Top Posts Tagged with #kyung jun

do you see right through me?

part four

tw/cw - graphic depictions of death, angst, swearing, violence.

a/n - last chapter :(( until the epilogue ofc. thanks for reading, i love you guys.

much to your surprise and dismay, you find the room empty.

your fingers slip away from the doorway, cautiously entering the still space. a quick glance at the desk in the corner of the room reveals it to be vacant, no signs of the school nurse you were originally looking for. releasing a short breath, you consider your options for a moment. do you seek her out in the teachers lounge? return to class? a sharp pain throbs at the center of your knees, the palm of your hands, and it's enough to make you forget your internal dilemma and cross the room to sit down on a nearby bed.

just as you rest your weight on the soft sheets, your eyes catch onto the sleeping figure resting on the bed beside you. you startle, examining the boys peaceful expression, his relaxed posture. as per usual, he doesn't bother to wear his complete uniform, dressed only in the white button up shirt and gray trousers. both is hands rest on the back of his head, his lips parted as his chest rises up and down in even breaths.

"kyung-jun?" you mumble quietly, not exactly expecting a response, having said the boys name out loud more out of surprise to confirm your suspicion.

at the sound of his name the boy opens one eye, fixing his attention on your form. upon recognizing you, he opens the other, squinting at you in slight annoyance, "what?"

you mirror his questioning stare, "are you taking a nap?"

"what the fuck does it look like?"

once more, you take in his relaxed state, the wrinkled lines across his uniform. you lean back, staring at the ceiling in thought, "i guess that explains why you didn't show up to class." a smart decision. the teacher had you run laps around the field as punishment for talking during instruction. even now, your muscles burn from the unexpected excursion.

a smug grin forms on his lips, "were you looking for me?"

you consider his question, taking in the arrogant confidence plastered on his face. you decide to opt for honesty, "yes."

kyung-jun must not have expected that response. he blinks, slightly taken aback, and a light redness spreads across his ears. he huffs out something below his breath, so quiet you aren't able to catch the words, then promptly sits upon the bed, eyeing you curiously, "what are you even doing here?"

"hm? oh." you glance down at your knees, the skin raw and bloody, then at your hands, palms up, revealing wet dirt and dried blood. just the sight of the scrapes and bruises causes the pain to return slightly, "i fell."

kyung-jun follows your eyes, releases a curt 'tsk', "obviously."

"it rained recently, so the dirt is soft. my foot got caught in it." you explain simply. it had been disorienting at first, feeling your balance waver, the ground swallowing you up. in an attempt to break the fall, you braced your hands against the ground, which only seemed to further the damage. unexpectedly, your knees slid across the dirt, slicing across several tiny rocks beneath the grass.

he takes in your words, staring intensely at the roughed up skin. something shifts in his expression, something you can't even begin to explain, and you never get the opportunity to decipher it. without a word, he stands up, and you follow his movements as he walks over to the nurses desk and begins rummaging through the various cabinets.

"what are you doing?" you ask, slightly confused by his strange behavior.

kyung-jun doesn't answer, just continues his search. eventually, he finds what he's looking for, pulling out band aids, cotton balls and antiseptic. he holds the items in both hands as he shortens the distance between you, pausing over your sitting form. you stare up at him, noticing the determined set of his jaw, his focused eyes. but there's something else there, too. a hesitation, an uncertainty, as if ko kyung-jun was nervous.

weird. what a strange expression for him to have.

he crouches down, placing the items by his side. instead of using them right away, like you expected, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. a plain, soft baby blue. gingerly, almost a little unsure, he brushes the fabric against your knees, wiping away the left over rain and dirt, removing the smeared blood. you stare, quietly, afraid to breathe in case it scares him away and breaks the tender moment you found yourself in.

when it's clean, he places it down and reaches for the antiseptic, opening the bottle and pouring the liquid over the cotton ball. then, his free hand rests on the back of your knee, pulling it closer, holding it steady as he gently starts dabbing it over the wound. it hurts, the alcohol leaving a harsh sting across your sensitive skin. but oddly enough, you pay no mind to the pain. instead, you watch him carefully, the way his face scrunches in concentration, the light touch of his fingers pressed against your skin, hesitant to cause any more unnecessary pain.

he's gentle, you think rather fondly, feeling your heart race.

finally, kyung-jun places the last band aid over your right knee, his fingers brushing over to smooth it out. he lifts his eyes up, staring at your bloody hands, and understanding his intention, you hold them out, face up, waiting patiently.

he blinks slowly at you, then promptly reaches over, brushing the dirt away from your fingers.

"you're so fucking clumsy. don't you know how to be careful?" kyung-jun mutters, though his insult holds no bite, simply an exasperation. like the thought bothers him. you decide to ignore the underlying meaning hidden within.

you shrug, "i blame the weather."

he releases a short breath, putting down the cotton ball and placing the last of the band aids over the cuts. he pulls his hands away immediately after, averting his gaze. you inspect his work, the careful precision of his actions, leaving not a trace of blood behind. he did a good job, and you wonder if kyung-jun has to do this often. cleaning himself up, patching injuries when he gets into trouble. you wonder if he has anyone to do so for him. to care for him when he's hurt.

"thank you," you whisper softly, the corners of your mouth lifting up into a smile. you feel yourself on the verge of something, an affection for the boy. you think you could fall in love with him given time, "you're a good person, kyung-jun."

he glances up quickly, caught off guard. the two of you stare at each other for a moment, his eyes frantically scanning your face, both curiosity and something else rapidly forming across the planes of his own features. you swear his ears turn an even darker shade of red, but maybe it's just a trick of the light, or a result of your own heat flushing your cheeks.

then, so suddenly you don't render it until it's happening, kyung-jun is shooting to his feet, the quickness of his movements causing you to blink rapidly in surprise. he stares down at you, eyes narrowed, the ghost of a scowl threatening to curl his lips. your own face slowly morphs into confusion, wondering why he suddenly looks as if the sight of you caused him great repulsion. you open your mouth to speak, to question his sudden mood change. the curling of his fists, his clenched jaw, but kyung-jun only curses low beneath his breath and storms out of the room, leaving you alone with your scrambled thoughts and emotions.

what just happened?

the sight that greets you when you flutter your eyes open is one that will forever be branded inside your mind. a memory you will look back on countlessly, replaying it over and over again with a tender sort of fondness.

turning your head to your right, kyung-jun is there, his eyes still closed, clearly still fast asleep. you note the way he looks in his present state. all his features are peaceful, relaxed, not yet tarnished by his temper or agitation. his lips are parted slightly, releasing small, quiet breaths. you catch the exact moment he starts to stir. his eyebrows knit together and his nose twitches, just slightly, enough to cause the rest of his body to twitch awake.

he opens his eyes slowly, blinking away the remains of sleep, glancing around the room before finally finding your own watchful gaze. for a split moment, he looks relieved, but its quickly replaced by a blank expression. you open your mouth, words dancing on the tip of your tongue, but they get lost in the announcement from above.

