Yuri POV

I can't be wrong that it was really him.

Kim Jongin, the name that I always heard of in very different circumstances, is one and same. He is Taeyeon's older brother. He is Krystal Jung's lover. He is Sehun's mentor and is also part of their assassin brotherhood.

Why, though? Why did he decide to play innocent and have Jessica under his control? What is it that he's really trying to attain on this action?

Everything's so confusing for me. Kim Jongin's mask was too impenetrable, too vague, and too indescribable for me. His action aboveground doesn't really justify nor contradict what is underground. It's like the multiple personalities I've witnessed were entirely different persons.

The more I think and dig into this situation makes me even more worried of Jessica.

***

"Hmmm... She's really beautiful... She'll be mine soon."

"H-huh?"

"Yes, Yan Su. I'm gonna make her my wife."

"Y-yeah, but, aren't you dating someone now?"

"Oh. Yes. Yes. I'm gonna make my current girlfriend my wife too. See? Two lives. Two wives. Ain't it fun? She'll be my wife in the shadows. I'm such a lucky guy, aren't I?"

***

Damn. I cannot allow that to happen. I can never allow that.

I have to do something. I have to make Jessica have her situation under her control. How?

I need to make sure Jongin won't be able to get out of the prison easily and quickly once his sentence will be placed on him for falsifying testimony. I also need to ensure he won't be having connections outside prison as well.

Yet, how will I do that? How can I?

But, what if he already executed a plan in advance? That, if he already deployed someone to work under him? What if his real plan is already being commenced as of the moment?

Aissshhhh--- This is getting so much frustrating!

---

Immediately after the court trial, I decided to have Tao in a much deeper discussion in the parking lot of Anseong Prison as we wait for Jessica.

"Tao, tell me. Don't you really recognize Kim Jongin's face?"

He looked at me in confusion, "Hyung, he's not really familiar to me. I never saw his face before. And, I'm sure he's not the Jongin-hyung I was talking about."

"How can you be so sure? Didn't you just say you forgot how that Jongin you mentioned looked like?"

"Exactly, hyung. Gee. Tell me, how could I recognize someone who I even forgot the face?"

I sighed loudly as I massaged my temples, "Damn. You are so like your sister."

"What about Fany-noona?"

"She had forgotten me, her prince way back our childhood. She forgot my name and my face. Yet, the only thing she remembered was that one single day moment and nothing else. Seriously, is that a Hwang trait or something?"

"Yah. Hyung! I'm not really a forgetful person, okay. I'm not like noona. I think she had an amnesia back then, though. That's maybe her reason why she forgot about you."

"Then, how about you? How could you forget a person's face in your life?"

"Jongin-hyung wasn't a really big part of my life, you know."

"You remembered his name but not the face?"

"Oh."

"..."

"..."

"What now, Tao? What's your explanation on that?"

He looked away and started to be immersed in his thoughts. "I don't know, hyung... Now that you mention it... it doesn't make any sense to me now too." Then, he looked at me, "That's still possible, right? I mean forgetting someone's face?"

"It should be the other way around, Tao. You can forget someone's name but not the face."

"Oh. But, it could still be possible, right?"

I sighed deeply, "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Besides, if it was really him, I would have remembered his face in a snap, right?"

"Yeah, you got a point."

And this is where it all damn ing not make any sense... Why would Tao not recognize his face? Could it be possible that he was hypnotized to forget about Jongin's face back then? Maybe, that's it? Maybe his mind was manipulated not to remember him. The reason he could only remember Sehun was because he already knew his method and even witnessed it. Probably, he still hasn't observed Jongin's method yet, that's why.

*Sigh*. Now, I feel like I'm getting older fast because of over-thinking...

---

After we parted ways with Tao and headed back to our Unit, we found Jessica's older half-sister, Krystal, waiting right in front of the entrance door. There was one change noticeable on her, though. Her tummy's bigger than usual. Probably, she's pregnant.

"How could you forced my husband to get himself jailed?!" Krystal rushed towards Jessica and tried to assault the latter. I quickly had myself in between to stop her. "You, evil, crazy !" Krystal continued on slapping her hands against us.

I successfully caught both of her wrists, "Krys, that's enough!"

She started to sob. "Yuri. Look at me. I can't bear for my child to grow up fatherless. Please."

I had her in an embrace. "It's going to be alright, Krys. Trust me."

"You have no choice, Krystal." Jessica said coldly. "He should atone for his sin. He lied to the court. He deserves to be imprisoned."

Krys broke away from me and glared at her younger sister. "You, ! You're so heartless and selfish, aren't you?! You'll do anything just to get your criminal father come out of prison?!"

"My father's not a criminal." she stated simply. "Please, don't waste my time and just go home."

Then, she passed by us and headed for the door then she went in. Krystal chased after her. I quickly followed and found the older woman pulling Jessica's hair with so much force. I quickly pulled Krystal away from her sister. "You ! You have stolen everything away from me! My mother! My family! Now, my happiness too?!"

