Pay With Your Heart

Country Y

The ringing phone sound at the dead of the night echoed across the darkroom stirred the sleeping occupant awake. The middle-aged man frowned at the disturbing sound of the phone. Who the hell could be calling at such an ungodly hour? He asked himself as he reached for his glasses.

Picking up the phone from the bedside drawer, his frown deepened when he saw the caller's name.

"What is it?" He snapped the moment he answered the phone.

"Sir, there's a problem." The person on the other side of the phone replied.

"And this problem couldn't wait till morning?" He asked angrily.

"I'm sorry, boss, but I thought you'd want to know."

"Know what?"

"Mun has been taken." He said, making the boss scowl deepen by several shades. His change of countenance was so rapid, and his once-sleepy eyes shone brightly.

"What do you mean he has been taken?" He hastily inquired.

"There had been no report from him this evening. And when we checked, there were bullet shells over the place."

"Who took him?" His chilling voice came asking.

"Sir, it's the Lee."

"Lee Dan-Han?" He inquired.

"Yes, boss.", The subordinate replied, making the man fall into thoughts.

"It seems it's high time I kept that boy busy after all." He muttered before disconnecting the call.

He dialled another number when he ended the call, and a cold, masculine voice came through the phone.

"Calling me so soon? Did you have a change of heart already?" The man asked.

"Don't get flattered. I'll help you, but you must get Lee Dan-Han off my trail." The middle-aged man replied.

"He's ruffling you up too, isn't he?" The person on the other side of the phone asked. "How has a Kim offended a Lee?" He inquired in an amused tone, but the man ignored his question.

"Do what you must, but get that boy busy. You can start with the new project. I don't care. Just get him off me." If he had his way, he'd kill him, but he knew that was almost impossible. He might be able to, but that might bring out big troubles for him and increase the risk of his secret being open. He had sacrificed too much to keep his secret safe for him to make a mess now.

"Don't worry. I have a better place to start that will get us what we both want," The young man replied. His voice was full of pure evil as he cackled. "So when do I get it?" He asked.

"How about now?"

"Perfect." He said before ending the call.

"Dan-Han, just you wait and see", The man mumbled.

.....

Dan-Han didn't see the need to torture the man anymore as soon as he broke him. The man's confession was quite shocking and somewhat mysterious. The Kim young master took the woman's child? Why?

He had questioned the man a bit more, but the man's knowledge was limited.

He has heard tales about the meticulous ways of Kim's family young master who has been looking after the Kim empire for over two decades after the sudden resignation of his elder brother, whom he was familiar with.

The man's answer had sprung up some more questions in his mind. Why would a member of an influential family such as the Kim be involved in something like this? Was the child his? Even if it was, the young Kim master was known to be unmarried and without a child. Dan-Han sighed inwardly.

He didn't have any reason to be there anymore. All he wanted was to return to his woman's side. Funny how he had missed her already when he was barely gone for a few hours. He instructed Tae-Ho on what to do before hopping into his car. He whipped out his phone and dialled Eun-Sun's number, but there was no reply.

She must be asleep. He shouldn't disturb her, he reasoned.

He wanted to return to her side before she woke up later.

Dan-Han had only arrived at the hotel when he caught sight of that small familiar figure he would always recognize from hundreds of miles away, but it wasn't just her he recognized, but also the man standing in front of her, In-Ha.

What were they doing out at this time? He noticed how In-Ha was comforting her, and he frowned. Was she crying? He was gone for a few hours, and she was already crying? A frown creased his brows as he began striding towards them.

Dan-Han reduced his pace when it suddenly seemed like they were arguing, or rather Eun-sun was pleading with him.

Was In-Ha the reason why she cried? His hand clenched into a fist as he hastened towards them. He was also tired of In-Ha's childish ways of handling his feelings. He had noticed how he had been avoiding Eun-sun, and he wondered if In-Ha knew how his attitude was affecting her. He had tried to understand him, but it seemed In-Ha wasn't ready to move on or tackle his feelings.

Dan-Han, who was still striding towards them, suddenly came to a halt when In-Ha pulled Eun-sun in and kissed her.

What was he...

Dan-Han wasn't just shocked by what was going on and by the other pair of eyes currently watching them. His hands twitched in anger.

That bastard!

....

Eun-Sun's eyes widened to the fullest when she realized what was happening. In-Ha was kis-sing her?!

She hastily pulled away from him as she stared at him in shock.

"Wh-what was that?" She asked in shocked surprise. "What did–you do?" Eun-Sun didn't know what to ask. Her brain was messed up as she stared at the man before.

His lips moved to say something, but nothing came out. The words were stuck in his throat as his actions mortified him. He didn't know what had come over him. He had only been staring at her lips, and images of his lascivious imagination of plunging on her lips came to mind, and he had acted upon it. Now he understood why they said 'every sin began in the mind.' He has finally acted upon his lustful imagination.

Eun-Sun was about to say something else when her eyes caught sight of the man standing behind In-Ha with a death look in his eyes.

"Da.... Dan-Han?" She called out in shock.