Busan

Soojung ran away from the house, panting and crying non-stop as she called a cab. She didn’t know where things went wrong, if only Amber would’ve listened, if only she would’ve been calmer, if only the world wasn’t so cruel to her, none of this would’ve happened.

“To the train station, please” Krystal said between her sobs. The driver peeked through the rearview, he saw how Soojung wiped her tears with bloody fingers.

“Are you okay miss? Should I drive you to the hospital instead?” He asked, perplexed by the scene.

“No, please just do as I say” She insisted.

“But you’re bleeding-“

“It’s not mine” The ice-looking girl said under her breath.

“Excuse me?” The driver asked as he couldn’t make what she was saying.

“I said I’m fine” She replied, wiping the blood off of her hands.

The house was barely 20 minutes away from the train station, but Soojung felt like it was an eternity. She couldn’t stop thinking about the expression on Amber’s face as she dropped on the floor, all covered in blood. It was spring, but somehow now it felt like winter, Krystal was alone, and for what? To have a little adventure with the father she never got to know?

I destroyed it all, she thought. The younger was back again feeling miserable, guilty, just like the old days back in the asylum. Meeting Amber was her saving grace, she was freed from madness, having a normal life for once in her life… and she ed it up. Mixed feelings flooded her heart, she wanted to cancel her plans, go back to Amber and forget about Mr. Jung. But she couldn’t. She was way too far into this mess that now nothing can be fixed.

She arrived to the train station, got her one-way ticket to Seoul and found a seat. She placed her beloved backpack on one seat and accommodated herself near the window. It was 6 am, the sun started to hit Busan and she was going to barely make it to her father. Business men, families, students, all kinds of people passed by, looking for their seats. Krystal sighed, she felt exhausted but she couldn’t sleep, she felt restless but she couldn’t relax a single muscle. I’m a murderer… She thought, she hoped for the best and for Amber just to be injured.

Two hours later she was stepping out of the train, called a cab to make it to the airport and finally there he was, stomping his foot on the ground as he looked at his wrist watch.

“Waiting for someone?” Krystal asked and the man jumped in surprise.

“God Soojung! You scared me” He said, regaining his composure. “What’s the backpack for? You brought me some goodies?” He asked, trying to take a peek of the contents in the bag.

 “It’s mine actually” She said, shooting a ‘please let me go’ look to Jung.

“Is it now? What about Amber? Did she agree?” The man asked, raising a brow.

“Let’s say she did…” Krystal said, avoiding his dad’s gaze.

“Did you just leave her without warning, Jung Soojung?” Mr. Jung sternly asked.

“It’s complicated” She said, walking away “Let’s go, we’re gonna lose our flight”

“Yeah, and how exactly are you going on the plane? You have no ticket” He said with a smirk.

“That’s your cue” She said, hopping her way to the counter.

“She’s just like her mother” Jung sighed and rolling his eyes he followed Soojung.

Jung managed to get Soojung a ticket and actually have her set up to seat beside him. As it was time for them to board, he remembered something.

“Soojung, get rid of the knife” He whispered, standing next to Krystal who was about to check in.

“” She said as she walked to the restrooms, leaving the knife in one of the stalls.

“Were you really that reckless to check in with a knife?” The man asked, dumbfounded.

“I forgot… geez”

The family boarded the plane, looked for their seats and prepared for a twelve-hour flight. Krystal looked through the window, admiring the last glimpse of Seoul she was going to have for what it appeared to be a long time. Her father wasn’t giving her any information, she didn’t know for how long they were staying in L.A, where were they staying, what were they doing, but she trusted her father with her life.

“Here” She said, handing the man her phone.

“Oh my God, love…” Jung articulated, perplexed by the looks of the little girl that was in what could only be a family photo. “She looks just like you” He finished.

“Dad…” Krystal sighed. “I let her and Amber down” She said, putting back the phone in her pocket.

“Look sweetheart, I let you and your sister down many times… and I really regret it. But looking back to it, it was better if things went this way…” The man said, gripping his daughter’s hand.

“But this was just an impulse… I don’t need to do this to keep them safe, I just did it because I’m selfish” She sorrowfully said, looking down to her feet.

“What would’ve happened?” Jung said, catching Krystal’s attention. “What would’ve happened if you actually stayed? If you suppressed this urge to come with me, if you buried your feelings deep inside and never get to see me again?”

“Don’t get confused, this isn’t about you” She groaned.

