Chapter 27
Zero Gravity
Luna picked the back door and let herself in, gently closing the door behind her as she looked around the empty house and headed towards the study room where the light was left on. She powered the computer and looked over her shoulder, her eyes flickering over to the front doors when the creak of the wooden porch reached her ears.
Joon entered the house and headed straight for the study, snatching the brown envelope off the desk before flipping the light switch, casting the place in darkness.
Luna stayed hidden behind the couch and released her held breath as his heavy footsteps moved further away from her. She quickly headed to where she came from and tore open the door, only to come face to face with a grim looking Joon.
“What are you doing here, Luna?” He asked.
“I should be asking you the same question as well.” Luna pushed pass him and stood at a distance, watching at him warily.
“This is my house that my brother left me.” Joon crossed his arms and looked at her expectantly. “What about you? Why are you trespassing private property?”
“I used to live next door, and I’ve never known that this house has a new owner until I saw you today.” Luna mirrored his actions and stared back.
“So that was you.” He remembered the first floor window from earlier, and turned back to her. “And so that gives you the right to break into someone’s home?”
“You know curiosity gets the better of me.” Joon nodded in acknowledge and stepped out of her way.
Luna carefully climbed down the icy steps and was about to jump over the fence when he called out to her. “Oh yeah, by the way, you wouldn’t get anything from the computer even if you did manage to crack the password.” Joon smirked and waved.
Her cheeks flushed with anger that she was caught red handed when she remembered that she had forgotten to turn off the computer in a hurry to find a hiding spot.
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“Have you chosen a date for the wedding?” Nichkhun asked, swinging their hands between them as they walked along the beach. “We should let our elders know soon.”
“Well, we don’t have to bother with my parents. Our relationship is estranged.” Victoria fibbed. “Shouldn’t you just inform them as well?”
“Why bother when they haven’t bothered with me in so many years?” She squeezed his hand and flipped her hair out of her face. “Let’s just focus on yours.”
“Okay, we’ll do as you say, Mrs. Horvejkul.” Nichkhun stopped in front of her and swiftly caught her legs when she jumped on his back. “We’ll have a small wedding, just your family and my siblings.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, why do you refer them as your siblings? You’re not blood related.” Victoria pressed her cheek next to his ear and tightened her grip around his shoulders. “We share the same fate and I’ve watched them grow up. It makes me feel like an older sister towards them and I’ve considered them as family ever since.”
“They must mean a lot to you.” Nichkhun turned his head to her. “They do.”
“Is it alright for you to leave your job back in Seoul?” Victoria nodded and closed her eyes, pressing her nose in his neck. “You don’t think that I’ll make a good housewife?”
Nichkhun laughed and spun her around in circles, eliciting giggles from her. “You’d make a wonderful housewife.” He said once their laughter died down. “But you’re dropping a lot of things, your family and your job, just to be here with me.” He set her down and turned around to face her.
“I don’t want you to regret any of it.” Nichkhun held her cheek and she leaned into his warm hand. “Living a life with regrets isn’t something that I want you to experience.”
“My family is important, but you’re equally as important as they are.” She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “What about next weekend for the wedding?”
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“Can you teach me how to recover deleted files?” Kibum turned to her in interest of her request and put down the airplane model that he was fixing. “And can I know why?”
“Would you help me if I said no?” Luna countered and their eyes remain fixed on each other. “No.” He said bluntly, surprising her that he would refuse to help her. “If I tell you, will you keep it a secret?” Kibum merely stared at her.
“There’s nothing strange about Donghae leaving some property to his brother.” He shook his head and went back to what he was doing. “But there’s something that he’s hiding in that house, especially in that computer that was password locked.”
“Lee Donghae bought that house even though a murder took place in it years ago. Most people would shy away from superstitions of bad luck but he went ahead and got it. And if that isn’t enough to convince you, the murdered owners of the house left behind two sons, who should be around the brothers’ ages by now.”
“These are only your deductions.” Kibum retorted. “That’s not enough to warrant a hack to his computer. I won’t help you.”
