Jiyong

 

", Dara just passed out on me. How's Top?" I asked Lorenzo.

 

 

"He's out, but he has a pulse," he answered, hovering over Top a few feet away. "Top's got two bullets in him."

 

"Where?"

 

"In the hip and thigh of his left side," Lorenzo answered after his quick inspection.

 

"We have to get them into one of these cars," I said, thinking fast. I looked around the garage. Unlike ours, there wasn't a
rack on the wall that held the keys to the cars.

 

 

Jinwoo came running in. He stopped before reaching us, bending down and snatching something from the ground.

 

 

"What you got?" Lorenzo asked.

 

 

Jinwoo held up his hand, revealing a set of car keys he has found on the ground. He pressed the "unlock" button and the
black BMW car beside us beeped.

 

 

"Perfect, let's hurry," I said, scooping Dara up.

 

 

"We can't drive to Dr. Gang in that car, it probably has a tracker on it," Lorenzo argued, getting Top into his arms.

 

 

"No, we are driving it to our cars. We can't carry them all the way back, we'll be wasting time."

 

 

Jinwoo opened the car's backdoors as we struggled with the weight of their limp bodies. He then made his way to the
driver's seat, starting the car. Lorenzo got in the passenger seat after getting Jinwoo into the backseat with me and Dara. As soon as the garage opened, Jinwoo sped off to the cars we parked two blocks away.

 

 

"Anyone else seriously injured?" I asked into the earpiece.

 

 

"I'm rounding up everyone, they all seem good. We are heading back." Seunghoon replies.

 

 

"I have Dara and Top with me. It's pretty bad. It looks like we are going to reach the cars before everyone else. Once we get there, we are going to go straight to Dr. Gang's. Everyone can go separate ways or follow behind us."

 

 

"Alright, Boss."

 

Dara

 

I woke up with many questions in my head, contributing to the massive ache I felt all over my body. I understood that
I was laying down on a bed but I didn't bother in trying to get up because for all I knew I was hurt. I turned my head to the
right, straining my neck to see.

 

 

Where was I? It wasn't the dark basement nor any room that I was familiar with in the mafia house. The bright sunlight that lit up the room made me wonder what time was it and of what day are we in.

 

 

The fuzziness in my memories made me question what exactly happened. Most importantly, who was standing in front of me with his back turned in my direction, wearing a white doctor's coat?

 

 

"Doctor?' I called for his attention so he can check my conditions. At the sound of his suffix, he turned around. His face was recognizable as soon as I got a good look of him. "Dongwon?"

 

 

"Dara, how are you feeling? Do you remember anything?" My ex-colleague asked me, looking into my eyes for dilation.

 

 

"Oh my gosh, I am dead, aren't I?" I asked. There was no way Dongwon was in front of me. "Does that mean you're dead too, Dongwon?"

 

"No one is dead," he assured. "I know you are confused and I'll explain later.I need you to tell me the last thing you
remember."

 

I thought hard and tried to recall the reasons as to why I was currently in pain and under the care of Gang Dongwon. I looked past him and saw Top sleeping in the bed where I first saw Dongwon's back. Everything flooded back and I
remembered shooting Claire until she was lifeless. I looked back at Dongwon.

 

"I-I.." I had to come up with a lie but my breath was suddenly caught in the middle of my throat. The roof of my mouth
suddenly went dry and heat rushed to my face.

 

 

"Dara, calm down. Focus on your breathing." Dongwon said, putting his arm on my shoulder for support. He breathed with me. "Inhale. Exhale. Inhale."

 

 

My breath, compared to his, was short and rigid. If anything, he was no help and was contributing to my attack.

 

 

"It's okay, I'll call Jiyong."

 

 

He left to get him. My eyes were glued to Top and I never wanted to look away so badly in my life. He wasn't dead, but I knew that Claire was. She's dead and it's my fault. From my fingers to the trigger to the bullet that pierced her gone. Isqueezed my eyes shut, pushing the tears that accumulated at the rim of my eyes out.

 

 

In the midst of my body quivering as I became a fit of sobs and tears, I felt someone grab a hold of me. Embracing
me in a back hug as we were laying down, I tensed up.