BEFORE THE LAST VOTE CLOSED, THE DOCTOR NOMINATED WHOM TO HEAL. THE NOMINATED PLAYER WAS KIM JUN-HEE. THANKS TO THE DOCTORS ABILITY TO HEAL, KIM JUN-HEE HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.

your eyes widen at the words, heart racing erratically inside your chest. jun-hee. jun-hee is alive. the doctor granted him more time, a second chance. you scramble to your feet, and kyung-jun follows, grabbing the keys from the counter and crouching down by the lock. he slips it in, turns it, and pulls open the shutters once it's removed.

you spot it immediately.

there, right in front of you, plain as day, lays a bloody axe and kyung-jun's jacket, both of which are covered in blood.

slowly, you turn your head towards the boy beside you, his own attention never straying from the incriminating evidence by his feet. there is pure panic in his eyes, his hands trembling by his side, his jaw tight with tension. a swear escapes through the boy's lips as he hastily reaches for the objects.

you grab his wrist to stop him, "what are you doing?"

"if people see this they'll think i'm the mafia." kyung-jun snaps, attempting to reach out his hand once more. you stop him a second time, tightening your fingers around his wrist. you look desperately into his face, urging him to return the attention and fully grasp the seriousness of the situation you both are in.

"if you hide it and someone finds it, how do you think that'll look?" you reason.

kyung-jun releases a harsh breath, "what the fuck do you expect me to do then?"

the alarm erupts once more. the announcers voice comes back, crackling to life.

DURING THE NIGHT, SHIN SEUNG-BIN WAS EXECUTED BY THE MAFIA. SHIN SEUNG-BIN WAS A CITIZEN.

the blood in your body goes cold at the words, your fingers slipping away from his wrist. kyung-jun laughs in disbelief, dropping his body to sit on the ground and run a hand through his hair, "fuck. i'm fucked."

MORNING HAS COME. PARTICIPANTS, PLEASE FIND THE MAFIA AND BEGIN TO VOTE.

there are voices. just down the hall, slowly but surely coming towards your direction. your eyes drift towards the arcade door, spotting the blood smeared across the yellow surface. the scene of the murder. seung-bin, dead inside, a bloody axe by your feet. you come to a decision.

you turn towards kyung-jun, placing your hands on his shoulders and forcing him to look at you, "listen to me. i will get you out of this. just trust me, okay?"

kyung-jun doesn't respond at first. he looks up at you, his eyes flitting between each of your own, down and across each inch of your face. please kyung-jun. please trust me. let me help you. let me carry the weight of your burdens.

he moves his head, the slightest motion, just enough to seal his agreement. instantly, you feel relieved, reaching forward and pulling him into a quick embrace.

for now, you push the bloody contents into a corner in the snack bar, a temporary solution until you have an opportunity to speak with the group. you pull yourself to your feet, both you and kyung-jun following the commotion, which has stopped just around the corner. right outside the bathroom, jin-a stands shirtless, the piece of clothing bundled in his trembling hands. before you can question the strange scene, you spot motion out of the corner of your vision, eyes following the shuffling form.

na-hee steps cautiously towards the arcade door, her small, quivering fingers reaching up to press against her nose. confused, you step forward, only to get hit with the blatant, overwhelming stench of blood. your own hands shoot up to your face, stomach turning.

"na-hee?" you question when the girl pauses by the door.

instead of answering, she reaches forward, pushing it open.

a bloodcurdling scream is pulled from her throat, shattering through the open space. the girl falls to the ground, revealing the gruesome scene inside. seung-bin lays flat on the floor, his entire body covered in blood, his stomach and chest butchered like he'd been stabbed several times, even long after he had passed. your stomach turns even more, crawling up your throat and threatening to pour out. you step away, squeezing your eyes shut to get rid of the horrid sight.

someone killed seung-bin. no, they murdered him. not because they had to, but because they wanted to. this was different than the other times.

eun-chan turns around, searching the room and landing his eyes on jin-a, "hey!" he shouts, marching up to the boy, "did you kill him?"

jin-a trembles, shaking his head insistently, "it wasn't me! i didn't kill him! when i woke up this morning, that's how i found him." the rest of your classmates turn towards the boy, eyeing him suspiciously, barely convinced. when jin-a realizes this fact, despair coats his words, "it wasn't me. guys, it really wasn't me."

even then, no one says anything. jin-a glances around the room, searching for a friendly face. you try to imagine it. jin-a killing seung-bin in cold blood. leaving the evidence in front of kyung-jun's door. but even as you put the pieces together in your mind, they never quite seem to fit. something wasn't right. you were missing something. but what?

when jin-a realizes his attempts at convincing everyone of his innocence are futile, he walks away, retreating down the hall. you meet kyung jun's eyes, and already you can tell by the look on his face that he thinks jin-a did it, his anger steadily building upon his features. but no, that couldn't be right. why would jin-a be caught covered in blood? if he really was the mafia, he would've had plenty of time to clean himself up and hide the evidence.

you motion with your head towards jin-a's general direction, a silent demand for him to follow the boy. kyung-jun's face scrunches in confusion, and he looks reluctant, like he'd rather do anything else but comfort his friend. but you give him a hard stare, and he huffs before rolling his eyes and walking away.

you consider the situation more carefully, turning the clues around in your head. if jin-a woke up with blood on him, he probably freaked out and went to wash it off, not realizing his actions could come off as guilty. perhaps he was being framed for the murder, too. was the mafia trying to kill the whole friend group?

yoon-seo rushes inside the arcade, inspecting the body and taking several photos. your eyes drift across the room, finding it mostly empty, save for two other people. jung-won and jun-hee. the sight of the boy, breathing, alive, fills you with a mixture of worry and relief. your feet move on their own, rushing towards his figure and engulfing him in a hug.

"thank goodness," you breathe, tears slipping down your face when his arms reach up and return the embrace, "i'm so glad you're okay."

"all thanks to the doctor." jun-hee mumbles, a light edge of amusement creeping into his tone.

you pull away, staring into his face. images of last night appear before you. the flashing lights, the blaring alarm, both your friends side by side, facing death. you couldn't even begin to imagine what happened to jun-hee's body when he died. how he died.

all because of you.

"i'm so sorry," you sob, the tears falling more freely now with no signs of stopping. you reach up with futile attempts to wipe them away with the sleeve of your uniform, "it's all my fault. i shouldn't have suggested-"

jun-hee gently stops you, "don't. it was a good idea. it's unfortunate it didn't work."

"but you almost died because of me." jun-hee's hollow eyes, his trembling lips, the pain in his face when they lay upon yoon-seo's grief stricken form.

jun-hee smiles, reaching over and patting your shoulder in a comforting manner, "please don't think that way. i'm alive now, aren't i? let's just focus on the future, okay?"

you study his expression, searching for a hint of uncertainty, a slip in the truth. but jun-hee wasn't lying. his second chance has changed him, and you no longer saw the defeated boy begging to die. you find yourself nodding in agreement, finally quieting your sobs to several soft sniffles.

yoon-seo suddenly rushes out of the room, slamming her body against the wall and bracing her hands upon it. blinking in bewilderment, you, jun-hee and jung-won rush over, patting the girl's back as she breathes heavily into the air.

jung-won grimaces, "let's go. the smell of blood makes me want to puke."

yoon-seo pushes herself away from the wall, composed now as she turns around to face your group, "seung-bin...he was stabbed a lot of times by a knife. why take things that far?"

