Section: 2.9: Never fall in love with the client

Flashback

The loud ruckus died down as soon as the booming footsteps were heard. Everyone’s averted their heads to see the new commander, Choi Seunghyun. To everyone’s surprise he was quite young. His back was straight, took long strides and had the face with no emotions. There was no glint of fear in his eyes.

There was something about him that intimidated the people around him.

Seunghyun stood at the podium looking down at the new recruits, who were vulnerable and full of optimism. The poor souls didn’t know what the future awaits for them. 

“Congratulations on passing the training test. I am your new commander Choi Seunghyun and I will be leading our team. Only strong men will survive. If you’re not willing to commit and endure the harsh conditions then leave right now. A soldier must never get distracted and fight until the end. We are protecting our nation, our friends and family. We are fighting for honour,” Seunghyun said his speech passionately.

He stared at the audience with his stern face.

“Don’t let your guard down.You must always be on guard.”

Flashback ends

“Tabi!” Bom yelled.

“No I hate that nickname! Only use Top!”

“But Tabi is so cute! It suits you!” Bom insisted calling her boyfriend that.

Top sighed. He spent years trying to establish the name ‘Top’ but he couldn’t win against her, just like that he turned soft as a marshmallow.

“Where are you taking me?” Bom asked.

“To my favorite place,” Top said while trying not to get excited.

Top brushed past the tree branches making sure Bom’s path was clear. They’ve been hiking for almost an hour. They were away from the suffocating city with the endless traffic and the swarm of people.

It was just the two and them and that’s how they wanted it to be.  

‘We’re here,” Top exclaimed as they reached to the top of the cliff.

Top pulled out the picnic rug out of his backpack.

“I prepared a picnic for us on the highest point of the mountain. I’m not a chef so don’t kill me if the food is horrible.” Top finally explained.

“Wow you can cook?” Bom settled down.

“Scream out something! You will hear echoes,” Top told Bom.

“Ne ga che cha la ga!” Bom yelled out.

Within an instant her voice repeated itself, echoing across the forest.

“I’m disappointed you didn’t even say I love you Top,” Top pouted.

Bom laughed and finally reached for the food. She could hear the bird’s humming to a sweet melody.

 “The view must be amazing,” Bom sighed.

“But you’re scared of heights, you wouldn’t look down anyways,” Top laughed while he poured a glass of wine for her.

“Yah!”

“Open wide,’ Top poked with the spoon.

“How old are we? Don’t feed me,” Bom snatched the spoon off.

Top silently chucked as he watched her face turned pink.

He lives to .

***

They laid on the picnic rug after gobbling down the food like thirsty pigs.

“Ever since I lost my sight I was always afraid of what my future holds. So many questions entered my mind. What am I going to do now? But now I’m happy. I can see myself growing old with you,”

Top smiled, he felt the same way.

“I’ve never been so happy,” Top admitted.

He was finally at peace, away from the days when he was trying to supress his feelings for her.

They were alone, snuggled other underneath the blazing sun.

It was perfect.

***

The sounds of dry leaves cracking woke her up. She nudged Top.

“Top, I think I heard something,”

Top woke up to sound of rustlings coming from the bush.

Top stood up, aware that there could be other hikers around.

The crunch of the dead leaves thundered amongst the silent forest.

Bom’s heart stopped functioning at the sound of whistling. The bird’s suddenly halted their symphony.

The whistling continued to taunt them as it crept it's way up the mountain.

“Top I’m scared,” Bom hid behind Top.

She was being paranoid. 

The longer the whistling played the more familiar it sounded to Bom.

She heard it before.

Top was in position to fight as the bushes started to shake.

A light bulb flashed on top of Bom’s head.

“Uncle?” Bom called out.

Bom’s uncle emerged from the bushes with a smirk on his face. There were four bulky men right behind him with their arms crossed. Top couldn’t hide the shock on his face. The men dressed the same as the men who attacked them and Choco.

“What are you doing here uncle?” Bom asked.

 Bom’s uncle gripped on his gun.

“To kill you.” He cackled. Bom’s uncle clicked his fingers and the bulky men grabbed onto Bom and Top.

The three men cornered them.

Top did his best to attack but there were three men ganging on up him and with the cliff behind he couldn’t run back.

They had nowhere to go.

Three men captured Top, holding him tightly while the other man head locked Bom.

“It was you! You were the one who blinded me!” Bom screamed in disbelief. Bom faintly remembered his outline before she out.

Bom’s uncle broke into an evil laughter.

“Why did you do it?” Top shouted at him.

“Who’s next to get Bom’s inheritance money?” Bom’s uncle scoffed.

“You can have all my money! Just leave us alone.” Bom begged.

“Oh no, I can’t do that. You two have seen too much.”

“Let go of her!” Top roared but the man didn’t budge.

Bom and Top could hear Bom’s uncle loading his gun.

“I worked so hard on this. You see I had everything all planned out. Got passed security easily and set yours parents’ house on fire. I thought I got everyone until I saw you running in the crowd. Thankfully, I had a backup plan and blinded you before you could see anything.  I only offered