A/N:
It has been a really really long time since I last updated this story. Sorry for keeping you waiting. I don't know if you guys still remember this. I myself had to read the whole story right from the beginning, to get the mindset before writing this. And it was then I found out the first chapter needed some rewriting, like to outline the story and to make it sound like not a mere introduction of the kids.
leave a review about what you think, or it feels like talking to myself.
Gu Junpyo and Geum Jandi: Gu Seong Min (age7), Gu Seong Hee ( age5)
Yoon Jihoo and Oh Hani: Yoon Eun Hee ( age7), Yoon Jin soo ( age 1)
So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul: So Dae Jeong (age7), So Ha Neul ( age 3), So Young Mi, So Young Soo
Song Woo Bin and Ha Jaegyeong: Song Hae Ryung ( age 6 )
Chapter twelve : Together we stand.
"What if we would run away, when they fall asleep?" Came the brilliant idea from Gu Seong Min.
"Do they look like they are anywhere near sleepiness?" Dae Jeong, who was the one to peep over the half wall of sacks, murmured, his head now buried in his hands though. It has been quite some time since this supposedly blinding headache has taken him over, that he was unable to engage in the 'spying' duties anymore. Yet the sound of roaring laughter and foreign talks gave him a point.
"Then what else should we do?! I don't want to die!"
"Shush! Seong Min!" I hissed. " Neither do I want to die! None of us do. I at least want to live for seventy more years! But keep your voice down or we would sure die right now!"
I had to force myself to keep my voice lower than a whisper when giving him a piece of my brain. "Besides, can't we just use Eun Hee's sleeping pills to doze them off ?"
"Tsk, won't work. Halmom takes three of them every night but won't fall asleep till midnight." Seong Min said. " And if that makes the count," he folded his fingers for quite some time "...a bottle won't be enough."
Halmom was what Seong Min called Junpyo samchan's granny. Though she is supposed to be his Jeongjomoni—another vampire like creature who has lived for about nine decades, just like Dae Jeong's Jeongjobunim— his own halmoni was named as 'witch' after all, so there were no confusions calling her halmom. For the witch, it was the 'informal' addressing, as non of us dared to call THAT on her face. If we'd do, no one would be there to save us, even uri appas would act if we are completely out of politeness, and as if they hadn't even HEARD of that name, though it was actually them who had made it, in the first place.
"or was it five, she takes?" Seong Min shook his head. " I do not remember... probably her own snoring wakes her up after all." He mumbled and pulled a sombre face.
"Uhm!" A throat cleared interrupting the silence that followed. "how did you two know about the pills? First of all, they aren't even sleeping pills, they were pills for ' Allergies' ! "
I rolled my eyes.
The sleeping beauty was finally awaken. Gladly for me, it was not from that gross true love's kiss! I was half expecting for her to fall in deep sleep before any of the scary guys did, so that we could leave her behind and a good lot of my problems would be solved in no time.
"Oh, we too did know how to read. It's just once we gave it to Miss Min. She seemed to be ' allergic' to Hello Kitty." I returned her glare.
"How many that you gave?"
"About two or three? Seong Min told not to exceed the limit, or that the label read it may cause some 'permanent injuries'." I looked away, if not, I could have noticed the steam rising from the top of her head. Eun Hee's usual told-to -be-cute face reddened with anger. Yet, I am in no mood to apologise. We don't have a cheesy smile nor a cloak of saint-like-character to have what we want, and why should we apologise when we use our brains? It was totally unnecessary.
Eun Hee sighed and counted one to ten to ease her anger—one of the behavioural disorders of hers. The other, was of course, believing each and everything that was written in books, or said by an adult.
But once she managed to open her mouth for another supposed threat, the fear forced her to swallow her own voice.
A scream arouse, out from our little space surrounded by sacks. We flinched, and buried ourselves in numbness and silence. It was the hoarse voice of the giant man, whom I assumed to be the leader of the gang.
We let silence be, as it gave our ears more knowledge about what was happening out there.
"Even if it does work, who would put that in their drinks? Sure, I can't." Dae Jeong mumbled another objection, among his whimpering.
