𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑬 | 𝐊. 𝐆𝐖 - 𝐱𝐱𝐱. 𝐇𝐲𝐠𝐠𝐞

Array
(
[text] =>

___________________

Nari did not think she was a bad person.

She had her moments of course but she wouldn’t consider herself to be one. But the more she thought about, the more she came to terms with the position she was in. Maybe she was.

Im Jang-do’s screams still rang vividly in her ears as she sped down the highway, the two cars following swiftly behind as they made their way back to the Choi household. Nari decided she wanted her bike, she needed some air and some moment of reprieve to process everything.

Nari was not a bad person.

But she felt like one. She had dragged Geon-woo and Woo-jin into this façade, decided to ignore the dishonest lifestyle her family dabbled in and she didn’t come to Jang-do’s aid as he pleaded, screamed and grovelled for his life. She merely turned away.

Was that the qualities of a bad person?

Kim Myeong-gil was a bad person, that she knew for sure. Im Jang-do too had done some pretty awful stuff but so did Yang-jung, Du- yeong and Mr Choi to reach the position they were in now. She was an accomplice to murder, torture, trespassing, the lot. But her intentions were pure right? She was doing it for the better good?

She was not a bad person… right?

After she had retreated to the room, Jang-do’s screams became muffled, she couldn’t seem to find it in herself to hate any of them. Because without them she would be dead and it would’ve been Myeong-gil’s  fault. Hell, had she not fought Jang-do and won, he would’ve killed her too. So why was she feeling guilty. They did not deserve her guilt or sympathy. Nari knew she had blood on her hands, she knew she could never go back from what she’d done to ensure her family’s survival and she simply did not care.

So if that made her a bad person than so be it. She was tired of letting people like Myeong- gil ruin her life. She would do worse if it came to it. She had to. For her family. For herself. But most of all, for her mother.

Revenge would be sweet.

“Here, one more wouldn’t hurt”

“You will turn her into an alcoholic” Yang-jung said, disgruntled as Du-yeong handed her another glass, his eyes shimmering with an equally bright smile as he wiggled the drink in Nari’s face.

“She will not” Du-yeong scoffed as he poured Yang-jung one too. “There is no need to be uptight. Things have turned in our favour and soon Myeong-gil is done for” the man said to his friend, shoving an orange into his mouth before propping the glass into his hand. Yang-jung shot him daggers in return, mouth upturned in an orangey smile.

“He has a point” Nari mused, leaning over as she sipped at her drink.

The atmosphere was light, all dressed down in comfort, they had shared a drink or few together. Woo-jin had his head thrown back, his laughter ringing airily through the room as Geon-woo held himself propped against the older man, a fizzy drink in hand and Nari wanted to question why he didn’t drink but she left it for another time seeing how happy he looked in this present moment.

 She simply could not look away. He was so captivatingly beautiful that she couldn’t understand how he had remained alone all this time.

His black hair was hanging before his eyes, faded scars and healing wounds on his face but his smile. Gosh, Nari couldn’t help but flutter whenever he smiled. It was perfection personified. Smile lines and dimples, eyes glowing as if he held galaxies within them. She was so enthralled that her glass nearly slipped from her fingers before she caught herself.

Turning back to Du-yeong who narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously before it jumped to her person of interest when he realised. Rather comically, his mouth fell open dramatically, his pointer finger around his glass lifting accusatory while his head bounced between the two.

“Oh my-”

“NO!” Nari hissed, lurching to slam her hand over his mouth as he continued to stare wide eyed at her. Nari flushed when they all turned to the pair. Yang-jung raised his brow, unamused and questioning as Nari dragged a dazed and wasted Du-yeong to the side, not meeting the eyes of anyone, much less Geon-woo who stared after her like she was gold.

” He? You?” Du-yeong accused in a harsh whisper, stammering as he tried to process the connection. “You like Geon-woo” he whispered rough in her ear, leaning down drunkenly as they stood in the corner.

“Can you make it any less obvious?” Nari gritted out, sparing a glance at said man before turning back to hm. ” I said it was bad”

“I just-” he stammered ” I didn’t think it was him. He’s, dammit, I don’t know” he ran a hand through his hair before scoffing, his hand dismissively waving in the air as if he simply did not wish to think about it. “It does not matter. You like a boyyy”

“Uncle Lee please” Nari grumbled, embarrassed.

