Chapter 13

 

 

“Chief Park…”

 

 

The decorated police Chief sets down his coffee and didn't waste any time sizing up the man in front of him. It bolstered his already bloated ego as he found nothing threatening about the other. In fact, he looks fragile, like the type of person that you could easily bully.

 

 

But when Park Leeteuk took a step closer, Chief Park immediately senses that something was wrong. He tries to study the other man’s expression, trying to pinpoint what makes him suddenly wary of him.

 

 

 “Hello sir, I’m Park Leeteuk for Seoul Weekly.” He bows respectively. “Thank you so much for taking the time from your busy schedule to meet with me.”

 

 

“Of course…” Chief Park starts to calm down a bit, but still kept his guard up. He was a firm believer of what his guts say, and his guts are screaming to him right now not to trust this man.

 

 

 “Anything that could bring the police to a greater light.”

 

 

The said journalist presses his recorder and placed it between him and the chief.

 

 

“So, before we begin… I can see your credentials here and wow…” He gives out a low whistle… “You’re not only a part of our city’s fine police department but you are a lawyer as well.”

 

 

“Yes…” A smug grin was plastered on Chief’s Park’s face. “Top of my class of course.”

 

 

“You know this reminds me about that book I was reading from psychologist Kevin Dutton. He listed the occupations fitted for psychopaths.”

 

 

“I never heard of it.”

 

 

“Number two for lawyer and number 8 for law enforcer. It’s like you bag two at the same time, Chief…”

 

 

The cocky smirk from the Chief’s face was immediately wiped away. “Well… I think the research was aimed for caucasian people.”

 

 

“You might be right…Sorry about that…” Leeteuk chuckles in glee, before going back to his notes.

 

 

“But you know what I think? I think being a psychopath doesn’t recognize any race, any gender, any religion. When you’re a monster, you are a monster.”

 

 

“Where are you going with this?” Chief Park voice now sounds shaken…

 

 

“How about I begin by saying with how much I admire your work. I have been following your career for quite some time now, but this new one is absolutely my favorite.”

 

 

The reporter raises his head up from his notes. His eyes start to glimmer in a dark hue. It was like a foreshadowing of the evil that was about to be unleashed.

 

 

“My work?”

 

 

“Yes… So, how would you like me to address you? Sir?”

 

 

Leeteuk slowly creeps closer, before whispering….

 

 

“Or the dollmaker?”

 

 

The vile smirk in Leeteuk’s face grew wider, when he caught a flicker of fear in the Chief’s eyes. But the chief quickly mask his fear, clenching his teeth to show his anger.

 

 

“You are out of your mind if you-“

 

 

“Yes… I’am out of my mind…” He didn’t even flinch from the Chief’s snarl, and instead lays back in his chair. He showed no sense of fear or any damn in the world. It what made him so dangerous.

 

 

“I think this is what people call as crazy… and it takes a crazy person to spot one.”

 

 

“I don’t know what you’re saying. Where all this BS is coming from…” The chief says through his gritted teeth.

 

 

The chief leans closer, wanting to intimidate the other, but all Leeteuk could see was the composure dwindling away from the Chief’s eyes. And he would be lying if he says that didn’t excite him a bit.

 

 

“You know I learn something from you today. I thought you are some heartless psychopath… But seeing how you’re probably pissing on your pants right now. I think all you are is some demented, sick man who can’t keep his thing inside his pants.”

 

 

A shaky gasp sputters out of the chief’s mouth. He may not say any word, but his reaction shows how fast he was crumbling.

 

 

“I don’t know if you enjoy the chase. Seeing your dumbas* dogs couldn’t even connect two and two together. They couldn’t even see how the victims have resemblance to Im Yoona. The long dark brown hair, fair skin and those doe eyes? And why do you keep their eyes open?”

 

 

Leeteuk place his cheek on his hand, eyeing the chief with such wide eye curiosity. He looks like a child, just waiting to be red his bedtime story.

 

 

“Is that so you can imagine that it was the Doc’s eyes looking at you?”

 

 

Sweat was starting to pour out from every pore of the chief’s skin. He tries his damn hardest to look passive, but it’s like this monster in front of him could read and worse react to his every expression.

 

 

“So, what’s your drive, sir?”

 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

 

 

“I mean what makes you tick… The last crime if I’m not wrong was around 4 years ago, they found a woman’s body posed like a doll. What is it with you and dolls? Do you have some daddy issues? Did your daddy beat the crap out of you, when he found out he has a queer for a son?”

 

 

Leeteuk could hear the low growls erupting from the chief’s throat.

 

  

“Or maybe” Leeteuk says giddily. “It’s when you saw your detective, your very own subordinate banging the hell out of your dream girl?”

 

 

 

The chief pounded his fist on the table, making everyone shudder around him. But Leeteuk just laugh right at his face. This has been so far the most amusing day of his life.

 

 

“Oh… there’s the answer…”

 

 

“I don’t give a rat’s who my employee is banging…”

 

 

“Really?” Leeteuk raised his brow “I just think it must be so damn frustrating when all you could do is as you watch the detective devouring your dream girl up. And you know that Dr. Im loves it… She loves everything that the detective is doing to her. I mean you saw her reaction, right? How loud she was screaming Yuri’s name for more.”

 

 

“That’s enough!” The chief could feel his skin breaking as his fingernails dig deeply in his palms. “I’m not listening to anymore of this. You don’t know who I am, I could wipe you out of this Earth.”

 

 

Leeteuk answers him by throwing a couple of pictures in the chief’s way. The chief starts to loosen up his tie, every picture was suffocating him to his last breath of air. He couldn’t accept this. He couldn’t accept that his downfall was from this monster.

 

 

“You expect me to believe this? For all I know you could have just photoshopped it.”

 

 

“Don’t’ think you’re that special… If I could just photoshopped it, why would I go for you, when I could go for much higher?”