 

 

"Shhh, it's going to be okay," Jiyong's voice whispered in my ear as he patted my head.

 

Jiyong

 

"Jiyong." Dr. Gang barged into the living room.

 

 

"What?" I asked, instantly shooting up from the couch.

 

 

"Dara finally woke up."

 

"Is she okay?" I asked.

 

"She's having a panic attack and Top is still sleeping."

 

 

"Can I go see her?" I asked, already getting up and making my way to the room Dr. Gang had her and Top staying in.

 

 

"Yeah, you already know the way. I'll give you guys space." He said, pointing down the hall. Right as we arrived at his house, he had already set up everything due to our prior
call that informed him to be ready. Dr. Gang had Top and Dara in the same room so it was easier for him to keep an
eye on both of them and kicked all of us out. It's been a whole night since I've seen her.

 

I entered through the door where Dr. Gang had pointed and as he had said, Top was sleeping while Dara was curled up into a ball on her good shoulder crying

 

 

She still hasn't noticed me and I stood there watching over her. I didn't know what to do. Was it even okay for me to
comfort her? I looked at with empathy. It was I who brought this upon her. In front of me, Dara was crying. It was my fault. Sliding into the bed, right next to her, I chose to fix it.

 

 

Carefully, making sure that I wouldn't hurt her, I hugged her from behind.

 

 

"Shhh, it's going to be okay," I said, trying to soothe her as I patted her head and spooned her.

 

 

Expecting her melt into my arms and lessen her cry, she did the opposite. She sobbed and cried harder."J-Jiyong, I wa-as so scared," She whined. "They h-hurt me and I-I thought I
was good as d-dead."

 

She sank deeper into me, absorbing all my comfort. Each tremble caused my soul to shake, breaking my heart.

 

 

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

 

"and T-T-Top, h-e... I ki-killed..."

 

"I know, Dara. I know," I whispered, tiring to hush her. "It's going to be okay. You did what you had to do."

 

 

"Nothing I did was right."

 

"I'm so sorry, Dara." I said, holding her tighter.

 

 

Dara

 

"I'm so sorry, Dara." said Jiyong as he gently pulled me closer to him. Unable to answer him, I bit on my lip as I
bawled.

 

I'm sorry, too.

 

Jiyong

 

I laid there, cradling Dara as she slept. I was tired myself but the pain my heart kept me awake. Dara twitched and I snuggled closer to her. I felt bad, very bad. I sighed gently in hopes of releasing a bit of weight that was holding down my chest.

 

 

In the corner of my eye, a movement caught my attention. In front of me, Top stirred awake. Unlike Dara, he wasn't in the
laying position. The first half of Top's bed was elevated to a 45-degree angle, sitting him upright.

 

 

"Don't move," I whispered.

 

 

Top whipped his head in the direction of my voice.

 

 

"Do you remember what happened?"

 

 

I asked in a soft voice. I didn't want to disturb Dara from her needed sleep. Top nodded and pointed to his leg. "The
doctor told me when I woke earlier up this morning. Did she wake up yet?"

 

 

I nodded. The door to the room opened and Dr. Gang appeared. Top patted the empty space of the hospital bed next to him. The doctor looked confused at what Top was suggesting.

 

"What?" Dr. Gang asked.

 

"I'm getting jealous of Dara. I want a cuddle buddy too," Top explained. 

 

"No." 

 

"Awww.." Top whined in disappointment.

 

 

"Look's like she's back to sleep. You can wiggle your way out and leave," Dr. Gang said, turning his focus away from Top to me and Dara.

 

"I'm good," I told him, "I'llstay here until she wakes up again." 

 

 

The young doctor's eyebrows rose in amusement. He cleared his throat and said, "Okay."

 

 

Dr. Gang grabbed the handle to the bed of Top's, releasing the breaks on the rolling bed. He started to push the bed,
slightly moving Top in the process."Woah, there. Where am I going?" Top asked.

 

 

"I'm moving you to another room."

 

"Wait, but it's my turn!" Top complained.

 

"For what?" Dr. Gang asked, stopping the bed.

 

 

"For Jiyong to spoon me." 

