Red. 

 

 

    The color that Jinyoung could make out in the sea of black and white. It was such a strong color. Jinyoung was attracted, was pulled in unconsciously, as he sat there motionlessly. Time slowed down around him. Everything seemed blurry and irrelevant. The only thing he could see was Mark. 

 

 

    Mark with blood all over his white shirt. 

 

 

    It was such a sight. Such an enthralling sight that froze Jinyoung like ice. 

 

 

    He couldn’t move. He wanted to do something. But his body won’t listen to him. He wanted to blame it on the drug, but the effects had already worn off completely. He was free to move. But his heart didn’t want to. Because what if… What if he moves, Mark disappears… 

 

 

    “!” Miss Yoon scowled, lowering down her arm. “What a bother!” 

 

 

    “Well, you still have that gun loaded,” one of the mafia bosses sighed, “do it again, and get it right this time.” 

 

 

    “How could you missed that shot?” 

 

 

    Jinyoung drowned out those voices. All he could hear was Mark’s soft breathing. And the breaking of own heart. He reached out, carefully pulling Mark up and slowly moved the wounded agent to sit against the wall. Jinyoung didn’t say anything. Just grabbing Mark’s hand and putting it over the wound, praying that it would slow down the bleeding even for just a second. Jinyoung stared at the trail of deep crimson of mad blood. He grimaced, squeezing Mark’s shoulder to offer some comfort. 

 

 

    Mark was losing too much blood. 

 

 

    A little more longer and… And Mark probably won’t be able to make it. 

 

 

    That’s what Jinyoung feared most. 

 

 

    Putting his hand over Mark’s bloody one, Jinyoung felt attacked by all the emotions that he didn’t know he possessed. His mind, without his permission, abandoned all thoughts about everything else. Now, only Mark’s pale face and bloody shirt occupied his head like a curse. All he could see was Mark’s weak struggle to breathe. 

 

 

    “Hey, you’ll be all right,” Jinyoung said, hopefully his voice didn’t give away how scared he was, “just keep putting pressure and breathe.” 

 

 

    Mark laid his head against the wall, eyes threatening to close on their own, hand shaking and face pale with no color. “Leave.” The agent managed to say, “leave before… Be-before…” It was hard for Mark to get any words out. 

 

 

    “Stop,” Jinyoung pressed his hand down harder on the wound, “stop talking. I’m not leaving.” 

 

 

    Shaking his head weakly, Mark cracked a bitter smile, “I’m… My j-job is to protect you… I’m just do-doing my job. Leave, please.” 

 

 

    “No.” 

 

 

    “Sir-"

 

 

    “I said no!” 

 

 

    The agent sighed softly, too softly, and teared his gaze away from the young master. He looked down at the red puddle splattered on his shirt. He could feel Life slowly leaving him by seconds. The pressure on the wound wasn’t helping. Mark wanted to tell Jinyoung that, so the young master wouldn’t dirty his hand much longer. But the feeling of Jinyoung’s shaking hand over his was pretty nice. Well, he’s about to die anyways. 

 

 

    Mark placed his free hand on top of the hand belonging to the person his heart now holds dear. “I’m fine… Just go… Get the out of here…” He removed Jinyoung’s hand, cringing a little at the sight of his blood smearing all over the young master’s palm. 

 

 

    Jinyoung shook his head, refusing to let go of Mark’s hand, “no. I’m not leaving. If I’m leaving, then you’re leaving with me. If you die, then…” The fire burning in Jinyoung’s eyes was so pure, so innocent, so beautiful. “If you die, then I’ll stay here and die with you.” 

