Author's note: Hi!!! I'm back and ready to write! Lol. Okay, okay. I'm being goofy. Sorry guys for not writing chapter 4 sooner. I've been so busy its not even funny. Plus the fact that I'd lost what inspiration I had to write… -_- so sad. Well, I'll just have to do my best! So here I go:
CHAPTER 4
"Did you hear the news about 'Sponge'?"
"No, why? Is there gonna be a concert soon?"
"Like totally! It's gonna be here in Seoul!"
"No way! Awesome!"
"I know! My dad said I can go for my birthday this month. I so can't wait."
"You're so lucky. First off, you come from the L1 colonies, you're folks are rich, and you're the only seven year old I know who gets to go to concerts. My mom only lets my big sisters go."
"I'm not always that lucky. Hey, Ginta, isn't that your Dad? I think he's lookin' for ya." The small sandy haired boy pointed behind Ginta at a tall business looking man with slicked back black hair. Ginta was almost an exact duplicate of his father, minus the height and the slicked back hair. Ginta's hair was more of a 'skater boy' look. Much like the sandy haired boy's. "Hi Mr. Chae!"
"Aww, man." The other whined."
"Hey boys. Sorry, but it's time for Ginta to go home now. Maybe we can get together another time, 'kay?" Mr. Chae smiled kindly at the two boys and put a hand on his son's shoulder.
Heh, typical TV family. To bad mine's not that way. You have no clue how much you have that I don't, Ginta. "Alright. See ya later, Ginta!" The boy waved as the two walked off.
"See ya, Li!" Ginta waved back as his friend went down into the subway station.
Li sat down at an empty spot on the stairs where they had once been talking. He snuggled up into his large black coat, keeping the chilled wind from entering. He looked up at the sky with his emerald green eyes with sadness. "I wish people would quit thinking I'm so great. Being rich isn't everything." He sighed. "I wonder if the Gundam Pilots would understand me." His eyes began to sparkle. All my dreams would come true if I ever met a Gundam Pilot. It's been my dream to meet one!
~*~
"So he told him he wanted to hear from the boy sooner?"
"Got that right. I bet that ex-Gundam Pilot's quaking in his boots now! Ha ha."
"Man…I'd hate to be him. Especially since he has no way to get paid."
"Heh, yeah. Speakin' of money. Do you think we'll be gettin' paid soon?"
"Who knows. Mr. Soo's always been strange about the days he pays his employees. I think he just does it to get under our skin."
"Please…I know he does it to get under our skin." A man stated irritated.
"…"
Two men, one about 5'9", and the other 6'1", were standing at the edge of the stairs at the subway stop in trench coats and work suits. Each held a cup of coffee in their hands, chatting away the day's events.
"Do you know where that pilot's at, now that he was kicked out of the Benesville Apartments?" The tall one asked curiously.
"Something about staying with that odd American at Dragon Hill Inn."
"The one that burst into Mr. Soo's office earlier?"
"Yup."
"Odd."
"Yup."
"Where do you get all this info?"
"It helps when you work right outside the old man's office, pal." The short man laughed heartily and was soon joined by his friend.
"What an awful predicament…awful."
~*~
Li couldn't believe it. Did he really hear them right. A Gundam Pilot? Here? Dragon Hill Inn?
He stayed calm and pretended no to be listening as the two men droned on. It sounded like whoever the pilot was, he was in for it big—money-wise too. I never thought they'd show themselves in public. I wonder if it was an accident. Not everyone would just talk about them openly like this. Especially since the war is over.
As the two men slowly began to walk off, Li began to pick himself up and head down the stairs into the station. Maybe I can find him myself! Oh man, God must really be on my side this time! The boy leapt with joy at the thought of possibly meeting one of his five all-time heroes. This is sooo awesome!! He quickly ran towards the large wall map with information on the subway stops. "Okay…" he mumbled, "Dragon Hill Inn is located inside the Yongsan military post. Wait—" He growled in realization. "How in the world can I get in there?! I have to have and ID first." He stomped his foot and spun around to lean on the wall. His eyes searched fiercely for an answer as passengers from the incoming train rushed past. He finally let out the breath he was holding, and, with the wide eyed stares of almost everyone in the station, yelled out in Japanese, "Why does it have to be so blasted hard to find a freakin' Gundam Pilot now-a-days!!!"
~*~
After the chilling phone call, Heero had no choice but to go with Duo and Hilde to Itaewon. He had to see what was out there for a job—and fast. He seethed inwardly as they got off the train at the Itaewon station. He followed the loudly talking German and American couple towards the exit.
"Why does it have to be so blasted hard to find a freakin' Gundam Pilot now-a-days!!!"
Heero immediately spotted the voice's owner. The boy, no older than eight was now squatting down frustrated at the side of the wall. He had sandy brown hair that was in a sort of loose 'skater boy' 'bowl' cut. He wore a baggy red cardigan sweater, covered up mostly by a black coat. His baggy blue jeans and brown boots completed his childish 21st century look. The boy sighed and looked up, catching Heero's gaze with his own. His bright emerald eyes looked dulled with disappointment.
Slowly, forgetting about Duo and Hilde, Heero walked towards the kid. He stood in front of him and spoke in his own familiar language. "What would you want with a Gundam Pilot?"
The boy jumped. He had noticed the guy, but it really hadn't struck him when he saw him heading towards him at first. And then the fact that he spoke Japanese didn't help his nerves either. "W-who are you?" he stood up against the wall to try and hide his fear. His eyes set into a scowl.
"That's for me to know. I want to know what you want with a Gundam Pilot." He smirked inwardly seeing how the boy dealt with his fear.