“Oh, I think it is, Soojung. You came here, left your whole family behind to have this little adventure with me, and that’s okay. If you were to stay and keep pretending to have a ‘perfect’ life, it would’ve back fired in the worst possible ways” He said, moving her chin up to have eye contact. “You are not ready to have a family, to be a mother, to face the world… because I never taught you how, because I was never there to assure you that everything was going to be fine. But now I am, and trust me Soojungie… I will make it right this time” The father said, grabbing his daughter hand and gently kissing the back of her hand.

Los Angeles

The plane landed at 2am in the morning, the LAX was relatively quiet, as the Jungs came down the plane a few people walked peacefully to their gates and terminals. Mr. Jung didn’t say a word and motioned Soojung to follow him as they got in a cab.

“So, where are we going?” The ice-looking girl asked, intrigued.

“To a car rental” Jung bluntly said, looking through the car’s window.

“Really? A car rental? Is almost 3 in the morning… who the hell opens a car rental at 3 in the morning?” Soojung father.

“I know people, okay?” The man said, taking his phone out of his pocket and texted a familiar number. His daughter, on the other hand, was trying so hard to stop thinking about Amber, did I really have to do this to realize how in love I am with Amber? She thought. Stabbing her was never easy, it’s not like she is some kind of psychopath that loves killing people, but she needed to let Amber know that even her can’t stop her from doing what she wants, that even though she loves that dorky- tomboy, she’s not under her control. She sighed as she looked through the window, it was nice to be home again… but was it really ever a home? Even if she grew up here the atmosphere felt different, it wasn’t like a warm welcome, it was trouble, just like always.

After almost an hour of driving, they finally made it to the car rental, there, a man in his 50’s came out of the office to greet the family that were exiting the cab.

“Long time no see, little Beommie” The car rental man said, grinning.

“C’mon Hyowon, don’t call me that” Jung said, annoyed by his friend childishness.

“Where’s Jieun?” The man asked, welcoming the family inside the office.

“You tell me” Jung said, emotionless.

“So, this is your girl, Jessica, right?” Hyowon said, turning on the lights.

“Not… exactly. She’s Soojung, the youngest” Jung bitterly said. Krystal looked away from the scene and sorrowfully thought about the incident that her and her father will never forget.

“Wow, Beomsoo” The man said, reaching out his hand to shake it with Soojung’s “You really make pretty girls” He chuckled.

“Hyowon, don’t waste my time. Let’s do this” Jung said. Hyowon was locally known for liking girls way younger than him, and that always made Jung uncomfortable, specially when it is about his daughter.

“Are we doing this the right way or the Jung way?” Hyowon asked, looking for some papers on his desk.

“Jung way”

“What’s that about?” Soojung asked, puzzled.

“Love, let me handle the business” Jung said, trying to prevent more questions.

“Your dad is a criminal ‘love’” Hyowon said, sitting on his leather chair.

“Hyowon, stop” Jung adverted but the other man didn’t listen.

“You see, we’re friends since high school, I always knew he liked fame and having tons of money, but I never thought he would steal it” He said and laughed maniacally. “Can you tell what’s the Jung way now?” He added, raising a brow.

Soojung just looked at her father while he rubbed his temple. She wasn’t going to complain nor ask for further explanation, she knew it all, and that’s why she’s here after all.

“Give me the keys, Hyowon. I’m getting impatient” Jung adverted once again and this time his friend obeyed.

“Just remember the rules: no scratches, no bumps and please bring it back with gas this time” Hyowon said as they walked out of the office and Jung glared at him. “Okay, fine, whatever. Just bring the car back” He added, crossing his arms.

“Bye, Hyowon” He said as they entered the black Mustang GT 2016 model with all black interior, leather seats and a distinct cherry smell from the small car deodorant placed in one of the cupholders. The engine purred as Jung turned the car on and the radio blasted some old country songs, it felt so weird for Soojung to be actually back in town, she remembered that same radio station and that very same songs from almost ten years ago. This city really is frozen in time huh, she thought as her father stepped on the gas and incorporated in the street.

“Where are we going now? Aren’t you sleepy?” Soojung asked, turning down the music.

“Just wait and see”

The ride was awfully quiet and Krystal was being whispered to sleep by the old country songs and the faint engine sound of the Mustang, she didn’t want to fall asleep because she wanted to keep on looking at the beautiful concrete landscape. She started blinking faster to prevent the sleepiness get a hold of herself but her actions were futile, as she closed her eyes for good.

“Soojung?”

“Soojung… where are you going?”

“Princess… are you leaving me?” Amber asked Krystal.