"don't talk about that. no one wants to know." jung-won chastises.

"no, yoon-seo is right. it's weird. the mafia didn't take it that far with everyone else. whoever killed him hated him," you pause, glancing around the space. still empty. stepping closer to yoon-seo, you lower your voice to a soft whisper, "by the way, i should mention..." yoon-seo looks at you curiously. you motion for her to follow.

you take her to the snack bar, crouching down and picking up the axe and jacket you had previously hidden. the bloody objects lay in your arms, unbearably heavy to hold, "we found it this morning. outside the snack bar."

yoon-seo's eyes widen, stepping closer to inspect the green windbreaker, "is that kyung-jun's?"

"did he kill seung-bin?" jung-won asks.

you shake your head, "no, he was framed. isn't it obvious? why would both jin-a and kyung-jun have compromising evidence against them for the same murder? whoever killed seung-bin is trying to get at least one of them executed tonight."

"and they'll probably kill whoever doesn't get voted next." yoon-seo realizes.

her words cause dread to pool in your stomach, making you feel sick. if you don't figure it out soon, kyung-jun could die tonight. the thought of it, of kyung-jun's lifeless form beside your body, the fire of him blown out, it's almost enough to make it feel as if the entire world is falling apart.

-

gathered in the cafeteria, there's a tense silence suffocating the air. kyung-jun's green windbreaker lays on the table, right next to the bloody axe, and although it hasn't been brought to attention yet, everyone's minds are on the objects, sneaking the boy skeptical looks.

from beside you, jun-hee breaks the silence, addressing a different concern regarding the events of last night, "about yesterday, i had no choice but to lie. i'm sorry for deceiving you. i'm actually a citizen," jun-hee leans forward slightly, bowing his head in gratitude, "i don't know who the doctor is, but thank you."

the doctor. you still haven't solved that mystery. with everything that's been going on, it simply slipped your mind. internally, you're grateful that they used their ability to save jun-hee. perhaps they also recognized the sincerity in his actions.

"hey, you coming back to life is a separate matter." kyung-jun snaps, motioning with one hand towards the table, and thus the objects in the center, "someone is trying to frame me."

"and how do we know it's not actually you?" so-mi asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

kyung-jun scowls at her accusation, "why would i be stupid enough to leave it out for everyone to see?"

"besides, kyung-jun hasn't worn that jacket in two days." you reason. if you remembered correctly, he took it off sometime between voting for woo-ram and locking him in the broadcasting room. it hasn't been seen since. you assumed he left it in the room and forgot to get it back.

"right. and the axe is weird," yoon-seo stares at the contents on the table, lost in thought, the gears turning in her brilliant mind, "seung-bin's injuries were precise. axes are typically messy. it couldn't have been the murder weapon."

"but who would frame kyung-jun?" mi-na asks.

so-mi snorts, "who wouldn't?"

despite her snarky retort, everyone's eyes drift towards jin-a, who has been silent this entire time, anxiously biting at his fingernails. he glances up when he notices the sudden attention, trembling in fear, "it wasn't me. when i woke up i found him dead."

"you said it was just you and him, right? did you see anything unusual?" yoon-seo questions.

jin-a drops his hand in exasperation, "i don't know. the mafia put blood on me on purpose when i was asleep. i was too freaked out in the morning to look."

his words lead you nowhere, only back to square one. you sigh, leaning back in your chair and running your fingers through your hair anxiously. this isn't going anywhere. you had hoped jin-a could provide more information that would point you towards the culprit, especially considering your current lack of evidence. of course, there was always kyung-jun's police skill, but even if he used it, who would you choose? and if they turned out to be mafia, how could you prove it? you didn't feel like having a repeat of last time with woo-ram.

you reach back towards the table behind you, curling your fingers around your bottle of water. swiftly, you unscrew the cap and take several large gulps, immediately pulling it back. a frown forms on your lips, inspecting the clear water. weird. why does it taste funny?

faintly, you can hear jin-a and kyung-jun arguing. you're not quite sure what about. maybe they were pointing fingers again. what you're focused on is the faint itch in your mouth, starting at the roof of it, spreading across your gums. your frown deepens, and you examine the water once more, searching for any abnormalities. there wasn't anything wrong with it. just plain water. the itch intensifies, so you press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, massaging it to relieve the feeling. the itching persists. was it a placebo effect? you got that sometimes, normally when you were paranoid about something containing peanuts. it usually ended up being a false alarm. was this the case? you take another sip of water.

the bottle slips from your hands and drops to the floor, spilling across the surface. the fighting abruptly stops, everyone turning to stare incredulously at you. trembling, your hands go up to your neck, your breaths growing quicker and quicker with each puff of air released from your lungs. suddenly, it was very hard to breathe, and your face felt like it was burning from the inside out.

yoon-seo looks at you in concern, "what is it? what's wrong?"

you shake your head, opening your mouth to speak, but the swelling in your throat is cutting off your airways. you can't breathe. you can't-

yoon-seo is calling out your name as you stand up. you take a shaky step forward, only for your knees to buckle and for your entire body to crash towards the floor. your hands don't leave your throat as you continuously gasp for breath, tears running down your face.

"what's wrong with her?" mi-na cries.

kyung-jun swears, rushing over and crouching down beside you, "shit, she's having an allergic reaction."

"what?" yoon-seo asks, mimicking his action of lowering her body to where you lay on the ground.

kyung-jun looks up at the girl, his face tight with tension, "quick! where's her EpiPen?"

"she keeps it in her pockets!" jun-hee yells, pushing people aside as he takes the empty space beside you.

kyung-jun pats your skirt down, finding a hard object in your right pocket. he reaches his hand in and pulls out your EpiPen. without wasting a second, he takes it out of the case and lifts his arm, only to get stopped by yoon-seo's fingers around his wrist.

"wait, do you know how to use that?"

kyung-jun doesn't answer, harshly shrugging her off. he lifts up his arm once more, hesitating for only a moment before bringing the sharp end down on your thigh.

you gasp, feeling the slightest pain, but you can feel the relief instantly in your throat. your breaths slow down, and you gratefully gulp down air, dropping your hands by your side. kyung-jun relaxes, breathing out a sigh of relief. dazed, your eyes search for his face in the crowd of people above you, burning it into your memory once you spot it.

as your breaths even out, exhaustion overcomes your body, and you blink slowly, fighting to remain awake. kyung-jun notices immediately, the tension in his face returning as he leans down and lightly slaps your cheeks.

"hey, keep your eyes open." he demands. you do your best to listen, focusing your attention on the boy above you.

"what did she have a reaction to? she wasn't eating anything, was she?" jun-hee inquires.

yoon-seo picks up the discarded water bottle, holding it up, "she just had a drink of this."

kyung-jun snatches it from her hands, inspecting it. he lets out a curse, "someone must have laced it. who gave this to her?" no one answers, averting their eyes and shuffling their feet. the sight of their silence causes kyung-jun's anger to rise, "fuck! she almost died and you bastards can't come clean?!"

