Bittersweet ≈ Seonghwa [NEW!]

Hongjoong

(Hongjoong's POV of his love story tragedy)

2 years back...

The members and I gathered at headquarters in front of boss for a new mission.

"I need all 8 of you to track down this student. Kim Woojin. He goes to this high school. He has something of mine and I need it. Do whatever it takes. I will enrol you in there. A map of the hideout near the outskirts of the town will be handed to you shortly."

I raised my hand and waited for his acknowledgement. When boss pointed to me, I voiced out my concerns.

"We're already 21. Our youngest is 19. Can we pass at 16 year olds?"

Boss snickered, "I don't see why not? As long as you guys act like it, you can be overgrown 16 year olds for all I care."

His tone grew dark as he gritted his teeth, "Just get me what I want."

---

"Hey could you leave me alone for at least one fking day?!?"

A giggly girl by the name Hyunmi who trailing behind me, has been following me around for the past two weeks ever since I enrolled into the school.

"Can't you see? I really love you and I hope you can see that I won't leave you until you give me a chance!" she toddled with her little pink bag.

She's so innocent and naive. She doesn't even know what kind of person I am yet she decides to like me just because?

I entered the cafeteria where I meet my other members.

"Bro, she's still following you around like a puppy," Yunho commented to me as he pointed his chin to Hyunmi who sat a table away from us.

"She's getting on my nerves so bad," I wrinkled my nose, putting my head in my hands.

Seonghwa scoffed, making me look towards him. "Hong, just yell at her. Or what'd I do, simply destroy her life silently. Then she'll have other things to worry about and leave you alone."

A part of me felt like this girl is growing on me. I mean, she would keep me company whenever I'm alone. Her constant texts and calls asking me about my day made me feel validated and cared for. And so far, the best thing is, she somehow knows her boundaries. She doesn't follow me home and luckily, not while I'm on missions.

I shook my head, "Nah she's harmless. She'll get bored sooner or later."

Someone like her deserves someone better than someone like me.

---

A week later...

"Hey Hongjoong?"

I hear her voice once again behind me, early at dawn during my morning jog.

She's a pro-stalker I tell you.

I slowed down in my tracks, turning around. Hyunmi handed me a bottle of water and started dabbing away at my sweat with a towel.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?" I faced the other way as I drank the water she provided for me.

She bit down her lower lip as she slowly asked, choosing her words carefully.

"What exactly do you do for a living?"

Her odd question made me face her with a frown. She nervously laughed, pulling back a strand of hair behind her ear.

"The other day, I saw that you lived with your friends. You guys went out the door with guns poking out of your back pockets."

My eyes widen. Has she been stalking me home the entire time?

"What else do you know? What have you seen Hyunmi? Why did you only bring this up to me now?"

I watched as the tiny, small girl before me stomped one of her feet, "I...I want to help you! You're the good guys right?"

She's a kid. She's an innocent 16 year old who's desperate for love. I shook my head. I have to get rid of her before she tries anything stupid.

"I'm not the good guy," I glared at her. "Get the fk out of my face or you will regret ever following me around like a dog. You hear me?!"

I used such a dark and intimidating tone of voice that the poor girl started to quiver in fright.

I expected her to run away crying. But next thing she did, melted my stone, cold heart.

Her thin and small arms wrapped around my waist.

"I don't believe that," Hyunmi softly says as she pressed herself against me, hugging me tightly.

My hands lay by my sides, lost on what to do.

After that moment...

A few days later,

I was quick to notice she wasn't following me around anymore. A bad feeling was planted deep inside me.

"Whoa, little shadow isn't following you anymore?" Yunho asked as we ate at the school cafeteria.

"Guys, I have a really bad feeling about this," I replied and told them what happened the other day when she hugged me.

Seonghwa stood up after I was done explaining, "Do you think it has something to do with the gang Woojin was involved in? I mean, for all we know, they might have used her to get back at us for what we did to Woojin."

It didn't take long for us to find out, IOX had held her captive.

By the time we came to save her,...she was gone.

Dawn was breaking by the time Seonghwa drove us home from the long fight we had at the IOX tower.

As the kids played games, argued and laughed around in the van, all I could do was stare out the window in grief.

I could've protected her. If only I had actually given her a chance, she would've been safe by my side.

A precious and innocent life was lost...because of me.