Sa Rin Jae! How many times do I have to ask you to tell me where we're go---"

"Shut up if you want your damn lead." he replied sharply. It was a tone that was a complete contrast to the warm nature he posessed back in the convenience store.

Frustration bubbled within me. With all the strength I could garner, in one rough manoeuvre I loosened his grasp. He turned to look at me.

"You, Sa Rin Jae! Who do you think you are dragging me around like this?! I don't know who you are and, hell, I don't even want to know how you know me!" I scolded with brute force.

A wave of guilt and self-disppointment swept across his face. He ran his slim fingers through his brown-blonde hair. "I'm sorry. I'm taking to you to a place you need to visit - the roots of this murderous cult. So please, come with me." he replied calmly, returning to his normal tone.

My mouth gaped, "O-Okay...let's go..." I agreed mindlessly before being dragged by the wrist again.

These tones in his voice. Cold. Warm. Cold. Warm. Equally with either tone he was able to catalyse acts upon emotions of anger and obedience. This man. Who is he? What is he? I needed to know.

***

After about ten more minutes of struggling to keep up with the bipolar giant we arrived at the place that was supposedly the grand lead he wanted to show me. He stopped abruptly. I ran into him before rebounding off his firm back.

"...is this it?" I asked peering past his upper arm.

He brought his right hand back to reposition me so I was completely hidden by his tall silhouette, signalling silence. I was still curious about my surroundings - other than Rin Jae's back. Suddenly voices approached. By how it sounded,  it was two men.

"That ! She charged me the price I could have easily gotten two of them for for just one ing night. Man, we're never going back to her again,"

"Hey, hey! Let's forget all of this . The girls back at the place are waiting for us with the whiskey Sung's boys snuck in from America the other day."

The voices got closer. Rin Jae stood firmly. The voices stopped but the clacking footsteps of genuine leather dress shoes continued...and slowed. The two shadows of the men casted upon the cracked pavement next to my feet. I held in my breath. They walked pass without hesitation.

"Hey pretty lady..." sneered one of the men, backtracking his steps.

I jumped to see his eyes oogling every inch of my body. His jet black hair was gelled heavily so there was an obvious sheen on the top of his head. His eyes were strange, it was as if he was squinting, and out of his thick violet lips hung a single toothpick that he motioned from inside with his tongue. With his weight shifted onto his right leg he stood casually with a hand in his pocket and his head angled to the side. There was a tattoo on the side of his neck - the Korean hanja '孫' (son). He brought his free hand up to take the toothpick away to speak.

"You wanna come home with us? We'll give you a damn good time." he smirked atrociously.

"I---"

"Leave." Rin Jae's voice growled. His cold tone had returned.

I stared from Rin Jae to the man, then from the man to Rin Jae. The intruder scoffed before flicking the tails of his black suit jacket and continuing on his way. I didn't dare to move until Rin Jae told me to. What kind of place had he brought me to? Abruptly Rin Jae pulled me from behind in one swift movement. He held my upper arm on both sides tightly - so tight it kind of hurt.

"Listen," he began. I casted my eyes down to the ground.

"Look at me," he demanded, shaking me lightly once. I looked up into his eyes.

"I didn't want to put you in danger by bringing you here. But I've chosen the wrong time. Though I didn't bring you here for nothing either. I'll make this quick. We can't stay here for long."

His warm tone. I couldn't do anything but nod slowly. He turned me around to face outwards, his hands still remained on my shoulders, and I took in what I was given. The street was wide, wide enough for two freight trucks to pass each other without colliding, and it would have been completely dark if not for the flickering lamp Rin Jae and I stood under. The light didn't travel far either so I didn't see much.

"I can't see a thing!" I complained. His large hand reached around me and cupped around my mouth. His hand emitted no warmth at all - it was like he was cold blooded.

"Shhh...look carefully. To the right - do you see that faint stream of light?" Rin Jae asked.

I looked and squinted to help my vision focus. I saw it. The light was very weak and barely visible but it seemed to be emanating from the a gap between a wall of a building and the pavement. "Yes, I see it," I finally replied.

"Good. That's the main base of the Chil Sung mob underground, also known as the Seven Star Mob. They are the most powerful mob in Korea and their people can be identified by a pattern of seven stars tattooed on their chest,"

My mouth gaped. "B-But why have I never heard of them before? We did a small study on Korean mafia back at university but I suppose, no specifics were mentioned---"

"Their criminal activity is very secretive. The law cannot act against them so they can't do anything but remain suspicious. Now, do you see that small red light there? On the left,"

This time the target was easier to spot. "Yes, I can," I responded, faster than before.

"Down the alleyway where the red light is, is one of the branch bases for Hwan Song Sung mob, also known as the H.S.S mob. They're big on international crime and have strong relations with overseas organisations. Also they carry out the dirty work for corrupt Korean corporations. They can be identified by the Son hanja tattooed on their body,"

My eyes widened. My first encounter with a mafioso had gone unnoticed. "So that means that man from before---"

"Yes. Do you understand how dangerous it is for you to be here?" he answered quickly.

"Isn't it dangerous for you, too?" I asked.

He looked over my question and continued. "This is the last one. Don't make any sudden movements. Without moving your head, look to your left. You will see a scaly looking rock on the ground, right at the foot of the lamp,"

The final one was too close for comfort. Actually even the H.S.S base, that was the furtherest, was also too close for comfort. I nodded subtly and didn't dare to speak, just in case that was considered a 'sudden movement'.

"That's the mark of the Ssang Yong mob, the Double Dragon mob. Moving that rock will reveal a red button. Press it and you'll know where to go from there. They're most recognisable by the tattoo of two dragons curling into each other found on the upper arm. Alright that's all I want to say for tonight, I'll take you home now." he concluded.

"Sa Rin Jae, how do you know all of this? Not even my lecturers knew anything detailed about Korean mafia and---"

"Let's go."

A/N: Oh if you haven't figured it out yet, Kris is Sa Rin Jae. He's not called Kris here for a reason which you'll find out later! Just for your information, the names of the mobs used in this fanfic are real Korean mafia organizations that have existed or still do exist. The details about the tattoos are also real facts. All my Korean mafia background research is thanks to Wikipedia. Anyway I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. In this fanfic I really just aim to create a sense of reality, not some hugely blown out of proportion drama plot ^^ comments would be appreciated and if you really like this story, don't forget to subscribe!

-HaeppyBubble/Calvina