78

Jungkook

It had been four days since I got my memories back.

Four days and every day felt like a fairy tale.

From the mirror, I saw Taehyung walking out of the bathroom. He wore a black dress shirt, the top buttons left undone and black pants.

I smiled, my cheeks wet from my tears. Taehyung swiped them away. "No more tears, Angel."

"They are happy tears."

Taehyung smiled. "Okay, happy tears are acceptable."

We walked out of the room, my cheeks hurting from smiling too much. Jimin and the others were waiting for us in the living room.

Jimin squealed and pulled me into a hug, "Welcome Back! This is your official 'you're back' party!"

"Five thousand dollars, Seokjin!" Namjoon said.

They placed bets?

I shook my head when Seokjin glared at Namjoon, Hoseok stood at one corner eating the finger food, a half-smile on his stuffed face and waving a chicken wing at us. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Hae-jin and Seung Won come out of the gym. Seung Won stopped dead in his tracks when he caught sight of me.

When Seung Won and Hae-jin approached, Taehyung wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his chest, cleared his throat, "He got his memory back."

Seung Won froze, I saw him swallow hard. There was a flash of pain in his eyes, his face twisted in sorrow.

My heart ached for him.

His hands fisted at his side and without a word, he walked away. Taehyung sighed beside me, I pulled away from Taehyung and went to follow Seung Won.

I couldn't bear the thought of him being in pain.

He was still hurting.

His wife's and daughter's death still haunted him.

If I could... I wanted to ease his pain.

Taehyung grabbed my arm, pulling me back.

"Let him be, Angel."

"I need to do this, Taehyung. Please," I begged, my eyes following Seung Won as he walked upstairs. I pulled my arm away and gave him a small smile, "I'll be okay."

Kissing Taehyung on the lips, I followed Seung Won. My steps faltered when I reached his bedroom. When my fist made contact with the door, I trembled slightly with nervousness, he didn't answer.

I waited and waited.

Finally, I opened the door and peeked inside. The room was dark except for a night lamp, it cast a soft glow around the room. I walked further inside and closed the door behind me.

Seung Won was sitting on the edge of the bed, a photo frame in his hand. Walking over to the bed, I sat down beside him. There was only silence between us. Now that I was here, I wasn't sure what to say, how to soothe his pain.

Finally, he broke the silence, "You remind me a lot of my Se Ah."

His voice was broken and my stomach twisted.

"She was just like you. Sweet, beautiful and so gentle. I look at you and all I see is my Angel," he whispered, his fingers lingering over the frame.

I saw that it was a photo of a woman, "I'm sorry," I muttered, looking at my lap.

"It's not your fault."

Seung Won opened the drawer and got another picture. He handed it to me, it looked like a sonogram, "We were having a princess," he said, pointing at the baby.

"I know," I said softly.

My fingers traced the picture., my heart was in agony for his loss.

Seung Won handed me the photo frame, "This is my wife."

This is my wife.

Not was.

Even after so many years, Se Ah was still his wife.

Looking at the picture, I saw that Taehyung had her eyes.

"She is beautiful."

"The most beautiful," he agreed with a small chuckle.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Se Ah and your daughter didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve to go through that pain. My heart aches for your loss," I admitted truthfully, "But they are in a better place right now. I'm sure they're watching over us."

"Are they?" he asked brokenly, staring at the picture.

"They are Angels."

A tear fell on the photo and I quickly realized that Seung Won was crying. "Your Se Ah loved you a lot. I don't think she would have wanted you to punish yourself like this. She would have wanted you to be happy. Honour her memories by living and remembering her with a smile. I'm sure she would have wanted that for you."

Silence fell upon us, I grew nervous and started to play with the hem of my shirt.

"You sound so much like her."

It reminded me of Taehyung, there were so many similarities between father and son. I was just seeing it for the first time. Seung Won was just another broken man.

"You're strong," Seung Won mumble, a ghost smile on his lips.

I never expected him to say that my heart flipped and I smiled, "Thank you," I whispered.

When I didn't get a further response, I stood up, closed my eyes and a wave of sadness washed over me.

After a while I walked out of the room, leaving Seung Won alone with his thoughts.

He would be okay.

Taehyung was leaning against the wall, as soon as I walked out of the room, he pulled me in his arms. I sobbed in his chest, "He's going to be okay, Taehyung."

Taehyung didn't say anything.

He just let me cry.

When my tears finally dried, I placed a kiss in the middle of his chest, right over his beating heart.

"Can we go to the creek?" I asked, pulling away.

He smiled, "Let's go."

Our walk to the creek was slow. We took our time, our hands intertwined.

No words were spoken.

It wasn't needed.

The silence was enough.

It was comfortable.

It was us.

When we arrived at the creek, I settled on a rock, my feet in the water.

Taehyung stood behind me, his hands on my shoulders.

"Are you happy?"

"I'm more than happy, Angel. I'm fvcking ecstatic."

I sighed in relief, and when he continued, my heart soared higher with contentment. I leaned back against his chest and tilted my head backwards, Taehyung looked back at me.

"I'm happy too."

Taehyung smiled and kissed my forehead, my nose and finally my lips.

"Such a sweet moment. I almost feel bad for interrupting."

My eyes widened, my heart stopped.

I froze and slowly went numb.

No.

No.

No.

Please no.

My mind screamed, my heart wept, I was suddenly hurting everywhere.

That voice.

This couldn't be happening.

Not again.

Not now.

I felt Taehyung freeze behind me.

From our position, I saw his lips curl in a snarl.

Fear clouding my vision. I shook with terror.

