Where the Ants Used to Play

"We gave them good homes."

Lee continued to still convince her. But now sitting on the floor by her feet. His hands on his knees again.

"These kids have no family here, why not get them parents abroad. And the money we got, we put them to improve such similar places. Our takings were well distributed."

"Well, what about those people you cut up?" So-Mi spat.

"I don't do that personally, ok," his tone becoming angry. "We have other teams for that. We are well connected. But that you'll know as you learn more about our operations."

At her continued look of disapproval, he explained earnestly.

"So-Mi ... of course we have to do things you would consider criminal at times. We have to earn our keep. But look at the people that we chose ... scums, addicts, . We clean the society and give life to those who deserves them."

"What about the little children then?" she retorted.

"Aahhh..." he sighed. "Some of us are against that too. But some of these kids, the ones we chose, have no hope whatsoever. They are not eligible for adoption for whatever reason, some already decapitated from their old life, by their own parents."

Lee's upset face showed his own experience.

"Or some were born physically unfit. So we take them out of their misery and again give life to those with better chances to live." His voice turned soft before continuing, "my heart goes out to them, but believe me, they are in a better place now."

He's disillusional, she thought.

Legitimizing the illegal.

Rationalizing the morally wrong.

Such a confused mind camafloged by a beautiful face.

"You know you can't get away with this, don't you? Even if you kill Ahjussi, his friends will all come after you. After me."

"We won't be here anymore, honey," he gave a half smile. "By the time they go full force to search for us, we'd already left the country. When hyung passed away, noona took us all in. Hyung had killed her father, leaving her free at last. With the old business to run. But she did it differently. More sophisticated,  more intelligent. And more importantly, with the world's greater good in mind."

Lee's eyes were excited and trusting, like a puppy.

"She has garnered support from all over the world, people just as powerful, just as influential as her."

So-Mi simply observed him, reading the real story behind his words.

And her heart went out to him. Understanding the context where he did not. Or chose not too.

"Min-sung-ssi," So-Mi said slowly. "Your brother stayed, not because of you or the other children. He stayed because of money and his lover."

Her words made him snap his head towards her.

"If he really had cared about the children. About you. He would have done what Tae-sik did. And killed all the adults who did you wrong. Or put them to justice," she stared at him from her position on the chair, trying to drum her words in through her eyes. "You won't need to go back to abusive parents, Min-sung-ssi. You would have been sent to  an orphanage, just like the one you yourself has chosen to support."

So-Mi continued to look directly at him.

"Ramrowan died not for me ... he died to redeem himself. Out of the remorse, he had felt towards you."

"No! Noona said he died for you, and at the hands of your Ahjussi!" He shouted.

Getting up to his feet violently.

To slap her hard on her face.

Causing a trickle of blood to run from the corner of .

Guiltily, he turned soft again, dropping to his knees in front of her.

"Our network is global. Just choose a country," he pleaded. "Noona will just say the word, and our people will be waiting to welcome us. We'll start a whole new life for ourselves. Please, So-Mi..."

It was a caption So-Mi has once heard before.

And despite his earlier violence, So-Mi sadly saw the little lost boy Lee once were.

With a similarly smudged face.

Scared and in need for someone to love.

Just like how she once were.

And her soft heart bled for him.

"Min-sung-oppa..." she said softly, her eyes puddling with unshed tears. "Your Noona... whomever she is, is making use of you. And you don't even know it."