Chapter 2: Attacking Zera's Father

I can't recall how we became enemies, but she's my mortal foe. It even escalated to us shooting at each other. It was almost comical seeing the fear on people's faces as they sweated and paled at the sight of gunfire.

Wouldn't you be nervous too?

I rubbed my forehead, troubled by a recent dream. Triplets—blue, red, and yellow—had seemed so vivid, yet the explosion of the kingdom left me wondering: did they all die?

As I walked, someone bumped into me. Annoyed, I stood up, unable to see who it was.

"So irritating! They got away," I muttered, kicking something. It was a fallen piece of paper. I grinned as I picked it up.

"If this paper has a name, I'll track you down," I threatened to no one in particular.

The earlier smile on my face seemed a world away as I unfolded the paper. There was no name, just a question: "What do I want for my next life if I die?" I pondered the question, touching my chin.

What do I want for my next life?

"Well, if I die, I want to be beautiful," I mused. "Heh, dreaming's not so bad. I also want to be rich to buy a motorcycle and have a mother and siblings." I laughed at my own whims, enjoying the absurdity of my daydreaming.

A gust of wind lifted the paper skyward as I hugged myself, the sun warming my face. The paper vanished.

"Nothing's impossible. Your true life is about to begin," a whisper came from nowhere.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" I shouted, looking around but finding no one.

Embarrassed, I continued walking, trying to tone down my swagger. I needed to get home and fix things. That evening, Dad came back, and after preparing his food, we slept on the bamboo floor.

The next morning, I walked down the street uneasily. After a fight, my enemies, Badong's gang, were defeated. I reached Dad's workplace and saw him on guard. My heart ached seeing him struggle. Why couldn't I provide a better life for him?

I'm 21 and can't get a job because I only finished elementary school. It's frustrating. I promised Dad I'd find a handsome, rich guy to improve his life. But where would I find one? Maybe I could get pregnant by a rich guy and ask for support? I was overthinking. Finding a rich guy here seemed impossible.

We're poor and struggling. I sighed, scratched my head, and leaned against the wall. A girl walked by, and I tried to catch her attention.

"Hi, miss beautiful," I said with a wink, but she hurried past.

I greeted others, some blushing, some smiling, and others grimacing at my appearance. So what if I still looked like a girl? They say I'm handsome despite my dark skin.

"Ouch!" My ear hurt as my hat fell off.

"I knew it was you! You brat!" Dad said, pinching my ear.

"Haha, Dad, that hurts," I laughed.

He let go, tapping my head. "Why are you here?"

"Dad, you sound like Mom. I'm here to pick you up! It's 3 PM; your shift is over! You might come home drunk again, and we can't afford hospital bills. Do you think anyone would buy me if I sold myself?" I joked, striking a pose.

Dad pinched my ear again.

"Ouch! Dad, my ear's red!" I whimpered as people around us laughed.

"You're such a kid! Let's go!" Dad said, laughing.

Suddenly, Dad started laughing uncontrollably. I reluctantly followed him.

"Dad, what would you do if I suddenly died?" I asked.

A strong slap from Dad caught me off guard, but then he hugged me.

"Why say such things? You're all I have left. Even if you're a bit stubborn and hard-headed, you're still my child. Please don't say that," Dad said, tears in his eyes.

"Don't cry, Dad. I'd be sad too. Just stay strong and don't give up. Even if you always yell at me, I love you—even though you're bald," I said, hugging him tightly.

"Stop scaring Dad," he said, holding me close.

"I'm just preparing you," I said.

"Promise me you'll stay safe," Dad requested.

"I promise, but not until we're rich first," Dad said, wiping his tears.

We spent a few minutes hugging on the street, feeling embarrassed. We let go, laughing, and walked home while Dad shared stories about his past girlfriends.

"Believe it or not, son, girls used to chase me when I was young," Dad said.

"REALLY?!" I exclaimed.

"You take after me!" Dad said.

Suddenly, Dad hit me on the head. I touched my head, surprised.

"That's Dad for you," I thought, smiling. I saw a picture of Dad when he was younger, and he was handsome. Despite his age, he didn't look like the typical beer-bellied drinker.

"CHRISTIAN! I KNEW YOU WERE HERE!" a voice shouted.

My heart raced as I turned to see three men with guns. Dad pulled me behind him, and I knew something terrible was about to happen.

Bang!

"Dad, let's run! They're armed!" I urged, trying to stay calm.

"They'll track us down. One of us has to stay behind. Run, Zera!" Dad said, glaring at the armed men.

"But Dad, I can't leave you! Who are they? How do they know you?" I cried, tears streaming down my face. Dad held my shoulder, sadness in his eyes.

"Forgive me if I haven't given you a good life or if I took you away from your mother. But remember, Dad loves you very much," he said, kissing my forehead.

"Dad…"

Suddenly, Dad pushed me away. My eyes widened as I stumbled back.

"RUN, ZERA!"

Bang!

I didn't know what to do. Everything felt slow as I saw Dad engaging in a gunfight. My tears flowed freely.

"Run, please, Zera! Run as fast as you can!"

Dad shouted again. I wiped my tears and prepared to run, but...

I remembered all Dad's sacrifices: how he stayed up late with me, sang to me, and worked hard. I couldn't abandon him now.

NO! I CAN'T! IT'S TIME TO REPAY HIM!

I tied my hair up and retrieved the two guns I had hidden. I wasn't a coward! This Zera never backs down from a fight!

I aimed at an armed man and fired.

"Zera! What are you doing? I told you to run!" Dad pleaded.

Bang!

"No, Dad! I'm grown up now! I can handle myself! I won't leave you!"

More armed men arrived. Why were there so many?! I was terrified for Dad!

"YOU WANT A FIGHT?! WELL, ZERA'S HERE! DAMN YOU ALL!" I shouted in anger.

You picked the wrong person to mess with!