A year and a half ago…

Dara’s POV

Life isn’t easy. It’s so complicated. There are things that really go against how you really want it to be. As most people say, “YOLO”. Since I only have this once chance of enjoying my life, I’m gonna make sure that I’m going to do whatever it takes just to get what I wanted. And that is to be free. Free from what? What am I talking about? I am talking about my dad and this whole tradition thing that is going on with our “family”. I have to convince him that I want to work as a normal office worker and not some gang leader. Yes, my dad is currently the gang leader of one of the top 2 leading gangs in the Seoul. And they do not really call themselves as “gangsters”, they wanted to be called as the as some kind of a unit. Gangsters are for low-life criminals.

So to convince him, I am currently standing in the middle of his room to talk to him…

“This is a serious matter, Dara. This issue should not be taken easily,” Dad said sternly.

“I know that. And I’m not making fun of this either. All I’m saying is that I do not want to take the responsibility. I don’t want to be part of this Underground thingy anymore.” I tried to stay calm, but this man in front of me is making it hard for me.

“What about all those years of training? Huh? That would all be put to waste! You have it in you, my dear. It is in our blood. Why can’t you just agree?!” he argued.

“It won’t be put to waste. I can actually use those that I’ve learned to defend myself.”

“The training you had isn’t only about defending yourself but being able to kill when necessary and being able to handle the Underground activities. Not all people from our society are given the chance to undergo that kind of training. Plus, it is already in our tradition that the first child of the current leader will be the heir for the throne.” he explained.

Yep, there he goes again with the tradition.

“All of those first child from the earlier generations were guys. None of them were ladies. Can’t we just look for the first child of anybody from our gang?”

“Exactly my point, don’t you want to be the first lady who’ll ever rule our gang? That’ll mark history books in the near future!”

“Screw tradition! I will be nothing of that but the last person who will be fond of underground businesses and violence!” I shouted.

“Don’t you dare raise your voice to me! You’ll be the heir of this and that’s final!” he bursted out.

Suddenly, I felt a pain on my right cheek. I held my cheek and look at my Dad’s face. He, too, was shocked at what he had just done. His eyes were so wide and he suddenly looked down on the palm that had just met my cheek a while ago. He closed his eyes and fist to control his anger and confusion. Then I realized that hot tears were already starting to form in my eyes. And I could not distinguish if it is from the pain of getting slapped by my Dad or from the pain that he just could not see my point that I do not want to be part of this anymore.

“I’m going to leave. And if you ask any of your units to follow me, I swear you will never see your daughter again. I am done here and that is final.” I ended the conversation.

I saw his furious eyes changed into a hurt look. As much as I do not want to leave him, I have no other choice. He’ll keep on insisting me to be the heir. Say I’m selfish, still, I am sick of this tradition. Why can’t we just live a normal life and not be involved in this dark part of the world. I met his pained eyes once more and I slightly bowed my head to him. His eyes became misty and I turned my back before I even see one tear fall down from those eyes.

“Goodbye, I’m sorry.” I whispered and headed to the exit of his room.

-----

City lights during night time are really a sight. Dara stared out at the ceiling-to-floor window of her condo unit with her hands at her back. Behind her are boxes and a luggage she packed just after she left her Dad’s room. She had to leave this place and start a new life, a normal life. In a place where no one recognizes her.

A knock on her door woke her up from her deep thoughts. She was surprised to find her brother Sanghyun, standing on her doorstep.

“Hey,” his greeting sounded like he was saddened by something. Dara gestured him to go inside. Sanghyun roamed his eyes around the room and stopped at the sight of her packed things.

“So it’s true,” he faced his sister,” that you’re leaving.”

Dara sighed, “You can come with me, you don’t have to stay here. I know you want to live a normal life too.”

“I can’t. I can’t just leave. That would be too hard for Dad, you know, knowing that both of his children are going to leave.” he answered.

Pain tugged at Dara’s heart after hearing such words from her brother. How can he be so selfless?

“All he wanted was power ever since we were born. And that thirst for power even strengthened right after Mom died. This unit trained us because they wanted their power to remain. They wanted to be the most powerful.” Dara looked at him straight in the eyes so he’ll understand her point.

Getting no answer from her little brother, she continued, “How will he be hurt when all he wanted was power and maybe even to become richer, more and more of that. He wanted his children to become so powerful and manipulate us instead of giving us the love we needed all throughout these years.”

“But I’m scared,” he said looking down, “Dad will be so furious and will hunt us down. I don’t want to live running away forever.”

“They won’t have to…we’ll hide or pretend we died.”

Dara didn’t really have plans right after leaving so she still doesn’t know how she will be able to hide from their Dad. All she know is that she want to be out of this place, right now. Sanghyun’s eyes widened from this.

“Trust me,” she said and look outside the window, exposing her red right cheek to her brother. A light flickered in his eyes at the sight of this and he nodded as an answer. Dara smiled and grabbed his hands and handed him on of the bags she packed. He looked up at her with a puzzled look.

-----

Fields, simple houses that are faraway from each other and a narrow road welcomed the siblings as they went down at the last bus stop. It looked like only a few cars passes by this place since it resembles a province.