"Krystal, calm down." I uttered.

"How can I calm down?!" She had fallen herself on the couch. She buried her face in her palms and continued to cry.

I sat beside her and rubbed her back in comfort. "Just calm down, Krystal."

"I can't do this alone. Jongin-oppa and I are just planning to get married this year then, live together formally as a married couple. We got lots of plans for our union."

Jessica snapped in, "He went to the court, in his own will, Krystal. I merely asked for his help."

She looked at Jessica. "Sica, please, stop him. Stop this case. Let him go. For my child's sake, please."

"My father and I will help you out from raising your child. You don't have to worry on that. It'll just be a few years of imprisonment for your lover, anyway." Jessica headed for the bedroom. "I'm gonna go sleep early, Yuri. I felt so exhausted from lots of beatings today." She lastly said then shut the bedroom door.

"Lots of beatings, huh? Who bruised her cheek, anyway?" Krystal asked.

I sighed deeply, "Jongin-hyung's mother."

"..."

"Krystal, please be strong. I know it's going to be hard for you, but, Jongin-hyung's doing the right thing. Uncle Vincent's an innocent man. He never killed anyone. He was just forced to admit to the crime because of the concealing of evidence Jongin-hyung did. Please, at least try to understand Jessica's situation too. Tell me, if the same thing would happen to your father, you'll do the same thing, right?"

"..."

I held her hand, "Don't worry. We're here for you. We're gonna help you out."

She looked at me eagerly, "You're gonna help me out too?"

"Yes, of course. You're also precious to me, Krys."

She smiled warmly. "You are really a very kind man, Yuri."

"Now, don't stress out. That's bad for your baby, you know. It's for how many months already again?"

"Five months."

"Wow. In just a few months' time, you're finally gonna be a mother, eh?"

"Yeah..." She breathed deeply, "I'm sorry if I sort of caused a commotion here."

"No, you should apologize to your sister instead."

"Hmpf." She looked away and pouted.

"Why don't you try to at least mend your relationship with your sister?"

"Sorry. Not interested."

"I know you care about her. And I'm sure enough she cares about you too."

"There's no more point."

"You're still half-sisters."

"..."

"Please?"

She looked at me in confusion, "Why are you so eager for Jessica and me to be okay?"

"To make the World a happier place."

She chuckled, "Gosh. You are really a cutie, Yuri."

"When the World go against you, your family will be the only one you can count on, Krystal."

She sighed deeply again, "Alright. I'll try. Just try, okay. For you..."

I smiled in return, "Good."

---

*June-22-2017*

A decision has already been made in the court trial. Vincent Jung was exonerated from the crime he got falsely accused with. Kim Jongin, on the other hand, was sentenced to two-year imprisonment with no bail-out.

It was bliss for the Jungs but sorrow for the Kims. Jessica and Uncle Vincent burst into tears as they had each other in an embrace. Finally, after almost nine years, he's free and their family will be together again. Mrs. Kim, on the other hand, was too emotional that, she fainted after the decision was announced for her eldest son. The Kims have occupied a private visiting room for one final goodbye to Jongin. Because of the conflict between the Kims and the Jungs, Krystal decided not to attend this last hearing as well. She told me Mrs. Kim was still not aware of her relationship with Jongin-hyung and their lovechild in her womb. Well, even if she's not really Uncle Vincent's daughter, Mrs. Kim makes no exception on her hatred with the Jungs.

I decided to still go for a disguise to surprise Uncle. I acted as Jessica's bodyguard the whole time and I guess, Uncle is really not in a mood to take a look at other people but her daughter. He looked happy, though, not really much happy. Well, as Jessica told me, Uncle is still depressed on what happened to me. Yes, I told her not to spill the news of me being alive to Uncle. Evil, right? But, yeah, I really just wanted to surprise him and show up to him personally that I'm still alive and well.

Nonetheless, Uncle Vincent's now packed and ready to leave. We were just waiting for the prison guard office's clearance. Tao decided to finally show up to Uncle Vincent. "Hey, Pops." Tao greeted as he came inside the visiting room we occupied.

Uncle's eyes widened, "Tao?!"

"Yup."

"You're alive!" He went to hug the younger man tightly and seemed the latter couldn't breathe from it. "I thought you died from your escape with Yuri too! Aigooo--"

"P-Pops! I--c-can't breathe!"

"Oops. Sorry." He chuckled then broke away. He looked at her daughter, "Why didn't you tell me he's alive after all?"

"I actually know of his whereabouts after his release from prison too, dad." Jessica answered.

"Oh. I see." He then redirected back to Tao and messed the latter's hair. "I'm glad your sentence has finally ended, kid."

"I'm so glad you're finally out too, pops."

"Well." He side-hugged his daughter. "I wouldn't be out here if it wasn't for my lovely and awesome daughter."

"Yeah, she sure is lovely and awesome." Tao responded and grinned somewhat weirdly.