 

 

Leeteuk never lose an inch of his composure. He was like a parasite feeding off the fear that the chief was exhibiting.

 

 

“Actually… If you would let me finish, you would be thanking me instead of getting all homicidal like this.”

 

 

The Chief could only scoff…

 

 

“I’ll give you a way out… I would sacrifice myself just so you could keep your spotless record.”

 

 

“How would you do that?”

 

 

“You’re a high ranking police officer, just plant the evidence and let your dogs sniff the trail.”

 

 

Chief Park cackles at the idiocy.

 

 

“Why are you doing this? You know they won’t let you walk away with a life sentence. You are going to death row.”

 

 

“Hmmm… wrong.”

 

 

“What?”

 

 

“Here’s my favor to you.  I have a friend, a good friend… his name is Jang Geun Suk… Very intelligent man, problem is… he’s… Hmmm… misunderstood?”

 

 

“I never heard of him.”

 

 

“Then… listen… do you know that he was able to mutate a rabies gene? But it isn’t just that, he was able to create a hybrid of encephalitis virus with the mutated rabies gene. A pure genius.  Do you know what happens when you do that?”

 

 

His excitement was comparable to a teenager getting his first car. His excitement builds up as he saw the muscle jut in the chief’s neck.

 

 

“What do you want me to do?”

 

 

“This agent Choi Anna is getting real close to finding out the truth. I want her gone. And I want Geun suk protected. Like no records of him in anything, like he doesn’t even exist in this world.”

 

 

“I’m part of the police department… The bureau’s a whole different arena.”

 

 

“Then use your connections… Because you know what happens if you don’t listen.”

 

 

“And what does that have to do with you going to jail?”

 

 

“Well… let’s just say it won’t be so safe anymore. And as ironic as it sounds, solitary confinement is the safest place from this chaos.”

 

 

“You are out of your mind…”

 

 

“Yes… I am…” There was that vile smile sending shivers down the Chief’s spine. “So, tell me Chief… If you try to do anything. Trust me, I have a stash of all the dirty, dirty things that you do to those poor girls.  I got evidences that your dumba*s cops do not even have. I will expose you, even if I’m in my grave, I will haunt you. Right now, chief… I’m your only friend.”

 

 

He obviously don’t believe that.

 

 

“Good…See? Isn’t it nice to have someone you could talk too?” Leeteuk says so casually…

 

 

“Get out…”

 

 

“Alright… alright…” Leeteuk chuckles before standing up. “One more thing chief…”

 

 

He left the chief with a lasting look, as he flashes his boyish grin.

 

 

“Tell Dr. Im Yoona hi for me…”

 

 

***

 

He was what people might label as erted and even psychotic, but he flat out refused any of those horrible labels. He prefers calling himself a hopeless romantic…

 

 

There was a reason why most of the forensic agents are women. It’s just that he revel seeing beautiful, intelligent woman at work. But still he felt like something is missing in his life.

 

 

Yes, these doctors were beautiful and smart, but none of them worthy enough to be called the perfect one…

 

 

Dr. Kim Taeyeon and Dr. Lee Soon-kyu look like kids for his taste. And while Dr. Hwang Tiffany was beautiful, her liberated, and outspoken ways sort of turned him off.

 

 

But everything changed the moment the doe eyed Goddess steps into his office. He knew right then and there that he found the right girl.

 

 

“Hello sir… I’m Dr. Im Yoona…”

 

 

She tried hard to downplay her beauty. Key word there is tried. But that would be impossible…

 

 

She walks to his office radiating with confidence and beauty. Doctor Im Yoona walks in, making sure everyone around her knows that she meant business. She was wearing black rim glasses to hide her beautiful face, her haired pulled up into a high ponytail, and every inch of her delicate skin was covered in her business suit.

 

 

She tried but it was impossible…

 

 

His search ended there, he found Im Yoona, he found his perfect one and he’ll stop at nothing to have her.

 

 

It came to no surprise that it wasn’t just him who fancies her; From everyone at work even to everyone she comes across with wants her. But Yoona resist every advances and have no problems turning down every offers. Many have tried, and tried again but ended up failing.

 

 

And that quality made him fantasize about her more. He likes girls who resist… They provide him a challenge.

 

 

To say he was disappointed when he learned she liked women was an understatement. He knows everything that there is to know about Im Yoona. She was perfect, he was sure of it, except that fact, except that frustrating fact.

 

 

But he wasn’t going to give up. He waited too long to find her.

 

 

He would watch everytime the doe eyed beauty goes out on a date; wishing for it to downhill, wanting it  all to fail. There was a spark of happiness when he sees Yoona dismissing almost every date she has. Nothing ending up as something more, all of it just ended in a polite peck on a cheek.

 

 

But then, Officer Kwon Yuri came into the picture.

 

 

Make no mistake, she was a very attractive woman. But for him, she didn’t possess anything special that makes her worthy to be with Im Yoona. It infuriates him to his very core, to see someone way beneath his rank with his perfect girl. And it infuriates him more, to see how Yoona is so enamored with her.

 

 

With Kwon Yuri, Im Yoona wasn’t resisting at all. The way those doe eyes sparked whenever the detective was there, how her smile just brightens up when Kwon Yuri comes along. It was too obvious. Kwon Yuri made Im Yoona happy, and the monster inside him was slowly clawing its way out.

 

 

And then he saw everything…

 

 

As he was purposely passing by, he heard low moans coming out from the doctor’s office. He wasn’t dumb, he knew what those sounds were. But still the foolish part of him was blindsided enough by his love/obsession over the girl.

 

 

They were too absorbed in each other that they didn’t even realize when he slightly opens her door. Not wide enough to interrupt them, but just enough where he could clearly see.

 

 

It was like a hard punch in his guts when he saw them. His dream girl sprawled on Kwon’s lap, eyes close, her lover’s name for more. They were a beautiful sight making love with such reckless abandon. He was setting himself for heartache but still he watch some more, feeling himself getting hot and bothered at the sight.

