WARNING: violent language

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Bong Hee wakes up groggily, taking a minute before her brain fully functioned and memories started to flash. She quickly stood up and noticed that the clothes she wore yesterday were now dry; relief washed over her at the fact that she didn't feel sick after sleeping with wet clothes.

Her phone was on the table and she automatically reaches for it, her stomach suddenly churning when a message pop up appeared with Ms. Park's name. It was sent an hour ago.

"I'll be going first. Sorry for using your kitchen without permission, I cooked some soybean paste stew to help if ever you feel sick when you wake up."

It was weird to say the least, the sudden change from Ms. Park's gentle and wise texts to a casual and manly message. She quickly changes Ms. Park's name to Prosecutor No, ignoring the slight sting in her heart and heads towards the kitchen. A delicious scent filled her nose when she opened the lid of the pot and her stomach let out a growl.

Taking a bowl, she settled on her small dining table and slowly took a sip. Her eyes burned from the sudden nostalgia as she marveled on the distinct taste of his cooking as well as the memory of them having casual conversations while they ate at his home.

She had missed it terribly than she dared to admit.

.

Bong Hee picks on the cherry tomatoes on her tray, her expression blank. The muted noise of the canteen ignored as she chewed her food distractedly. The exchange with Ji Wook last night was constantly swirling on her mind and it was honestly a huge distraction during her court trial today especially when she remembers how she had roughly kissed him. It wasn't a good sight seeing her blush and embarrassed during a ert trial case. She sighs and stabs another tomato with her chopstick.

"What did those tomatoes do to you?"

She looks up to the sudden intrusion and sees Ji Wook holding up his food tray with a hesitant smile. He looks around cautiously, as if he was expecting for someone to arrive and when no one came, he looks at her again and asks. "Is it okay to join you for lunch now?"

She blinks and attempts to calm her pounding heart, barely nodding when she couldn't utter a word. He beams and settled in front of her, eating enthusiastically and not hiding the adoring gaze he constantly threw at her. His happiness was infectious and she tried to hide a smile as she continued to eat.

Didn't he just say that he won't disturb her daily life? Her mind banishes the thought. Eating lunch together wasn't really considered disturbing in her vocabulary so technically, he wasn't breaking his promise.

She mentally slaps herself. How could she be so easy?

Her cellphone rings and she furrowed her eyebrows when she saw an unknown number calling her. "Hello?"

"Is this Miss Eun Bong Hee?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"This is from Itaewon Police Station, we have captured Jung Hyun Soo and would like to request for your presence here to confirm as witness of the murder two years ago."

Bong Hee gasps and Ji Wook looks at her in surprise and curiousity.

"I understand, I will go later." she hangs up the call and stared blanky, her eyes distant.

"Who was it?"

She blinks and looks at him, a mix of relief and anxiety on her face.

"They found the murderer from two years ago."

.

Bong Hee stares at his defiant eyes, his face rigid as he stared back at her behind bars. Hyun Soo looked the same as she remembers him despite the sunken eyes and that small stubble growing on his chin.

She had confirmed that it was him and they took samples from him to match with the evidences taken from the crime location and dead victims; fingerprints among other else.

There was no look of fear or remorse on Hyun Soo's eyes, making Bong Hee shudder. She would never forget that time when she almost died at his hands as well if it weren't for Ji Wook's impeccable timing. It was the first and only time that she witnessed an actual murder and the memory wasn't really something that's easily forgotten. She hopes that the case would be assigned to Ji Wook so she could be at ease that the man will definitely be rightfully punished.

Eun Hyuk accompanied her after she hastily timed out when she came back to the office that afternoon. She couldn't decline when she saw his worried expression.

"Let's go." she faintly whispers but she knew Eun Hyuk heard her from the back.

He silently walks beside her as they exited the station and walked towards his car. Bong Hee was lost in her thoughts, the police told her that someone recognized Hyun Soo from the wanted posters that was posted in a police station near the countryside. He was hiding there, working as a laborer for a fishing company, trusting the fact that the old people in the countryside wouldn't care to recognize him.

