The constant tapping of the fingers on the table was starting to get tense. The quiet atmosphere made everyone do something else, rather than to be consumed by the eerie silence of a leader in deep thought. For a few hours now, they have been discussing over and over again different ways of counterattacking their enemies, all without any success. The enemy was strong, had all their tracks covered, and they couldn’t point a finger on who was who, and what did they all had.

That was one topic on the table, on the other hand, there was the discussion of Chaerin’s future. She was dead to the world, and they wanted it to remain like that. She had been too careless, and her carelessness brought them misery. Their family was being reduced by only a half, the mourning period wasn’t properly set, when another person fell. They were tied, and whenever they tried to get loose, another person would end up paying for their efforts.

“She’s asking for him.” Taemin said, his legs crossed, his fingers intertwined.

“Let her ask.” Kikwang said, his hands deep in his pockets as he looked outside the window.

“You know her Ki, she will end up finding him.” Taemin said.

“We’ll tell her,” Sooman said. He was the one tapping his fingers on his desk. He had been deep in thought for the whole time they were there. “We’ll tell her he doesn’t wants to see her.”

“And she’ll believe us why?” Taemin said.

“Because we said so.” Kikwang retorted.

“And that worked perfectly the last time.” Taemin scoffed. Kikwang glared at him, but before he could speak, Sooman stood up.

“No, that didn’t worked, but maybe, we won’t need to do anything.” Sooman said as he walked towards the center of his office. “I heard Kiko Mizuhara was back in town.”

“Kiko? Back?” Kikwang said. Sooman nodded as he grabbed a cup of coffee.

“I thought she was dead.” Taemin said.

“She’s not, and she’s back.” Sooman said, then sipped from his hot, steamy coffee. “Maybe she’ll be back to Jiyong, and Jiyong will take her back. That way, Chaerin will be so heartbroken, she’ll end up hating him.”

“You’re so cruel.” Taemin spat. Sooman shrugged as he sat down.

“If you have a better idea, son, I’m all ears.” Sooman said, but Taemin stayed silent. He had no other idea.

“Maybe that’ll work. Chaerin’s a Lee, she doesn’t forgives easily.” Kikwang said. Taemin stood up and scoffed as he walked towards the door.

“Don’t forget she loves the man who killed her father.” He said and walked out without another word.

Her strength faltered when the worst realization hit her mind. She lost her balance, and if it hadn’t been for Jonghyun, she would’ve fell flat on the floor. She felt like dying, her mind torturing her with different thoughts, has she been at fault? Had he been careless because he didn’t cared anymore? She couldn’t know for sure, she would never know for sure unless she went over there and asked. “Chaerin, come on.” Jonghyun said again, but she shoved him away, walking towards the direction where Youngbae disappeared. The aisle felt longer than it was, her mind continuously imagining different situations of his situation, of his condition.

“I need to know.” She panted as she walked towards the doors. Almost without any strength left, she tried to reach the door, only to bend over in pain as a shock ran through her body. She felt as if she was being stabbed countless times, and her hands went immediately towards her abdomen. She gasped as she fell on her knees, almost crying as she held her abdomen. Jonghyun grabbed her, carrying with ease as he rushed back to her room.

“I told you.” He said. “You need to be careful.” He scolded her. She panted as she put her hands away, only to see blood on them. “.” Jonghyun said as he set her on bed.

“J-Jonghyun…” She said, but he had already gone out of the room. She took a deep breath and looked at the roof, then closed her eyes in pure agony. “!” She screamed as she held her bleeding abdomen. A nurse came in running, quickly checking Chaerin’s injury.

“She’s bleeding through her wound.” The nurse say as she took out a gauze and pressed it on Chaerin’s wound. Chaerin panted, flinched and whimper as the nurse tended her wound. “She must have hurt herself somehow.”

"She walked a bit" Jonghyun said. The nurse crooked her head, then shaked it no.

“No, that couldn’t be it.” The nurse said, cleaning the remaining blood.

“Then she tried to run.” Jonghyun said. The nurse frowned and looked at Chaerin with a raised eyebrow.

