Chaeyoung’s eyes were fixated on Mina, a lump in his throat began to grow watching her cry. The terrified expression burned into his mind forever, reminding of him the night he stabbed her. Mascara ran down Mina’s cheek as she cried. Her hand gripping onto his arm as she tried to free herself from his grip. Bobby applied more pressure against and pointed the gun to her head. “I’ll finish what you couldn’t.” He smirked.

“Stop!” Chaeyoung slowly approached him with his arms up. “Kill me instead.” Sohyun and Mina lip’s parted and brows furrowed. “Mina is innocent. She doesn’t deserve this, please leave her alone. Deal with me instead. I have nothing to my name, I see no future for myself so kill me.” His tear ducts slowly fill to the brim. “Please.”

“Chae…” His name wouldn’t leave Sohyun’s mouth; the shock overtook her seeing him in this state. Not once has she saw him cry and plead like this. Ever since they met, he carried himself through the depths of hell and always wore a smile.

Chaeyoung stopped in his tracks as he heard the gun . “One more step and she’ll be dead.” His chest tightened and heartbeat increased as he watched Mina shut her eyelids tightly, anticipating the bang. Suddenly, the latter had a flashback of last night. Being observant has its advantages at times like these. She inhaled deeply before stepping onto Bobby’s right foot, elbow to the stomach and head-butting him with the back of her head. The stiletto of her heel definitively punctured.

The grip around her neck loosened, she elbowed his stomach one last time before breaking free. For one reason or another, she found herself running to Chaeyoung. The moment was bittersweet as she ran into his arms. There was a sense of security and safety “You don’t need to do this!” he said as he watched Bobby cocking the gun and pointing it at Mina. Chaeyoung stood in front of her, shielding her body with his.

Chaeyoung’s body tensed as the bang echoed throughout the garage. All the air left his lungs as he tried inhaling, smelling only gunpowder. He looked down to see the bullet lodged into his abdomen. Everything became silent as he tried processing what had just happened. Sohyun blinked rapidly, watching Chaeyoung’s shirt turn red. Her legs moved automatically running to him before Bobby took a hold of her arm. He yanked her back. “We need to go!” Sohyun looked over her shoulder one last time before driving off.

Using the rest of his strength to hold himself, he finally collapsed as he leaned on the wall. Mina fell to her knees, pressing her hands onto the wound. “Chaeyoung, keep your eyes open. I’m going to call an ambulance, okay?” Chaeyoung winced as she applied more pressure and placed his hand onto the top of hers. “Don’t! If you tell them what happened, the police will come.” He squeezed her hand. He took a deep breath “Take me to your villa and call a doctor” Though his smile was weak, his dimple still shined brightly as ever. “I’m sorry you got caught in this.”

Even though he's laying there bleeding out, he still apologized. Mina’s felt a mix of anger and guilt stirred as she looked into his eyes. Something she never did before, she always refused to lock eyes with him. Right now, they were at her mercy and vibrant as ever. Her hand began to shake the longer she bored into them. “Don’t apologize, this is my fault.” She looked back at the wound. “I forgive you for everything you’ve done to me.” She said lowly, Chaeyoung smiled hearing those words. He let himself be consumed by the void as he let go of reality. Mina panicked as she saw his eyes slowly shut. “Hey, stay with me!”

Mina’s villa

Trying to put him in her car was the hardest but she managed to do it. Mina paced back and forth down the hall, her hands playing with strands of her hair. She hadn’t changed her clothes nor washed the blood that stained her hands off. Although the operation only lasted thirty minutes, it felt like hours for her. Before leaving for her house, she called their family doctor for a favor. Reluctantly he agreed after her pleas. The door opened, the doctor placed down the blood-stained sheets and used bandages. “Is he going to be okay, Mr.Kim?”

He nodded. “I am sure you called for good reasons but I hope you know this will cost you extra.” Mina shook her hands and bowed multiple times, showing gratitude. “I know, I know. I can’t thank you enough.”

The doctor chuckled and stopped her. “I think of your family too, of course, I would help you. You’ll need to clean and change his bandage frequently. Make sure he doesn’t move so often or carry anything over twenty pounds, or else his stitches will rip.”

Mina peeked through the crack of the door. “Can I see him?” The doctor pushed the door open wider, enough to see him on the bed asleep. “He’ll be knocked out for a couple of hours. I gave him some strong medication.” He smiled before he left. Mina finally looked down at her outfit and hands. She rushed to the bathroom and took a long warm shower.

Chaeyoung was still peacefully sleeping on her bed, she just realized that he still had his shoes on. She took them off and stared at him. He was shirtless since the doctor ripped his t-shirt and threw it away. There were some bloodstains on his pants, he looked messy and reckless. She covered him with a blanket and headed to the kitchen. She tied her hair up and proceed on making food for the diner.

A few hours passed…

Chaeyoung finally woke up, he squinted his eyes to adjust to the light. He groaned as he tried to sit but failed. He cursed Bobby as he held his wound.

“You are awake!” Mina gasped as she rushed to him, she helped him sit back and he heavily breathed.

“What happened?”

“I called the family’s doctor. He performed a surgery on you and told me you need rest”

Chaeyoung hummed and smiled at her “Thank you, can you give me my phone please?”

Mina yelped as her eyes kept darting to his board shoulders and buffed chest while Chaeyoung was recording a voice, not to his mother.

“Hey mom, you called a lot, sorry for making you worried. I found a job outside the town so I will be out for a while. Don’t worry about me I am fine and I will make sure to call you whenever I can. I love you”

Chaeyoung clenched his jaw and looked away, he hates lying to his mother but he was forced to do this or she will be more worried. Mina noticed how emotional he got and decided to head back to the kitchen. Not so much passed and she came back holding a food tray, she placed it on Chaeyoung’s lap.

“You must be hungry”

“Yeah I am” to say that Chaeyoung is amazed was an understatement, the food’s smell was making his stomach growls. He ate the soup deliciously while Mina went to her wardrobe. She gave him a black sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt.

“You can wear them; they belong to Jimin” she yelped after saying his name. For a moment she forgot his existence.

“Thank you Mina” Chaeyoung smiled “I appreciate it”

“Eat well” Mina smiled warmly at him before she left. Chaeyoung ate all the food deliciously before he placed it on the bedside drawer. He grabbed the t-shirt and struggled to wear it along with the pant.

He groaned while trying to get up, simultaneously Mina entered the room “why you didn’t call me” she said while rushing to him.

“I wanted to go to the bathroom but I didn’t want to bother you” he groaned as he stood up.

“You should rest,” Mina said as she made him wrap his arm around her shoulder “you shouldn’t go hard on yourself.”

He hummed before he entered the bathroom, Mina awkwardly looked at him “uhm I will wait for you here” she blushed while he nodded.

A few minutes lat