Chapter 11
THE ROAD TAKENThe troubled water, YoonA has no fear for it. Her son is in there, in the river. Her only option is to jump and save him before it's too late.
But Changwook grabs her by the waist, literally dragging her away from the angry current.
“It's too deep!” He yells. "You'll get swept by the current."
"No!!! I can save him. I know how to swim! Kai!"
“Follow me! If Kai falls here, the current will bring his body downstream.”
In tears, YoonA follows Changwook's hurried steps. They run along the river bank calling Kai's name. Then, as if it's God who answers them, YoonA can hear Kai's scream.
“There! Kai! Hang on, baby! Hang on!” YoonA screams hoarse. "Hang on!"
In the middle of the river, under the bridge where huge formation of rocks slow the current down, YoonA sees her son. She nearly falls on her knees out of sheer relief, holding herself up just because she knows Kai won't be able to hold onto the slippery rock for long.
“Wait here.” Changwook blocks YoonA when she's about to jump in.
“But Kai...”
“I said wait here!” He takes off his shoes and throw away his jacket before jumping into the river.
YoonA watches nervously as Changwook swims through the current. When the man reaches Kai, she lets herself fall to the ground in gratefulness.
Now it's the matter of bringing Kai back to safety. Even from meters away, YoonA can see hesitation in Changwook's face.
“Can you bring him back?” YoonA stands up, yelling as she running closer to the bridge. “Can you?”
It scares YoonA the way Changwook looks to the left then to the right in doubt. It's even scarier now she can see Kai's bluish lips. The little hands that wrapped around Changwook's neck are clearly trembling. Somewhere behind them, YoonA can hear the sky rumbling. Rain starts to fall in huge droplets, washing everything away.
“I'll go get help!” YoonA yells, turning to run. Rain can only mean one thing, heavier torrent.
A few steps away, she hears splash from behind, a loud one. Changwook has decided to swim across, bringing Kai with him. YoonA turns around in fear, witnessing the top of Kai's head disappear in the water.
“No! Kai!!!”
She runs along the river bank, hoping that Changwook will reappear somewhere near. Tears mingle with rain water on her cheek as she sees the water getting even darker in color. She loses hope.
“Changwoooook!”
As if answering her, Changwook appears . The man tries hard to keep himself and the boy clinging to his neck afloat. But the fight against the current is clearly not easy.
YoonA is about to jump in herself when she hears a splash. Alex dives in, paddling hard with his hands to reach the two.
YoonA doesn't wait for them the get to the edge of the river, she plunges in, feet clawing the muddy ground as she reaches for her son. Rain pours, when she manages to get Kai to the ground, the boy doesn't even move anymore.
“Kai! Kai!” Patting his pale cheeks, YoonA begs for every deity above to let Kai alive. But those eyes are shut. Those lips are blue.
“Kaiii. Noooo!” She shakes his frail shoulders, lifting his skinny torso off the ground and hug him tight to her chest. Stopping only when she realizes someone is standing by her side, watching.
Those heels. That glittery skirt. That woman!
Flame of anger ignited in YoonA's heart, of anger, of frustration burning so bright she can't feel the cold rain anymore.
Her scream as she attacks Seungri's mother is one that full of threat. YoonA claws at the woman, pulling, slapping, kicking before she pushes her against a tree.
Blood pools on the corner of the woman's lips, dripping from her chin to the collar of the wet designer shirt. She yells for help, begging YoonA to stop.
YoonA doesn't care. Her heart has gone numb.
“What are you doing here?” Numb, YoonA barely glances at the face full of stitches. Her eyes are fixed on the closed door. There, in the surgery room, Kai is fighting for his life.
“I have every right to be here. He's my grandson.”
Spitefully, YoonA stares at the wounded woman. Other than the stitches and bruises on her face, there's no sign of the incident from few hours ago. Seungri's mother is as clean and as well-dressed as she usually is. Turtle neck sweate
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