"let's take her to the infirmary for now. she ingested it, so the reaction might come back. we can monitor her condition there and figure out who did this," jun-hee leans down towards you, calling out your name softly, "can you stand?"

you open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. without a word, kyung-jun scoots closer, putting his arms under your knees and placing a hand on your back. he lifts you up effortlessly, the feeling of the ground disappearing causing your fingers to shoot to his chest, curling around the fabric, feeling the warmth. you watch his face the entire journey to the infirmary, never straying from his features even after you're placed gently on the bed.

jun-hee approaches, handing over another EpiPen to kyung-jun, "here. in case she gets worse."

kyung-jun looks down at his outstretched hand, then back up at the presidents face. he narrows his eyes at him, suspicious, maybe even a little surprised. jun-hee was trusting kyung-jun. he was putting your life in his hands. he takes it.

as the boy settles into a chair beside your bed, na-hee's timid voice fills the air, "how could this happen?"

"was it the mafia?" mi-na questions, glancing around.

yoon-seo bites worriedly at her bottom lip, "but why would the mafia want to kill her?"

"because of me." kyung-jun's words cut through the air. all around, classmates turn their attention towards the boy with blank stares, confusion creasing their eyes. he leans back in his seat, "don't tell me you guys are this dense. think about it. they kill seung-bin. frame jin-a and me. the mafia is after my entire group."

"but what does she have to do with that? if it's because of hate, wouldn't they leave her alone? she hasn't done anything to anyone." jung-won reasons, not quite understanding the connection.

kyung-jun's eyes drift to your bedridden form. his face is still, but there's something hidden behind the calm expression. something softer. it creeps into his voice as he speaks in a low tone, "they know what she means to me."

you hold onto kyung-jun's words, the weight they hold. they know what she means to me. what am i to you kyung-jun? look me in the eyes and tell me.

"could we find the mafia based on what they know about her? like her peanut allergy? or her connection to kyung-jun?" na-hee asks.

jun-hee shakes his head," won't work. everyone in the class knew about her allergy."

"and thanks to so-mi not minding her own business, everyone knows about us, too." kyung-jun mutters bitterly.

so-mi swears at him, "that water came from the snack bar didn't it? whose to say you didn't lace it?"

the chair screeches across the floor as he gets up, stepping intimidatingly towards the girl, "i didn't fucking try to kill her."

ever the peacemaker, yoon-seo steps between the two, pushing them back, "stop it. first, we need to find out who killed seung bin. i'm sure the same person is behind all of this. we'll reconvene at eleven when we have more evidence, and then we'll vote."

kyung-jun and so-mi glare at each other, mimicking each other's expression of sharp eyes and scowling lips. eventually, however, and surprising the entire room, kyung-jun is the first to back down, stepping back and slumping into his previous seat. so-mi turns away, storming out of the room, followed by the rest of your classmates. jun-hee lingers by the door, but once it becomes apparent that kyung-jun has no plans to leave, turns around and disappears from sight.

when they're gone, you turn your head towards kyung-jun, studying his expression. he leans forward in his seat, head hanging, his palms clasped together. he stares determinedly at the floor. his foot taps restless against the ground, his fingers flexing nervously. you notice the slightest hint of fear along his eyes, tightening the muscles of his jaw.

"kyung-jun." you croak out softly.

he lifts up his head.

"thank you. for saving my life," you swallow thickly, your expression softening as they rest on his figure, "you're a good person."

kyung-jun flinches at your words, shifting his attention back towards the ground, "you're wrong."

"and how would you know?" he doesn't answer, so you persist, desperate for him to hear you, to understand you, "i know what i feel. what i see. and when i look at you, i see a good heart."

for a moment, kyung-jun looks physically pained by your words, as if they caused him great suffering. tentatively, you reach out your hand and take his own, curling your fingers gently around his palm. he glances at the motion, but he still doesn't say anything, barely shifting in his position.

you lay like that for a while, his warmth soothing you, his soft breathing lulling you to sleep. before you know it, your eyes are closing, and you drift away.

-

despite being asleep, your body can't quite seem to shake off the feeling that someone is watching you.

a figure, lurking in the corner, staring at your sleeping, defenseless form. there's no one around to notice. no one around to stop them.

footsteps echo down the hall, followed by a clatter, the sound of something dropping to the ground. you snap your eyes open, sitting up in bed, rapidly glancing around the room in search of the sound. it's silent, no signs of life other than your own currently present, not even kyung-jun's. despite what your eyes told you though, you couldn't ignore the prickling at the back of your neck, the goosebumps along your arms. someone was here. you know it, feeling it deep within your bones. but who?

an object catches your eye, laying abandoned on the floor. slowly, you place your feet on the ground and cross the room, crouching down to pick it up. headphones.

don't these belong to da-bum? was he here? but why?

a figure approaches the doorway, stopping in their tracks at the sight of you awake. you meet kyung-jun's puzzled eyes, and you find yourself mimicking the expression, but for very different reasons. in his hands he holds a basket, filled with snacks and drinks from the snack bar. did he get those for you? your heart skips a beat inside your chest, a sort of fondness taking over the fear you felt earlier.

"you're awake." kyung-jun states simply, his eyes drifting down towards the headphones in your hands. you follow his gaze, promptly folding the device and putting them into your skirt pocket. you'd deal with it later.

"i thought i heard something. is that for me?" you ask, nodding your head towards the food.

instead of responding, kyung-jun walks over, reaching in and pulling out an orange container. mango flavored milk. he unscrews the cap, holding it out for you, "drink."

you comply, taking it from his hands, your fingers brushing briefly against his own. you hide a smile as you take a small sip, "you know, this is my favorite flavor."

kyung-jun lifts up an eyebrow at that, wondering where the conversation was heading.

"i've never told you that." you continue.

he tilts his head, eyeing you suspiciously, "so?"

"you notice things about me. and you remember them," you mirror the motion of his head, grinning, "that makes you a good person. a considerate one."

kyung-jun lets out a scoff, glancing away, "you're still on about that?"

"yes. until you believe me."

"and what if i don't?"

you shrug, taking another sip of your drink, "don't be so sure of yourself. i can be persuasive."

kyung-jun slowly lets a grin curl his lips. it's amazing, the way a genuine smile looks on him. it softens every inch of his face, relaxes his entire body. i did that. i made him smile. your own grin widens, warmth blooming in your chest.

suddenly, everything shatters. piece by piece, your world steadily falls apart.

the alarm ringing in your ears is so loud, so unexpected, it makes your entire body jump. trembling, you pull your phone out of your pocket.

CHA YU-JUN HAS DIED. CHA YU-JUN WAS THE DOCTOR. ALL PARTICIPANTS, PLEASE IDENTIFY THE MAFIA AND BEGIN TO VOTE.

the doctor. cha yu-jun was the doctor. it repeats in your head, over and over again, the words never changing, never altered, not even by the dying hope in your heart wishing that it wasn't true.

"cha yu-jun...is dead?" you repeat numbly.

your heart drops down to your stomach, sitting there. you share a look with kyung-jun. his smile is long gone, replaced by the hard set of his jaw. your phone vibrates in your hands, urging you to glance down at the screen and read the new message that popped up.

