KEO

PG-15

ROMANCE, ANGST, DEATH

ONE-SHOT

"The moment you find the courage to give up your life for someone... Would be the moment you understand Love."

- Himura (Ruruoni Kenshin)

Jung Leo never showed his emotions. He never wears them. He kept it all inside to stay poker, lifeless like a robot.

Jung Leo is indifferent. He was a loner. He never cares about being a man in his own island. He loved to spend his time alone all by himself. He was good at it. No doubt about it.

Jung Leo rarely talks. He only opens his mouth when he was asked or if he wants to answer a certain question. There had been a day that he hadn't opened his mouth to breathe a word. For him, it was only normal.

Jung Leo also knew that he was very different. Some may called he was crazy. Some took that kind of personality as an asset to their dirty business.

Jung Leo is a hired killer. His hands and eyes are filled with splatters of blood. He already killed many; heard hundreds of pleas; and, saw flood of tears run down to their petty faces.

He could care less; he couldn't feel a thing. Even a bit of sympathy; he never showed any.

Jung Leo is only a toy, a doll, a puppet with strings attached to his wrists and ankles; to his heart and brain that controls him. That controls him what he would do and what to do.

He was in business for as long as he remembered. He never counted the days, the months and the years he spent in the dark, waiting patiently for his next target. He had lived that way.

But that was... before. Now, now is all but different. This time, there was a huge change; a flipside to everything Jung Leo thought was a life.

A light was shown to him and it was too bright as his eyes were so very used in the dark.

Jung Leo thought he would burn but that light was so kind-hearted, it enveloped him and embraced him tight.

It showed him many things he thought he would never know. That light overshadowed the darkness that filled him for so long. It cleansed him and rejuvenated him into a whole lot different person.

This time, it was for the good, the better and, the best.

Lee Jaehwan pulled him out of hell and helped him to live the life he was supposed to live.

He was god sent; an angel sent from heaven. Whenever Leo closes his eyes, he can see Jaehwan's white feathery wings flopping beautifully in his mind.

Jaehwan is perfect. He brightly shone his light to him and showed him how good it is to live, laugh and love.

Jung Leo didn't have the chance to stop his heart from beating. Before he knew it, he was fallen; deeply and truthfully.

For the very first time, he showed happiness; the glow and the glint in his eyes are irreplaceable. He was walking with his heart kept in his sleeves.

When Leo finally told Jaehwan his feelings, the latter showed a surprised yet happy face. A nod and an embrace was Jaehwan's answer. Again, before he knew it, he was idiotically smiling like a crazy yet happy person he never thought he could be.

He lived a life. Spending his seconds, minutes, hours and every single day with Jaehwan, the person he loved the most was priceless; like any gold, diamonds, money and silver could never compare.

Jung Leo was the happiest. His cheeks are always tired from smiling; his lips couldn't stop kissing; and, his arms couldn't stop thanking and hugging the person who saved him from his hellhole dug by himself.

It's as if God favored him the most; that he was His most favorite child; but, no. It was but lies and mistake.

Jung Leo thought his life was starting to be perfect but, he found out that Lee Jaehwan was a lie.

He wasn't god sent. He wasn't an angel. He was a ruthless human who disguised himself as an angel.

Jaehwan made him believed that fairytales do come true but damn, himself. Damn Jung Leo for believing such things did exist in his world.

It was only a brief moment, yes, the fairytale-ish feeling. He finally woke up one day, everything turned into grim and there was nothing he could do anymore.

Jung Leo was back into the abyss of darkness and everything Jaehwan showed to him was all but sickly facade.

Lee Jaehwan was also a hired killer. He was the second best option aside from him. He was on the top, together with him. Rumors buzzed around saying he acts well and plays well.

Aside from that, Jaehwan, the hired killer was a mystery to Jung Leo. It was because he has his own world where he was the only one living and he goes by the name, Ken.

