Jungkook kept his distance at the long bar - at the far end, a little hidden from the meddling crowds. He stares at his glass, wondering if he's doing the right thing and contemplating whether he should just call the whole thing off. 

He had spent 3 days at a motel with only his clothes, toiletries, and laptop - thinking and researching, strategizing on what he could and should do, and constructing the documents he needed for this meeting. It's nerve-wracking...this is by far the most important decision he ever had to make in his entire life!

His dummy phone buzzed and he answers to the waiting caller.

"Where should I look?" The man's voice is deep and strict, just the way it was when Jungkook first called him.

He spotted the man standing at the entrance of the bar, looking around calmly in search of him. 

"Bar. Under the stairs," His answer was kept short, not wanting the heavy heartbeats to be heard by the man. This is it...this is the moment he's been dreading all his life.

The man's eyes finally landed on him, and Jungkook maintained the contact. I need to be brave...for her. This is the only right thing I can do for her. Jungkook took a long, deep breath - preparing himself as how he practiced in those nights alone at that dodgy motel. 

The man's built is big, it intimidates him a little. He has tired eyes and visible lines across his forehead - reflecting his work and age. Somehow, Jungkook could already imagine how tiny Lisa looks like if she were to stand next to her father. She's already a small bean next to him!

"This is hardly the first impression one should give, but I must commend you on pulling this kind of stunt," Marco took a seat next to him.

Jungkook sighed a small smile. "I don't think I deserve to give a proper introduction of myself over dinner. I just need to talk to you where it's safe and quiet,"

"And you thought this is the best place to do it?" Now I know where Lisa got her cheekiness from!

"Everyone in here are white-collars. They're drinking on Happy Hours...so it is," Jungkook took a sip of his coffee, not minding the questioning stare from the man. "Please, sir...order a drink," He signaled for one of the bartenders to attend to them. 

"I don't think I'll be here long. No offense, but looking at you now...I doubt that I need it. So let's get straight to the point shall we?" Yes. Marco is definitely an extremely strict man! But Jungkook refused to treat it any lesser than what he had planned. 

"My daughter told me she met a man whom she loves dearly. She asked her mother and me to look forward to the time when she brings him home. I didn't think the time would be this soon, but I'm kind of glad it did. You see, my daughter...she is very predictable. She trusts people so easily, always nice to everyone she meets, and I love her for it. But I'm not like that. I'm very protective of my family and frankly speaking, I'm not sure what you were thinking when you present to me...this...here..." Marco scanned him and then the bar - specifically pointing towards the shelves where the alcohol bottles are. "I think you know what I mean, right?"

"I do,"

"Good. So I don't have to get into the other details I found about you to let you know that I will not allow this any further. I expect you to end this relationship you have with my daughter by today -"

"Tell me sir, what did you find about me?" Despite the intimidation, Jungkook turned to face the man with a smile. "Why don't we exchange our information? I have yours too and I think you might need that drink for what I'm about to share," 

Keep your cool, Kook! You need to play this right if you don't wanna end up in cuffs today!

As expected, Marco raised his eyebrows a little - curving his lips downwards as if he's partly impressed at the turn of events. "Whatever he's having," He said when the bartender came. It gave Jungkook a little boost to know that Marco will give him the time he needed.

"Jeon Jungkook...that's your name right?" Jungkook nods. "I asked her where you're from and she stuttered...just a little. She said you're from Busan. And that you lived in Daegu before you came to Seoul. You know what I found in my system? Nothing. Not in Daegu, and not in Seoul. There was a Jeon Jungkook in Busan...reported missing since 2018. Never found until now. It's like the boy just vanished into thin air," Marco stares into the nothingness right before him. 

"I gave it a benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it's a different person...someone with the same name. No records of the name in a lot of departments. No death records. No crime records. No addresses or contacts registered anywhere. I began to wonder if this person even exists! Then I found another Jeon Jungkook under Health and Human Services department. And guess what, it's the same Jeon Jungkook that went missing! How peculiar...am I right?"

"Yes, sir,"

"Is that your way of telling me that you were indeed the boy who went missing? Or are you using his identity?"

"You just mentioned that there are no records anywhere. It's a little conflicting for me to steal the identity of someone but never used it, no?" 

"You're sure good at acting tough and smart. My question is, are you lying to my daughter about your real identity right now?"

"No, I didn't, sir,"

"Then you're admitting that you're the missing boy?"

Jungkook paused at the sentence. 'Admitting'...the word sounds so alien now. "Yes. I'm the missing boy,"

Marco's eyes widened as if it really surprised him to hear it. The coffee came and he gathered himself back.