Soojung furrowed her brow and looked around. She was in the house, in Busan, in her bedroom, standing in front of a crying Amber, all over again.

“This is not real” She said, trying to convince herself but all she could hear was the tomboy’s sobs.

“I don’t want to torment myself like this” She said, once again trying to wake up from this horrid nightmare.

“No, you don’t get to leave me and then be fine about it” Amber said, her furious gaze meeting Krystal’s eyes.

“You wouldn’t hurt me” Soojung said.

“You said you wouldn’t… but look at me now” Amber backfired as she lifted her shirt, revealing a nasty scar caused by Krystal’s stabbing.

“I’m sorry, Amber. It was a mistake babe please-“

“It wasn’t. You killed me Soojung!” Amber cut her off and cried her lungs while still holding up her shirt, this time blood started gushing out of the wound, covering the bedroom’s floor and partially smudging Soojung’s bare feet.

“You killed me Soojung!”

“You killed me Soojung!”

“You killed me Soojung!”

“Soojung!” She jumped as her father called her name. “Wake up, we’re here”

“Oh my God” Krystal said, registering the zone. “Seriously dad? You couldn’t find a more cliché location?”

Chinatown

Soojung recognized the dragon-printed crossings, the pagodas and herbal-based drug stores. It was very known for any movie director that everything goes down in Chinatown, and by now it was the epitome of clichés. They were parked in front of a small hotel called the golden dragon, Jung still waiting for his daughter to reincorporate.

“Why? Because it’s Chinatown?” The man said, turning off the Mustang’s engine. “I thought we needed some action” He joked.

“This is a joke, isn’t it?” Soojung asked in disbelief, looking to her father.

“No, actually it is not” He chuckled but then stopped, he recognized her daughter’s worried expression. “Is everything okay… sweetie?” He asked, genuinely concerned.

“Yeah… I just had a nightmare” She said, looking back to the window.

“Hey, why don’t we go buy some goodies?” He excitedly asked, he didn’t want nightmares nor regrets to bring his little girl down, so he thought of buying her everything she used to like here in America.

“Sure”

Jung turned the Mustang’s engine on once again and drove to what appeared to be a small convenience store down the street, before they could reach it, a man carelessly ran to cross the street, resulting in almost getting ran over by the car. As he stood in front of the car, shocked, Krystal meticulously looked at him.

“He looks familiar…” She said.

Jung exited the car and approached to the still panting man. “Are you okay?” He asked.

“Yes…” He said, breathing heavily. A bunch of men came out of one alley and started shouting what appeared to be something in Chinese while pointing to the sweating man. Jung noticed and quickly pulled the man inside of the Mustang, offering him a ride.

“Tell me where to go” Jung said, stepping on the gas.

“How do you know I’m not one of the bad guys?” The man asked.

“Because you would’ve stolen my car instead of letting me drive you” Jung answered, looking at the man through the rearview. “Not tell me where to go”

“Turn right on the next block”

Jung did as the man said and they arrived to a modest house near the Chinatown train station, the Asian man was about to step out of the car while thanking Jung when Soojung stopped him.

“What’s your name?” She asked.

“Junjie, but they call me Johnny” He said, stepping in the car again.

“Full name” She demanded, turning to face him.

“What are you doing Soojung?” Jung asked, confused by his daughter’s actions.

“Junjie Liu”

“Are you by any chance a relative to Amber Liu?”

Character breakdown: Amber Liu

Johnny Liu offered his guests coffee and cheap cookies as they all sat on the small living room. His house was humble, a little T.V, dining table for two, two rooms and only one full bathroom. The place smelled like cigarettes and old man’s cologne, a little bit disgusting, if you ask Soojung. They were all looking at each other until Johnny decided to break the silence.

“So how is that you know my Amber?” He asked, sipping on his coffee.

“She’s my… ex” She answered in a low voice.

“Oh… I see…” Johnny said, putting the cup on the small table in front of him.

“What’s your relation with her again?” Soojung asked.

“Oh, I’m her uncle. His father was my brother” He said, looking up to a family photo where two kids were holding up a tuna fish they presumably just caught. “She lived here for almost fifteen years, while her parents and sister were going back and forth from Korea” He added.

“How was she like?” Krystal asked.

“Sweetie, I think we need to do this another time, we still haven’t checked in the hotel…” Jung interrupted.

“Well, go and tell them we’re running a little late” She commanded and her father understood her intentions so he left the room as he nodded.

“I’m sensing she never told you about the time she was here in L.A” Johnny said, grabbing a cookie.

