“Did you collect the money?”

“No.” Jiwon walked into the office the next morning. During the day, the building wasn’t as lively – there wasn’t a soul besides Jangseop and a few of his men present, in fact. 

Jangseop looked up from where he sat behind the desk, unhappy with the boy’s answer. “Bobby.” He kept his expression under control and calm. “You know what happens when you don’t bring back the money.” His words left softly but Jiwon knew the storm that was brewing underneath the man’s collected exterior.

No one told him that was the house he was going to. Jiwon was so close to letting them slip into his world by accident. There was no other option but Jangseop wouldn’t accept this excuse. 

Nothing else matters beside the money.

Suddenly, Jangseop brings his hand down, contacting the surface of his metal desk harshly. The loud and abrupt noise rings out while Jiwon was too used to it to even flinch slightly. 

This wasn’t the first time he failed to collect from his trips. And it wasn’t the first time Jangseop voiced his anger towards him either. Jiwon kept his eyes down at the desk, avoiding Jangseop’s gaze.

The young man of possibly late twenties his lips to soothe his rage. “If you didn’t want to go on these trips, then you should have shown up to the fight that night.”

Instead of going to the fight that could have raked in a large sum of money, Jiwon decided to meet up with Mr. Kim. The older man seemed to know more than he was letting on – Jiwon figured it was best to avoid the fight. 

“I’ll win the next big fight.” Jiwon stated blankly in an attempt to calm the man before him. 

Jangseop scoffed while one of his men left his post and walked up to Jiwon. Silently, he gripped the young boy’s collar. An act too familiar for Jiwon not to know what comes next.

“Want me to teach him another lesson, Mr. Jangseop?”

Jiwon kept his eyes hard, he couldn’t shake in front of these guys.

Jangseop waved the man off. “How many times would you need to teach him a lesson?” He asked in exasperation. No matter how many beatings Jiwon go through, the kid never changed his behavior. “Besides, the next fight is priority.” 

The man’s hold on Jiwon loosens and he slowly backs off. 

“Bobby, you better win tonight’s fight.” Jangseop warned. “I don’t care if you’re half dead – you better win.”

***

“Aunt Dara, what do you think about me helping out here once I graduate?”

My aunt temporarily stops her movements and looks toward to where I was standing behind the counter. “Seon, we’ve already talked about this.” She goes back to picking out the flowers she needed. “You are going to college and then you’re going to find a lovely job that will help you live well.”

“That’s pretty and all, Aunt Dara, but –“

“No ‘buts’.” She pointed a single finger at me before a small smile appeared on her lips. “I know you’re capable of a better life than this.”

“What’s wrong with this?” I motioned at the shop. I surely didn’t see the negative aspects that Aunt Dara seems to hold against this place.

“For one, it doesn’t pay enough.” 

“But, you enjoy it.”

She nods reluctantly. “If only it could get us out of trouble.”

“It isn’t even our trouble to begin with.” The money Aunt Dara earns from here isn’t meant to pay off people chasing after my dad. 

***

Closing down ‘Cosmos’, the flower shop, Aunt Dara locked the door while I headed towards the parked car. Since tomorrow was the weekend, we didn’t hurry home like we usually would. 

“Mr. Lee didn’t come in today.” I teasingly commented once we arrived home.

“I didn’t notice.”

I looked at her expression carefully, easily seeing through her false nonchalance about the mention of the man.

“I wonder what he does.” She gives in and wonders aloud.

“First, I want to know his full name.” I chuckled – one thing at a time.

“That too.” She laughed along. “What are you going to do this weekend?”

“Hang out with Jinhwan, like I usually do.” I waited while Aunt Dara unlocked our front door. Walking inside and just as I was closing the door behind me, it snapped open as someone intruded.

The individual slams the door shut after him while we tried to recover from our shock.

“What are you doing here?” Aunt Dara moved me behind her.

“Dara, has someone come by looking for me?” My dad appeared breathless, his eyes wide as he attempted to get answers.

The sudden question feeds Aunt Dara’s anger. “Why do you bring them here!” She tried her best to keep herself calm but it was impossible whenever dad was involved. 

“Look – I need money.” He walked forward with his hands out in front of him as if to plead us.

“No.” I spoke sternly. “I told you, no more.”

“Seon, listen to dad – “

“No.” The single word leaves my lips in exasperation. “How long will you put us through this?”

He suddenly stops and silence fills in. 

“Dongmin.” My aunt called out. “Please leave –“ A loud gasp slipped from as his hands darted out and ripped her small purse from her own. He spun around and snatched the door open before disappearing through it.

“Dad!” 

“Seon –“

Before Aunt Dara could stop me, I ran out and followed after him. Running down the sidewalk, my dad would look over his shoulder from time to time to see if I was still on his trail.

Suddenly, I noticed the familiar sidewalk. This was the street I always take to go home – the convenience store and Hanbin’s family training center. He comes to a stop and I mimic his actions. Pants could only be heard in the dark night following the chase.

“Seon, please. You have to understand.” He begins softly.

“What exactly do you want me to understand?” I retorted. “You just stole from Aunt Dara.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Of course not.” I angrily yelled. “The mess you get yourself in isn’t your fault – you didn’t choose to gamble away all of your money and then seek me out for it.”

“Just this once, Seon.”

I clenched my hands, unable to find relief for the anger that overtook me.

“Do you have any idea what you have put me through these past years?” I questioned him. “Do you know how selfish you have been?”

He only stare