Sungjong glared at Sunggyu.  "It's all because of you and your group of vigilantes that the Yuin clan was destroyed!  I'll make you pay for interfering with my plans."  He pressed the gun threateningly at the side of Woohyun's head.  "I'll take away everything that is important to you, starting with him."

"Wait!" Sunggyu shouted out.  His expression quickly grew into concern as he looked at Woohyun with the gun to his head.  "You are right.  The one who destroyed the Yuin clan was me.  I'm here now.  You can do whatever you want with me, just let him go."

Sungjong contemplated a moment and then smirked.  "Throw your sword over here."

Without hesitation, Sunggyu threw his sword to the ground.  The minute the sword landed near his feet, Sungjong pointed his gun at Sunggyu and fired a shot.

"Sunggyu!" Woohyun shouted out.

Despite knowing Sungjong's intention, Sunggyu remained standing there.  He made no attempt to evade the bullet, heading straight for him.  Even as the bullet pierced through his skin, Sunggyu clenched his jaw and endured the pain.

Woohyun's eyes brimmed with tears when he saw blood gushing out from Sunggyu's chest.  "Sunggyu," he cried.  "Please don't do this."

Sungjong frowned upon seeing Sunggyu still standing.  He fired another shot at Sunggyu, hitting him in the leg.  The bullet lodged itself in Sunggyu's thigh, causing him to drop down onto one knee.

Woohyun's tears flowed seeing blood gushing out from Sunggyu's wounds yet, the older man showed little emotion on his face as he silently endured everything.  Woohyun could not believe the extent to which Sunggyu was willing to go for his sake.  Sunggyu was suffering because of him and it made him feel guilty.

"Sunggyu," Woohyun cried.  "Why would you risk your life for me?"

Sunggyu looked at Woohyun.  "I told you before, didn't I?" he asked with a slight hint of sadness upon his face.  How could Woohyun still ask him that question?  How could Woohyun not know the answer?  Truth be told, hearing Woohyun question the motive for his actions hurt him more than the pain from the bullets which struck him.  "It's because I love."

Woohyun was speechless.  He recalled the time when Sunggyu had said those same words but he thought that Sunggyu only said it in the heat of the moment.  "I..."

"I love you," Sunggyu repeated, eyes locked on Woohyun.  "I love you.  I'll say it as many times as it takes for you to remember it."

"I..." Woohyun hesitated.  "I'm not worth it."

There was a slight pause from Sunggyu.  "You're worth everything to me."

Sungjong laughed, interrupting their moment.  "Such a sweet talker, commander," he mocked.  "Bleeding to death and you can still sprout those words."  With his gun still pointed at Sunggyu, Sungjong turned to look at Woohyun.  "Have you forgotten that he's also the man who used you to lure me out?  A cunning man like that, nothing is beneath him."  Sungjong cast his attention back to Sunggyu.  "This world is better off without you."

Woohyun's eyes widened in horror when he saw Sungjong aim the gun at Sunggyu's head.  He saw Sunggyu close his eyes, ready to accept his fate.

"Sunggyu!"  Woohyun shouted.

Sungjong pulled the trigger.  The moment he did so, a figure ran past him from behind and stood in front of Sunggyu, intercepting the bullet's path with the sword in his hand.

Sunggyu opened his eyes when he heard the sound of the bullet recoil against the blade.

Unlike Sunggyu, Sungjong's eyes widened in surprise when he saw the figure standing before him with the sword in his hand.  "You...."