She wonders why he had to kill two of his previous schoolmates. It was the only information she could get before the case gets handed to Prosecution. Her natural curiousity was taking over as she creates theories on her own.

The brief thought that Hyun Soo was mainly the reason why she and Ji Wook started living together in the first place crossed her mind but she quickly shakes her head to clear up her thoughts. It was no time to be thinking of such things during serious times.

Eun Hyuk suddenly leans towards her when they were inside the car and she jumped in surprise. He lets out a small smile and reaches for the seatbelt, tucking her in. "I understand that you're very distracted but we can't risk safety and being caught by police now right?" His attempt to lighten up the atmosphere somehow worked as she let out a small chuckle.

.

The next time she saw Hyun Soo was at a court. 

Much to her relief, Ji Wook was the Prosecutor-in-charge of the case and he proposed a long prison time especially since he was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder for Bong Hee as well. Ji Wook had discovered that Hyun Soo planned his killings all these time, wanting to seek revenge for the death of his lover who was and killed by the two men.

Bong Hee had testified against him, growing uncomfortable every minute with Hyun Soo's murderous glare boring hole into her head the whole time.

When the judge finally let out his decision of 40 years imprisonment with no possibility of parole for Hyun Soo, everything happened like a blur.

Hyun Soo went into sudden rage, banging his fist at the table and making his way towards her with bloodshot eyes, his hands visibly shaking from anger. Some people in the audience flinched and gasped when he started yelling as he stomped his way. "It's all your ing fault!!!"

Bong Hee was rooted at the spot, her limbs refusing to move as if she was pinned down by his glare. Her thunderous heartbeat nearly stopped when she saw how Hyun Soo pushed away his lawyer and the guards who attempted to stop him and was getting closer to her each second.

Before he reaches her, she felt herself getting grabbed at the wrist and pulled to the side, a broad back blocking her vision. She stood wide-eyed as the familiar and comforting presence stood in front of her, his dominating stature seemingly protecting her from the commotion. The shock at how fast everything happened stunned her.

Ji Wook's stance was rigid, she couldn't see his facial expression when he stood with his back to her but she could clearly feel his tense and threatening aura as his hand tightly gripped her wrist. She nervously took a peak from the side of his arm and saw how Ji Wook's other hand gripped Hyun Soo's shirt at his chest, effectively stopping him from advancing any further; his usual gentle voice now dangerously low and menacing. "Don't you dare."

The murderous aura of both men made the room silent with tension; Hyun Soo wanting to hurt her and Ji Wook protecting her. Their eyes never faltered and the intensity of their anger clashed at the small room. It wasn't long before the guards snapped out of their trance when the judge slams his gavel to demand order in the court and they held on to Hyun Soo's arms at both sides, dragging him at a safe distance.

"Everything was perfect." Hyun Soo's voice was low but clear. "You ing ruined everything!" He was being dragged out of the room but he kept on yelling, his angry threat echoing and making everyone shudder. "I'll make sure you understand the feeling of having a loved one murdered!!! You'll see!" He gives her a menacing smirk before the door closed and everything went silent.

Bong Hee sets her trembling hand on her chest, willing herself to calm down. People slowly went out of the court room, their whispers filling the air and she felt her wrist being freed from his hand. Ji Wook turns to her and places gentle hands on the side of her shoulders, bending down a bit to look at her in the eyes. "Are you okay?"

She could only stare back, seeing how he had returned to his usual caring and worried face. His dramatic change from earlier confused her. How was he suddenly so comanding? As if his moves were natural; taking control of the situation and automatically placing himself in the frontline to protect her. His deadly voice, the sharp threat, his confident stance. Almost.....like a bodyguard. It was a crazy comparison but she had never seen him act like that before, a side that was entirely new to her and she wonders just how little she knows of the man in front of her.

The difference of the Ji Wook who was looking at her now and the Ji Wook who had his back to her a while ago was like night and day but at the same time it was not. 

She could only blame her surprised state for being so confused and thinking of crazy thoughts.