“Did you, now?” She said, but Chaerin didn’t answered. The nurse chuckled as she put a patch over Chaerin’s wound. “Well, now it’s clean, please don’t strain yourself.” She said as she grabbed her kit. Chaerin quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving.

“Tell me, Miss Park, who is the person who came in just now?” Chaerin hissed. The nurse widened her eyes, then smiled nervously, Chaerin must have looked terrifying.

“I-I can’t tell you that information, Miss Lee.” The nurse said nervously, trying to free her arm. Chaerin tightened her grip, making the nurse flinch.

“I need to know.” Chaerin hissed again, but the nurse simply chuckled.

“Please Chaerin, let me go.” The nurse said, but Chaerin didn’t let go. Jonghyun walked next to her, putting his hand over hers, caressing it.

“Chaerin, let go.” He said softly. Chaerin looked at him, she was frowning, and her nostril were flared as she took deep, constant breaths. “Let go.” He said again, and she slowly loosened her grip on the nurse’s hand. The nurse quickly left the room, leaving both Jonghyun and Chaerin alone. He continued to hold her hand until she calmed down a bit.

“I need to know.” She whispered. Jonghyun nodded, slowly sitting next to her.

“I know, but all in due time, alright?” He said. Chaerin shook her head and put her hands over her face, crying silently. Jonghyun held her and hugged her as she cried.

“If it is him, I am a terrible person.” She said. Jonghyun didn’t said anything else as he caressed her head and back, trying to soothe her. But nothing, nothing could ever make the growing pain of guilt lessen inside of her.

The song continued to play in different beats as I felt myself slowly getting distant. I didn’t even bothered to fight the pain that slowly turned to pleasure, it was no use anymore. Worst pains have I endured, to be crying over this one. Yes, it hurt deep within my flesh, but with every drop of blood lost, I felt renewed, as if I could finally breathe again. That’s all I needed, to breathe. Needed to be taken out of this body, to forget the pain. Pain, if I thought my life was miserable before, I was so wrong. No pain has even been worse than watching her die. Who would have thought, that the death of a simple girl would affect me so much.

But she was no simple girl, and her death wasn’t insignificant. She was everything to me. And the worst part is, I know I was the one who drove her to madness, I was the one who made her do that. So why was I living while she was resting in her final bed? I couldn’t even properly say my goodbyes, she just left, without any other word than the ing ‘I love you’. She loved me, but she had to punish me, and she was an expert in that. She punished me for every life I’ve taken, for every men I’ve killed, for every innocent women that got in the way, or every mourning family that lost a person by my hand. She punished me for all the blood I’ve spilled, for all the bullets I’ve wasted. I have been punished.

But why would I endure it? What was there for me at the end of the road? There was nothing, nothing more than the vast, somber and decadent feeling of emptiness that had been inside of me since I was born. Not even my brother was worth such torture, not even my Kiko was worth it. She came back, back in a moment I was the corpse of the man I used to be. Why would she want a decaying corpse back? Why would she want to even want to resuscitate me, when my soul had departed my body the moment she stabbed herself with the treasure I call my curse?

A savior, perhaps, or Death itself claiming my rotting body. I could give in, if only, if only it meant the end of my torture. But even in eternity, I doubt I’ll be able to find her. She must be in a better place, smiling every day, being the happy woman she deserve. I couldn’t give her that, this world couldn’t give her that. Thanks to my hand, to my fingers, thanks to my golden treasure, she would never be truly happy in this life. So maybe what she did, saved her, and me. I got my punishment, I got my just deserved, and she, she finally found that peace she longed for.

Maybe this was the sadistic way of Destiny saying to my face she’s just too good for you. Too pure, to innocent, and I, a broken bastard, whose hands are covered in blood and dust. Yes, maybe this was the best way for her to find peace, and the best way for me to find my solace, my eternal punishment.

“Make the transfusion, now!” I could hear the screams and beeps and rushing steps of people all around me, and all I could do was hope I wasn’t at a hospital, and hope they weren’t trying to save me. This was my destiny, I had to die in order to cleanse my soul. Why would a killer be granted life? That’s ironic.

