The people in the SM Bank trembled as they followed the directions of the masked beauty. Though a slender woman, she had total control over the building. The woman raised her beautifully crafted golden pistol, pointing it to anyone who tried to take a breath.

            “Now I’m only going to say this once, take out all the money this dump has and put it in the bag,” the fierce girl said, hurling a black bag to a banker’s face.

            As the robbery continued, a bank intern swiftly pressed the emergency button but was shot in the arm seconds later. As the woman cursed under the shrieks and cries of the hostages, she shot another bullet past the previous banker’s head, just barely missing his red hot ear, “Hurry up!”

            Soon the small bank was surrounded by sirens and the Seoul Police Force. Looking around, the masked beauty barked at everyone to stand in front of all the windows with their hands up, using them as a human shield. Before anyone had noticed, she sprinted out to the back. As the sun blared into her face, she saw two uniformed wolves ready to attack. Without breaking a sweat, she shot the police men in their thighs and shoulders as she ran to her getaway car.

            “Freeze!” more wolves barked, pointing their guns at her.

            Ignoring the arrogant policemen, the Masked Beauty smirked under her mask. She got into her car, drove in reverse; nearly smashing into the police who then dropped their guns.

           “Freeze yourselves,” the Masked Beauty muttered, shooting near their heads, making themselves and their hearts drop onto the cement.   

           Within ten minutes, the ninja-like robber was lounging in her spacious living room. She pulled off the itchy, dark gray mask and let her hair fall onto her shoulders. With a bright and shining smile, she opened the bag to see a mountain of crisp hundred dollar bills. Tossing the bag aside, she grabbed an icy coke from her glass coffee table, rummaged through mail addressed to a HyeJi Kim, and the news.

          “The woman responsible for the countless robberies, nicknamed the Masked Beauty, has stepped up her game and stole almost a million from the SM Bank; wounding three, two of which were policemen. The Masked Beauty has not murdered anyone in her crime spree, but authorities are worried that one day she will eventually go too far. The Masked Beauty is about five foot three and about 125lbs and her signature is her one-of-a-kind gold plated gun, so if you have any information—”

            Lost interest by the same message the clueless TV anchor blabs about every week, Hyeji went to face a blank wall. If anyone had been watching her, they would’ve thought she was mentally insane; running her fingers back and forth against the wall. Though then all of a sudden, she dug her long finger nail in a crack, not visible to the eye. Behind the wall, a high-tech safe that was as big as a plasma screen TV sat in the middle of it.

            “Heh another day another dollar,” Hyeji oozed with sarcasm, while putting her “paycheck” in.

            Hyeji turned to leave, but stopped in her tracks to face a man lost in time. His black graying hair was groomed perfectly in place, his faux smile seemed genuine, and in his arms was a girl who imitated his appearance. Running her fingers down his face, she smiled crookedly and asked him to forgive her. Flashing before her eyes, she saw the man’s weak and bruised face, giving her a pat on her head as he said his final words. Gently kissing the framed picture, she looked at the face of a woman she hated next to the man she loved. Her brown hair seemed to hide the horns she had, and her face with no wrinkles and a smile that irritated her ruthlessly. Hyeji then saw another vision of an empty and poorly-lit home and a burning sensation that killed another part of Hyeji’s heart.

            “What do you know,” Hyeji growled, but soon had fiery tears running down her cheeks.

            Hyeji quickly sat down on her white couch and looked around her huge condo; everything was silent. She watched the large, elegant doorway, secretly hoping the man in the frame will miraculously come in, greeting his daughter after eight years. Hyeji even hoped for the woman who she hated most in the world would somehow welcome her back into her life.  After watching the door for what seemed like an eternity, Hyeji grabbed her gold plated gun. As she traced her finger around the antique .34 caliber, she marveled at the designs that had been carved beautifully, going back into a happier time filled with smiles all around her.