ELUSIVE

LETTING GO

Eunha walked into the forest and hike some hill all by herself. There is her 'playground' since she was a child, a place where she would always run from being chased and beaten by her father. Also a place where she would go if her mother asked her to run away. But today, things are different.

She finally arrived at an abandoned small cottage house. Hyeonwoo was waiting for her at the door.

"Eunha-ya. This won't do. He even passed the lying test we conducted. I guess he was telling the truth. Besides, is there any other way we can interrogate him instead of this way?" Hyeonwoo asked, feeling uneasy with what they are doing now.

He had found Jung Euntaek while he was fishing with his friends. It looks like Jung Euntaek has been running away and lived in a boat away from the land, which is the reason why he was hard to be tracked. Upon knowing the news, Eunha convinced Hyeonwoo to bring her father to her. She want to know the truth herself before sending Jung Euntaek to the polices. Jung Euntaek had owed her something.

"That would be nonsense, Hyeonwoo-yah. He is a good liar. Let's see what would he say when he meet me today." Eunha said and entering the room. Hyeonwoo was asked to just wait for her outside.

There, she saw her father again, being tied on a chair. She looks at him in furious.

"Eunha, Eunha-ya. Helped me. There is a jerk putting a prank on me." Jung Euntaek said, acting to be begging and weak.

"On the day where Mr. and Mrs Jeon visited Mother, it is you who killed Mr. Jeon, right? You're furious seeing mother and Mr. Jeon were together at that time! You're on drug so you killed him! Admit it all!!" Eunha yelled, landing a hard slap on his face.

"I told numerous time! It wasn't not me! It's your stupid mother!!" Jung Euntaek yelled back.

"LIE! Mother would never do that! It's you who have the potential to kills someone! Admit it and let mother free!!" Eunha went furious. "Admit it and I'll make sure other prisoners will treat you nicely." Eunha tried to convinced.

"The real murderer is YOUR MOTHER! Not me!" Jung Euntaek still trying to defend himself. He is innocent.

"Yes! I admit it that i sold drugs. I consumed drugs. Put me in jail because of it but i never murdered that brat!" Jung Euntaek yelled. This time, Eunha could feel that her father was being stern and determine.

"And yes, i beat your mother that day. Who wouldn't be mad when your wife is together with the man you hate the most?! That ignorant Jeon! He's been making fun of me since I was young! And now, he want to take my wife from me?" Jung Euntaek said, almost flashback-ing his history. "Your mother ran to the kitchen, grabbing a knife to stab me. I was just trying to take the knife away from her grip but that stupid Jeon suddenly wanna be involved and we accidentally stabbed him. I was so panic that i run away. I should've stayed there and watch him die in front of me." Jung Euntaek said, looking at the floor.

Eunha who was faithfully hearing him is at loss of words. If what Jung Euntaek is saying is true, then,

"I think you remembered something important, right?" Jung Euntaek said, judging the way that Eunha was so speechless at that time. " That Jeon's body was reportedly to have 4 stabs in his chest. The accident where I stabbed him only caused one stab. And i swear that i run away after that. So who you think did the other three stabs?" Jung Euntaek asked, smiling sarcastically.

Eunha's eyes began to get teary and was furious when she saw Euntaek was smiling. As if she had lost and he win.

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" Eunha said and punch him on the face hard.

"THAT'S HURT YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Jung Euntaek yelled, spitting blood from his mouth. Eunha's punch was indeed strong and stiff.

"This is what your mother taught you,huh? Where's that little naive girl? I know you're still weak inside! You won't dare to kill me!" Jung Euntaek said, with his sarcastic looks fixed on Eunha, provoking her.

To his surprise, Eunha take out a rope from her sleeve and wrap it around her father's neck.

"What are you doing, Eunha-yah! Don't do it! You won't dare!" Jung Euntaek struggled but he couldn't moves much.

"I guess it's runs in the blood. Remember, your blood is running in this little naive girl too." Eunha whispered to Euntaek's ears and began puling the rope with all her might, choking Euntaek.

"Urgh...argh.." Euntaek could hardly breath.

"Say to me that you'll admit it that you're the one who killed Mr.Jeon! I will let you go and make sure you live well with other prisoner." Eunha threatened.

Euntaek refused to give any answer and still ogling at Eunha in hatred. Seeing that, Eunha fix her grip on the rope even more and pulls it harder.

"O...O-kay! I-I'll d...d-do it." Euntaek said, struggling with his breath. Upon hearing that, Eunha was convinced and let the rope go.

"Make sure you stick with it. Or else, I can do worse than this to make you suffer." Eunha whispered, almost like a mad girl.

~~~

Taehyung's heroic action save Yerin and Eunha was really appreciated that the polices has placed his name on the memorial wall together with the other names who died heroically while helping the victims. A lot of flowers can be seen everywhere in front of the memorial wall which is shielded by a glass wall to prevent exposure to moisture that can cause the memorial wall to be mossy.

Wearing fully black, Yerin walked to the part where Taehyung's name is carved on. There, she saw a picture of smiling Taehyung. Today, she tried not to cry anymore, which is what Taehyung always asked her to. Taehyung would not like it when she is crying. Gently, she put a bouquet of lilies and few tulips in front of the picture and his name. She puts her hand on the glass wall, imagining that she is holding Taehyung's face.

"Thank you for everything, Taehyung-ah." Her eyes locked on Taehyung's name on the memorial wall.

To her surprise, Taehyung's figure could be seen as reflection at the glass wall. Yerin could see Taehyung's face, just 5 steps away from her. He's smiling. Yerin was in total shock but she did not dare to turn. Knowing that Taehyung will never be there behind her will hurt her more. Taehyung was moving his mouth, saying something which definitely she could not hear.

However, by reading the movement of his lips, Yerin could say that Taehyung is saying, 잘 살아 (take care). Knowing that, Yerin's heart ache again. The fact that she lives while Taehyung had died saving her cause her to get teary again. She somehow failed to keep her promise, to not cry again. Couldn't bear the pain in her heart, Yerin looked down on the floor and cried.

Eunha and Jungkook were faithfully watching her from afar. Eunha was about to go and comfort Yerin when she burst out crying again but was prevented by Jungkook.

"Let her cry. It might be the best for her to let out all the pain in her heart that way rather than bottling everything up, right?" Jungkook suggested and she couldn't agree more. Cry is always the best to somehow express all the pain in the heart.

After a few moments, Yerin finally calmed down and looked at the glass door once again. Taehyung's reflection has gone. Yerin forced a smile and said, "I'm sorry, I cried." She then walked away from the memorial wall after giving the last respect to Taehyung.

"Don't worry Yerin-noona, we will visit him often." Jungkook said when Yerin finally arrived at them. Eunha went to Yerin and linked their arms together.

"Don't cry anymore, Yerin-unnie. I believe, those who we love never truly leave us, they walk beside us, still loved and still missed. It's just that there are things death cannot touch." Eunha said, giving the meaningful advice from Jack Thorne to lift Yerin's mood.

"Thank you both of you." Yerin said and the three walked out from the building together. It was raining at that time, so they began opening their umbrella. When Yerin was a step away to exit the building, she got this instinct to look back again, to the memorial wall.

There, she saw him again. Standing there looking at her. He was smiling and was showing her goodbye waves. Yerin reply with a smile and also waving him goodbye

Finally letting him go.

THE END