"But never mind that first, I'm sure we'll be able to fill it in later. Let's talk about you. Since we're being direct...may I know if you can think of anyone...rich enough...who would want you dead?"

Jungkook pretends to not notice how the man almost choked on his coffee. Is he surprised to hear the question...or is he more surprised at finding Jungkook is actually drinking coffee in a bar? He can't tell the difference.

"What are you -"

He didn't wait for him to finish before presenting the brown envelope onto the counter. Marco hesitated, but took out the content a few seconds after. By the sequence of how Jungkook arranged it, he goes through each paper carefully. The deep frown reflects the shock and horror - now replacing the calm and collected man from earlier. 

"Where...how did you find out about these?"

"If you have time, I don't mind explaining," He took another slow sip. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed how Marco had laid the papers back on the counter. "I um...I've been missing, not by choice. I was a fifteen-year-old, struggling to come to terms that I was asked to run as far as I can by the only person I trusted. So I kept myself hidden for a while. But I needed to do something to survive, right?"

...

Marco rubbed his face after hearing everything - now red from the conflicts between wanting to live, or to serve the justice as he had taken the oath for. Jungkook could feel the tension surrounding them as he waits for the decision.

"How can I take your word on it? You've been missing almost half of your life - you can just disappear again -"

"I love your daughter...to death, I love her. That's why I'm here now, talking to you. I don't want her to cry for losing her father. I don't want her to suffer...or to be afraid. I can't agree with you more, sir...I feel like I don't deserve her. I'm still struggling in coming to terms with parting from her, but I know I have to. Please let me do this...just one last time before I disappear from her forever," He felt the rising of a sob in his chest as he said it.

"I've already decided to stop. I wanted to be better - to be in peace with myself. I can only hope someone in this world would give me a chance to do that...and that person is you. I sit here now - admitting to everything, just with the hope that you'd trust me. Which is kind of ridiculous since it's the first time you're meeting me - and considering the fact that you should be my worst enemy - but I hope you could give me a chance to redeem myself. It's not a lot -"

"Not a lot? Son - you could get killed! What are you -"

Jungkook smiled upon hearing it. "Thank you...for calling me that. And worrying...but you should know that I'm not afraid of death. What I am afraid of...is this life...the way my mind works, my skills and what I could potentially do - they scare me. Please...let me protect her by protecting you. It's the least I can do. You can decide what you wanna do with me after. I just need you to agree on this cus time is running out,"

"I...I have my people - I'll raise this threat and they'll protect me,"

"I don't think you understand!" Jungkook's desperation is evident in his raised voice and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. "It started with two bidders. These two are amateurs - I've checked on their kill counts and ammos. Today, another one bidder came in to do the job. Slightly better than the two. The longer it takes for you to decide, the more bidders are gonna come in. Three hundred thousand USD is a lot of money...and I don't know if there'll be anyone as good as me or even better than me. For someone to put in that much money to see you dead, my guess is they're desperate for the job to be done quick!"

Come on...how else can I convince him?

"And you don't know how good these people can be - I'm sorry to say this but your people won't stand a chance against hitmen like me. I've dodged ex-soldiers and 50 or more bodyguards, and I got no scratches from it. Up until now, you can't find anything to prove that I was responsible - nothing other than my words. Am I right?" He waits again for a response. Marco's frown deepens as he stares down to the papers. "You need me...please...do it for your daughter. Please help me save her,"

...

Days had turned into nights, but Jungkook is still nowhere to be seen. Lisa's world had never trembled like this, helpless at the lack of efforts and options that's thinning in her mind. 

She had visited his house for 10 days straight now but there's still no sign of him. His motorbike is no longer in the basement garage. Even his neighbor said she hadn't seen the guy for more than a week! Although his phone line is still active, it doesn't seem to do anything since he hadn't picked up or reply to her pleading messages.

Where is he? Is he alright...and safe? When will he come back to me?

She sighed, leaning back to the headrest of her car seat. Maybe her friends are right. At this point, Lisa's beginning to open up to the possiblities that Jungkook has a secret life she never knew about. If only she had paid more attention when they were together - perhaps she could've seen it coming!

She rubbed her tired eyes. The tears had dried off within the hours she had spent sitting here, in front of his apartment. She spotted Jungkook's neighbor returning with a bag of groceries - her small figure hunched as she walks while trying to get something out of her bag. Lisa switched the engine off and got out quickly.

"Ahjumma!" She braves a smile. "That looks heavy...let me help you!"

The woman's eyes widened when Lisa took the brown bag out of her hand. "Did you wait here all this time? I've run some errands and went to the market...and you're still here," 

Lisa shook off the pitiful look from the elder. Her desperation is nothing to hide anyway - not after showing up at his doorstep with no success whatsoever every single day!