"I-I'm okay." she clears . "Thank you." He sighs in relief and wraps an arm at her shoulders, rubbing her side gently to comfort her and she couldn't find it in herself to push him away when his presence was what she badly needed at the moment.

.

Bong Hee sighs as she massages her temple.

The sky was quickly changing colors with the sunset and the air was starting to get colder at the small park near the building. She shivered slightly as she leaned her hands on the bench and closed her eyes. Hyun Soo's threat was still lingering in her mind, making her extremely uncomfortable despite the assurance that he was taken back to prison a while ago. She shakes her head slightly in attempt to clear the bad theories. It's okay, nothing bad will happen.

A suit was placed on her shoulders and her eyes flew open to see Ji Wook handing her hot coffee. She took the cup gratefully and decided against returning his suit to him, she knew he would insist on letting her warm up with it anyways.

"Are you worried?"

She glances up at him before taking a small sip, cringing at how hot the coffee was and how it burned her tongue. He immediately hands her a tissue, which made her taken aback before she awkwardly takes it from his hand.

"Not really....he's in prison now. He was just making empty threats." She answers him but somehow it seemed like she was talking to herself, convincing her worried mind that she had nothing to worry about.

She could feel him staring at her and possibly not believing what she just said but she payed no mind, wrapping her fingers at the hot cup to warm up her palms.

A sudden ringtone penetrated the silence and Ji Wook answers his phone. Bong Hee didn't pay much attention at his conversation, it was connected to work anyway and her mind was exhausted from today's events that she ended up staring at nothing, waiting for her coffee to get a little bit cooler.

"What?!?" Ji Wook suddenly stood up and made her flinch. His eyebrows were furrowed and he rubs his bottom lip as he listened to whatever was being said by the other line. "How is that even possible??"

She couldn't help but pay attention now, eyes focused on his frustrated face as he paced back and forth, his hand now on his waist.

"Okay, I'll go the scene." he hangs up the call and seemed to take a deep breath before he faced her. He answered her question before she could even ask.

"Jung Hyun Soo escaped while being transported back to prison."

She didn't notice the cup slipping from her fingers and hitting the ground, splattering coffee all over as she heard nothing else but the erratic pulse of her heartbeat.

.

Bong Hee held her mother's hands tightly as they sat at the police station. She had quickly called her and explained everything after Ji Wook left her to go to the scene where Hyun Soo supposedly escaped when the police bus stopped momentarily due to a mechanical issue.

Bong Hee had instructed her that they meet at the police station so she could ask for her mom to be included in the witness protection program. She had also called Eun Hyuk to ask for help in asking their CEO, Mr. Byun to talk with the higher ups in the Justice Department so the decision making of including her mother in the program will be hastened. Their CEO has certain connections after all.

Eun Hyuk arrived and assured her that he had already talked with Mr. Byun and they will handle it first thing in the morning the next day. Bong Hee insisted that she didn't need to be included in the program, she was living at a guarded place and a black belt in taekwando after all. What she wanted was for her mother to be protected, given that Hyun Soo clearly made the threat at the court. The police had nodded, it was the witness' decision if they wanted to be included or not and they didn't want to force her.

"Bong Hee, it's safer if you include yourself as well." Eun Hyuk had pleaded her as he stood across them.

"No, it's fine. I can take care of myself." 

Her mother looked at her worriedly and with frustration but she only shook her head in response. "Omma, I'd rather have those police who will be guarding me to guard you instead. Hyun Soo will definitely be targetting you, not me. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

The older could only sigh and cup Bong Hee's cheeks. "Promise me that you'll be extremely careful."

"I will." she offers a small smile of assurance, relieved that her mother was as strong-willed as her.

They hear running footsteps heading towards them and they see Ji Wook. He seemed to have made hurry to arrive as he catches his breath before getting closer.

"Goodevening." He greets her mother and Bong Hee made the necessary introductions.

"I'll be talking to some of the officers in the Justice Department too. I'll make sure you get 24/7 protection as soon as tomorrow." Ji Wook assures them, choosing to ignore Eun Hyuk's presence in the room and observed her mother instead.