The boy just shrugged. "Oh…" he looked around nonchalantly. "Maybe I have some business to do with them. Nothing you would understand though." He looked straight into the older boy's eyes as a challenge.
Heh, the boys got spunk. Too bad he's an idiot. "Fooling around like that can get you killed you know. There are many bad men who'd like to get a hold of whatever information you've got, kid."
"Oh really? Like who? You?" The boy smirked.
"What's you're name." His face changed back into an unreadable mask.
The boy winced noticing the change. "Why?" He leaned farther back on the wall.
"Hn. You're pretty smart for your age." He turned around and began to head towards the pair he left waiting impatiently at the end of the stairs. "Too bad, kid. Whatever you wanted to tell that Pilot, you're just gonna have to save it. Go home to your parents."
The boy looked up in shock. How dare he! Who does he think he is bossing me around like that! He clenched his fists in anger. "My name's Li!" He jumped from his spot with a new strength. "Li Yuy! And don't you ever forget it!"
Heero stopped stunned. What the--?! But, before he could turn around and question him, the boy was gone.
~*~
Duo paced impatiently at the bottom of the stairway, "Geez. First he doesn't wanna go, then he forces us to hurry and get going, and now he's off pickin' arguments in Japanese with some odd kid who likes screamin' in subway stations…"
"Oh come off it Duo. The kid probably said something he wanted to know about."
Duo gave her a sly look, "And can you possibly come up with a reason why the great Wing Gundam Pilot would want to talk to some 'kid', eh?"
Hilde just gave him a glare. As soon as she was about to say something she noticed the sandy haired kid yell out at Heero and run off. After a short pause, Heero walked over to the two.
"What the heck was that about. Have you met him before?"
"It's none of your business." He walked right passed them. "Come on. You're the one who suggested coming out here in the first place."
"Well doesn't he have some nerve…" Hilde grumbled and forcefully tagged along with Duo snickering and chanting "Told ya so!" the whole way up the stairs.
~*~
"Ten thousan' won, I sell it to you fo' ten thousan', no?"
"Hm…" Hilde turned to Duo while holding up a beautifully hand-crafted tassel. "What do you think?" she held the yellow embroidered object in the air for him to see.
"What's it for?"
She stared at him blankly, "It's a tassel. You hang it."
"Okay…what's it mean?
"How'm I supposed to know that?"
"It Korean wedding tassel. Traditional. For good luck!" A short elderly lady came hobbling forward, taking the tassel out of Hilde's hands.
"Hey—"
"How 'bout seven thousan' won? I make betta'?" Her strong Korean-accented voice filled the small space, or, what they called a store.
Duo scratched his chin and looked at the tassel, then at Hilde, then back at the tassel. "That's an awful lot for some hangin' thing, 'specially when you're not getting married anytime soon. I would hardly buy it if it were three thousand won."
O.O == Hilde. He did not just say that to me!! How dare he say that to me!! Hilde began to take deep breaths.
"Hilde?"
In. Out. In. Out.
"Um, Hilde, babe?"
The only response was a death glare that almost rivaled the 'master' of death glares, and for Hilde, that's pretty bad.
Duo sweat-dropped, "Well, you know what? Why don't you go ahead and buy that thing—err—tassel—that wonderful Korean wedding tassel—yeah…and actually—here—" He quickly gave the old woman a ten thousand won bill and grabbed the tassel, neatly tucking it in Hilde's coat pocket made a sprint out the door.
Hilde calmly tried to stop herself from running after him.
" 'Merican boy. He like. He like." The older woman smiled widely while pointing in Hilde's direction.
"Wha--?"
"That boy have big love." She again pointed to her, grinning madly, "You go."
Hilde finally managed to understand what the woman was talking about and turned beat red. "Heh, heh, you know what. I think I will go…" Home… She sprinted out the door.
~*~
It was getting dark in Itaewon and the lights and flashing billboards from the streets were glowing intensely. The streets were becoming even more crowded than earlier, if that was even possible to imagine. It was like New York times two in that one small area. Fortunately, one person was able to get out of the crowd just in time. The young man sat in a chair beside the second story window of a Korean version of McDonalds gazing out at the crowd. His Prussian blue eyes skimmed the crowd with experience. He noticed everything. Clothes. Hair styles. And even eye colors. But one thing he couldn't find was the boy. Li Yuy. And neither could he find a job. Not a decent one anyway. He had talked to shoe salesmen, Fish salesmen, clothes salesmen, and just about every 'salesman' Korea had to offer. He sighed and leaned back into his chair. One prussian eye glared at the reflection of himself in the window. Prior to taking a nap at the inn, he had changed into a much warmer hunter green sweater with the words "G Wing" gracefully embroidered in white. He wore a comfortable pair of blue jeans and black walking boots to match. His Dark brown hair fell wildly into his face. It was the same way as usual. He sighed again. Why am I just sitting here like this. I should be out there. If I don't get out and find a way to pay-up soon, I'm dead. He frowned, But since when did I ever care about what some no good CEO had to say about my life? Heero stood up and pushed the chair under the table. As he turned to leave, he was stopped by a sign on the wall. It was written in Hangul: "Employees Needed. All hours available."
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: Hiya! I hope you didn't mind this chapter. It's a little more on introduction of Characters still. The next chapter should have a bit more action and confusion (good confusion) in it ^.~! Well, it would really help if I had more reviews, tips and so on. Oh! And thank you Aislin Oriel for correcting me, I was wondering why it didn't look right ^.^;; whoops…I love to get reviews, good and bad. I don't care if its just to tell me "give up", at least I know whats goin on ^.^ lol. Well, I'll talk to ya'all in Inconceivable Luck 5 (and yes, there will be some luck to come in, so don't worry ^.~)!
~*~ A Sakuran Dream ~*~