 

 

Then Kwon lifted the half beauty, laying her gently on the table. He gasps at the sight of the underwear trickling down those long gorgeous legs. The lovers giggle as they share a playful kiss, before the raven haired beauty quickly lock her arms around her lover’s thighs and ravage her.

 

 

His head was pounding and blood was rushing through his veins as his senses were being rattled. He had never seen such a beautiful sight as Im Yoona. Her eyes shut tight in pleasure, beads of sweat trickling down her body, gaping open as she moans Yuri’s name in delight.

 

 

He wanted to be in Kwon’s place to touch her, to ravage her and be one with her. He woke up from his trance when the beautiful doctor let out that final gasp. Along with the doctor’s collapsing, he let himself go. The chief quickly flees before he gets caught watching.

 

 

That night, he picked up some brown haired, doe eyed girl prancing her sweet, little on the dark streets. And he tries to reenact the whole entire scene, taking her mercilessly until he was left with nothing more but her hollow lifeless body. He was disappointed that he didn’t see that same look of pleasure, not even close.

 

 

And from then on, he had been searching…  Many people knows it as the dollmaker case, he prefers calling it creating his perfect girl.

 

 

End of flashback

 

 

***

 

 

It was the best sleep Yoona had in ages. But when she woke up around 2 am, she couldn’t find herself to go back to slumber. It was because there beside her is the girl she have been dreaming to touch, to hold and to kiss for two agonizing years.

 

 

She covered to hide her chuckle. Two years might come and gone but she was still her same Yuri; the girl who sleeps with her tongue out. Yoona moves closer just to watch the girl she loves. This was their second chance and this time she’ll make sure she won’t waste any second appreciating what she and Yuri have.

 

 

One trick that Yoona loves to do when Yuri was asleep was play connect the dots. After years of dating, she could connect every scar and every mark. They were like her map, as she drives deeper in her lover’s body.  But sometimes she just throws her caution to the wind, because being lost and intertwined in her wife’s body was a place she could stay forever.

 

  

When Yoona is feeling chaste, she will begin by kissing the bullet wound on Yuri’s chest before traveling lower.

 

 

 But among all the scars and beauty marks, Yoona has her most favorite. She let her hand wander off, lightly grazing Yuri’s chest before stopping in her favorite mark, the mole below Yuri’s belly button.

 

 

Yoona always find it so y, it was like a dirty secret just meant for her to see.

 

 

“Huh?” Yuri quivers sleepily as she felt someone touching her.

 

 

“I’m sorry, love…” Yoona wraps her arm around Yuri’s slim waist.  Didn’t mean to wake you up…”

 

 

Yuri smiles sweetly, wrapping her leg around Yoona’s waist. “That’s okay… I’m sorry I fell asleep… Was I sleeping long?”

 

 

And Yoona smiles again. It was something so simple, but it felt so damn good to be happy again. Her Yuri hadn’t change, she was still her gentle, shy and super sweet darling.

 

 

“No… You are probably tired…”

 

 

“Yeah…” Yuri smiles goofily “You are still my little energizer bunny…”

 

 

Yoona returns her girl’s teasing with a playful smack on the arm, before she nuzzles deeply in Yuri’s chest. She closed her doe eyes, smiling as everything just felt so real again from the warmth of Yuri’s embrace, the soft pounding inside her chest, to the taste of those sweet lips.

 

 

“Yul?”

 

 

“Hmmm?”

 

 

“What happened?” Yoona glances up at Yuri, her eyes were filled with questions. “When we were apart? What happen?”

 

 

“I wish I know Yoong… It’s like I woke up I’m inside this hospital room. Bandaged and my bite… I didn’t know how I didn’t end up turning. I’m sorry… I wish I have a better answer than that.”

 

 

Yuri wished she could offer Yoona more. But even for her, the truth was just a bunch of missing puzzle pieces with no chance of ever being completed.

 

 

 “Eunjung… she was the one who saved me…”

 

 

Yoona felt a huge amount of guilt hearing this. She was guilty because of two things; first, she was guilty that even if she should be thankful to Eunjung for saving her girl, still she couldn’t help but be so jealous. Second, she was guilty that she cannot be the one who save Yuri’s life, when Yuri laid her life out for her more than a million times.

 

 

“How about you, Yoong? How you been?”

 

 

Yoona remains quiet, and instead retaliates by burying herself deeper in Yuri’s embrace. She wasn’t sure if there are any flowery words she could use to pretty up all the pain. She didn’t want to lie to Yuri, but she don’t want to tell Yuri the whole truth either, knowing that all it would do was cause Yuri some guilt.

 

 

“I miss you…” Yoona whispers; knowing it’s what could summarize her entire ordeal. “All I did was miss you… but that’s over now.” She presses her forehead against Yuri, before kissing the other girl once again. “You’re back…”

 

 

“I’m never going away ever again…”

 

 

“If you go… Take me with you…”

 

 

Yuri smiles wistfully, brushing the hair out of her lover’s face. Their eyes lock in a loving gaze, like always, they never need any reason to use words, because everything they knew or ever felt was spoken in ways no other people could see.

 

 

A soft smile tug in the end of Yoona’s lips, as Yuri pulls her close to her before laying a kiss on Yoona’s forehead. The doe eyed girl looks up feeling herself getting absorbed on those dark brown eyes she loves too much. Yuri leans closer to her girl, both girls chuckling as they playfully brush their noses together.

 

 

And then finally their lips met, with Yoona teasing her lover by softly nibbling on Yuri’s lower lip. When Yuri was ready to kiss her deeply, Yoona pulls away, chuckling as Yuri pouts cutely.

 

“YAAAAHHHH!!! KWON YURI!!!!” Yoona squeals as Yuri rolled her over… Yuri teasingly puckers her lips, demanding for a kiss.

