Hae Soo

The door shut behind So and Soo pressed a hand to her heart as it pounded so hard she thought it would scare her baby.

Left behind in her desolate home, she tried to comprehend what had happened and what was going to happen. She still ached with worry over her children, but knowing Wook would never hurt them gave her some semblance of peace.

Which left her enough mental capacity to think of Wang So.

He was more muscular than she remembered, but that might be attributed to him actually having a gym membership now instead of having to make due with his homemade routines under her employ. His hair was longer and Soo thought of the new little habit he had of pushing it back when it fell in his eyes.

She wavered at the thought of his long, delicate fingers pushing back her hai-

"Enough, Hae Soo," she said to herself. Snapping herself out of her own reverie, she walked out of the foyer and found her way into the sitting room where she and So had reunited. Their tea had gone cold ages ago, but Soo still picked her cup up once more, lifting it with its saucer and taking a sip.

The cool wash of bitter flavors gave her hormonal mind something to focus on other than the gentle, sensuous touch of a returned lover. There was nothing between them anymore, and though she longed for So to return and hold her the way he had when they were together, Soo knew that that was nothing more than a fantasy.

And fantasies died quickly in the real world.

Looking out at the seat he had occupied, Soo thought of how much he must have suffered at her words when she forced him away and out of her house without so much as a "goodbye."

Monster, she had called him. Monster.

And now she hired him to return her children to her because she trusted him more than anyone else in the world. A monster would never take that offer. A monster would never smile when she insinuated he might murder Wook.

Soo was wrong to have ever called him that. All of her attempts to push him out of her heart and forget about him failed every time she tried to get over him. A million, billion little ideas on how to get over Wang So had cluttered ehr mind since the moment he left, but they never came to fruition.

And then she realized she was carrying his child inside of her. Her baby did not even have a nickname this late into term because she could not bring herself to come up with one without its father. When Mi, Lily Flower, and Yoon were in her belly, she and Wook had come up with their nicknames together. Soo did not want to break that tradition now.

She needed to tell Wang So of his baby. And if he forgave her for her sins, she would beg him to stay with her and raise their baby together. If he did not want to be with her, then she knew he would want to be there for their child. So deserved to raise his baby and love his baby.

And Soo owed him that much.

You kicked a lot when your daddy came, she thought idly, rubbing her belly and sighing. Alone in her large, desolate house, Soo could not bear the silence that engulfed her and threatened to drown her.

She called for Chae Ryung to bring her a jacket, donning it on her way through the house. The back entrance beckoned toward her and Soo opened the door and stepped into the cool autumn breeze.

Trekking through soft, wilting grass that mushed beneath her feet, Soo walked over to the three shrines that withstood rain, shine, sleet, and snow. The three temples she had carefully stacked for her children guarded her from the wind as she knelt before them.

Holding her back to balance herself, Soo found a comfortable position on the ground and sat with her legs in a pretzel. Her gods would forgive her for not kneeling.

Breathing deeply, she looked at her shrines and began to pray.

Wang So

He drove in silence, adhering to traffic laws and taking the easiest, quickest routes he knew. But even his knowledge of back alleys and shortcuts did not save him from the horrid traffic that held Seoul in a chokehold. It would get worse in the evening.

There were few things that went through his mind on his way to a job, but this time was different. So stared out at the cluttered streets that mirrored his mind and thoughts. He thought of Soo, of her children, of the future, of himself. He did his best to clear his mind and remember all he had looked up about the area.

All of his research was stockpiled in his mind. The apartment was a total of thirty stories and Wook lived on the seventh floor. There were two apartments per floor, and the camera layout was medieval at best. For an apartment complex in Seoul, So wondered why the security around it was so poor. There had to be a reason why it was so scantily watched and why Wook chose to buy an apartment there instead of renting.

