"It wasn't... Mama's diner was it?" he ask but you only nod warily before your shoulders bounce slightly from the sniffles and tears that begin to fall.
"Plum, how did you make it to the Jung District of Seoul?"
"Daddy, I don't know! But after I spoke with the owner, I saw two more men appear behind the one."
He stands still speechless, a hand grasped around his mouth and another on his hip as he paces.
"What were they wearing?" he asks as his hand rakes through his thick head of dark gray hair
"Fedoras and long exaggerated trench coats." you say
"Okay, anything else?"
"Yes." you answer honestly as you open your purse and place the multitude of notes that have been sent to your home and your friends.
"Okay, head home. I'm gonna have Walker and Luther patrol your house for a while. Then after them I'll send in some other guys. They will all do shifts."
"What? Why?" you ask frightfully
"I need to figure this out. My daughter was attacked and then chased. Just--go and I'll be over tonight." he says as you stand slowly
"I'm not at home. I'm staying with a friend right now."
"What friend? Seena? I have her house address, that's fine. I'll meet you—"
"No," you shake your head, "His name is Felix." You mumble
"His?" You father questions
"Y—yes."
"Fine." He grimaces, "Text me his address, okay?"
"Okay, dad." you reluctantly leave. You know as your father he feels it is his job to protect you. But, you don't like the headspace you're leaving him in.
***
A few hours had passed and your father expected you to be at your friend's home, safe and sound. He didn't like the idea of him being a male but at least you weren't alone.
He sits in his home office, stressing over the letters you had received.
"What is it, Jihyun?" ask your mother as she enters the room with a fresh cup of tea.
He sighs as she places it beside him,
"Areum...Our daughter is being targeted by The Suits." he says sternly
"What? Why?" she asks and your father smiles at how similar you both sound
"I'm not sure but--dammit Areum---Look at this!" he shouts as he throws the letters across his desk only for your mother to swiftly pick some of them up.
"My love and my all," she reads, "Forever as one?" She questions, "Wha--Are these love letters?"
He nodded his head slowly as he held his chin atop his crossed-thumbs and stared down at the placemat he has with your face on it.
This is where he kept his most precious things. People at the station always wondered why he never had pictures up like the rest of them.
But your father is paranoid, he separates work and home. No one, who wasn't of the department, needed to know of his family. He's secretive and protective that way over his loving wife and his precious plum.
"What could they want with her? They're good guys—"
"Just because they kill criminals doesn't mean they're good guys. Murder is murder." You mother says,
"They're good guys, for the most part."
He takes a sip of his tea, "I make sure me and my guys stay out of their way and they stay out of ours. So why my child?" he asked himself
"These are so dark, hon. It's like they want to own her."
"I know and that's what I'm worried about. These are very possessive men that like pretty things. They can't take Ara, they just can't."
"Hold a meeting, do something Jihyun! This is our child you're talking about!" your mother shouts
"You don't think I know that Areum?!" he yells and slams his hands on his desk as he raises from his chair, "You don't think I want to protect her?!"
"I--I'm not saying--"
"Then what are you saying?" he shouts once more
His eyes soften as he sees your mothers figure shrink, she was becoming scared.
"L--Love, I'm sorry. I--"
"I know... I'm scared too." she says as she finishes his sentence
"She saw Elise." he says
"How?" she asks
"She was in the Jung District. That's how they spotted her."
"Fuck," she seethes, "Well, you did them all a favor back then, Jihyun. Leaving Ara alone should be payback enough." your mother says sternly before she walks out of the office, leaving your father alone in his thoughts.
***
The brain is an intricate thing. So bold, so strong and yet one wrong memory or event and it could all turn to mush.
You're not a weak person, your parents never allowed you to be. You always walked with your head high, never afraid of what the world may think of you.
Yet right now, in this moment, you had never been more curious as to what those around you, thought of you.
Your dad was on his way over and from his tone, you knew it wasn't good news. You weren't prepared for it. You tried to be but it was useless.
"Do I meditate?" You ask yourself, "Do I cry?"
You continue to lay in the middle of the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling. Your arms lay flat beside you,
"I saw three men die... do I ignore that?"
You close your eyes for just a moment. Flashes of darkness, the alley, the men and him.
"Who are you?" You ask aloud as your eyes flutter open
"Your father. Now get off of the floor."
You sucked in a quick breath at the deep voice, jumping into a sitting position from your laid one, you grasp your chest.
"Dad? How'd you get in here?" You ask
"Well, seems whatever is going on in there," he points to his head, "Is stopping you from remembering to lock your door."
Felix stood behind your father, silently motioning for you to stand up. So you do, and walk over towards the kitchen. You watch as your dad puts away some groceries he brought you while Felix stands close by.
"Where's mom?" You ask
"She—She was tired so she stayed home." He says, not even sparing you a glance
"Oh-Well I miss her." You pout
"Then come see her?" He says harshly
"Well, I've had a little going on, as you can see." You say defensively
"A little? That's an understatement." He quips
"Not to butt in—"
"Then don't, because I don't know you boy." You dad hisses
"Don't talk to Felix that way." You say sternly
"And why not? I don't know this dude and for all you know he could be working with the men that want you."
"Men that want her?"
"Men that want me?"
You and Felix glance at each other. Currently you were sharing one brain it seemed.
"Can you go somewhere? This is a conversation that needs to be shared between she and I. Not you."
"I think I should be here. Seeing as how I have been the one protecting her—"
"Enough! Felix please leave okay?"
Felix stands for a moment before he nods and exits the kitchen.
"So he can talk to your father any kind of way, Plum?"
"You disrespected him too, daddy."
He huffs and rolls his eyes.
"What's your problem today?" You ask
"I'm on edge, Ara. You're being chased, people are dying, women are being kidnapped and I'm tired of losing. I've been doing this shit for 20 plus damn years and I just keep losing." He says exasperatedly as he stops and turns around to lean against the counter, his arms folded over
You lower your head only slightly, "You're not losing-"
"I am, Ara." You raise your gaze to meet his intense one, "I'm old. I'm old and I can't do what I used to. I'm afraid-afraid I can't protect you how I once could."
"Daddy, I don't need-"
"You don't need protection? Ara if that man hadn't come, god knows what would've happened and because that man came you're not safe. You're a witness and even worse, it seems you're something they want."
You pause at his words, "Something they want?" You repeat
He stares at the island, "i just mean... from the letters. The 'love letters' as your mom called them."
You shift from one foot to the other, "Well, I haven't received one today, maybe it's stopped."
"Nope." He says, digging into his pocket he reveals a purple envelope, sealed with a black wax seal. "The seal reads, 'T.S'"
You eyes widened and you take a step back.
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