 

    

    It took a while for Mark to respond, because he just stared at Jinyoung silently. A broken chuckle left Mark’s lips. He shook his head and looked away again. Jinyoung’s eyes were too determined for Mark’s soft heart. Does Jinyoung realized what he had just said? Does he realized how he looked like right now? Does he realized what he’s doing to Mark’s poor heart? Does he? Probably not. But Mark wasn’t surprised. Because in front of him was Park Jinyoung. The Park Jinyoung that couldn’t hide his emotions very well. The Park Jinyoung that wore his heart on his sleeve. The Park Jinyoung that Mark could read so well. The Park Jinyoung that-

 

 

 

    “You’re an idiot,” Mark sighed, smiling a bit through his pain. He groaned, feeling the bullet digging deep into whatever organ it reached at this point. “Get out. Please. It’s your chance… They’re arguing right now… They won’t notice.” 

 

 

    Jinyoung shook his head stubbornly. “I’m staying. I’ll get us out. You just focus on breathing. Jaehwan would be here in a minute.”             

 

 

    “He can’t… There’s… There’s explosives all over this place. You have to go… Please… Jinyoung, please, I’m begging you.” 

 

 

    “No, I told you. We’ll die together.” 

 

 

    “No, that’s… That’s not how it works…” Mark winced, gritting his teeth and breathing hard. He was near. “We… We… We’re not supposed to…” He paused. What was he going to say? That they’re not supposed to feel anything for each other? But that would be a lie. So how was he going to continue this? He’s dying. He could see Death at the corner of his eyes, standing there and waiting for him to take his final breath. Mark didn’t want to go. This was against his will. But since it’s like this. Mark didn’t want to go with all these regrets clinging onto him. 

 

 

    Mark wanted Jinyoung to know. 

 

 

    “S-stop talking, please,” Jinyoung hung his head, trying hard to hold himself together. The look in Mark’s eyes was enough to tell the young master that he wasn’t going to make it. Jinyoung dreaded it. Just the thought scared him. Because of him that Mark was like this. Because of him that Mark’s barely fighting for his life. All because of him. It’s all his fault. Jinyoung couldn’t take it. He doesn’t want to be the last person Mark sees. He doesn’t want to be the person who sees Mark suffering and bleeding to death. He doesn’t want to witness this. Because for some reason, for some ing reason, his heart felt like a thousand knives piercing through it, sheering and ripping into the flesh where his cold blood boiled in pure insanity. 

 

 

    The world stopped spinning. And it as if they were the only two people left on the surface of this shattered clock of timeless catastrophe. Their eyes weren’t meeting, but their souls were pulled together with such a powerful force. Their heartbeats became sweet harmonies in their ears. Such a soft moment in the midst of a raging battlefield. 

 

 

    Finally, Mark turned his head, connecting their eyes together in a tensionless stare, something they couldn’t do before. Mark doesn’t know how much of his feelings were just pouring like waterfalls as he held his gaze with Jinyoung. All he knew was that he was going to let Jinyoung know. 

 

 

    Reaching out, Mark smiled warmly, hoping Jinyoung wouldn’t mind the crimson paint on his hand. He pressed his bloodied palm gently against Jinyoung’s cheek. His lifeless eyes sparked for the last time. “Jinyoung-ah… I… Jinyoung, I…” His lungs felt constricted as blood rushes quickly through his veins. Time drawn down its curtains. And Mark gave up hanging onto that string of hope. “I lo-"

 

 

    “Mark!” Jinyoung shouted, throwing himself over the injured agent and pushed both of them further across the floor. The bullet missed them by a second and pierced a hole in the wall, damaging the fancy pattern of the wallpaper. Arms still wrapped protectively around Mark’s head, Jinyoung turned towards those bastards and stared them down. “You ers don’t really know what you’re getting yourself into!”

 

 

    “Oh, Mister Chairman, sir, we do.” 

 

 

    Jinyoung scoffed, “you were just about to kill an American agent. You clearly don’t know what you’re doing-"

 

 

    “But isn’t he under your responsibility, though, sir?” 

 

 

    “That’s right, sir, shouldn’t you worry about yourself if anything were to happen to him?” 

 

 

    “Oh, the media will love this, don’t ya think, Mister Chairman?” 