Bong Hee gives him a grateful smile. "Thank you Prosecutor-nim, but it will only be my mother who I wanted to be included in the program."

His eyebrows quickly furrowed, disapproval clear in his eyes and she beats him to it before he could utter a word. "You know how the more people are applied, the lesser the guards are assigned to each person especially if it's a 24/7 surveillance. I'd rather have them focus on protecting Omma than me. I can handle myself and I'll be with her at most times."

She could feel that he wanted to retort to her words, especially after that night two years ago when she could've been murdered as well if he hadn't arrived. She was capable, yes, but she wasn't exactly invincible. The silent plea in her eyes made him stop and bite his lips instead, frustration now taking over.

"We will be providing additional protection at your neighborhood for tonight as we wait for the decision tomorrow." A kind officer approaches them and they sigh in relief.

She nodded and proceeded to go outside. Bong Hee and her mother thanked Ji Wook and Eun Hyuk for accompanying them before going towards the police car as they will be escorted to her apartment for now while the decision was not yet made. She wanted to be with her mother now more than ever, the strong fear eating her yet she kept hidden inside. She wouldn't be able to bear it if she lost her mother as well, losing her father to a fire accident years ago was enough trauma already.

She leans her head on her mother's shoulder and she felt her gentle hand patting her comfortingly, making her eyes burn with tears.

.

Ji Wook tightens his grip on the steering wheel as he drove home.

He was beyond worried not only for her mother, but most especially with Bong Hee. He understood her point but it was ridiculous that she would think that Hyun Soo would only target her mother. What about her?

He stomps his way towards his house when he arrived, quickly loosening his tie and pacing in his living room; his bottom lip taking the abuse of his canine.

He couldn't take her off his mind. Hyun Soo was on the loose again and this time, he had another target. He knew that guy wouldn't risk hiding and being found the second time, there was a high probability that he would extract his revenge first as soon as he can before willingly going to prison.

Bong Hee was seriously hard headed sometimes and he knew he wouldn't be able to force her. He sat on his couch heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Based on the scene, Hyun Soo had escaped while 2 out of 3 police came out to help the driver check on the engine. He had whacked the only one guarding him at the back of the neck with the added force of his handcuffs, rendering the police unconscious as he silently slithered away from the bus. The police had admitted that they were careless as he reprimanded them.

Ji Wook was suspicious with how the engine had been compromised that exact day. He had to wait for the result of the investigation to confirm if the engine had been tampered with. If it was, then someone was obviously helping Hyun Soo.

He had to catch him as soon as he can as well as protect Bong Hee.

He wets his lips and stared at the ceiling, an idea creeping up to his head but he wasn't sure if he was ready to consider it.

He stood up, slowly making his way upstairs and into his room, opening up a drawer and taking out a small black box that he had kept hidden for years. He blinks and contemplates, sitting at the edge of his large bed as he held it tightly, the sound of the item rattling inside as he shook it distractedly.

He never wanted to use it again to be honest, only keeping it as a momento of the old relationship he had that was the closest he considered as family before.

But the situation was serious and he was clinging to the fastest solution he could think of especially since it involved Bong Hee.

After what seems like hours, he takes a deep breath and finally opens it, showing a familiar black earpiece that he had refused to return to its owner. He takes it carefully and places it in his ears, clicking a small switch on the upper side of the device.

"Ahjumma." He tests it out and waits.

"Ahjumma?" The words were louder this time.

A faint static was heard and not long after, a woman's voice came off the small speaker in his ear, surprise evident in her words.

"Healer?"

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NOTE: I researched about it and did my best but I'm not 100% sure with the Witness Protection Program as well as transportations of criminals and i tweaked it a bit to fit the plot. I hope you pardon me if you're familiar with Korean law and let this slip hehehe i never claimed to be knowledgeable with this stuff (/ω＼)

And yes, I MADE HYUN SOO PSYCHOTIC WITH MADNESS! (no regrets hihi)