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The rain was pouring heavily, as if the sky was sharing Yuna's pain. Cold raindrops mixed with the blood on her hand, wounded by the glass shards. Everyone stood in shock, not knowing how to react.
Theo looked at Yuna. Those dead eyes, devoid of any spark of life, and the blood covering her hands in a horrific way made him freeze in place. For the first time, he found no words to say. For the first time, he felt something resembling... regret?
Han Si-eul put her hand over her mouth and gasped silently. Then she rushed toward Yuna and said in a trembling voice:
"Yuna, what are you doing? Get down from there now! We can solve this! I know it's hard for you, but we really... really can solve it!"
But Yuna completely ignored her words. She raised her head toward the ceiling, and her tears began to flow involuntarily. Tears she didn't ask to come out, but they came out against her will.
She whispered in a broken voice:
"Can it really be solved? I don't think so... Look at what I've become. What did I do in my life to deserve all this?"
She paused for a moment, then continued in a voice choked with tears:
"This whole thing is horrible. I just lived. I just tried to live. But it was all an illusion. I was destined to die from the beginning. I never really wanted to die... I wanted to live despite everything!"
Her voice rose slightly, mixed with crying:
"Am I not supposed to get a reward in the end? I don't want a life where I am beautiful or rich. I just wanted a life... a life without that monster!"
At that moment, Mr. Kim entered the room, panicked and horrified. What his eyes saw made him freeze like a statue. His daughter standing by a broken window, her hands bleeding, her tears mixing with the rain falling from outside.
The doctor moved quickly, his eyes scanning the place and assessing the emergency situation.
Suddenly, Yuna let go of her entire body. She felt her strength fading. And in her mind, her inner voice whispered:
"Now... I hope I never open my eyes again. I don't want to see anyone. I just want to be a fitting memory in this strange world."
At that critical moment, Yuna felt a hand gripping hers tightly. She looked and saw Ji-hoon standing in front of her, completely drenched from the rain, but his grip was warm and strong.
Ji-hoon shouted in a voice full of concern and anger:
"Yuna! What the hell are you doing? You were fine just a moment ago! What happened to you?"
The rain drenched them both. Its drops fell on their faces, mixing with tears and blood.
Yuna looked at him with her empty eyes and asked in a cold voice:
"And why are you trying to save me?"
Ji-hoon was shocked by her question.
Yuna continued bitterly:
"Are you stupid? We barely know each other. We've only met a few times. Be honest with yourself... we mean nothing to each other. Right? So let go of my hand, Ji-hoon."
Ji-hoon looked at her for a long moment. Then he said in a calm but strong voice:
"You're right. What you say is true. Maybe we don't know each other well. Just passing acquaintances."
Yuna paused for a moment, but he continued:
"But... the Yuna I got to know during this short period was never this difficult."
Yuna's eyes widened. She saw tears gathering in Ji-hoon's eyes.
Ji-hoon continued in a slightly trembling voice:
"Do you remember our first meeting? When you were coming back from school. Even though my work hours were over, I felt the urge to help you. I don't know why... I just felt that way."
He tightened his grip on her hand:
"I don't care whether I know you well or not. But if someone needs help, I must help them. That's what I believe in. So, Yuna... if you live and don't let go of my hand, no matter what happens, I will take full responsibility."
Yuna was stunned. His words pierced her thick walls, reaching depths she had never opened to anyone.
She thought to herself:
"If... if this person had existed in my past life, would it have changed anything? Would I still be alive now? Would Yoonji laugh? Maybe... maybe if only someone had said those words to me back then. 'Live' and 'I will take responsibility for you.'"
Her tears flowed even more:
"Why... why did you come now? Why weren't you there when I wished for someone who didn't know me, didn't know my past, but wanted me to live? Why didn't I find him back then?"
Then she realized something. Ji-hoon, with this purity and sincerity...
She whispered to herself: "He's a character in a fictional novel. That's why. It's impossible for someone like him to exist in reality."
Everyone Moves
Meanwhile, Si-eun started running toward Yuna, and Damian joined him to help her. Both felt responsible, both wanted to save her.
As for Mr. Kim and Theo, their shock was greater; their eyes wide open, realizing for the first time that they might have been the cause of Yuna reaching this state. Her words, her tears, her wound... all of it was a mirror reflecting their neglect of her over the past years.
Ji-hoon was still holding Yuna's hand, completely drenched by the rain. He said in surprise: "Really... why is my body shaking like this?"
But Yuna was lost in her thoughts. Amidst the chaos everywhere, she was focused on only one thing:
Ji-hoon is different. He is the only one who got to know Yoonji Choi, not Yuna Kim. Perhaps... perhaps that's why she felt his sincerity.
(Author's note: Meaning that when she met Ji-hoon, she met him as the person who was in Yuna's body, so she felt that he knew her as Yoonji, not as Yuna.)
