Dara, like a trained professional, started treating TOP’s wounds, after bringing the wounded guy all by herself. She was incredibly strong for a petite girl but then again, it might have been adrenaline rush.

 

In a second, she was beside TOP whose breathing became ragged. Dara tear TOP’s gray shirt which was soaked with sweat and blood. The moment that the shirt was out of the way, Dara’s eyes almost bulged out as she saw a bullet stuck on the space just a little bit under his collarbone. Gunshot cases among her brothers were really rare. So, right now, her hands were shaking as she started preparing the things she needed to pull the bullet from his flesh.

 

With shaky hands and erratic heartbeat, she cleaned the skin surrounding the wound. Her eyes keep on looking at Seunghyun’s face as he flinched in pain and he heavily breathed. His eyes were closed and she suspected he wasn’t aware that he had already reached home and was actually being treated at the moment. He seemed half-conscious, probably trying to stay awake but almost failing.

 

After successfully pulling the bullet out of the wound and cleaning and covering it with a bandage, Dara slumped on the floor. She sighed in relief as again, she didn’t fail on the operation, even though it was one of the cases she didn’t want to encounter. That was why she kept on repeating her warnings to her brothers to be careful not to get shot. Although they were careful, it wasn’t enough, apparently.

 

She lifted her head up and stared at TOP. His face was damped with sweat so she kneeled and reached out to wipe them off. She then caressed his still bruised face and then sighed again.

 

“What happened, Seunghyun-oppa?” she asked as if he could answer. He was obviously asleep.

 

Dara leaned away, preparing to get a new shirt for him but TOP’s hand circled on her wrist.

 

“Stay. Don’t leave me too,” TOP’s voice filled her ears.

 

Surprised, she turned around. TOP’s eyes were still closed but the grip on her wrist was firm.

 

“Oppa, I-I’m getting you a shirt. I’ll come…back,” Dara said, not sure why she was stuttering.

 

TOP’s eyes opened and Dara was surprised to see tears falling from them. “Are you going to leave me like how they left me too?”

 

Maybe it was how pathetic his eyes looked at that time or how his voice sounded begging but Dara found herself sitting at the edge of the bed, his hand in between hers, assuring him that she’s not leaving him.

 

“I’ll be staying,” Dara assured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jiyong jumped to his feet when he felt that something was off that morning. He scratched his head and realized that it was because he wasn’t in Dara’s room when he woke up. He got used to it that’s why he reacted that way. It must be because of the party last night that he wasn’t able to wake up in the middle of the night. He was deep in his slumber!

 

Jiyong decided to check Dara, so he walked out of his room and towards Dara’s which was just across his room. However, her room was empty. He stared at the clock and it said that it was just seven in the morning. It was impossible that she would be awake this early. Scratching his head, he stepped out of the room. he was about to go back to his room to fall back asleep, not caring about school, when he saw TOP’s door to his room, which was beside his, open. Knowing how TOP always wanted to keep things to himself, the mere fact of keeping the door to his room open was unnerving. Without much thought, he walked towards his room to check up on him. The moment that he was in front of his opened door, his brows immediately furrowed upon the sight presented to him. He felt his hands up on his side. To avoid getting mad too much or perhaps beating the life out of the poor, unconscious guy, he walked away, headed to his own room, and banged the door behind him. He went straight to the shower to cool himself down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP squeezed his eyes tighter, hearing a loud banging sound, disturbing his comfortable sleep. He rolled to his side, instinctively grabbing his pillow while his eyes were still shut. But what he felt in his arms weren’t his pillow – it was…someone?

 

He opened his eyes, suddenly awake, when she saw Dara sleeping soundly beside him. The initial shock immediately faded away and was replaced with realization that she stayed all night beside him. Although the memory was quite fuzzy, he was sure he was able to go home after getting wounded. The next things that happened weren’t really clear though. And he was skeptical on the reason why Dara was there. Was it him who told her to stay? Or did she stay on her own? He was hoping for the second one though.

 

His hand reached out to her face to clear the hair that covered her face. But the slight touch on her face made her open her eyes.

 

His hand stopped midway as Dara blinked rapidly. Their faces were just inches closer and he was sure he was mirroring her expression too.

 

Dara’s lips began to tremble as apprehension seem to finally hit her. TOP’s eyes widened even more realizing that she might scream like she usually does. Before could even open and an ear-splitting shriek could fill the entire house, TOP immediately covered with his hand.

 

“Hmmng~ Uhmnng~” Dara tried to speak.

 

TOP hushed her and then he chuckled, seeing the fear in her eyes. That fear changed into confusion as she saw how he chuckled.

 

She tried talking again but TOP put a finger on his lips, signaling her to keep quiet.