At that moment, I just wanted to disappear into thin air.

I didn't want to exist.

I wanted to be far... very far away from the Devil.

Taehyung stood straight, I felt him turn around.

I slowly got up and turned around, staying hidden behind Taehyung.

I couldn't see Byungchan from where I was.

I was completely hidden, protected behind Taehyung's back.

Taehyung moved his hand to his waistband, where his gun was.

"Ah. Ah. Don't move or I will shoot. Trust me, this time I will," Byungchan warned, "Step away from him."

Taehyung didn't move.

"Step away from him or I will shoot. What's the point of being a hero? After I shoot you, I can shoot him. So step the fvck away from what's mine."

Taehyung's hand stayed on his waistband, he still didn't move.

I heard Byungchan laugh.

My ears rang with it, I pinched my eyes closed.

Without thinking, I stepped from behind Taehyung's back and came to stand beside him.

Byungchan's eyes roamed over me, I saw his vile smirk.

"There you are, love."

I shuddered at his voice but kept my eyes on him.

He looked different, he grew a beard, his clothes were rumpled. His eyes appeared red, tired, and... crazed. Their maniacal gleam pierced me until all I felt was absolute fear. My head ran wild, my stomach cramped. My heart ached, it hurt so much.

"If only you hadn't run away," he tsked. "I would have kept you alive. Now you just pissed me off. I don't feel generous anymore."

Panic clawed at my throat, I glanced at Taehyung. He was staring at Byungchan stoically.

How did it come to this?

Everything was perfect just moments ago.

Byungchan took a step toward us, pointing the gun in my direction. His gaze moved to Taehyung.

"One move and I will shoot his brains out. You know it takes only seconds."

Taehyung's hands fisted at his side. I wanted to fall and beg for mercy.

Byungchan continued to walk forward until he was only a few steps away.

He pointed the gun at Taehyung and then at me, "Hmm... I wonder who I should shoot first."

Byungchan pointed the gun at me.

My breathing accelerated, and my chest grew tight.

He cocked his head to the side before pointing the gun at Taehyung.

"His saviour?"

My heart stuttered in pain, I rubbed my chest.

I could barely breathe.

"You are such a coward, Byungchan. Why don't you fight like a man?" Taehyung growled.

Byungchan tsked and pointed the gun at me again.

NO!

I wanted to scream.

My heart was trying to pound its way out of my chest.

My hands shook, I cradled myself protectively.

"Aww, how cute," he mocked. "The boy it is, then."

My eyes widened.

Everything happened so fast.

I saw Taehyung lurch forward, his leg kicked out.

He got Byungchan in the hand and the gun flew away. Taehyung tackled Byungchan to the ground, I stood frozen, watching the two men roll on the ground, fighting.

I couldn't lose Taehyung.

I just couldn't.

I was blind with terror as I watched them fight.

They were out for blood, at that moment, I didn't know who would win.

With wide eyes, I looked for the gun.

Where did the gun go?

When I finally noticed it next to a tree, I took a step forward but stopped when Byungchan pushed Taehyung off him. He had another gun in his hand.

Oh please, no.

He laughed, a laugh filled with so much madness that made my skin crawl in dread and disgust. Byungchan didn't even appear out of breath, he looked like a man on a mission.

Something was making him stronger, crazier.

Taehyung slowly stepped toward me.

Byungchan moved his dead eyes to mine, smiling grimly.

"Did you think you could escape? Jungkook, you seem to forget. You are mine."

He really was the Devil.

For a split second, I wondered how someone could be this cruel.

The thought was quickly gone when he pointed the gun right at me.

"Say good-bye, Taehyung."

I whimpered, holding myself from this horror but the Devil had found me, this time there was no escape.

This was it.

This was my end.

My heart hammered when I saw him pull the trigger.

My eyes closed as two gunshots sounded.

Terror washed through me as I waited for the pain.

Seconds ticked by and I felt nothing.

My eyes snapped open.

I gasped and cried out when I saw Taehyung standing in front of me, his face a mask of shock and pain.

"No!" I screamed, moving forward.

I wrapped my arms around him, moving my hands over his body, looking for where he was injured.

No.

Please.

This was a nightmare.

This wasn't happening.

I couldn't lose Taehyung.

My face contorted as wave after wave of pain crashed through me.

"Taehyung!" I sobbed, running my hands over him.

Taehyung grabbed my waist and pulled me to his chest. His frantic hands travelled the length of my body like I was doing to his.

"Where are you hurt? Jungkook, where are you hurt?" he asked urgently, his voice hoarse, "Please, say something!"

Crippling grief swept over me. I cried in his chest.

"I'm not hurt. You... took... the bullet..."

"Jungkook!" Taehyung shook me, his face horrified. "No. You got hit! I didn't. I was too late."

Agonized sobs tumbled from my mouth, my lungs constricting painfully as I shook my head. My stomach started to cramp from the severity of my sobs, I palmed Taehyung's cheeks.

"You are not hurt?" I asked.

I saw confusion in his eyes, he slightly pulled away, his eyes roaming over my body, inspecting me. I did the same for him.

"You are not hurt," he stated.

And he wasn't either.

My eyes widened as my blood rushed so fast through my body that I felt suddenly weak. I couldn't hear anything but the wildly beating pulse in my ears.

What was happening?

"Then... who took the bullet?" I whispered.

We turned around, Taehyung protecting me with his body. The sight that beheld me took my breath away. Agony shattered my heart, and I sank to my knees, too weak to stay upright, too weak to think.

Taehyung swallowed hard and he held me to him.

I wailed in anguish.

"NO!"