I was going to suggest Seong Min, when I froze hearing footsteps approach us.
A head peeped above the sacks. And then a neck and a body. He was probably a teenager not older than those salad-eaters back at home, but there was something about him that made me not to disgust him at first sight. Maybe it was the gleaming smile across his features, that made me approve myself to call him oppa, if needed, of course.
"Konichiwa! Watashi no, Amahara Seishiro." He said, and grinned wider seeing the dumb face of Seong Min, who was quite unable to figure out a single word he uttered. He hesitated, scratching an itchy spot on his mop of hair. "Glad ...to me-et you all... I... am Seishiro Amahara." He said in awkward English, again grinning, and placing a plate of what seemed like frozen food, reheated .
Disgusting!
Seong Min purposely slipped his foot which was bended at his knee, kicking the plate towards the half wall. He didn't have to spell it out from words, that he was not hungry.
But despite his rudeness and the fiercest glares we managed to shoot, the Japanese chuckled. "You'll need that if you are going to run away." He smiled again. His English now better than before, as if he had assumed we wouldn't understand it back then. He was not offended at all, even for the slightest by any of our acts.
Had he heard our plans?
We stiffened. Dae Jeong blinked his eyes open, which he kept shut ever since that headache had begun, and Seong Min managed to swallow his saliva, as the Japanese oppa turned to Eun Hee.
"So, do you have those 'Allergy' pills with you?"
...
...
...
(Not in Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
If not for the occasional coo from an infant wrapped in blue blankets, the room was dead silent. The curtains were drawn, blocking the faint glows from streetlights and providing the cool and dark environment that was best for the cooing infant who was asleep in his appa's arms as his Noona nibbled their mother's breast taking her chance to be fed after the long hour of her twin.
Ga Eul had a glance over her daughter. Yi Jeong held the baby boy, kissing him, and hugging him, showing off his talents which lulled the baby with ease.
The room was saturated by the scent of the babies, and the love of their parents—Yi Jeong and Ga Eul, each cuddling one of their new bundles of joy near to their hearts and kissing them to their slumber.
A grin had spread across Yi Jeong's features, once a tiny hand wrapped around his index finger. So Young Soo had chosen that. Ha Neul first chose his thumb and Dae Jeong his little finger.
...
His face shadowed. There still were no news about him. His concerns drove him out from his musing on paternal love, that he felt a stare on him.
Yi Jeong looked up, and smiled at his wife—a silent way of thanking.
The door then slid open, allowing a line of light creep into the darkened room from the blinding lights of outside corridors.
"Ho ho..." a loud laughter pierced the silence and stirred the infants.
"Appa!" Ga Eul hissed, her head jerked towards the hurabeujji who was too excited being with his grandson, that he had almost forgotten the condition of the premise they had just entered.
Yi Jeong peeped above his shoulder and greeted his father-in-law with a smile.
"Oh, oh" the old man nodded with concern, and shushed himself and the giggling toddler.
Ha Neul first came to Yi Jeong who lowered the baby, so his hyung could have a good look at him.
"He's pink!" Ha Neul exclaimed. And the three adults screamed the shushing gesture, silently sharing a chuckle.
"Appa, what is his name?" He was never going to keep his voice down. Yi Jeong chuckled.
"Young Soo." He looked up at the curios toddler "Do you want to hold him?"
The toddler took few steps aback, and fiercely shook his head. "Ani."
Ga Eul chuckled, who was lovingly staring at the sight, they made. She was handing Young Mi over to her abeujji that she found herself caught in a gaze at the father helping his son to hold his baby brother.
"Come on, don't be afraid." Yi Jeong chuckled, and kept the baby on the toddler's outstretched arms, while holding his hands right beneath them, in order to aid him.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She chuckled and wiped them off.
Her smile stiffened.
Someone was missing.
"Sunbae, where's Dae Jeong?" she managed a whisper. "Didn't you pick him up?"
The room again went still. Mr. Chu looked up at Yi Jeong, who had gone stiff.
She was still unaware of what had happened.
The older man cleared his throat. "oh, h-he was asking to stay longer, they were in the middle of a game, after all." He let an awkward chuckle.
