Saturday Ten am 
  
Lustful morning sex marked Ko and Rica’s early awakening. But by ten am the naked teens drained each other enough to lie still and watch music videos in bed. 
  
“Mmm, you bad dog~” Rica cooed, resting on Ko’s tight abs. 
  
“Heh,” He grinned, squeezing her ass while admiring the dance moves of the performer on the flat screen. “I can dance like him.” 
  
“Yeah-m-hm, I bet you can, but it’s time to get up!” 
  
Rica stood straight up on the bed and wrapped all the sheets around her before prancing off to the bathroom.  
  
“Hey!” Ko protested, as she left him cold and naked, laying on a pillow with his manhood exposed. Time to brew tea. 
  
Ten minutes later the young adults sat half dressed at the kitchen table. They joked around while avoiding business topics such as, who they needed to kill, and other endeavors. For it seemed for the moment, and perhaps the day, they just wanted to be normal teens. But Ko had a question.

"Boss, can I ask you something?" 

"Fire away," she responded.

"When I first met you, so long ago. You had a boyfriend. I believed his name was-"  

"Caleb, Caleb Perez," she said with warmth as if this person still mattered. She then stared at Ko. "He was the first boy I kissed, held hands with, and killed for when I was eleven years old."

Ko nodded, "Are you two still close?" 

"With Caleb?" she blushed, "No, I haven't seen him since he moved to Florida four years ago. We kept in contact on Yak, but time marches on. And if you're going to ask me if I still care about him, I do. As much as anyone cares for old friends who've shown nothing but kindness, as he did. But if you ask if I'm in love with him, no. I was a kid then, and so was he."

"Oh," said Ko looking away. "But you guys never-"

"No, Ko!" she deadpanned. "We never went all the way, as you obviously know from the blood stained sheet the other night you bad dog."

"Of course," he muttered with a smile, satisfied with her answer. But now Rica had a something to say.

“Ko?” 
  
“Yes, boss.” 
  
“I snuck something in here recently when you were out. And I’d meant to let you see it, maybe touch it. Maybe use it.” 
  
“Hmm.” Ko glanced at her with suspicion. “Ok. And where exactly is this secret item that you snuck in here that I can maybe touch?” 
  
But as he asked the question Rica turned the volume up on a Kpop video playing on the living room screen. “Ooh! I like this song!” she said dancing to the track. “Those guys are so cute, are they popular in Korea? Oh, and yes, the secret item is under the bed, hee hee!” 
  
Ko glanced at the television and smirked. He knew the band, the song, everything. “Hmph!” he pouted, then stood in front of the television and flawlessly executed three perfectly synchronized steps with the performers on screen.  
  
“Oh my god!” Rica’s jaw dropped at Ko’s move,“You really are in a boy band! Yaaaaa!” she screamed at him. 

“That’s right, girl!” He winked at her, flipping his hair like a pop vocalist while walking to the bedroom. 
  
“Oh please!” Rica chuckled, but she stayed in the living room. Apparently trying to practice the group's dance moves. 
  
  
Dark God 
  
Ko entered the room and checked under the bed. In the shadow he immediately spotted, and recognized, a black rifle bag. “You clever little mongoose,” he muttered while reaching out and pulling the bag toward him. Once he retrieved it he placed it on the bed with a smile. For he already knew what was inside when he opened the zipper. 
  
“Ah!” Ko damn near had a mini-gasm at the site of his, “Old friend!” 
  
Excited, he carefully displaced the bag around the item, lifting it gently in his arms, and saying its name. 
  
“Yeomra. I missed you.” 
  
His old friend was a Knight's Armament, M110-A2 Battle Rifle. The rifle he fought Rica with all those years ago in Monaco. The rifle he couldn’t smuggle out of that country. 
  
When he reached in the bag he found the five year old note he wrote for Rica. He sat on the bed staring at the thoughts of his twelve year old self written on a time capsule sheet of paper: 
  
Please take care of my friend. I cannot leave this country with him. He is loyal and strong. His name is Yeomra. 
  
-Ko 
  
“If you want that rifle back you’ll have to fight me for it,” said Rica, standing in the doorway, wearing nothing but his grey t-shirt. 
  
“Hmph,” Ko smirked, inspecting the weapon. “Is there a price to borrow him?” 
  
