Rule #46: You are more than what your brain is capable of. Don't set boundaries for yourself

Schrödinger's cat is an intriguing paradox.

It's a thought experiment that questions the conflict between what the quantum theory tells us is true and what we observe to be true.

In the hypothetical experiment, a cat is placed in a sealed box along with a radioactive sample, a Geiger counter and a bottle of poison.

If the Geiger counter detects that the radioactive material has decayed, it will trigger the smashing of the bottle of poison and the cat will be killed.

It's impossible to tell whether or not the cat is alive or not until you open the box and see inside. Until you do that, the cat is not dead and it is not alive.

It is in a superposition of states.

Yoo Chang sat in his cell, back against the wall with his head tilted up and his eyes closed.

That's what he was now. To everyone outside these four walls, he was neither dead nor alive.

He had a tattoo, gotten while spending the last 6 months here, drawn up his arm, a flaming phoenix, representing re-birth.

That's what he was going to be, re-born.

Sang Min's fate was no better than his. Someone like him could never last in a psychiatric hospital. He was too fragile and with all the poking, prodding, and re-living, it would only be a matter of time before he self-destructed.

Every event in his life brought him to this moment and he was going to embrace it. Because regardless of what happened to him next, he still won.

He was leaving behind a daughter who would spend the rest of her life, broken, scarred and shattered.

She'd be unable to open herself up, to trust a man, to live her life without looking over her shoulder.

She was wrecked.

Everything he did led to her destruction and even if he was locked away, she would never be free of him.

She would never be happy.

He could face death with smile knowing that.

"Park Yoo Chang?"

He kept his head tilted up to the ceiling, ignoring the men who stood by his cell with guns at the ready. He didn't need to acknowledge them.

They wouldn't be standing there if they didn't know who he was.

The sound of metal grating and shifting echoed in the empty cell until the door of the cage was slid open.

"Stand up, it's time to go."

-----

Mark stood behind the glass window and watched as technicians strapped Yoo Chang into the chair.

Today was the day of his execution.

6 months of maximum security led to this moment.

A man in a white coat walked in with a silver briefcase that held the lethal injection.

This was the first time Mark had been at an execution and he was sure that even if he wasn't in charge, he'd still be there for Saera.

"Are we good?" He said quietly to one of the technicians.

The man nodded, "Just about."

Mark looked over at Yoo Chang who had been silent from the moment he was led into the room. His face was sunken in, he had facial hair and stitches across his cheek, most likely from a fight.

But there was one thing that pissed Mark off.

Yoo Chang was staring straight at Saera with a small, barely noticeable smirk.

If it wasn't for the fact that his girlfriend along with an audience of journalists were watching, he would've decked the man across the face.

"We're ready to start." One of the men said in Mark's ear.

He nodded and gave one of the officials a look that he immediately understood. He walked up to the intercom and pressed a button.

"Do the family members have any last words?"

Mark looked through the glass to where Saera was standing in the back. Her face was hard, her eyes narrowed and taunt as she made no attempt to walk up to the intercom. She didn't let Youngjae accompany her and he could tell that her brother didn't really want to come either.

He shook his head at the officer who nodded in response and lifted the needle up and tapped on the side of it, getting rid of any pockets of air.

"What about you?" Yoo Chang asked with a smile while turning his head to Mark, "You have any last words for me, detective?"

Mark glared at Yoo Chang before scoffing and  turning away. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He thought he would be able to stand in the room with him, but this was just too much.

"Are you still in love with my daughter? I doubt it, because even when I die, she'll always be my doll, she'll never be anything else. She's ed up, detective. She has no happy future." He rasped out.

Mark froze by the door, his hand on the handle and his shoulders tensed. "Actually you know what? There is one thing I want to say."

He turned back to him and walked straight up to Yoo Chang and leaned forward so that their faces were close.

"I'm ing your daughter."

 Yoo Chang's eye twitched as Mark's lips curled into a sadistic smile.

"And guess what? I'm going to marry her too."

Yoo Chang's eyes widened, his pupils rolling to the back of his head as he let out a loud gasp and arched his back up before he went limp.

"Time of death, 13:19."

-----

Saera stepped into her bedroom and spotted Mark laying on his stomach without a shirt on, asleep.

Mark hadn't slept at all the night before because he was so strung up about her father's execution today but now that it was finally over, he was knocked out cold.

She carefully climbed onto the bed and straddled his waist and stared down at him. She leaned down and placed soft kisses up his spine and up to the back of his neck until her lips brushed the shell of his ear.

"Mark? Mark, wake up. Wake up." She whispered before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressed her chest to his back.

When he didn't move, she started kissing her along the side of his neck, gently the skin under his jaw, the patch of skin that always turned him weak.

"Mmm, what are you doing, Sae?" He said groggily, half asleep, as he stretched his arms out.

His voice sounded like honey and gravely warmth that made her stomach curl wonderfully. "Nothing, I just wanted to wake you up."

Mark snorted, "How are you not tired? I wasn't the only one who pull an all-nighter last night."

"I'm not sure." Saera said while she buried her nose into the back of his neck, "I think I'm too relieved to be tired."

There was a pause of silence before Mark started to turn on his back. Saera lifted herself so that he could flip over before she dropped back down on top of him.

He stared up at her, a serious look on his face until she smiled brightly, "I'm fine, really. Just…it's a lot to adjust to. It's strange to know that he's gone forever. I'm not used to feeling that safe."  

Mark reached out and hook his finger around the black and gold beaded necklace that hung around her neck. He tugged on it gently until she leaned down close to him.

Saera blinked at him, "But, I'm okay."

"I know you are." He said softly before kissing her. "You're Choi Saera."

She grinned, "Damn straight."  

She pulled away and sat up before staring at him curiously, "By the way, why are you always at my place? I thought I gave you the key for emergencies only."

"And booty calls." Mark joked.

Saera rolled her eyes and climbed off him before dropping down next to him.

"You live above a bakery, why wouldn't I be here?" He said with a snort as he wound his arm under her neck and pulled her close to that he could kiss her forehead.

Saera smiled against his skin, "I love you."

His fingers slipped under her shirt.

"I love you too."

-----

"6 months. 6 goddamn months and this place is still packed." Jackson said with a look of disgust on his face as he scanned the bakery filled with people.

Mireu rolled her eyes as she cashed out the next customer. Saera wiped her hands on her apron, "Why are you pouting about that?"

"I liked this place before it was a trend." He whined. "I thought the hype would fade and it could go back to me being your only customer."

Saera glared at him, "People came for the hype and stayed for the good food, they're not leaving anytime soon. Now either congratulate me on the bakery's booming success or shut up and get out."

"Congratulations." He muttered un