I'm really excited that I've found my motivation to write this again, even amongst my mountain high stacks of homework (Shh, don't tell my parents that ;p)

I'm just so ready to be done with this story, not because I'm tired of it, but because I think its ending is due, and since I've made you all wait so long, I feel that it is right to end it soon.

I will say now that it'll probably be ending at chapter 65.  64 will kind of wrap things up and 65 will be the epilogue.  

For now, here is chapter 63, so enjoy it :)

Previous Chapter:

“Well, I’m here to bargain with you, and I have to say, it’s the best one you’re going to get.  In fact, it’s the only one, so listen well.”

I looked at her and waited to hear what she had to say, though I wasn’t expecting much.

“We’ll let you go on the condition that you break up with Jin Ki.  You can’t tell him that you were here, or else you’ll be in an even worse condition than this. Although I have to say, this was an upgrade from the shed last time, am I right?”

Ah ha, the criminal confesses. 

“Also, after you break up with him, you are never to talk to him again.  And who should come in and heal his broken heart? Me, of course!”

One of the girls began to protest but Hee Mi quickly shut her down with a glare.  Turning back to me, she lifted her head up, as if it gave her an extra edge over me.  Pssh, try harder girl.

“So, what will your choice be Yun Hee? Is it a yes, or is it a no? I suggest the first option, since the latter won’t really be in your favor.”

I looked away, my face still a mask in front of her.  Should I cry a little to add to the effect? Who am I kidding, I can’t pretend to cry unless I have to.  I wasn’t a girl who cried at things like this.  Looking back at her, I opened my mouth to give her my answer but was suddenly interrupted by a large crash outside the warehouse. 

After hearing that crash, I felt nervous and hopeful at the same time.  I knew that sending Yoo Chun and Jae Joong away was a bad decision; I knew that yet I sent them away anyway, feeling that I was being too constricted.  Foolishly, I didn’t think about the consequences, and I knew I would have to deal with the repercussions later, especially when Jin Ki found out. When I think about how much he would worry, I can feel the guilt all over again. I remembered the night after I was kidnapped. Jin Ki had bags under his eyes, he looked tired and worried, his hair a mess and his shirt rumpled. I was putting him through that a second time.

Holding my breath, I let it out in relief when I saw Yoo Chun and Jae Joong come in.  How did they manage to find me, I have no idea, but thank goodness I was found.  Even though I was free of my bonds, I didn’t have a clue to where I was, or how I would get home.  Immediately following the two was Jin Ki, and then two other men who I assumed where Chang Min and Jun Su.  My eyes met Jin Ki’s and I could see the worry in them.  He was in pain, and so was I, since I was the one who caused this to happen.  I felt tears sting at my eyes, but he smiled slightly, reassuring me that everything would be okay.

His gaze turned to Hee Mi and became livid.  I could tell that he was angry that she did this, especially after their history.  She on the other hand was frightened, quite different from the way she was acting with me earlier.  Her planned to force me into breaking up with Jin Ki was ruined, so now she had to do something else.  Her face then turned stoic, and she walked in front of me, crossing her arms facing Jin Ki.

“Well, what a surprise to find you here Oppa.”

“Don’t call me that Hee Mi. I don’t associate myself with people like you.  What you did today only reinforces that.”

She laughed and shook her head.

“Reinforces what? I wasn’t the one who kidnapped her.  See those two guys over there?”

She pointed to Jae Su and Sung Ho.

“They were the ones who drugged her and took her here.  I’m the one trying to save her.”

She walked toward Jin Ki, smiling softly now with sympathy.

“I know we’ve had some bad blood between us in the past, but I want to change that.  Believe it or not, I have some influence over those people, and they won’t be able to get away with anything.  Please believe in me Oppa.”

Jin Ki’s eyes hardened, and he began to reply, but not before I laughed.  Everyone turned to look at me, and Hee Mi’s gaze was the most amusing, like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Well, Hee Mi.  That was a wonderful show you put on right there.  Too bad it’s not going to get any good reviews.”

I stood up and kicked off the ropes around my legs and slipped my arms out of their binds.  The gasps of Hee Mi and her goons could be heard through the warehouse as I rubbed my wrists and stretched my legs.  Walking forward, I stared her down.

