Shadows: The Black Star

Chapter Twenty Three

"Seul! Sojung and Eunha are here!"

The loud shouting and celebration shook Seulgi awake as she rushedly fixed herself and went out, seeing the two lovebirds, making her smile.

"Thank goodness you're back. I was worried sick. How did you get here?" Seulgi said, but Sojung shrugged--

Hwang Yeji cleared her throat and stood up, smiling at the two.

"So you're Kim Sojung eonnie and Jung Eunha eonnie. I do hope Ryujin took care of you."

The others widened her eyes, but Sojung started to cry as she hugged the younger, thanking her.

"You... How did you..."

"I had the help of Son Chaeyoung hack into my friends' phones and help you get Sojung and Eunha here. They are already on their way here, with my tech woman erasing their tracks. We made it seem like the building blew up in a freak accident, killing everyone."

The girls sincerely thanked Yeji, but Seulgi was of course skeptical about what Sinb's adopted sister did, so she and Moonbyul had her in one of the rooms of the base.

"Why did you do that?" Seulgi asked, as Yeji sighed.

"Contrary to what Moonbyul eonnie said, I'm not exactly a pawn of the syndicate. I followed what I could do that wouldn't harm people. But that wasn't enough, as Eric always pushed me to do things beyond my limit."

[Yeji]

(before she and Moonbyul went to Nayeon's house)

"I want you to be the one to kill Sojung next week, Yeji. This will be the test that proves your loyalty to us." Eric said, as Yeji sighed.

"I've already proven myself to you, Eric. I obeyed all your orders, and you still want me to--"

"Yeji? Lia and Yuna wants to meet with you. Chaeryoung can't handle them---"

Ryujin stopped as she saw Eric Nam inside, talking with Yeji, and bowed politely.

"Annyeonghaseyo, sir. Can I... Can I borrow Yeji for a while?" Ryujin said, as Eric smiled warmly at Ryujin, scaring Yeji.

"Go out for a while, we'll finish things here and Yeji will come with you." Eric said, as Ryujin nodded and left.

Yeji couldn't speak, because somehow she knew what Eric was thinking.

"That's a nice friend you have there, Yeji-ah." Eric said, Yeji's fist already clenched.

"Don't touch anyone of them, Eric. I mean it. I'll do whatever you want, just don't drag them into this." Yeji said, as Eric laughed.

"Ah, such a nice thing to say, Yeji-ah. I always marvel at the power of love that can help me do what I want. I trust you that you'll stay to your word, Yeji."

"I'll... I'll do it. I'll kill Sojung for you."

"But first, you have to do something for me." Eric said, a grin on his lips as she sighed and listened to him.

"Go to this location and get me the child there."

[\Yeji]

"So he ordered you to go to Chaeyoung's house and get Hana, but Umji managed to hack into your and Moonbyul's feed." Seulgi finished, as Yeji nodded at the story.

"We can't give him what he wants. If what I think is true, your friends at the syndicate are in danger--"

"What do you mean, Yeji?" Seulgi asked, as Yeji sighed.

"It was a rumor, circulating in the board of directors of the syndicate. The rumor was that Eric was a madman." Yeji said, as Moonbyul laughed.

"Isn't he? With what he's done?" Moonbyul said, as Yeji smiled, but cleared her throat.

"No, let me finish. They say Eric and Yong Sun were once together." Yeji said, as Moonbyul nodded.

"Yes, it is. Eric and Yong Sun became together before Eric used her to get the syndicate." Moonbyul said, as Yeji nodded in agreement.

"However, that's only a small fraction of the whole truth--"

"And how do you know this?" Sinb asked, still not remembering Yeji.

"Because I am your adopted sister, eonnie, and I was trained to know the truth. I was informed of the truth, whether I like it or not. Now, can I continue?" Yeji said, as Sinb nodded, slightly shocked by the revelation.

"Unbeknownst to others, Yong Sun and Eric had a child, named Nam Hana, for two reasons: in Japanese it meant flower, and in Korean it meant one, meaning their first child." Yeji said, Nayeon and Jeongyeon just arriving.

"So you mean he took our child just because her name is similar to his daughter? Then he must be one crazy asshole!" Nayeon said, Jeongyeon trying to calm her down.

"We presume so. However, this is the first time that he took a child to bargain with us. Something tells me that whether we bring the people he wants, he will do something that will let him keep the child." Yeji said, as Nayeon sighed, sadness taking over her as she cried.

"What should we do then?" Jeongyeon asked, as Yeji sighed.

"As of now, we have to follow what he wants. Bring the three there, but we have to formulate a plan to get all of our girls alive--"

A sudden darkness consumed the room, as the girls stayed in their position, waiting for the worst--

"It was the only way we could rescue her." Yong Sun said, appearing in the middle of the room, nursing a gunshot wound on her chest, to which Mina quickly treated.

The child was sleeping on her lap, peacefully, as Nayeon moved close and hugged her child.

"What... What did you do?" Seulgi asked, fearing for the worst as Yong Sun gritted her teeth.

"Joohyun agreed to marry Eric's chosen man, Mark Tuan."

★

[Joohyun]

"I'll marry the one you want for me if you give the child back, Eric." I said, as Ryujin carried the child, crying because of the wounds Eric had inflicted upon her.

Eric laughed with delight, amused at my suggestion as he fixed his hair up.

"Are you sure, Joohyun-ssi? You will be tied with him forever. I will make sure that you will not get out of that marriage." Eric said, and the very thought of marrying someone nauseates me, but I force myself to nod.

Sorry, Seul.

"Yes, it is final."