“She never told me a single thing about her” Soojung sadly replied.

“She was a good kid, most of the times”

🍂

“Hey champ, how was school?” Johnny asked a seventeen-year-old Amber coming from school, dropping her backpack on the floor near the living room.

“It was nice, I guess” She shortly replied, looking for something in the fridge.

“Come eat with me, there aren’t any leftovers” The uncle said, pulling a chair out for Amber to sit.

“Any new friends?” Johnny asked, eyeing his niece while he tried to cut the steak.

“Yeah, I’m hanging out with these new guys, they come from Korea” She said, rushing to put the whole steak in .

“That’s nice, maybe you can invite them over” He hyped but Amber rolled her eyes.

“C’mon uncle Johnny, we’re not kids anymore, besides, we always meet on the skateboard park, never in our houses” She said, gulping down the broccoli.

“Why is that?” Johnny asked, curious.

“Well, because we like to skate” Amber said, standing from the table and putting her plate on the sink.

“Are you done already?” The uncle asked, following a rushing Amber with his gaze.

“Yup”

“Where are you going, Amber?”

“To the skateboard park”

🍂

“She really liked skating” Johnny said, looking at Soojung.

“Why did you say she was good most of the times?” She asked, intensely gazing back at Liu.

“Well, she had it rough for a while”

🍂

Amber was sound asleep in her small room, only a bed, a small desk and a T.V fitted the confined space. She still lived with her uncle Johnny, she was attending college now, majoring in business administration. It was 3 in the morning when she heard loud speaking and stomping in the house so she decided to get up and find out what was going on. She quietly came out of her room and followed the noise coming from her uncle’s bedroom, she carefully placed her ear on the door and listened to the conversation.

“I told you to take care of him!”

“This isn’t going to pass unnoticed, Zhihao”

It was Johnny, talking to some guy over the phone, but still Amber couldn’t tell what was all the hysteria about.

“You are done! You are done because you killed my brother!”

Upon hearing those words, Amber automatically walked back to her room, sat on the bed and tried to connect the dots and because she was fully awake now it could only mean one thing.

Her dad was dead.

She spent the rest of the night crying herself to sleep, until her alarm woke her up for a productive college morning. She zombie walked to the bathroom and washed her face, she didn’t want her uncle to see her like this, she needed to be strong and pretend that she didn’t hear a thing a while ago.

“Morning, champ. I made some pancakes” Johnny said, visible dark circles on his eyes.

“I’m not hungry” Amber simply said.

“Hey you gotta eat something, you can’t study well if you’re starving to death” He said, putting a plate full of pancakes in front of Amber anyways.

“Eat up, Amber, you’re gonna be late” He commanded upon seeing the young lady completely ignoring the food.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?” She coldly asked, looking down at the table.

“What?” Johnny answered, flipping a pancake.

“I heard you…” Amber said in a low voice and the whole house went silent for a solid minute.

“Look, Amber-“

“Dad is dead!” She snapped, jerking up from the chair, hands on the table and clenched teeth.

“And I’m so sorry, I tried my best to-“

“Save it uncle, I’m running late” She said and furiously walked to the bathroom to take a cold shower. She was pissed that Johnny didn’t even have the balls to say it to her face, that if she didn’t happen to hear it, she wouldn’t even know until God knows when.

“Amber, please, let me explain” Johnny pleaded, following a raging Amber to the door.

“Don’t wait for me up”

🍂

“I started losing control of what she did, who she hanged out with, she stopped telling me about school and about her emotions. It was a big impact in her life and I didn’t know how to handle it” The uncle said, regret written all over his face. “Fortunately, she did graduate from college, and never went back to her old habits”

🍂

Amber waited for the rest of the gang outside Chinatown’s train station, once she spotted them, she walked towards them with her hands inside her black hoodie’s pockets.

“Did you tell your uncle you’re going home late, Liu?” A guy in a black baseball cap asked her.

“Yeah, the man doesn’t know ” She said, pulling a cigarette out of her pant’s pocket while lighting it.

“You know what to do guys, just follow my lead” The guy in the cap said and the other nodded.

Almost every Friday, the gang used to meet up in a certain location and plan a robbery, four guys, including Amber, looked for a dumb Asian rich man to show up to the Wok restaurant and analyzed the situation to finally perform a quiet robbery. While one of the guys distract the victim, the others would approach the car and dismantle it into pieces, then, when they have what they need, they would do a sign and alert the distractor as they run away from the scene, easy cash, easy job. All in a normal Friday for the sticky fingers gang.