"A game?" Ga Eul wondered. Has he getting along with his friends at last... she smiled.
"B-But, it's probably time, we pick him up." He glanced at Yi Jeong and nodded. Yi Jeong taking the gesture, returned the act.
The toddler wholeheartedly handed back the scary pink creature, who was threatening to burst in to tears in any time.
Yi Jeong, after safely placing him back in his cot, gave a peck on his wife's cheek and another on their daughter's, as he waved Ha Neul good bye, before exchanging an assured nod with his father-in-law.
Sliding himself out from Ga Eul's room, to the busy corridor of the hospital, Yi Jeong allowed himself another weary sigh.
...
...
...
(Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
"Had he drunk that too?" Seong Min peeped above the sacks. The warehouse has now grown silent. After uri oppa had served them their tea, half an hour ago, it had been.
I took a look myself. He was right. Oppa was asleep in his own cloth recliner.
"Ah! My head..."
I sat back. Dae Jeong was clutching to his hair. His headache no longer seemed as an act.
"The coast's clear." I said. "Guaraedo, can you run like that?"
Dae Jeong took his time to answer. Meanwhile rubbing his palms on his forehead, struggling to open his eyes.
"Fire." He murmured.
"Mwo?" Seong Min scoffed.
"I see fire." He struggled to his feet. "We must go. Now. Or we'll all die."
Well, that was the same thing we were going to say. Yet, that somewhat firm ness in his voice held me back from remarking it.
"Dae Jeongah, you are burning!" Eun Hee who held his hand to aid him to his feet exclaimed.
" I am alright." He mumbled.
While Eun Hee helped him to stay on his feet, we had a final look at the forest of devils, who had fallen asleep here and there on their couches, recliners and some on floor, mouths gaped, hands hanging to the sides, still with their cigarettes or cards in grips, and snoring aloud, outside our protective barrier of sacks. We scanned the hall and identified the path we should head, to avoid the most of them.
With an assuring nod exchanged between me and Seong Min,
"Gaja!" He gave the signal for us to run.
I took the lead. Jumping over the corpse-like snoring men. Seong Min, being the tallest with the longest legs, passed me in no time while Eun Hee, squealing to every man who turned at her side managed stay on my heels.
I heard a lump been fallen. I glanced back. Dae Jeong had tripped himself on one of the men.
Great!
"When did you let go of him?"
I glared at Eun Hee, who jumped to the spot just besides me, as if the floor was lava.
"No one told me to hold onto him." She glared back at me.
I couldn't believe it. "You let him go?"
We didn't have any longer to bicker as the man, whom Dae Jeong had fallen onto, stirred awake.
He blinked his eyes and stared at us for a moment. For a moment there, I thought, ani, I begged, the pill would work and call him back to sleep. But instead, he roared into his voice and climbed to his feet.
Eun Hee and I froze at our spot. The man yelled something unknown and all the gang woke up. We were almost at its large opening and Seong Min was out of the warehouse. Yet, he had himself frozen on his spot as well.
The men were still battling with the pill, yet a shiver ran through me when the boss woke up. The other man pulled Dae Jeong upto his feet by his collar and literally wagged him at their boss.
"Boss!" it was the only word that I could figure out from what he yelled at the crowd. In part because it was Japanese, and in part because we were too terrified to think anything—our brains were gone out of function.
While all the drama took place, the Japanese oppa, had shaken himself and woken up. He was not drowsy nor struggling to keep his eyes open, as the rest of his gang did. He easily snatched Dae Jeong to himself, and pointed a gun at the one who held him before, who braved to shoot a glare at him.
The crowd went silent.
The oppa smiled benevolently, squeezing his eyes to a barely existing line.
"Ohayo gozaimas! (A very good morning to all of you)..." He greeted pointing the gun at the perplexed crowd, as if it was the sweetest thing to do. But I have to admit, his every move and act was so cool and relaxed, as if he knew, that the game was now in his hands.
"Dae Jeongah?" I muttered.
His neck in clasp of his other hand, Dae Jeong threw a look at me, still unable to completely open his eyes from his headache. And then at Seong Min who was standing at the door.
what are you waiting for?... "GA!"