 

“I’m going to let go and when I do, you are not going to scream, alright?” TOP asked. Hesitantly, Dara nodded. Before he did, he chuckled again. The moment he leaned away, he didn’t put his hands down, in case she screamed. But she didn’t. She just stared at him and then frowned.

 

“Why were you laughing?”

 

“So this is you when you find out a guy is sleeping beside you.”

 

“Well, who wouldn’t react the way I did? I woke up beside a guy,” she ranted. “And you’re na…” she trailed off, seeing the bandaged wound on his shoulder and then another realization hit her. Suddenly, she hit her head, regretting it the next second when she felt pain. “Owww~”

 

“Waa, are you alright?” TOP caressed her head. “Why did you hit yourself?”

 

“How stupid could I get oppa?” she asked him. “I thought I’m in my room and you slept beside me, like how Jiyong usually does. It turned out that I was the one who slept in your room after treating your wound,” she explained and then hit her head again, only to be stopped by TOP.

 

TOP chuckled, holding both her wrists. “You are so cute!” he said, pinching her cheeks.

 

“Aish! Stop teasing me,” Dara said, swatting his hands away. “So, how are you feeling?”

 

“Fine, I think,” TOP answered.

 

“Great! Put a shirt on and I’m making breakfast. We’re going to eat together while you explain to me what happened last night,” she ordered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP scrunched his nose after getting a taste of the porridge Dara cooked.

 

“Aish, salty again?” Dara asked and then slumped on her seat. “This is the third time and we’re running out of ingredients. Give me that, I’m going to cook my specialty.”

 

“You have a specialty?” TOP asked.

 

Dara furrowed her brows. “Of course I do!”

 

“Then you should have cooked that instead of this. This really…” he trailed off, realizing how he sounded like. “I mean, this is okay, to be honest, but your specialty might be daebak. He, he, he.”

 

“My specialty is ramyun. You want that?!”

 

TOP averted his eyes and then scratched on his nape. He then gazed at the porridge that tasted the saltiest among the three attempts she did. “I was kidding of course. This porridge is daebak!” he exclaimed and went on continuously eating. He then stopped abruptly and then looked up. “I was kidding a while ago. I was messing with you.”

 

Dara rolled her eyes and ate the leftover bread she got from the fridge. “You still owe me an explanation.”

 

TOP’s hand, holding the last spoon of porridge, floated midway to his mouth. He gulped and then continued on eating before letting the spoon clank on the bowl. He then looked up and awkwardly chuckled. “Explain what?”

 

Dara raised her brow as if challenging him.

 

He then shook his head. “Nothing happened last night,” he said, averting his gaze, trying to evade her challenging stare.

 

“Look at me straight in the eye, oppa. What happened?”

 

TOP stared straight at her. He shook his head again. “It was just an accident.”

 

“Accident? You got shot. And you call it an accident?!”

 

TOP shrugged.

 

“Tell me, was it because you failed to show up on that supposed meet-up with your client?” Dara asked, her voice lowering, feeling the guilt building up inside her.

 

TOP was quick to respond. “No! It’s not that. I was actually able to meet my client last night.”

 

“Then, what happened? Was it the client’s enemy?”

 

TOP hesitated but still went on to nod, choosing not to speak any more than that.

 

“But I don’t understand. You never lose against the client’s enemy. You have amazing skills and strength and…”

 

TOP chuckled, cutting Dara off, who stared at him with confusion on her face. “It’s just good to hear those compliments from you, but…” he paused before continuing. “It’s not true that I never lose against an enemy, because I just did.”

 

“Tell me what—“

 

A sound of a motorbike being kicked to life was heard, cutting Dara off.

 

“Omo, is that Jiyong?” she asked and stared at her watch. “Oh my, I’m late,” she said, standing up and then stopped on her tracks to turn to TOP. “Will you be alright? I need to go to school.”

 

TOP nodded, suddenly feeling relieved that he got away from it. Hopefully, she wouldn’t ask later on.

 

“Don’t go out, okay? And clean your wound and replace the bandage, okay? I’ll immediately come home after school,” she said like a mother and then turned away to run towards the door.

 

She ran faster as she saw Jiyong and his motorbike driving away.

 

“YAH! JIYONG! DON’T LEAVE ME!” she shouted, running after him. As the motorbike faded from her sight, she stopped running and bended her knees, panting for air. “Aish… why would he… leave me… just… like that?”

 

She stomped her foot as she straightened up. Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. She immediately rushed towards their house, a smile plastered on her face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP flinched as he took a peek on the wound under the bandage. He couldn’t believe he got shot last night. It was really unlucky. But thinking back, he got shot not because he was too unskillful or careless, because like what Dara said, he wasn’t.