“Yes, you may have had some influence over those guys, and yes you weren’t the one who kidnapped me, but who ordered it? Who told them that their families would be the ones to pay if they didn’t do what you told them to do? You did.  You were the one behind it all.  Don’t you dare try to wiggle your way out of this one, because I have proof, and that’s going to be your end.”

Hee Mi stared at me confusedly and then started giggling. She stopped after a little bit and grinned at me.

“So you got out of your ropes huh? Who told them to untie you? I did of course.  And where is this so called ‘proof’ that you’ve been preaching about? Are you so blind with your hatred that you’re going to pin the blame on me? When I’ve done nothing wrong?  I thought you were better than that Yun Hee.  After all, isn’t that the reason why Jin Ki chose you?”

She turned to Jin Ki, frowning.

“Oppa, I told you she wasn’t all she seemed.  All I cared about was you and your feelings, but you didn’t listen to me.  So I stood back and watched it all happen.  I’m sorry for letting you see this, but you had to experience to know it.”

I scoffed and shook my head.  Hee Mi turned back to stare at me and I simply smiled, reaching into my cardigan pocket to pull out my phone.  It was still recording, and it had been recording for the past half hour half hour or so. 

“Here’s the proof Hee Mi.  Here’s the proof and lets everyone know what you did, today, and the day I was locked in the shed.”

If Hee Mi wasn’t angry before, she was definitely that now.  Her eyes flashed as she lunged for me.  I tried to dodge her but realized that my legs were more asleep that I thought they were.  And so as she dived for the phone, she knocked me over and I slammed on my back with a huff.  My phone flew from my hands and through the air, landing a couple feet away from where she was next to me.  Glaring at me for one last measure, she shoved me aside and dived for the phone, but succeeded in only sliding it further away from her.

Of course, where should it land but by Sung Ho’s feet? He bent to pick it up, and Hee Mi grinned in victory.

“Well, I guess that proof is gone now, isn’t it Yun Hee.  Even if you have it on tape, it’ll be gone now.”

Turning to Sung Ho, she gave him a command.

“Smash it.”

“Sorry?”

“I said, smash it! Do whatever you want with it.  As long as you destroy that phone, then it’ll be fine.”

“No.”

“What?!”

Jae Su stepped forward and held his head high, no longer afraid of Hee Mi’s threats.

“No, we are not going to destroy it.  This is the proof of your crimes, and you are going to get punished for it.  You may have influence over us, but that’s fine.  We’ll be fine without your family’s help from now on.”

“Do you realize what you have done? You’ll be the cause of your family’s failure!”

“No I won’t, especially when I have this proof.”

Jae Su received the phone from Sung Ho.

“This shows that you’ve been controlling us, and that it wasn’t our fault.”

Sitting up, I smiled.  Good for the two of them.  They were now free of Hee Mi, and they could go on with their lives.  Looking over at Hee Mi now, I saw that she had set her eyes on me. 

“You! This is your entire fault! If you had never set your eyes on Jin Ki, he still would have been mine! He would have never left my side, and I wouldn’t have to go through all of this! You deserve to pay for all I’ve suffered!”

She grabbed the chair from nearby and lifted it, intending to throw it at me, but she wasn’t quick enough.  The four guards quickly surrounded her and took away her weapon before she could do anything and held her fast.

“Let me go! Let go of me you fools! Don’t you see it’s her fault? Why are you letting her get away with this?! Why a—”

“Stop it Hee Mi,” Jin Ki’s voice cut in, his tone cold as ice. Hee Mi locked her gaze on Jin Ki.

“What?”

“Stop all of this.  I never thought you would be the person to stoop down this low, but I guess I was wrong.  Nothing else you do is going to save you, so you might as well stop.  I’ve already contacted your parents, and you’re going to have a whole lot to pay, so just stop now.”

Hee Mi’s face grew pale as she sank to the floor, lifeless.  Her father was an influential figure in business industry I heard, and he would not tolerate his daughter’s less-than-perfect behavior; she would have much to pay.  Yoo Chun and Jae Joong lifted her up by the arms and led her out quickly while she simply followed along, too dazed to think about anything else.  I watched them leave and felt a bit of remorse for her.  She was acting in the name of love after all, but she went about it the wrong way. As their shadows left the warehouse, Jun Su and Chang Mi rounded up her friends and led them out as well.  They all chattered in fear, wondering if their allowance would be cut if their parents heard about this.  Once they left, only Jin Ki and I remained, along with Jae Su and Sung Ho.

