Chapter Warning:

PG13 (for language)

The thing about chaos, is that while it disturbs us, it too, forces our hearts to roar in a way we secretly find magnificent.”

-Christopher Poindexter

~ ~ ~

** Haevichi Hotel, Jeju - Autumn, 2015 **

Ji Hyo lied on her front, the sheets pooled at her waist, exposing her back; her head turned to the side, facing the man beside her. Gary was propped up on his elbow, one hand supporting his head while the other was buried in Ji Hyo's hair, occasionally combing through it. He then slid his hand down her face caressing her cheek with his thumb. "What is it, oppa?" Ji Hyo whispered.

Ever since they woke up a few minutes ago, Gary had been silent, his eyes distant. Did he regret last night? Did I come on too strong? Was he disappointed? Those were the thoughts that ran through her head. Gary caressed away the frown on her brow and smiled. "Aniya... I was just thinking."

Gary assured her.

"Ask me."

"Eh?"

"I know you've been wanting to ask me about it. I can see it in your eyes, oppa. It's okay, you can ask me.

Gary let out a breath. His heart soared at the fact that she was able to read him so well. "What happened?" He finally asked as his hand slid down her spine, tracing just one out of the many long scars that covered her back. Ji Hyo shrugged. "I don't know," she paused. "I mean, except for this one," she reached up and pointed to a deep scar above her shoulder blade, "I don't remember how I got the rest." Gary frowned, unsure of how to feel over the fact that she wasn't aware of how she got hurt. As a trained martial artist, he had seen and gotten his fair share of scars but by the looks of the ones on Ji Hyo's back, he concluded that it could only be caused by being whipped. He shook himself off the idea that that was what happened. In fact, he didn't even want to think about it.

He scooted closer to her and kissed the scar on her shoulder. "Then tell me about this one."

Ji Hyo inhaled deeply.

"Well... I was 15. Appa had grounded me for running away from Min Soo oppa. I wanted to go watch a concert with my friends, which of course didn’t happen. So to rebel against him, I refused to eat. Appa knew my tantrum so he just ignored me. Omma on the other hand, was too soft hearted." Ji Hyo's voice trailed off as she mentioned her mother. A vision of a woman smiling at her as she caressed her hair, flashed in her mind. Ji Hyo cleared and continued.

"After meals, omma would bring me food and coaxed me to eat. It came to a point where she told me that she would personally bring me to the concert, if I ate. And I did. True to her word, she somehow got appa and Min Soo oppa out of the house, and borrowed appa's car to drive us to the concert. It was the most fun I had. That night as we were on our way home, we took a wrong turn.”

~ 12 Years Ago ~

“Omma? Gwenchana?” 15-year old Ji Hyo asked as she turned to her mother, who was currently fidgeting in the seat, her eyes kept darting from the road to the rearview mirror. Han Nami turned to her daughter, “Ah… yeh. Gwenchana.” She reached out and patted Ji Hyo on her head and turned back to focus on the road. She looked at the rearview mirror once again. The car behind them had been tailing them since they left the concert. Nami had wanted to call for help but realized that in their rush to make a quick escape from the house, she had forgotten to bring her phone. She squinted as she tried to make out whom the driver was, but their headlights shone too bright.

She glanced at Ji Hyo once more.

“Ji Hyo-ah, please wear your seatbelt.” Nami instructed, making sure to keep her voice as calm as possible. Ji Hyo pouted. She hated wearing the seatbelt. Because of her small frame, the seatbelt kept pulling against her neck. She preferred to just hold it in place.

Turning a sharp corner, Nami was finally able to catch a glance of the driver. Her eyes widened as she inhaled sharply. She hit the gas and the car lurched forward at the sudden gain of speed. Ji Hyo screamed in surprise. “Omma!”

“Mianhae, Ji Hyo-yah. Omma needs you to listen to omma, okay? Can you do that?” Nami asked as she swerved through the narrow road.

“Omma, wae? What’s going on? Slow down, omma!” Ji Hyo cried out, panicking.

“Omma mianhae, Ji Hyo-yah. Please, just listen to omma. Put on your seatbelt and hold on tight, okay?”

