BANE

3

He never thought about this that carefully. He didn't expect this. Soo Ah is always the cool and calm one when faced with anything. She's the only one who managed to do her bidding silently against his father for 10 years. She also managed to gain that old man's trust before she slammed that old man with her betrayal. The prospect that he came back to her should not spook her that much... right?

Soo Ah is still lying on the office couch, unconscious. Did he do the right thing by coming to her?

She's moving a little and her eyes flutters open.

"Soo Ah?" Geun Won rushed to her side. "Gwaenchana? Can you get up?"

Oh my God...this can't be true. Soo Ah puts her hand on her forehead. Of all people, why me? Why must he come to me? This must be straightened up.

She wanted to sit abruptly but then shot with dizziness. He catches her before her head hit the couch hard. Soo Ah opens her eyes slowly and look at Geun Won.

"Why are you here? Are you going to seek your revenge?"

He didn't expect this. No. He expected it from the beginning, but he didn't know that would be the first question she would ask as soon as she wakes up.

Slowly, he let her go after Soo Ah managed to get ahold of herself.

"I...." thousands of words rang through his mind. 'Why didn't you see me even once?', 'Can you forgive me?', 'You are still the pretty and cool Soo Ah that I knew from high school', 'You've looked much prettier as you age', 'You are still charming' , 'I've missed you like crazy...' But the one that went out is,

"...I have nowhere to go. You are at least indebted to my father who gave you shelter when you had none, years ago. Yes he did many wrongs but he did give you some way to live your life when you had nothing before. Yet you have betrayed him. Hmmm...that's a given due to many wrong things that he...no, we both did. Still, you owe him a life. I want you to repay him by giving me this job."

He looked at her sternly. Soo Ah looked shocked and in disbelief. He could see the rage quickly building.

"No! I have already repaid him when I worked diligently for that fucking 10 years! I even lost someone I truly love for that. Life? What life? It was a dog's life, for God's sake! The "life" that he gave me was on expense of Mr. Park's life that YOU took! Remember? The one that YOU have killed!" Her index finger now at his chest, grinding it with all her rage. How dare this devil?! She looked at him madly. Oh how she wish she could strangle him right then and there.

Geun Won's eyes falter a bit hearing this. He has expected this much but the pain is the same nonetheless.

He moves his face closer to her "He didn't have to support you, right? He could've just paid the policemen and your words would be nothing. But he did. You can deny it all you can, but you also learned a lot from him, am I correct?"

Hearing this, Soo Ah loosened up. One of the reasons she felt disgusted to herself was because, at one point in her life, she really did look up to the late Chairman. She even visited him a couple of times when he became sicker and eventually succumbed to his illness.

"Plus," Geun Won adds up and she can't help but showing a puzzled face. What else is he going to spew out of his filthy mouth?

"I won't be long, I promise. I'm not here for your forgiveness either. I just want you to pay back my father's gratitude to you."

Hah? Gratitude my ass! She can't believe what she heard. And his words just now, it rings an alarm to her. It could also mean "I'll pay you back for your betrayal".

This is the time she should summon the Soo Ah who could plan for 10 years for the ultimate betrayal. She's going to handle Geun Won exactly like how the late Chairman handled her. 'Put your friends close. But put your enemies closer'. She could almost hear the late Chairman's voice.

She can't afford to let this trash to scheme everything behind her back and get his revenge on her and everyone around her. Oh, those two rascals who called her Pretty Auntie...the littlest one would choose her over Yi Seo when she visited their house. No, she can't let him destroy the blooming happiness around her.

"Fine! But just so you know, if you tried to scheme anything funny, Saeroyi is no longer the same Saeroyi you knew from 3 years ago. Did you still remember Seung Kwon? He will make sure you are sorry you're even born!" She threatened him with a glare. Of course, Saeroyi is now a father. He would protect his family more fiercely now. Don't even have to mention Yi Seo. She's twice the badass woman now that she's a mother.

Again, she's shocked when Geun Won laughed out loud.

"I have already felt sorry that I was born, if not for meeting you in this life." His eyes turned mellow before turning his back and went out.

"Oh, " Soo Ah was startled. "I'll start working tomorrow, Sajangnim!" He said before closing the door.

Soo Ah was left speechless. This time, its her turn where Geun Won's words rang through her mind. 'He's sorry for being born?' Even she herself never felt so towards herself despite being an orphan all her life.

________________________________________________________________________________

He went out from the bar and look back. Elegant and pretty, like its owner. He chuckles to himself.

As he walked away from the bar, Soo Ah's words was replayed in his mind again and again. The pain is familiar, but he was never numb to it. Suddenly, his head felt a throbbing pain followed by nausea. He vomited at the roadside until he felt there's nothing left for him to vomit. His throat felt like its burning. The pain becomes intense but the nausea didn't subside till he felt he's short of breath.

He could feel the cold sweat running his forehead and he have started shivering. Breathing has become a little bit more difficult. He took the painkiller from his pocket and took the pills, sitting at the roadside for a while until the pain subsides.

Geun Won look at the sky and laughed.

God is punishing him the same way God punishedhis father. But maybe because he was born devil, God give him the punishmentearlier. 

AN: Yeah..karma sucks. I know...I know...