"Can't let his face be seen… Can't be noticed… Owns an apartment too big for one… Take the kids there for privacy… Wants to raise them there…" So's voice conveyed his disbelief as he thought aloud, and he scoffed hard. Slamming his foot onto the brakes, So removed his left hand from the steering wheel and pressed his elbow against the window, leaning into it and pressing his fingertips to his upper lip.

"He took his children to the place where he fucked his mistress."

Traffic began to move again, and So followed it. He wove a complex pattern between the cars, diving in and out in his attempt to reach the girls as quickly as possible. Driving with complete ease, he tried to formulate an in and an out. Wook knew his face, but So could not wear anything to cover it because the girls would never go anywhere with a stranger. That meant that So would have to go in with his face exposed, trusting that Soo would deal with the fallout from Wook.

Camera footage could be deleted, but memory could not. So would go in with his life in Soo's hands and come out dead or alive. It all depended on how much she still loved him.

His heart ached as he thought of how this would be the last light of freedom for him. Finally, his bloodstained hands would free two children and return them to their mother, who would then make sure he rotted in prison for the rest of his life. So did not expect Soo to keep him around. Wook would recognize him and hang him from the rafters for kidnapping his daughter. All Soo had to do was dust her hands of him and let Wook take over. Once Soo had her children back, all she had to do was protect them from Wook.

The pain in his heart made So gulp hard. He tried to imagine Soo having mercy on him, but that was a hard sight to behold. She loved her children, and she had once loved him just as she had loved Wook. But So knew that his hands were too bloodstained for her to be able to hold again.

He could beg and beg, but she would never relent.

Pulling his car into the wide parking lot of the older apartment complex, So opened his window when a gate blocked his way. He leaned toward the intercom as a grainy voice asked to know his business.

"I'm here for building 109 apartment 501!" So shouted at the intercom. He lied about the address, but the fewer traces of his presence were left, the harder it would be for Wook to indict him on harder charges… or for Soo to do the same.

"If you're going to stay overnight, please make sure to come by and get a parking sticker!" the guard called out to him. So leaned toward him and bowed. The guard at the office by the gate gave him a nod, and So switched the gears in his car to move forward as the gate rose. No one gave him a second glance.

So drove into the above-ground parking lot, popped his glove compartment, and shuffled past papers, gum, and a pocket knife in order to grasp a black pair of gloves. He pulled them on without a second thought, taking his usual precautions to park in an area where there were no cameras. That was easy in this neighborhood.

One more dig through the glove compartment and So pulled out a couple zip ties he had thrown in earlier. Those went into his pocket.

Soo's car slid into a area shaded by trees, and So left the vehicle. He walked with purpose, massaging the crevices in the gloves to ensure a tighter fit and make sure they would not slip.

Suddenly, Soo was not on his mind. He focused solely on the task at hand and took a fast-paced stride towards the building where he knew Wook had taken the girls. If they were not home, he would wait until they arrived. If they were home, then he would take them and drive them back to Soo before coming back to clean up.

Carrying no weapons, So felt unnaturally bare. This was the first time he went in without previous scouting, without taking weapons with him, and without any solid plan. Anything could happen, and that put So at unease.

The first barrier to entry was the front code at the main door of the building. So closed his eyes and recalled from memory the mastercode he had lifted after looking into the complex's main server.

9010#1144#

He punched in the code and proceeded forward when the glass front doors slid open to welcome him in. There was no one in the main floor of the building, and So found the elevators with ease.

The school day was over, but it was not yet dinnertime. The elevator was as desolate as the first floor, and So pressed the button for Wook's floor and did not bother hiding his face.

The camera in the elevator faced the door, but the mirrors on the walls made it impossible for the lens to miss a single detail. Not bothering to look at his own reflection, So inhaled a long breath and exhaled another just as long.

When the doors opened, So exited the elevator to be faced with two identical doors. While the one on the left contained a barren hallway, the one on the right had two adult bikes locked in front.

So went left and rang the doorbell.

