ATHERIO PARK [RELEASED]

Two Leaders

"Step to take risks is better than sit back and be left behind."

_Record Irna Marhamah_

◆◇◆

Junwoo's mouth was gaping as the foreign language tutor explained the vocabulary he did not understand at all. There was not a single word stored in his head.

"French," Junwoo murmured softly. Atherina who was sitting next to him turned her head. Junwoo instantly put on a spirited facial expression. Though in his heart, he condemned his decision to teach foreign languages in order to get close to Atherina.

Ah, three days from now you will ask permission to leave the foreign language group, Inner Atherina.

Atherio peeked through the corner of the window. "Ah, foreign language tutoring was made an excuse to be with the man" Antherio grumbled.

So Yeon stops her from seeing Atherio peeking at the room she uses to learn French.

Atherio who sensed the existence of someone turned his head, he saw So Yeon standing there. So Yeon becomes nervous from being caught paying attention to Atherio.

Atherio frowned, "What are you doing? I thought you were home."

"I. I saw you peeking there, I thought. I can greet you, but. but I feel. I'll even bother you if I greet you.." So Yeon replied with a stutter.

Atherio would have his voice out, but the voices of some of the people talking and going out of the classroom prevented him from speaking. He turned his attention to Atherina and Junwoo who simultaneously walked out of the classroom.

Atherio stared resentfully at Atherina and Junwoo.

Junwoo walked in front with Atherio, while Atherina walked in behind with So Yeon.

"Ah, it's nice to be in a foreign language class.I can learn a lot of new vocabulary" said Junwoo, who seems pretentious. Atherio glared annoyedly at Junwoo.

Atherina rolled both her eyes.

Silly, he couldn't even say hello in French.

While So Yeon continued to pay attention to Atherio. Through So Yeon's gaze, Atherina realized that the girl also idolized Atherio like other students. However, Atherina pretended not to see So Yeon who was watching her sister.

"I go first!" Junwoo waved his hand as he exited the school area. The three people continued their steps towards the parking lot.

"Where do you live?" Atherina asked So Yeon who made the girl stunned and turned to Atherina. Atherio was still walking in front of them.

So Yeon confirmed her glasses, "I. I live in.."

"We'll drive you" Atherio said, cutting off So Yeon's speech. The two girls' eyes were on Atherio.

In the car, Atherio sat next to So Yeon in the back seat. Atherina sat down next to the driver.

So Yeon looked nervous, she had not expected it to be that close to Atherio.

Arriving at So Yeon's house, the car that took them stopped in the yard of a tiny pink-painted house. Atherina looked around the spacious courtyard.

So Yeon got out of the car, she thanked Atherio and Atherina for driving her home.

So Yeon waved her hand as the car left her home. So Yeon jumped up and down cheerfully as she entered her house.

"Atherio, I like you."

Arriving at Park's residence, Atherio got out of the car and immediately entered the house.

"Rio, wait!" Atherina follows Atherio who seems unwilling to stop. Atherina walked up to him and touched his shoulder. Inevitably, Atherio stopped and turned to look at his brother.

Atherina looked up at her younger sister who was taller than her, "This afternoon we are talking in dad's study, we are going to meet a colleague at their headquarters. After coming home from there, I'll announce something to our members."

Atherio nodded, he removed Atherina's tanga from his shoulder then passed up the stairs to his room.

Atherina just shook her head slowly looking at her sister's behavior.

◆◇◆

Atherina touched her father's seat of greatness. When Park was alive, he would sit in the chair and tell Atherina. Atherina would listen to all of her father's stories until she fell asleep.

He would wake up and find himself in the room.

Park moved it.

Atherina never dared to sit in that chair. Even though Park adopted her and considered her like a child, Atherina still felt that she did not deserve it.

Atherina always thought that Atherio was more entitled and more deserving.

Atherina steps her foot into the picture frame of her late father. In the photo there is no smile. From his eyes was an intimidating and ambitious gaze.

"Sister."

The voice made Atherina look over. Atherio was leaning against the doorway with both hands in his pants pocket.

"Come in" said Atherina. They were both next to each other on the sofa available in the room.

Atherina started the conversation, "Our business partner is reported to be working with an enemy group. We should be vigilant when we're at his base. I haven't been able to draw any conclusions about them, I don't know if they work together professionally or not."