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Joon inserted the flash drive into his laptop and opened the file that he hadn’t managed to finish reading.
Our father was one of the financial officers in Matsuka’s company when he first ventured into Korea. He was in charge of the company’s accounts and was regarded among the few employees with full access to confidential company records.Father stumbled upon particular sensitive information regarding the acquisition of a recent company and he had stolen certain files which he intended to report to the police about his findings. But he wasn’t careful and his plan was found out. Matsuka had sent his men to retrieve the information from Father.
He looked away and fixed his eyes on the children playing at the snow covered playground as he thought of his own childhood, where he witnessed the death of his parents.
“Stay here. Do not make a sound.” Their mother told them before closing the closet door in their faces while their father headed for the pounding doors. “ Lee Choisik!”“What do you want?” They listened to their father questioned the men, and they shrunk further inside the coats when footsteps echoed outside the door, as it proceeded up the stairs. “You know very well why we are here.” A woman’s smooth voice answered him.“No, you can’t go upstairs. This is our home!” Their mother shouted at them and silence ensued after a slap was heard. “Go away woman while we are being nice.” The woman said.He took a step towards the door but Donghae pulled him back with an arm slung around his small shoulders. “Changsun, no.” Donghae shook his head at his brother.“No, you can’t do this! Give it back to me! You can still redeem your wrongdoings if you submit this information to the police with me.”“We’re not here to listen to your preaching.” A man bellowed outside the closet door and it opened an inch before stopping. “Let go of my husband!” He snuck a peek through the slit. He watched as his mother was pulled away by her hair while his father struggled with another man for the brown envelope in his hands.The tussle ended when the man swung his arm at his father and the latter fell down the stairs headfirst. His mother screamed in horror and jumped at the man furiously, before she accidentally lost her footing and ended at the bottom of the stairs, beside her husband.Donghae clamped his hand over his thirteen year old brother’s mouth before he could screamed at the sight of his mother twitching, her eyes darting back and forth as if telling them to stay hidden.That was the last memory of his mother before the door closed on them.
He scrolled through the folders and clicked on his brother’s journal from a few years ago.
The distance between Matsuka is closing in and it wouldn’t be long before I’m within the circle.
Joon skipped ahead a few years.
What I’ve been praying and waiting for a long time has finally arrived. Matsuka has taken notice of me, and is buying out the business so that I’d jump aboard his. It’s only sooner or later, I’d gain his trust.
“This was from five years ago.” Joon muttered.
There are two reasons for tonight’s celebration. One of them is for being promoted to second-in command. I guess, you can say it was a close competition if I hadn’t ousted Jungshin with a scandal. Playing dirty is just a second nature, isn’t it?After years of meticulously searching and planning, I’ve arrived at this stage at last. Tonight will mark the beginning of what has been planned from the very start, ever since that day.Matsuka, your world will soon come crashing down. Like my broken family, fourteen years ago.
“I’ve been left in the dark all these while.” Joon scoffed and his temper was rising again. “Am I that useless to you, hyung? I could’ve become another person, a person that’d reached your expectations if you’d let me in on this.”
A ticking time bomb - something that the enemy cannot stop, rendering them useless as they can only look on helplessly. I’ve never dismissed him, and his flamboyant personality will mask our true intention. No one would take him seriously; who would if he has no interest in the work they do, and merely causes trouble for the majority of the time?Especially his first meeting with the team at the dinner party, it’s exactly how I imagined it’d turn out.
His heartbeat grew more rapid as he read further, his eyes flickering from left to right so swiftly across the screen that it made him dizzy. His mouth fell open, and his mind became pitch black as he fell back against the chair.
“Hyung, you’ve been using me, your brother, all these while?” Joon gasped, inhaling large intakes of breath while his heart jumps against his rib cage. “Am I just a pawn in your game of revenge?”
He kicked the chair away and held his head in his hands, letting out a yell of frustration. “You know what? I wouldn’t be this mad if I had known about his plan all along.” He snatched the photo frame from his brother’s desk and threw it on the ground without hesitation.
