Author's note: Just in case it's not clear, the office scene right before Soyul's origin story is the same office scene as the last chapter.  We will revisit this seen once more in chapter 15. Also, I made a mistake in my research, and I thought the CEO of Chrome Entertainment's name was Mr. Choi. Since it is actually Mr. Hwang, I've changed everything in the past few chapters to match up.  Don't be confused by this mysterious Captain Hwang! He's just Captain Choi, only more accurate. :)

Chapter 14

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September 2011

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            “Besides the Heo twins, who could be capable of such a job?”

            Captain Hwang leaned back in his chair and smirked up at the prominent clock up on the wall.  “You’ll never believe the gem I found.”

            “Who is she?” the General asked skeptically.

            “She is…an ulzzang,” Hwang chuckled.  “Do you know what that is?”

            “I can’t say I know for sure.”

            “An ulzzang is an internet celebrity.  They are famous simply because they are ridiculously attractive and upload incredible amounts of pictures of themselves onto their websites.”

            A scowl overtook the General’s curious gaze.  “She sounds very full of herself.  And she hardly sounds qualified, making her living out of her face alone.”

            “That’s not the only way she makes her living.”

Two days later…

            No one would dare walk alone in this part of Seoul, even in the daylight.  There were stray animals and suspicious characters wandering behind every corner.  During the night, one could hear illegal deals being made on the same block as muggings and murders.  It wasn’t much use calling the police; they would always arrive too late to a scene.  Even they were reluctant to dwell in this wretched place.

            But one man, Captain Hwang, walked the streets with no fear.  Just a week ago, he had followed a striking, petite girl through these streets and into an abandoned warehouse.  Only he discovered this warehouse was anything but abandoned.

            When he arrived at the warehouse, he entered through a rusty door in the back alley.  A tall, heavy man with a face like a bulldog greeted him on the other side, quickly grabbing his arm.

            “I was here once before,” Hwang told sternly.  “To support the ulzzang.”

            A soft grin eroded onto the large man’s cold face.  “Hyekyeong-i?  Ah, yes, go right in.”

            As Captain Hwang walked down the empty hall, an incredible roaring deep within the warehouse began to grow.  He continued on, being caught up in the excitement of those rumbling cheers.

            Finally he found another door and slowly pushed it open.  The room he entered was large, and the noise was deafening.  A huge crowd of mostly men crowded around the middle of the room, forming a somewhat tiny circle.  Though the room was dimply lit with a dark, red light, Hwang could see two very different figures in the middle of the circle. 

            One figure was a man of towering stature.  He wore only brown shorts and a green headband.  With his build completely exposed, Hwang could tell that he was a very strong, experienced fighter.  The lofty man jumped from side to side and swung his massive arms into the air.

            On the other side of the ring stood a young girl in a bright green tracksuit.  Her bright, smiling eyes peeked up from under her long bangs to see her opposition.  She grinned happily at the daunting man and started to vigorously run in place.

            “Kim Yeosoo!” a man with a bullhorn shouted suddenly, jumping into the middle of the ring.  The crowd quieted slightly as Hwang made his way closer to the ring.  “He is the challenger tonight!  Would everyone here consider him brave?”

            The crowd erupted in cheers.  Yeosoo stole the bullhorn from the announcer and growled, “I’m not brave.  The rest of the challengers were simply weak.”

            Meekly taking his bullhorn back, the announcer watched as the crowd heckled Yeosoo.  “How were the other challengers weak?”

            “Look at this little girl!” Yeosoo cried with a roaring laugh.  The announcer quickly held the bullhorn up to his mouth.  “She is but a little fairy!  How could anyone lose to her?”

            The announcer rushed over to the girl on the other side.  “Hyekyeong-ah, you’ve been our leading champion for months now.  Do you expect to lose tonight?”

            Hyekyeong sighed and giggled into the bullhorn.  “Ahjussis, do you expect me to lose tonight?”

            Every man in the crowd answered her question loudly, shouting their utmost support.  Some cursed at Yeosoo.  Some cursed at the announcer for even asking Hyekyeong to answer such a ridiculous question.

