Natalie’s POV:

My phone rang, startling me awake. Through all the anger and fatigue, I had fallen asleep without even realizing it. I picked up, and the first thing I heard over the line was HimChan’s concerned voice.

“Nat, GiKwang’s drunk as hell… He just got into a fight with some guys and I didn’t know who else to call but you since you’re his girlfriend. The security’s trying to him out but he’s trying to start a fight with them too,” he frantically sputtered as I hurried down the stairs.

“I’m coming,” I reassured. “Can you try to hold things down for a bit longer? I’m not in Gangnam right now, so it might take a while.”

“I’ll do what I can, but please hurry,” he pleaded. On the other line, I could hear punches being thrown along with grunts of pain, causing me to grimace in worry.

“Where are you going at this time?” Yongguk held me back before I could reach the door. I glared at him angrily.

“It’s none of your business,” I snapped coldly. “Let go of me.”

I shook his hold off and began walking towards the main street with Yongguk following right behind my heel. From a distance, I spotted a taxicab and began waving it down. Although the way down to the port along with the time it took for the boat to reach Gangnam was not short, I had no other choice but to grasp tightly onto that little piece of hope remaining that GiKwang would be okay.

I balled my hands into a fist, biting my lips as my fingernails began sinking into my skin. I could feel the anxiety and anticipation slowly intesifying within me as time went by.

Wait for me, GiKwang…

I looked out the window, hoping that the gorgeous night scenery of Jeju Island would take my mind off everything for a while.

In the taxicab’s shadowy darkness, I suddenly felt a warm hand reach out and hold onto mine. I turned around to find Yongguk looked back at me with reassurance and comfort evident in his eyes. He gave my hand a light squeeze.

And for the rest of the car ride down to the port, he kept his grasp firm on my hand, not once letting go. 

GiKwang’s POV:

I woke up to find myself in a white room, and immediately recognized it as a hospital. I brashly sat up, causing my head to spin painfully. Suddenly, I heard agile footsteps running towards my room. The door busted open and there was Natalie, slightly crouching down to catch her breath. 

The sight of her sent my heart racing and aching at the same time. I avoided looking her directly in the eyes.

“Why are you here?” I demanded a bit harsher than I intended.

“HimChan called me and told me you were in a fight at the bar and that you were drunk, so I rushed down here. I got a call from him telling me that were sent to the hospital so I—“

“Since when did you start caring about me?” I riposted bitterly.

“GiKwang, I—“

“You know what, forget it,” I cut her off clean as I began making my way towards the door.

“Where are you going? You’re not in the condition to be—“

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do,” I interrupted before brushing past her and leaving.

I opened the doors to be greeted by the cool night air. It was then that I realized how different of a person I had turned into ever since that night Natalie flaked on me. Since when did I become so bitter? Since when did I become so resentful towards Natalie?

I remember catching a last glimpse of her tired and worried face before leaving the room. A wave of guilt washed over me when I realized I had hurt her tremendously, but that soon disappeared when I remembered the countless times she had turned me down and hurt me as well.

I guess we’re even now, Nat.

Yongguk’s POV:

I waited outside in the taxicab just to safe as I waited for Natalie. The hospital doors slid open, and out she came. As soon as the moonlight hit her face, I noticed her terrible and upset she looked. I quickly got out of the car, carefully flipping up my hood so no one would be able to see me.

“Nat… You okay?” I whispered.

No response. Obviously she wasn’t okay.

“Wait here, okay? Don’t go anywhere; I’ll be back soon. I’m going to go get us something to drink,” I promised as I ran into the hospital towards the vending machines. Inserting some coins, I waited for two cans of soda to drop out into the dispenser before reaching in and grabbing them. I swiftly ran back outside, hoping that I didn’t keep Natalie waiting for too long.

As the doors opened, I felt a gust of wind brush against my skin, welcoming me back outside.

But Natalie was nowhere to be seen.

“NATALIE!” I hollered only to have silence as a reply back.

Could Jin have taken her…?

Frustrated with myself for not being able to properly protect her, I threw the cans of soda down, hearing them viciously fizz open onto the ground before returning back into the taxicab.

“Where do you want to go now?” the driver inquired as he lit up a cigarette, allowing the cramped up car to fill with smoke. I gave him the directions to my lair, although I asked him to drop me off about a mile away just to keep the location secured.

Throughout the car ride, my heart would not stop hammering. I prayed to God that Natalie was okay and well, and swore that if He answered my prayers, I would never let her go like that again.

I quickly busted open the door to find everyone in the room in full uniform except for me. Jin looked at me, frowning.

“Where have you been? I thought I told you we’d finish the mission by today,” he questioned with irritation clear in his voice.

“Sorry, I was eating out with a couple of friends and I guess I lost track of time,” I quickly thought up a reasonable excuse whilst catching my breath.

“Go change and hurry back,” he ordered, annoyed. I nodded obediently before running to my room and hurriedly changed into proper attire. When I returned, I positioned myself in line along with the others and waited for Jin’s instructions.

“Now that everyone’s here,” he chuckled, implying that his joke was hinted towards me, “The second examination will begin.”

“Bring her in,” he commanded casually as ChangJo and MinHo left through the back door. They carried something—or someone—back in. Under a black blanket was a person, squirming viciously as they tried to escape.

ChangJo and Minho placed the person onto a chair and pulled away the blanket. As they began working on tying the person to the chair, I dared to look up to see who it was.

My heart stopped when my eyes connected with hers.

It was Natalie.