He yelled.
Without hesitating for another second, me and Eun Hee took our feet and ran out.
...
...
...
(Not in Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
If someone had seen the Song heir from a distance, they would have seen a man in his thirties casually leaning against the wall, one hand coolly in his pocket, while the other engaged in a call.
"Good to hear that. Congrats bro." They would have seen the chuckle he had, but if not they were his closest, they wouldn't note the weariness nor the slight tremble in his voice. If not they were his closest, they wouldn't have known how energetic his best wishes were than the partly sigh he let then. Even when he greeted to the maids back on his way to the gathering of disrupted parents, they should have known him better to know that his smile had seen better days.
He let himself collapse into the couch, facing the Gu couple while the Yoons sat at the far corner of the room. The remaining youngsters were probably put to bed in one of the rooms upstairs, as the Gu mansion held its silence.
Woo Bin sighed. He gave a hard rub on his temples and then on his fear battered eyes. Dark circles lied beneath them, evidently and suggestively to let that sleepless night grow longer.
It was almost four in morning. And not a wink of sleep any of them had allowed themselves.
"Yi Jeong called." He said at last.
"What did he say?" The great Junpyo, now lost his confidence on his greatness, let out a squeak.
"Ga Eul and the twins are in good health, he said he is on his way."
"Any news?" JiHu called out from his corner.
"Ani. Nothing." He sighed again. "Like Jandi had said, the next thing we could do is paying them off and see whether that would make any difference. After all, they are striking for cash." He hesitated. " That would at least save the other three..." He purposely let it trail off.
"Shall I call secretary Jung, then?" Junpyo asked.
"You'd better." He didn't bother to look up.
Junpyo stood up leaving the room, calling the secretary to prepare the ransom.
Woo Bin scanned the room. "Has anyone seen Jaegyeong?" He looked at the doctor, as there was no point asking from the terrified women who were too carried away.
Jihu jerked his head towards the door. And with a final grunt, Woo Bin lifted himself and headed out of the room.
He didn't have to go much further as he saw his wife standing right besides the entrance.
"Jaegyeong..." he forced a smile.
But the woman stayed stiff. Her reddened eyes widened at his.
"Song Woo Bin." Her tone was nowhere near friendliness. Fury glared, hanging from its every consonant.
"If anything would happen to Hae Ryung, don't you dare to think I will forgive you."
It was a warning, for the Prince Mafia. A fiercest of its kind, which triggered shivers down his spines, and trembled his heart. That heart which thought to be immune for fear.
...
...
...
(Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
Run Run Run. That was the only word in my head. It went over and over, again and again, even as the sea breeze blew my hair on my face. Dae Jeong's scream echoed in my ears.
"GA!"
He was brave. He was brave than anyone else I have EVER seen. I was able to kill my pride with that realisation. Compared with him, I was nothing more than a selfish moron. A pathetic coward. The dumbest goldfish!
What are you waiting for?
That thought screamed out from his partly opened eyes, just before he yelled us to leave. Determination gleamed from them. That would probably be the last time we see him. Ani, Hae Ryung, don't think that way. We can call help. We can save him.
Tears ran down my cheeks. I wiped them off. I saw Seong Min doing the same. So it was not only me. Our pride was teased, our loyalty? Murdered.
In front of his bravery non of them dared to stand still. We are selfish. And he is perfect. Though it was hard to admit, that was the truth.
My mind drew every last scene of him with us.
Fire... I see fire...We must go. Now. Or we'll all die...
This isn't right. This isn't right. This just is NOT right! We are leaving him behind, Song Hae Ryung prepare to bury your bragging about loyalty!
Hm...think so. I too can smell the sea...
But what are these?...
They smell like fireworks...
I froze on my spot.
Eun Hee, unable to push her breaks, bounced on me. The sound made Seong Min turn around.
Fire?... FIRE!
"Ani." I mumbled. "there was gun powder inside right?! And... and if Seoshiro was going to_"
"_Aish..."
I didn't have to complete my sentence, Seong Min, unlikely for his dumbness but gladly for me, figured ot out. He came back running. And he ran pass us. "What are you waiting for?! Come on! We've got to save him!" He waved at me. Without further ushering I ran behind him. Eun Hee stood still. Hesitating.
