Rules Don’t Apply; Prologue: That’s It! That’s Why I’m Filing For Divorce!

“You forgot our code, Yuichi. My dad is dead. I am the rightful heir to the Yakuza.” Ta-un said. “The old man is dead. However, I think we should have the right to choose who goes in as Leader.” Yuichi said. “We’re Yakuza, we ride or die.” Momo said. “Women shouldn’t be apart of this, either. I am the Leader. The old man deemed it so.” Yuichi said. “Now look-” Ta-un said before getting interrupted. “No, you look…” Yuichi said, “I see that you disagree. So I decided to put a hit on your family. Leaving means that you accept my nomination as Leader. If you don’t, the family dies.” “You wouldn’t.” Ta-un said. “Try me.” Yuichi responds. Ta-un points the gun at Yuichi. Things become intense. Suddenly, Ta-un hears the phone ring. He picks up the phone. “Yeah.” he said. “Yuichi is not playing around. He has a squad of men all around your house.” a man said. “Okay.” Ta-un said, “Thanks Yuu.” Ta-un hangs up. He puts the gun down. “Okay, you can be Leader. Just leave my family out of it.” he said. “Ta-un!!!” Momo said. Ta-un raises his hand to silence her. “I’ll consider leaving your family alone but under one condition…” “And what’s that?” Ta-un responds to Yuichi condition. “You have to leave them too. Divorce your wife and abandon your children.”

“You piece of shit!” Ta-un yells in Korean. “One more Korean word and I will execute them. I am tired of playing games with you.” Yuichi said. Ta-un looks at him with keen features. “Walking away means you accept the agreement.” Yuichi said. Ta-un thinks long and hard about the agreement. He slowly turns around without saying a word. “Come on guys.” he said. He walks away. He gets in his car. Momo goes to him. “So you are just going to let him win?” she asks. “Yuu said that there was a squad, out there, waiting to execute my family. I had no choice.” Ta-un said calmly. “Please Ta-un! Don’t leave Ami!” Momo said. “I’ll try to hold on to her as long as I can.” Ta-un said, “I’ll take you home.” She gets in the car and he drives off.

“Yuichi is bad news.” Momo said. “Let’s not talk about that.” he said. “I just need time to grieve my dad. I mean, it just happened.” he said. “Okay.” she said. He drops her off at her apartment complex in Tokyo. “Take care, Ta-un.” Momo said. “Okay, you too.” he said. He drives to Ikebukuro. He continues to think. (I can’t let Ami know about what happened.) he thinks. He makes it home. “Daddy!” his children yell. “Hey!” he said giving his kids a hug. He takes his shoes off and picks up Kizuki. Asa follows him. “Ami!?” he calls. “What!” Ami said irritated. He comes in and notice her cooking. “What’s wrong?” he asks. “I’m trying to cook Hamburg steak for us and this YouTube video is horrible!” He looks at the video. “It’s in Korean. That’s why.” he said, “You’re still trying to learn?” Ami’s face turns red. “Shut up, Ta-un!” Ami said. “Whatever you say, Hotaru.” he said.

He carries a look of concern. She notices it. “You okay?” she said. He looks at her and smiles. “I’m fine.” he assures her. He gives her a passionate kiss. “Eww!” Asa yells. Ta-un laughs. “You think that’s disgusting?” he asks Asa. “What’s disgusting?” “Gross.” “Yeah, very gross!”

“Tomorrow is Kizuki’s Birthday. She turns five years old.” Ami said. “Oh…” Ta-un said sitting Kizuki on his lap. “That means Daddy is going to get you a really nice surprise.” Ta-un tells Kizuki while tickling her. Kizuki laughs. Day turns into night. The kids went to sleep. Ta-un is in the kitchen. He lights a cigarette to calm his nerves. (I don’t want to leave this family.) he thinks over and over again. Ami searches for him. “Why are you in the kitchen?” she asks. “Just thinking of Kizuki’s birthday present.” he said. “Why not visit Sasuke?” Ami said. There was a deep silence. It was so quiet that the are felt stale. “I can’t do that.” he said coldly. “Why not?” “He’s on a business trip. I don’t know how long he will be gone.” he responds, tone not changing. “What’s with you?” she said. “Nothing. Just tired.” Ta-un said with a sigh. “Oh, I almost forgot that I have to go to the school tomorrow. Asa will be in school, also, so you have to surprise Kizuki on your own.”

“I was going to take her to the Disney Park.” he said. “Well, that will be perfect father and daughter bonding time.” she said. Ta-un hugs her. This shocks her. “Are you sure that you are okay?” she asks. He buries his face in her chest. “I’m not okay.” he says in Korean. “What are you saying.” she asks. “Lets have more babies.” he said in Japanese and smiles. “It’s hard enough with two!” Ami yells. Ta-un laughs. “Let’s get some sleep. You have school tomorrow.” he said. They go to sleep.