 

 

But Yoona wanted to play a bit more, pinching her girlfriend’s perfect nose until finally giving in.

 

 

The wait was worth it, this kiss just like anything else felt heavenly for both. Their hands slowly intertwining as Yoona leads them down to Yuri’s beauty mark.

 

 

She pulls away from their kiss, leaving a breathless whisper in her lover’s ear.

 

 

  

“So, do you want me to go up or down?”

 

 

Yuri answers Yoona by leading her hand lower.

 

 

***

 

 

There was nothing discreet about Agent Choi Anna’s entrance in the quarters. She came in with a bang, earning the looks of everyone in that living room.

 

 

But all the girls could really see was like another Kwon Yuri just walking right by them. But this version had all the cockiness and flashiness that the other girl clearly lacks.

 

 

“Is ummm… that?”

 

 

“That’s Choi Anna…”

 

 

And with the mention of her name, the raven haired Agent turned around just in time to catch Hyomin joining them from the kitchen.

 

 

“Ummm… Choi?” The usually stoic Hyomin never look so rattled. “H-how do you know were here?”

 

 

The tanned beauty just halted in her steps, greeting the other girl with a devilish grin.

 

 

“Hello Hyomin… Miss me?”

 

 

“H-how did you know where we are?” Hyomin presses on, but all the tanned girl had to do was a throw a glance at Daesung’s way.

 

 

“What?! Daesung you told her?!”

 

 

 Daesung just exhales deeply. He wasn’t really in any mood for confrontations. “I had too… We can’t do anything anymore to save Yoonhee.”

 

 

“Sometimes we have to sacrifice ourselves for the better good.”

 

 

“Choi!” 

 

 

Everyone audibly gasps as Anna didn’t waste any second, squeezing the life out of Hyomin’s throat.

 

 

“Don’t you ever say that Yoonhee is nothing more but some sacrifice. If you want a sacrifice, go and do it yourself. Don’t use my girl.”

 

 

Hyomin lost her balance and stumbled back after Choi Anna threw her to the wall. She should have chased after her, beat the life out of her. But instead she just watched the raven haired agent retreat back to a room.

 

 

In all honesty, she never felt so scared out of her mind. The agent have always been threading on dangerous, but now that the life of Yoonhee came into play, she knew Choi Anna would stop at nothing to be with her lover.

 

 

***

 

 

The moment the door slams behind her, Anna didn’t waste any time smashing her fist to the wall. Next thing she knew, her eyes were stinging from the tears b in it.

 

 

But it wasn’t the pain from her bleeding hand that was causing her to cry, but the pain she had to bear of being apart from her lover.

 

 

Flashback…

 

 

How come all of this didn’t surprise her at all? Agent Choi thought as she drives her flashy sportscar through that hellish town again. But this time instead of the farm people welcoming her, all she could see roaming around were those mindless corpses. This is probably were it all started, and she clenches her teeth in frustration that she wasn’t able to stop it.

 

 

The screeching of her car tires attracted the attention of every monster in the town square. A guttural moan erupted and soon there was a herd of zombies trailing behind Anna’s car.

 

 

“Yoonhee?”

 

 

She heard someone scuffling from the bedroom, but instead of her sweet lover, a rotting corpse quickly lunges herself at her. But the agent was too quick, pulling out her gun and ending the zombie’s misery as she shot it in the forehead.

 

 

As she watch the writhing zombie in the bedroom floor, her guesses was now scaring her. What if it’s this one that took Yoonhee away? Could Yoonhee have protected herself?

 

 

“Yoonhee!” There was a sense of panic building up on her. She was trying to search in every room, looking for any trace of her girl.

 

 

“Yoonhee! Yoonhee!!! I’m here now baby… let’s go…”

 

 

The agent wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or scared that Yoonhee was gone. There was no sign of struggle and no sign of blood that might belong to Yoonhee. The whole place looks the same, like Yoonhee just went somewhere.

 

 

Could she have escaped on time? If she did, where is she now?

 

 

The manic moans suddenly woke Anna out of her trance. She walks quietly to the window and as she peeks, she saw that the monsters have now surrounded the home. She picks up Yoonhee’s graduation picture among the frames in the mantle. The only place she have seen Yoonhee was in her dreams, having something physical to hold on to, was what she needed to become stronger.

 

 

The moans started getting louder and Anna presses a kiss on the picture before putting it inside her coat pocket.

 

 

The zombies started flooding inside the home as soon as the door swings open. They started to roam around, scavenging for their next meal when all of sudden, the whole home was obliterated to bits.

 

 

The agent didn’t even flinch as the home burst out in flames. She knew she could take all the mindless corpses one on one but she didn’t have time for that.

 

 

Right now the only thing she wants to do is find her lover…

 

 

End of flashback…

 

 

***

 

 

This must be how hell feels like…

 

 

“Y-yoonhee?” Geun Suk came out covered in black ashes and soot, coughing as he was being dragged out of his burning home.

 

 

 “WAIT! WAIT! YOONHEE! MY YOONHEE!!! SHE’S IN THERE!!!!”

 

 

He frantically yells out, fighting the grips from Hyomin and Daesung as they pull his flapping arms before he rushed back in the makeshift hell.

 

  

The sounds of the wailing sirens and the wild fire cause quite a stir. For the remaining zombies that is. It was like an alarm waking them up from behind the gates, turning manic and hungry again.

 

 

Eunjung couldn’t help but growl. She perfectly knew that Geun suk instructed Daesung to set his house on fire, making sure that Yoonhee is conscious to feel her skin blistering from the heat.

 

 

She doesn’t know how Hyomin could just allow for all of this to happen. To just let someone as kind hearted as Yoonhee die along for the sake of getting their goal.

 

 

It was a good thing Daesung was man enough to set aside everything and ask Anna for help.