The shattering of glass rang throughout the apartment and his eyes fixed on the object at his foot. He crouched and stared at the photo, his teeth gritting as he observed it while his hand hovered over it, contemplating his next move.
It was a photo of the two brothers when they were younger and both were smiling widely at the camera. He guessed from the picture that it was taken before their parents’ death.
With a broom and dustpan that he’d found, he proceeded to sweep the sharp pieces of glass along with the frame and the picture. But it was a second photo peeking from under their photo which caught his attention, and he separated the two photographs; the second photo was a studio-taken family portrait.
Joon turned the photo over and noted the date printed at the back. It was taken the week prior to his parents’ death.
“Umma, this is so boring.” He whined and stomped his foot, irritated by the bright studio lights directed at the family. “Why do we have to take this? It’s so old-fashioned.”“Quiet, Changsun-ah.” His mother shot him a quick look that had him shrinking behind Donghae’s frame. “It’s important to have a family portrait.”“I really don’t see the importance of it.” Donghae muttered to his brother and the latter nodded his head furiously in agreement.
“He knew what he was getting into when he started working for Matsuka.” His eyes found themselves staring at his father who was smiling warmly back at him, an arm around his wife. “He should have known. He brought it upon himself and our family.”
“Matsuka isn’t responsible for family’s tragedy,” Joon muttered and tore the photo into pieces. “Our father is.”
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“What is this?” Amber held the letter in her hand for him to see and Joon merely shrugged. “You read it.”
“I know what I read, but I want an explanation.” Joon fell back on the couch in her office and sighed. “There are many reasons, with my brother’s death being one of them.”
“I know it’s hard but I don’t think you should leave the team.” She approached the couch and stood before him.
“Like I said, there are other reasons.” He said evenly. He lifted his hand away from his eyes and watched her settled by the edge of the couch. “What are the reasons? Can I know?”
Matsuka killed my parents and my brother died in his journey of revenge. Joon stared at her wordlessly, taking in every curve and detail of her small face. And you.
Whenever I look at you, I’m reminded of Henry. Killing Donghae wasn’t his intention, but the fact still remains. He killed my brother, and knowing that you love him.. I can’t take it.
“I’d like to keep them to myself.” Joon offered a small smile. “That’s all I’m asking from you. Can you do that for me?”
Amber pursed her lips, her eyes fixed on him before she relented with a defeated sigh. “Alright. But just tell me, what are your plans after this?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Joon crossed his arms and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “I may just spend my time clearing up some stuff. Family things. My brother hasn’t bothered to do anything about it.”
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Henry returned to his home after a week’s absence but instead of feeling relieved and comfortable, he felt empty at the silence of his bachelor’s pad. He found himself missing the loud and crazy atmosphere back at the mansion.
He jogged up the stairs and entered his studio which was his favourite room in the house. He picked up the guitar and strummed its strings in boredom as he looked around the familiar recording room.
“You play a lot of instruments.” Amber said in awe when she first came over to his studio. “Yeah, all I remember from my childhood was the music lessons I had to go every single day. Music dominated my life back then.” He joked.“A little trivia fact about me,” Henry swivelled in the black chair behind the consoles. “If I hadn’t joined my father’s business, I believe I would be working in the music industry.”“Yeah, you can pass off as those multitalented pop idols that are currently the rage.” She and he stuck his tongue out at her. “Are you taking a jab at me?”“Maybe.” They passed it off with a laugh.
“This place is boring.” Henry chuckled to himself and set aside the guitar. “I can’t believe I’m writing off my place as boring.”
Everywhere he went in his home, there are bits and pieces of objects that reminded him of Amber, and he couldn’t help but smile at the collection of memories.
He ran a hand over his stomach, pacifying his growling stomach when the doorbell rang. “Amber?”
“Special delivery.” She barged into his home with hands laden with take-outs, and grunted as she heaved them onto the table. “I thought my fingers were about to fall off.”