Ji Hyo pursed her lips and nodded. She reached for her seatbelt but the swerving of the car made it difficult for her to grab hold of it. Nami noticed her struggle and reached over and grabbed the belt, giving it a forceful tug. Ji Hyo held the belt in hand and tried to click it in place. The moment of distraction caused Nami to hit the curb, losing control. The car behind gained speed and bumped into their car. As the car spun around, Ji Hyo gripped onto the seatbelt for dear life. Nami reached out her arm across Ji Hyo and held her in place. The car skidded off the road and Ji Hyo could see it heading straight to the divider. Her eyes widened as opened to let out a silent scream.

The car crashed through the divider, and tumbled down the side of the slope. The window shattered and glass went flying throughout the car. Ji Hyo could barely register the pain as she heard her arm crack and pieces of glass embed itself upon her skin. The next thing she knew, the car lurched and Ji Hyo lost grip of the belt. She felt herself being thrown out of her seat and her back hitting the roof of the car before the door broke open and she flew out of the vehicle. She tumbled across the ground, rocks hitting her in every direction. Her head hit against a root of a tree and everything went dark.

~ ~ ~

“When I woke up, all I could hear was screaming. I opened my eyes and I could barely make out fire in the distance. It took me a while before I realized that the fire was our car. And the one screaming was omma.” Ji Hyo paused, tears pooled in her eyes as it shifted back and forth as if she was seeing the scene in front of her.

“I tried to move, but my legs were broken in three different places and my shoulder was completely smashed. As my eyes focused, I could clearly see her struggling, with the seatbelt, to get out. But she couldn’t. She was stuck.” Ji Hyo scoffed. “Ironic, isn’t it? An invention meant to save lives actually causes death.”

She looked at Gary in the eyes. “I just laid there and let her die.” She whispered. Gary clenched his jaw and shook his head firmly. “There was nothing you could do. Nothing.” He said.

Ji Hyo scoffed. “Appa would beg to differ. For the longest time, he blamed me for her death. He couldn’t even look at me. I think it hurts him to love someone who killed his wife. Our relationship was never the same after that day. Some days, I wonder how different life would be if I wasn’t so selfish; if omma wasn’t so selfless; if I had died instead.”

“Hey!” Gary snapped, grasping the back of her neck firmly. “Don’t say that. I never want to hear you say that ever again. Arasso?”

Ji Hyo smiled bitterly as her lips quivered. Gary, noticing the signs of the comings of a breakdown, pulled her into his protective embrace. The floodgates burst opened. “We should have never gone to that concert. She died because of me, oppa; because of my selfishness.” Ji Hyo sobbed.

Gary tightened his arms around her and kissed her hair, whispering sweet nothings in her ear, trying to soothe her. Eventually, her sobs died down as she fell asleep. Gary frowned as he digested the story Ji Hyo told him. They were definitely chased by someone, and apparently it was someone her mother knew. The accident was no accident, just like the one she got into a couple of years back, in Busan. He had heard that there was a fault in the brake, and the Song Empire had sued the car company for a fortune. Gary could not help but feel that both accidents were connected. Granted, it was years apart and it could all probably just be a coincidence, but there was just something about those accidents that did not sit right with Gary.

Uneasiness grew in the pit of his stomach. He glanced down at his future wife; brushed away some stray tears that had escaped her closed lids, and kissed her hair. He inhaled. Something does not feel right.

** Seoul Police Department - Autumn, 2015 **

Haha stood frozen, staring blankly into space, in the meeting room. The board that was previously empty was now filled with photos of the recent crime scene. Photos of Choi Min Soo, Joo Ji Hoon and a  John Doe were pinned at the top of the board. It had been almost 48 hours, and Song Ji Hyo was still unreachable. Her secretary, who just so happened to be his girlfriend of 3 years, assured him that she and her fiancé, Kang Gary should be back that night.

“Kwang Soo,” Haha spoke out. Kwang Soo who had been reading the coroner’s reports at the table looked up at his team leader. “Ey, team jangnim.” He responded. “I need to know if you can be objective on this case.” Haha said. Kwang Soo had to admit that with the death of Choi Min Soo, it will indirectly affect him, seeing as Choi Min Soo was the former bodyguard of his hyungsu-nim. When did lif