It didn’t take long for Jin Ki to cross the floor and take me into his arms.  I was so relieved to see him, and I collapsed against him, holding on tightly.  I could feel the weight of today’s events and my tears finally fell as I shook.

Jin Ki didn’t say anything but simply held me tighter and tried to comfort me as best as he could.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I am too.  Thank goodness I got here on time.  I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”

I stepped back and looked at his face remorsefully. 

“I’m sorry Oppa. I know I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry for sending them away, and I kn— ”

“Shh,” Jin Ki said before pulling me back into his chest.

“It’s all right.  Let’s not talk about it now.  You’ve had a long day, and I know you’re tired.  Let’s get you home, all right?”

I nodded silently. I then heard the footsteps of the remaining two people in the warehouse. I turned to meet their eyes as they approached.

Sung Ho spoke up first, addressing the both of us.

“I’m sorry for doing all of this.  I truly do regret this and it won’t happen again.”

“I too apologize for this,” Jae Su said sadly. “We were in a pinch and we didn’t think before we acted. There is nothing we can do to receive your forgiveness.”

Jin Ki smiled tightly as he shook his head.

“No, it’s all right.  Although you did what you did, you did help us in return, and for that, I forgive you.  I’m sure you were the ones who untied Yun Hee out of your own will, correct? You played a part in this, and not only that, you kept our proof of Hee Mi’s faults.  I can’t say that you’ll come out of this cleanly, but you certainly will have an advantage.”

“Thank you,” the both of them said humbly.  They handed the phone back to Jin Ki before sharing a look with him and left the warehouse.  We stood there as they left and Jin Ki turned back to look at me.

“You know, you broke your promise to me, the one about never scaring me again.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.  I won’t ever send my guards away again, and I’ll listen to everything you tell me.”

He smirked and his eyes twinkled as he leaned down closer to me.

“Do you really mean that? Everything I say?”

I gulped and blinked in response.

“Um...maybe?”

He grinned and he shook his head.  Kissing me briefly on the forehead, he then swung his arms behind my legs and lifted me up into his arms.

“Oppa! What are you doing?”

“I’m carrying you out of course.  Isn’t that obvious?”

“I don’t need this.  Put me down right now!”

“What was that you said about doing everything I told you to do?”

“I was crazy and didn’t mean any of it.”

“Uh huh.”

He looked at me this time, pleading with his eyes.

“Please let me do this.  It’s the least you could let me do after today.”

Again, the guilt came and I nodded silently.  Leaning my head against his shoulder, I snuggled closer to him as I felt him hold me tighter.  Going out of the warehouse, I saw the rest of the gang, all standing there before they rushed toward me.

“Is she okay?” Min Ho asked.

“Yes, she’s all right.  Nothing like last time, but she’s tired.”

“What happened to you Yun Hee?” Tae Min asked worriedly, looking me over.

“I was drugged and then kidnapped.”

“Gosh, how can she say that so calmly?” Key wondered as he looked behind us toward the warehouse, a frown present on his face.

I cracked a smile before yawning.  Jong Hyun smiled as he saw me.

“It looks like the princess is tired now.  Let’s get her home hyung.”

“I was thinking just that,” Jin Ki said, before carrying me to his car.  Min Ho opened the passenger door for him and Jin Ki let me into the seat, buckling me in. 

“Go to sleep jagiya.  We’ll be home before you know it.”

I nodded as I felt my eyes droop heavily.  I was safe now, and I didn’t have to worry about anything anymore.  As I felt them close, I knew that I could do so now without any fear.  Drifting off to sleep, I dreamt a dreamless dream, happy to know that I was going home.

Yup yup, end of this chapter.  We all finally got to see the real side of Hee Mi.

I wanted to have Jin Ki get into the action, but I figured it would be better if he stood by and played the silent but powerful person, just like his background requires of him ;p Besides, I think he got some pretty good verbal hits on Hee Mi, don't you think?

Anyway, please Vote, Comment, and Subscribe!

I'll see you in the next chapter!

<3 WinterRose