Chapter 19 

She raised an arm and it landed on her stomach. She felt for it with her hand and was surprised. Her babies are here and safe. She sat up and made a move to her right. She was in their room.

She was back in the real world 

She look around and was shocked when So bong went in. He suddenly bowed saying, “Joesunghamnida. I have no choice. I have to do it. I have to pull you back. I spent every moment of the past month trying to bring you back. It was just too tragic. I can’t bare—” he sob on his arms. “I successfully pulled you back in but then Kang Chul hyeong, he,” So Bong took his phone and showed the manga to Yeon Joo. She scrolled and read it.

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Chul pressed his fingers in his temples and comb it through his scalp. His hair a tangled mess like his life now. Yeon Joo was missing once again.  He doesn’t know what to feel. Should he be grateful because she was finally safe in the real world? Or should he be lamenting because he just loss his new found family in a span of two days?

His lips trembled and he bite at them. 

He won’t cry. He promise that he will be tough. 
“Yeon Joo-ya, wherever you are, I will always love you”. He said out loud knowing that she will be able to read it.

After taking a few deep breath, he took the gun inside his drawer, check the bullets and went down. Do Yeon saw him as he stride out of the elevator unto his car. Chul did not wait for him as he drove out of the parking lot. 

Thunder rumbled in the distance and soon, rain fell down. 

They entered a newly erected building just outside Gangnam area. No lights. No construction workers. A perfect hiding place. It was pouring, hard. Chul was about to park his car ten meters away from the building when a black dodge came out. They started the chase. 

Chul firing over Han Cheol Heo’s son while Do Yeon tried to go the other way to corner the bastard. Chul was desperate. He wanted blood. 

The chase was terrible and very dangerous for the road is slick. Chul press hard on the pedal that he was neck to neck with Han Cheol Heo’s son. Chul’s car swivel to the side as the dodge bump on him. They continue the chase. Chul fired at the bastard’s tires and it blew off.

Now he has advantage. 

The car tire’s shriek as metal collide with asphalt. Chul was in an advantage and he fired once again. He was focused on the road but then he slipped. The vehicles collide with a bang and

 
꿑 

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“He got  injured, Noona. I wasn’t sure if he is still alive. The book ended itself. I do not know. The context is so complicated now. I can’t do anything…it is so frustrating!” So Boong pulled at his hair but Yeon Joo was too absorbed on her own grief that she couldn’t care less. 

She began walking back to her room which made So Bong stopped crying as he asked, “Noona, where--?”

“I’ll be in the bedroom. Just, just let me be.” She bowed her head in defeat and lock the door behind her. She rested her back on the door and  slide down on it, crying. 

Now she’s alone. Really alone. She would have to live, for the sake of her babies. She caress her stomach and cried some more. 

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The days passed by. 

She have barely eaten. She was depressed. She was hurt. 

One day, she realizes that for her to forget about him is to not engage herself on everything that concerns him. She has to go away for her to not remember. 
She stood from the bed and headed in the closet. She took her clothes and put them in a bag including the onesies she bought for her babies. She can feel them kick under her hands as she caress her almost full term stomach. With a sigh, she look around the room and went off. 

She left a letter for So Bong telling him that she had to go. She will stay at Busan where their relatives are. He need not to worry because her cousins will take care of her. 

She took her bag, take one last look around the room and close the door behind her. Unaware of the glowing screen as the words changes from 꿑 to 계속.

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Chul shook his head. 

He had done it. He glared at the ruined vehicle in front of him. He open his car door and went out, heading towards the crash. When he peek in, Han Cheol-Heo’s son was dead and gone. The tragic injury to his skull and the multiple bullets on his chest did not help him to survive. 

The rain continue to pour down on Chul but he can’t help but feel elated. He look down on his watch and smiled. He has plenty of time. He quickly went back to his penthouse to make the necessary arrangements. He talk to Deo Yeon about the property distributions and the gold he needed. He successfully type them down on his computer and smiled. He had finally figured it out. 

For him to go out of the Manga, he should properly give an end to it. In short, every villain should be defeated. He had done that with a great help from So Boong who defies the laws of the Manga. Next, is for the main characters to achieve happiness. He let Deo Yoon and So Hee have their own lives. 

He prepared all that while he struggled to go back. After a lot of communication passing through between him and So Boong, they are finally ready. 

Chul wave his hands to his two best friend and tighten his hold at the bags that contain the gold bars. He breathe out, entered the elevator and pressed G. When he reach the lobby, he smiled for the front liners did not greet  him and instead they look shock to see him. They began making calls and Chul had to rush outside of the building as to not attract anymore unwanted questions.

He got out alright and smiled. He pulled his hat down on his face and headed home. He hailed a cab and imagine their life once he is reunited with her. His smile widen as he headed to their door and knocked. 

But his smile was wipe from his face when his mother in law was the one who open the door. “Chul-ah?” 

“Yeon Joo neun, eodi—” He look at Yeon Joo’s mom and the sadness that filled her eyes. He entered their house without any invitation. It was their home after all. “Yeon Joo-ya! Yeoboo,” He push open the door but she wasn’t there. In frustration he removed his hat and sat on the bed, hands cradling his head. 

“She was gone for almost a month now. I don’t where she went. She just won’t answer my questions” Yeon Joo’s mom confessed as she put a hand on Chul’s back. “She was so sad. Next thing I know is that she was already packing her clothes. With a bag on her hand, I let her go because I can’t do anything. I just can’t bare to see my daughter like that so please…” Yeon Joo’s mom held unto his hands and look at his eyes, “Please bring her back.”

Chul nodded, determination on his eyes. 

As he stood, his phone vibrated on his pocket. He took it out to see an unknown number. Looking at Yeon Joo’s mom, he answered the phone, “ Yeoboseyo?”

“Hyung,” 

Chul’s eyes widened as he heard the voice. It couldn’t be. “Deo Yeon? Wae nante-why, how are you here?” in the real world. That unspoken continuation lingered and reach Deo Yeon. Deo Yeon shook his head and sighed, “Nan Molla. I just, I don’t know how I am here. But one thing is for sure, you are looking for Yeon Joo right?”

“How did you know?” Chul said looking at Yeon Joo’s mom and her looking back at him, expectant
 
“Because I just saw her here at the station.”

“Mwo?”

계속