“What did you get?” Using a finger, he snuck a peek into one of the bags and howled in joy at the sight of it. “Hey, you got food from my fave restaurant!” He grinned widely and proceeded to the next bag. “Okay, woah. That’s a lot of cakes.”
“But why are there so many bags? We can’t possibly finish it tonight.” Amber slapped the back of his head. “These are for you so that I’ll know that you won’t starve to death. There’s nothing to eat here.” She swung open to reveal the bare refrigerator to emphasize her point.
“Maybe this goes to show that I need someone in the house to care for me.” Henry grinned knowingly at her. “Get a helper.” She snorted.
“Come on, move in with me. It gets really boring around here.” He pestered her as they moved to the couch, arms laden with take-outs.
“It’s inconvenient for the both of us, not to forget, dangerous.” Amber wasted no time and dug into her food. “Have you forgotten about that?”
“Yeaah,” Henry drawled and placed his hand over her food, stopping her. “But you’re a careful person, and besides, I’m not that bad of a fighter.” He winked. “You’ve gotta take that into account.”
“And what would you do if someone holds up a gun in your face?” Amber bit back her tongue from mentioning the incident with Donghae, but his expression told her it was too late.
“I’d just turn the gun around and shoot him.” He said dryly, and set his food aside. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”
“No, you’re right.” Henry turned to her. “It’s inconvenient for the both of us. Just forget what I said.” He picked up where he left off and they ate in silence, their appetite long gone.
“So what does that say about us?” Amber stared at her chaomien as she played with her food, ignoring the eating etiquette that was drilled into her when she was young. Henry added. “Have you ever realised that we’d only take one of the two roads in the future?”
“It’s either we get married or,” She let him take the container from her. “We go our separate ways?” Amber studied his eyes and they flickered down to their held hands.
“I’ve never though that far ahead.” Amber lied. She pulled her hand away and drew her hair behind her ear. “I’d like to focus on the present.” Henry turned away in disappointment, and his eyes fell on their photo that was taken at his relative’s wedding a few months ago.
“I see a future in us. We’d have kids, they’ll grow up and leave home, and we’ll see each other change, our black hair turns to white, and we’d live in a home away from the city.” Amber bit her lips, and clutched her trembling hands together firmly, trying to block out her thoughts, which were the direct opposite of his picturesque future.
She shut her eyes in hopes of it disappearing, but it only became more vivid in the darkness behind her closed eyes. The images kept flashing and none one of them were positive. In one, she finds Henry slumped against the door frame of their home blood seeping through the stark white shirt, while in another, their home was ransacked and he was nowhere to be found. However, it was the last image that made her heart stop.
She couldn’t see the couple’s faces, but the silhouettes against the bright light were no doubt theirs. Amber saw her future self, tugging back Henry who had a luggage in his hand, shrugging away the small hand wrapped around his wrist, and walked out of the door.
“I don’t know, Henry.” Amber ran the back of her hand across her eyes and turned to him, hoping that her wet eyes wouldn’t betray her. “I really don’t.”
“There are so many things that could go wrong.” Henry saw the glint in her eyes when it caught the light. “I’m selfish for wanting something that I can’t see a future in.” Amber whispered, too ashamed to face him.
Henry didn’t feel hungry anymore and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him. Amber stared after him in puzzlement as he sat her down in the studio chair and clicked on the audio file on the computer desktop.
“Erm.. I know a bit of the piano.” Amber heard her own voice coming from the speakers, and she listened to their past conversation. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“I knew you would laugh!” “So you only know how to play a classic children’s song?”
“My friend and I composed some songs together.”
“Can I listen to any?”
“Not now. They still need editing.”
“Aww man. Not even one?”
“But you’ll be the first to hear it. Deal?”
He paused the recording. “This was accidentally recorded when we were in the studio.” He held her warm hands and grasped them firmly. “You can’t leave me just yet.”
“You’ve yet to listen to my songs.” Amber asked softly. “When will I hear it?” She met his gaze and a small smile spread across his face.
