Running Away
1056 Words
Incheon, 2013
Aster was walking calmly through their house. As calm as she could so that no one wakes up to her leaving.
It wasn’t really necessary that she walk, she could freely run these corridors and no one would wake up, but she couldn’t risk it.
Outside, Sandy was waiting for her in his car, parked in the darkest part of the street so that no one could see him.
They were running away.
Most people would think that the two young adults were madly in love with each other, even planning to elope, but they would be wrong.
Sandy and Aster have been best friends since they were in diapers.
Their parents were good friends.
Or, better yet, associates.
You see, Aster’s father is Maximus Moon. He’s a businessman. At least, that’s what he tells everyone. In reality, he’s a very dangerous criminal. He runs gun smuggling rings, p**********n rings, and drug cartels. He has his hand in a lot of the dangerous trades in Korea, including guns for hire, blackmail and a lot of other small and big scams.
Aster wants none of that life.
Sandy was no different. He was the eldest son of Hyun Lee and their family business was illegal gambling and casinos. He wasn’t as dangerous as Aster’s father but they were close and they had a lot of business deals with each other.
Both were being groomed to take over once their parents had retired.
They weren’t looking forward to that.
Sandy is the least violent person Aster knows. All he wants to do in life is to tend his garden and take care of his flowers. Growing up, Sandy taught her what each flower meant and what is associated with and at first she didn’t care but as they grew older, she appreciated those little nuggets of knowledge that he always gave her.
Between the two of them, it was Aster who was undecided with her life. She honestly didn’t know what she wanted to do. What she does know is that she doesn’t want to stay with her family and become as evil as them.
So, tonight, they’re running away.
Gale: Unnie?
She almost shrieked in terror.
Gale was standing outside her door, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
Gale’s dad was once a hired gunman for Aster’s family. But when he died because of her dad’s bad deal, they decided to adopt her.
She thought that her dad was just doing what’s right and that he truly cared, but she was sadly mistaken.
They started training Gale to shoot when she was only 13 years old. And now at 17, she’s one of the best guns that they have. She was talented with any given firearm and her dad knew that.
But Aster loved her like a sister. The sister she never had and she didn’t want to see her get hurt.
Aster checks her watch. It was already 2:30 AM. She needs to leave soon.
Aster: Gale, go back to bed. I have to go. You didn’t see me, okay?
Gale: Where are you going?
Aster: Far away from here and this family.
Gale: You’re leaving me, unnie?
Even though Gale is a cold-blooded killer, she was still a child. A child that’s very attached to Aster. Gale started to tear up and sniffle.
Gale: If you leave, I’ll have no one anymore. Don’t go.
Her heart was breaking seeing Gale like this.
She checks the time again. 2:36 a.m.
Aster: I have to go. But I’m not leaving you.
She took Gale’s hand and dragged her back inside her room. She then starts rummaging for a bag and filling it with whatever clothes would fit. Once she was done, she takes Gale’s hand and pulled her but the young girl wouldn’t budge.
Aster: Gale! Let’s go!
Gale: Unnie, can I take my dad’s gun?
Aster sighed but understood where Gale was coming from. Her dad’s gun was the only thing she had to remind her of him. She nods slowly and watches as Gale quickly unlocks another cabinet filled with her firearms.
She then takes her dad’s gun and checks it. After all these years, it still looked new. Gale took care of it well and this was the same gun that she uses when she has assigned hits. She opens the gun’s cylinder to check if it's loaded and then closes it. She then tucks it under her shirt.
They hurriedly left the room and used the back door to leave the house.
It is now 2:45 AM.
Sandy was going to leave at exactly 3:00 AM. With or without her.
It was a good 10 minutes walk to their rendezvous point and Aster and Gale were already running, scared that someone might notice they were gone and start chasing after them.
The air was chilly and the street was dark. Aster held Gale’s hand tightly as they ran.
When they got to the rendezvous point, Sandy immediately started the car and flashed his lights briefly.
Aster and Gale ran to it, hopped on quickly and Sandy started driving them away.
Sandy: You have it?
Aster: Yeah, I have it.
Sandy looks in the rear-view mirror at Gale and smiles at her.
Sandy: Hey, little girl.
Gale: Hey, oppa.
He looked at Aster. Gale wasn’t part of the plan, but he wasn’t about to say anything. But Aster already knows what’s running in Sandy’s mind. She knew him that well.
Aster: I can’t leave her. She’s family.
Sandy: I know. Don’t worry. We’ll protect each other from now on. I promise, Aster. No one is ever gonna hurt you guys as long as I’m alive. I promise.
Sandy reached for Aster’s hand and held it tightly as they braved a new chapter of their lives.
- Writer
