Moonbyul’s eyes snapped open.

They blinked away the remnants of sleep before checking the clock on the wall.

It read 0400. 

Once again, her exhausted body had let her sleep just under four hours before waking her up two hours before her alarm was supposed to ring.

     She sighed into her sparsely furnished apartment before suddenly getting up to start her routine workout using just her own bodyweight. After a quick cold shower, knowing that it wasn’t worth waiting for the eventual trickle of hot water and to save it for the elderly tenants in her building, she trudged over to a kitchen area to make coffee and swallow down some painkillers with it.

She still got random aches and pains from all her old wounds that were usually bearable but some mornings she needed to take something to be able to go about her business.

Downing the rest of her coffee, Byul walked over to check her phone and see if she had any messages or missed calls. Since there were none, she pressed a button to darken the screen and her eyes caught sight of her rings.

She had not returned them to her index finger since removing them after dislocating her fingers.

They now lived linked with her old military dog-tags that sat next to a photo of Dahee on the low table adjacent to where she slept in this small studio flat.

She had abruptly moved out of the house she had shared with Dahee as it was too painful to stay there anymore. Not long after Dahee’s funeral, her parents had sent a company round to take all of her belongings back and Byul did not have the energy to fight it.

Although, she wasn’t sure which was worse: having to see and smell Dahee through her clothes; or seeing the empty space where her possessions once belonged to, reminding her of the missing piece in her home, her life and her soul.

This small studio flat was the only one that had been immediately available when she had started looking and it was one of the cheapest in the block; so small that it couldn’t accommodate any furniture other than a closet but that had suited Byul fine, since she never really owned much and sometimes preferred sleeping on the floor, having gotten used to sleeping rough in the military. 

She had also broken most of the furniture she had used with Dahee in a drunken grief-stricken rage one night.

Poor Hyejin had to literally and figuratively pick up the pieces the next morning.

Speaking of Hyejin, Byul’s mind was involuntarily taken back to the end of the talk she had had with Wheein a few days before:

“We know you’re not perfect. Because no-one is. But Hyejinie and I, we love you exactly as you are. So, why is it so hard to believe that Yongsun-unnie could too?”

Moonbyul didn’t reply but tightened her arms around Wheein, holding her close as the latter added, “I mean it, Byulyi-unnie. We love you… And we just want you to be happy… because you deserve it, just as much as anyone else.”

They stood there in a much more comfortable silence as the sweet younger girl slowly calmed and the ex-soldier reflected on what had been said.

“Please, unnie… please try to speak to Yongsun-unnie again.” Wheein pleaded without moving from the embrace. “She might surprise you… just… be honest with each other for once, okay?”

The younger girl felt the nod rather than seeing it and lifted her head to look at Byul in the eye, “Do you promise?”

“I promise I’ll talk to her.” She replied. “But after the awards show. I don’t want to distract her even more.”

Wheein had accepted this and backed off on the subject.

But the reality was, Byul planned to say goodbye to them all after the Korean Acting Awards.

She had been called into a meeting with her own boss the night before her talk with Wheein.

“The CEO of Nam Entertainment is requesting to close the contract.” Irene had stated in her usual matter-of-fact manner. “He believes that since there hasn’t really been an attack in weeks, our services are no longer required.”

“But he told me just last week that he wanted to take the latest threat seriously…” 

“Well, clearly he has changed his mind.”

‘ That man is a literal snake .’ Byul had thought venomously but said aloud, “At least let me stay on until the awards show. If anyone wants to make a statement, this would be the perfect place to stage an attack.”

Irene had studied her for a long moment with her sharp analytical eyes before finally agreeing to this but regretfully declined Byul’s request for more personnel as all other agents, as few as they were given that they were a small agency, were all on other assignments.

“By all accounts, Solar-ssi should be fine. You and Seulgi did an excellent job collecting evidence to deal with the main threat and since the sasaeng fans’ arrests, aside from this threat, there has not been any other threats or attacks in over a month.”

Although something in her gut told her that someone from within Nam Entertainment was still involved somehow, Byul knew she had no proof and could not refute it when Irene had stated that she would agree to Eric Nam’s request to cancel their contract once the awards show was over.

Which meant saying goodbye.

Byul let out a sigh through her nose and looked out through the window at the sun slowly peeking over the horizon, spreading her warmth throughout the dawn and ushering in the start of a new day.

Maybe it was better this way, because Moonbyul could disappear from Solar’s life and just be a passing shadow; become someone she once knew, and Solar would be able to find happiness with someone who actually deserved her… and not someone who always had to hide the fact that they were so broken and worthless. 

Because Byul had barely stumbled through life after her family disowned her; trying not to be a burden on anyone, trying to find meaning in her existence and the one time she had found someone who loved her, she had failed to protect them. 

She sank to her knees and placed a heavy hand on the photo frame

She swallowed hard and blinked away the tears blurring Dahee’s happy smile.

Because Wheein was wrong. She didn’t know the real Byul.

The real Byul was a barely functioning, damaged failure.

Who didn’t deserve love or happiness.

Who deserved to be alone.

The ex-soldier’s free hand curled into a fist.

And the best she could do for Solar, for all of them, was to walk away.

---

     Byul knew on some level that Irene was probably right. The security for the venue hosting the Korean Acting Awards was top notch and so tight that there was little chance of staff without an ID approved in advance getting in, let alone shady criminals with plans to commit murder. But she had requested and received permission from the Head of Security to gain access into the venue early to sweep the place herself and get used to the layout whilst mentally planning emergency exit routes and strategies.

She was not taking any chances. 

The bodyguard returned to the dressing room that was still empty, as Solar and her entourage were not due for another few hours or so, and closed the door behind her. She caught her own reflection in the mirror and thought that Wheein had been right, she somehow had lost weight. She knew that she was quick to shed weight if she didn’t eat or sleep well and that was exactly what had been happening for the last few weeks.

But the looser suit had its advantages.

It made her concealed carry weapon even less noticeable.

Byul recalled Seulgi’s face when she had gone in to see her at RVSM and to retrieve her favorite sidearm and concealed inside-the-waistband holster from their armoury.

“Why do you need that?” The younger girl had asked aghast as Byul checked the Glock 19 over.

“Just in case.” She had replied as she holstered the handgun and tucked the holster in by her right hip. “Any news on the background checks?”

“Nearly there. Most of the staff came back clean. Just waiting for the last few…” Seulgi had outsourced the background checks to be done legally (rather than using the quicker hacking route) in case they needed to use any evidence in court. “But seriously, unnie, isn’t that overkill?”

And Byul had merely shrugged, “I would rather be called paranoid than be caught unprepared.”

Again .

As if Seulgi had heard the unspoken word, she had quickly changed the subject before they said their farewells and Byul had made her way to the venue. 

And now, after checking there were no hidden surprises in the dressing room, Byul locked it up before heading to Nam Entertainment to Solar and her entourage to the awards show. She strode into the building and bumped into the full entourage in the foyer.

Solar looked stunning. 

      Jihyun had styled her in a black lacy dress that was somehow modest and y at the same time, and showed off her incredible figure. Hyunwoo had added extensions to Solar's blonde locks, intricately braided it and then swept it al