“Where are we?” Sanghyun wondered, scanning the vicinity of the area.

“It’s better if we don’t know,” she stated, “Now let’s find some place where we can stay.”

-----

Five guys were standing in an alleyway surrounded by 11 dangerous looking men. The five guys wore suits looking so intimidating and aggressive. While the 11 men wore torn layers of clothes with stains and had a little scent of alcohol on them. One of the guy in suit grabbed a stick from the ground and smashed the head of the approaching gangster. The other tall guy in suit blocked the punch coming from the opponent, held onto it tightly and kicked his opponent’s gut.

After three minutes, eleven lifeless bodies lay on the ground. Each of the five guys dusted off dirt from their hands and suit. A ring of a cellphone broke the now silent alleyway.

“Yeobeoseyo?” he answered.

“We’ve heard some news about different units doing business by the south of the city. Come here immediately and we’ll further discuss it.”

“Yes, Boss.” and hanged up.

“Who was that?” TOP asked.

Jiyong smiled, which made the four other boys raised their eyebrows out of curiousity.

“We’ll be finally doing some action.” Jiyong stated.

And the same smile he held were painted on the faces of the other guys as they high fived each other. It had been a while since they had been in some real action.

-----

“Thank you for letting us stay in your house, Ms. Kim,” Dara said for the nth time and bowed at the beautiful woman in her mid-thirties.

“No problem, at least I now have some company whenever I feel alone,” Ms. Kim smiled at the Dara and Sanghyun.

“Maybe we could do something for you so we could at least repay your kindess,” Sanghyun said.

“Ahh, don’t be so formal with me, kiddos. Although, I can ask you for some help with my restaurant just across the street.

“A restaurant? Wow, there must be lots of delicious food over there, Ms. Kim! How can we help you? I am not a good cook though.” Dara exclaimed with the thought of food.

“Before I tell you that, I should ask you to drop the formality and call me Namie unnie/noona instead,” she said looking both at the siblings. They both nodded and Namie Kim nodded at this.

“You don’t really need to worry about cooking because I am short with waiters and waitresses. I think you two might want to work there?”

“But isn’t that a little bit too much since if we work there you’ll still be the one to give us our salary and that won’t be about helping you?” Dara reasoned out, thinking that the idea is quite unfair.

“The fact that I already have some company at home already helps me. Plus, it would be a good for my restaurant if I have a beautiful and handsome waiter and waitress with me,” she chuckled.

-----

A day after discussing things with their boss, the group drove at the south of the city to found out the business of the AMOK units there. Five hours of driving in the morning and they finally reached one of the small hotels they are going to stay in for the meantime. They were about to lie on the bed when a stomach growled.

“Hyung, let’s eat first. I’m hungry,” Seungri told the guys.

“I knew it’s your tummy, we just ate 3 hours ago. Do you have a pet inside your stomach?” TOP asked him.

“I saw a nearby restaurant a while ago. Let’s go there since I’m kinda hungry too,” Daesung said shyly while scratching the back of his head.

-----

“Dara! Kindly entertain those customers who just came in,” Namie called from the kitchen.

“Ne!” Dara answered.

“Good day! How may I help you?” Dara smiled at the five guys looking at their menu.

“Uhmm..I want steak and…do you have vanilla ice cream?” TOP whispered looking a bit shy that he was asking for an ice cream.

“Yes we do, Sir. No problem!” She said taking note of the guy’s order.

“We’re all taking steaks and just have some iced tea,” one guy said as he placed down his menu.

“Ahhh, hyung but I want noodles!” the guy with dark circles under his eyes complained.

“Not when I said it,”

Suddenly, Dara’s eyes widened when she met the eyes of the guy who just talked. He looked familiar. He is familiar. The same thing happened with the man’s eyes when he saw who the waitress is.

“YOUUUUU!!!!!!!” they said in unison.

“You know this girl?” Taeyang asked.

“She’s the boring girl I was telling you last time!!!!!” he screamed.

“Boring girl????” Dara asked, confused. And left to deliver their orders to the counter

“Oooh, hyung this is the second time you met her. I told you, you guys are meant to be!” Seungri said while clutching his hyung’s arms dramatically.

“Move it, Ri,” Jiyong said gaining his composure from the shock.

“What a small world! If you guys met once more, then this must be really fate playing with the two of you,” Seungri happily stated.

“Dae, I thought I already told you to prohibit this guy from watching dramas,” TOP said annoyingly.

Jiyong looked at the back of Dara giving their orders to the girl in the kitchen.

You have got to be kidding me. We were already far from Seoul and I still see this girl here? No, this is not fate playing with me. It is just probably a coincidence. Nothing but a coincidence. Aish, why am I even bothered by this? I have to remind myself to spank Seungri and officially ban him from watching dramas.

-----

yay, sorry for the slow update. to make up for the long wait, I hope I've come up with an enough loooooong update for all of you. I appreciate those who still read this story hohoho! I'll try my best to update faster because schoooooool okay. have a good day everyone! ^^