“That’s the thing. You’d never hear it.” Henry ran his hands around her waist and hugged her tightly. “You can’t leave until you hear it.” He closed his eyes and breathed in her lavender scent, sighing in response.
Amber pressed her face against his neck and couldn’t be bothered when her tears started falling, and she tightened her embrace around him. “Who knows? I might only complete the song in my nineties.”
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She tapped her foot anxiously, momentarily glancing over her shoulders, afraid that someone would walk through the doors, and sighed in relieve when she finally got through the password.
Luna glanced through the folders and found nothing suspicious, until a particular folder caught her attention. “Lee Changsun?”
She opened the folder and her eyes ran through the many folders before the computer suddenly froze, and out. Luna rebooted the computer in a hurry, but the files were already disorganized and the folder’s contents had disappeared.
“Lee Joon, what are you hiding?” Luna stared into the empty living room. “And who is Lee Changsun?”
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“So what are we going to get them?” Henry reached for her hand, and her fingers fell naturally into his as they made their way down the street. “I don’t know. Let’s just enjoy our date before anything else.” Amber said.
“Okay, so what do you want to do? Wait, let me guess.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully when the smell of bacon filled their noses and his stomach grumbled. “Food, it is.” Amber laughed, and playfully slapped his tummy before pulling him into the café.
“Does Nichkhun know what Victoria does?” Henry shuddered in bliss when he bit into the crispy bacon. “He doesn’t, and he shouldn’t.” She sipped her orange juice and finished her remaining sandwich. “He’s in the police force; we do not get along with them.”
“He’ll find out eventually.” He countered. “Victoria unni is no longer with us, and they’re in Busan. It’s up to her to keep her identity from him.”
“Anyways, we can enjoy our date while keeping an eye out for their wedding present, eh?” He nudged her to get her attention, and she raised her eyebrows. “Why are you even more excited than I am?”
“That’s because the wedding’s this weekend and we are only two days away.” Henry rapped her head lightly and clucks his tongue. “Where are your priorities?” She snarled at him and whacked him.
“I’m still figuring it out okay?” Amber grumbled. She has been troubled ever since Victoria informed her of their wedding date; she didn’t want to the get the cliché stuff people usually buy for newlyweds. “I want something different, rather than dinnerware sets or crystal glassware. We have an agreement that we’d surprise unni with gifts other than the usual. It’s like a competition among us — who’d get the most original gift.” She snorted at their childishness.
“What about that?” She followed his finger and the bright yellow storefront with big animated letters with bears peeking from behind it – Stuffed Lovelies. “Make your own bear.” Amber read the store’s display.
“Why not? It’s original and not to forget, cute.” Henry said, pulling her into the store. “We’d beat the others.” Amber laughed and picked out the bears. “Let’s get one for us too.”
“Call!” She hurriedly gathered another two bears and they headed to the cotton machine. They ran around the store like little kids, earning giggles and warm smiles from the store employees and parents alike.
“Victoria and Nichkhun would love it.” She said, holding up the bears dressed in wedding outfits. “Let’s sit over there.” They sat on the steps beside the stream and set the bags aside to enjoy their ice cream.
“I like ours better.” Henry said, his eyes wandering around the place and frowned. “Something wrong?” Amber asked, her attention on her triple scoop ice cream and she her lips clean. “Watch out!” The cone nearly fell out of her hand when he suddenly nudged her.
“Does the couple over there look familiar to you? The one sitting diagonally opposite us. Yeah, the couple that’s making out.” He nodded.
“They do look kinda familiar.” Amber stared at the girl’s back and a sense of familiarity overcame her as she racked her brains for an explanation. “I’m not sure about the guy but the girl, there’s something about her.”
“That’s the same for me too, but it’s the guy instead.” They huddled together with their chins supported by their fists. “Come on, stop kissing and turn around.” She muttered, a slight annoyance on her part.
“We look like erts.” He chuckled at their obvious fixation on the couple. “Hey, Hey. They’re breaking up.” She whispered urgently, shaking his hand while her eyes were still on the couple.