Listening to the soft pinging of the call sent from door to in-house system, he waited until the camera light flashed on and a very familiar voice demanded, "what are you doing here?"

He looked into the camera. "Soo sent me," he said truthfully. "She'd like the girls back. Open the door, please, or I'll put the code in and walk in."

Holding his breath, So prayed that Wook would open the door. His plan relied heavily on keeping the girls calm by not letting them see their father be cuffed and locked in a room. The wait for the door to unlock was agonizing, and So braced himself accordingly. If Wook opened the door, then So would make sure Mi or Yoon were not behind him before pouncing. If Wook did not open the door, then So would key the code in and intrude.

The lock made a grinding noise as it turned, and when the door moved toward him, So pushed his weight onto his back foot as Wook appeared before him. The politician's exterior looked as it always did: tidy, well kempt, and well groomed. His hair was short, the shirt and tie he wore designer, and the gray slacks on his legs casual. He looked ready to change and enjoy his evening at home, and So knew it was up to him to make sure that did not happen.

Neither of the girls were behind him and without a second thought, So launched his weight onto Wook, slamming into him and forcing them both stumbling into the house. "Where are the girls?" So demanded as Wook struggled to right himself. So had the superior strength, but Wook was by no means an easy opponent.

A fist swung at him but So dodged, and he used his shoe to kick Wook's bare feet apart. Using his palm to administer a controlled blow to Wook's throat, So knocked the wind out of him and proceeded to administer a swift jab into the stomach that made the politician crumple forward and rest his head against So's shoulder in a coughing fit. Wook's hands forgot how to attack and instead held at his throat as he wheezed, suddenly forgetting that he was relying on his attacker to stand.

Slipping a hand into the back of his jeans, So removed a zip tie and pulled Wook's hands away from his throat. Grunting, he forced Wook's unwilling arms to move and tied his wrists with the white plastic. "Stay quiet so you don't scare them," So said in Wook's ear. The politician jerked away from him but So held fast. Wook kept his mouth shut, and So hit his chest once to knock him off balance just long enough to keep him silent for a few minutes.

The nearest room was right beside the door and So hauled Wook into it, ignoring the stacked bags of dry cleaning that held women's clothing. He already knew what this apartment was used for, and looking at reminders only made him angry.

Wook's fingers scrabbled at his wrists and So saw fire in the politician's eyes as he helped him into a chair. "You can find your daughters with Hae Soo," So said. Wook wheezed hard and So walked away.

He found another chair in the dining room, where dinner looked half ready. The balcony doors were open to let the smell of grilled fish out. "They're here, huh?" And yet he saw no sign of them.

Carrying the chair to the door to the room he kept Wook in, So rammed it beneath the doorknob to prevent Wook from shoving his way out before So got there. Using his last zip tie, he locked the handle and the chair together.

Then, he walked through the house toward the other bedrooms. Three bedrooms meant that if Wook was in one, then the girls were in the others.

A glance into the second bedroom told him they were in the master bedroom.

And he was right.

When So pushed open the door to the master bedroom, he found the girls sitting on the bed in their schoolclothes. The TV loudly blared cartoons that captured the girls' attention right until he entered the room. They turned towards him with big eyes full of apprehension before beaming when they recognized him. "Mr. So!"

So could not believe the amount of relief that washed over him when he looked at the two little girls he'd not seen on months. Mi's hair was longer and Yoon was so much taller. They'd both grown so much, that it felt like he was looking at different people entirely.

"Time to go home, little girls, your mommy says your sleepover with Daddy is over." He gave them both his biggest smile, but while Yoon eagerly jumped off the bed to run and hug his legs, Mi gave him an apprehensive look.

"Where's my dad?" she asked. "He said he was answering the door…"

"Wook went on a walk," So said. "Mommy sent me to get you guys."

She seemed less than convinced, and with a time limit set on how long So could keep a fully functional, healthy man subdued with zip ties, he needed her to be little lips pursed in a frown as she looked him up and down.

