Waiting for Anpanman

CHAPTER 19: Don't Worry

Jang Mira sped up her barely concealed frantic steps as she tried to get ahead of the unwelcome visitors of BigHit Entertainment. There were two adults and a child. The man was heavily build and evidence of his age was visible on his widely bald head. The woman, his daughter, had an other-worldly-beauty. Her hair was dark crimson and her clothes were a little too tight for the occasion. Something that didn't mix with the motherly affection she showed to the little girl who held her hand. When Mira saw the visitors' target approaching from the other end of the hall, she ditched trying to casually walk and flat out ran towards BTS. Mira went straight to Lee Yoonsoo and tried to make him disappear.

"Oppa, you have to take the fire exit!" Breathless, Mira grabbed Yoonsoo's forearm and tried to drag him to the nearest exit. "Yoonsoo Oppa, you have to leave! Those people behind me-"

"Oh, please! Oppa. You don't have the right to call him that." Han Marie cut the poor staff off.

Yoonsoo's confused look turned into a hard expression as he saw who had spoken. He grabbed Mira and eased her behind him. Plastering on a formal smile as he nodded and acknowledged the visitors' presence. "Han Joonyang Huijangnim. Han Marie. And who might this little one be?"

"Yah! Samurai!" Han Joonyang, the fight pit owner Yoonsoo worked for during his gang days, cockily sauntered forward. "We have an unfinished business to discuss."

"I don't have any-"

"I don't think you would want your friends to hear what I have to say, Soo-ssi." The big old man mocked, smirking a little as he saw anger rising in his former favorite fighter.

"Fine. Meet me at that damned noodle house. Let me just grab my bike because I'm not setting even a single foot in your smoke-filled Jaguar."

"Ha! It's a GMC now! Although, it still reeks of cigarette smoke. Hahaha!" The old man laughed heartily, genuinely amused that the fighter would even remember such detail from five years ago.

"What assurance can you give us that you'd actually show up if we leave you here?" Han Marie displayed a deep frown for everyone to see. She didn't like leaving Yoonsoo here. She didn't have any assurance that Yoonsoo wouldn't disappear the way he did before. She cast a quick glance at her little girl who was busy nibbling on a giant lollipop.

"My honor as a dragon. As long as the tattoo's there we are bound by House Son's laws. I can strip right here if you want to check." Yoonsoo bluffed. He didn't have any collateral to offer that would satisfy his number one saseang.

"You ran away five years ago and left me!" Marie's voice was bordering hysteria. Her eyes glimmered with the beginnings of tears.

"I didn't run away – I was banned from Itaewon – and we weren't together to begin with. But I'm guessing your papa over there plans to use that little girl to ruin me if I didn't come. Otherwise, what's the point of bring a child to such an unpleasant affair. I have too much at stake not to show up, Babe." Yoonsoo stated bitterly.

"He has a great point, Marie. Come on. Let the poor man compose himself." The old man picked up his granddaughter and, grabbing Marie by the arm, walked away. "See ya at that damned noodle house, Lee Yoonsoo!"