Chapter Two

Hope's POV:

"Finally!", huffed Hope. She had made it to her destination after about an hour of running and polite speed walking across all over Seoul. As she was walking into the metallic-smelling, gasoline infected, and all around the masculine shop- she instantly felt at home. Hope has been volunteering with helping the old abeoji(grandpa) with fixing up cars and bikes for the past year. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening after school; that time belonged to the shop. Whenever Hope was there and was working on a car or a bike, she felt comforted in a way. She felt at peace with everything in her chaotic life. From dealing with her ferocious foster mother to putting up with her foster sister's snobby attitude- the shop was the place to let it all go.

When Hope walked in the store she felt a weird vibe. Usually, the old abeoji would be in the front waiting to greet her like he always did. It was four o'clock, she was right on time. "Abeoji… abeoji… abeoji, are you here?", Hope shouted and waited for a reply. But there wasn't one. Now she was worried. Hope looked around the shop once more, then moved onto the garage, and then upstairs in the abeoji's home. "Where can he be?", Hope sighed worriedly. Then she thought of the last place she could think of that he might be. Hope walked out through the back shop door that leads to the garden.

As Hope opened the door… "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!", was what she was met with. As she took in the sight before her she recognized most of the faces. There standing in the middle of the group was the old abeoji and next to him was Hope's best friend Youngji. Hope made her way through everyone making sure that she acknowledged and thanked them, but in the quickest way possible to get to the two people she cared about most in the middle. She finally made it.

"How did you know?", Hope asked the old abeoji as she was drawn into a bear hug. Pulling away from the hug the abeoji simply nodded his head in Youngji's direction. Youngji glanced down at the floor shyly as she attempted to hide her face from Hope. Hope spread her arms widely and engulfed her best friend in a sincere, but dramatic embrace of affection. "You are the best! Thank you!", said, Hope, as she gave Youngji a last squeeze. "Yeah, I know.", Youngji replied simply flipping her hair.

After about an hour of chatting and greeting everyone, it was time. Time for the most anticipated and exciting moment that everyone looked forward to at birthdays. The ceremonial song of birth and the blowing out of the candles. However, it was not that much of a thrilling moment for Hope. Before meeting Youngji, Hope's birthdays were just another day for her foster mother and foster sister. As the years went by, at the age of six, Hope herself also treated her birthdays as if they were just days that weren't worth noticing. She never really experienced a birthday such as this one.

"Okay, now make sure you wish wisely.", the old abeoji said as he lit up the last candle. Wow. Hope couldn't believe she was already eighteen. While everyone was singing, Hope was just looking around and taking in everything and everyone that was surrounding her in that precise moment. It was probably the happiest, yet saddest moments in her life. She realized that she did have people that loved and cared for her. But, she also remembered the absence of two people that she had always yearned to meet and have in her life. Her biological parents. She always, since she was able to speak, wanted to meet her real parents. To know what they look like. To see who she resembles the most. To know what it's like to call someone "mom" and "dad". To say "I love you" to them. To ask them "Why? Why did you give me away?".

Hope was so caught up in thinking about all these fictional desires that she didn't sense any tears coming down her cheeks. The ceremonial birthday song was long over and everyone was staring at Hope with worried eyes. "Oh! Sorry!", Hope said shaking out of her train of thought. She closed her eyes shut as she leaned in closer to the cake and made her wish. 'If it is possible, I wish that I will get the chance to meet my biological parents. Or at least get to know something about them. Anything. Please let this be so.", and with that Hope opened her eyes and blew out the candles. The sound of clapping of hands and whistling were made, but all Hope could hear were the sound of the man and woman in her dreams. "Hope.".

Rome's POV:

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm just waiting for the right time. It looks like he has a lot of company right now.", Rome said talking into his phone. "Good. Just wait until he is alone. No witnesses.", his father said. "I know.", Rome said and hung up the phone. It has been a long night and Rome has waited outside the guy's shop for almost four hours now. Thankfully, before he lost his patience, it seemed like people were starting to leave. Which meant that soon the old man would be alone.

And that's the last one. Rome took it as the last person to exit because the old man waved them goodbye and then headed back into his shop. From there Rome saw that the outside lights of the shop were turned off and that the inside lights were off as well. It was time. Rome swiftly got out of his car and made it across the street. He grabbed the doorknob and, "Swishhh", it was open. "Huh.", Rome huffed. Either the old man felt really secure in this neighborhood or he is not having the luckiest night, Rome thought. Making his way through the shop easily, Rome heard the "clunk!" of something from the side door of the shop. He made his way to the other end of the shop and out its door. There he saw that it was the old man throwing away the last bit of garbage.