“Hold up.” Henry squinted and registered the familiar wide, confident smile that belonged to his close friend. “That’s Siwon.” Her grip on the ice cream loosened and her jaw hung open when the girl turned around.
“Krystal!” She glanced around at the call of her name, and jumped to her feet when she found Amber staring at her.
“When did this start?”
“About a week after Sooyoung’s fashion show.” Siwon grabbed Krystal’s hand but she pulled away in embarrassment, hiding her face behind her hair. “Why did you keep this a secret?”
“Well, I don’t want to jump into conclusions yet, considering that we’ve just met.” Siwon said good naturedly but his smile disappeared when Amber focused her attention on him. “Are you implying that you’re playing my sister?” She said icily.
“N-no! That w-wasn’t what I meant!” Siwon stuttered under her disapproving gaze. “It’s been months since Sooyoung’s show and you’ve not considered yourselves as a couple yet, doesn’t that mean that you’re only in for a fling?” Amber hissed.
“Yeah, you punk!” Siwon widened his eyes at Henry who went on babbling. “You could’ve at least told me you were seeing her sister.”
“You punk?” Siwon repeated through clenched teeth. Henry immediately realized his mistake and corrected himself rather clumsily. “Sorry, oppa— I mean, hyungnim!”
“You’ve not answered me.” Amber said curtly, eyes still fixed on Siwon who straightened himself. “No, it’s not a fling. We’ve just not met a common ground yet.” Siwon glanced at her unblinking eyes and added hesitantly. “Ma’am.”
“I don’t think I’m at that age yet.”
“I apologize, Amber-shi.” Henry sniggered at the scene that unfolded in front of him. He received death glares from Siwon when he’d forgotten the seniority remark, but Siwon was helpless when it came to Amber. She was talking to him as an equal, and Siwon’s adopted the attitude that one would use when meeting the girl’s parents.
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Amber tore her eyes from the long empty stretch of road and pursed her lips as she glance at Krystal, unsure about how she should approach the topic delicately. She shifted her attention back on the road and tapped the steering wheel absentmindedly.
“Unni, just spit it out.” She turned to find a chuckling Krystal who gave her a knowing look. “Before we get into an accident.”
“I know I’m not in the position to say this, but you should know better than to begin a relationship with–“
“It’s just a fling. Don’t worry.” Krystal turned to her lazily and smiled reassuringly. “It’s not like I’m gonna get tied down this young. I have so many opportunities ahead of me!” She winked, and Amber smiled at her cheekiness.
“I’m not like you, unni.” Krystal noticed her faltering smile and quickly added. “I know what you’re worried about, but the relationship isn’t serious, for me at least.”
“You can’t control fate.” The car got off the highway and it was rumbling through a dirt road. “Who knows, you could very well end up with Siwon.”
“Like how you and Henry ended up together?” This silenced Amber and the car came to a stop just a few meters from the mansion’s front gates. “Krystal.”
“Listen to what I have to say.” She picked up Amber’s hand that was on the gear shift and held it in her lap. “Unni, your relationship with him is different. He was what you always wanted.”
“Simple, ordinary—”
“There’s nothing simple and ordinary about Henry.” Amber chuckled.
“Well, he was before you knew he was Matsuka’s nephew.” Krystal slapped her hand and it jerked her attention away from the wild animal scurrying across the road. “You have a certain set of criteria when it comes to men and he met those. He brings out the normal in you, something that you’ve always wanted.”
“I am, and I know the others are curious as well.” Amber turned to her expectantly. “Everyone can see that he adores, and loves you, but what we can’t understand is his decision to stay after finding out for what you really are.”
“Hyung, you can’t get with her.” They were heading back to Henry’s place since he was lazy to send the drunken Siwon back to his own home. “Why not? Because she’s Amber’s sister?”
“No.” He muttered. There’s another reason for that.
“Anyways, I’m curious.” Siwon hiccupped and he thumped his chest to keep it down. “Amber has never your type.”