 

 

The agent flinches as the house have collapse. It took a good hour for the whole fire to be extinguished, leaving only debris of soot and ashes.

 

 

A firefighter approached the shaky man by the ambulance.

 

 

“Mr. Jang?”

 

 

“Y-yes… That’s me…” He tried to stand up, but eventually buckled back down in exhaustion. “My… my… my wife is in there… Did you see her? ”

 

 

“I’m ahhh sorry sir… We recovered a body, it’s burned beyond recognition. But we believe that its-”

 

 

“NO! NO! NO!”

 

 

He was dramatically pushing away the crowd gathered around him. The grieving man slowly staggers over to the body bag.

 

 

“NO! NO! NO!”

 

 

He collapsed to the ground, his fingers digging into the Earth as he tries to keep himself steady. 

 

 

“Yoonhee… I’m so sorry darling… I should have died with you. I’m so sorry…”

 

 

He leans down on the burned corpse, and underneath the white mantle, he saw the wedding ring around the charred finger. And that was all the confirmation he needs.

 

 

His back was heaving as he continued to wail. He buried his face on his palms, not to hide his cries, but to hide the sinister smile that curl in his lips.

 

 

He believed he put quite a show for his town people. He was a person respected and well loved, their savior grieving for the loss of his beloved. Geun Suk knows that by showing his human side, that people couldn’t help but be more compassionate with him.

 

 

It was like the confrontation with Kwon Yuri was his premonition of the things to come.  He knew. He could feel it in his core that Choi Anna was about to return and Yoonhee would leave him in a heartbeat to return to that bit*h. 

 

 

And he wasn’t going to allow that, there was no way he would let the love of his life leave him, especially for a woman, and most especially not to THAT woman…

 

 

People can call this insanity whatever they want, but he calls this his ultimate proclamation of his undying love. He believes that if he’s not the one who would love Yoonhee, then he ought to make sure that no one in this world could ever will.

 

 

***

 

 It felt like a dream… No… it felt more like a nightmare…

 

 

Yoonhee found herself trapped while the whole room is being engulfed by wild fire. She struggles to run to the door, but the smoke invading her and the heat that is slowly blistering through her skin was enough to weaken her.

 

 

 

There was way too many times that she felt like she’s close to her end. And she wonders if it was better that she died then, instead of continuing to suffer in his clutches.

 

 

But just when she was about to collapse, she saw the figure looming in front of her. If she closes her eyes just enough she could imagine it as her lover. The one she kept seeing in her dreams. Could it be true? Could her Anna finally came back to save her?

 

 

“Baby?”

 

 

“I’m here now…”

 

 

Despite of the scalding heat that’s punishing them, still she could feel the light kiss that Anna presses on her forehead.

 

 

“I’m here now…”

 

 

Those were the last words she heard before her whole world turned pitch dark.

 

 

***

 

 

Yoonhee flutters her eyes, her visions still blurry as she tries to make sense of where she is. One thing was for sure, it wasn’t in that hellish place she shared with that monster. She was somewhere else. A gasp had escaped her lips, when she recognized the raven haired girl with her head laid on the bed.

 

 

She reaches out but quickly retreated back. What if this is one of those dreams again? The one where the moment she reaches out for Anna, she disappears.

 

 

These dreams that used to be her refuge are now haunting her. It was like one minute she was having such a blissful dream, but then in a whirlwind fashion, when Anna disappears from her, it became her own nightmare.

 

 

And she have contemplated time and time again of ending her reality, so that she could dream forever of her and Anna. But people told her that Anna was still alive, and she knew that they will end up together.

 

 

Anna groans a little bit, shifting in her sleep. It was quite an uncomfortable position but there was no way she would leave Yoonhee’s side now. But all her sleepiness starts to fade away, as she felt those familiar long fingers stringing through her dark locks.

 

 

She looks up and there she is, the girl she have been dreaming to hold for years, is just inches away from her.

 

 

“Hi…” Anna says trying to choke back her tears. Her hand slowly reaches out for Yoonhee, intertwining their fingers together.

 

 

Choi Anna was always known for being so arrogant, so cold. Who would have known that all it would take was one look from Yoonhee to melt the icy facade she had for long.

 

 

“Baby?” Yoonhee smiles through her fallen tears. “You came back.”

 

 

“Of course…” Anna sits down on the bed, pressing a kiss on Yoonhee’s forehead. “I’m so sorry, I took too long.”

 

 

“No…” Yoonhee quickly buries herself in Anna’s embrace, and seeing that her lover didn’t disappear like in her dreams, she knew that it was finally over. Her nightmare was finally over. “He said he had you, and that he could easily kill you. And it scared me…”

 

 

“I’m sorry…” It was the only thing that Anna could say…

 

 

“You look skinny…” Yoonhee says as she felt the ridges of Anna’s ribs as she runs her hands on her lover’s chest. “Haven’t you been eating?”

 

 

Anna could only smile, this was one of things she loved most about Yoonhee, how she still cared so much about other people.

 

 

“Nothing tasted good anymore…”

 

 

The agent closes her eyes, just taking in everything about her lover, her scent that lingers, the warmth of her embrace, and the sweet taste of her lips on hers. She dreams about this constantly, but those dreams can’t even measure to the feeling that she have right now.

 

 

“I could cook for you… How’s that?”

 

 

“No you don’t have to, babe… just worry about getting better for now.”

 

 

Anna looks up and smiles back at those doe eyes that she can’t help but fall for.

 

 

“I’ll be okay…” Yoonhee yawns before snuggling closer in Anna’s embrace. “I have you now.”

 

 

This time she wasn’t afraid to fall asleep because she knows she would wake up in her lover’s arms.

 

 

***

 

         

 “I’m sorry…”

 

 

“Don’t be silly… it’s okay…” Anna chuckles before kissing her lover, once, twice and then lingering longer for their third kiss.