"What's the password?" Mi demanded.

So did not have to rack his brain for the password Soo had given him as he left. "She said it was 'penguin.'"

Mi's smile lit up the room and So walked over to pat her shoulder. "C'mon little girl, time to go home. Get your backpack and make sure your sister gets hers too."

He spoke with as little urgence as possible even though it was only a matter of time before the girls found out that their father was not actually on a walk, but locked inside the spare bedroom. Every second that passed was one second closer to Wook freeing himself.

Holding Yoon's hand, So grabbed her backpack from her when she reappeared, and when Mi shouldered her blazer, So took her backpack as well. The two designer satchels in his hand weighed nothing, but the fear of the girls being traumatized by their captive father made his pulse hammer in his throat.

"Come on, little girls," he said gently. He kept both hands on their shoulders and herded them into the shoe closet. Using the shoe horn, So slid his socked feet into his discarded shoes.

"Why are the shoes all over the place?" asked Mi as she sat and reached for one of her white and pink sneakers. So knelt and placed the bags on the floor to pick Yoon up once her shoes were on the wrong feet.

"I tripped on my way in."

Shoes on, Mi placated, and Yoon in arm, So opened the door with the same hand he held two backpacks in and led Mi out. In his rush, he had forgotten to call the elevator, so that resulted in another waste of time. They waited in the hallway between the two homes, watching the numbers on the top of the elevator slowly tick up to their floor.

Carrying Yoon, So pressed his spine to the cold door to keep it shut while they waited for the elevator. Mi stood by the elevator doors, her curious eyes still staring straight at him. He offered her a smile, but she frowned back at him. Her eyes reflected suspicion, and her bottom lip jutted out.

In the elevator, Yoon's little hands found their way into his hair and So chuckled as the youngest mumbled and played around. Relief let his shoulders relax just a bit, and So breathed knowing they were out of immediate danger of being caught by Wook. Even if Wook sprinted down the stairs to the first floor, So would have the children in his car before Wook reached the ground.

It was in the elevator that So realized how much he missed being with both girls. There was something about Yoon tugging his hair that brought back sweet memories of his time driving them around.

"New hair?" she asked. Her

"Do you like it?" So smiled through his fears when her little bottom squirmed on his arm and she rubbed his hair with the flat of her hand.

"So… ugly!"

Nevermind.

Still overloaded with anxiety in the event that Wook was following them on the stairs, So did his best not to show the children that he was on edge. Thankfully, Mi did not connect to his emotions in the way she did with Soo.

"I think Mommy will be very very happy to see you both!" He tried to speak to Mi, who gave him a small smile and a nod.

And she was. When they arrived back home, Soo ran out the front door and collected her children in her arms, slowly falling to her knees as she hugged them both so close that they giggled and squirmed.

Watching from afar, So kept himself pressed against the door of the car as Soo gave her girls kisses before telling them to go inside. Her smiles were endless, but as the girls obeyed and sprinted to where Chae Ryung waited with the front door open, Soo's smile faded.

She stood from the ground with her hands holding her back and So fell prey to instinct and ran over. He chided himself, but when her slim hand took his and used it as support to stand, he let himself grasp her knuckles just a bit before letting her hand slip.

"Thank you for bringing them back," Soo said quietly. She smelled so nice up close, and So smiled as she looked down and gave a small laugh. "I… I'm so grateful for your efforts."

"You know I'd do anything for you and those little monkeys." So wanted to touch her, but he kept his hands by his side. Now, her perfect family was back together. She had her children, and now they were away from Wook. Soo had all the pieces to start over again. And as much as So wanted to stay, he had somewhere else to be.

"Soo," So said quietly. "I need to go back to Wook. I tied him and locked him in a room… and if he hasn't gotten out of it yet, then I need to go free him."