 

 

    Hugging Mark’s face closer to his chest, Jinyoung could care less about all the blood staining his own shirt. The words of those mafia bosses were like curses in his head. They were right. The adrenaline sprinted throughout Jinyoung’s body at the thought of Mark laying in a pool of blood. It wasn’t a pretty sight. And Jinyoung hates to see it again. His protective instinct broke through that concrete barrier around his heart. 

 

 

    This wasn’t for anyone. 

 

 

    He doesn’t care that Mark was a representative of the States. 

 

 

    He wasn’t doing this just because Mark was his responsibility and that Mark can’t die on Korea’s soil. 

 

 

    He wasn’t doing this because of his own reputation. 

 

 

    He wasn’t doing this for himself. 

 

 

    Jinyoung pulled away slightly, looking at Mark’s pale face. Mark’s face was cold as ice. The agent was breaking out in sweat and barely breathing properly. Mark was dying. Yet, why does Jinyoung still felt the warmth of a person whose skin was nothing but the epitome of winter. To Jinyoung, it wasn’t winter. 

 

 

    He was doing this because of that look in Mark’s eyes from earlier.

 

 

    He was doing this because of that warm touch that’s still burning hotly upon his cheek. 

 

 

    He was doing this because his heart started beating like crazy just milliseconds before he could hear what Mark was going to say. He didn’t hear those few words. He didn’t understand why he’s going mad because he couldn’t hear whatever Mark was going to say. He didn’t understand. But it was as if his heart knew. As if his heart knew before he could himself. Frustration wrecked him apart, because he desperate wanted to know what his heart knew. It wasn’t fair! He wanted to know! Why does his heart knows it before him? Why… What… What was going on with him… 

 

 

    “Just… Go… Please…” Mark weakly tugged at Jinyoung’s suit jacket. He don’t even have the strength to even move his head to look at the young master in the eyes one last time. All he wanted right now was for Jinyoung to get out safely. 

 

 

    “Mark, where is it?” Jinyoung asked, voice unbelievably calm even though his heart felt the panic of each tick of a second. He searched the agent’s body. “Where is it? Tell me now.” 

 

 

    Mark knew what Jinyoung was searching for. He’d definitely resist, but he’s so weak that he couldn’t even move his mouth to respond. Blood was still pouring from the wound. Mark was losing way too much blood. His body felt lighter and eyelids heavier. 

        

 

    The last thing Mark saw was his switchblade twirling effortlessly in Jinyoung’s hand. Everything after that became a mess of pitch darkness. He could still hear Jinyoung’s voice ringing in his ears, screaming at him to wake up. But soon that voice turned disoriented like the ripples of water that’s spreading out to blend themselves with the calm stillness. Then Mark couldn’t hear anything. 

 

 

    Just deep silence. 

 

 

 

 

 

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    “!” Jaehwan turned and landed a punch on the wall. Never in his life had he ever been this scared. His brain tried to work out everything that could be touched on. Every single detail he had missed. “ !” Jaehwan slumped against the wall to calm himself down. The fact that he lost his young master was still enduring a long process through his mind. 

 

 

    “Sir!” One of the bodyguard hurried over to Jaehwan’s side. “We have to get out of here!” 

 

 

    “Wha-“

 

 

    “This entire party is a set-up! The government people are here! They’re going to blow this place up!” 

 

 

    Without thinking, Jaehwan raised his hand and struck down at the yapping bodyguard, “how dare you?! Young Master is still nowhere to be found yet you’re worrying about being blown up?! ing selfish bastard!” He shoved the bodyguard down and delivered a hard kick against the man’s stomach. Disappointed and angry, Jaehwan stomped off. If they want to ing save themselves, then fine, so be it. The anger inside Jaehwan wished them to be unsuccessful. Those disloyal dogs deserved to die anyways. 

 

 

    He raced down the halls in a hurry. 

 

 

    Unlike other times, this wasn’t a ing game.

 

 

    Time wasn’t playing around. 

 

 

    He has to find his young master before this building succumbs to pieces. 