            “If the ahjussis think I will win,” she interrupted bashfully, “I know I will win.”

            “Okay!” the announcer cried.  He rushed out of the ring  “Well, let’s get on with this then.  1, 2, 3, hwaiting!”

            Much to Captain Hwang’s amazement, the crowd became even louder.  All eyes were on Yeosoo and Hyekyeong.  They circled around the ring, staring at each other carefully.  Hyekyeong’s movements were so graceful, she appeared to be dancing.  Hwang laughed to himself as she began to make her playing more obvious.

            Her smiling mouth opened for a moment, though it was too loud to know what she could have said.  But, at that very moment, Yeosoo’s eyes filled with wrath, and he rushed towards her.  She ducked down and dived through his legs, sending him to aimlessly run into the nearby crowd.  As he turned back to face her, she stayed on the ground and winked charmingly.

            Though Hwang had seen her defeat challengers last week, he couldn’t help but think her adorable overconfidence would get her killed.  He moved further into the crowd, readying himself to jump into the ring at any second.

            When Yeosoo charged towards Hyekyeong yet again, she rolled and dodged his body.  As soon as she was behind him, she jumped up and climbed onto his back.  He violently tried to shake her off, looking like a careless father and his little daughter.

            Hyekyeong’s charm had disappeared.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso, keeping him in a dazed state.  Even when he reached back to grab her, she endured his groping and jabbing without a single response.

            As the struggle endured, Hyekyeong suddenly began jerk their bodies to the left.  Yeosoo resisted her force well, but her movements would cause him to spin a few degrees.  Though he was strong, Hyekyeong did not relent.  She kept lurching her body to the left, forcing his body to move. 

He began to weaken.  Her hold would not wane.  With one last jerk, Hyekyeong sent him spinning and falling forward onto his face.  She shakily stood up on his back and threw her fist into the air.  The crowd shouted their approval, jumping up and down with one another. 

“Park-Hye-Kyeong!  Park-Hye-Kyeong! Park-Hye-Kyeong!”

Yeosoo stilled lay facedown on the dirt floor, his hands clutching weakly at the ground.  When he raised his head, the crowd gasped in horror.  Blood ran down from his newly broken nose.

“Ya, oppa!” Hyekyeong cried suddenly.  The crowd became silent as she reached down and helped Yeosoo up.  She took a wad of napkins from her jacket pocket and handed it to him.  “Are you feeling okay?”

When he first looked at her, he was red with anger.  But, as she stared at him with her smiling eyes, his face grew softer.  He conjured up a small grin and took the napkins from her.  “I’m fine, Hyekyeong-ssi.  Thank you.  You are a truly worthy opponent.”

“You are as well, oppa,” she assured with a smirk.

Cheering yet again, the crowd made a way for Yeosoo to exit.  Though they were hostile towards him only moments ago, they gave him simple shouts of encouragement as he walked out.  Hyekyeong nodded approvingly and waved after her defeated foe.

“Hyekyeong is, yet again, the victor!” the announcer cried happily, dancing around the ring.  “The Fairy shall never be defeated!”

After the crowds had left, and after Yeosoo’s blood had been cleaned up from the ground, only one person remained in the warehouse.  Little Hyeokyeong stood under the eerie red light, holding her tracksuit jacket and a long, decorated case.  She carefully placed the jacket and the case on the dirt floor and opened it.  Gleaming brightly in the case was a beautiful sword that resembled perfectly the shape and make of ancient Korean swords.  Hyekyeong looked proudly upon it as she brought it out of the case.

“Ya!”  With one long stride, she waved the sword delicately, making quick jabs and careful, sustained movements.  Her breaths were slow and lengthy.  Every action was bred by patience and critical thought.

“You’re quite skilled.”

With one swift movement, Hyekyeong faced her unexpected visitor, brandishing her sword menacingly.  He stood in the corner of the large room, his face hidden by darkness.

“Who are you?” she asked cautiously.

