Taekwoon led them down further and further underground, turning corner after corner through dozens of hallways. Youngji hurriedly trailed behind Hongbin as he continued to lock his eyes on Taekwoon, making sure not to lose him. Where was he taking them? It didn’t matter. Hongbin was too focused on keeping his pace, trying to get away from the hammering footsteps behind them. In the back of his mind, he felt betrayed. His closest friends at the NPA, whom he worked with for years, were suddenly after him. And Sanghyuk, that little trainee not a few months ago now working alongside Chief Hakyeon?

Hongbin shook his head and continued forward, constantly checking behind him and making sure Youngji was alright. They had seemed to run through an endless maze forever until Taekwoon suddenly stopped, causing Hongbin to almost run into him.

“Taekwoon! Wha-…” he hunched over, panting, “What is it? Where are we going?” he asked, regaining his composure. The footsteps behind him suddenly got louder and louder. Hongbin gripped Youngji and gave Taekwoon an anxious look. “Taekwoon!” he hissed.

Taekwoon didn’t hear him. He blocked him out. He was too focused…focused on how they were going to escape. He had built these halls, these endless halls that only led to one place. The exit. And he knew there was only one exit. He looked around, a crazed look in his eyes as he began to scan the darkened walls, lit only by a single light every few yards. “Think! THINK!!!”

He then realized the stampede of footsteps behind them, calculating how far away they were. Not too far, but how were they going to get out? He had created six hallways, all connecting to each other at one point, his laboratory. His laboratory then led out to the staircase that led upwards towards the streets. He knew there was only one way to escape, and he knew there wasn’t a single chance that either of them would see the light of day again. Not with the NPA on their tails. He just couldn’t tell them that…he had to figure out a way…

He spun around to face them, looking directly at Youngji, then to Hongbin. “Listen to me, you both need to get out of here, now!”  he demanded. Hongbin opened his mouth to speak, but Taekwoon interrupted him. “I’ll stay behind and distract them, both of you head straight and when there’s a fork, splitting the halls, go left. It should lead you back to the laboratory. Head through it and…and climb the staircase and get out. But you need to go now! I created this place, I know all the in’s and out’s, don’t worry about me. Just…just make sure to stay with each other, alright?” he explained and walked towards the way they came, pushing past Hongbin and Youngji. He then turned his head back one more time. “But Hongbin…if anything…anything goes wrong…reverse the operation…” he said and ran. Hongbin and Youngji stood frozen for a moment, not sure what had just happened. He had given them a chance to escape…but why?

He pushed the thought away and looked to Youngji. “We need to move” he demanded, but this time instead of grabbing her wrist, Youngji intertwined her fingers with his and nodded her head. They both ran straight down the hall and followed Taekwoon’s instructions and head back towards the laboratory, hand in hand. When they reached the doors, Hongbin flung them open and they ran inside. He turned around and blockaded the doors for good measure by quickly moving tables and chairs together. Youngji looked worried. “What if Taekwoon escapes and needs to get back?” she asked concerned. Hongbin nearly shook his head. “He knew he wouldn’t get out, he just wanted to buy us time…”

“But-“

Hongbin quickly ran towards the front of the lab where he first entered with Taekwoon and locked his gaze on the staircase that spiraled upwards towards the streets above. Hongbin sighed and looked back to Youngji. “Come on” he said and he began to ascend the stairs, with Youngji close behind. When he reached the top first, he quickly buried his head back down and held out his hand to Youngji, stopping her. He peered his head up and saw dozens of men in black suits, waiting outside the entrance to the abandoned building. He tilted his head up a little further to catch the conversation going on between an officer and a walkie talkie.

“Sir, we have barricaded the entrance like you asked, no one has come out. Do you have the suspect?”

The device clicked and Hongbin heard Chief Hakyeons voice come out of it.

“We have the suspect, however, we did not find the other two…”

Another click.

“Other two? What others? You said there was only Jung Taekwoon?