The Next Day…

“Come on Asa, let’s go.” Ami said. Asa drags his feet. “Hurry!” she said. “Okay.” Asa said groggy-like. He get dressed, brushes his teeth, and tries to comb his hair. Ami checks on Asa and realizes that he made a total mess of his hair. She combs it for him. “Alright, grab your book bag and let’s go.” He grabs his book bag and goes to the front door. Ami reaches for the keys, on the kitchen counter, and goes to the front door. They put on their shoes at the door. They leave.

Later on in the day, Ta-un takes Kizuki to the Disney Park. Kizuki visits Mickey and Minnie Mouse there. Ta-un takes a picture of them. After the pictures were taken, he takes his daughter to meet other Disney stars. “Come on, Kizuki. Daddy’s taking you to the store. He grabs her hand and walks with her. He sees a lot of stuffed Disney character plushes. “You like Minnie?” he asks. He notice how she was reaching over for the Minnie Mouse in the pink Polka-dot dress. She tried to reach for it and failed. She begins to cry. Ta-un grabs it and gives it to her. She stops crying and begins to play with it. He grabs another one. They go to the cash register. “I like to buy this. I grabbed another because my daughter will not let the one she has go.” he said. “Okay.” She said. She looks for the barcode. “Sir, this stuffed plush doll doesn’t have a barcode on it. Could you please get another one for me to scan?” she said. He goes to find one. He comes back and notices his daughter missing. “Where is my daughter?” he asks now in panic. “I saw a man that was here and he paid for the plush doll. He must have taken her.” she said. “I have to find her.” he said.

“I’ll help you.” she said. They search the park. Ta-un fears the worst. Suddenly, he gets a phone call. [“Hello.” he said picking up. “I thought we had an agreement.” Yuichi said. “What have you done to Kizuki!?” Ta-un demanded. “You need to leave and this is my last time telling you!” Yuichi snapped. “You bastard.” Ta-un says in pure hate. “Meet me in the park entrance. That’s where you will find your daughter.” Yuichi said hanging up shortly after.] Ta-un runs to the entrance. Frantic thoughts flood Ta-un’s mind. (Please let her be alive.) he thinks. He finally makes it to the entrance. He stops running as soon as he sees Kizuki. She was in the arms of another Yakuza member. He notices Ta-un. “So you’re finally here.” the Yakuza member said. “Let… her… go…” Ta-un said out of breath. “What? Let her go?” he said holding a gun to Kizuki’s head. Ta-un instantly knew that he would harm her. “Don’t shoot her. Just let her go. I will leave and you don’t have to worry about anything else. Just let her go. Okay?” Ta-un said. He goes to Ta-un still holding the gun to Kizuki’s head. Suddenly the Yakuza member pushes Kizuki to Ta-un. Ta-un holds her and checks to see if she was okay. He sighs in relief.

“If you don’t get out of here soon; she will be in danger. In fact, your whole family will be.” the Yakuza member said, “We keep tabs on everyone in your family, including you. If you are around them, that is. Next time, that Yakuza will kill your family, and that means your baby, too.” Ta-un finally understands the severity around what was said.

After talking with the Yakuza member for at least two hours, Ta-un informs the cashier that he found his daughter. “I’m glad that she is safe, sir. Please come back and see us.” she said. He bows to her in appreciation. She does the same. He and Kizuki left the store and head home. He opens the door to Ami and Asa surprising him. “Happy Birthday, Kizuki!” they said. After the celebration, everyone went to sleep. Ta-un was sitting up in the bed, thinking. He leaves the bedroom to go to the kitchen, where he could have a smoke. (This is the only way.) he thinks.

What other option do I have?

The Following Week…

Ami’s eyes showed pure devastation. Ta-un remains quiet. “Ta-un…” She said holding back the tears, “You are divorcing me?” “I’m no good to you.” “What do you mean by that?!” she yells sobbing. “I’ve been screwing around.” “What?” “I’m no good to you.” Ta-un said slightly irritated. “Why are you filing for divorce?” she asks. “That’s it! That’s why I am filing for divorce!” he said. “Why!?” Ami yells. “Ami, I can’t do this anymore. I’ve been living a lie. I thought I loved you but it was really lust. You need to be with a man that will love you for you. That’s why I am filing for a divorce. We will never have to see each other again.” “But Ta-un, our children-” “You can have custody of the kids. Get it through your head. I’m never going to settle down.” he said unleashing his anger. She noticed him going to the door. “This is the last time we are going to see each other.” he said. He shuts the door.

Ami fell on the floor constantly sobbing. Ta-un gets to his car and beats up on the stirring wheel. He was reduced to tears, once he realized that he had to leave. He goes to the Tokyo airport. He takes a one way ticket to America. Ta-un and his family begin their new lives many miles apart from each other.