YOU CAN SELECT 1 PARTICIPANT TO USE YOUR HEAL SKILL. THE SELECTED PARTICIPANT WILL BE PROTECTED FROM MAFIA'S ATTACKS. YOU CAN REVIVE SOMEONE WHO WAS VOTED FOR AND EXECUTED.

your skill. with yu-jun dead, your role has now been upgraded to the doctor. you spare another glance at kyung-jun, who is running his fingers through his head, swearing beneath his breath. your hands shake as you press your skill tab, selecting his name.

48 HOURS HAVE NOT YET PASSED SINCE THE LAST USED HEAL.

what?

you try again, and again, and again, but the same message pops up, a cruel reminder. the realization finally dawns upon you, making your entire body go cold. yu-jun used it on jun-hee last night. yu-jun used it yesterday, and for some foolish, unexplainable reason, his debts have been passed on to you.

your phone slips out of your hands, clattering onto the floor.

"fuck. do you think it was the mafia?" kyung-jun pulls you away from the chaos of your thoughts, and you swallow down the lump in your throat to respond.

"most likely. but i don't understand. it's daytime. why would..."

"they tried to kill you during the day time. it's no surprise they'd go after him, especially if they knew he was the doctor."

still, it was cruel. how could one of your classmates target yu-jun in broad daylight? why didn't they just wait until the night came? why risk being seen when everyone was awake?

something wasn't right, but no matter how hard you thought about it, you couldn't figure it out.

another message comes through your phone, this time from the group chat. you reach down for the device, holding it once more in your hands. a quick glance reveals jung-won's name and her curt message urging everyone to gather outside in the front. assuming that's where yu-jun was killed, you numbly follow kyung-jun through the building to the meet up spot.

when you arrive, everyone is gathered near the lines of the game arena. hesitantly, you approach, a shocked gasp immediately being pulled from your lips at the sight that greets you. yu-jun is on the other side of the line, his head bloody, smashed repeatedly at his temple. a rock lays right next to his hands, dripping blood. the sight of it makes you sick.

"did someone kill him? the mafia?" na-hee trembles, her hands pressed against her face, her eyes dripping tears.

yoon-seo shakes her head, "no. there weren't any signs of struggle. he must have broken the rules."

na-hee slowly looks over at the girl, "but why would he do that?"

"someone must have pushed him," jung-won determines, pointing towards the rock, "that would explain the lack of defensive wounds. as long as they made sure yu-jun stepped outside of the lines, yu-jun would've done the rest of the work himself. they must have figured out he was the doctor and wanted him dead."

her reasoning made sense, and you would agree that it was entirely possible. the scene plays in your mind. yu-jun being led outside to talk. the murderer pushing him outside the boundary, simply watching as yu-jun's mind changes, no longer his own. he would pick up a sharp rock and hit himself in the head with the jagged end, repeatedly until his body hit the ground. he wouldn't even make a sound.

would that be your fate too?

no. your gut told you that wasn't the case. something else happened here. maybe it had nothing to do with the mafia at all.

yoon-seo steps towards the end of the line, crouching down and inspecting his body from her far off position. she cranes her neck, taking in the sight of his fallen form. while she does so, you step away, approaching a different figure lingering by the edge of the crowd.

da-bum looks startled at the sight of you, his eyes darting around as if afraid to meet your eyes. although confused by his skittish personality, you reach into your pockets and hand the headphones over.

"i found these in the infirmary. they belong to you, right?"

da-bum's eyes widen, and he quickly snatches the device away, "y-yes. thank you. i must have left them in there earlier."

"oh, i see." you drop your hand, hesitating. neither of you move, the atmosphere tense and awkward. but you have to know, otherwise it'll eat you up from the inside, "by the way, did you come visit me while i was asleep?"

once again, da-bum's eyes widen, a sliver of panic flashing in his eyes before disappearing completely, "n-no, i didn't. with kyung-jun in there..." he trails off, and for a moment you feel sorry for him, remembering his distaste for the boy. his fear. it's almost enough to make you forget about the encounter completely. maybe you were just being paranoid. someone did try to kill you after all.

but you could've sworn da-bum left with his headphones on before you fell asleep.

when yoon-seo is finally done taking photos, you find yourselves gathered in the cafeteria. you're in similar positions from the first meeting, only this time your chair is pulled right next to kyung-jun's. it's quiet for several moments, the news of yu-jun's death still sinking in.

finally, mi-na lets out a frustrated breath, the sound of her paranoia cutting through the air, "the mafia have gone insane! two murders in one day, and one attempted one?"

"they might be getting desperate." you murmur. why else would they start killing so many people in one day? are they perhaps on a time limit? or are you close to figuring out who is apart of their ranks, and they grew afraid?

"but still...this is too much." na-hee lets out a quiet sniffle, no doubt starting another round of fresh tears.

eun-chan sits up suddenly, "hey, i just remembered. if yu-jun was the doctor, that means the nurse has his abilities now, right? so we aren't completely doomed."

na-hee shoots him an incredulous look, "how can you say that? someone just died, and you're thinking about that?"

eun-chan holds up his hands in surrender. from across the room, another voice speaks up, this one belonging to da-bum, "we were all with someone when the murder happened, right?"

murmurs of agreement erupt, everyone stating their alibis. so-mi speaks up, the ghost of a smirk curling her pink lips.

"don't lie kyung-jun."

he lazily slides his eyes over to her own, irritation building steadily on his face, "what?"

"i saw you. you were walking in the hallways a little bit before yu-jun died."

kyung-jun scoffs, smiling at her in disbelief, "i was getting food you crazy bitch."

"kyung-jun was with me the entire time. in the infirmary." you reaffirm. so-mi lifts up an eyebrow. this time, a smirk really does lift up the corners of her mouth. somehow, you get the feeling that her attacks on kyung-jun is not a coincidence.

"the whole time? are you sure about that? when you were asleep, how could you be sure he was there?"

yeon-woo, a boy on the pudgier side with large, black glasses, lets out a gasp, "yeah! she has a point!"

kyung-jun rolls his eyes, "you guys really are dumb. haven't we gone over this? remember woo-ram? how the hell could i be the mafia? why would i attack my own-" he stops abruptly, clearing his throat and shifting back in his seat. despite pretending to be relaxed about the conversation, you can see the tension in kyung-jun's posture, the way he avoids your eyes. curiosity lingers in the back of your mind.

so-mi abruptly stands up, holding up her phone and tapping away at the screen, "let's just vote him out already. he's caused enough trouble for us anyways."

no one moves. no one makes a sound. at the lack of agreement, so-mi looks around, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

the girl laughs, "hey, don't act like you guys suddenly like him. you may let him do whatever he wants, but i know you talk shit about him behind his back. da-bum!" the boy jumps in his seat, "he bullied you for years! vote him out!"

you find yourself on your feet faster than you can think, "don't act like you're so righteous so-mi."

she considers you for a moment, looking you up and down, perhaps sizing up the amount of threat you pose. she eventually glances away, tapping at her phone once more, "whatever. he'd be better gone."

before she can vote, you reach over and snatch her phone out of her hand.

so-mi narrows her eyes at you, rage flickering in her brown eyes, "yah! give me my phone back."

you step closer to her, the seriousness in your expression causing her smile to falter and to unconsciously take a step back, "i'm sick of you." you seethe, glancing up and looking into each and every face in the room. it's a strange feeling, the way your temper rises, simmering beneath your skin. you're not used to showing your emotions so openly like this, but at the moment, with kyung-jun's life in danger, you don't push it away, "i'm sick of all of you! you guys are so quick to judge, labeling kyung-jun as bad and giving him no opportunities to be good. how unfair is that? he's human too, you know. he wans to live just as badly as the rest of us. don't you think he deserves that? huh?"

everyone is quiet. you realize then that you're breathing heavily, your face flushed in anger. releasing a huff, your fingers tighten around the phone in your hand before throwing it across the floor.

so-mi's eyes follow the movement. she stands still for a moment, blinking in disbelief, trailing her eyes from the device to your face. she lets out a laugh, "you crazy bitch."