“My sweet Nari, liking a boy” he cried before lighting up slightly. “Mi-kyung will love this. Oh, I cannot wait to tell her. She’s been wishing to hear about something like this for so long. I can hear wedding bells already. Oh, this will be marvellous. Can I walk you down the aisle?” he said suddenly serious before it vanished. Rushed and flushed, he sluggishly grinned before throwing his arm around Nari. Yes, indeed, he was the one who needed to be tended to.

“I don’t wish to lose you. Much less to someone who doesn’t deserve you” Du-yeong said suddenly, his words sobering as he held her close. Nari had to hold him upright so he didn’t crash into the wall but when his lips started quivering, she didn’t know how to react.

“Uncle Lee it’s not even like that. You are getting ahead of yourself” she said, trying to flag down Yang-jung who was in conversation with Mr Choi.

“But it is. I should’ve known. I knew something was amiss from the way he looked at you at the hospital. Oh I’m a fool. He looks at you the way I do to my wife. He loves you” Du-yeong wailed before clutching her to his chest. Nari froze. Love her. No. simply not. He couldn’t possibly. Yet…

“I shan’t allow it, not my girl. I forbid you.” He said pointing a finger at her, his tone less than serious. “But you do make a cute pair” he suddenly trailed before his face lit up and Nari felt her dread spike at his unpredictability.

”Geon-woo!” he cried loudly and said boy turned at the call of his name. Nari panicked, grabbing onto him, she dragged him to Yang-jung who stood up, Du-yeong’s words getting lost in the air as he yelped at the less than gentle tug of his arm.

“I think he needs fresh air” Nari said, her eyes pleading with Yang-jung who glanced between the two, his eyes lingering on Nari as she mouthed the word, please. He nodded once, taking Du-yeong’s arm from her and slinging it around his shoulder.

“Let’s go sit outside for a bit big guy” he said to Du-yeong who was grinning at Geon-woo with a knowing glint in his eyes. The man protested all the way outside to where his grumbles became faded and then disappeared altogether.

“He is to never drink again” Nari sighed as Hyeon-ju glanced up from her spot on the couch, amused.

“That was entertaining. Who knew he was such a fun drunk” Woo-jin said, chuckling as he and Geon-woo joined her side.

Du-yeong’s words rang clear in her head. Geon-woo’s’ presence suddenly started feeling suffocating and she couldn’t find it in herself to meet his eyes.

Geon-woo frowned when she didn’t glance at him, she had talked to everyone, yet it seemed she couldn’t handle being in his presence for two seconds before needing to do something else. He couldn’t understand why?

“There’s something I want to show you” Woo-jin said as all three young adults turned to him. Mr Choi had retired to bed shortly after and Yang-jung and Du-yeong were occupied, probably having a smoke outside. Woo-jin felt this was the perfect time for the four friends to finally have some fun. He wasn’t sure when the last time they had done anything fun and carefree, always on the run always fighting, stressing and worrying. This was their chance at something better.

“What is it?” Nari asked, shooting a sceptical glance as Hyeon-ju who shrugged.

“Don’t worry that pretty little head of yours Riri” he cooed and Geon-woo felt his eye twitch at his words. Woo-jin tugged her to her feet, her hand grabbing Hyeon-ju as he followed after them.

“Oh” Hyeon-ju realised when he lured them down a hallway.

“I think it’s time we had a little fun around here” he said before sliding open a door, revealing an even larger room.

It was a beautiful indoor swimming pool. Recliner beach like chairs were lined on the left-hand side of the room, wide open sliding doors made up the walls and the roof was clear, the stars and moon glittering across the blue water that shimmered and sparkled under the night sky.

”Holy shit” Nari awed as Woo-jin grinned, his arms wide and spinning in circles. “Why didn’t I know you had this?” she accused, turning to Hyeon-ju who shrugged. “Thought you knew” she said simply.

Geon-woo glanced at Nari as she stepped into the room, his own feet following unconsciously. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as she turned slowly, her head tilted to the sky, awe written on her face as she marvelled at the stars. Heavens, she was ethereal.

“It is really stunning” he said, his eyes taking in the ardor on her face and the glitter in her eyes. But his blood swirled at her smile, so wide and oh so pretty. Gosh, he hoped his mind would freeze this image of her forever.

”It is” she agreed, her voice as wispy. She turned her head when she realised who had talked to her. Nari swallowed thickly at the way he was looking at her. It was the same way he did back at the bookstore when she was tending to his wounds- like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. His eyes followed her every movement from the scrunch in her brow, to where she drew her lip between her teeth. He had to physically restrain himself- he was a gentleman after all. He could not.

“You’ve been ignoring me” he said, soft and hurt. He did not like that she had barely even glanced at him, having mingled with everyone yet left him standing there like a yearning lovesick fool. He had grown to crave her attention. So, her sudden coldness had wounded him more than the bruises on his body.

