For Jong Kook, it is one of those moments where he is having a hard time breathing. Ji Hyo in her ivory blouse sits on the wooden floor just stares blankly to the front. Jong Kook knows the police must have arrived at the building by now, or at least he hopes so.

Jong Kook moves slowly towards his wife.

The masked man digs the cold metal deeper into the back of Ji Hyo’s head. “If I were you, I’d stop moving.”

Jong Kook then realizes who this man is, after hearing his voice. For all this time, this man only barks and yet never bites, and Jong Kook is sure that this time around is the same. “Sadly, you aren’t me.” There’s a mocking tone in his voice.

“How very brave of you.” He keeps pushing the gun against Ji Hyo’s head, which Jong Kook doesn’t know how is that possible. “Let’s see your bravery if I pull this trigger.”

Jong Kook stops moving and stands still. “Okay, okay.”

Ji Hyo’s light gaze watches Jong Kook with a certain dullness. It is as if she doesn’t care if he saves her or not. Somehow that pains Jong Kook. Does she not have a reason to live?

“Park Geon Ae,” Jong Kook focuses his eyes on the obsessive younger man. “What exactly are your demands?”

Ji Hyo isn’t really surprised to know that her husband knows this lunatic man. Ever since he came to her after her talk with the principal, asking her where her husband was, she just knew. But Park Geon Ae? Who’s Oh Dae Myeon then? Ji Hyo snickers inwardly imagining how ridiculous this situation is.

Geon Ae smirks, “You, the mighty Kim Jong Kook, should know the answer by now.”

“I won’t leave Eun Hye because I love her, and you should check yourself into the psychiatric hospital before it’s too late,” Jong Kook accidentally meets Ji Hyo’s eyes. This time he can see the hurt in her eyes, but it’s gone as fast as it comes. They’re dull again.

So, this crazy man is here trying to kill me because my husband’s in love with Eun Hye. What a funny tragedy.

“Geon Ae-ssi or Dae Myeon-ssi, whoever you are, as you heard he loves Eun Hye and not me. There’s no point in capturing and killing me, it won’t change his decision,” Ji Hyo scoffs which earns her another punch across her jaw. She falls down but immediately lifted by being pulled on her hair.

“Shut up! Shut up!” Geon Ae shouts. “Or I’ll punch you again.” Geon Ae’s left arm is s around Ji Hyo’s shoulders and his right hand is on the gun, now pointing at her temple. Any sudden move Jong Kook makes will take seconds for Geon Ae to respond to, but someone has to make the first move.

“Park Geon Ae.”

“Leave Eun Hye alone! She’s mine and forever will be mine. I love her, not you! Ever since she went to that goddamn hospital, she didn’t spend time with me anymore and eventually left me with a horrible man like you that have a wife and a child.” Geon Ae’s words strike deep into his heart. “And she took all my money and left me broke!”

“She didn’t take all your money away, Geon Ae-yah. She took hers only because you had nothing.”

Geon Ae shouts again. “Shut up, you moron! I won’t hesitate to pull this trigger.” Then he points the gun towards Ji Hyo’s left shoulder and pulls the trigger, making Ji Hyo yelps. Bloods pouring out of her shoulder and yet she’s only biting her lips, trying not to make any sound, let alone scream.

So, this is where and how I’m going to die. Jin Joo-yah, mianhae, saranghae, hope you’ll live happily in the future.

Jong Kook’s the one who shouts, “Yah! Micheosseo*? Hurt me and not my wife! I’m the one who stole Eun Hye from you.” Jong Kook balls his hands into his fist, veins appear on the surface of his skin. He wants to whisk Ji Hyo away from here, to a place where they used to be together. Safe and sound. Away from the eyes of the judgemental world. Away from the harsh reality of their broken lives.

“Leave. Yoon. Eun. Hye. Alone.” Geon Ae repeats his order, slowly this time. “I won’t repeat for the third time, Kim Jong Kook. I’ll kill your wife before I do that.”

“That won’t happen. All you did was beating her up and-”

“What I did to her shouldn’t concern you, almighty Kim Jong Kook. What I’m doing now should.” Geon Ae presses the gun wound on Ji Hyo’s shoulders, making her scream from the sudden contact. More blood pours out. Ji Hyo can’t help but let her tears out. She starts to feel numb and her vision starts to get blurry.

“Okay! Okay!” Jong Kook holds his breath in. “If you want me to leave Eun Hye, you should let my wife go now, then I would do the same.”

“I’m not that stupid, Kim Jong Kook.” Geon Ae snickers.

A bunch of footsteps can be heard and polices start appearing one by one, gathering around them. “Freeze!”

Jong Kook feels the polices are so slow in saving them, where in reality it’s been less than 15 minutes and the polices are trying to control the situation outside first. The polices can’t come inside because the two masked men hold two other parents at gun points, threatening to kill them.

“Kim Jong Kook! Tell them to lower their weapons or I’ll kill your wife,” Geon Ae orders.

Jong Kook immediately turns around and pleads with the polices. He comes forward to one of the polices and whispers, “What should I do about this?”

“Only half of us will lower our weapons.” There are six poli