SLAP.

the pain lingers, even after so-mi removes her hand from your cheek. you blink slowly, your hands reaching up to press against the skin, shock consuming your entire body. gasps are released from each corner of the room before going quiet once more, watching the scene unfold. calmly, you straighten your posture and face so-mi head on, not saying a word as you regard the girl before you.

fine. if she wanted to play this game, then you'll play, too.

the next couple seconds feels like a blur. you're vaguely aware of your body rushing forward, of your fingers curling around so-mi's hair and latching on. the girl screams, pulling at your own strands, the pain erupting almost immediately as a result. you're shoving each other around, nails finding purchase on any bit of skin it can reach, pulling at the sensitive roots of hair. you wanted to hurt her, for her to feel the pain she has caused to so many people in this room. to yoon-seo, to jun-hee, to na-hee, to you.

before you know it, a pair of arms are wrapped around your stomach, pulling you away from the still screeching girl. you flail around for a bit, struggling to break free, but at the sight of so-mi being held back by jun-hee, you realize the fight is over. you drop your arms, breathing heavily, feeling exhausted.

"go on!" so-mi screams, still struggling in jun-hee's grip, "be kyung-jun's little bitch! he'll leave you as soon as he's bored of you!"

kyung-jun releases you and crosses the room, stopping before so-mi. she immediately quiets down, her features rapidly forming into fear.

the corners of kyung-jun's lips quirk up into a smirk. he leans down, leveling his face with her own, "i think this has gone on long enough, huh?"

her eyebrows pull together in confusion, hesitancy laced in her bitter words, "what are you talking about?"

"i know you're mafia," kyung-jun states simply, straightening so he can face the room, "and i can prove it."

your eyes widen, dread pooling in your stomach, settling there uncomfortably. no. surely he wouldn't. surely kyung-jun wouldn't risk his life just to get rid of so-mi. surely nothing in this world meant more to him than staying alive. you grip the sleeve of his uniform, panicked, "what are you doing? kyung-jun stop. if you do that then-"

kyung-jun just smiles, shrugging you off. you're forced to watch as he pulls out his phone. presses her name. on the screen, her occupation shows up, causing a victorious smile to form on his lips. he turns the device around, "look. my hunch was right."

her eyes quickly scan the screen, her entire body freezing at the sight. people start stepping closer to look at the phone.

KIM SO-MI IS MAFIA.

jun-hee drops his hands, stepping away. the girl frantically shakes her head, "no. no! he's lying. i'm not mafia! i'm not!"

"you killed seung-bin?" yoon-seo whispers, the grief on her face so clear it causes an ache to develop in the space of your ribs, "and yu-jun? it was you?"

"no! no it wasn't me! i didn't kill either of them!" she cries.

eun-chan stomps over to the girl, shoving her back, "you killed eun-ha! if it weren't for you, she wouldn't have died! how can you do that if you're human?!"

"i had no choice!" so-mi screams, causing the room to go silent. her entire body shakes, and she clenches her hands into tight fists, "i just wanted to survive. why? you wouldn't have done the same thing?" she pauses, and angry tears slip down her face, "i didn't want to become the freaking mafia either!"

eun-chan scoffs, "stop with your nonsense. does it not matter as long as you survive? what about us? do we deserve to die? do we?!"

so-mi sniffs, shaking her head ever so slightly, "i didn't kill anyone. the other guys killed them. what happened to them has nothing to do with me. jun-hee!" she steps over to him, reaching down for his hands and holding them in her own. she peers up at him, pleading, "please. you have to believe me."

jun-hee's expression hardens. it becomes so eerily calm, a scarier version of the empty look he had last night. he pushes her away, looking down upon so-mi's pitiful face, "take responsibility."

around you, people start pulling out their phones and voting for her. so-mi is full on sobbing now, glancing around the room, trying to get them to stop. she runs up to mi-na, trying to pull the phone out of her hand, only to get shoved off. da-bum steps up and pushes her to the ground.

she glances up at the boy, something unspoken passing between them. you watch the exchange with confusion, especially when the girl allows a smile to curl her lips. she laughs mockingly, "you're all fooled. do you know who the mafias are?" she opens her mouth to speak, but stops suddenly, a choking sound coming from her throat. she reaches a hand up, the sound persisting, trying to lodge itself out. suddenly, she leans forward, and blood bursts from her lips.

YOU CAN'T REVEAL THE IDENTITIES OF OTHER MAFIAS TO CITIZENS.

so-mi's lips tremble, her eyes glassy as she stares up at each of your faces. a part of you understands her situation. how scary it must've been to be assigned a role that forces you to kill your classmates. your friends. but it was no excuse. you pull out your phone and press her name.

yoon-seo is one of the last people remaining to vote so-mi out. as she pulls out her phone, so-mi scrambles towards the girl, reaching out a trembling hand. yoon-seo's face twists in pain, "why did you do that? you brought it on yourself," she ignores her cry for help and presses the button on her phone.

so-mi sits back on the floor, her sobs echoing in the space. with faces of disgust, everyone leaves the room, and you hesitate only for a moment before following kyung-jun out.

only one thing is on your mind as you enter the snack bar. you stand in the center of the room, unchanging, listening to kyung-jun close the door behind you and let out an exhausted breath.

"finally that fucking bitch is gone. she was starting to piss me off."

you're silent for a moment, his words going in one ear and out the other. trembling, you pull out your phone and press your skill tab, pressing on kyung-jun's name.

48 HOURS HAVE NOT YET PASSED SINCE THE LAST USED HEAL.

48 HOURS HAVE NOT YET PASSED-

"fuck! why won't this thing work?!" you scream, throwing your phone on the ground. something wet slips down your face, and you realize they are tears. one by one, they fall, and upon acknowledging them, they never seem to stop.

why would the game give you this ability when you can't even save the one person you love? was it some sick joke? are the creators laughing at your face? because of your incompetence, kyung-jun is going to die. he's going to die he's-

you swiftly turn around, marching up to kyung-jun and shoving him back. he blinks, bewildered by your actions, but you don't give him time to recover as you approach him once more, banging your fists against his chest.

his hands immediately reach up and wrap around your wrists, preventing you from continuing your attacks, "why the fuck are you hitting me?"