 

 

 

 

 

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    One by one, they all dropped with either their throat split open or eyes gauged out of their sockets. Or worse, their bones poking out through their skin from such a deep cut. Most of them squirming on the floor, groaning and holding onto their last breaths. But in seconds, they stopped struggling and their limbs turned jelly. They died with their eyes wide open to witness more of their comrades fell beside them. 

 

 

    “You have a gun but afraid to use it?” Jinyoung smirked, wiping the blood of the guards from his cheek with the sleeve of his suit jacket. Twirling the bloody knife expertly in his hand, the Chairman bored his vicious eyes at those worthless es. The stench of fresh blood filled his lungs, feeding onto the blood-thirst monster within him. 

 

 

    “Miss Yoon!” One of the mafia bosses flailed his arms around. 

 

 

    The Chairman titled his head and crooked a twisted smile. Of course all of them wouldn’t have a gun. The security of this party was pretty tight. Though, not secured enough since one of them managed to slip in a gun. But that’s not a problem. a handful of hair, Chairman Park slid the blade across the throat of another unfortunate victim. The cut was so deep and precise. The bodyguard’s heartbeat stopped instantly as a stream of dark red oozed from his throat. The Chairman smiled, really liking the sharpness of this knife. He reminded himself to ask Mark for it later. 

 

 

    “Use it now or you’ll regret it,” the Chairman said. Just as another guard hauled at him, the Chairman stepped back and dodged the attempted arm-swing. He grabbed that guard’s arm and twisted easily. The guard cried out as he heard his own bones crunching loudly in his ears. The Chairman rolled his eyes, taking a hold of the guard’s head between his hands, and just like that, twisted the man’s head smoothly. The Chairman watched as that poor guard dropped lifelessly at his feet. He looked back up at the remaining guards. Then he turned his head towards the lady, who’s holding the gun nervously in her hands, “so?” 

 

 

    “You ing bastard!” Another mafia boss took matters into his hands and snatched the gun from Miss Yoon. In the midst of his own fury, the mafia boss recklessly fired in the mere direction of the Chairman. 

 

 

    The bullet ripped through the air in lightning speed. But instead of cracking through the skull of the Beast, it made a nest in the mouth of a bodyguard. The huge bullet exploded in the guard’s mouth, tearing his entire jaw apart, teeth shattered and everything. He held his dropping jaw in his hands with his eyes bulging in horror. Who wouldn’t be, though. Especially when they’re actually holding their own jaw in their hands. 

 

 

    “Boring,” the Chairman yawned, throwing the guard that he’d used as a human shield aside. Looking over to fear etching across the guard’s face, Chairman Park cringed at the bloody, disgusting thing that’s resting in the palms of its owner. Feeling somewhat sympathetic for the guard, the Chairman did a favor and jabbed the knife straight through the guard’s throat, ending his pain and suffering in a heartbeat. “What a waste of such expensive bullets.” 

 

 

    Miss Yoon glared and snatched back the gun. She held it steadily in her hands, pointing it at the despiteful Chairman for the second time tonight. Chairman Park wore an expressionless face, but his dark aura screamed out an ears-bleeding mockery at her. The Chairman seemed so relaxed in his posture, so cruel and dominant even with splashes of roaring crimson decorating his suit. Long smudges of dried blood from a certain agent’s fingers tattooed his cheek, emphasizing those dark eyes of his that could pierce through souls. It was as if Death walked among them. Because there was nothing but evil in those murderous orbs. Miss Yoon tightened her grip on the gun. 

 

 

    The Chairman let out a small sigh, casually made his way through the line of useless bodyguards who couldn’t possibly match even a lift of his finger. More blood blanketed over the floor. More bodies dropped at the feet of the almighty King. In minutes, every single guards were just dead rats in a sea of red. The Chairman stepped over the bodies, already hating the stickiness between the bottom of his expensive leather shoes and the pool of blood. He stopped right in front of the gun that’s aiming at his heart. “Want to try again?” He asked, a sinister smile played on his lips nicely. 

