“She’s lost so much weight.”

Doo Joon let out a small sigh as he stood behind Junsu, both of their gazes fixed on the young woman who was singing along with the kids in the day care centre. The former watched Nicole carefully as she clapped along to the song, a faint smile etched on her face. He knew that she was trying hard to remain upbeat for her every-day life but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less.

“She’s lost her appetite ever since you’re gone.”

Junsu shut his eyes closed and turned around slowly so that he wouldn’t have to take in the scene before him any longer. Seeing Nicole all weak and fragile like that breaks his heart. It was making his especially guilty because he knows she was hurting because of him.

With a heavy heart, he started to wheel himself out of park, behind the tree where he had kept himself hidden from her view. Doo Joon hurried after him.

“Junsu...why don’t you just tell her the truth? Meet her,” he advised his friend gently, placing both hands on the wheelchair handles and pushing it leisurely along the pathway.

“It’s still too risky Doo Joon,” Junsu told him with a regretful voice. “They are still trying to look for me.”

“We’ll place both of you under special protection then,” Doo Joon argued. “You can still be together that way. We’ll keep you guys safe.”

“You told her I was killed during an undercover mission right?”

Doo Joon’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Yeah. Why?”

“The real situation is much worst than that,” Junsu sighed sadly, wheeling himself away from Doo Joon’s grasp. “Do you think I made a mistake by standing up as a witness against that ruthless group of killers?”

“Junsu...”

“I took their loved one away from them...” he continued quietly. “The way things work...they are going to take away my loved one too.”

Doo Joon took a step closer towards him.

“But still...”

“At least now that news have gotten around that I’m dead, they won’t bother looking for Nicole.”

“This is unfair to Cole, Junsu.”

“Can’t you see I’m trying to protect her?!” Junsu snapped, his voice slightly raised now. “With my condition now, this is the only way I can keep her safe! If I try to get near her again, it’s just as good as I make a death wish. I can’t protect her physically like last time anymore.”

That made Doo Joon shut his mouth close for a moment. He hardened his gaze on his handicapped friend as the truth started to sink in. As much as he hated to admit it, Junsu has a point there. With his current condition, there wasn’t much that he could do to protect Nicole.

But still, it was bothering him so much to see Nicole suffering from Junsu’s loss. Both of them were clearly very much in love with each other. And they still are. Surely, there is a way for them to be together again?

“You have to help me out with this Doo Joon.”

“Help me...look after her. Be there for her Doo Joon. She doesn’t have anyone else now,” Junsu paused for awhile before saying the next few words carefully.

“Protect her...like she’s your own girl.”

Nicole walked out of the ice-cream shop, with a cookies and cream flavour in her right hand. Waving goodbye to the ahjumma seller, she took the first of her favourite flavour.

A pang of sadness overcomes her suddenly.

Junsu used to love this particular flavour too.

Letting out a huge sigh, she started to walk down the street, looking into the display windows of the shops nearby. It’s been awhile since she had been out shopping for clothes.

As she tried to peer in closer to get a better look at a specific dress, she noticed something else in the reflection on the window.

Or rather, someone else.

A figure wearing a hooded jacket was staring right back at her from the opposite side of the road. She could’ve been mistaken but it was clear that he was tailing her. Nicole took another cautious step forward and sure enough, the lanky figure followed her footsteps.

Her heart started to race anxiously. Taking a look around her surrounding, everybody else seemed to be lost in their own world, completely oblivious to what was happening.

She took in a couple of deep breaths. Perhaps she was just being paranoid by over-reacting. It could be purely coincidence.

But just then, she saw the figure crossing the road and started to head towards her direction, with a gleaming object in his right hand. A small gasp escaped her lips.

Could it be a knife?

She turned around and was ready to break into a sprint when she felt someone’s arm snaking around her waist and pulled her in protectively.

“Stay close,” she heard Doo Joon’s familiar voice whispering into her ear.