“I didn’t mean to” she said, honestly and she didn’t. She just couldn’t look at him for more than two seconds without wanting to close the gap between them and kiss him senseless. His presence had become so noticeable that he was all she thought of when he was near. Her self-restraint was growing more precarious with every second he was with her. ” I’m sorry”

“Don’t do it again” he said and she fully turned to him. ” I cannot handle it” he confessed, and she nodded heavily, her blood was pumping in her ears rather loudly. He was so close; he was so so close that she just had to lean in and-

Nari yelped as she was plunged into the cold water. Her scream was muffled from the water, her hands flailing, and the stifled sound of laugher barely reached her ears. She broke the surface with a gasp.

“Oh my god that was hilarious” Woo-jin roared in laughter, his hair wet and flat against his head. He still had his clothes on but he simply did not care as he managed to sneak up behind them and tackle Nari straight into the water.

“You moron!” Nari yelled. “What did you do!” she screeched, her hair was slick against her head, her clothes drenched as she kept herself afloat with water in her eyes that she rid of to shoot her withering glare on the older man who merely smiled his handsome cheeky grin.

”You looked like you needed to cool off” he winked and that was when Nari lunged through the water at him.

“You son of a bitch!” she yelled as he screamed, swimming away from her as she splashed, trying to drown him. ” You brainless boxer, you took one too many hits to the head if you thought this was a good idea. I’m going to kill you” she seethed as he cried out for help. Nari managed to grab a hold of him, placing him into a chokehold before plunging him underwater while he thrashed in her arms but Nari remained unrelenting in her grip.

“She will drown him” Hyeon-ju said as she glanced at Geon-woo amused. He blinked in surprise at how fast things had happened. One second, he felt ready to risk it all and gather Nari in his arms and kiss her till they both couldn’t breathe and next second she was thrown headfirst into the pool. He didn’t even have time to blink before she was under.

“He deserves it” Geon-woo said as the two stood by the edge.

“I yield. I yield!” Woo-jin gasped out, practically begging. ” I’m sorry don’t let me drown” he cried. “Are you not going to help me? She is trying to kill me” he begged to his friends who merely laughed.

“Hyeon-ju do you hear anything?” Geon-woo said loudly to his friend who was equally bemused. She shook her head as Woo-jin’s face fell into betrayal while Nari’s lit up.

“I don’t think I did Geon-woo” Hyeon-ju replied as sly and Nari laughed, plunging his head underwater again.

“You traitors!” he yelled when he came up for air again, his hair stuck to his eyes before Nari pushed him away.

” That will teach you” she said before swimming to the ledge where Geon-woo and Hyeon-ju were standing. A sinister idea came into her head and she plastered a bright innocent smile as she glanced up at Geon-woo who watched as her eyelashes batted against her cheeks. He was certain he was probably drooling. 

”Help me, would you” she said, reaching her hand for him to take. He didn’t hesitate, leaning down to clasp his warm hand over her cold ones. She grinned evilly and tightened her grip around his hand and pulled back.

But Geon-woo remained rooted in place. Her smile was wiped clean off as he pulled her up effortlessly, only her lower body still in the water as he lowered his face closer to hers. His eyes betraying how amused he was. “Nice try” he said, going to let her go before he felt hands on his back and he was thrown nose first after Nari. He landed into the water with a loud splash.

Hyeon-ju stood at the ledge, her hands on her hips and a proud smirk on her face. Nari reached up as the two high fived when Geon-woo came up for air.

“Got you” they both said.

Nari was laughing hard before he lunged for her. She screeched, diving away from him but she didn’t get far before his arms wrapped around her waist and she was pulled flush against him.

“You’ll pay for that” he said in her ear and Nari felt the heat crawl into her cheeks, her head turned slightly and their noses were inches from each other.

“I’d like to see you try” she whispered lowly before pressing her hands firmly against his chest and pushing him backwards, where he lost his balance and went under.

Nari laughed loudly as Woo-jin managed to throw Hyeon-ju into the pool, her angered shouts were drowned when she received a wave splash into her face.

The four of them were laughing, smiles so large as they splashed, chased, sopping in their clothes but no one cared. Their laughter and joy rang through the room, and they wer, for the first time, completely and utterly happy. Nari had realised, that the weightless feeling in her chest made her come to one conclusion. That these people were hers, they were her family.

 They were home. 

ISN’T HE SO😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

anyway let them enjoy their happiness……….while it lasts😌

[text_hash] => b0c303fe
)