 

 

    “You…” Miss Yoon’s sharp eyes laid holes in the man in front of her. The muzzle of the gun lightly grazed against the Chairman’s bloodied white dress shirt. “I’ve been waiting for this day.” 

 

 

    “Oh,” Chairman Park faked empathy, “I thought we were great business partners, Miss Yoon. I’m sorry to have disappointed you.” Each word weighted heavy with sarcasm and something more poisonous. 

 

 

    Miss Yoon shook her head, tears streamed down her face, “no, you’re a monster. You murdered my entire family. My father, my mother, my sister, and my two-year-old son! He was only two! H-how could you be so cruel?!” 

 

 

    “Great. Another sob story.” The Chairman pursed his lips, “you’re not the first, Miss Yoon. Everyone wants to kill me,” he shifted his gaze on the mafia bosses standing behind the lady. “But have they ever succeeded? You know, I respected you, Miss Yoon. You were a valuable client of mine. Too bad things have to end this way, right?” 

 

 

    “I will kill you!” 

 

 

    “Kill me then! I’m giving you a chance right now! Kill. Me. Pull the trigger! What are you waiting for? I killed your family, right? More reasons for you to put that bullet through me. So why aren’t you?” 

 

 

    “Because I’m not like you! I’M NOT A MURDERER!” 

 

 

    Chairman Park laughed amusingly. He shook his head, wiping the blood off the knife by the sleeve of his suit jacket. Admiring the strong material of the fine switchblade, the grin didn’t leave his face. “Can’t believe you’re passing up such a good offer. And the reason for that? You’re not a murderer, you said? I beg to differ, Miss Yoon. I’m afraid earlier, when you pulled that trigger for the first time, your pure intention was to blow my brains off. Correct me if I’m wrong.” 

 

 

    Miss Yoon gulped, witnessing the drastic change in the Chairman’s eyes. That mysterious grin was now replaced by a disappointed frown. Those dark eyes were now replaces with blazing ones filled with hatred and overwhelming anger. There’s no reason for Miss Yoon to be afraid, because she’s the one with the gun in her hands. But her blood ran cold as soon as her eyes met with the Chairman’s. 

 

 

    “Why do you have such bad aim, Miss Yoon?” The tone of the Chairman’s voice was light and calm, however, the intends behind it were nothing but malice. The image from earlier flashed before his eyes. And the only thing that carved so deeply in his brain was the vision of Mark’s blood pouring and pouring uncontrollably. “Is it because of your soft, gentle hands?” Chairman Park ran his fingers down the woman’s hand and drew small circles at her wrist with the tip of his finger. 

 

 

    “Wha-what do y-you want…” Miss Yoon was too scared to break the eye-contact. The Chairman’s touch gave her the feeling of what it would be like if Death were to graze upon her skin. 

 

 

    “Such soft hands,” the Chairman continued running circles on Miss Yoon’s wrist. “Such pretty hands holding something so violent and impure. Doesn’t suit you at all, Miss. Your hands are to hold far nicer things like flowers and jewelries.” 

 

 

    “What are-are you-“ Miss Yoon mouth hung open in a shrilling scream before another word could come out. It happened too fast that she didn’t felt it the moment that cold sharp blade touched her wrist. But when her brain finally processed what had just happened, she screamed and screamed. Her terrified shrieks and painful cries bounced off the walls of the room. The colors drained from her face as she saw nothing but blood. 

 

 

    “Such a shame,” the Chairman released a soft breath as he looked down at the chopped hands boringly. “I guess soft hands meant easier to cut, huh.” He bent down and retrieved the gun from the mess on the ground. He frowned. His knife was now bloody again. 

 

 

    The woman dropped on her knees weakly. Her vision blurred and body hurts. This man… This man just… This man just decapitated her. She stared at her hands laid abandoned in front of her very eyes. All her nightmares were coming to live to gobble her up. 

