The Prince and the Gangster

Sunwoo's Heart

Nana managed to hide her tears until she entered a private room in their once room salon that is now converted to a noraebang house. She wanted to sing and drown her heart with alcohol so she might be numb of the pain she was feeling right now. She threw the paper bag at one side of the room not wanting to see it ever again.

She let her feelings out after she sat on the couch. She cried while punching some throw pillows she grabbed on the couch and hit the table in front of her. Her favorite ahjussi is inside the room adjusting the tone of his guitar but she doesn’t mind. He had seen her at this state so she wasn’t embarrassed anymore. This ahjussi was like a second father to her.

Ahjussi seemed not surprise of her visit. He put down his guitar, went to the door and sneaked his head there to order someone to get some soju. He then went back to his guitar not looking at her. “Do you want to sing?” he asked.

She shook her head. She wanted to take a few shot of soju before singing. Maybe the taste of soju in her mouth will ease a little of the pain in her chest. She kept asking herself why she’s feeling this way. She knew he loves someone else, her heart accepted that. But why does it still hurts?

Three knock at the door and ahjussi went there to answer it. After a few seconds three bottles of soju were in the table in front of her. Ahjussi opened the first bottle and serve a glass for her. She accepted it and drinks it until the last drop. She had drink lots of soju but this was the best tasting soju she had ever had. Maybe because this day is the day she wanted to erase in her life the most and she felt happy knowing that she’ll later forgot this day after she drowned herself with that soju.

Nana couldn’t wait of ahjussi’s second serving of soju. She grabbed the bottle from him and filled her glass to drink. Ahjussi tapped her head and went back to his guitar. She was thankful of him for understanding what she felt and want.
He doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now. She liked the feeling that she’s alone even if she knew that she wasn’t. And that the people who were now watching her will protect her in any way. It was only ahjussi in the room but she knew her parents were also there in the same building, and they too would forever protect us. Living alone for almost ten years, she missed having these people.

Few more drinks and ahjussi suddenly ask something. “Do you want me to kill him this time?”

She looked at ahjussi who doesn’t seem to be joking. And she knew he was capable of doing so. But her answer is no! He doesn’t want anyone hurting Sunwoo. “I told you to stay out of this!”

“Is it still Jung Sunwoo?”

Nana didn’t answer. How the hell did ahjussi knew it was Jung Sunwoo? And how did he know him? Does his father know about it, too? More questions flooded on Nana’s mind. She’s beginning to feel nervous. Are they stalking on Jung Sunwoo, too?

Ahjussi smirked as if he knew something she doesn’t. “So, it really is Master Sunwoo. Knowing Master, it must be just a little misunderstanding. Tell me, what happened?”

“You knew Sunwoo? Why did you call him Master?”

“Because, he will soon be our master. He’s the next master, the one who will replace your father. You’re soon to be husband.”

Is it because of the alcohol that she’s hearing things or did ahjussi really say that Sunwoo wll be her husband. How much did she drink that she’s having an ear or maybe a brain malfunction?

“Oh God! I’m going crazy right now. I’m hearing impossible things.”

“You heard it right. You’ll really marry Master Jung Sunwoo. Both party had approved. They’ve already talk about that.”

She shook her head many times only to get dizzy. “Are you in the right mind?”

“Of course. Haven’t he said anything to you? He did it all for you. You should be having a party instead of crying your eyes out here.”

“What do you mean? What did he do?” The amount of alcohol she had drunk had become no effect on her now after hearing it from ahjussi. She become sober in an instant. Her mind is working properly.

“Years ago, maybe a few months after you ran away from home, Jung Sunwoo went here blaming your father for letting you get away. He said that you’re embarrassed of what your parents do for a living. And he wants to know where you went.”

“Is he crazy? Why did he do that?”

“That man is really crazy. But he opened your parents’ eyes. And now, they’re trying to be decent. But of course, Jung Sunwoo had received punches and bruises here and there before they agreed to changethe way they were living. Your father then demand what does he want. And he said he wants to marry you someday.”

“Naega? Wae?”

“Silly girl. He likes you of course,” Ahjussi smirked. “You wouldn’t want to think what hardship Jung Sunwoo did in order to let your father agree on what he wants. But in the end, he won. Your father even trained Jung Sunwoo how to fight later. And right now, even if our boss had resigned on the dark world, we still follow him and follow Jung Sunwoo as our second boss.”

“Why did father do that? What if I didn’t like Jung Sunwoo?”

“You know your father. He had many eyes and ears around. He knew about Jung Sunwoo.”

“Why didn’t anyone told me about these?” She’s really getting crazy with that information she had heard.

“Why do you have so many questions?” Ahjussi approached her, grabbed her shoulder and stood her up. He then pushed her through the door. “Why don’t you just go and clear things up with Jung Sunwoo? I am sure he had explanations of what it s that made you cry. Go now and don’t disturb me here when I’m with my guitar.”
He opened the door, pushed her out and closed it.

NANA breathed in and out. Her heart and brain are beating crazily. There were butterfly in her stomach and she’s really nervous. She was outside the gate of Jung Sunwoo’s house. This wasn’t the first time she went here alone but this is the first time that she went here to meet him. Those few times that she had been there was just because she was stalking him, wanting to see Jung Sun woo. But this time this wasn’t because she wants to see him, she wanted to talk to him now. She couldn’t even wait for tomorrow.

She placed her finger on the doorbell button. She’ll pushed it in…

1…

2…

3….

Wait a second. She put her hands down. She doesn’t think she can do it. She’s drunk right now, her mind is going crazy and she had a feeling she could not talk to Sunwoo. What if ahjussi is just joking? And he just said it to kick her out of there?

But then, she remembered Eunha saying that Sunwoo had win over her father. And Seolchan said that Sunwoo has been trained in fighting. Back in high school, she knew that if there was something that Prince Sunwoo can’t do, it is to fight physically. But why did he do it? Does he really like her?

You’re already here, why don’t you just ask? A tiny part of her brain said.

“I’m not ready yet.”

If not now, when?

That makes her more determined. She then close the gap between her finger and the door bell button. Just a few more inch…

“Yes, Seyi.” She heard Sunwoo’s voice. She froze for a second. And realizing that footsteps are getting near her, she ran at the nearest place where she could hide, near a big trash can. She saw Sunwoo opening the gate, his phone on his ear. He was talking to Min Seyi. “Okay, okay. Just calm down. Everything will be okay. Stay where you are. I’m coming.”

Nana watched Jung Sunwoo ran towards the opposite direction where she is hiding. There’s no doubt he is meeting Min Seyi. Now, what?