I woke up the next morning with this strange feeling
inside me. I don’t know why but I find it
disturbing. Then I remembered that Ji Won and I
are going to get married soon, it subsided.
When I went downstairs, my stepmom was holding that
wooden stick I haven’t seen in years. I began
to panic. She whacked me with it. I fell down surprised.
“Where’s Ji Won?” she screamed
at me.
I was so confused and surprised I didn’t know
what she was talking about. She kept hitting me
and telling me to answer her. But how can I answer
when I don’t even know myself? Then something
unusual happened. My dad grabbed the stick away
from my stepmom.
“Stop hitting her! Can’t you tell that
she can’t think straight through all that
pain?”
My stepmom was shocked and she kept her mouth shut
because my dad never did that to her before. “Mina,”
my dad said to me, holding my hand. “Ji Won
ran away from home again. He’s no longer in
Hawaii and the wedding’s canceled.”
“He left?” I asked blankly.
My dad nodded his head sadly. “How can he
leave me?” I asked standing up. My stepmom’s
next words hit me hard and cold like ice.
“He probably left because he didn’t
want to marry you.”
I sunk to my knees and fell to the floor. I began
to sob to myself. My parents left the room, leaving
me alone. ‘How can you leave me, Ji Won? Were
all those promises of taking care of me lies?’
I loved Ji Won so much. All I ever wanted is to
be with him, even if he did only consider me as
a dongsang. I needed to know why he left. Being
with him all this time, I knew where he went.
I’ll search all of Korea if I had to…
One year later…
During this year, my life of hell had return. I
managed to save up enough money for a ticket to
Korea and money to spend. I had to work odd hours
so my stepmom wouldn’t find out or she’ll
take the money from me. I also had to sell some
of Ji Won’s gifts to me.
He was a really generous oppa who would buy me a
lot of expensive clothes, jewelry, perfume, and
just about anything that I wanted. I figured he
wouldn’t mind because they’re just material
possessions. They were a big help because I managed
to trade them in for a lot of money.
July 24, 1997
I finally had enough money to leave. It took me
a while to go because I knew chances are low of
finding Ji Won right away. I needed extra money
for my search and I had to pay double for a fake
I.D. You could say that I have almost everything
planned out. I got a pretty good amount so I planned
on leaving today.
It’s been a little over a year since Ji Won
left me with no reason or explanation. I’ve
gotten so much thinner because I couldn’t
eat or sleep and I miss him so much. The problem
I still had facing me were my parents. I know they
were not going to let me leave.
I was only 17. Damn. Still a minor. This year had
been total hell for me and I can’t stand another
year of it. I had to leave and I had a plan. I was
going to fake my death. It was all so perfect. My
family had to go out to a luau with Mr. Eun. He
still keeps in touch with us. I guess it’s
because he thinks I might know where Ji Won is.
Truth is, I have no idea except I know Ji Won’s
somewhere in Korea.
I planned to fake a drowning. Because of my heart
failure, it helped me close off my air circulation
for up to 4 minutes. This time I am using it to
let my family think that I have drowned and the
tides drifted my body to sea so I will never be
found…
But before I go I had to say goodbye to my father.
I hugged him hard. He looked at me surprised.
“What was that for?” he asked.
I shook my head. “It wasn’t for anything
dad. I did it because I love you.”
My dad had tears in his eyes. “I’m so
sorry Mina. I’m so worthless as your father.”
“No you’re not but you have to do what’s
right dad. Don’t let anyone stop you and stop
putting yourself down.”
He nodded his head. I hugged him for the last time.
“I’m going for a swim okay?”
He nodded his head and watched me head toward the
ocean. The plan went perfect. I stayed underwater
for a while and swam myself to the other side of
the beach where they couldn’t see me.
All my belongings were there. I got on the dock
and sailed to the mainland airport leaving Hawaii
forever…
Part 16
[Seoul, Korea]
July 26, 1997
Ji Won traced the ‘M’ scar on his back.
‘Damn,’ he thought. ‘I miss Mina
so much.’ He sent out one of his men to retrieve
news about her and if they could, get her here to
him in Korea.
Ji Won had it all. Money and power. The only thing
that was missing was Mina. So much had happened
to Ji Won as he remembered back.
Ji Won and Sung Hoon made it to Seoul, Korea. With
Ji Won’s leadership skills and Sung Hoon’s
smooth talking, they end up getting a lot of businesses
and putting others of out business. Money was not
enough for Ji Won. He needed power so he created
Sechs Kies, where he was the leader and Sung Hoon
was his 2nd-in command.
He and Sung Hoon managed to eliminate the group
Quiksilver on their own and gained the respect and
loyalty of the two members Kim Jae Duc and Lee Jae
Jin.
Along the way, they found Ko Ji Yong and Jang Su
Won wandering the streets. Ji Yong proved to be
a genius and Su Won was handy in finding information.
Ji Won knew they were enough. They had hundreds
of men under them but Sechskies were the main leaders
with Ji Won as the head. They committed a lot of
crimes but no evidence was ever found to convict
them.
Just then there was a knock on his door, interrupting
his thoughts.
“Come in,” said Ji Won.
Jang Su Won came in. “I have news for you,
boss,” he said.
“Well what is it? What did you find out about
Mina?” Ji Won asked.
Sun Won looked down and hesitated to reply. “I’m
afraid it’s bad news.”
Those words made Ji Won panic. “Jang Su Won,
you answer me now!” yelled Ji Won with rage.
Ji Won’s yell scared Su Won so he blurted
it out. “Mina Nam is dead. She drowned while
she was swimming in the ocean. Her body has not
been found and is still missing.”
Ji Won fell back in his seat in shock. ‘Mina’s
dead? No, anyone but Mina,’ he thought. Su
Won knew it was a good time to leave so he left
Ji Won in his office.
“Mina!”
Ji Won screamed out of his window in pain. His cries
echoed throughout the city of Seoul.
