Natalie’s POV:

I watched as the intricately carved casket was lowered to the ground, feeling absolutely nothing but numbness throughout my body. I couldn’t even find the tears to cry anymore. Everything seemed like an endless nightmare that I was unable to wake up from.

I threw a few Asters into the hole—bidding Yongguk farewell—before I watched as the men shoveled down dirt, slowly covering up the casket. I turned around and began making my way back to the parking lot—no longer able to withstand seeing anything related to him. I heard HimChan calling out my name, but I refused to turn around.

The wall I had put up along with the emotionless look I had plastered onto my face completely broke down as I began sobbing uncontrollably to myself. My heart began to twist in pain as memories of Yongguk and I came rushing back into my mind.

It was all too overwhelming.

It was just yesterday that he was still with me. It was just yesterday that GiKwang and HimChan were coming to visit us. It was just yesterday that he was still alive. Our beginning had barely started and yet it already ended so tragically.

Under a large sycamore tree, I spotted Mrs. Kang sobbing viciously. I quickly rushed to her side.

“Mrs. Kang, are you alright? Did something happen? Why are you here?” I sputtered.

Suddenly, she pulled me into a hug and began sobbing even louder. Her fingers painfully dug into my shoulder as she held me close to her.

“Natalie… I can’t believe he’s gone already…” she wailed into my shirt.

“Are you… Are you talking about Yongguk…?” I questioned.

She nodded.

“Wait… How did you know? And how do you know him…?”

“It was all over the news yesterday Natalie… Yongguk is my grandson,” she sniffed as she finally pulled away—exposing her flushed face and swollen eyes to me. “My daughter, Kang MiSun, unintentionally got pregnant with her boyfriend, Bang WooSun. I had disowned her ever since she graduated high school—she was a dishonorable child, always drinking, smoking, partying, staying out late. The last time I heard from her was when she was pregnant with Yongguk. She called home one night—drunk—and told me that she had made a grandchild for me. However, I had no idea that she had abandoned him on the streets after giving birth to him…. He had done nothing wrong… I would’ve taken the poor child in if I had known… A few years later, I heard that he had joined a gang. I went searching for him everywhere, but I was unable to find him. Up until this very day, I have not seen the face of my grandchild once,” she explained before breaking into sob once again.

It was then that I remembered.

Mrs. Kang and I turned our attention to the radio.

“A witness claims that she had seen the faces of the suspects and is willing to help the investigators out. For now, please try to avoid staying outdoors for a long period of time. Thank you for tuning us with us. We will be back with plenty of updates on this incident as well as many others. Thank you. This is Kwon Maru, and you are currently listening to KSB 95.9.”

Mrs. Kang shook her head in disappointment.

“I wonder if that kid’s still out there,” she muttered under her breath.

Although curious as to whom she was referring to, I knew it was best for me to stay out of her business. I kept to myself until the end of my shift.

With her head gently rested against my shoulder, I began tapping at her back silently as tears began rolling down my cheeks as well.

“What is your relationship to him?” she suddenly asked.

“Ah, I am his girlfriend,” I told her truthfully, feeling myself blush.

“He must’ve been so lucky to have a wonderful girlfriend like you,” she complimented, making my cheeks heat up even more. “…What was he like?”

“He…” I began. “He was a good person, Mrs. Kang. He was hardworking, determined, and smart. He was stubborn too,” I told her, feeling my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach as I visualized Yongguk in my head. “He was always so persistent—if he wanted to do something, he was going to do it no matter what. He wasn’t the type of person that would give up easily. He was undefeatable. He was caring, he was comforting, he was nurturing. He was my guardian angel. He was mysterious,” I paused to chuckle when the thought of Yongguk wearing his nuisance of a mask came into mind.

“He was everything I could ever ask for.”

“Nat, I have to go to a business meeting with my mother. She wants me to get a feel of what it’s like before I actually start working. I’ll be home soon. We’ll go out and get something to eat later, okay?” GiKwang promised as he slipped on his freshly ironed tuxedo coat.

I nodded at him and smiled.

As soon as I heard the front door slam closed, I immediately shut off the TV. Ripping off a sheet of paper from the small notepad lying on the coffee table, I scribbled what I needed to say onto it using a pen from GiKwang’s office.

When I was done, I flipped open Yongguk’s phone and dialed in the number.

“Who the hell is this? Why are you calling from this number?” the familiar, abhorrent voice rang over on the other line.

“Come and see me at the abandoned storage room in thirty minutes,” I commanded into the speaker and hung up before he could say any further.

GiKwang’s POV:

“Natalie! We’re home!” I hollered only to get silence in response.

“NATALIE!” I called out again.

Still no reply.

I quickly rushed upstairs to find Natalie nowhere to be seen.

Lying on the glass coffee table was a note that read:

Thanks for everything GiKwang, but please don’t come and find me.

–Natalie.

“No….”

Next to the note was a cellphone. I quickly grabbed it looked through the recent calls section. As soon as my eyes landed on his name, I ran straight downstairs and out the door—not once looking back. 

Natalie’s POV:

I changed into the black suit that had been left behind in the chest by my parents, tightly securing the belt around me before securing on Yongguk’s mask. After grabbing a few munitions off the wall, I tucked them tightly into the hooks of my belt.

This was it.