Natalie’s POV:

I quickly broke eye contact with Yongguk when I recognized how dangerous of a situation we were in. Under no circumstances would I allow myself to be responsible for harming his welfare, therefore I completely ignored the fact that he was in the same room as me and pretended as if I knew nothing.

Jin slammed me back against the chair as he placed a sharp dagger dangerously close to my neck.

“So we’re back to playing this dirty trick again, huh?” I snorted at Jin’s infamous tactics.

“You better shut your ing mouth,” he threatened as he inched the blade a centimeter closer to my skin. “Alright, whoever you are, traitor, come out now or the girl dies,” he announced.

Everyone in the room was silent. No one dared to move or speak. I glanced over at Yongguk, who seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes focused on the ground like everyone else. His fists were balled up so tightly that his knuckles turned pale white.

Don’t surrender to him, Yongguk…

“You’re a stubborn son of , whoever you are,” Jin cursed, displeased at the results of his failed plan. “Alright, we’ll get rid of the girl first then.”

I closed my eyes shut as I felt the cold, unmerciful blade against my skin. Jin began to drag it slowly across my neck, causing the pain to be ten times more excruciating. I felt blood trickling down and into my shirt.

“LET ME ING IN!” I heard someone’s muffled voice shout out from behind the door. “I NEED TO SEE THAT BASTARD JAEJIN RIGHT NOW!”

The door suddenly burst open and in came a familiar man dressed in white. Behind him were several other men. I recognized them as the men that had stabbed Yongguk at the park months ago.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing JiYong?!” Jin’s voice raised an octave as I heard a light clink on the ground. He had dropped the dagger.

“I CAME HERE TO GET BACK WHAT YOU ING TOOK FROM ME!” JiYong demanded as he grabbed Jin by the collar. Everyone’s attention was focused on the two’s argument—everyone except for Yongguk and me. We looked at each other with thankful eyes, glad that neither one of us were critically injured.

A brawl soon broke out between JiYong and Jin, and everyone was too busy knocking the hell out of each other to notice Yongguk cautiously making his way over to me. He quickly untied the ropes and pulled me into a swift hug.

“Run,” he commanded austerely as he grabbed ahold of my shoulders. “Find a taxicab and make it as far as you can to Jeju Island. I’ll catch up as soon as I can, I promise.”

He gently pushed me towards the back door and joined in with everyone else—throwing punches and kicks at the men in white. Taking advantage of the moment, I sprinted right out of the door and into the darkness, not once looking back.

Yongguk’s POV:

Everything happened so quickly that I couldn’t comprehend what was going on. I blindly threw punches and kicked at any man in white, receiving the same in return. Throughout the whole entire battle, the only thing on my mind was Natalie.

Distracted and unfocused, I couldn’t keep my senses nimble and alert. While occupied beating up one of JiYong’s men, I didn’t notice the actual JiYong charging at me with a knife. With complete force and pressure, he rammed straight towards me while growling, “You ing bastard; you’re a goner this time.”

I squeezed my eyes, waiting for the pain to take effect, but it never came. I pried open my eyes to find Jin standing directly in front of me.

He had taken the blow in replacement of me. He groaned in immense pain as he dropped down to his knees. In total shock and disbelief, I felt my body go completely numb as I caught him in my arms. JiYong slowly backed away, leaving the knife clattering as it hit the cold ground.

“R-RETRIEVE!” he screamed in fear as he and his men fled through the back room.

“JIN!” DaeHyun bellowed as he came to our side. “CHANGJO! MINHO! GET SOME HELP! NOW!”

“Jin…” I whispered as my lips began to tremble. “W-Why did y-you—“

“Because I trust you,” he chuckled amusingly at my reaction as he grasped at his wound. A pool of red formed on the ground as his blood continued to drip down—nonstop.  

“The taxicab’s here. There’s no way he’s going to survive without going to the hospital. Hurry and get him outside!” ChangJo began to panic as he ran over and began helping DaeHyun escorting Jin outside.

The door closed behind them, and I sat there alone in contrition.

Jin you shouldn’t have done that…

It’ll only make it harder for you when you find out who I really am…

I pulled out a cigarette and lit up it before throwing it on the ground and stomping it out. The stress I felt right now was too much for even a cigarette to relieve. DaeHyun stepped out from the hospital doors and stood beside me.

Not in the mood to start anything with him, I began making my way back in to check on Jin.

“You heard him right? He trusts you, so don’t disappoint him,” DaeHyun emphasized coldly.

I didn’t reply and kept on walking.

Natalie’s POV:

“Natalie!” Yongguk called out my name. I turned around and felt joyful tears forming in my eyes at the sight of him standing in the doorway with his arms wide open. I ran into his embrace as he lifted me up into a hug.

“Yongguk!” I cried out, relieved. He began rubbing my back reassuringly, implying that everything was going to be okay.

“Shh, everything’s going to be—“

His voice trailed off into silence when a gun was pointed directly at his head. I looked up—shaking—to find Jin smirking corruptly down at me.

“You’re next.”

A gunshot echoed throughout the house as Yongguk dropped limply down onto the ground.

“YONGGUK!” I screamed as I shot awake, panting heavily. I clutched at my chest, hoping that it would calm down my fluctuating heartbeat.

Yongguk, please hurry back…