“Youngbae, help me.” Another man said. , maybe they were trying to save me. Did I had any chance at all? I surely hope not.

“I have a pulse, keep administering the medication, 3 minutes each.” A familiar voice called. I cursed loud enough for my mind to keep ringing the deadly words over and over again. Physical pain was starting to come back, the punctures on my wrist, the compressions on my chest, I was feeling them all.

“Stop compressions, he’s got a rhythm.” One said. I felt the terrible impulse of coughing, of screaming, of vomiting and crying. All at the same time. One last punch on my chest, and I gasped, opening my eyes wide to a light that was blinding me. The pain in my chest was unbearable, the burning on my throat was even worst. I coughed, unable to move my hands, I had to cough in their faces. Serves them right.

“Jiyong!” Youngbae called as he held my shoulders, but I couldn’t stop coughing, the burning was agonizing, making me suffer in all ways possible.

Along with the coughs, came the vomits. My body was reacting to all the drugs, I bet. I continued to disgorge everything I’ve consumed, and it wasn’t necessarily food. Youngbae held my shoulders as he inclined my body to the side, where a wastebasket was waiting for my intestinal liquids. “He’s intoxicated.” A man spoke. I wanted to scoff, but the vomits wouldn’t stop, so I continued to throw up everything I could.

“Just great.” Another hissed, rushing to a corner of the room. I inhaled what I could, and continued to vomit, it felt as if I was possessed, and something within me wanted to come out. Come out so bad it hurt everything within its path. It was mental.

“Give him something!” Youngbae exclaimed as he held my head while I continued to throw everything out. And literally, I meant everything. My vision was blurry, but I could make out a faint trace of the food I ate three days ago. Food wasn’t something my body wanted anymore, hunger wasn’t my biggest worry, but there, I could see the remaining of the noodles soup Youngbae prepared me, and as it was expected, it made me throw up again. The sole blurry image of it gave me nausea, and of course, I couldn’t stop the demon that was coming out of me in torrents of intestinal liquid.

“I’m injecting him now.” A man said. I started to cough as the vomits lessened, but I couldn’t breathe properly. An insane feeling of weakness got the best of me, forbidding me to hold my body weight any longer. I collapsed on top of Youngbae, my face hitting his toned chest. I gasp, trying to hold onto him, surely scratching his skin as I tried to get up.

“Easy now, come on.” Youngbae said as he slowly rested my decaying body on top of the stretcher. I tried to breathe, but the air wasn’t coming down. I started to hyperventilate as my lungs started to burn.

“I thought he was rehabilitated.” A man said as he put a syringe on my arm.

“He was, then he started to try and kill himself, so he took pretty much anything he could get his hands on.” Youngbae explained as he put a mask over my face.

“Didn’t you tried to stop him?!” Another said, making my good Youngbae glare at him.

“Don’t you think I tired? It’s Jiyong we’re talking about.” Youngbae hissed. That was true, no one can stop my will.

“Jiyong, look at me.” The scolding man said. He grabbed my chin and moved my face towards him. I tried to look at him properly, but he was holding a light to my eyes, and honestly, I couldn’t control my body quite good yet. “Jiyong?” He said and slapped me. I flinched and closed my eyes, then opened them again to the same blinding light.

“What?” Youngbae said, holding my face steadily as the man behind the light continued to look at my eyes.

“He’s still intoxicated. I will admit him, so he can’t take any more drugs. His body won’t stand it, he’s on the edge of an overdose.” The man explained. I scoffed softly, but loud enough for them to look at me.

“I’m fine.” I said hoarsely. My voice was so weak it seemed alienated, even to me.

“You’re fine?” The man with the blinding light said, slowly removing it. I looked at him, my eyes immediately frowning as I realized it was no other than Choi Jonghoon. I wanted to punch him, to move and choke him, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. “You’re almost dead, we practically brought you back from death, and you’re saying you’re fine?”

“Bae… Take me out… of here…” I said panting, but Youngbae ignored me. “Bae… he’s a Choi…”

“Jiyong, stop.” Youngbae said firmly. “He’s a doctor.”

