The Prince and the Gangster

Is It Goodbye?

It is really the end. Kim Nana swears she really gives up now. Loving a prince like Jung Sunwoo is really painful and tiring. And now that Jung Sunwoo finally got his greatest wish to have Min Seyi as his girl, she really has no chance. Ahjussi may not be lying about what Jung Sunwoo did for her but being Seyi's boyfriend changes things.

She had let her feet decide where she's going. She doesn't even know where she's heading. Her mind is not properly working. She just wanted to run away and be as far from Jung Sunwoo as she can possibly could.

After minutes of running, when she thought that she was far enough from where she came from, she stopped. She fall down on a grassy land due to exhaustion and maybe from the pain she was feeling right now. It was like all her body parts are aching but she knew there won't be a medicine that she could take to ease that pain.

Kim Nana took out the sunglasses she's wearing and just tossed it aside. She surveyed where she was now and found out that she was in a park. It was a relief that only a few people were there and was far enough of her. They were also too busy talking to one another to mind her.

She just sat there, embraced her legs and buried her face on her legs. (*I'm so sorry. I don't know how to explain it in English. But I hope you'll imagine her position the way I imagined it.) And there, she let it all out. She cried her heart out like there won't be tomorrow. She had shed tears so many times before because of him, why is it that it's much painful now?

"Kim Nana..."

It was Jung Sunwoo. She didn't turn to see but she knew it was him. She tried so hard to control her sobs. She could hear him breathing heavily. He was panting. Did he run to catch her up? Why did he even follow her?

"Ka!" she ordered without even looking. Why is he here? He was the last person he wanted to see right now. Being near him and seeing him is like putting salt in a flesh wound.

"Let's talk. Please." She could hear his footsteps moving closer to her.

"Just go away! I want to be alone." Does it make him happy to see her in that state that he followed her around? More tears escaped on her eyes. She could not control it.

He stopped moving closer but she knew he wasn't going back either. He just stayed there, maybe, looking at her form. Does he pity her? She hoped not. That was the last thing she would want from Jung Sunwoo.

"The last two coupons..." he paused for a moment. Kim Nana listened. "Can we pretend that it did not expire and use it?"

Did he follow her just for those stupid coupons? Wae? Is it his goodbye gift? Does he want her to feel better before finally saying goodbye? It is not necessary but...

She thought it over for a moment. Maybe it's better to put it that way. A preparation for a goodbye could maybe lessen the pain she was feeling. Or maybe a good time to pull her pride up by letting him see that she will be okay unlike the pathetic crying girl he currently can see.

"Fine. Let's do it."

TEN YEARS ago, she had thought of what she'll do with that last two coupons. The last two was precious for her that she would not waste it for just stupid guitar lessons. She was thinking of having couple of events for him and she will confess her feelings for him in the end. But she knew Jung Seonwoo had sensed her feelings for him back then and it may be the reason why he let her coupons expire.

She went to the comfort room to freshen up and to remind herself not to cry in front of him for a moment. This was her ninth coupon. Jung Sunwoo asked her if he could give the last coupon to him. And because she still doesn't know what she'll do with those last two, she agreed.

So, what would she do with the ninth coupon? If today was ten years ago, it will be easy. But today was different. What would she do to lessen the pain of giving her love up? Okay, this is getting stupid! Is there such a way?

Finally, she gave up on that thought. There won't be a way. It's impossible. It's better to just enjoy this moment: these two last moments with Jung Sunwoo. She will forever treasure that moments.

"So, where are we going?" Sunwoo asked right after she went out of the public comfort room at the park where he was waiting for her.

"Just anywhere," she replied. She doesn't know what to answer him.

"Do you want to watch some movie?"

"And let some sasaengs capture some pictures of us? Are you crazy?"

"Right. It would be trouble. I think I know a place where we could go."

"WHY ARE we here?" Kim Nana asked as Sunwoo's unlocking the door of a studio Kim Nana once used when she was creating clothes back in high school. Her dad used to rent that place for her but after high school, she ran away and she didn't know what her father did to that studio.

"It's my secret sanctuary." Nana didn't get the chance what does he meant because he already opened the door and got in. She followed him.

Woah. This is still it.

That was what came in to her mind when she saw what's inside. Her desks, her sewing machine, the mannequins and her designed clothes were still there. It was organized and also very clean like she just left it yesterday. The only difference is that beside all her things, it is more like a house now. At one side there is the living room and in one side there's the kitchen.

"Does my father still renting this place?" But if his father is renting this place, why would it be his sanctuary? But why does her stuffs still here? She went near her sewing machine and touched it.

"No. He stopped renting this place years ago. I bought this place."

She knew that Jung Sunwoo is managing their family business so what he's saying is really possible. She doesn't even get it why he wanted to enter the hallyu world. Maybe he was just bored with his life. Is that also the reason why he wanted to marry her? Or maybe because he became impatient with Min Seyi and thought that Seyi can never be his, looked back and saw her who was inlove with him back then and thought it would be easier to pursue her.

"Then, why didn't you throw away my stuffs?"

"It reminds me of you."

She looked at him intently. Is he serious? But he looked away and went to the kitchen. He opened a cupboard and got a pack of microwave popcorn. He put it inside the microwave and set the time. He then opened the personal refrigerator and got out two cans of pepsi.

"There's something I wanted to ask." It's because things are becoming crazier inside her head. "Do you know ahjuhssi who was working at my mom's room salon?"

"Do you mean your noraebang house?"

Yeah. She had forgotten that it is now a noraebang house and not a room salon. But that wasn't the issue right now. "He told me that you talked to my father."

Tink! The popcorn is ready.

"Yeah. We've talked. But let's not talk about that right now." He placed the pepsi cans on the center table and went back to the kitchen to get the popcorn from the microwave.

She just watched him, not moving from where she stood. She wanted to ask when will be the right time to talk about it. Isn't it today? She wanted to ask if he really wanted to die. She knew he will be after her father find out his relationship with Seyi. But of course, she won't let him die.

Sunwoo had notice that she was still waiting for answers. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow, on the last coupon. I'm feeling elated right now and I can't think right. So I might mess everything if I talk right now."

"What's there to be happy about?" Is it because of his relationship with Min Seyi? Yeah, that's it! Why bother asking?

"I've proven something. But I can't spoil it. I'll tell you tomorrow. Right now, can we enjoy the movie please? And this time, if you found the movie funny, you should laugh. It felt like I was the only one enjoying the last time."