Good-versus-Bad

Aera gets out of bed and stands in the balcony, looking out. She peered down the streets but saw no one until she felt someone suddenly peering at her.

She entered after hearing the doorbell ring. Jeson is the man who is skulking around the streets. "Sorry, Aera…" He himself apologized to Aera before leaving the streets.

There was nobody there when she peeked outside the door. She noticed a food package when she looked down. "Han-na…" says Aera as she enters the room carrying the food package.

While observing the letter notice, "Germany…!" she placed the food package on the sofa table and take the notice paper.

She suddenly remembers Han-na's words of, 'I frequently visited your apartment, sometimes late at night. I really didn't think much of the old man who once stood for a long period peering at your balcony. He returned the next month, too.' 'He came to see you maybe once every month. But has never been approached due to…'

She cast a glance out the balcony, "Father…" she crumbled the notice.

Aera is sitting in the bar, while her phone rings. She answers, "Han-na…?"

On the other end of the call, Han-na inquired, "Where are you Aera? At college?"

"No… At pub."

"What are you doing in the pub so early in the morning?"

"Just…" while a bartender addressed her, "You may go in."

Aera said, "Han-na, I will explain everything to you later. I have to go." She hung up the phone

Han-na wonders, "Why is she in the bar? Maybe, she is weeping over Jenny."

Anderson came out of the room where he used to sleep. He marvels at the neat and simple dwelling. Grandmother hands him the coffee with a pleasant smile, "Your uncle is in the garden."

"Yes… thank you."

He walked up to Jae-wook, "Can we go for a walk, Anderson?"

They are both strolling around the woods. "How do you feel?"

"Yes… good."

"You must have a lot of questions on your mind?"

"No… Just curious as to how you manage to lead such a peaceful lifestyle. What is this place? I've never been to this city."

"We are not in a city. It is a little town with few inhabitants. There is a sea close by, and there are many agricultural areas in this area. After I wed Linda, I relocated here. One by one, I got children and grand-children."

"I'm jealous of you."

"Why? You may also live a similar life to mine."

"It is impossible."

"I presume it, that you hate what you're doing? Even if you despise it, you sort of get addicted to it, which is why you don't want to quit. When we started to do, of what others said. After that, we become accustomed to the things others said…, but is this because we have grown to like that thing, or is it because we have grown accustomed to other people's opinion?"

"Are you saying that I'm doing all this stuff because of some stupid people's opinion or that what I'm doing is bad?"

Jae-wook smiled, "No… I don't want to partake in the good-versus-bad argument. What I am trying to say is that, whatever you are doing might be either good or bad, I am not sure. But if it deprives us of our enjoyment, it is too cruel. If it takes our loved one away as payment for what we did, it is just too unjust. Do you still think it is fair?"

He adds, "I am not telling you to abandon everything. Just solve the problem, once and for all."

"I don't know how?"

"The solution always lies in the problem, Anderson. Just take another look at it. You will discover it. Avoid making the same mistake as your father."

The guards of Kim, the head of the tiger club, murmur, "Is this the girl, Aera?" "Aera…"

Kim shouts, "Everyone out."

Aera viewing around the room, which is sparkling vibrant colors.

"Look at me," Kim commands with a finger snap. Why did you want to see me? Aren't you scare of me?"

"Scare…? Why would I scare of you? You are also human like me?"

Kim sighed, "Aish… My bad. That was you… the one who tricked me that night when I was beating Anderson with my men."

"Ohh… That was you…, still remembers my face…! You've great memory. But I almost forgot you."

"Don't you remember me? We met at Island too…"

"When?"

Kim rubbed his head frustratingly, "I literally saved you… Ahh… Forget it… Why don't you get straight to the point? Tell me, why are you here?"

"You're doing business with Lucas?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I want you to convey my message to Lucas."

"Message?"

"Tell him that I want him to meet me… No… want to kidnap me."

"You stupid, dumb kid… You safely got out of the island because of Anderson. Again, you want to meet him? Go and save your life first."

"Help me, I want to put an end to this problem altogether."

Kim groaned after giving it some thought, "No one has the power to prevent the storm. Whatever... I will do as you said."

Aera enters the cemetery with a bouquet she had purchased and places the flowers on the Jin-won tomb. She sat close to the tomb and apologized, "Sorry… I'm sorry; that is all I have to say. Even though I am aware that Lucas was the cause of your death, I do almost nothing."

"I am a coward, right? I am a total failure in my life. I misunderstood, my parents, lived a dreadful life, didn't fight the person who killed you, and all these years I believed he was a good brother. I lived a very falseful life. Everything in my life was lie; eventually everything messed up."

"I am unsure of whether what I am going to do is right or wrong, and whether I should live or die. Because I am a part of this catastrophe, I don't want to flee from it. If I fled, guilt would haunt me."

"I would like to sing our song to you, but I'm not confident enough to do so. I reassure you that I'll return as alive and that I will sing the song to you." Han-na saw her when she was speaking with the tomb.

"Han-na…!"

"Are you alright? You mentioned being in the bar."

"Ahh… Bar… just went to meet an old friend."

Han-na observed Jin-won's name written on the tomb.