“No…” I grunted, trying to move, but my body was too weak. I tried to lift my hand to hold him, but my fingers weren’t moving. I looked at my hand, saw it sewed, still with stains of blood.

“When you cut so deep, the tendons break.” Choi Jonghoon said. I glared at him, it was the only thing I could do with this godforsaken weak body of mine. Jonghoon grabbed my arm and started to clean the remaining blood.

“I’m not staying here.” I said in my hoarse voice. Jonghoon glared at me as he grabbed a bandage and started to wrap it around my wrist.

“Really?” Jonghoon said as he finished bandaging my wrist. “I think you are. Come on Youngbae, I want to talk to you, alone.” I glared at Youngbae, who committed treason when he followed that Choi Jonghoon out of the room, leaving me alone. I scoffed, looking around the room, at the mess of blood on the sheets, the machines beeping, the bloody floor and curtains. I was impressed at that little piece of mirror, it made a bigger mess than a bullet.

“Kwon Jiyong?” Another man said. I looked up, and to my dismay, I saw the broad figure of one of my sworn enemies, looking at me with a stupid, apologetic face. I would’ve smacked him, if I had the strength.

“Who let you in?” I tried to sound menacing, but my weakness made me sound vulnerable. Another note for my diary, kill Kim Jonghyun for watching me with sorry eyes, instead of fear.

“What have you done, Kwon Jiyong?” Kim Jonghyun said as he walked towards me. I looked for my gun, but as it was expected, I had none.

“Get out!” I tried to yell, but instead, my hoarse voice came out sounding pathetic. “Get the out.” Jonghyun nodded, retreating slowly. I glared at him as he walked out of the door, closing it softly. Stealth it is, I should’ve known.

I looked around, there must be some kind of device to call the nurses. If Kim Jonghyun knows I am here, almost dead, I am doomed, I am done for good.

The aisle was partially empty, as it should be at three in the morning. Taemin walked through the halls, his face serious. The nurses walking by didn’t even dared to talk to him, the just bowed and hurriedly left. He continued to walk until he reached the aisle he was looking for. In there, Jonghyun stood outside, his back resting on the wall, as if he was waiting.

Taemin stood in front of him, his hands deep in his pockets, and let out a sigh. “Is everything alright?” He asked. Jonghyun let out a sigh and looked both ways before looking at Taemin. His face looked deadly, as if he was angered, or waiting for something.

“Yes and no.” Jonghyun said, no standing straight. “We have a problem.”

“Enlighten me.” Taemin said. Jonghyun gestured an aisle that was unusually crowded, considering the hour.

“Kwon Jiyong had been admitted here, and Chaerin saw them.” Jonghyun said. “Saw Dong Youngbae, to be more specific, also, Mizuhara Kiko is in town.”

“.” Taemin said, getting anxious. “Of Kiko I knew, but why is Jiyong here?” Taemin said. Jonghyun took a deep breath and looked at Chaerin’s room.

“He tried to kill himself. And Taemin, he is not the Young Dragon anymore. He’s a mess, he’s weak, and he’s vulnerable.” Jonghyun whispered. Taemin nodded, looking at the crowded aisle.

“This is our chance, then. We can finally kill him.” Taemin said, but Jonghyun shook his head no.

“That won’t be a good idea, he saw me. He was awake when I entered the room.”

“Idiot!” Taemin exclaimed. “If he finds out about Chaerin, we won’t be able to take him down!” Taemin tried to yell, but his voice came out a whisper. Jonghyun nodded, walking towards the counter.

“All we can do now is dispatch Chaerin. I was waiting for you, since I have no legal right over her. Talk to Minho and make him dispatch her. We can’t keep her here any longer.”

“You said,” Taemin started. “That Dong Youngbae was here, and she saw them. Did the saw her, too?” Taemin said, to which Jonghyun slowly nodded.

“I’m afraid the answer is yes.” He said, and Taemin cursed out loud.

“Then we have to kill him first.”

Gily's Notes: Hello! 

I am experimenting (again) with POV's, so, let me know what you think, and if you want to see more POV's in the story, or prefer the normal, author point of view. I will be waiting for your feedback ^^

Hope you liked this.

Happy Reading ~

Gily ♥