 

 

    “We could have been the best of partners,” the Chairman cocked the gun, aimed at one of the mafia boss, and pulled the trigger. He moved his aim to his next target and fired. And the next. And the last man. All the mafia bosses each had a bullet right in the middle of their forehead. “But you decided to turn on me. Not a very wise choice.” 

 

 

    There was only Miss Yoon left. She looked around and took in all the dead bodies and oceans of blood around her. This man. This man singlehandedly killed them all with absolutely no mercy. This man was truly a monster. She closed her eyes, knowing what’s about to come next. There wasn’t much fear anymore, because she resented herself more for trying to do something so stupid like attempt to murder a blood-thirst Beast. 

 

 

    “You could have ing killed him you !” The Chairman growled angrily and fired a clean shot right at the woman’s head. “You ing ! How dare you!” He kept firing like mad. Anger blinded him, veiled him away from reality. The hatred he held for the woman surpassed his usual calmness as it overwhelmed him completely. 

 

 

    The woman was long dead by the second shot, but Jinyoung kept shooting and shooting. Even when the magazine emptied and no more bullets would come out, Jinyoung kept pulling the trigger furiously. He poured out all of his emotions. “You could have…” He tried to breathe, but the red in his eyes won’t allow it. “You could have ing killed him…”

 

 

 

 

 

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    With the aching sounds of gunshots, Mark slowly opened his eyes. For a second, he thought he was in Heaven, but reality came crashing down as soon as the pain from his wound started climbing up his body again. Mark cursed softly, blaming the greater Gods for not letting him die. The pain was too much. He’d rather die at this point. 

 

 

    The sounds of an empty magazine resonated annoyingly in Mark’s ears. Mustering all his strength, the agent forced his head to lift up. The sight of Jinyoung stubbornly pulling the trigger at a dead body gave Mark’s heart a suffocating squeeze. The young master looked so out-of-it. So drunk on whatever it was that he’s feeding on. Mark breathed out slowly. His breath shaky and vision starting to fade again. He reached out, barely keeping his arm up a couple of inches off the ground. 

 

 

    “Jinyoung… St-stop it…” Mark tried to call out despite the painful scratch at his vocal chords. 

 

 

    Like a cure to a deadly spell, Jinyoung stopped. The young master dropped the gun and turned his head towards the agent. 

 

 

    If Mark was dying an hour ago, he wasn’t now. Because the adrenaline rushed suddenly to his head as his eyes widened in full alert. He tried to pull himself up. Tried to scoot away as fast as he could. Groaning painfully and pressing down on his wound, Mark struggled to escape. 

 

 

    He’d never seen such dull, dark, destructive pair of eyes before. 

 

 

    It was as if he’s staring straight at a hungry Beast. 

 

 

    And that Beast was walking over to him with power and death echoing with each step. 

 

 

    Mark didn’t believe he was looking at a human. 

 

 

    Jinyoung… 

 

 

    Jinyoung looked like he’s going to kill him. 

 

    

    Looked as if Mark was just any piece of meat that’s fresh and raw enough to be eaten. 

 

    

    That bloody knife in his hand wasn’t helping with the whole image. 

 

 

    “No! No, no, no, Jinyoung! NO!” Mark shouted, pushing himself back further and further until he longer could. His back hits the wall at the end of the room. He was trapped. And seconds away from being devoured. “Jinyoung, please, no, don’t do this. Park Jinyoung!” 

 

 

    Mark had never wanted to live so bad. 

 

 

    Shaking his head in horror, Mark begged, “you can’t. Jinyoung, come on. WAKE UP! Please, don’t do this. Please, please, please, please-"  

 

    

    Shutting his eyes closed, Mark prayed for him to faint or something. Anything would be better than witnessing himself get killed by the hands of someone he’d risked his life for. Someone who’s so important to him. That would be the last thing Mark wanted. To die by the hands of Park Jinyoung. 

 

 

    But whatever Mark expected didn’t come. 