From the way he concluded this, Leo understand the situation now; he walked in the streets with a hole in his chest. Lee Jaehwan studied him like a book and when he saw the opportunity to shoot him in the head, he took it and stretched his hole big and wide for him to enter.

As he was clueless to Jaehwan’s real identity hidden from him; the latter was at an advantage. When he finally put his first ever trust that shattered quickly as it went, Jaehwan started his plan.

And to what is that plan for? It was to eliminate him, destroy him and, put him to rest. Why? It’s because the price on his head was more than anyone could ask for. It was as simple as that.

But, Jaehwan implied differently. He said it wasn't all about the bounty on his head.

"Yes, I was tempted. I could finally save myself from this hell. But, even if you don't understand it, meeting you was only a beautiful accident."

Jung Leo knew that Jaehwan is an actor and he played well before he softly kills his prey; subtle and surely with those perfect hands that moves swiftly.

"I'm sorry but, I have to kill you."

"You could've told me sooner. I wouldn’t t be so disgusted by you right now if you did."

"I'm sorry but, I don't have any other choice, Leo."

"Choices... you made them yourself. You can always choose the right thing, Jaehwan. You can stop by being Ken!"

"No! You don't understand! They took my family after they found out that I was with you!"

"What do they want? My head over your family?!"

"Y-yes."

Jung Leo kept his silence for a moment while Jaehwan cried out his pain; the pain of killing him just to save his own family.

How ironic it was for him. Jaehwan saved him and now, he has to return it all back to him. For his family to be saved, Jaehwan has to kill him, take his life and bring his dead body to that person who blackmailed and threatened him.

Jung Leo finally came up with a decision.

He warmly gazed at Jaehwan who was shakily holding a knife on both hands while tears still washing off his face with salty water. As if it was his first time to kill someone with his bare hands; he looked so vulnerable and troubled just like he was.

Jung Leo never felt something so everlasting the way Jaehwan had showed him. For the very first time, he knew how to loved and be loved. Though, even it was for the wrong reasons, it was still undeniably unforgettable.

It was a part of his whole life that he could never regret and forget.

Jaehwan showed him a wonderful, blissful love. And this time, Leo is willing to share him a sacrificial love he could ever give.

It was the best of the best gift he could ever give because he was truly grateful for Jaehwan for showing him a wonderful world with him in it.

But everything must end now. One must choose a decision. There will be a sacrifice one way or another.

Jung Leo had enough of his world. He finally lived his life. And even though he hasn't yet fully lived it, he can assure heaven that he wouldn’t regret his decision.

And so, he walked closer and brushed Jaehwan's wet cheeks. Jaehwan stared at him with confusion strike up his face.

Leo then pulled him in an embrace, a very tight one; and, not forgetting about one thing to do before he ends his life.

"I love you, Jaehwan-ah. Thank you for making me see a beautiful wonderland I never thought I could ever see and experienced. Now, let me repay my endless gratitude. I... w-wish you a-all... t-the b-bes...."

"NO! Leo, no!"

As Jung Leo finally closed his eyes to sleep for eternity, he wore a smile on his lips that could never be ripped.

He will never regret this part of his life neither meeting Jaehwan nor killing himself in Jaehwan's hands.

Before, he never understood how to live and what is life whenever he killed and thrashed a life into the brim of hell.

It was only now, at his final moment, his final breath, that he understands the importance of life. On how other people took it for granted just like him who killed people and ending their lives early; and to those people who took their own lives because they think they had enough.

Life is full of mysteries. You will never know how your wheel of life turns. There will always be ups and downs; bumpy roads and rides; and you can even have bruises, scars and deep wounds along the way; but, don't ever give up on it. Grasp your life tightly. Fight for it if needed because, life is also full of surprises. Always remember, you are fighting alongside God; that you’re not alone in this world. There is an angel who is looking for you and is willing to pick you up when you fall.

When you falter, there will always be another option to choose from. It's not to end the sufferings but to dwell in it and fight because then and only then, you can live your life to the fullest and with no regret; and you can proudly say to yourself: I’m glad I fought until the end.

THE END.