"How did you discover that I am here?"

"I asked Bo-ra, she said that you might be at college or Jenny's place or here."

"Mmm…"

"You seem sort of happy; your eyes and smiles give off a joyful vibe. What's going on?"

Aera smiled, "I used to keep back my tears, but I always sobbed within. Jenny sensed my inner tears, comforted me, and told me to stop crying, even though I didn't cry outside. But these days, despite my frequent and loud sobs, Jenny is not there to comfort me."

She adds, "Perhaps, she wants me not to cry. That's why she isn't here to comfort me. So I though it's time to stop crying."

"Don't you want to see Anderson?"

"Yes… I miss him… he also misses me a lot. If we want to grasp how happiness feels, we must first experience grief, right? That's how the world works. We will surely get through these hardships soon enough."

"Yes…"

"Come on, I am starving…" They both left the graveyard.

Lucas asked over the phone, "What? Aera wants to meet me?" He grins broadly as he hangs up the phone.

He ordered the guards, "Prepare the island, even more beautiful, and also bring Aera to the island."

One of the guards inquired, "Want her to be alive?"

"No… I want her to be dead… Hence, kill her at very first sight."

Lee spotted Anderson as he hurriedly entered his house, "Hey… Anderson…"

He ignored his remarks, though, just moved to his bedroom. He searched the room for something, the couple's Teddy bear drew his attention. He grabbed it and left the room.

Lee grabbing his hand, asked, "Where are you coming from? Where else are you in a hurry? May I know the reason?"

"I am in a rush, I will explain it later."

Ji-ho took heed of his revitalizing words and his eyes

"Then, answer only about where are you going?"

"To the problem…"

"For what?"

"To find out the solution."

"You are confusing me."

Ji-ho moved closer to Anderson in his wheelchair. Ji-ho was gazing into Anderson's eyes as he slowly bent down to one knee.

"I believe you'll come up with a solution. Come back as alive."

Anderson staring at him with a question of 'How did he know about this?'

Lee was perplexedly asking Ji-ho, "Ji-ho, what the hell are you two even speaking? Explain to me."

Ji-ho mysteriously smiled at Anderson, "Go, Anderson." Turned to face Lee, "Come uncle, I have important work for you," he left the place with Lee.

"Hey… Ji-ho stop him…"

Anderson departed the house after taking a peek at the couple's Teddy bear.

"Ma'am, a package has arrived for you," someone said as they knocked on Aera's cabin door.

"Who send this?"

"There is no name in it, ma'am."

Aera carefully take the package from the man. She examines the package with curiosity and discovers a golden gown within. "Gown…!"

Suddenly, the dress reminds her of the one she wore when she and Kang purchased the mall. "Kang…! He sent this. Then… he is alive." She regarded at the gown with a smile of relief.

Han-na observed Lim hitting his back head as he was lost in thought. "What's on your mind? In deep contemplation…?"

"No… Han-na…" Lim's words stumbled.

"Hey... what's up? Had you consumed any strange food, once again? Any indigestion problem?"

"No."

"Then, what? Say it out."

"Is Aera related with the Mafia?"

Han-na became shocked and said, "No… Are you insane? Forget it… She is a professor; how could she be connected with the Mafia? She is also so naïve, that's impossible…"

"What you said was right… Maybe I heard it wrong."

"Heard it wrong…?"

"Nothing… come on, I'm hungry."

He was interrupted by Han-na, who asked, "Explain it, what you heard?"

"I witnessed Aera talking to a mobster yesterday at a pub. I overheard their chat, but I'm not sure what they were discussing, other than the fact that she uttered the name Lucas, more than three times."

Han-na was engrossed in the words of Lim and thought back to Aera's unusual smile and unexpected happiness. "Ahh… Dammit…"

"What happened, Han-na?"

Han-na hastily left the organization.

Aera was swaying her legs while seated on the sofa and gazing at the clock. She curiously opened the door when her doorbell rang. "What are you doing here?" with a tone of deep disappointment.

Eugene questioned, "What about the Germany plan?"

"No matter what happens, I am staying here."

"Hey…"

Aera stopped Eugene when she tried to enter her home.

"What are you doing? Let me in."

"No… I'm waiting for someone, you better leave."

"Huh? Your boyfriend coming?"

"No…"

"Then who?"

"I'm not certain."

"Hey… stop playing with me. Who are you waiting for?"

Eugene lamented as she entered the elevator, "She turned into a total nuts. She is making me stressed out, which is why I used to care less about other people."

Eugene exited as the elevator opened, and Han-na hurriedly boarded it.

Han-na bangs on the door and calls out, "Aera…"

"Han-na?" she asked after noticing the food bag in his hand, "Again…?"

He held her hand, "I wasn't here to give you food. Come on, let's hurry; we should leave the house."

Aera removed his hand, "Han-na… I am the one who summoned them."

"Aera…, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you want to make them repay for what they did to Rang, Daniel and Jenny?" as she said, she holding his hand, "It's going to be fine, Han-na,"

Han-na sighed as he peered at the thugs who were nearing them, "Yes, we will be fine." As the robber-masks wearing thugs approached them wielding the knife, Han-na and Aera closed their eyes.