 

 

    Instead he felt something draped over his cold body. Mark opened his eyes. He looked down and found Jinyoung’s suit jacket covering his torso. Mark didn’t know what was going on, but the stench of blood on that jacket had made his head spin. Soon, he felt lightheaded again. 

 

 

    Jinyoung slipped an arm under Mark’s knees and gently rested the agent’s head against his chest. He picked Mark up carefully, carrying the agent in his arms protectively. Jinyoung looked down, catching the way Mark’s pale face had gained a little color. The agent had passed out again. 

 

 

    “It’s okay. You’re okay now.” 

 

 

 

 

 

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    Feeling on the verge of tears, Jaehwan paced back and forth in front of the building. He failed to protect his young master. If anything happens to his young master, he’ll kill himself right here. Jaehwan clasped his hands together in prayer, something he’d never done before because he never believed in a God. But he needed to do something. And praying was all he could do. 

 

 

    His young master is everything to him. 

 

 

    And he failed. 

 

 

    He failed to protect the person who meant the world to him. 

 

 

    Failed to protect the only family he has. 

 

 

    What was he’s going to do now? 

 

 

    This building was going to be blown to pieces in matter of minutes. 

 

 

    Should he just go inside and get blown up along with it? 

 

 

    “Please, God, Buddha, Allah, whatever religion there are, just please, please, let my Young Master safely escape. I know he’s a ing heartless murderer and committed so many unspeakable crimes, but he’s my Young Master and I can’t live without him. So, please, just this once. Please, please, please, I’m ing begging. Please, just let him go. Just forgive him this once. I’ll give my life for his. Please, just don’t take my Young Master away…” Jaehwan choked on his words, holding his heart as he weeped quietly in the night. 

 

 

    He sat there, crying and breaking down in sorrow, knowing that his young master will never be forgiven by the Gods above. His young master’s destiny was to die young, blown to small pieces of flesh, and scattered all over the place so no one would be able to find him. His young master’s remains would blend in with the dirt as if he’s worthless and undeserving of a better death. His young master….

 

 

    “Get the off your goddamn knees and start driving.” 

 

 

    Jaehwan snapped his head upwards at the voice above. “Y-Young Ma-Master?” 

 

 

    “You’re a ing embarrassment,” the young master rolled his eyes, “hurry up and start the ing car.” 

 

 

    “Sir-"

 

 

    “If Mark ing dies in my arms right now,” the young master glanced down and then up again at his Head Bodyguard. “If he dies in my arms right now, you’re the first person I’m going to kill.” 

 

 

    There’s so many questions running through Jaehwan’s head at the moment. But seeing the blood on his young master’s shirt and Mark’s ghostly face, Jaehwan got up immediately and ran to the car. He opened the door for his young master. “To the nearest one, sir?” 

 

 

    “I don’t ing care,” Jinyoung settled in the backseats, still holding Mark in his arms because every nerves on his body refused to let go of the agent. “Just get there as fast as you can. He can’t die, Jaehwan. Do you understand?” 

 

 

    “Yes, sir.”

 

 

 

 

 

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    Never in Jinyoung’s life had he ever felt so stressed out before. Holding his head in between his hands, Jinyoung could feel his patience wearing thin with each passing millisecond. And the stillness of the hospital wasn’t making this any easier. The empty hall, except for a few chairs, seemed to mock Jinyoung’s frustration and impatience. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. 

 

 

    Jinyoung stopped and stared at his hands. They were clean now. His gaze moved up to the sleeves of his shirt. The blood stained had already dried, but Jinyoung hates it. He felt dirty. Disgusting. Quickly, he rolled up the sleeves to his elbows so he wouldn’t have to see the things that he’d done painted clearly on the sleeves of his shirt.

 

 

    He killed took so many lives today. 

 

 

    In the midst of his anger, Jinyoung couldn’t control himself. 

