Chapter 17:

“Have you been well,” Leigh’s mom asks worriedly over the video call.

“It’s bearable, I guess. The twins are looking fine and they are livelier by the minute. Are you okay there, mom?” Leigh asks back with the same worry as her mother. She is safe here in Korea but her mother is not safe in Italy. She really wants to fly back but there’s shackling her to stay here.

“Whatever happens you have to promise me that you will uphold to the end of your bargain. Leigh, do you remember when you are still five and you already make a ruckus in the family?” Mom changes the subject.

“Ah, the time when I hid myself the whole day and the whole family goes in frenzy looking for me but I actually just fell asleep in my hiding place. That is really a memorable one; the city is like buzzing for the whole day looking for me.” Leigh giggles as she remembers that when she came out, there’s relief on the people’s faces but when it subsides they scolded her worth of a lifetime.

“Well, how about when you are in high school with the girls? The time when the parents have been called because you and your friends put a cow, chicken and a horse in the principal’s office,” her mom tells it fondly.

Leigh laughs heartily as she remembers that. They are just pranking the principal with chickens at first but he pissed them off when they said that they are just haughty because they have the money and they don’t have brains. So, in the end, they added other farm animals. “Well, it’s a good thing they are farm animals. What would you have done if they are snakes, crocodiles and other deadly animals?”

“Leigh,” her mom exclaims but she chuckles, “I think you would have made your principal goes bald in fear.”

“Ah, why didn’t I think of that back then?” Leigh muses.

“Leigh, I have to go. Always remember that our family never goes back on our words and always remember that I love you and will be watching you always. Bye.”

Leigh looks at the monitor, blankly. Something didn’t feel right on the last conversation. She isn’t feeling comfortable and it feels like something will go wrong.

“Leigh,”

Leigh head snaps to the person calling her name. “Ah,” she smiles warmly, “did you forget something?” she asks Top.

“I have but your expression is like you wanted to disappear any moment, so I called your name,” Top answers. That perplexed and blank expression in Leigh a moment ago is like she is trying to make herself disappear.

“Ah, I’m just in deep thought,” Leigh explains. “Anyway, what did you forget?” She changes the topic. She really must have had a worried expression but she didn’t want to disappear.

“I’m going to get it. The twins are with their grandpa. Will you like me to drop you there?” Top offers.

“No, I will be fine. I’ll go to the girls, a little bit later.”

Top nods his head and goes to his room to get what he forgot. When he is about to leave, he stops and looks back at the sitting Leigh on the couch. “Leigh, you’re not going to disappear?”

Leigh giggles and turns back. “I will not, Top. I’ll call GD to tell him where I am. Will that assure you?”

Top smiles and nods. “Yeah, it will.”

“Arasso, I will call GD and tell him when I go.” Leigh replies back and Top enters the elevator. She sighs so deep. Can she really hold the other half of the bargain when everything around her is danger and there’s no way she can keep everything a secret?

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Top says Leigh is going to call him but it’s already evening and there’s not one single call came from her. Jiyong is getting restless minute by the minute and yet, he can’t go out of this meeting. He hates the feeling of not seeing Leigh over an hour. It’s like a trauma clawing back to the surface.

“I need to go home. Youngbae and Top, take care of the rest and pick up the twins in uncle’s home,” Jiyong finally makes up his mind to leave.

Top is a little bit restless too since he saw the expression of Leigh earlier, his mind is in panic but Leigh never breaks her promises to him at least. Every promise she made to him are all granted accordingly.

Youngbae, Daesung and Seungri are worried too. It is like every time the clock ticks, their nervousness grows larger and larger. They are not worried that Leigh is missing; they are worried that Leigh has collapse or an accident.

“Sir, can we continue,” the secretary says shyly.

“Ah, yes,” Youngbae responds and smiles.

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Jiyong rushes towards the elevator of the building since he saw the car of Leigh in the parking lot. His mind is in frenzy. It’s going towards a collapse Leigh or a cold and no heartbeat Leigh again. “Argh! Why is the elevator so slow?” He punches the wall.

The moment the door opens, he rushes out and calls for Leigh’s name but no one is answering and that make him more nervous. But he sees the television on and rushes in the livi