"I just thought I'd wait...in case he comes back," She muttered as they entered the lobby. 

No one knows her efforts better than this ahjumma! After the third night she came, the woman would join her outside, waiting along with her. They would sit at the stairs - sometimes in silence, but mostly in trying conversations. The lady loves to bake - so she'd always bring some sort of desserts out for Lisa to try. A kind soul, she is...

"You must be thirsty, waiting for so long! Come in, I'll make you tea,"

"Ahh...it's okay, ahjumma -" She stopped at the doorstep but was pulled in anyway. She's never been into her house before...just the stairs. 

The first thing she noticed was the faint, delicious smell of chocolate and butter mixed together. She hadn't eaten anything other than the cold muffin this morning, but this smell had successfully brought back her appetite. Only now she realized how hungry she is!

The elder asked to make herself comfortable before disappearing into the kitchen along with the grocery bag. Lisa wonders around the living room, searching for nothing specific. The house is warm and bright as the curtains revealed the lights from outside. There's nothing much, really. Other than the two small armchairs and a coffee table, the space is pretty bare. 

There's no television, and the walls held no decorations. No wonder she could hear me crying outside! It felt like a recent move-in and she can't help but wonder if the ahjumma stays alone. Must be really lonely if she does -

"Here..." The woman came back - placing a teacup on the coffee table, as well as a plate of brownies. Yum!! "Come sit and eat," She smiles and fidgets...as if she's nervous about something. "I'm sorry - I never had any visitors before. It's all I can do -"

"No, no!! It's more than enough, ahjumma! I like brownies...must be delicious!" She giggled and took a seat.

"Aish...I sold these at the market. I like to make extra just in case some burned," She grinned. "I'm still learning,"

"To bake? But this already tastes so good! Like a pro's recipe - you can really sell these at cafes - I'm sure a lot of people would buy it,"

"Really?? Ahh...I don't know...maybe I can try ask. Do you know which cafe?"

"Oh, there's a lot of cafes when you get to the main street right? You can try and ask. If you're not sure, I can help you as well...there are cafes near my university too. A lot of students...it will surely sell!"

"You think so?" Her bright smile soothes her melodramatic heart. She has the nicest smile! "It's okay...I can ask the ones near here first. I don't want to trouble you, my dear. Plus, it will be easy for me to deliver it as well. I can't walk too far,"

Lisa took another bite while nodding. Damn - this is so good! "It's no trouble! I'll ask when I get the chance to okay? Who are you living with, ahjumma? I've never seen your husband and kids before,"

The few seconds of silence made her look up to the woman. There's still that small smile, but it seems like she's staring far ahead. It's as if she's searching for something - an answer perhaps. Oh no...is it a sensitive subject to be asking?? 

"My husband...he passed a long time ago. My son...I don't know where he is, but I hope he finds his way back to me, or me to him,"

"Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -"

"It's fine, my dear. I've been looking for him...but maybe it's not the time yet,"

That's terrible!! How could her son leaves his single mother alone and not come back? Lisa would never do that to any of her parents - it would literally kill her to not know where to go back to! The thought made her think about Jungkook again. Easier said than done...it must've been killing him too!

"When was the last time you saw him? Have you tried asking the police for help?" She's not sure why, but she strongly felt like calling her father up right this second to help this woman find her son!

"Lisa-ya...I've been wanting to ask, but it always seemed like inappropriate timing. The boy you've been waiting for...I heard you called his name,"

Her voice is soft. "Jungkook," Lisa sighed even with her mouth full.

"Yes...do you know his last name?"

"It's Jeon," 

It was just a second that the name came out from her mouth, but she can already see the glint of tears in the woman's eyes. "Ahjumma...are you okay?"

"Jeon...Jeon Jungkook? Is he from Busan? Tell me - does he have a family or a - parents, are his parents still around?!" The woman's hand suddenly held tightly on her wrist, surprising her a little. By instinct, Lisa leaned back and frowned. How did she know about -

The realization struck her hard. Is she... "Eomma Kim?" 

The woman covered her gasp with a palm, just as Lisa's heart starting to pound hard. "He...he told you about me?"

How...how is this even possible? Does Jungkook know she's here, living right across from his house?? He never said anything...he said she's in prison...for killing her husband -

She stood up as the thought flashed fast. The woman - who now has tears running down her face - stares up to her, still waiting for her answer. But Lisa couldn't find the right words and she finds herself not wanting to say what the woman wanted to hear.

A kind face...a kind soul...but she killed someone. What should I do? What would Jungkook wants me to do?

"Lisa-ya...please tell me -"

"I - I'm sorry. I have to go," And she dashed out at full speed - forcing her feet to understand the fear that she was supposed to feel.

...