“Maybe. But Ko?” 
  
“Yes?” He placed the rifle back in the bag.
  
“You asked me about an old boyfriend, but how come you never asked about the rifle?” 
  
Ko grinned. “The same reason I never discuss Monaco. The past is the past and Yeomra is no longer my rifle. He’s yours now.” He placed the bag down, “I just hoped you gave him a good home.” 
  
“Of course I did. Yeomra is one of my favorites,” said Rica. 
  
“As he should be-” At that second Ko’s phone buzzed. He checked it. A text from Gun Kae. 
  
Ko, I think I saw one of Jun-Seo’s lieutenants. Not sure. Will call you tomorrow. 
  
“What?” Ko gaped at the message with a quizzed look before Rica interrupted. 
  
“Who’s that?” she asked with suspicion. 
  
“That’s Gun Kae. Han Clan stuff. Apparently nothing so far,” Ko answered, walking toward her and pulling her close. 
  
“You bad dog!” she play punched him, “I don’t have time for you, I gotta stop by my mom’s-” 
  
Ko kissed her, pulling her on the bed, “Yes, your mom’s.”  
  
“You beast!” Rica cried, “Your big rifle don’t impress me!” 
  
“Mhm.” He nodded, acknowledging her protest while lifting her t-shirt to kiss her breasts. 
  
“Oh~” Rica moaned and her resistance fell. “Aaah~ Maybe we have a little time,” she cooed. 
  
“Yeah we do.” 
  
Prosper Gallery- The East Village- Eight pm 
  
After stopping by Dan’s place, Ko and Rica got dressed and headed out to the private party- photo exhibit thrown tonight by Elsie Hasek, older sister of Sammy Hasek. Rica’s friend and classmate. 
  
As they reached the Prosper Gallery Ko walked tall in his dark grey suit, with Rica on his arm in a stunning Calvin Klein beaded open-back sheath dress with high heels. A power couple. But Ko noticed the crowd at the entrance to the venue. 
  
“Hmm, there’s a line at the door,” he said. 
  
“Eh?” Rica shot a crazy look at him, “Boy, what makes you think I stand in line in my own city?” she snapped as the two walked right up to the velvet roped entrance. And as soon the big bald headed bouncer at the front spotted Rica, he instantly opened the rope. 
  
“Good evening, Ms. Reyes.” 
  
“Hi Teddy, is everyone here?” Rica asked. 
  
“Your friends are upstairs in the loft.” He smiled. 
  
“Thank you~” 
  
Ko observed her exchange with the bouncer. Now more familiar with Rica’s style he understood why she flaunted her power, and not for trivial reasons. No, her reason was perception. In a city where money, ego, and wealth flowed like water, a teenage journeyman crime boss couldn’t afford to stay quiet in the background at all. For perception in the underworld meant everything, and she needed to be seen by her peers as a leader in this game. And Rica, absolutely, wore the little boss lifestyle on her sleeve. Ko liked all that, 'cute evil boss' behavior, but he’d never admit it. 
  
The Girls 
  
By the time they entered the high end artist space, filled with photos, a wine bar, and a DJ,  the exhibit itself became an afterthought as the party swelled with guests. Ko shielded Rica as they advanced through the crowd and made small talk with Elsie, the hostess. Until a voice called out from the main floor. 
  
“Rica, Ko! Quit talking to my sister and come over here! What took ya’ll so long?” cried Rica’s friend Sammy. 
  
Ko glanced over at Sammy who stood with a group of Rica’s classmates, to include Nicky and Donna. Each girl adorable, and tall, in their club dresses and heels. 
  
“Hello ladies!” Rica greeted, sauntering over to take her place as the alpha. 
  
While Rica gossipped with her girls, Ko, the only guy with them, made himself useful by securing several glasses of champagne for his underage peers via the open bar. The bartender never ID’d him or anything. But it seemed that Rica’s friends started the party before they arrived. 
  
“Ko! I gotta tell you something!” yelped a voice in Korean behind him, Donna. 
  
“Uh..” He looked in her eyes, she was tipsy. “I guess you don’t need this champagne,” he said placing the glass back on the bar. 
  
“What are you talking about?” She teased, swaying while picking up the glass. “I wanted to tell you I got a job, I start tomorrow night!” 
  
