Pursuit of Happiness (Sequel to Pursuit of Fate)

Chapter Twenty Three

"Sorry boss, I failed to accomplish the task."

"You what?"

"I could have stab her until the man she was with turned around and took the brunt of the knife instead." Dong Hoon rushed to explain. "Sorry boss!" He did a 90-degree bow and remained there.

"It's alright. It's totally fine." Jun Min said.

Dong Hoon raised his head with his body still bent and looked at him, surprised. "It's.. It's fine..?" He stammered.

"Yea, it's fine." He picked up the knife on the table and titled it sideways. The metal blade reflecting the light of the chandelier. "Right hand or left hand?" He asked.

"Wh..what?"

"Hold him down," Jun Min instructed his men standing by the side.

Before Dong Hoon could react, he was already lying sprawled on the ground. His arms were held down by two men and his legs were pinned down at the ankles by another buffed guy.

"Boss, didn't you said it was fine?" Dong Hoon shouted as he struggled to break free from their strong grip. The boss walked closer to him while slapping the blade of the knife against his palm.

He stopped in front of him and looked at his terrified face. "It will be fine after I chop off that useless hand of yours."

He pointed the tip of the knife at Dong Hoon's left hand and then his right. Dong Hoon's eyes were following the movement of the knife. He was shaking and pleading to Jun Min to give him another chance.

"Since you can't decide, I'll pick then. Hold out his right hand." He ordered.

"Boss! Boss! I'm sorry! Please spare me!" Dong Hoon shouted desperately. One of them pressed the side of Dong Hoon's head against the wooden floor and forcefully extend his arm straight. He tried to resist but the man was too strong.

Jun Min squat down and brushed the back of the knife blade against Dong Hoon's arm.

"Please boss!" Dong Hoon pleaded again. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jun Min lifting the knife away from his arm. Before he knew it, Jun Min swung the knife down in one swift move.

Dong Hoon screamed with his eyes clenched tight but something didn't feel right. He could still feel his fingers. Almost afraid to look, he gulped down his saliva and gradually opened one eye. There wasn't any blood. The back end of the knife was stuck in the wooden floor, just a few centimeters away from his fingers. He let out a gasp of relief.

"This is a warning to you. I'm not soft-hearted like Suk Jin. Whoever fails to complete their job or gets in my way won't be spared. Do you understand?" Jun Min shouted in a commanding voice.

Dong Hoon nodded his head violently.
"Let him go," Jun Min said. His men released their grip on Dong Hoon and watched him get up from the floor. With wobbly legs, he gradually stood up and bowed to Jun Min, thanking him for giving him another chance.

Jun Min reached for the knife and raised it up in the air. "Get out before I change my mind," he glared at him and said.

"Yes boss!" Dong Hoon hurriedly scurried out of the room. Jun Min went back to his table and gestured to two of his men. "Keep an eye on him," He instructed.

***

Hee Gun was given the permission to be discharged after his wound was clear off from any infection. He was given a roll of bandage along with some painkillers to take if the pain gets too unbearable.

Seong Im took leave from her work to accompany Hee Gun back home. She felt guilty that he got hurt because of her and also, she didn't want him to be traveling alone with his injury.

It was her first time going to his house. Hee Gun took out the key from his pocket and passed it to Seong Im for her to open the door. What greeted her was the mess in the living room. His clothes were unfolded and hanging over the sofa, newspapers were scattered on the floor and the table was occupied with a few opened and, probably empty cans of beer.

"Sorry for the unsightly sight. I didn't had the time to clean, " he said. She didn't respond but just quietly walk him back to his bedroom. She thought his room would be equally messy as outside but it was pretty neat.

She held on to his arm as Hee Gun slowly sat down on his bed and leaned his back against the headboard.

As she walked around his room, the scrapbook lying on top of the other books stacked on his table caught her eyes.

"The miracle leaf," Hee Gun said as he watched her picked up the scrapbook. She turned to look at him and for a second, she felt a tingling sensation in her heart; a good one. The feeling of happiness. 

She sat down at the edge of his bed and flipped to the page where the 'miracle leaf' was stuck on. She took out the piece of folded paper from her pocket. Hee Gun recognized it. It was the letter that he gave to her. He held his lower back and tried hard to lean forward to see what she was doing.

Seong Im taped the corners of the paper down on the page before scribbling some words on it. She glanced at Hee Gun and flashed a smile at him.

"I'll go and tidy up your place." She capped the pen and put it down together with the scrapbook on his bed.

He gazed at her back as she walked out of the room. Shifting the pen away, he gradually bent forward to pick up the scrapbook.

You are my happiness.

Warmth filled his heart when he saw that. No one has regarded him as important as Seong Im did, not even Ji Rin.

"We will reach for our happiness, together." He mumbled and closed the scrapbook.