“She doesn’t fit the typical definition of beauty, but isn’t there a saying, ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’?” Henry smiled subconsciously. “I’ve never met a woman like her. She’s independent and has more courage than either of us can ever fathom.”
“But that can’t be the only thing that attracted you to her.” Siwon frowned and hiccupped again. “I can never pinpoint why I fell for her because there’s so many aspects of her, the good and the bad, that I’ve grown to accept.”
“She’s something like an onion.”
“She makes you cry all the time?” Siwon giggled to himself and slapped his thigh before breaking out into a delirious laugh. “Onion, she’s an onion!”
“You’re so wasted.” Henry nudged his friend who giggled again, and he couldn’t help but laughed at his situation. “I meant that she has many layers to her, to the real her.”
“Were the tears worth it?”
“No! You listen to me.” Henry raised his voice at her. “How can I trust you if you don’t trust me? Who was the Amber back there in the alley? Where did Amber that I have learned to love go?” He looked down and bit his lips before raising his head to face her. “I don’t—“ He paused to hold back a sob and this made Amber bite the insides of . “I—““Why must you work for Matsuka?” Henry’s voice rose with each step he took towards the bed. “You don’t have to be a scientist to know what he does is illegal. Why did you run head first into this? Didn’t you take a look, a clear look of what you’re getting yourself into? Why?!”“I don’t like the idea of you working for yakuza, but that is who you are,” He turned around and leaned against the wall, finally looking at her in the eye. “I can’t change that fact.” Amber pursed her lips.“You love him.” Amber rested her hands at her waist and turned around. “Don’t you, Eunyoung?”“I love him and I don’t want anything to happen to him. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me apart from knowing you guys.”“I fell for the person that you are, and not what you do for a living. We should at least make an effort to make us work even though we’re different.” Henry reached for her other hand and held them together in his.
“Yeah.” Henry nodded. “And don’t change the topic.” He punched Siwon’s shoulder and the latter let out another round of giggles. “You think I didn’t know you did that to throw me off?”
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Joon set the empty box on the bed and pulled the sheet away, revealing his mother’s dresser. He stared into the mirror, studying his reflection as he ran a hand over his jaw. He touched his tired eyes and sighed, pulling a chair in front the front of the dresser.
He looked around his parents’ bedroom and remembered why he was in there in the first place. He spent the whole day clearing his old home and had left his parents’ bedroom for the last. He packed what was worth collecting and planned to have the others donated.
As he collected his mother’s bottles of perfume, a hollow sound came from the drawer when his knuckles rapped against the bottom. Joon frowned and cleared the drawer’s contents, and ran his fingers around the edge of the bottom, barely lifting the piece of plank.
To his surprise, a journal lay in the hidden compartment.
He traced the gold printed name of his mother’s and flipped open the journal, his eyes scanning through the cursive handwriting.
Joon’s heart warmed at his parents’ endeavours through his mother’s collection of memories and thoughts. Though he knew it wasn’t right to read someone else’s private journal, and there’s a reason why the journal was in a hidden compartment, he couldn’t help it. There were so much of his parents that he didn’t know about and this was the only way he could learn more about them.
However, the journal entries grew shorter and more sombre as it neared the end.
“She wouldn’t stop finding me.” Joon read aloud. “Who is she?” He skipped the pages and stopped at the page where his mother’s beautiful handwriting grew less readable and there were dried crinkled splotches over it, as if the writer was crying while writing.
Choisik was on an overseas trip and I was left alone at home. I didn’t tell him about the woman who’d been following me because she disappeared after I made myself clear. Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and was knocked unconscious in the parking lot.I woke up in a hotel room to a room full of black suited men who gazed at me with dark lustful eyes, and there was the woman again, sitting on the edge of the bed.If I hadn’t known who she really was, I would have thought of her as beautiful, warm and approachable but she was cold and menacing. Hyori was her name.She came with her boss’s orders, to remind me of the task that he’d been pestering me for the past few weeks — to convince Choisik to work for him or else she’d send him photos of his unfaithful wife.It was only then did I find myself unclothed with a man in bed next to me.