“I’m Captain Hwang,” he grinned.  Stepping closer and into the light, he finally greeted her with his harmless eyes.  “I watched your match.”

Her gaze remained vigilant.  “Really?”

“Yes.  You were quite fantastic.  Do you swordfight as well?”

“I was trained,” she informed, placing her sword back in its case.  “Why are you here still?”

He looked down timidly, knowing how strange he seemed.  “I was hoping I could speak to you about an important matter.”

“On what scale of importance is this matter, Hwang-ssi?”  The charming, carefree Hyekyeong was trapped under her skepticism.  “Because I’ve had visitors like you in the past.  If you’re some sick creep, you’ll be spending the rest of the night in a hospital.”

“Oh no, I’m definitely not-”

“I’ve put plenty of you away-”

“Park-ssi,” he interrupted, holding a laugh in the back of his throat.  “Trust me, I’m not a creep.”

She looked at him cynically before remorse crept into her expression.  “If you’re being truthful…I’m sorry.  I usually get a few creeps after the night is over.”

“Did you have any creeps last week?”

“…No.”  Picking up her jacket, she eyed him suspiciously.  “Why do you ask?”

“Let’s just say…I saved you some trouble last week.”

“Did you…Did you beat up that guy in the alley last week?” she asked suddenly.  “He was a creep?  I thought he was a regular ahjussi!  I even called him an ambulance.”

“He was definitely a creep,” he replied with a laugh.  “You still come and fight here every week when there are creeps so ready to visit you?”

Her amiable self had returned completely.  “Ah, the creeps are nothing.  I can handle them without a second thought.  Though this place is grimy and sort of scary, it’s fun to participate.”

“You didn’t seem scared of anything out in that ring tonight.”

“Yeah, well…”  She put her jacket on and looked up at him bashfully.  “I’m a bit afraid of…heights.”

He nodded his head with a very serious expression just before he burst into roaring laughter.  Though she glared at him angrily, he couldn’t keep it in.

“You can take on men twice your size, but you’re afraid of heights?”

“This is no laughing matter,” she insisted heatedly.  “People can fall from things…and die.”

“But hand to hand combat is completely innocent?”

“It’s easier to fight.  I get…energy.  From the fans.”

“The fans?”

“What else should I call them?”  Her thoughtful eyes looked down at the ground for a moment.  “I suppose they’re more like family.  They’re the uncle fans.  Nearly all of my supporters are uncles.  They cheer tirelessly.  And, because they know I don’t make money from these fights, they give me a portion of the money they win from bets.  They’re very kind.”

“Well, it seems that you are just as kind.  I think you deserve all support they give you.”

She grinned gratefully at the Captain.  “Thank you, oppa.  I appreciate it.  But…it’s still strange that you’re here to see me right now.”

“I understand that,” he sighed.  “The truth is, I’m scouting members for a girl group I’m producing, and I thought you would be a good candidate.”

“A girl group?”  she smirked and shook her head.  “Do you really think music is for me?”

“I do.  And I think you do as well.”

She watched warily as excitement filled his eyes.  “What are you talking about?”

“Wasn’t it you who auditioned for JYP Entertainment a little while ago?”

“What?”

“And how could one forget Chic'6 Muscats?”

“How do you know these things about me?”

He took a step back, noticing her abrupt panic.  “Well…ever since I found about you from online, I’ve been watching you.”

Glaring at his innocent face, she reached down for her sword.  “You really are a creep.”

“No, no, please,” he began wearily.  “I’m a military captain.  I’m scouting out capable people for a mission I’m leading.”

“I thought you said you were forming a girl group?”

“Well…I am.”  He looked down at the ground hopelessly.  “The girl group is a ruse.  The real mission is to protect a group of people.”

“What group of people?”

Captain Hwang took a deep breath as he planned out how he was going to explain this to her.  He looked into her deep, innocent eyes and saw a glimmer of adventure in them.  Though his heart raced and his mind lacked confidence, he could sense that Hyekyeong was the perfect member for his group.  The appropriate agent for his mission.  The right beginning for an incredible journey.