The flight took almost fifteen hours as they chose to have a non-stop one to reach home as soon as possible. They left New York around three in the afternoon, and they arrived before her parents' usual time for breakfast in South Korea.
The moment they stepped on the ground at the airport, Bianca made a call.
"Appa, na waseoyo." [Dad, I'm here.]
She paused to listen to her dad's reply. Asher was so nervous, but he tried to keep himself calm.
"Pegupa jukkeseo." [I'm starving.]
"Argeosseoyo, chinggurang katchi waseoyo. Ung... Itta bwayo." [Okay, I'm here with a friend. Ummm See you in a bit.]
Then she looked at Asher. To her surprise, he was looking pale and scared.
"They are waiting for us for breakfast. I suggest you calm down, or you might get constipated," Bianca teased him.
Asher could not help laughing with her. He thought he was doing a good job hiding his feelings. It turned out she could see right through him. It's either he is terrible at hiding his emotions, or he is feeling too nervous about being able to conceal it even with a smile.
As soon as they got out of the airport lounge, Bianca spread her arms and inhaled deeply.
"It's good to be back. I missed this breeze and familiarity."
She wasn't able to come home for the last holiday because she was preparing so much for her final years in college. She just gets in contact with her parents through virtual calls and exchange of messages, which could also be dull at times when their schedules and availability do not synchronize.
Asher watched her with a warm heart. It must have been difficult for a girl to be far from her family, but because she has her dreams and she pursues them, she is willing to make the sacrifices that come along with them. He is a man, but he had never done such things as admirable ones she had overcome. And she even stayed pure all these times. She could have done wild things being far from restricting parents, but she didn't. She focused on her goals.
Asher felt furious when he remembered who could have done these things to Bianca. What happened to him can be overlooked as he is a man, and he had whored around during his days before meeting Bianca. But she is different. She didn't deserve such misfortune to happen to her. He was just thankful for the heavens that he was the one around her when it happened. Had it been a different case, he wouldn't know how to control his anger and rage. Because he knew Bianca would have been devastated.
Just then, without him knowing, an email arrived on his phone.
They only have a luggage suitcase as Bianca did not pack anything for herself. She only had her purse and her phone with her. She claimed that she had everything she would need back home, so no need to worry about anything.
They walked to the taxi bay and left the airport. Bianca gave the address and told Asher to take a nap if he wanted. It will take around thirty to forty-five minutes to arrive at her place.
"No, I can't sleep. I am way too nervous about doing that," Asher laughed at himself. "But you can lean on me if you want to have a nap. Come here," Asher pulled her head gently to lean on his left shoulder. And Bianca did. She leaned on him, but she could not sleep either. She pulled out her phone and checked her emails. As soon as Asher saw her doing so, he pulled out his phone and checked his emails as well.
"Oh, I got an email from my IT friend," Asher excitedly mentioned.
"Who is that?" Bianca did not know why he would be ecstatic, so she asked casually.
"He is the guy I asked to check the surveillance cameras in the area," he answered.
Bianca sat up straight when she heard his reply.
"What did his email say?" she asked eagerly.
"Come, let's check it together," Asher wound his left arm around her to pull her closer to his side. To his embrace.
They saw a video clip where a waiter had been eyeing Bianca the whole time she was at the party until the drinks were given away. The waiter was subtly making his move as he did his watering job. He made sure he was the one to give Bianca her drinks, the video even showed his unspoken attempt to stop Asher as he took the wineglass from Bianca's hold. But as Asher was quick to gulp the wine in her glass, the waiter could no longer do anything.
Then a note was below the video clip.
Asher's IT friend hacked into the waiter's phone and they found a bank message stating a big amount was sent to his account. They connected the dots and it led him to a certain name. Sue Jin. A Korean national. And because she is just a tourist in the area, the IT guy can only get so limited information. He apologized to Asher for not being so much of help.
"Please tell your friend that he helped us more than he could ever imagine," Bianca clenched her teeth in fury.
And Asher replied to the email just as Bianca said and sent it right away with thanks.
"She must have thought no one would check as I have always been so passive with her evil deeds," Bianca angrily uttered. "I really have to put an end to this. But I do not know how," she warily added.
"We will deal with them. She is teaming up with Cedrick Walsh, he is after me, and she is after you. We should team up to fight against them, too," Asher reminded Bianca what he said in the hotel after their brunch yesterday.
"Yeah, I will ask dad if he can help us in any way. This is becoming way too dangerous to let her do her wicked ways to ruin me," said Bianca.
Soon they arrived at the address Bianca gave the cab driver. Bianca paid by card while Asher was worried about not having any cash changed at the airport.
"Don't worry about it. You bought the tickets coming here, I should shoulder everything you will need while you're here in my jurisdiction," Bianca tittered at her choice of words.
They got out of the cab and as they were busy talking earlier, Asher did not notice their surroundings while he was seated in the car. Now he looked around and he was amazed.
It was a big traditional-designed house in the middle of a wide land that looked like an ancient castle to Asher. There were no neighbors nearby. There was an open field to the right while a river was to the other side. The house looked like the ones Asher had seen in a Korean Royal historic-romance movie.
"Bianca, you didn't mention you were a princess!" Asher was aghast when he looked around at Bianca's home. Inside the tall concrete was a vast yard filled with huge dark brown jars. Trees were around, but as the season was turning into its cold weather, the leaves had started to fall. A few people were sweeping the dried leaves on the ground. While others were busy doing things Asher had no idea what.
"What princess are you talking about?" Bianca laughed at his amusement.
A servant saw Bianca coming by the gates, she quickly walked forward to greet the two newly arrived.
"Jal danyo osyeossimnika, Agashi?" [How was your trip, Young Lady?] the middle-aged lady courteously greeted Bianca.
"Ne, jal jinesyeoseoyo?" [Yes, have you been well?] Bianca replied politely.
"Sajangnim gwa samonimkesso kiadrigo kyesimnida, oso durugaseyo," [The Master and Madam are waiting for you, please go ahead.]
"Kamsahamnida!" [Thank you!]
Then Bianca turned to Asher who seemed to find it entertaining to watch Bianca speak in a totally different language than what they would always use in their conversations. He has tried learning different languages to deal with their clients but none of them is the same as Bianca's mother tongue.
"Are you ready?" Bianca asked Asher. "They might pry you with questions so I suggest you embrace yourself," she added mischievously.
"Hey, how can you say that to me now?" Asher complained. He was already nervous about his own crazy thoughts, and what she said magnified his fears and worries.
Then she started calling for her mom and dad from the door.
"Omma! Appa! Kongjunim waseoyo!" [Mom! Dad! Your princess is here!]
And she gleefully ran towards the kitchen. Just to get back and get Asher to come along with her.