Dangerous Illusion

- 7 -

I wake up not feeling or seeing Jongsuk next to me. I yawn sitting up, my eyes catch the sight of a note on the table.

I pick it up reading it.

"Jiae,
I left to meet my father. I shouldn't be gone long, if anyone comes (which they shouldn't) but if they do there is a gun in the drawer. Use it. I'll be back soon
- Jongsuk"

I let out a small sigh putting the paper back on the dresser. I grab some clothes for a shower then walk to the bathroom.

I take my shirt off and turn to the mirror. I look down at my stomach seeing the scar from when I got stabbed, I sigh running my fingers over the scar looking in disgust.

I roll my eyes looking away from the scar sighing, I finish getting undressed then I get in the shower.

__

As I leave the bathroom I hear my phone ringing. I rush over grabbing it off the dresser, "hello, hey mom" I answer.

I hear her sigh, "I've been calling you for a while now, where are you ?" She asks me, "I'm sorry, I was in the shower. I'm out of town in a hotel".

"Look, I know you said your leaving because of the stabbing and you don't feel safe but what am I supposed to tell the school ?" She asks me sighing.

"I don't know, make up a lie or something mom" I respond, "and this boy, I don't even know him. I'm not ok-" "mom, I trust him...I'll be fine I promise" I respond as Jongsuk walks back into the hotel room.

We share eye contact and he shows a small smile, "and you trust me so..." I add on. I hear her hum then sigh, "I'm always lenient with you Jiae, but I think your lying to me. What else aren't your telling me ?" She asks.

I sit down on the bed as Jongsuk walks over taking his jacket off, "I'll explain everything when I come back home. I promise, I love you mom. I have to go" I say. "I love you too".

I hang up placing my phone back on the dresser, "you know you can't tell her, right ?" Jongsuk asks me handing me my drink.

"It's too dangerous to involve anyone else, it's already bad enough that your involved" he adds then drinks some of his coffee.

I hum looking at my cup, "when will this be over ?" I furrow my brows looking back up at him. He shrugs, "my dad is trying to handle it but it's bigger than both of us thought" he sighs.

I sigh, "its just...this is my graduation year..it wasn't supposed to be like this" I shrug. He gets out of the chair and walks over sitting next to me, "you'll still graduate on time. I promise" he assures me.

"I wanted to...thank you again for saving my life" I turn to him sitting my cup on the dresser. He smiles nodding while drinking, "it's no problem" he shrugs.

The room goes silent, I clear my throat not knowing what to begin to say. He laughs a bit, "this is awkward" he says.

I hum laughing, "we-" I get cut off by my phone ringing once more. I grab it seeing Chaeryoung's called ID. I grab it answering, "hey".

"Hey, what's up ? How are you ? You okay ?" She bombards me with questions. I chuckle, "I'm fine, yea. Aren't you in class ?" I ask her.

"I was, I stepped out to call my best friend. We're worried about you, especially Jaemin..well I think he's more so jealous" she laughs.

I laugh as someone knocks on the door, Jongsuk stands up grabbing his gun from his waistband "yea haha, I'm fine you guys don't need to worry about me" I say standing up off the bed watching Jongsuk walk to the door.

"When are you coming back ?" She asks as Jongsuk opens the door. As soon as he opens the door two guys rush in aiming their guns at us.

"Drop the phone" one tells me. I drop it to the bed, "how did you find us ?" Jongsuk asks him while aiming his gun, "don't ask me questions" one responds.

"Now, put down the gun or the girl gets shot" he taunts him closing the door back. Jongsuk slowly places the gun to the ground.

"First we're going to kill you, then your father. As for the girl, she shouldn't have got involved with you" the guy smirks as the other one watches me.

I glance at the drawer remembering there is a gun in there, "ok..uh let's just talk this out" I try to distract them. They both look at me, "obviously you don't know what he did" the one closest to me says.

I narrow my eyes shaking my head, "he murdered my family and left my little cousin alive to deal with the trauma" he states.

"At least he's alive ?" I squint my eyes nervously shrugging. As soon as he opens his mouth to speak Jongsuk attacks the other guy putting him in a headlock.

"Drop the gun or he dies" Jongsuk warns the other guy. He drops the gun and kicks it away, "now, if you or anyone of your friends come after us again I won't be so nice" Jongsuk warns them.

The guy in Jongsuk's hold stomps on his foot trying to get away, in the process Jongsuk shoots making him fall to the ground and me jump then punches the other guy.

They start fighting as I stand there helplessly. As they fight for the gun it gets slide by my foot, I look down at it them back to Jongsuk who's seeming to lose the fight.

"Kill him right now" Jongsuk tells me as he fights off the guy. I'm stuck, I can't kill someone but I can't let Jongsuk die.

I reluctantly grab the gun then hit the guy in the head with it. He falls over off of Jongsuk, I help him up "I can't kill someone" I shake my head.

He takes the gun out of my hand then turns to the guy shooting him. He lets out a heavy breath wiping the blood off his lip.

I notice my phone on the bed light up indicating a call just ended. That's when it hits me, I never hung up on Chaeryoung when he told me to drop the phone.

"It's killed or be killed Jiae. At some point you'll have to kill someone" he tells me. I shake my head, "no I won't. You said it'll end soon..but we have another problem" I look back to my phone.

He furrows his brows waiting, "my best friend was on the call...she heard everything" I tell him.

He looks at me for a moment then lets out a breath of anger, "fuck" he mumbles looking down at the bodies.

- To Be Continued -