He heard Hakyeon sigh loudly into the speaker.

“Yes, apparently there were two others involved in this case. Ex- officer Lee Hongbin and…a female subject…Make sure you find them and bring them to me, we are searching for them now. Jung Taekwoon…refuses to tell us where they are. Wait for my signal…when I signal you, bring backup immediately”

The officer clicked the device once more.

“Of course”

Hongbin cursed under his breath. There was no way they could get out this way. And there aren’t any other exits…what were they going to do?!

His eyes suddenly widened. Taekwoon knew. He knew all along that they wouldn’t get out of this right when the NPA showed up. They had chased him for years, there was no way they would give up a chance like this. He must have known Hakyeon had dozens of backup just for the occasion. Hongbin looked back at Youngji, her innocent expression softened his heart, but also broke it. He knew what they had to do…”reverse the operation”

Hongbin sighed. “We have to go back, quickly” he whispered and started to descend the stairs. Youngji did as he said and when they were near the entrance of the laboratory, she faced him. “Hongbin…what’s wrong? What’s up there?” she asked, sensing his emotions. Hongbin avoided her eyes and made his way into the laboratory, Youngji following close behind. She continued to drive a confused stare at him as he wandered the lab. He looked towards the barricaded door, everything was still in place, but it wouldn’t be long until they would find them. He turned to Youngji and grabbed both of her hands in his. She looked up at him, his sad expression causing her to worry. “Hongbin…what’s wrong?”

“Youngji-ah…사랑해…”

She began to worry even more. “Hongbin! Tell me what’s wrong”

He gripped her hands. “Youngji…the police are surrounding the building…Taekwoon knew that neither of us would make it out…Youngji…there’s only one way for us to be together…”

“아니요!”

“Youngji…it’s the only way…” he blinked, tears beginning to well in his eyes as he continued to look at her. “It’s the only way we can be together…” he faintly whispered, unable to steady his voice.

Youngji gasped in horror. “Hongbin…but…”

“I know…we haven’t even begun our new life together…but Youngji, you need to know that having you back in my life again, has changed me. I truly never realized what I had…until it was gone. I’m just so grateful that I could see you one last time…”

Her face began to twitch, clearly fighting off the tears that began to streak down her face. “Hongbin!” she said, her voice beginning to choke.

Then a crashing noise erupted from the opposite wall where the other doors were. Hongbin darted his face and could hear the frustrated grunts of Hakyeon and his men fighting to break the doors down. His barricaded fortress began to shake and he knew they had no time. Hongbin quickly rushed over to the computers and started up the operating machine. After crazily scanning rows of buttons, he finally found the correct one on a control panel that read: Reverse. He pushed it and ran over and grabbed Youngji’s hand, interlocking his fingers in hers. Together they took each step over to the operating table where Hongbin had laid not too long ago. They watched as the mechanical arms begin to come to life, awaiting their prey. Hongbin looked to Youngji. She squeezed his hand and they both climbed up onto the table, positioning their bodies so that their faces were merely inches apart. Hongbin watched as tears fell from her eyes and Youngji did the same. Hongbin placed his hand motionlessly in front of her as she laid her hand on top of his. Soon the mechanical arms dropped down on the both of them, picking them apart piece by piece. With all of the strength he could manage, he forcefully pulled out his memory chip and felt as the small, delicate device fall out of his fingertips. Youngji’s eyes widened, and she swallowed hard. . She watched as the color in Hongbin’s eyes began to fade, his breath shortened, his face merely illuminated in the flying sparks from the mechanical arms. With a shaken hand, she placed her fingers over her memory chip embedded in her neck and pulled it out. Soon she began to lose her hearing, her eyes began to drift, her hand feeling limp in his. Hongbin couldn’t speak any longer so he mouthed his words to Youngji, tears now staining his face: “I love you”. Youngji painfully mustered a smile as she watched his eyes close, his hand suddenly limp. She opened to speak when her eyes mechanically shut...

Eternally.