 

 

It was the third time Anna attempted to make love to her sweetheart, but she’s been rejected all three times. The first time wasn’t all that painful, the second one was still bearable but this time, the third time, it was too much.

 

 

She have waited too long to have her again and now she was getting pushed away. Right now, she felt like Yoonhee doesn’t want her as much as she does.

 

 

“Okay… okay…”

 

 

But as painful as it was, she loves Yoonhee too much to force her into anything.

 

 

“It’s okay…” She was about to get out of bed and put on what’s left of her wounded pride, when Yoonhee holds on to her wrist.

 

 

“Please stay with me…”

 

 

“I… I just have to get something…”

 

 

And even if Yoonhee could see through her lover’s lie, she just nods. Anna kisses Yoonhee on the forehead before stepping out of their room.

 

 

***

 

 

“You must be Choi Anna?”

 

 

Anna pretended not to hear anything and just continued sipping on her wine. But the other girl seem quite persistent, even coming over to invade her personal space.

 

 

“Yes. I’am…” she snaps but just when she was about to bite the other girl off, she quickly stiffen as she saw those intense dark brown eyes.

 

“You must be Kwon Yuri…”

 

 

The other girl tilts her head politely…

 

 

“I just want to say… I heard a lot about you…”

 

 

Anna could only scoff in amusement. “Good things I hope…”

 

 

“Badass things…” Yuri complimented.

 

 

Somehow that thought made Anna quiet. She ended up just staring out into the balcony, looking out at something she’s not sure what. It was supposed to help take her mind of things, but instead her mind returns back to the bedroom, with Yoonhee.

 

 

She just needed to step away for a bit just to nurse her wounded pride.

 

 

“I’m not what you thought of me to be…”

 

 

But before Yuri could ask why, Anna already steps back in but not before having the last say.

 

 

“Take care of your girl.”

 

 

***

 

 

Yoonhee quickly pretended to be asleep as soon as Anna came in. Truth was she wanted to apologize to Anna, try to explain her reasons. But when she saw her lover walk in, it’s like all her will started crumbling. She just felt like such a burden, and now she’s just hurting the person she loves most because of her fears.

 

 

She was glad she had her back against Anna, if not Anna would see her tears. She felt Anna lay a kiss on her shoulders, before slowly wrapping her arms around her.

 

 

Anna nestled closely against Yoonhee when she notice something on her girlfriend’s back. She slowly raises her lover’s shirt and gasp out loud as she saw what Yoonhee was trying to hide.

 

 

“Anna no…” Yoonhee tries to pull her shirt back down, but Anna refuses it. Those dark brown eyes were b with tears as she saw what the monster did to her girl.

 

 

Her lover’s body was like a canvas of some sick monster’s art. But instead of paint, Geun Suk uses his fist leaving purplish blue impressions on Yoonhee’s skin and instead of paintbrushes, Geun Suk uses knives, shards, anything he could his hand to and leave scars running throughout Yoonhee’s body.

 

 

 “Did he do this to you?”

 

 

“Anna… It’s not as bad as it looks…” Yoonhee reassures her, slowly wiping away her lover’s tears. “I’m okay…”

 

 

 “Is this what you’re trying to hide from me?”

 

 

Yoonhee shuts her eyes, refusing to let her tears fall.

 

 

“I don’t know how you see me now and it scares me how you might react. That you might think I’m… I’m disgusting and used… and undeserving of you…” Yoonhee’s voice wavers as she painfully confesses. “I should have told you… I just don’t know how to say it. I’m so sorry…”

 

 

“Why are you apologizing?” Anna bites her quivering lip, trying to hold back her tears. But it was so useless, she have never felt so selfish in her life.

 

 

 

 

“You are so beautiful to me…” Anna affectionately nuzzled their noses together before lowering herself in her lover’s body.

 

 

“You are the bravest person I know…”

 

 

Yoonhee shivered at the feel of Anna’s lips grazing her bruises. But soon, her racing heart slows down as Anna’s trail of kisses felt like she soothing her wounds both inside and out.

 

 

 “I will never be half the person you are.”

 

 

Anna whispers as she place kisses on Yoonhee’s stomach. Her hands slowly locking with Yoonhee’s deft fingers. While her other hand slowly ing her lover’s jeans.

 

 

“I will forever be at awe with you.”

 

 

Anna lays one last kiss before diving in to make love to her girl.

 

 

“I love you…”

 

 

***

 

 

“Where are you going?”

 

 

Hyomin asks as she saw Anna walking over to her desk, yanking out her drawers and pulling out her gun.

 

 

“Where do you think I’m going?”

 

 

“Don’t you think of coming back here and ruin everything that we planned for! We let you have Yoonhee, now go away before you ruin everything.”

 

 

But Anna refused to heed to any warnings, instead she steps closer eyeing the woman with such disdain.

 

 

“I had enough of you… You and Eunjung took her away from me. But I know, even if were apart, I know she would be okay because you two won’t let anything happen to her.”

 

 

No matter how Hyomin tried to still her face, the expression of guilt was starting to seep over. While Anna clenches her teeth, trying to not succumb to her tears.

 

 

“All I ever think about is her, how she’s doing? I have been wondering where she is all this time. But I trust the both of you, that you know how much she means to me and that you won’t let anything bad happen to her.”

 

 

Anna clenches tightly on the desk, trying to steady herself as she felt herself so shaken.

 

 

“Choi look… We tried to watch her. But we have no control what happened inside their home.”

 

 

“YOU COULD HAVE TRIED!” Anna screams, before gripping tightly on the table to keep herself steady.  “This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t take her away from me!”

 

 

“She’s with you now and that’s all that matters.”

 

 

“No…” Anna shakes her head, still refusing to look at them. “I should have been there. How could I ever just leave the one I love with somebody else? It should’ve been me who should be protecting her.”

 

 

 There is no need for this.”

