Shadows: The Black Star

Chapter Fifteen

[Four Years Later]

Not quite.

"YAH, KIM YERIM! QUIT SLACKING AND HELP SEUNGWAN EONNIE WITH THE CHORES!" Jihyo shouted, as she helped Jennie and Lisa harvest the produce of the mango trees.

Yerim chuckled as she got up from the grassy field, gathering mud on her hands and throwing it on Jihyo, the older widening her eyes on the mud staining her overalls and shirt, glaring at Yerim.

Jihyo then also gathered a bit of mud and threw it back to the younger, hitting Yerim square on the face, the other girls laughing, even Yerim's own girlfriend Sooyoung, as the taller girl grabbed a towel and wiped the girl's face, Seungwan dousing her water.

Yerim sighed as she helped Seungwan feed the chickens and the cows, Sooyoung harvesting some vegetables that Jihyo will cook later.

"Nice to see you all have fun." A voice said, shocking the six girls as they smiled at the visitor.

"It's been four years since you put us here, Seulgi eonnie." Jihyo said, as Seulgi smiled, tiredness evident in her eyes as she hugged the six girls.

"It's been a busy four years, for me and the others who are still building up a cause. Seoul and the other major cities aren't as peaceful as here." Seulgi said, the girl's seeing her bruised body.

"But why visit now? Why didn't you visit in the last four years?" Sooyoung said, as Seulgi sighed.

"Because it took four years for Yewon to breach the syndicate database alone, without Chaeyoung's help."

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

"Yah, Yoo Hana! How many times did I tell you not to eat chocolate without my permission?" Nayeon scolded, as the child with bunny teeth smiled at her, her teeth covered with chocolate.

"But Papa told me I could eat it! It was her who gave me this yummy thing!" Hana said with natural aegyo of a child, melting Nayeon's heart but becoming angry at what Jeongyeon had done.

Yes, Jeongyeon.

After the fall of the government, they ran away without Seulgi's knowledge and decided to have a wedding in a church before all hell broke loose.

After that they went to an ob gyne clinic near the border of Seoul and arranged everything for the birth of their child, including Nayeon's laborous pregnancy and the secret check ups to and from the clinic and their new house.

They successfully pulled this off, and Yoo Hana was born.

Oh, she was a beautiful daughter.

She was the couple's joy, the thing that made them forget about the chaos that was happening.

"Aigoo, Nayeonie. It won't kill her to eat that chocolate bar, right, Chaeyoung-ah?" Jeongyeon said, Chaeyoung barely looking up from her laptop while Mina chuckled at them.

"You two are bickering again, aren't you?" Mina asked, as she finished cooking their dinner and Nayeon helped her set the table.

"No chocolate or any sweets until I say so, alright, Hana?" Nayeon said, the child nodding as she sat next to Mina and started to eat, Nayeon hitting Jeongyeon before kissing her cheek and also starting to eat.

"Chae? Let's eat." Mina said, a stab of guilt filling her as she saw the syndicate tattoo peeking from Chaeyoung's shirt.

"You go eat without me, I have something to do." Chae said shortly, bringing her laptop to her room and closing the door.

"It has been three nights that she's like that, Mina. Do you know why she's always checking her laptop?" Jeongyeon asked, as Mina shook her head.

"I try to ask her but she avoids all my question and does not answer me when I ask her successfully. All I know is that she's definitely talking to someone." Mina said, as Nayeon sighed and served the food, smiling as she fed Hana and occasionally scolded Jeongyeon for playing with Hana while eating.

"Jeez, so uptight. Mina, don't let Chaeyoung be like this strict bunny over here, alright?" Jeongyeon said, earning another smack from Nayeon.

"I will. Finish your food, Hana, alright?" Mina said, getting up without even touching the food.

"Minari, just a spoon? You're getting skinnier with what you're doing." Nayeon said, as Mina shook her head.

"I'm fine, eonnie. Can you do the dishes for me?" Mina asked, as Nayeon nodded and Mina left, towards their room.

She saw Chaeyoung already sleeping, the laptop closed and beside her as she carelessly fell asleep with a pen and notebook beside her, full of numbers and scribbles.

Mina sighed as she tidied up the place, putting her laptop and the notebook and pen on the study table as she fixed the cub's sleeping position--

Chaeyoung pulled her into a hug, making Mina's heart beat wildly. The cub is awake after all, Mina thought.

"I'm sorry if I'm acting like this, eonnie." Chaeyoung said sleepily, as if she would fall asleep any moment.

"I understand if you already found someone else, judging by your frequent acts. I understand if you don't want to be with a boring me--"

Chaeyoung silenced her with a kiss, a soft kiss that made Mina's heart flutter as she rushedly kissed back, Chaeyoung now hovering above her as they let their desires act up, kissing without fail.

As their breathing became heavier, they pulled away, Chaeyoung resting on top of Mina as she cried, the cub's tears cascading on her cheeks no matter how Mina tried to wipe them away.

"Chaeyoungie? Chae, what's wrong? Tell me, please." Mina said, sitting up as Chaeyoung hugged her tight, sitting on Mina's lap, facing her.

"I... I finally reached Yewon three days ago, after four years of trying to reach the others." Chaeyoung said, fiddling with Mina's fingers.

"And? Don't hesitate, tell me everything. I'm listening." Mina said, as Chaeyoung nodded, wiping her tears.

"The agency shrouded everything in mystery, as if we would just forget everything. Remember that all we know is that Sinb was shot by Moonbyul eonnie, and we were forced to escape Seoul, by the orders of Yong Sun eonnie who also vanished. But in those three days that I talked to Yewon, I learned everything that's happened." Chaeyoung said, as she wiped her tears and picked her laptop up, opening it and showing the messages to Mina.

"Joohyun eonnie surrendered to the syndicate in exchange of our safety escape towards different parts of South Korea, outside the major cities. There she became the next heir of the highest leader, as Eric Nam replaced the four leaders with new ones. Joohyun eonnie and Moonbyul eonnie are part of those four, along with Hwang Yeji and Yoon Jaein." Chaeyoung said, as Mina nodded.

"Yeji... Is this Sinb's sister?"

"Her original name is Kim Yeji, but Sinb's father adopted her."

"And... Is there anything else?"

"Within this week, Seulgi eonnie is putting back the teams, because she wants to end the syndicate once and for all. She's going to come here, and I don't want to involve myself in that things again."

Mina sighed, hugging the cub.

"You won't lose me, love."