Love is Stronger than Blood (Snowdrop Oneshots)

26- someone else part 1

Not even kidding I had a dream about this last night so now I gotta write it down.

===

"Black Tiger's back."

Jang Hanna froze in her tracks as Chief Ahn spoke behind her.

"Lee Kangmu timjang. You know him well, yes?"

Her fist tightened by her side. Lee Kangmu was a name she hadn't heard from anyone in a long time, yet still thought about almost every day.

She quickly left the Chief's office, walking into the bathroom and splashing her face with water. She looked up at her reflection in the mirror, then down at her left hand, where a silver ring sat on her fourth finger.

Six years ago, she'd had a different ring on that same finger.

Hanna wiped the water from her face and exited the bathroom, passing by the main part of the office. She heard an all-too-familiar voice, which she recognized even after six years.

Her footsteps stopped as she finally saw him, sitting in a chair with his back faced towards her and the group of agents, including Chief Ahn. A picture of the dead body of a young man was projected up onto the screen.

Lee Kangmu stood, turning to face the assembled agents. His dark eyes locked with hers for a terrifying split second. Both of them felt like they'd just had the wind knocked out of them.

Hanna turned and speed-walked away. She felt his eyes on her back, but didn't dare turn around to face him. She couldn't.

She burst through the back door into the crowded toy factory, almost running past the women packing stuffed bears into boxes for shipping. No one even batted an eye at her. Much stranger things have happened in the building before.

Hanna pushed open the doors and unlocked her car door with shaking hands. She drove down the highway for a few miles before pulling out and into a quiet suburban neighborhood at the edge of the city. Her car stopped in the driveway of a brick house.

She got out, walking to the front door. She raised her fist to knock, but hesitated before taking a deep breath and rapping thrice on the door.

A few seconds passed without any response.

Babo-ya, she thought to herself. He's probably not home. It's the middle of the day.

The knob clicked and turned, making her jump. Behind the door stood a tall brown-haired young man.

"Park Taein," she said, dropping her hand back to her side.

"Hanna," he said, registering her panicked expression. "Come in. What happened?"

She looked back at her car in the driveway before stepping inside the house. "Lee Kangmu's back."

He closed the door behind her, his mouth dropping open in shock. "Lee Kangmu... your ex-fiancé?"

She nodded, running a hand through her hair. "He's back. I don't know why or what he's doing here. He just showed up at the headquarters. He's there now."

"Did... did you talk to him?"

She shook her head. "He was briefing the other agents on something. But he saw me. And he recognized me."

"Okay," Taein took a deep breath. "What are we going to do?"

"What can we do?" Hanna asked hopelessly. "We're... you know..."

Taein looked down at his ring on Hanna's finger. Their relationship was complicated, to say the least. They'd met in high school, and their families were pretty close. Taein's father was a close associate of Mr. Jang's. Back when they'd met, Hanna had been dating Lee Kangmu, and they'd gotten engaged when she was twenty-five. Taein and Hanna had always been good friends, like siblings. Both knew of Hanna's father's dislike of Kangmu, which Taein's father shared. On the other hand, Mr. Jang saw the Park family as a valuable political ally. So when Lee Kangmu had disappeared without a word, Mr. Jang and Mr. Park wasted almost no time in pressuring Taein and Hanna to begin a romantic relationship, which neither wanted. Hanna was still hung up about Kangmu, and Taein only loved her as a little sister. But still, as the years went on with no sign of Lee Kangmu, the two families finally got them betrothed. Taein and Hanna weren't enthusiastic about it, but they eventually agreed for their families' sake, especially when Mr. Park fell ill and had to resign from his government position. The marriage of Taein to Hanna would guarantee the continuation of the family name and legacy.

Taein grabbed Hanna's hand, two of his fingers on the ring like he was about to pull it off. "Neither of us want this. Are you still in love with Lee Kangmu?"

"What...?" Hanna asked, looking up at him. "Am I still-"

"When you saw him," Taein said. "How did you feel?"

"Like... I just lost my breath immediately. I only saw him for a second, but-"

"Jang Hanna," Taein said with a smile. "You're still in love with him. I've known it since you met him over eleven years ago."

"But... Appa will never approve."

"You're Jang Hanna and Lee Kangmu, two top-tier badass ANSP secret agents," Taein reminded her. "Why are you scared of a politician guy?"

"I'm not scared of Appa," Hanna insisted.

"Then who— or what— are you scared of?"

"What do you mean? I'm not scared of anything. Or anyone."

"Then what's with the hesitation?" He asked. "If you weren't scared, you wouldn't be here."

Hanna blew a strand of hair away from her forehead. "Maybe I am afraid."

"Fear isn't a bad thing," Taein said. "Who are you afraid of?"

"Lee Kangmu," Hanna said after a pause. "Why did he leave me? I'm scared he left because he fell out of love, or found someone else, or-"

"Are you even hearing yourself right now, Hanna-ya?" Taein scolded. "The Lee Kangmu I remember would throw himself in front of a car or a shower of bullets for you. You told me about everything he said to you the week before he disappeared. And you think he could have fallen out of love with you? If he wasn't in love with you anymore, he would have just told you. He wouldn't have just up and left without a word."

"But he did," Hanna reminded him. "So... what does that mean?"

He shrugged. "You'll have to ask him."

Hanna pulled her hand away. "What? I-I can't talk to him!"

He rolled his eyes. "You're acting like a schoolgirl afraid of talking to her crush."

She glared at him. "This is different. There are stakes here."

"What stakes?"

"He's obviously here on duty," she said. "Something important. I can't risk messing it up."

"Okay, how about this," Taein said, rethinking his strategy. "Join his team. If you work with him, eventually you'll get the chance to ask him why he left."

"Work with him?" Hanna echoed. "Are you serious?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She did not, in fact, have a better idea. Suddenly, Taein's plan appeared very logical.

He smirked and made a shooing motion with his hand. "Go on, then. No time to waste. You've got a guy to get back."

"Here," Hanna slid the ring off her finger and held it out to him. "Maybe you'll find another girl to give this to."

He gave her a diabolical smile, pushing the ring back towards her. "I bet you could use it against him. If he's still in love with you, there's no way he'll stay quiet when he sees it. Also, if he's being an asshole, call me and I'll come beat him up for you."

Hanna grinned at him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. "Gomawoyo, oppa. You're the best."

"I really am, aren't I?"

She only laughed and opened the door, ready to face the Black Tiger.

===

Babo-ya: you idiot

Appa: dad

Gomawoyo: thank you

I didn't want this to be too long so I'm splitting it into parts. Not sure if there'll be one or two more yet, but we shall see.