"you idiot!" you cry, trying to pull free. he tightens his grip, "why did you do that? why did you reveal your role? now the mafia know and they're gonna kill you! do you hear me? they'll kill you!"

something shifts in kyung-jun's demeanor, his grip slackening ever so slightly. he looks down at you, the emotion on his face almost unreadable. but you catch it, just a slight hint of it. defeat. kyung-jun has accepted his fate.

no, don't look at me like that. you're supposed to fight kyung-jun. that's what you do. you fight until you can't anymore.

"what does it matter? at least we caught another damn mafia." he mutters.

"and what about me, huh? did you think about that?" you rip your hands away, your sobs slipping away more freely now. you reach up and desperately try wiping them away, trying to ignore the hollow space where your heart lays, the deep ache inside your ribs, "don't tell me you still haven't figured it out kyung-jun! you don't get to just make me fall in love with you only to die in the end!"

kyung-jun freezes at that. you drop your hands, breathing heavily. the air is thick with tension, something hanging in the air, begging to be said. you wait for the moment kyung-jun speaks, for a shift in his expression, some sort of telltale sign that reveals his thoughts about your confession. but he doesn't say anything. he just stands there, impossibly still, staring at you like he can't grasp the words you just said.

"say something goddammit!" you shout, the frustration building when the silence persists, "yell at me! tell me i'm stupid! don't just- don't just stand there!"

finally, kyung-jun moves. he slowly steps towards you, his fingers reaching for his front pocket. you watch the movement, slightly confused, examining the way he pulls out a small object, hidden in his hands. he looks down. reaches for your hand, unfurling your fingers so your palm faces up. then, he places the object on top, the sight of it making your breath catch in your throat.

KO KYUNG-JUN.

the letters of his name are as clear as day, stitched with black letters over a white rectangle. emotion clogs inside your throat, and the tears rush down your face once more, curling your fingers around the nametag protectively. in korean culture, it is customary to give the person you like their nametag.

the person you like.

"that day in the rain."

you glance up, meeting his eyes.

kyung-jun scans your face, taking you in, the corners of his eyes creased with something both pained and tender. he lets out a shaky breath, "you looked at me like...i was someone worth looking at."

because you are. because i would gladly lay my eyes upon you if not to take you in your entirety. how wonderful and scary it is for someone to see you. to really look at you. were you scared that day kyung-jun? that day in the rain, when i stripped you bare and saw something you kept hidden.

will you let me see you now?

your body moves on its own. your feet close the remaining distance between you, your hands reaching up and grabbing his face. for a brief moment, the split of a second, you see kyung-jun's eyes widen in surprise before you pull him down and catch his lips.

here's what you learn about kyung-jun as you kiss him.

he responds quickly. though he's initially caught off guard, it doesn't take long for him to reciprocate the motions. pushing and pulling, like waves on the beach, the both of you consuming each other entirely.

he is not a slow kisser. he does not take his time. his movements are desperate, rushed, as if he's fighting with the clock, trying to take as much of you as possible before it runs out.

and he's bold. while your fingers slip from his face towards his hair, curling around the strands, you feel his own hands grab onto your waist, gripping the delicate flesh to pull you closer to his body. the feeling of his warmth pressed against your bare skin, his soft breaths against your cheek, it urges you to tighten your fingers, pulling a soft grunt from his throat. his movements growing even more rushed, his teeth nipping at your sensitive skin, and the sound alone causes something to stir in your stomach, for your heart to beat rapidly against your ribcage. you pull back, just slightly, so you can see his face.

kyung-jun slowly opens his eyes, a hazy, distracted look reflected in them. soft pants leave his lips, which are parted and bruised, a lovely sight. the rest of his face is flushed red, and when you slowly remove your hands and slide them down to his neck, the strands stick up in different directions, adding to the disheveled look.

oh, i want to unravel him completely.

his eyes flicker down to your lips, focused intently there, his adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallows thickly.

"do you understand now?" he mumbles against your skin.

instead of speaking, you nod your head softly, a barely noticeable tip of your head. i think i could understand you thoroughly, piece by piece, if you give me the opportunity to learn.

slowly, one of his hands reach up and cradle the back of your head, pulling you closer, and you let him press his lips against your own once more. they mold together perfectly, his breaths now yours, and you take it in greedily. oh, how badly you want him. how selfish you feel to need him entirely, flesh and bone, a desperate ache in your ribs. you press your hand flat against his chest, feeling the rapid rhythm of his heart. THUMP THUMP THUMP. here he is in the palm of your hands, pliant beneath you, taking him in, but even now, you still feel as if you don't know everything.

and the thought of that, the possibility that you will never get to have him entirely, it scares you. you don't want it.

you gently push kyung-jun back, and he looks down into your face, the slightest hint of confusion reflected in his eyes. without a word, you reach up and brush a strand of hair away from his face, press your fingers against his cheek, holding him there. something in him wavers, leans into your touch, his eyes fluttering shut for a split second.

time. all you need is time.

"kyung-jun, do you trust me?"

-

the note sits heavy in your pocket as you stand outside the door, hesitating. you managed to lift up your hand and form a fist, but you can't bring yourself to knock. what if they aren't there? what if they refuse to help you? the possibilities run rampant in your mind.

then, you feel it. a small brush of kyung-jun's fingers against your own, a gentle reminder of his presence. you take in a shaky breath, bringing your fist to the door.

a voice calls out from the other side, granting you permission to come in. you turn the handle and open it halfway, finding jun-hee, jung-won and yoon-seo inside the room.

yoon-seo blinks at you in surprise, "oh, hey. what is it?"

you glance to your left, stepping aside to allow room for the boy to approach. at the sight of kyung-jun's figure, the three of them grow quiet, staring in bewilderment. they glance between the two of you, trying to figure out the meaning behind your visit.

you clear your throat, "can we come in? i need to discuss something with you."

jung-won and jun-hee share a glance, their reluctance apparent in their faces. you start to think that maybe this was a bad idea. that you should figure something out on your own, but yoon-seo speaks up, her gentle smile causing you to sag in relief, "of course."

you and kyung-jun step inside, closing the door behind you. you sit down at the table, legs folded neatly beneath you, waiting for the spot beside you to get filled. when it doesn't, you glance up at kyung-jun, who stands awkwardly to the side, hands in his pockets, staring at the space warily. you send him a reassuring smile, patting the empty space, and he finally sits down.

once he's situated, you return your attention to the three friends across the table, "i need to talk to you about something."

yoon-seo adjusts herself, getting closer, "what?"

you take a deep breath, reciting the words you practiced earlier in your head, "the mafia are going to execute kyung-jun tonight," saying it out loud, it makes the future feel more real, leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. you ignore it, continuing on, "once he's gone, finding the rest of the mafia will be difficult since his police skill will no longer be of use. but we can probably get one more mafia if we play our cards right."

jun-hee stares at you in confusion, "what do you mean?"

"we set the mafia up. they've been playing mind games with us from the start. it's about time we even out the playing field. make it so when they attack kyung-jun tonight, we can find evidence in the morning."