 

 

The doctor rolled his eyes and continued to push the bed out of the door. Top turned back, flipping me off. They went
out of sight, turning left in the hall and leaving the door half opened behind them. Annoyed at such a small thing, I
slowly got up to close it. 

 

"Are you leaving?" Dara's small voice croaked.

 

 

I turned around to see that Dara eyes were opened, tiredly.

 

 

"Do you want me to?" I asked. My hand was on the handle. I was hoping for a 'no'.

 

 

It would tell me what I wanted to know. I wanted to know that she wasn't upset with me or mad at me. Yet, the other half of me wanted to do so, to blame me and hate me. Where else should that blame go? Herself? No.Dara shook her head. Relief flooded through me but that stimulated my guilt.

 

"Are you feeling better?" I asked. Instead of laying back down with her, I walked to her bed and squatted down to look at her face.

 

"I don't know," she answered.

 

 

"Tell me what hurts."

 

"Everywhere," she answered.

 

"What did they do to you?" I asked.

 

 

Her face contorted in a grimace of pain, "I don't want to talk about it."

 

"What do you want to do then?" I asked, immediately regretting the first question I asked.

 

 

Dara thought for a moment, her exhausted expression never leaving her face.

 

 

"Can you call Dr. Gang?" She asked.

 

 

I sighed, standing up, "I'll be right back with him."

 

 

"No." Dara said, "Just the doctor. I want to talk with him."

 

 

I swallowed down my worries andnodded my head. Walking out of the Dara's room, I closed the door behind me. I turned left, in the direction I saw Dr. Gang took Top. I opened the only door to my left. In the room, Top was accompanied by Taeyang.

 

"What are you guys doing?" I asked, looking at the scene.

 

 

"Cuddling and watching TV." Top answered. 

 

 

"No homo," Taeyang mentioned. 

 

 

"Where's Dr. Gang?"

 

 

"Talking with Chaerin in the living room," Taeyang said.

 

 

I entered the living room and found Dr. Gang and Chaerin chatting. Chaerin was the first to notice me.

 

 

"How is she?" asked Chaerin.

 

 

"I don't know."

 

 

"Is she okay? I thought you were going to stay with her?" The doctor asked.

 

 

"She woke up and asked for you," I told him.

 

 

He got up and walked past me. I sat downin the seat he was just sitting in.

 

 

"When am I going to see her?" Chaerin whined. "She was my best friend first before she became your girlfriend."

 

 

"You can take the next cuddle shift," I assured her. 

 

 

Dara

 

As I waited for Jiyong to get Dongwon, Imanage to find the button that controlled the setting of the bed. I pushed the button that had an arrow facing up and the bed reclined forward. Sitting up, I kept my eyes on the closed door, waiting for it to open. When it did, Gang Dongwon walked through. The feeling of seeing a fresh face from my regular life that I left behind significantly brought my mood up.

 

 

"How's everything?" He asked.

 

 

"You tell me, Doc. I didn't run my own diagnosis," I said.

 

 

"The hole in your shoulder was bad. I stitched it up. Depending on how you feel, you may or may not need physical therapy. Your ribs, badly bruised, took heavy trauma but they'll be fine after rest and medication. There is also bad bruising in your lower stom-"

 

 

I listened as Dongwon list things that I already had suspected but the curiosity that stowed within in me cut it short.

 

 

"How are you here?" I asked.

 

"Dara, you see. Like my parents, when a man and a woman love each other they -" 

 

"Dongwon, I'm serious. I didn't think you ran with these type of people."

 

"That goes the same way for you," said Dongwon.

 

 

"I-," I said, starting to give him an explanation.

 

 

"You don't have to tell me. Chaerin already explained."

 

 

"Okay, you know of my criminal start. I want to know yours," I said.

 

"I grew up poor and was struggling with college. My friend's girlfriend's best friend was fooling around with someone of
the YG mafia. They gave out loans and got me through college and medical school. I haven't really paid them all off
and I do help them out time to time."

 

 

"Was the guy you were talking about Taeyang?" I asked, guessing at his description.

 

 

"Yeah, actually. How did you know?"

 

 

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