Ciao, Vincenzo

Version 3

Vincenzo walked away from Jang Han-Seok's screams and pulled out his phone.

He stared at Cha Young's number and remembered his promise not to call her, to just leave when it was all over.

He pocketed his phone and kept walking, then he stopped and heaved a heavy sigh.

Could he really just walk away from it all, after everything that had happened?

Could he really just leave and return to his old life, as if it had all just been a dream?

He shut his eyes and tilted his head to the sky, praying for the Universe to send him some sort of sign.

Then he heard it.

A pigeon cooing.

Inzagi?! he thought, then shook his head. There was no way Inzagi would be here.

But it was the sign he needed.

He opened his eyes and ran to his car, driving as quickly as he could back to the hospital.

"Vincenzo! What are you doing here?!" Cha Young exclaimed as he burst into her room. "I told you to leave! You don't have much time--"

He silenced her by planting his lips firmly on hers, kissing her deeply, urgently. After a beat, she kissed him back just as passionately, and he knew he had made the right decision.

After what felt like an eternity, Vincenzo pulled away and looked down at Cha Young, smoothing the hair off her face. "How could I leave you like this? How could I leave you at all?"

Cha Young's eyes widened at him, "But you'll get arrested! After everything you did, there's no way I could get you out of jail if you get caught!"

He grabbed her hand and said, "Then come with me. We'll hide away in some other part of the world where they don't know us. They'll never find us."

She gave him a small smile as she squeezed his hand, "But is that really the life you want? A life on the run?"

Before Vincenzo could reply, police officers entered the room.

They went up to him and began to cuff him as they said, "Vincenzo Cassano, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. You--"

"You are not going anywhere."

Everyone turned to the doorway and Vincenzo grinned when he saw Ahn Gi-Seok standing there.

He flashed his International Security Intelligence Service ID at the police and said, "Vincenzo Cassano has been granted political asylum. He is a key witness testifying against Mafia crimes in international court. So you shouldn't be arresting him, but giving him protection detail instead."

The police looked at Vincenzo and uncuffed him. "Our office will coordinate with yours if we need anything," Ahn Gi-Seok said, and the officers nodded at him before leaving the room.

"So you get to stay!" Cha Young looked up at Vincenzo happily, but Vincenzo was eyeing Ahn Gi-Seok carefully.

"None of that was true, was it?" Vincenzo asked, and Ahn Gi-Seok nodded grimly.

"I bought you some time. But it could be true, if you were really willing to testify in international court."

"And I could live a quiet life here in Korea?" Vincenzo looked at Cha Young out of the corner of his eyes.

"Why would you want a quiet life?" Cha Young interjected, "Life is too short for a quiet and boring life! Let's go fight more monsters together!"

Vincenzo laughed as he realized she was right. After all, Cha Young's personality was too big to be contained, he was deluding himself if he thought a life with her meant settling quietly in the countryside.

He looked at Ahn Gi-Seok and nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

Cha Young clapped her hands happily, and Ahn Gi-Seok extended his hand to Vincenzo. As they shook hands, he said, "I'll draw up the paperwork, then." With a smile, he left the room and shut the door behind him.

"Villains forever?" Cha Young grinned as she extended her pinky finger out to Vincenzo.

He hooked his pinky on hers, then leaned in to kiss her. "Villains can be lovers too," he murmured against her lips, and he felt her smile as she kissed him back. "This is going to be fun," she whispered, and that's how Vincenzo and Cha Young sealed their partnership with a kiss.