When Lee Teuk was twenty, a tragic hit on him and So Ra. His father passed away due to a sudden heart attack when he was in the office. Since then, Lee Teuk stepped out and took over his father’s position as the head of Shadow, a gangster group in Seoul which was previously ran by his father. At the funeral, heads of other gangster groups showed up and sent their condolences. Both So Ra and him didn’t shed any tears during the funeral but the others knew that they were too strong to not to show their emotions off easily in front of other people. They also started to question how Lee Teuk would run Shadow at such a young age.

Two months after Lee Teuk became the head of Shadow, his name is well known by everyone in that industry. His ruthless and careful character earned him respect and also made people fear of him. On the other hand, So Ra started to realize what kind of background she’s involved in as she grew older. She realized that most of the things that her foster father did were dirty stuffs that couldn’t be seen in the light. Slowly, she started to lose her cheerfulness. Instead of feeling like a princess in the house, she felt like she’s a bird in a cage. She didn’t have any freedom. She couldn’t go out anytime she wanted to be with her friends. Though Lee Teuk told her that it’s the way to keep her safe, she didn’t like it. She felt that he was being overprotective.

“I want to go to overseas to continue my study,” So Ra announced the news during the dinner.

“It’s too dangerous for you to go overseas alone,” Lee Teuk looked at her. “I’ve applied for a local university for you.”

“I’m offered to study in New Zealand and I’m leaving next month,” So Ra told him.

“What?” Lee Teuk was angry at first when he heard what So Ra had just said but became gentle once again and put on a smile on his face. “Why didn’t you tell me before you apply for it?”

“You won’t let me go if I told you before I apply for it,” So Ra answered.

“Why do you want to go to overseas?” Lee Teuk questioned her.

“I want freedom,” So Ra replied.

“You want freedom?” Lee Teuk stared at her.

“Yes,” So Ra replied him. “I feel like a bird in a cage. I don’t have any freedom here. I want to leave Seoul. I want to leave this house.”

“I’m protecting you,” Lee Teuk said in a deep voice. He started to lose his patience.

“Oppa, you’re being overprotective,” So Ra responded.

Lee Teuk slammed his chopsticks on the table and left the dining room. So Ra knew that she had crossed the limit too much. But, if that could make her go to overseas and leave this house, she didn’t care. Next morning, she was alone at the dining table eating her breakfast.

“Oppa left to work already?” So Ra asked the maid.

“Yes,” The maid answered.

For three days, So Ra didn’t see Lee Teuk. She wondered if he was still angry at her. One night, Lee Teuk came into her room and gave her air ticket to New Zealand.

“Oppa, you’re not angry anymore?”So Ra asked.

“I wasn’t angry at all,” Lee Teuk ruffled her hair. “And you’re right. I’m overprotective.”

“Sorry,” So Ra apologized to him.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Lee Teuk smiled at her. “New Zealand is very different from Seoul. You must learn to take care of yourself when you’re studying there. I’ll bank in your allowance to your account every month. And if anything happens, you must call me. Araso?”

“Araso,” So Ra said. She couldn’t hide her happiness anymore. She gave Lee Teuk a hug. “Oppa, komawo.”

“I’ll miss you,” Lee Teuk hugged her back.

“I’ll miss you too,” So Ra told him.

A month later, So Ra left to New Zealand alone with two big luggages. That year, Lee Teuk was twenty three and she was eighteen. Since then, they lived separate lives but Lee Teuk never forgets about her.