Sideline | RENJUN

Chapter 31

Renjun should have felt pain but he only felt warmth as Jieun hugged him, blocking him from Seolhee's view.

"Are you okay?" Jieun whispered as she held onto him tightly, and Renjun ran his hand over her back.

"You're not injured." Renjun pointed out as he replayed the scene in his head.

The person that screamed. It wasn't Jieun. It was...

"No, no, no!"

The two of them turned around to see Winwin running towards the bodies on ground, both of them barely breathing. Behind him, Jeno, Taeil, and Soojung were there, Jeno placing the gun in his hand back into his jacket.

"Jiejie!" Renjun cried as he ran towards his sister's body, bullet wounds in her chest. Winwin was desperately pressing his hand over her wounds, hoping to stop the blood flow, but his hand was turning red.

"She's dead." Renjun heard Soojung say as she bent down over Seolhee's dead body. "You got her good, Jen."

"I'm more worried about Jiayi." Jeno called out, stepping towards them. "Seolhee got her too."

"I'm. Fine." Jiayi breathed out, her voice rasp and weak. "I'll be fine."

"Save your energy, Jiayi." Taeil instructed as he stood over Winwin, patting his back as he cried, holding Jiayi's hand. Renjun himself could barely see as his own tears blinded him.

"This can't be happening." Renjun said, wanting to shove his head into the nearest wall as he held his sister's arm. "Why did you do that?"

"Because you're my brother." Jiayi said, before coughing. "I have to protect you."

"Not like that, you idiot." Renjun argued as Winwin ran his fingers through the girl's hair. "You can't leave us like this."

"You'll be fine." Jiayi told him, a weak smile on her face. "You have a brother now."

"Brother?" Renjun was confused until he caught sight of the hand Winwin was holding Jiayi's hand between his. Despite the fact that they were all covered by blood, it was clear in the moonlight.

There, glowing on Jiayi's left ring finger was a diamond ring and Winwin had a silver one that matched hers on his own hand.

"You two got married." Renjun breathed out, unsure of how to take it all in.

"It was a spontaneous decision." Taeil said as Winwin sobbed, unable to speak proper words. "You know how your sister is."

"I sure do." Renjun mumbled as he turned back to Jiayi, the colour quickly draining from her face.

"Sicheng, please." Jiayi begged, weakly glancing at her husband. "I'll be fine."

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Renjun heard Jieun ask Soojung, her voice making it clear that she was crying as well.

It wasn't Soojung but Taeil that answered.

"The only thing we can do is hold her to ease the pain." Taeil told them, giving Winwin one last pat. "I'll be in the car. Jiayi, you know this isn't goodbye but see you later."

Jiayi let out a weak chuckle as Taeil gave her one last smile before walking away. Renjun knew that he was crying too though, as he wiped a tear from his eye before bringing Soojung and Jeno with him.

Renjun felt two arms wrap around him and knew that Jieun was there, supporting him while his sister was sitting on the line between life and death.

"My family is all here." Jiayi said, giving Jieun a small smile. "Take care of Renjun, he's a lot."

"Hey." Renjun argued but his voice cracked and he couldn't help but break, seeing his sister in her weakened state. Jiayi was always strong, she was a fighter with a big heart. Renjun wished that there was something he could do to save her, but Taeil had made it clear that his sister was too far gone.