“Oh, nice! Where? At a restaurant?” 
  
“Mm.” She sipped the bubbly. “Oh, that’s good. Anyway, yeah, sort of. It’s a DJ bar space called Masters in the west Village.” 
  
What? Ko damn near dropped his glass. That’s Jun-Seo’s club! “How could you get a job there, you’re sixteen?” 
  
“No, it’s cool!  It’s off the books. The manager is Korean and there’s other Korean girls that work there that look really young-” 
  
“Donna, I don’t think you should keep that job!” 
  
“What? Why not?” She moved closer to him.  
  
“Because I heard bad things about the people that work there.” 
  
“Like what? That they’re Korean mafia or something? Yeah I heard that too. But are you worried about me, Ko?” 
  
“Hmm,” Choose the right words, Ko. “Hey look, I’d never tell you to do the wrong thing.” He eyed her intensly, “But Donna, you gotta believe me- mph!” 
  
She kissed him, just for a second. But in that moment, when her tongue touched his, Ko mentally kicked himself. Ko, you idiot! He reflexively pulled away from her, and immediately turned his head to see-
  
Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. 
  
-Rica Reyes, on the main floor glaring steel daggers at him. Crap! Ko motioned to her, but she immediately twirled and walked off with Sammy and Nicky, who turned and scowled at him. 
  
“Rica!” He tried to chase her, but they escaped to the bathroom. “Dammit!” 
  
“Ko!” Donna ran behind him with her glass in hand, “I’m sorry.” 
  
He leered at her, then growled in a hard Busan accent, “Yeah? If you’re so sorry then you’re gonna make this right and you’re gonna do what I say!” 
  
“Ah!” Donna stepped back, seemingly frightened. But she nodded. “I'll listen to you, Ko.” 
  
He squinted at her, “Good!”

Meanwhile, Inside The Bathroom. 
  
Rica and her girls huddled over a sink, fixing their makeup in the mirror. 
  
“Rica, Donna’s just a little drunk!” cried Sammy. 
  
But Nicky frowned, “Sammy, why you defending her? You saw what she did out there with Rica’s man!” 
  
“I’m just saying-” 
  
“Who’s side you on?” Nicky asked, squinting at Sammy. 
  
“The both of you stop!” Rica commanded. “First of all I’m not mad and he’s not my man. He's just a dog.” 
  
“We’ll you should be mad, girl! And stop playing, we know Ko is your property!” said Nicky. 
  
“No, he’s not.” Rica fixed her eyebrows in the mirror. “Like I said before it’s a free country. Ko can do whatever he wants, I don’t care, hmph!” 
  
“Oh please, Rica. You know you mad, but you know you like him so all I’m saying is you need to set the rules with him, gurl!” demanded Nicky, while teasing her auburn locks. 
  
“Nicky, why you gotta instigate?” Sammy accused, applying her dark brown lipstick to highlight her brown skin. 
  
“How am I instigating? I’m helping Rica out letting her know that pretty boys are all trouble, mhm!” 
  
“Heh heh, ya’ll silly. But I don’t think I need to say anything to him. Why should I?” Rica asked. 
  
“Aww, be nice to him!” said Sammy. 
  
Rica crossed her arms, “Hmph!” 
  
Nicky smirked, “That’s right girl, don’t be nice to him. And when he try to come close you let him sniff, but you tell him no!” 
  
“Haha!” The girls laughed at Nicky’s sass before Rica’s phone rang. She checked the caller ID, Big Sis Kitty? “Hello? What’s up?” Rica walked away from the girls. “Yes, we’re on our way.” 
  
“Rica? Was that your job?” Sammy asked. 
  
“Yeah, I gotta go.” 
  
Back Outside 
  
Ko leaned on the wall outside the bathroom. As soon as Rica stepped out, they glanced at each other. But he played cool, until she walked over. 
  
“Hey! Ahmed hit three of our cash depots for two million!” She scowled at him, “The only three depots your clan, the Han’s knew about!” 
  
Ko gaped at her “What? No, the Han’s wouldn’t leak that information-” 
  
“Yeah, well now you gotta explain that to Tara, so let’s go dog!” she growled, stepping off the dance floor. 
  
“Right.” Ko reluctantly pursued her thinking, Damn, the day started so great with us making love and dancing! 

..