The Perfect Life

The End

Legs weak, Eunhui dropped to the floor swept by relief. Overwhelmed by fear she hugged herself.

†††††

Kim Donghee's face faltered upon seeing his daughter. Lowering the gun midway he stared at her wide-eyed.

"Dad..." Namjoo breathed.

Swinging his gun toward Sehun. "Who are you?"

"Dad!" Namjoo blocked Sehun. "Stop! Please stop!"

"Step away from him Namjoo," her father demanded, "and come here."

"Dad!" Namjoo screamed once more. Her eyes jumped from the crazed man to the shattered television set to Eunhui holding herself three feet to his left.

Think, think! But she couldn't think.

What if her father shot Eunhui? If she went to her, Sehun would be left by himself. What if he got shot?

Her insides belted a scream of frustration.

HOW...how was this happening?!

She had tried so hard...was trying so hard to keep everyone safe!

"D...dad...calm down, please." Holding out her hands to call truce, Namjoo begged. "Please."

"I said get over here," he stomped toward her, yanked her arm, and dragged her away from Sehun.

"Whoa...put the gun down," Sehun calmly said. "Just...lets talk. Ok?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" Donghee gripped Namjoo's arm. Shaking her violently he scolded, "I told you to stay away from men! And what are you doing?!"

"Let her go!" Sehun yelled.

Aiming the gun at him, Donghee's voice boomed, "Shut up! I remember you. You were with Eunhui four years ago."

"Dad, please, leave him alone," Namjoo pleaded, but he shoved her aside grip still tight on her arm. She felt like a rag doll being controlled, swung back and forth by a little girl who didn't quite know how to be gentle yet.

"Don't you tell me what to do!" He shook her wildly again. "I have to get rid of him." Glancing at Eunhui then back to Sehun, "He's two-timing you, do you not understand?! I told you men are filled with lust and evil thoughts! Why didn't you listen?!"

"You're the same, dad, you're the same!" Namjoo bellowed feeling like her mind would explode. He wasn't listening to her. Her words weren't getting anywhere. He would kill Sehun with that gun and it was all she could think about.

Her face stung when he slapped her. The pain resonated so hard she could feel her molars becoming loose. Tears automatically slipped from her eyes, stunned. In all her life, her father never raised a hand to her.

Get it, understand, Namjoo! the voice inside her head chided. This is not your father.

Attention elsewhere they hadn't notice Eunhui rise to pick up a wooden slate from the floor. With a deep heave she swung it across the back of her father's head. The impact causing father and daughter to fall sideways.

"Get out of here!" Eunhui screamed. "Sehun, run! He's going to kill you!"

Too late.

The gunshot deafened them. The bullet slamming into the wall just beside Sehun. Arms curled up around his head Sehun shook, surprised. Namjoo slowly rose up her arm bleeding from landing on a shard of glass. Sehun started toward her but stopped short when her father held the gun at him. The back of his fleshy head was scarred with three lines and he was bleeding but remained immune to the pain.