Hyeji was alone at home as Suho was at work, standing in the middle of the kitchen. Hyeji looked around the drawers and found her forgotten gun.

            “One last job, buddy,” Hyeji said with a harsh but soft voice, kissing it.

            SM Bank was again under power as the Masked Beauty gained control. The Masked Beauty told the bankers to put all their money in the same bag but didn’t shoot anyone who moved an inch. Instead she kept eyeing the bankers, hoping that one of them would do what she feared the most. Sure enough, within five minutes the entire SPD surrounded the bank with Suho leading them.

            “Look, we can’t take any chances. We have to get in there now,” Chanyeol shouted at Suho.

            Trying to give him a firm nod, Suho ordered half of the police force inside, all pointing their guns to the Masked Beauty. Facing Hyeji head on, Suho tried with all his might to keep his composure. A million questions and angry curses ran through his mind as all the uniformed police barked at Hyeji, he noticed Hyeji ignoring everyone except him, giving him a stern look and mouthed something barely readable.

            Shoot me, Hyeji mouthed again.

            As all the cops shouted their final warning at the Masked Beauty to drop her gun, Suho’s face grew pale and his hands burned around the gun pointing to his love, he tried to pull the trigger; but his finger started to shake. Annoyed at his weakness, Hyeji shot barely above his head, wheezing past his hair. Just then, twenty bloody shots were fired, all puncturing her chest and stomach. With an airless gasp, Hyeji collapsed to the cold marble tiles as blood rushed out of her body, and looked up at Suho who ran over with Chanyeol, holding up his gun weakly. Chanyeol quickly kicked her gun away from her powerless hand and pulled off the itchy mask. Underneath, Suho could see Hyeji smile her awkward smile. Hyeji saw Suho’s agonized face with emotions mixed from pain, anger, and sadness.

            Images flashed before Hyeji’s eyes: she remembered Kris how he was her first but abusive relationship and how angry Jessica was. She saw her dad and herself having fun at the grocery store before they got mugged, she saw her mom emotionally abusing her but making up a couple days ago, and she also remembered her younger sister that Hyeji truthfully adored. The last memory she saw was Suho: the day when the car window shattered when he shot her, how they got to know each other because she broke into his house, how they fell in love, and their date the night before. She remembered how she went along the ride, talking about their future but knowing that the future they spoke about was never going to happen.

            “…I’m sorry,” Hyeji spoke with a soft voice as she saw Suho standing before her.

            With one tear escaping, Hyeji’s eyes became heavy and her life soon slipped away. Suho wanted to hold her tightly as Chanyeol, who noticed the exchange, brought him aside.   

“Good job, Lieutenant,” Chanyeol sympathetically smiled, giving Suho a pat on the back. Suho looked back at the body that was surrounded with deep scarlet blood. Next to that unmasked and beautiful lifeless figure was the stunning gold plated gun with a huge crack, showing the original dark gray gun underneath; as if it were “unmasked” itself.

The End