LOCATION: Lawyer Srinivasan's office, Bhatt & Srinivasan, The Financial Law Firm, West of Cord Road, Myit. Time: 6PM.

The blasting A/C in the chic office does nothing to sooth down Ha Joon's temper as he stands looking out the glass wall at his city. The city he was born in, the city he grew up in, the city he loved for its blooming and colorful spring and hated for its flooding monsoons. The city, which he was now being told, was not his anymore.

ABEONIM (OVER PHONE): You had 6 months to fix this. You promised you would fix this. How could you let this happen?

The thundering voice over the speaker has no impact on Ha Joon. Things have changed for the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Setting his jaw, Ha Joon turns around and faces the speaker, it's time he made this clear to his father.

HA JOON: It's not my fault that the minister turned out to be an outright thug. It's not my fault that an elected government is extorting money from its own citizens.

ABEONIM (OVER PHONE): Don't-

HA JOON: *Determined and loud*  I'm not done talking.

Lawyer Srinivasan swallows hard. It's not every day that you see someone say Mr. Park Baek Joon to shut up. This was not going the way she expected. The day of interrogation had ended early but only after her client was illegally held for 6 hours without access to his legal counsel and worse, after a vicious rumor of his arrest had spread across all news channels costing the prestigious company dearly. 

She knew things weren't going to cool down, not now, when the son has decided to revolt. Sitting back in her chair, she's interested in seeing how far the young man will take it.

HA JOON: Since when do government's work outside the law? You know very well that I was booked under trumped up charges. How can they so easily bring a company, built up over 100 years, down in an afternoon and hold us for ransom?

There's dead silence over the speaker. Ha Joon reaches the table its resting on and presses down his palm on the table, leaning over the speaker.

HA JOON: If in just 4 years of attaining power a political party can manipulate my country into believing a CEO of one of the best companies in Asia, who's also born into a family of industrialists, is an anti-national and destroy what's rightfully theirs, have you given any thought to what more they're capable of?

He continues without waiting for an answer.

HA JOON: I don't and I'm not going to give them an opportunity to show me.

Ha Joon's eyes bore into the speaker as Lawyer Srinivasan holds her breath.

HA JOON: I'm going to fuck them and get back what's mine. And I'm going to do it my way. If you have any problem with this, appoint any of my samchoons or my half a dozen cousins as the CEO. As long as I'm  the CEO, I make the decisions. I don't want any back seat driving by you or Ommonim. You've trained me since I could walk for one and one purpose alone; to lead Dae Hyun Corporation. And you bloody well know I can do it.

He leans away from the table and reaches for his black coat, lying on the extremely uncomfortable looking white leather couch and heads for the door.

HA JOON: So, either fuck off or tell me to fuck off. Whatever you decide let Lawyer Srinivasan know, I won't be answering your calls till all of this is over.

He looks back at his lawyer.

HA JOON: I'll see you tomorrow.

Lawyer Srinivasan smiles and nods watching him leave, closing the door behind him. She relaxes in her seat and looks back at the lonely speaker – There's a new alpha.

HA JOON'S POV:

LOCATION: ELEVATOR, SKY PALACE. Time: 7 PM

As the elevator rises to the 101st floor I feel I'm dropping to the core of the Earth – In one play Minister Lwintanawat had cost Dae Hyun Corp. 500 million in share value. And I've warned my parents to stay out of my way. I know what comes next, but that can wait till tomorrow. For now, I need only one thing.

But as the elevator pings and I step out heading toward my front door, I know I've lost it. 

I punch in the code and open the door to the dark and quiet as a solitary confinement cell, living room.

A sigh of disappointment escapes my miserable face.

Of course, she's not here.

I throw the coat hanging off my arm over the couch and freeze as the automatic lights on the stairs light up.

A man walks down the stairs. As I get ready to fight the intruder, I realize it's a familiar face. It's Leo, my brother-in-law. But it doesn't ease me. I switch on the living room lights.

HA JOON: What're you doing here?

LEO: *Smirk*  I see you didn't get arrested.

He heads to the couch and picks up the TV remote from the coffee table. Plopping down on the couch, he lies down on his back and props his head on the extra-large throw pillows.

HA JOON: I asked, what're you doing here?

LEO: *Switches on the TV*  I'm surprised you recognized me.

He peels his eyes away from the TV and looks at me.

LEO: The last time we met was at your wedding.

My anger's instantly replaced with guilt.

HA JOON: I was busy.

LEO: *Sarcastically*  I know, for 3 years.

I know I deserve it, but it doesn't lessen my urge to smack his head. The punk's getting on my nerves.

LEO: Anyways, thank you for divorcing Ate. *Turns back to the TV*. She deserves better, much, m-u-c-h better.

I clench my jaw – I know.

Forget smacking this punk, I want to kick his ass. And I would, if he wasn't Ana's brother.

HA JOON: You haven't told me why you're here.

Please don't tell me Ana sent you to take care of me.

LEO: *Staring at the music video playing on the TV* I heard the owner of this shabby place is going to be arrested. Something about being an anti-national or something. Anyways, it's going to be available at dirt cheap price and I think it's a good opportunity for my first investment.

He turns away from the TV and looks at me.

He's Ana's brother, he's Ana's brother – I repeat in my head over and over again, it's the only thing stopping me from beating this punkass into a pulp.

LEO: Relax. Ate asked me to get some of her stuff.

He points to the duffel bag next to the couch.

My heart sinks – She's not coming back.

Leo picks up the duffel bag and walks to the main door. As he unlocks the door, he stops and turns back.

LEO: She was miserable being married to you, but she's more miserable since you divorced her. Don't hurt her anymore, you've hurt her enough for a lifetime.

He opens the door and steps out, pulling the door behind him.

I stand staring after him, numb head to toe.

It takes me a few seconds to realize Leo's talking to someone outside the half-closed door. I strain my warped senses to listen in.

LEO: Yes Ate. Love you, take care.

Am I hallucinating? Did he say Ate? Please, someone please tell me he said Ate.

Leo steps aside and the door swings open.

My breath escapes my lungs as Ana walks in and closes the door behind her. Our eyes meet and before I can fill my lungs with relief, she crosses the room and firmly clasps her arms around my neck.

ANA: *Confident*  I knew you would be back home.

My arms wrap around her lower back.

ANA: It'll be alright. It'll be.

I step closer and rest my head on her shoulder, my body losing strength by the second. Ana takes a step back, pulling me with her.

Tears well up in my eyes and flood out, as the one person I wanted to keep miles away from me is the only person standing with me, letting me lean on her.