Atherio's gaze still remained straight forward with no expression at all.

Atherina looked at her sister, "If something suddenly happens, get behind me."

As Atherio looked at his brother, "What do you mean? I take cover behind the girls? Why do you always think of me as a child? You clearly know my fighting skills, why don't you ever trust my abilities?"

Questions were raised to Atherina.

"What would my father's group be if I stood behind a woman" murmured Atherio while throwing his face away.

Atherina was still staring at her sister, "I am a big sister, I will protect my sister under any circumstances. Even if I'm a woman."

Atherio looked resentfully at his brother, "Stop protecting me! From now on I'll protect you."

Silent.

"I don't need protection" Atherina said softly.

"I thought my father was the only one who always lied to me. But apparently not, you lied to me too. Every second you talk about trust, you never trust people completely. But, in fact you yourself can't be trusted." Unknowingly, Atherio's remarks hurt Atherina.

With a still expression, Atherina spoke again, "Tell me, when did I lie to you?"

"Son, I didn't have any friends. Big Brother has never been friends with anyone for a lifetime because Big Brother was born to be a gangster. Hye In said, she's Brother's friend, and then I saw Brother always with Junwoo, and.." Atherio will discuss about Park adopting Atherina, but he chose not to continue.

"And what?" ask Atherina.

There is no answer from Atherio that even mute a thousand languages.

"Well, I'll answer your question just now. Me and Hye In aren't friends, Junwoo isn't my friend either."

There was no reaction from Atherio. Atherina continued, "Do you believe what Hye In said? Trust me, he spoke so to get your attention, same with So Yeon."

As Atherio stared at Atherina, "So Yeon is just a plain girl, she can't be like the people who idolized me at school."

Atherina smiled as she grinned softly, "Just because she's glasses and plain-looking doesn't mean her mind is also innocent, I pay attention to her when looking at you, she likes you."

Atherio looked at Atherina, "Is Big Brother jealous?"

Atherina pulled her lips to the side, "From being amazed, to liking, to loving, to obsessing."

Atherio digested his brother's speech, flashed a shadow of So Yeon in his mind.

Atherio shook his head quickly, a woman like So Yeon couldn't possibly be the same as Hye In.

Atherina tucked her hair behind her ear. There was a communication device in his ear, "Prepare the car for us, the people I've appointed are also preparing to come along."

After getting an answer, Atherina confirmed her hair back to cover her ears.

"Come on," Atherina said as she moved from her seat.

The still-sitting Atherio looked up at his older brother, "What about Junwoo? He also likes Brother."

"Have you ever liked someone?" Ask Atherio.

For a moment both of Atherina's hands stopped moving because they heard her sister's question. He had two pistols in the drawer. Atherio was still staring at Atherina.

Atherina gave one of the guns along with the bullet. They put the bullet in at the same time.

"No, I never liked anyone. Dad always said, 'don't put too much on your feelings, it's just an obstacle.' I think it's true." Atherina answered her sister's question after a few minutes.

"Feelings, yes..then why do you forgive someone who made a mistake yesterday? You can't do it, can you?" Ask Atherio.

"Because the man had just had a child" Atherio said.

Atherina breezed away followed by Atherio who was waiting for an answer from her brother.

"Dad said, 'don't make new relationships, this is all you have.' I thought if a group was family. Dad always told me we should love our family. Group members are not real families, but at least we should treat them well, right?" Answer the Atherina ending question.

Atherio snorted in annoyance, there was always an answer to his trapping question. "Because you'd better be a lawyer, don't be a gangster ."

Atherina chuckled, "I don't want to fight and defend people I don't know, even if they get paid."

"Why? You can win the oral war in court" said sarcastic-sounding Atherio.

"Have it, don't talk about it."

Their steps stopped in front of the house. There were four cars parked in front of them.

All four of Park's confidants stood before Atherio and Atherina. They are Carlos, Gun Seok, Min Hyuk, and Esteban. The four of them bowed their bodies to the two leaders.

"We're leaving" Atherio said. Atherina looked at her sister. The four men each entered the car to drive, followed by several men on duty that night.

"Tonight I took the lead" Atherio said with both hands in his pants pocket.

Atherina nodded her head, "Sure."

◆◇◆

At the partner base,

Atherina and Atherio sit opposite a man named Fredo, their long-time business partner living in Italy. He recently returned to Seoul by changing his name.