Joon’s hands shook in anger, and his knuckles grew white from gripping the journal tightly. His jaw twitched and the rage he felt was indescribable, but he forced himself to finish the last entry.
I cannot bear with this guilt any longer. I didn’t want to lose my husband, my family so I followed his orders, but I didn’t think of the consequences of my actions.Choisik didn’t like his new job and he knew what kind of people he was working for. He had only accepted the job because of my pestering of him earning a better salary and the chance to provide a prestigious education for our sons.I’m going to tell Choisik of my wrong—
The journal entry stopped there and he wondered what happened until he came across the date of the entry – the day his parents died.
“Umma must’ve written this when the men came to our house.” Joon momentarily loosened his grasp on the journal and it fell on the ground, and pieces of paper fluttered from the journal.
He got to his knees and quickly gathered the papers and tucked them inside the journal when an envelope caught his eye. Joon turned it over and it wasn’t addressed to anyone so he placed it along with the others.
Yet, he couldn’t but help be curious about it. As he sat in his car, he found himself looking over at the box multiple times until he gave into his curiosity. He unfolded the letter and was shocked to find his father words addressing his mother.
Joon wasn’t the first person to read his mother’s journal.
“Youngah-ya, I had no idea..” Joon’s voice shook and he read the rest of it.
~~
A woman with shoulder length black hair sat by her dressing table was writing the day’s journal entry while her husband looked in from outside their bedroom door.“Umma!” Their youngest son, Changsun screamed from the bottom of the stairs for his mother and Choisik quickly hid behind the wall, just seconds before his wife came running out of the room. “What is it?”He was thankful of the distraction as he entered their room and locked the door behind him. He brought out his wife’s journal book which he’d noticed her hiding it from him several times. His eyes grew wider at each page and it pained him to read what his wife had gone through because of him.Choisik felt like an idiot, not only because of his obliviousness of Youngah’s suffering but also that they’ve been played by him.Youngah was threatened into compliance because of the blackmail that he’d release the photos, but Choisik was also in a similar situation. He pressured Choisik to take up the job or else, nothing good will come to his family. However, he’d gone ahead and acted on his wife and on Choisik at the same time. He coerced the husband and wife into getting what he wanted.He tucked the letter he had scribbled on a piece of journal entry that he’d torn out. He wasn’t sure whether he’ll able to see his wife and children again. Well, he might, but there’ll be bars and tamperproof glass between them then.He was going to surrender to the police with evidence of fraud that he’d knowingly and willingly done with the knowledge of the CEO. Choisik was no longer able to continue his wrongdoings as it was against what he believed, and tonight, he’ll take responsibility of his actions.“Lee Choisik!” He was snapped out of his reverie and rushed down the stairs at the urgent and familiar voice. “Lee Choisik!”“What do you want?” Choisik questioned, aware that his children are out of sight but noticed his wife’s urgent glances at the closet. “You know very well why we are here.” Hyori answered. “It’s no use in resisting us.”“No, you can’t go upstairs. This is our home.” Youngah ran after the men and tried dragging them away from the stairs. Hyori walked up to her and turned her around, delivering a tight slap. “Go away woman while we are being nice.”“No, you can’t do this! Give it back to me! You can still redeem your wrongdoings if you head to the police with me.” Choisik rushed after the man that carried the brown envelope containing relevant information which he’d stolen from the company archives.“We’re not here to listen to your preaching.” Choisik’s heart rate escalated when the man tugged opens the closet door. He kicked the man in front of him and threw the flower vase at him to draw attention to himself, but he watched helplessly as his wife was roughly treated.The man swung his arm around blindly and it connected with Choisik’s head, sending him rolling down the stairs. Youngah screamed and attacked the man but she lost her footing and ended up next to her husband.Choisik wanted to reach out to his wife but he couldn’t move any of his limbs and he lay paralysed, tears filling his eyes as he watched Hyori approached them.“Didn’t I warn you?” Hyori lifted his head in her hands and whispered to him. “It’s no use in resisting us.”She gave his neck a sharp twist.
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