"Need any assistance with that?", Rome said almost sarcastically. Startled by the sound of Rome's voice the old man dropped the bag of garbage on the floor before he could dump it in the trash. "Wh..whh...who are you?", the old man stuttered. Rome walked slowly towards the old man and as he did that the old man staggered a step back until he couldn't go any further due to the interference of the trash can. Until Rome was just an inch away from the old man's face, he finally replied to the old man's question. "Let's just say that I'm a messenger sending a message from an old friend of yours.", and with that being said Rome pulled his gun from his back holster and aimed it directly at the old man's forehead.

"NOOOOOO!", was the squealing of the girl that pushed the abeoji aside and replaced him with herself. Now standing in front of Rome's gun was not an in his sixties old man, but a young girl. Well, this just got interesting, Rome thought to himself. "Don't you dare! If you are going to kill someone, kill me! Let the girl go! I'm the one you want to shoot!", the old man pleaded barely able to stand up. Rome smirked and looked at the girl. She was tiny compared to Rome. About five-three or five-four, as he thought- she was small. The girl turned her attention away from the old man on the floor and looked directly at Rome. An instant switch from worried to hatred was seen in her eyes. But that didn't phase Rome. He was rather more enticed by the beauty of this girl standing before him. He couldn't help but notice that this girl was in a way, different. Something about this girl reminded Rome of something or someone. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Whatever you were going to do to him, just do it to me. Please, just let him go.", the girl looked directly at Rome as she said these words. Rome had to admit that he was both caught off guard and intrigued by this girl. How can a girl this small have such bravery in her little body? "No!", the old man cried as he latched himself onto Rome's foot. Rome retorted the old man's action by kicking the old man off with his other foot. The old man rolled on his side. The girl then did something that shocked Rome even more. She, yet again, placed herself in front of the old man as if to shield him away from Rome. "Please, I'll do anything! Just don't hurt him! Please!", the girl cried as she bowed her head. Rome looked at the display in front of him and tried to think of what to do. Then it hit him.

"Fine.", Rome huffed and retrieved his gun back in his back holster. The girl quickly lifted her head and rose up to stand. "Thank you! Thank you!", she said as she bowed continually. "Oh, don't thank me yet.", Rome said and then he snatched the girl's arm and pulled it towards him. "Wait! No, please!", the old man cried. "You said anything, correct?", Rome asked the girl. As if realizing what she promised, she stopped resisting and nodded her head in defeat, "yes.", she said. "Good. Now that we are on the same page, here is what is going to happen. I am going to spare the old man's life, but in return, that means yours is mine. You belong to me now in exchange for not killing the old man.", Rome said. "No! Don't do this, please! She is still so young! I'll…", but before the old man can bargain with Rome he was interrupted by the girl. "Okay. But promise me that you will not come here ever again and that you will leave him alone.", the girl said glancing sadly at the old man. "Deal.", Rome said.

"NO! Don't do this! I am the one he wants! Not you! I can't let you do this!", the old man cried. The girl in return went to try to soothe the old man but couldn't due to the tight grip that Rome had on her arm. "Please, if this is my last time seeing him can I at least bid him farewell properly?", the girl looked at Rome with pleading eyes. "Fine. But make it quick before I make it quick for you.", and with that Rome loosened his grip on her arm. The girl quickly dropped to the ground on her knees and embraced the old man. "Don't worry abeoji! I will be fine! Thank you for making today one of the best days of my life.", and with those last words, she hugged the old man tightly once more and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "NOOO! PLlll..", but before the old man could say anything more Rome punched him causing the old man to collapse unconscious.

"ABEOJI!", the girl yelled as she ran to check on the old man. But before she could get to him, Rome had gripped her arm once more. And this time he wasn't planning on letting go. "It's time to go.", Rome said as he started walking towards his car. The girl was still trying to wriggle her way out of his grasp. "No! I have to see if he is alright!", the girl argued as she kept on struggling to get away from Rome. "Stop it! He will be fine. It's you that you should be worried about.", Rome said smirking back at the girl. "I. Don't. Care. Let. Me. Go!' and with each word was a slap to Rome's arm. Rome quickly turned back to the girl and did the first thing he could think of. He lifted her off the ground effortlessly and placed her on his right shoulder. "Put me down!", the girl whined as she struck Rome's back. "No. Now I suggest you stop doing that and calm down. Before you get me really pissed off.", Rome said warningly. "No!", the girl shouted and whacked Rome again. Rome had reached his limit with her.

When they got to his car he angrily opened the passenger door and abruptly plopped the girl into the driver's seat. "Listen now and listen good. If you won't stop, I'll make you stop and you definitely will not like it.", Rome snarled as he got in the girl's face. But that didn't seem to phase the girl as she in return drew her face closer to Rome's. "I would like to see you try.", the girl replied with just as much sass. Rome just growled in response and pushed the girl back into the passenger seat. He slammed her door and locked the car making sure that there was no possibility for her to escape. He made his way to the driver's side and got in. "Let's go home.", Rome said and sped off into the night.