“Because my heart is a broken heart, I can't let you go like this. This place is a Paradise, only if you were here.”

 

 

 

"Hey, can you make it? It's the only day we can meet up as a group. I know it’s going to be late but, it's at 11. Remember!"

"Yea Dasom, I'll come after work if I can. Ok hang up."

Mark put down his cell phone and continued clicking away on his computer keyboard. The endless all-nighters and dependence on coffee was beginning to affect his mental awareness. The light admitted from the computer screen strained his eyes, making him sleepy. He began stretching and yawning. 
Being a manager at a widely known software company takes a lot of work, especially when he has to fix all the employees' mistakes. The countless miscalculated numbers and misspelled words took hours to fix when the information was already enabled in the system. 

"It's gonna be a long night."

The room was empty, as all the other employees had already made their way out of the office, leaving Mark alone to his nightmare of going through mountains of paperwork to reset the program.

After about 4 to 5 hours of working, he finally finished and clicked off the computer, sipping the last of his coffee.

"Ah, finally I can go home, what time is it?" Mark grabbed his cellphone and clicked the power button.

"10:49" 

"Crap, I'm gonna be late!" 

Grabbing his stuff and turning off the lights, Mark bolted out of the office building.

 

[Meanwhile]

"Are you sure he's coming?"

"Most likely. He said he'll try this time. Just be patient, Bomi."

"Well, Hubby better hurry. I have a present for him, his birthday is coming up soon." Bomi grinned from ear to ear.

"Stop calling him that." A voice across from them spoke irritatedly.

"Shut up," Bomi answered sharply. "Why are you even here so early, Myungsoo. You're always late."

"It's none of your business. And it's "L" to you."

Just then Krystal walked through the door of the book cafe.

"Oh my god! Krystal!" Bomi screamed.

The three girls hugged each other, wailing at the top of their lungs with excitement.

"I haven't seen you guys in forever." Krystal exclaimed.
"How is work going, Dasom?"

"It's going pretty well. Can't you see my book cafe is becoming a huge success?" Dasom smiled. 

The cafe was filled with people sipping their coffee, reading books, working, or eating desserts.

"Hey Myungsoo! How's photography going?"
"Pretty good, I make some money. And I told you guys to call me "L". You're still a dancing instructor, Krystal?"

"Yes of course! I could never quit, I love this job." Krystal shifted the bag on her shoulder. 

"What's that box in your bag, Krystal?"

"It’s nothing." She pushed the boxing deeper into her bag. "Is everyone here?"

"1, 2, 3, 4.... There's two of us missing." Bomi replied.

"So that means there's only Mark and Jin missing." Dasom sighed.

 

The sound of the wind passing Jin's ears, as he ran down the street, made him feel vulnerable. Car horns, bright lights, and the crowd were making him nauseous. The pain in his right shoulder became almost unbearable, but that didn't stop him from seeing the person he wanted to see most. The crossing light blared red so he stopped to catch his breath. 

She would be waiting for him, wouldn't she? 

Just then a man shouted through the crowd.

"Crap! I thought I lost him." Jin began sprinting and navigating through the the crowd.

"Stop right there!" The man quickly chased after him. 

With no choice, Jin decided to cut through a sharp alley and hide behind a wall. 
The man came moments later. Not finding him, he exited the narrow alley. 

"He has a gun! Why does he have that?”
Jin waited, holding his breath, to see if the man would come back.
“Well it's too dangerous to find out now, I should get going."

Jin turned corner, not realizing the thin stream of blood dripping down his sleeve.

 

[Meanwhile]

Mark was making his way on the subway. Checking his watch, it read "10:57"

"I'm not that late, right?"

The door opened and he got on with other people cluttering in the subway. He made his way to a spot and grabbed the handle that was dangling from the ceiling. 

*Dingaling* his phone jingled, he had received an ad. 

"You've received a ticket to Paradise."
"Come to the new PC room located on Gyeongbu Expressway. For your dreams will come true."

"Isn't this the street Damson's book cafe is located."

The subway came to a stop. The lady on the intercom mumbled something that Mark couldn't make out. The door slid open and the people exited and entered. Mark slid his phone back in his pocket. 
From behind the crowd, Jin made his way onto the subway.

"Oh, Mark!" Jin waved to get his attention.

"Hey bro. You late too?"

"Yea just came from work. How about you, the office?"

"Yea..." Mark trailed off. In the subway of crowded people, Mark noticed the trail of blood on the floor. He followed the trail, stopping where Jin was standing. 

"You're bleeding!" He grabbed Jin's arm.

Jin looked down to look at his wound and quickly looked back up at Mark, "Just keep quiet until we get out of the subway."

 

[At The Animal Clinic]

"Why are you hurt again? I can't save you every time."

Mark finished wrapping Jin's shoulder and began to put the first aid kit back where it belonged. 

"What kind of trouble can a veterinarian get into to get injured so often?"

“What do you mean?” Jin notice a small sheet of paper on the counter near him, so he quickly shoved it into his pocket.

“What's that? Give it here.” Jin put up a good fight until Mark grabbed the crumbled paper out of his hands.

“Debt…. for…….Wait! LOANSHARKS?!”
“Why did you loan money from them?”
“Is it because of that stupid man?”

“It's not just anyone you know, Mark. He's my father.”
 
“What father? The one that never loved you, abused you as a child, and left you and your mom to fend for yourselves? Well I don't care who he is, I'm not letting him hurt you anymore, you suffered too much already.”

“Let's talk about this later, ok?”
“We better get going, they're waiting for us.”

“Jin, I don't think it's a good idea for you. I think you better rest.”

“I'm fine”

“Are you sure?” Mark poked Jin's shoulder.

“AHHHHHH!” Jin screamed in pain. “Stop it!”

“Ok.” Mark laughed jokingly. “Put on a shirt and let's go.”

The two men made their way out of the clinic, locked the door, and sprinted to the book cafe as they promised. 

 

 

Author's note 

Hello fellow reader. XD  I haven't been writing for a while and I decied to start a new fanfiction for my own enjoyment. I hope you'll enjoy it too. :D This time I have edited everything myself, so if there is anything misspelled I'm sorry and let me know. :P Also let me know if I should continue my story, if I chose your favorite character, or what song i shoulg pick for the next chapter. Thank you again. <3