 

 

Anna finally calms herself, her eyes who was stinging have now turn into blind rage.

 

 

“Yes there is. I should have ended these years ago. Now watch me, end this now.”

 

 

***

 

 

“I knew you can’t stay away for too long.”

 

 

Geun Suk coaxed the raven haired woman sitting with her legs cross on his governor’s chair.

 

 

She didn’t announce her presence to him in words. She knew she won’t need them. She knew that she was, this man’s monster. She rose up to her feet, and every step she took was enough to make Geun suk shiver.

 

 

“What do you want?!” He screams but all Choi Anna could hear were his teeth clattering in terror.

 

 

“I don’t want to talk. I just came here to kill you…”

 

 

Anna’s bravado made him chuckle in amusement.

 

 

“You can’t kill me. You think I don’t know what you and your crew are thinking? I know you only need me so you can find Leeteuk!”

 

 

His laughter died down in an embarrassing stammer, as he could clearly see that it didn’t effect the Agent. Instead, she was just staring blankly at him, like she truly don’t give a damn.

 

 

“Do I look like I give a fuc*ing damn?”

 

 

The sight of her pulling out her gun, froze him to his very core. His stomach churned knowing that she wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him. But instead of aiming at him, she points her gun to the ceiling and shoots.

 

 

“What are you doing?!”

 

 

“I saw your buddies hidden in the basement. I just let the door open a bit, welcome them to your home.”

 

 

He watches as she emptied out her gun in front of him. But she didn’t stop there, she pulls out her gun out of her ankle holster and empty it as well.

 

 

“You are nuts!!!”

 

 

“I don’t need any of those. It’s too easy and quick. I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”

 

 

“Well then…” Geun Suk snickers “If I’m going to die, then I’ll take you to hell with me.”

 

 

Geun Suk took out his lighter, dropping it on the fur carpet which had easily caught fire. He expects her to panic, expects her to escape, but here she was taunting him with her merciless eyes and devilish half smile.

 

 

 “You’re a little pyromaniac, aren’t you?”

 

 

But Geun Suk just snickers back…

 

 

“Just giving you a taste of how hell is.”

 

 

One wall has started getting engulfed with fire, and outside the wailing moans of zombies have started to grow louder.

 

 

“Did you saw the marks on Yoonhee’s body? That was my gift for you… to let you know that she will always be mine.”

 

 

“I’m sorry we were too lost making love, I didn’t notice…”

 

 

Anna smirks as she sees Geun Suk’s jilted reaction. But before Geun suk could react, Anna kicks him straight in the crotch. She laughs when she saw the grimace in his face, falling down on his knees, clutching his pathetic manhood.

 

 

“That’s for hurting my girl…”

 

 

But before Geun Suk could push himself back up, Anna didn’t waste any second in smashing her fist through his pretty face.

 

 

“I’m sorry…” Anna apologized sarcastically. “I should have let you take a shot at me.”

 

 

“You could hurt me right now, but I want you to know Yoonhee will never forget me. I will always be with her, haunting her in her nightmares. And there is nothing you can do about it.”

 

 

“I can kill you, that’s what I can do…”

 

 

She pulls him up, dragging him to the nearest window. From the second floor, they could see zombies swarming around them.

 

 

“Look…” She slams his bloodied face in the scorching glass window. “We have company.”

 

 

He tries to fight her back, but her tight grip around his neck and the smoke building up in the room was suffocating him.

 

 

He his head towards her and his eyes have never been filled with such fear. Gone were those devil may care attitude the agent was known for, instead all he could see was rage, her dark brown eyes were b with tears and her teeth grounding in anger.

 

 

“How dare you hurt her?” Her voice was no louder than a whisper. But it was booming in both anger and regret.

 

 

 Immense regret.

 

 

 “How dare you hurt Yoonhee? How dare you hurt my girl?”

 

 

Anna was visibly shaken.  There she was unraveling right in front of this sick basta*d. She poured out all her anger, all her blame on him, when she perfectly knew that it was her fault.

 

 

“Do you know how good she is? How simple her dreams are? All she ever want was to go Seoul… Be a chef? But you took that away from her!!!”

 

 

She could hear him croak as her grip on his neck tightened.

 

 

“You took her happiness, her dreams and you gave her nightmares. You made her life a living hell and I’ll never forgive you for that.”

 

 

She doesn’t deserve Yoonhee, not after leaving her with this monster. She should have protected her, she should have taken her away. Here she is, her last plea of redemption was to get rid of this man.

 

 

“P-p-please Anna… M-maybe we can work out a deal here?”

 

 

He felt so humiliated on how this was all boiling down to. He was a very brilliant man. His ideas was supposed to take him to great heights.

 

 

He was supposed to take over the world, but here he is shaking and pissing on his pants.

 

 

“I could tell you where Leeteuk is!” He begs “That’s what you want right? I’ll give it to you!”

 

 

“Why on Earth would I believe you?”

 

 

“No…” He whimpers… “Why would I lie now? There is no escape for me…”

 

 

Anna punches through the glass window and yanks a jagged piece of glass and piercing it on Geun Suk’s neck.

 

 

“What is it?”

 

 

“Let me go first…”

 

 

“I don’t think so…” She pressed the glass even harder, ignoring the stinging pain from her bloodied hand.

 

 

“Alright… alright… alright… He’s… He’s… He’s in Sector 6…”

 

 

Anna tried to recall any memory she had of sector 6. Until she remembers that it was being run by that musclehead Ok Taecyeon. Somehow, that idea seems very plausible, Leeteuk always needed somebody else to do his dirty works for him.

 

 

 “You better not be lying…”

 

 

“I’M NOT!”

 

 

Anna throws him to the ground, watching him still shaking in fear.

 

 

“You’re pathetic.”

 

 

But then, he gathers up what’s left of his strength and got up, running to push her off the window. 

