Nicole held her breath as Doo Joon’s grip tightened around her shoulders and steered her away from the scene quickly. She didn’t quite understand what was happening, why that man was after her; but she trusted Doo Joon. If he was taking her away, that means she must be in real danger.

“Just stay close to me Cole,” Doo Joon muttered into her ear as they jostled their way through the crowd. “I’ll get you out of here safely.”

Nicole had no intention of slipping away so she just nodded her head grimly. She didn’t even know where he was taking her but it has to be somewhere safe. Somewhere the man couldn’t find her.

Within seconds, they had slipped into an alley; isolated far away from the earlier crowd. Nicole risked a look behind her shoulders. Her pursuer was nowhere in sight.

“Are you sure...we are safe here?” Nicole asked, a little out of breath as she released herself from Doo Joon’s grip.

He seemed to be reluctant to let her go but he nodded his head at the same time.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we’ve lost him.”

“Who was that? Was he trying to kill me?”

Doo Joon hesitated for a moment as he held her gaze steadily, as if contemplating if he should tell her the truth.

Perhaps he could just tell her part of it. He doesn’t have to really betray his friend’s trust. Besides, Nicole’s safety was more important right at the moment.

“Come on, let’s go to my house,” he said after a few seconds. “I’ll fill you in there.”

Nicole stared hard at the cup of hot coffee set down in front of her. Her fingers were wrapped so tightly around it, causing her knuckles to turn white. She was trying to process the information which has been handed down by Doo Joon.

It was absurd, what he had just told her.

“B-but Junsu’s dead,” she said blankly. “Why are they still after me?”

Doo Joon let out a sigh as he pulled out a chair in front of her and set himself down on it. Crossing his two arms on the table, he leaned in a little closer to her.

“Nicole, you have to get this. Years of being his girlfriend, don’t tell me you don’t know what it’s actually like being involved with someone like him? What it’s like to be pulled into his world? You do know right, that everything affects you just as much as it concerns him?” he asked her gently.

Nicole took in a deep shaky breath.

“So they want me dead too. Did...did Junsu killed one of theirs or something?”

Impulsively, Doo Joon reached out and took her two hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze. Nicole was too stunned by everything to even react.

“Listen here. I don’t want you to worry okay? I’ll do anything, and by that I mean every single trick in the book to keep you safe. I just need you to trust me.”

She wanted to, so badly. But then...something struck her mind.

“What if the same thing happens to you to?” she whispered hoarsely, gazing at Doo Joon with glistened eyes. “What if they kill you too?”

“They won’t,” he told her confidently with a comforting smile. “I’ll make sure that won’t happen.”

She didn’t know what else to say.

What if she trusts him, but then it means losing him too the way she had lost Junsu?

She couldn’t handle that.

“You need to get help man. You can’t do this alone.”

“Now’s not the right time,” Doo Joon shrugged, turning his back towards his handicapped friend. “I still have to plan things out carefully.”

A few silent moments passed between them.

“I’m sorry,” Junsu spoke up quietly. “I’m sorry for burdening you with my problems, and even putting Nicole in this kind of trouble. She shouldn’t have been with me. Her life wouldn’t be so chaotic like this then. I should’ve stayed away when I could.”

Doo Joon stopped doing whatever he was concentrating on and turned around slowly.

“You should stop blaming yourself. I’m sure Nicole doesn’t hold you fully responsible. She knew what she was getting herself into.”

“Maybe I should just give myself up...”

“No!” Doo Joon cut him off sharply, hardening his gaze on the surprised Junsu. “If you do that, then all of our efforts would be in vain. Your sacrifice of distancing yourself away from Nicole would be useless. Everything that we have done up until today will just be futile.”

“But Nicole is in danger out there! I can’t just sit back and do nothing!”

“I’ll make sure she stays safe. I’ll make sure of it myself,” Doo Joon told him seriously. “Don’t worry about anything. I’ll take care of everything.”

Junsu slumped back in defeat. He felt so useless but Doo Joon was right. He couldn’t be much help with his current condition. He would probably just make matters worst.

But Nicole...how much his heart aches to see her again.