I'll protect you

"Your cousin?"

Su Cha glanced up at her and Mo Xin Er caught sight of a flicker of hatred in her eyes when she said, "Not him."

"Then who?" Mo Xin Er was confused. Was there someone else who had died? Could it be…?

Sure enough, Su Cha said,

"Jun Jing."

Mo Xin Er nodded with understanding. It was just as she thought. In the files Anne sent her, there was a sentence that included a person named Jun Jing dying.

"He was your boyfriend?" Mo Xin Er asked as she stared at her with undying concern.

Su Cha nodded.

"He was my first love. He was family," Su Cha continued, staring into space as if she was remembering some good old days before bursting into tears. "How could they do that? He was them. Theirs. And they shot him."

Mo Xin Er's eyes flickered and her jaw clenched as she asked, "He was one of them?"

Su Cha glanced up at Mo Xin Er, shaking her head frantically, "Not one of them. But he was theirs. What I mean is that he was not one of them in their acts. He was innocent."

Mo Xin Er stared at her before laughing without a trace of humor,

"How can you be so sure? He could have been lying."

"He wasn't pretending!" Su Cha was riled up. She banged her hand on the table, standing up and fixed Mo Xin Er a death stare.

Mo Xin Er who had been shocked quickly outstretched her hand and pulled her back before apologizing to the other customers. Su Cha lowered her head in despair and Mo Xin Er could see that her hands were shaking.

Mo Xin Er stood up, removed her face cap and sat beside her. She grabbed her trembling hands in assurance. "It's okay. You don't have to get angry."

"I'm sorry for screaming like that."

Mo Xin Er gave her a reassuring smile.

"Do you know the reason why he was shot then?"

Su Cha nodded.

She began, "Jun Jing was the leader's younger brother. When I first met him, he had just returned from Russia. He transferred to my school and he was my desk mate. Jun Jing would never do such vile things. I know him too well. He wasn't all nice and kind but he would never join a gang.

Apparently, they had been monitoring him since he was against what they were doing. He helped one of their hostages escape. They found out and his brother was angry so he ordered them to finish him off."

Mo Xin Er squinted her eyes. "They wouldn't kill him just for that."

"His brother was envious of him. Their father liked Jun Jing the most. He once told me that he was meant to be his father's successor. It was only because he ran away from home, did his father not force it on him. Someone had to be in charge so his father gave the leadership to his brother."

"Then, what about his father?" Mo Xin Er asked as she noticed that most of the customers were gone.

"He died a few weeks before Jun Jing died."

"Then, why are they after you? Even if he is your boyfriend, it doesn't mean they'll do something like this to you."

Su Cha winced and she picked her nails. "He was my boyfriend. I know I was wrong in doing what I did. I shouldn't have interfered."

"What did you do?"

"I tried to turn them against each other. It's all about loyalty, those gangs. Well, it was a smart thought but it backfired. Why would they believe a stranger than their own partner? I once followed Jun Jing home. Apparently, his brother had been pestering him after that to let him date me. He stopped when Jun Jing and I began to date. But, it was only because he was planning Jun Jing's death. You don't know him. His way of thinking is so crooked. Apparently, it was a double win. He gets to flaunt me in front of his dead brother."

"So, you were caught up in their family dispute."

Su Cha bit her lips and wiped her swollen eyes. "I shouldn't have interfered. I should have let the matter rest.

"Then, your cousin?" Mo Xin Er asked.

"He was one of them. He betrayed Jun Jing. He was his best friend. I resent him."

"Why didn't you tell anyone? Tell the cops or something."

Su Cha laughed self mockingly, "I did. But they found out and took my parents hostage. Then they thought the best punishment was to do…that to me in public. They got bolder."

Mo Xin Er nodded. With a sigh, Mo Xin Er stood up from the chair beside Su Cha.

She asked seriously, "Do you love my brother?"

Su Cha stilled and her breath hitched as she gave a croaky reply. "Yes."

"Tell me the truth. It's not going to stop me from helping you. He is worried about you. So, put him out of his misery. If you don't love him, don't force yourself. I want you to call and tell him what you have concluded."

Su Cha began to cry again as she shook her head. "I don't think I love him. I like him as a friend. He is nice to me. And-"

Mo Xin Er cut in, "Then, give him a call. Tell him your mind. I won't sit by and allow him to pine for you when you are not even moved."

"Will he hate me? He will think I led him on."

"I'm sure he will recover from whatever heartbreak you're going to cause. So, call him up and tell him. I'll appreciate it pretty much."

Su Cha gave her a small smile. "I'll tell him."

"Good." Mo Xin Er folded her palms. "I want to help you."

"You will?"

"Hm. You don't have to care about how. Apparently, you are not being protected enough in school, right? Since they could get in."

"Yes."

"I'll try to do something about that."

Su Cha looked doubtful. "Mo Yuan wouldn't want you to get hurt. He will resent me forever if you ever got hurt."

Mo Xin Er smiled.

"I'll be fine, don't worry. I'll handle everything."

"Thank you," Su Cha mumbled with her head dropped low.

Mo Xin Er stood up, gathering her stuffs and said, "Let's go. I want to drop you to your hostel."

Su Cha got up immediately and followed her to the car.