A week had passed and Joo Won still couldn’t find the way to catch the rebellion band. If he could remember precisely, he got this order when he and Kenji arrived at the MyeongRu police station, Chief Satsuma had been waiting for them inside the warehouse. The two of them were startled to see two police officers were lying on the floor and some weapons were missing, MyeongRu police station for the first time was robbed by unknown people who dressed up as polices.

“How could this happen? Where have you two been?”

“We just came back from the Star Club,” Said Joo Won calmly. “You two supposed to guard MyeongRu more delinquently not playing there until this late.”

“It seemed like those who are from rebellion band did this.”

“If so, what we had been terrified of, has finally come,” Chief Satsuma responded as he heard Kenji’s examination on the incident, “Hokke, I will give you order to catch this rebellion band! He didn’t know who they are messing up with.”

That time Joo Won had seen Chief Satsuma determined face to catch them which made him confused now. He knew that the people who did that rebellion were Joseon’s people and the same band that caused trouble five years ago. But he had caught their chief and shouldn’t be that rebellion band was over? He couldn’t thought straight.

Kenji suddenly had appeared in front of him. “Hey, Hokke, do you mind if I get permission to go out for a while. I needed to go to the Star Club.”

His eyes lay up as he heard Star Club. He could meet Jin there and he could have interesting conversation again with her where he found himself comfortable talking with her. “Kenji, wait, let’s go together.”

* * *

As soon as both Joo Won and Kenji arrived at Star Club, Joo Won saw the club was quieter than usual, there were only few guests sat down and enjoyed their beer, he heard a slow music jazz was played. As what Joo Won had expected, Jin was singing on the stage. Her voice sounded as if she was enchanting the audience to stay in Star Club forever. They sat on a table that Kenji had picked for them.

“You don’t mind if I call Maria, right?” So that was his reason to come to the Star Club, to see that woman, Maria. He remembered five years ago, on that time, Kenji was madly in love with that woman, however because of that rebellion case; he postponed his intention to ask her hand in marriage. Joo Won had always looked up at Kenji, who fought for his love to a Joseon woman.

Joo Won shook his head. “Of course not, do as you please Kenji.”

He seemed to be thrilled, he asked the waiter to call Maria, before the waiter left, Joo Won had asked him to call Jin after she had finished singing. The audience clapped as Jin finished a wonderful performance. Not long after that, the two women appeared in front of them, sitting right beside those who had called them. Kenji and Maria was a lovey-dovey couple, only looking on those two made Joo Won chuckled. Jin shook her head on seeing his reaction.

“Fujiwara-sang, what a lovely surprise,” Jin poured the beer into his glass, “what brings you here?” Without further ado, Joo Won answered her wholeheartedly, “You.”

Jin laughed. “Me? What sort of woman am I, so I can draw your attention?”

“To be frank, you make me feel comfortable and you are the first to do that.”

“I am only a low Joseon’s woman; I don’t deserve to be by your side.”

“I will make you become mine, then.” Jin thought that Joo Won was only joking with his words, but he wasn’t. He truly had feelings for her since he had watched her from afar and had kept this feeling, he finally could reveal what he had for her and he was determined to have her, to really own her.

Jin escorted Joo Won and Kenji after they had finished their business in the Star Club. At the time when she wanted to go back into the Club, she saw a shadow of a man hiding behind the pillar, feeling insecurity, she asked, “Who’s there?”

He knew that his hiding was caught by Se Yeon, Jong Suk showed himself in front of her, his face blushed because of embarrassment and he scratched his head while he was looking away, he was afraid to look her in the eye.

“You,” Se Yeon crossed her arms while walking closer to him, “it’s true that I was thankful for what you did for me and my brother, but isn’t it a little bit out of line after knowing my name and where I worked, and you stalked me?”

Jong Suk became uneasy meanwhile Se Yeon became more curious of his attitude. “I asked you if you stalked me.”