 

After taking the plates to the sink, he headed upstairs. Suddenly, halfway to the top, it was as if he felt a strong wind rushing past him. He looked up and realized that it was only Dara, running towards her room. Confused, he followed her to her room.

 

He stayed at the doorway as she watched her rummaging in her drawer, mumbling to herself and she sounded excited!

 

When she seemed to have found what she was looking for, she kept it in her backpack before turning around. She jumped on her spot as she saw TOP.

 

“Why are you still here?” TOP asked.

 

“Uhmmm… Jiyong left me…” she answered simply.

 

He nodded. “Want me to send you to school?”
 

“AH! ANIYO!” she exclaimed and then cleared . “I mean, you need to rest right? I already told you. Now, I’m going!” she immediately ran past TOP and skipped to the door.

 

“She seemed excited for something,” TOP mumbled, following her with his gaze.

 

TOP turned around then, walking to his room. The wound still ached and it only reminded him of what happened last night. As he sat on his bed, he noticed something on the desk beside it – a bullet. He picked it up and examined it closely. As he did, angered built up inside him.

 

Without letting go of the bullet, he stood up and went to his closet. He threw all the clothes that were hanged. The moment that his closet was cleared, a pair of eyes stared up at him – a picture of a man he had loathed for years was posted on the wall of the closet.

 

He stared at the all-too familiar face, a face he had just seen last night.

 

“At a supplies warehouse behind the old, abandoned KFX mall, they are having one of their business transactions there,” the client’s voice reverberated inside his head while he was driving. For a second, it seemed like he knew what the client was talking about, like it was familiar and he was getting nervous, thinking if he was right at his suspicion.

 

The supplies warehouse behind that abandoned mall was familiar to him. After being scolded by his parents, only equipped with his basketball, the nine-year old kid ran towards the mall where they usually go with the family. That time the mall was still open and was one of the most frequented malls in Seoul.

 

While he was playing with his basketball by the side of the mall alone, muttering to himself on how senseless his fight with his parents was, a familiar car appeared. Before being seen, he ran towards the supplies warehouse of the mall just behind it. He was able to hide inside. He heard the car’s screeching tires just outside, so he hid well behind the shelves. He heard his father’s men looking and calling for him but he didn’t show himself. As they left, he felt relieved and rested by the wall, until he fell asleep.

 

When he woke up, he found out that it was already nighttime and that the warehouse was locked from the outside. He kept on calling out for help but nobody came. Feeling hopeless, he decided to stay for the night until the warehouse opens. However, after a few hours of resting, the doors opened. He took a peek from where he hid a while ago and found some people in suits talking in hushed tones. He couldn’t hear them but he saw one familiar guy.

 

It turned out that one of the men in that warehouse was his father. He later found out how his father’s business involved smuggling and more illegal transactions. He tried asking his father but the latter told him that that wasn’t the case. Being young and as someone who believed that his family was an ideal and perfect family with loving parents and an elder sister, he believed him. But he later heard his conversation with his mother about their business and the smuggling that they had to do that month. He confronted again and this time, he asserted how it was a bad thing. That time, he was to be the heir of the family and he also told his father how he didn’t want to do the same business as he was doing. The next thing that happened was angry shouts and answering-back’s, until it reached to the point where the father disowned him and even kicked him out of the house.

 

TOP breathed deeply behind the wheel of his car as he looked up at the warehouse. It was indeed the same warehouse. He stared at his watch. One in the morning. It must be their transaction time. He tried t to inconspicuously sneak inside but some men noticed him. The encounter started with a few gunshots from him here and there until only a few men were left. He saw them getting out of the establishment and it appeared that they were protecting someone. He raised his gun and shot on them. Three fell unconscious and only one left with the man they were protecting. He ran after them as they started getting on a car, with the man he protected getting in first. He pulled the other by his shoulder and shot him directly at his head. As it was one-on-one, he was shocked as he went face-to-face with the man he kept on pursuing after long years, the man he once looked up to, the man who disowned him.

 

“Abeoji,” TOP whispered.

 

The older man mirrored the same shocked expression but was able to recover faster than TOP. TOP missed the second when the older man kicked him on the gut to push him away from the car before he pulled the trigger of his gun where it hit TOP by his shoulder.

 

TOP held on his wound as he watched the car drive away, with the man inside who once again disappointed TOP. Maybe he was really nothing to him but a stranger.

 

 

 

 

With furrowed brows, TOP picked up the knife kept on the holster by his belt and in a second, it flew towards the picture, just hitting straight on his father’s forehead.

 

 

 

---

 

thank you ephrael for the poster