 

 

    He just couldn’t bare to see… To see… 

 

 

    Jinyoung sighed, leaning back in the chair and knocked his head against the hospital’s wall. He did so much. He killed so much. Just for one person. It doesn’t ing makes any sense to him. How could Mark Tuan have such effects over him? It just doesn’t makes sense. Why would he do something like that for someone he hates? Why would he starts going crazy and killing without a second thought just from seeing Mark suffering to stay alive? Shouldn’t he be wishing for Mark’s death? So why… 

 

 

    And what was it that Mark wanted to tell him? 

 

 

    Was it important? 

 

 

    Was it worth for Mark to softly touched him like that? 

 

 

    But what was it? 

 

 

    Jinyoung wanted to know. He wanted to know so ing bad. 

 

 

    He’s so impatient. It’s so unlike his usual self. Jinyoung noticed that his true self have been exposing himself lately. No. That can’t happen. Because he’s in Jeju. And only Chairman Park could be in Jeju. Park Jinyoung can’t be here. But why? Why does Park Jinyoung always appeared whenever a certain someone was around? And why is Chairman Park so calm and peaceful these days? This have never happened before. 

 

 

    This was all because of Mark. 

 

 

    All because of Mark. 

 

 

    So who is Mark? 

 

 

    Who is Mark to him? 

 

 

    Why does he cares so much? 

 

 

    Why? 

 

 

    He’s here, waiting outside the E.R. because he cares so much. Because he desperately wants to see Mark again. 

 

 

    But why? 

 

 

    “Mister Chairman,” the surgeon came out through the automatic slide-doors. 

 

 

    Jinyoung got up to greet the surgeon. Although his clothes and neck were still stained with blood, Jinyoung still managed the superior look with tousled hair and disheveled clothes. “How’s the agent?” 

 

 

    “We’ve removed the bullet,” the surgeon replied and bowed respectfully. Despite his slightly older age, the surgeon still showed his respect. It hurts his pride to bow to a much younger person, but he had no choice. This hospital, the biggest and oldest hospital on this island, belonged to the Park Group. It’s only right to respect Chairman Park if he still wanted to keep his job. “The surgery is a success. However, we currently don’t know when he will wakes up.” 

 

 

    The Chairman clenched his jaw in annoyance. “You’re calling yourself a doctor?!” 

 

 

    “My ap-apologies, sir!” 

 

 

    “Get the out of my face.” 

 

 

    “Y-yes, sir…” 

 

 

    Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jinyoung exhaled heavily. The weights on his shoulders were stacking more and more. All these pressure rained down on him, and he just took it all without questions. Because this was how it had always been. Because this was all his responsibility. 

 

 

    “Jaehwan?” Jinyoung said as soon as the other line picked up after the second ring. 

 

 

    “Yes, sir? Are you okay, sir? Did the surgery went well? You’ve been sitting there for six hours and thirty-two minutes, sir. Do you want coffee? Or something to eat? I’m at a restaurant right now. Do you want anything-"

 

 

    “Round up the press. I’m holding a press conference in,” Jinyoung looked at the clock on the wall; it reads seven twenty-nine, “two hours.” 

 

 

    “What? For what, sir? You literally just walked out of a blood bath and you want to hold a press conference so early in the morning? Why-"

 

 

    “The media can’t get a hold of Mark’s situation, do you understand? His face can’t be all over the ing news. No one should know that he got shot and almost bled to death. The ing media can’t have it. I won’t ing let them. So listen to me and schedule a conference in two hours.”

 

 

    “But how is it going to help-"

 

 

    “We need something bigger to cover up, idiot.” 

 

 

    “Something bigger?” 

 

 

    Jinyoung sighed, closing his eyes and opening them again. He couldn’t see how he’s looking right now. But he could feel the fire of determination burning within his eyes. “Yes, something bigger. Tell them Park Group’s Chairman, Park Jinyoung, will be preparing for his wedding.”

 

 

    “WHAT?!”

 

 

    “Chairman Park is getting married,” Jinyoung said firmly. 

 

 

    Never in Jinyoung’s life had he ever felt the need to protect something, someone, so much before.