Amber positioned herself behind a bush while she carefully looked at the gang leader trying to distract a man. She never did this for money, she did have money, her mom always sends her a good amount of cash for her to live a decent life, she did it for the thrill, for the adrenaline, to piss her uncle if he ever finds out and to toughen up.

“That’s the sign, Amber” One of the members of the gang said.

“Let’s go” She commanded.

In less than ten minutes they had everything that they needed, they signaled back to the gang leader and ran away with the car parts.

“Nice, guys” He said, checking the merchandise. “This is about 30 grand” He added.

“What do you say we hit the club?” The leader suggested, putting the car pieces in his trunk.

“I’m gonna pass” Amber said, pulling out another cigarette.

“C’mon, Amber, you’re a party animal dude”

“Yeah, we need you sis”

“I have a test tomorrow” She said, walking away from her gang as she blew out the smoke.

She walked through the illuminated streets of Chinatown, kicking a soda can while hearing what it most likely was a police siren. She chuckled, those fools will never know, she thought as she kept on walking. The cold wind blew and hit her face mercilessly, she was alone, walking down the sidewalk, smoking, lost. She knew that if her father was watching over her, he was going to be pretty disappointed, but it didn’t matter anymore, she came to L.A almost alone, so she was staying here, alone.

She made it to her uncle’s house and quietly opened the door to reveal a very angry Johnny holding a Ziplock bag full of cash.

“What the is this, Amber?” He sternly asked, and Amber just walked past him while blowing out smoke.

“And what the did I tell you about smoking inside?” Johnny asked.

“Yeah, yeah. That you hate it, just like you hate everything else” She said, entering her room.

The uncle stormed into the room and slammed the door open while throwing her the bag.

“Spit it out” He commanded.

“It’s just the money mom sent me” She nonchalantly said.

“I’m not retarded. That’s like 50 grand, your mom didn’t give you that” He said, crossing his arms.

“Well, I like to save it” Amber replied, turning her T.V on.

“I’m calling the police” Johnny said, reaching for the phone.

“Do it, I’m not afraid of you” She replied, she was sure her uncle was just trying to mess with her, until he actually started dialing 911.

“Okay, ” She said, snatching the phone from Johnny’s hands. “I’ve just been doing some business, but it’s nothing big”

“Drugs?” He asked.

“C’mon, I’m not that stupid” Amber said, walking back to her room.

“Then what is it, Amber?” He asked, desperate. “Can I have my happy and dorky niece back? Please?” He pleaded, following Amber to her room and sitting beside her on the bed.

“I have a test tomorrow” She said, implying that she wanted to be left alone and Johnny obeyed. As much as he wanted Amber to open to him again, he wasn’t going to push her, after all he never had kids so he doesn’t know well how to act nor respond to this kind of behavior.

🍂

“It wasn’t long until the sticky fingers gang was caught red handed. They robbed the wrong man and ended up in prison, I had to pay Amber’s bail” Johnny said, taking a sip of his coffee.

“She never mentioned anything like that” Soojung said, dumbstruck.

“And I don’t think she’ll ever do” He said. “It was a really rough time for her, but she made it through. As I told you, she graduated and later came back to Korea with her mother and sister. She was never the same, not after she lost her father, and not after she lost herself”

“That’s why she’s so obsessed with doing things the right way” Krystal mumbled to herself.

“Pardon me?” Johnny asked, raising a brow.

“What was she like? When she came out of prison”

“She never ‘stayed’ in prison, I only left her for 5 hours or 6” He said, grabbing another cookie. “When I got her out, she told me the truth, she told me about the gang, about stealing auto-parts and selling them to small repair shops, everything. She made a promise, that she wasn’t going to be on the wrong path again, and that once she starts her new life in Korea, she was going to be the best of the Lius”

“She is the best” Soojung said, her cold fingers wrapped around her cold cup of coffee.

“May I ask why is she your ex then?”

“It wasn’t her fault. I left her” She answered, gulping down her tears.

“Can you give her something when you return to her?” He asked, standing from the couch.

“How can you be so sure that I’m going back?” Krystal asked, intrigued.

“I saw the way your face changed when you said you left her. You want to go back” Johnny said with a small smile.

“Soojung, let’s go. Now” Jung interrupted, walking into the living room.

“Let me get it for you” Johnny said as he rushed to his room.

“Here, take it” He said as he came back with a small box. He handed it to Krystal and she examined the package.

“What’s this for?” She asked, shaking the box.

“It’s her father’s. It was sent to me a few months ago”