"and how do we do that?" jung-won asks.

jun-hee responds to her inquiry, "actually, i might have an idea for that. leave it to me."

yoon-seo sets her eyes on kyung-jun, who has remained quiet the entire time, "kyung-jun, are you okay with this?"

the boy leans back on his hands, tilting his head towards the ceiling, letting out a harsh breath. he's pretending to be unaffected, but you know better. you can see the tension in his hands, the way they tremble, betraying his emotions, "if it means catching those damn mafia, i don't care. but i'll kill you guys if you fail."

her expression softens, and she smiles gently in his direction, "i'm sorry it had to go like this." she spares a glance at you, but you make sure to ignore it. you fear that if you meet her eyes, see her soft, worried gaze, you'll find yourself breaking down once more.

you and kyung-jun rise to your feet. you bow your head slightly, "thank you. this means a lot to me."

you turn to leave, only to pause, remembering the note still folded in your pocket. you turn back around, going up to yoon-seo. she watches you in confusion as you take her hand and press the slip of paper into her palms. she glances down at it, her puzzlement growing.

"what is it?" she asks, searching your eyes for the answer.

you curl her fingers over the note, hiding it from view, "a backup plan. open it tomorrow. you'll know when."

she nods in understanding, putting the note away into her skirt pocket. as she does so, you recall what happened about an hour prior with kyung-jun when you were putting the plan in place.

"you sure about this?" kyung-jun asks, standing above you, watching you work.

you nod, finishing up the words and placing the marker down onto the table, "yes. it's the only explanation."

kyung-jun laughs darkly, shaking his head slightly, "damn that bastard. he's gotten pretty bold, huh?"

you look down at the note, reading the letters a few more times before folding it into a small square and stuffing it inside your pocket.

'da-bum poisoned me. please find a way to reveal his occupation.'

-

BA-DUM.

the sound of kyung-jun's heart beating inside his chest calms you. after jun-hee set up a paint filled air refresher in the corner near the doorway, both you and kyung-jun sit in the snack bar alone, only this time the shutters have not been pulled down. at first, yoon-seo and jun-hee had insisted you hide with them, but you refused their requests, determined to remain by kyung-jun's side.

that's how you found yourself here, curled up against his side, your ear pressed against his heart. you listened to the way it beat, counting the rhythm, feeling the steady rise of his chest each time he takes in a breath and releases it. tomorrow, i want it to beat just like this.

"what are you doing?" he murmurs, breaking the silence.

"listening to your heart." you close your eyes, releasing a soft breath, "i want to remember it."

THUMP THUMP.

his steady beats pick up in speed, faster now, and you smile, laughing softly under your breath at the way kyung-jun's body betrays him. then, faintly, you feel his fingers brush against your ear, pulling back your hair. they cradle the back of your head, and you let out another sigh, allowing him to hold you like that for a moment, savoring the gentle touch of his hand. how careful he is with his movements.

eventually, you lift up your head, your face set in determination, "tomorrow, my skill's cooldown will disappear, and i'll save you. i won't let you die."

he stares at you, his eyes flitting across your face, a small shift twitching the corners of his lips and forming tension between the space of his brows. without a word, kyung-jun reaches into his pocket and pulls out a set of keys, taking your hand and placing them in your palm. you stare at them, feeling the cold weight of the metal. an ache forms between your ribs.

"why are you giving me this?"

"the snack bar is the safest place in the building. if you lock the shutters, no one can get in. not even with an axe."

kyung-jun's words sink in slowly, but the realization hits you like a slap to the face. quick, sharp. you shake your head, trying to force the object back in his possession, "no, i don't want them, take them back-"

"listen to me!" kyung-jun grips your shoulders, forcing you to meet his desperate eyes, "if you don't take them, you'll die, and that is the one thing you can't do," the edges of his tone cracks. kyung-jun clenches his jaw, shaking you slightly, his voice tempering between frustration and fear, "promise me you'll use them to hide yourself." you shake your head, your refusal building on the tip of your tongue, but kyung-jun is pleading with you, a desperate man, "promise me."

oh, you understand it now. the thing that drove kyung-jun to reveal his occupation despite the danger. the one thing kyung-jun cares about more than his own life. yours.

your lips tremble as a tear slips down your face, "i promise."

he releases a breath, the tension slipping away from his body with your words alone. he releases you, leaning back against the wall, eyes slipping closed. its quiet for a while, the weight of the situation finally suffocating you both, pressing down against your chests, squeezing your lungs.

time. just more time.

you shift closer to him, reaching forward and gently peeling the bandages off his face. he doesn't flinch at all as you do so, just tracks your movements intensely with his eyes.

"they healed nicely." you mumble softly, brushing your fingers against the wounds. across the slope of his nose and the soft flesh of his cheek. they've scabbed over, and pretty soon, you wouldn't even know he got injured in the first place, "i was worried your pretty face would get ruined."

kyung-jun lets out a soft laugh, the sound ringing in your ears, causing a flutter in your chest.

slowly, kyung-jun lifts up his hand towards your neck. cautiously, as if afraid of hurting you, he brushes his own fingers against the scratch marks on the side of your throat, left behind after your fight with so-mi. he inspects the wounds, a hint of concern and anger simmering beneath his calm expression. they slip away, resting on your pulse point, and you close your eyes, feeling the rapid beat of your heart press against his fingers.

KIM SO-MI HAS BEEN EXECTUED. KIM SO-MI WAS MAFIA.

"kyung-jun."

he lifts up his eyes, and you study him more closely, taking in the sight of his face one last time. his tousled hair. the slope of his nose. the shape of his eyes, no doubt your favorite thing about him. you lean down, his eyes fluttering close as you press your lips lightly against them, one on his right, one on his left. you move up, kissing the space between his brows, smoothing out the tension always lingering there, his anger no more. you shift down, bringing attention to the scab on his nose, then the one on his cheek, prolonging the contact for a split moment longer than the others. and finally, you reach his lips, the press of them pulling a soft breath from his lungs.

kyung-jun reaches up and cradles your face in both his hands, his thumbs softly brushing the tears slipping down your cheeks. you try not to think about what will happen soon, focusing on him instead, pressing closer, consuming every part of him he gives you.

please, just give me more time. give me another second in his embrace. let me feel the warmth of his skin before it goes cold. let me memorize the exact way his face shifts, how many times his heart beats in a minute, what makes him happy.

reluctantly, you pull away for air, pressing your forehead against his, your nose brushing against his own. his breaths tickle your cheek, his fingers trembling against your jaw.

"i'll see you tomorrow, okay?" you whisper, unable to help yourself from stealing once last kiss against the tip of his nose.

you curl up beside him, resting your head on his shoulder, your hand engulfed in his warm, calloused palms. they tighten around yours, and you feel his body shaking, once again betraying what he really felt, the fear gripping his bones. you squeeze tightly, and kyung-jun returns it, gripping your hand as if his life depended on it, as if you're the only thing grounding him at the moment, keeping him tethered to the earth.

the music comes on, and you don't let go.

NIGHT HAS COME.

part [redacted].

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