 

 

Yet, she already anticipated his action. She was able to dodge him, she yanks him and holds him out for all those rotting carcasses to wail louder.

 

 

 “You see those monsters you created? They’re hungry and they don’t give a sh*t who you are. They’re going to tear you apart until you’re left with nothing.”

 

 

 “Y-you can’t do this…”

 

 

“After all you did to Yoonhee, trust me this is the easiest decision I have to make.”

 

 

She pushes Geun Suk off the window, letting those rotting carcasses claw at him as they feasted at his flesh. Hearing his pitiful cries as his flesh is being ripped off his bones.

 

 

Anna should feel regretful, but there was nothing. She did what she knew she should have done years ago.

 

 

And that was to get rid of the monster...

 

 

***

 

 

“Anna?”

 

 

The moment she stepped inside the room, Yoonhee was quick to take her in her arms. She hold on to her lover, fearing that this was one of those dreams.

 

 

“Where did you go?”

 

 

“I just have something to do…” Anna kisses Yoonhee on her temple.

 

 

“What happened?” Yoonhee asks trying to tenderly kiss the bruise forming on Anna’s lip.

 

 

“Nothing… I just… I just want to make sure that it’s all over.

 

 

Their lips met again for another kiss.

 

 

“Don’t worry I’m okay… I just… I just… Yoonhee…” She embraces her a little more tightly this time. “It’s all over now…”

 

  

***

 

How could you dread and love something at the same time? This was the question Choi Anna couldn’t figure out.

 

 

She contemplated about that question once again, as she looks out at hilltop terrace overlooking the world below. She would miss this, but not miss it enough that she’ll regret leaving.

 

 

“Anna?”

 

 

She gazes down as a gentle smile play on her lips. How she miss that voice… how her name sound so perfect between her lips.

 

 

She turns around and sees Yoonhee standing by the door. She was just as beautiful as she was 5 years ago. She was just as beautiful, maybe even more than her dreams. Those doe eyes beaming much more than any heavenly bodies in the sky tonight.

 

 

She was one of the good people left in this world and Anna will forever thank the heavens for her.

 

 

How could you love someone much more than you can ever love yourself?

 

 

Anna didn’t waste any second, locking Yoonhee in her embrace. Her arms wrap around Yoonhee felt so protective yet so tender at the same time. Yoonhee just closed her eyes, loving the feel of Anna’s heartbeat so close to her.

 

 

“Yoonhee?”

 

 

“Hmmm?”

 

 

“You know they have culinary schools in New York.”

 

 

“Anywhere in this world with you would be great.”

 

 

Anna tilts her lover’s chin as both shared a teasing smile.

 

 

“You know maybe you can open a Korean restaurant there, and it will become so popular and you are going to be so rich. Maybe you could be my sugar mommy…”

 

 

Yoonhee pinches her mischievous lover.

 

 

“Oh… ummm…”

 

 

The two pulls away from their embrace, much to the annoyance of Anna.

 

 

“Sorry… I could come back…” Yuri scratches her head in apology.

 

 

“No… it’s okay Yuri-shii…”

 

 

Yoonhee smiles, but Anna wasn’t as forgiving…

 

 

“I’ll wait for you inside…” Yoonhee kisses Anna on the lips, enough to wipe the scorn look on Anna’s face. The doe eyed girl smiles at Yuri, before going back inside.

 

 

“Sorry for interrupting…”

 

 

“We have been for 5 years, what’s another few minutes?”

 

 

Anna responded coolly while taking a sip of her drink.

 

 

Until now she couldn’t figure out why people are saying they look alike. For her, she was much hotter than the other girl and of course, she has more swag.

 

 

But she couldn’t help but admit, that if someone looks just like her, she’s glad it’s Kwon Yuri.

 

 

“So, I heard you and Yoonhee are leaving?”

 

 

“Yes… I landed a spot in the New York based Agency. I’m taking Yoonhee with me, start our new lives together.”

 

 

“I heard there are a lot of psychos there too…”

 

 

Anna was not the least bit intimidated, she just scoffs at the challenge, swirling her wine inside her glass.

 

 

“There are a lot of psychos everywhere…. I’ll just go Asian on them, and get my ninja on…”

 

 

The shy detective gazes down, trying to hide her amused smile from the cocky agent.

 

“I’m surprise you’re not going to wait until this is all done.”

 

 

“Well… if this whole thing is supposed to be a book, my chapter is done. I did what I have to do. And right now, all I want is to be with Yoonhee and start our lives together.”

 

 

Yuri nodded in agreement. If she had a choice, she wouldn’t hesitate to leave and just have a peaceful life she and Yoona deserves.

 

 

Anna exhales deeply before turning to face the detective.

 

 

“I know what you’re thinking…”

 

 

Yuri blinks curiously at the agent’s words.

 

 

“You’re probably thinking… Why can’t I be like her? Why can’t I escape too?”

 

 

It was like Yuri’s mind was a book and Anna was just reading through it.

 

“You can’t leave, because the thought of Leeteuk out there alive will haunt you in your dreams. And when you wake up, all you could think about is he going to crawl out somewhere. Hurt you or worse hurt Yoona.”

 

 

Anna could see how her words impacted the other girl, as Yuri clench tightly to her shirt.

 

 

“You can never live peacefully as long as he’s still alive.  That’s what I feel. If I had a choice I would just take Yoonhee and leave, but I know Yoonhee will never feel safe. And if I can’t give her that, if I can’t make her feel protected then I don’t deserve having her at all.”

 

 

Yuri gazes up and locked her eyes with Anna. Both girls had a silent understanding.

 

 

“Here… you have this.” She hands Yuri a piece of paper.

 

 

The agent gives Yuri a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, before offering Yuri her parting message.

 

 

“I already defeated my monster… Now it’s your turn to defeat yours…”

 

 

Park Leeteuk

 Sector 6

 

 

TBC