Carlos and Gun Seok stand on the left near Atherina. Min Hyuk and Esteban stand on the right near Atherio.

"Well, the last time we met was Atherina in 6th grade. You're all grown up now." Fredo tried to make small talk.

The expressions of Atherio and Atherina remained flat with gazes fixed on her. Fredo looks awkward.

"Ah, okay. This is proof of his payment transaction." Fredo provides a map containing evidence of buying and selling transactions with customers.

"As a deal, each of us gets 50%." Fredo clapped his hands once. One of his men brought a suitcase and gave it to Atherio and Atherina.

Atherio opened the suitcase himself, it was American dollars.

"I heard you were working with Chan's group" Atherio half-questioningly said. He closed the suitcase and gave it to his men.

Fredo was surprised by Atherio's question. Atherina glanced at her sister.

"Ah, so have you heard of that? Just chill. We will not do anything outside the deal. We are a neutral and professional group." Fredo exuded his friendly smile.

Atherio nodded in understanding, "Yes, I can see it. Actually, the deal between us can be canceled if you prefer the Chan group.

Atherina cursed her sister's slightly rash and hasty speech.

Fredo smiled, "It's hard to control a group with two leaders." Fredo glanced at Atherio and Atherina alternately.

"We don't control a group, we all work well together like our peers in general" Atherio said. Atherina was able to breathe a sigh of relief hearing the answer from her sister. Fredo pulled his lips to the side while nodding as if disdainful.

Atherina was slightly offended by Fredo's expression. During this time Fredo respected Atherina as the leader of the group. But Fredo always looked at Atherio with one eye.

"One more, our group does not have two leaders..." Atherio hung up his sentence making Atherina stare in both of Atherio's gray beads from the side.

Atherio turned his head to look at his brother, their eyes met. There was a great affection in Atherina's eyes for her sister. And implied also the sense of belonging from both eyes Atherio.

Atherio continued his sentence while looking at Fredo, "we are one, Atherio and Atherina are one. We're together." Atherio clasping Atherina's hand made the girl startled and immediately saw the tight grip of her sister's larger hand.

In the past, he always held Atherio's small hand. Now the tiny hand is big.

Fredo laughed, "Looking at you like that even looks like you're dating."

Atherina stared intently at Fredo making the man stop laughing. Atherio removed his hand from Atherina.

"Why does your tone sound annoying?" Atherio asked a little annoyed. Atherina patted her sister's shoulder. Despite being equally upset, Atherina was still able to hold back her anger.

"We're leaving" Atherina said.

After saying goodbye, Atherio and Atherina passed out of Fredo's base. They cross paths with Chan's group in front of Fredo's headquarters. For a moment both groups showed deathly gazes, but not for a long time just a few seconds. They decided to continue the delayed move.

Atherina and Atherio enter the car. No one wanted to break the silence between them.

Atherina stared at the crowded streets. Atherina was stunned when Atherio's head hit her head. Atherina turned her head, and her sister fell asleep.

He confirmed Atherio's position to sit upright next to him. Atherina looked back at the streets, Atherio's body slumped and his head fell asleep on Atherina's shoulder.

Atherina was stunned and she decided to let her position stay that way.

"Atherio and Atherina are one.."

Atherina was grieving, Rio, what are you talking about? I'm your brother.

The car stopped at Park's house. Atherina saw her sister fall asleep so soundly, she could not bear to wake her.

Atherina rubbed the sweat on Atherio's forehead with the back of her hand. Atherio grew quickly, as did his thinking. The same training with Atherina made him mature faster. However, despite the same training did not make the contents of their heads the same.

There was always a little discussion between them. Even so, they could always return things well.

Atherina looked at her watch which showed at 11 p.m., she decided to wake her sister up. Atherina patted Atherio's arm, "Rio, we've arrived. Get up."

Atherio did not move at all. Atherina sighed softly. As a child, if Atherio suddenly fell asleep in the car, Atherina would lift her sister's body and carry her home.

Now impossible, Atherio has a body that is taller and bigger than him.

Weight.

That was what Atherina had in mind.

Atherina brought her face closer to Atherio's ear to whisper. However, just as Atherina opened her mouth, Atherio muttered...

"I love you, Brother Nana."

◆◇◆

July 19th, 2019

Ucu Irna Marhamah's

　

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