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“It feels so good to finally get out of the house”
Nari released a sweet chuckle at the woman’s pure relief, pausing to bask in the sun, a twinkle in her eyes. Nari had her arm hooked through Mi-kyung’s, the heavily pregnant woman hobbled with every step, her other hand resting on top of Nari’s as they strolled through the small-town streets. Mi-kyung had been feeling stuffy in their small home and Nari was more than willing to allow her some respite.
“Du-yeong has become so paranoid with the baby around the corner. It’s become a little overbearing. ” Mi-kyung complained, rolling her eyes lightly and lowering her hand to her swollen belly.
“I just think he’s excited” Nari informed her with a smile.
Nari understood Du-yeong’s apprehension and paranoia. She was however uncertain to know the extent of Mi-kyung’s knowledge about her husband’s affiliations and reason of worry. Nari knew he was worried that Smile Capital was back and on their trail, he certainly did not want anything to happen to his wife and soon child. Mi-kyung seemed blissfully unaware, merely blaming her confinement to their apartment and her husband’s overprotective and bearing nature. She loved her husband, dearly, but fresh air would do her good from time to time. Nari, however, would not let her venture alone.
“I don’t doubt that” Mi-Kyung sighed. ” I am too, for our little family. But lately it seems that his worries lie deeper than just our pregnancy. I’m concerned for him. I don’t know what’s going on but he’s jumpier than usual” she expressed. Nari’s fingers squeezed her hand gently as they approached a baby store, she didn’t know what else to say to ease the woman’s worries without coming clean of her husband’s actual job, so she merely smiled sympathetically and distracted her with the store.
”Oh look, this would look so cute on future baby Lee” Nari smiled as she held up a cute little jumpsuit with overalls and a teddy bear embroidered on the middle.
Mi-kyung laughed joyously as she plucked the garment from Nari’s hands, the woman smiling as her thumb traced over the little bear. “It is adorable” Mi-kyung beamed.
“Then we must get it” Nari said simply, taking the outfit with a bashful grin, Mi-kyung’s smile simmered gently. “But we don’t even know the gender yet” she told the young woman who scoffed, mischief dancing in her eyes.
”It does not matter” she told the older woman. ” It’s unisex, and it’s not like the baby will know” Nari said with a chuffed grin, Mi-kyung’s smile that followed was infectious and a warm feeling blossomed in her chest. Motherhood suited her.
“Then I guess there’s no harm” Mi-Kyung relented and Nari laughed victoriously. “Let me” Mi-Kyung insisted before Nari held it out of reach.
“Nope, nah uh. This is a gift, from me” Nari said.
”Nari” Mi-kyung’s tone was not scolding but low and telling of her to not compromise her small wage for something like this. But Nari was not having it.
“I insist” Nari said. “Plus, I need to be known as the favourite for a reason. So please, excuse me” Nari said as she disappeared into the store. Mi-kyung watched her with a smile as she placed one hand on her lower back, the other coming round her stomach. Her baby would be so loved.
Mi-kyung watched as Nari paid for the gift with a grin, pointing to a small rattle the clerk added and Mi-Kyung felt the familiar love burn in her veins. Nari was like a daughter to her, someone who her husband had grown very fond of and when he introduced her to the young woman. Mi-kyung was very grateful someone like Nari had entered her life.
Mi-kyung turned when suddenly something hard bumped into her shoulder. She dropped her handbag with a startled gasp. The man turned, apologising as a few others trailed behind him.
”I apologise ma’am” he said, his voice low and something sinister rang alarm bells in her head. She brushed it off with a nervous smile.
“It is no problem” she dismissed as he bent down to pick up her bag. Mi-kyung noticed a thin scar that ran down his cheek and her apprehension ten folded.
“I apologise once again” he said before walking off, his gaze flickered to the store, narrowing before he smiled, something dark in his expression. Her careful eyes bounced to his line of vision, stopping on the familiar ravenette. Mi-kyung tensed slightly. His stare flickered to hers, bidding her farewell and then he was gone.
The bell chime and call of her name startled her from her trance.
“Mi-kyung” Nari frowned, concern brimming her eyes. “Are you okay?” she asked, eyes darting to see what had made the older woman so spooked.
Mi-kyung swallowed the lump in her throat before plastering a smile on her face to show some semblance of normalcy. “Do not worry my dear, just a rodent” she said, before looping her arm with Nari. ”Now, say we get out of here. I think that’s enough fresh air for one day and I need some rest.”
Nari still looked concerned but nodded, allowing Mi-kyung to steer her away, their conversation turning ligh as the two talked animatedly back to the Lee residence.
Geon-woo, Woo-jin and Hyeon-ju were camped in her mustang, anxiously glancing in the direction of a black van that was parked outside of a three-storey building.
They were on a mission of intercepting Yang Jae-myeong after finding out that Smile Capital were still in operation and were targeting more people and especially people, they cared for. Hyeon-ju wanted to treat them for lunch, both Geon-woo and Woo-jin offering the small warm restaurant they had visited with Nari. However, upon arrival they discovered it to be completely trashed and the elderly woman trembling in the corner of her upturned store, fearing for her life. They vowed to end them tonight.