She looked at him with a slight smile mixed with sadness, and said in a faint voice:
"I will take responsibility."
Then she paused for a moment, and added bitterly:
"You're the one who won't even be able to repeat these words when you see that monster."
She looked toward the ceiling, tears filling her eyes:
"Maybe the outcome will be different this time. Maybe you will be the one to die."
(Author's note: I know some of you understood this as referring to Ji-hoon 😊)
Meanwhile, the two detectives from earlier returned to the hospital. They went directly to Mr. Kim, looking very nervous.
One of them said: "Sir... we checked all the cameras in the vicinity of the incident."
She paused for a moment, then continued in a tense voice:
"All the cameras were disabled, every single one. Even the police officers who were in the area received orders from above to move to locations far away from the incident site."
Mr. Kim's eyes widened: "What? Impossible! Is this a coincidence?"
The detective replied seriously: "I don't think so, sir. The timing of receiving the orders coincides exactly with the time of the incident. And the cameras were disabled simultaneously."
The other detective looked at him and added: "We need to question that girl again. She must have something we don't know, or know the identity of that person."
Mr. Kim sighed and said: "Alright, we need to ask Yuna."
They entered the room, but before anyone could speak, Han Si-eul stood up and said:
"I'll leave for a bit, Yuna. I'll be back soon."
Han Si-eul left, and the detective prepared to ask questions.
But Yuna beat her to it. She said in a calm but firm voice:
"I've already answered the questions. What do you want now?"
Mr. Kim said in a serious tone: "Yuna, I hope you answer; this is for your protection."
Yuna was still in a post-traumatic state, but she realized she had to respond.
She thought quickly:
"I need to find a suitable answer. An answer that is convincing for now, and doesn't require me to lie too much. Just a slight alteration of the truth."
She raised her head and said:
"The truth is... there's someone stalking me."
Everyone was shocked. Mr. Kim looked at her in surprise: "What? Since when? Why didn't you tell me?"
Yuna looked at him with her cold eyes and asked: "But... would you have cared if I told you?"
Mr. Kim fell silent. He found no words to reply.
Yuna continued: "That person has been following me for a while."
The detective asked: "Do you know him?"
Yuna was about to answer, but at that moment...
In Another Hospital Room
In another room at the hospital, an elderly woman was watching TV. On the screen, breaking news:
"Mr. Eugene Park returns from his trip from Paris after completing a major deal..."
A man appeared on the screen wearing an elegant white suit. His long black hair reached his neck. His eyes were full of mysterious darkness, and the dark circles under them added to his enigma. His huge, muscular body filled the screen.
It was Eugene Park. The famous businessman. But those who truly know him know he is more than just a businessman.
Back to the Interrogation
The detective returned to her questions: "So you don't know the stalker's face, nor his name, nor where he lives. And you haven't spoken to him. Does he contact you?"
Yuna answered coldly: "No."
Mr. Kim looked at Yuna for a long moment. Then he approached her and raised his hand to pat her head, saying:
"Don't be afraid. I..."
But Yuna slapped his hand away with full force and disgust. She looked at him with revulsion and said:
"Don't touch me."
The police officers were confused. Mr. Kim looked at his hand that Yuna had slapped. Then he said in a calm voice:
"You're right. I'm sorry for that."
The police officers left, but Mr. Kim stayed for a moment. He looked at Yuna and felt deep sadness and regret for his past actions.
After leaving the room, Mr. Kim took out his phone and called someone. He said in a sharp voice:
"I want to request something. I want to hire a bodyguard. I want The Butcher."
The person on the other end was shocked: "What? But the price will be..."
Mr. Kim interrupted in a decisive voice: "Give him our company shares in Japan."
The man hesitated: "Sir... but..."
Mr. Kim hung up the phone and looked toward Yuna's room. He whispered in a faint voice:
"Maybe this is the least I can do to make it up to you, my little one."
Everyone finally left. Yuna was left alone in the new room they moved her to because she had broken the glass in the previous room. Her arm was still injured, and scratches covered her body. She could no longer fight, as both her arms were injured.
She wanted to go out. Just to breathe a little.
But at the door, a huge man wearing sunglasses stood. He said in a sharp voice:
"Miss, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to go out. The head of the family's orders are not something to be ignored."
Yuna got angry: "Then I just want to go out for a little while. You can accompany me."
The guard said rigidly: "Sorry, I cannot."
"Then call him and tell him I want to go out."
The guard paused for a moment, then said: "Alright."
He called Mr. Kim and told him everything. Yuna watched him with angry eyes, waiting for the call to end so she could go out.
Suddenly, the guard said: "What? Okay... okay, sir."
He hung up and looked at Yuna in shock: "You may go out."
[To be continued...]
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