When he wanted to answer, he turned to look at her. By the time, he saw her face, he could feel his heartbeat, he even could hear it, it was beating faster and faster, louder and louder. Jong Suk swiftly looked away, he answered her with stuttering, “I... I... accidentally walked here... I didn’t stalk you.”

Se Yeon didn’t trust his answer and so she lied. “Really? This was not the first time I saw you hiding,” with the style of recalling some events that occured, “is it yesterday?”

Out of the blue, Jong Suk bowed as he said, “I am sorry, agassi, I did hide for few days here,” as he looked up to her face, Se Yeon pretended to be angry, then he looked down again, “I am sorry, it was because I keep thinking about you.”

Astonishment and happiness was mixed into Se Yeon’s heart, for this whole week she also had thought about him. She still pretended to be angry. “You are quiet brave for to think of someone you just met.”

“It wasn’t our first meeting,” Jong Suk lifted up his head and faced her, “this is our third since that time, you and I are not strangers anymore therefore... therefore...” Jong Suk was speechless, he lost his words to say something, he couldn’t think of anything. Suddenly, Se Yeon was exploded with laughter; she laughed so loud which made Jong Suk embarrassed again and scratched his head. Once in a while he looked at her, seeing her laugh so happily, he followed her by chuckling, too. “Now, are we still strangers?”

“No,” Se Yeon said friendly, “we are not strangers.”

“Then are we friends?”

“I don’t think so. I still haven’t known your name though, Comrade Lee.”

“It’s Jong Suk, Lee Jong Suk.” They smiled and looked at each other.

At the same time, Joo Won was standing there the whole time. He was intending to return her handkerchief that he accidently picked when she accompanied him in the Star Club. He squeezed the handkerchief that he held, what made him more furious was the one that Jin was talking to is Jong Suk, the same person he meet five years ago and few months ago, when he caught one of his partner who named Lee Hyun Woo. He is a wanted, what did he have to do with Se Yeon?

Jong Suk was filled with happiness as he was on his way back to headquarter; if the others had known he went to see a woman, he would be dead. For the first time, he broke the rules to take a stroll in the town even though he knew he wasn’t really safe there. The smile on his face grew wider as he remembered that he and Se Yeon agreed to meet in a place for tomorrow.

All of a sudden, the sound of gunshot was heard to his ears, as he turned, he saw Joo Won was holding a gun; he shot the gun into the skies just to attract Jong Suk attetion. He said, “Lee Jong Suk! You better leave Jin agassi alone.”

“Long time no see, Fujiwara Hokke,” Jong Suk smiled and walked closer to him, “how have you been?”

“Cut all that crap! I warn you, or else you leave no choice on arrest you as a high-level criminal because you and your friends were involved in rebellion to the Great Japan Empire.”

“And you were asking me to leave Jin agassi and leave the rebellion band that raised me up? You are kidding me, Joo Won,” yelled Jong Suk at him, he threw his fists on him, “and you think I’ll be like you? You betrayed the band just to become a Japanese dog? How much did they pay you? A big luxurious house? Women? You even killed the former Chief and caught our brothers!”

Joo Won tipped on his mouth which was hurt because of Jong Suk’s fists. He laughed and threw back fists to Jong Suk. “Yes! I betrayed you all just for wealth! I am sick of being poor! I am sick of being chased! Being on their side was the best choice I ever made!”

“Then, why don’t you arrest me now?”

“Because I owe you my life, but if you get closer to Jin agassi, don’t blame me if I arrest the whole rebellion band, and I will kill you all by my own hands!” Joo Won walked away from Jong Suk’s sight, indignation that he felt because of jealousy made him wanted to betrayed his rebellion band again.

Moon Joo Won since when you became like one of those men? Where is the ‘Joo Won’ we all know? I can let Jin Se Yeon go if you wanted to, but threatening me like this... You made me felt like I am going to make a hard decision. Jong Suk turned to the opposite direction from Joo Won. Both of them loved the same woman and were going to fight for her love...