Hence their current predicament.
They arrived at a subway tunnel, where they assumed Jae-myeong would be. However, Hyeon-ju was to stay behind and be their getaway driver. The two boys tugged on their masks and entered the desolate station.
“Should we call Nari?” Geon-woo asked under his breath as they made their way down the stairs.
“Nari, isn’t she busy” Woo-jin said, surprised by his friend’s request. ” Also, you want her here. Isn’t that dangerous. I thought you didn’t want them near her” he then said accusatory, narrowing his eyes at his companion. Geon-woo never failed to confuse him, from the moment they met. Woo-jin was baffled at his character. He still found himself trying to figure him out but it seemed his friend still had some surprises left in him.
”I do.” Geon-woo nodded. “It’s just, she wouldn’t want to be left out on this. Plus she can fight”
“She can” Woo-jin exclaimed, his eyes widening. “How do you know?”
“She was a boxer” Geon-woo said, peaking behind a pillar but Jae-myeong had failed to show up as yet.
“Wait what. Nari, our Nari, was a boxer. Are you serious!” Woo-jin guffawed. This was a surprise he never expected.
”Yes, yes she was. Now should we call her or not. We might need back up” Geon-woo said.
“That’s why her punches hurt so much” Woo-jin muttered before nodding. ”Alright then, I’ll message her” he said before typing
Blind love sick fool 2 (you could imagine who number 1 was)
Riri, come to the subway station near the shopping centre.
And bring a weapon
We need backup
A reply came quick. Geon-woo turned and leaned over his friend’s shoulder. Woo-jin scoffed at the text.
You idiots are doing something you’re not supposed to right it said before another ping chimed.
I’ll be there soon.
” She’s annoying sometimes” Woo-jin grumbled before he groaned loudly seeing the sparkle in his friend’s eyes. “God I hate you two” Woo-jin muttered under his breath before he was silenced by his friend who had suddenly grown rigid.
It seemed their friend had arrived.
Jae-myeong was standing in the middle of the platform, lighting a cigarette that he twiddled between his fingers. He looked as if he simply did not care to be there. Something was not right about this.
” Why are we in a station” a soft voice whispered.
Both boys jumped and Nari had to slam her hands onto both of their mouths to silence their scare. Her eyes narrowed in warning as they both took two deep breaths to calm their erratic hearts before she lifted her hands.
“You guys are not subtle” she said lowly, peeking over Geon-woo’s shoulder to see who they were apprehending. She’ll find out more later,
“How did you get here so fast” Woo-jin said as he glanced at his watch.
“I was in the area” she shrugged before they noticed a pole looped around her side.
“Is that a pole” Geon-woo asked. Nari nodded, unclasping it, she twirled it in her hand.
“Yeah, found it outside. He said to bring a weapon, so…..who are fighting?” she grinned, suddenly eager. Woo-jin dug in his pocket and handed her a spare mask which she put on without a second to spare.
“Do not get excited” Woo-jin grumbled as she glanced at Geon-woo who was peering over the edge of the wall.
Her eyes followed him to Jae- myeong’s lacklustre and languid stance and something stirred in her chest before she vaguely saw a shadow in the distance, she grabbed Geon-woo’s shoulder, tugging him back and out of sight, her eyes were trained on a moving shadow in the distance.
Meanwhile Geon-woo couldn’t tear his eyes away from the woman before him. He grew increasingly aware of the lack of space between them. Her hand on his shoulder as it pressed him flushed against the wall and her head, inches from his face was turned to look somewhere over his other. His eyes were wide, ears flushed, and his chest stopped rising. He couldn’t look away.
Woo-jin’s wide eyes bounced between the two, his mouth slowly dropping. Oh, they were fools indeed.
“Nari, what is it?” Woo-jin asked when Geon-woo was unable to formulate anything to pass his tongue yet alone breathe.
“This doesn’t feel right” she said, eyes narrowing on Jae-myeong’s figure before they heard his booming voice echo through the station. All three stilled and Geon-woo’s hand was quick to hold her waist and press her flush against him and out of sight.
“Come out. I know you are there you fckers so hurry up and show yourselves!” his voice boomed and Nari felt her blood rush cold and she knew her friends felt the same. They shared a look and Woo-jin looked at them uncertainly.
”I thought they didn’t know we were here” Woo-jin panicked.
”Like I said, not subtle” Nari said and Woo-jin shot her a glare promptly telling her to shut up and now was not the time for her snarky comments.
Nari saw movement and her suspicions were confirmed. She tensed in Geon-woo’s arms and her eyes, wide and full of unsolicited fear mirrored his panicked ones.
”What, what is it?” Geon-woo asked softly and Nari took a step back. That’s when the shouts and clanging began with the roaring of footsteps.
“It’s an ambush” she said.
And then they ran.ย
Things are spicing up with Geon-woo and Nari ๐คญ๐คญ๐คญ
Also Mi-kyung and Nari๐ฅน
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