He did not expect Soo to giggle, but her laughter was not unwelcome. Suddenly, it felt like the brick wall between them was gone. That imaginary line in which they had vowed never to cross again disappeared, and they were close once more. "You tied him up?" she asked, pressing a hand over her lips to hide her smile. She quickly composed herself once more, but her grin remained, and So mirrored that expression. "Yes, please go free my ex-husband. And come back, okay? I have something for you."

Curiosity blended with excitement, and happiness appeared out of the blue as he realized she was inviting him back. After everything was done, he was allowed to return to see her again, and that made him ecstatic.

"Will you wait for me to come back?" So asked, a rush of bravery overcoming the weight on his tongue. Soo's eyes met his and she nodded her head.

"I've waited a long time to see you again. What's another hour?"

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hug her. He wanted to apologize and beg her to take him back.

"Mommy! I wanna have ice cream!" Screamed a little girl from the front door. So glanced over Soo's shoulder and sighed, unable to scrounge up the annoyance to leer at Mi, who held Chae Ryung's hand and peeked out the door.

Soo turned on one heel and put her hands on her hips. "Not until after dinner, young lady!"

Chuckling, So took his cue and walked back over to the car. "I'll be back, Soo," he called out to her. She heard him, but whatever she said was lost as he shut the car door beside him and muffled the words that left her mouth.

When he arrived at Wook's front door for a second time, it was with a lighter heart.

That flighty feeling quickly dissipated when So looked at the handle to Wook's front door. The dark gray handle was gone - likely smashed off judging by the way it sat in shambles the corner. So's gloved hands fell out of his pockets and he pushed the door open, rushing in to the sound of a scuffle.

His mind ran a million miles a minute as he tried to piece together what was going on. Obviously he had been followed, but who would follow him and try to get to Wook?

The apartment was a mess, and So followed the sound of shouting, his shoes clacking against the wood floors. It was in the living room that So arrived to the sight of Won Seok madly slashing a knife around and forcing Wook backwards. They stood on the wide balcony, and Won Seok shouted something as Wook avoided being cut by the weapon.

With the element of surprise on his side, So made eye contact with Wook, whose fearful expression only faltered for a moment. Wook's back touched the edge of the balcony, and Won Seok angrily shouted that Wook had cost him his job.

Lunging for Won Seok, So grabbed the hand he held the knife with and swiftly removed it without any damage. Won Seok shouted in surprise and So grabbed the man's collar and jerked him backward, but he was not fast enough.

Won Seok punched Wook in the chest with his left hand and kicked him backwards, forcing the politician to lose his balance.

"Wook!" So shouted. He let go of Won Seok for a moment in a futile attempt to grab the politician out of the air. His breathing stopped and his adrenaline rushed as he reached forward and caught the tip of Wook's collar with his gloved hand before it slipped away.

Wook collided legs-first onto the concrete below with a gut-wrenching crack that echoed throughout the buildings, and So was already moving. It took four seconds for Wook to drop, and in those four seconds So was already on Won Seok's tail.

Picking the knife off of the floor, he went after the accountant, who scrambled to leave the apartment. So caught him in an instant and dragged him backward, careful to make sure he did not fall completely.

"You think I'm letting you go? You saw my face and you didn't run."

So turned the knife upside down as Won Seok screamed and begged. Everything went quiet in So's mind and he shoved the knife into Won Seok's throat in a single, fluid thrust. He did not remove the knife or push it any deeper than it wanted to go. The metal split through skin and muscle so easily that when he let go of Won Seok and the idiot pulled the knife out, it slid out and clattered onto the floor as the backdrop for the waterfall of blood that erupted from the accountant's throat.

Leaving Won Seok to die from an apparent suicide, So sprinted for the elevator. Suddenly, he could hear his heart hammering in his ears as he realized he needed to save Wook. His job was not done until he made sure Wook was alright.

So's stomach sank as he counted the number of floors above ground they were, but that did not stop him from repeated stabbing the button to shut the elevator doors in an attempt to get there just a bit faster.