"Eun Hee ah?!" Seong Min called.
"You two Ga! I'll go and call the police!"
With that, we departed in opposite ways. Eun Hee to the main road, me and Seong Min, back to the warehouse.
...
...
...
(Not in Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
–In Japanese–
"Agh! My head!" The boss roared. "You! How could you?" He blinked—an attempt to glare at the teenager, while struggling with the pill he had given him.
Seishiro turned at the gigantic man, who leaned on the couch to pull himself to his feet. "They had all ran out." He pulled a sombre face, glancing at the trail they left. "Your precious fortune givers..."
"You! What did you do to me?!" The man roared.
"Looks like they were indeed 'sleeping' pills after all. Didn't expect to be that effective though..." He shrugged. "So, what do you say? Wanna destroy your last bag of gold coins?" He tapped the gun head on Dae Jeong.
The man smirked. " How in the world are you wishing to face Yakuza ?"
The boy laughed louder. "The funny thing is, they are not going to ask me." The clicking sound echoed in the hall, when the cock was raised in his gun. " You are going to give me the guard key, and I will do some 'rearranging' to our database."
"They will find you."
"They will not. In fact, they won't even know if I had existed." The boy again smiled. "So what do you say? In exchange of one bag of coins, another? Seems like a fair deal for me?"
The men seemed hesitant. But somehow when their boss commanded, they became confident.
Seishiro became concerned, as his circle was disclosing. "Stay back!" the boy yelled, and glanced at the curved fort of sacks that were piled in all three corners of the hall. An idea had hit him.
Dae Jeong still struggling with the headache and the teenage arm which almost strangled his throat, managed a look at the man nearest to them, who held another eyes widened, as the gun fired.
Seishiro pulled Dae Jeong along with him, as he jumped aside, barely missing the shot. He saw a sparkle shone on an edge of a sack. For a second there, he managed a smirk, "Nice shot."
The sparkle ignited to flame, and blasted their ears. The shock wave threw them out. A wave blown from the blast rode the ocean they fell. The warehouse, in a DOOM! Exploded. With all the ones in it.
...
...
...
The parents didn't hesitate for a second when their phones all rang at once. Not even bothering to pull their coats nor to call their drivers, they ran to their cars and spun their keys. The three hour ride to the coastline was suffocating their breaths.
They were almost tripping over their own feet, when they ran to the police station, where they found two girls loudly crying with reddened faces and another damped boy half crying and half shivering even under the numerous blankets he was offered.
"Dae Jeong?" Yi Jeong managed to spell out, as soon as he caught his breath.
"He was taken to the hospital." An officer calmly stated. "He had been blown to the ocean from the blast, but praise this little swimmer, who had saved him." He chuckled gesturing at the trembling curly haired boy. "But he was burning with fever even when we met him. So, the medics took him to the Saejong hospital"
Yi Jeong didn't ask for further ushering that he ran out and headed to the hospital.
"Appa! Will he die? He didn't wake up when I slapped him. Will he die? I don't want him to die!" Seong Min cried loud. The other two children accompanied him with his wailing in no time.
"Aish! Just stop that nonsense." Junpyo pulled him to a tight hug.
"What was this 'blast' you told?" it was JiHu.
The officer cleared his throat. "Seems like a conflict had aroused between them. A wild gunshot had blasted their warehouse which happened to be a store house for gunpowder." He allowed a sigh of relief. "Praise their luck, for still being alive. And their bravery." he smiled. " They are very brave indeed."
With another dismissive smile and a shake of his head, the officer left the sniffing kids to be united with their parents at last.
–to be continued.
For what Myrslayer asked back in her review:
why the Japanese Mafia kidnapped all of the F4 juniors?
Hae Ryung–for revenge.
The other three–for ransom. plus they could probably traffic them and earn from that too. They are a small mafian group who were struggling for money, under the great Yakuza. And if the Song were unable to take an action against them, then the other three families definitely can't. They were not going to let go of the golden opportunity after all. ( I hope I made it more clearer in this chapter:)
I hope that explains.
:)