I tilted my head to the side as I read the words on the gravestone.

In Loving Memory Of
Kang Seulgi
1994 - 2019

Kang Seulgi. She had died two years ago - Apparently the same day I woke up from my coma as my brother had told me. I didn’t know much about her except that she was the one who saved my life. Without her, I wouldn’t have woken up.

I remember hearing her the last few days before I woke up. She had begged me for my forgiveness multiple times. I didn’t understand why though. What had she done to me? I didn’t even know her.

I asked my brother about her and why she would say those things but he refused to even open his mouth when the topic was brought up. He had only told me her name but nothing more. Not until today, August 28th, 2021. Exactly two years from her death. Now that I was older he felt like I could handle the truth and wanted to bring me to her grave to meet her.

I turned to look at him. His hands were holding onto a small bouquet of roses and his eyes were wet and swollen. His lips were dry and dark circles started to form under his eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. I had never seen him in such a vulnerable state before. He was always strong and rarely showed these types of emotions. This woman must have had a big impact on him.

From what I know, he retired from the criminal world right directly after her death and we both moved to New York. My other brother, Kai, is still working for the FBI but the other guys had retired as well. I think they all went to live in Busan except for Yuta who went back to Japan. I was a little saddened because that meant I wouldn’t be able to experience being a criminal, but that was probably for the best considering what had happened to me.

“Yong,” I then spoke quietly, making him turn to me.

He smiled a faint smile and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Hm?”

“How did she die?” I asked him and a heavy sigh escaped his lips as he turned back to the gravestone.

He told me the whole story about her.

I was shocked to hear that she was the one who shot me. That was probably why she begged me for her forgiveness that time. I got a little angry at Kai and Yuta as well, but then I understood why they did what they did. It was the criminal world after all. You couldn’t please everyone.

“Was she your girlfriend?” I asked him, in which he only chuckled in return.

“Maybe if we had more time,” he paused and looked down at the roses in his hands.