𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 •sᴀᴇʙʏᴇᴏᴋ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ•

14

I'll kill them.

You reflexively reached for her shirt, but she stepped away before you could touch her.

Her breath was shaky. "Y/n."

"You're hurt, let me help." When you reached out again, she grabbed your arm.

"You're... alive?" She squeezed you're arm.

"What? Of course I am, now let me-"

"I thought you were dead." You looked up from her wound and to her face. She was crying.

"... They tried to take me, but I escaped. Now please-" you stepped towards her again, but she continued to push you away.

Her body was trembling, her breathing erratic.

You took off your black gloves and put your hand to her cheek, surprising her and even yourself.
You didn't know if you were trying to calm her or you yourself, but her touch was overwhelming. Just the thought of her skin against yours was like poison rushing through your veins to your heart, to end its longing for her.

You stayed in that moment, her hand still gripped on your forearm and your hand caressing her face, staring at the different hues of brown that filled her sad eyes.

She was breathing heavily and sweating profusely. You focused back on her wound. "Please... I can't see you hurt like this. Let me help."

She released her grip on you, allowing you to move to the hem of her shirt. She had already taken off her sweater and thrown it on the floor.

Gently, you lifted the blood-stained fabric over her shoulders and head. You placed the shirt on the sink.

When you looked back down, you saw an enormous shard of glass sticking out of her side. You looked back at Sae-Byeok's eyes. She nodded her head, giving you the permission to remove the glass.

You reached out with your dominant hand slowly, delicately grabbing the shard. As you pulled it out, she grunted in pain.
The glass was in so deep, you felt like it would never end, but finally, you reached the bottom of the sharp object and dropped it to the ground. Blood immediately started to drip on the floor.

You grabbed a few paper towels to dry the area, before grabbing her shirt from the sink quickly, ripping it with your teeth and placing a piece over the cut. You had Sae-Byeok hold it there until you could tie another piece around her waist to secure it.

When you finished, she turned to the mirror and rinsed her hands before bringing water up to her face.
Your mind filled with worry. You had to get her out, there was no possible way she could go on.

"I have to get you out of here," you said in a panicked whisper.

"No... I have to keep playing." Her voice shook with every word she uttered.

Your heart sank. "Are you crazy? How the hell can you go on like this? You'll die Sae-Byeok."

"Please..." She looked up into your eyes through the mirror, her hands clutching each side of the sink.

You've never felt this way before. Sure, you were used to sadness, but having to let her go was ripping a hole in your heart so big, you could feel the pain eating up at you until your eyes began to water. It wasn't only pain however, it was fear. A kind of fear that would horrify the devil himself.

"Don't be like this... there's got to be another way. Let's escape through the ductwork-"

She turned to face you. "I can't y/n. It hurts too much. Let me go... I've made it this far."

"No." You dropped your head. "I can't lose you, and I know if you leave that door..."

"Hurry up in there." The sound came from a muffled voice behind the bathroom door.

You cursed under your breath. When you looked back to Sae-Byeok, she was already unfolding the tuxedo that came in the black gift box.

You sighed and washed the blood off your hands before taking the clothing out of her hands. She was about to protest when you answered with, "Let me help."

Working your fingers lightly, you placed her in the white dress shirt, buttoning the ivory-colored buttons one by one, starting at the bottom and making your way up.

When you reached the top button, you came to see that the girl in front of you had been looking at you this entire time.

"What?" You asked.

"... Nothing." She averted her eyes. There were multiple things she wanted to say at that moment, but she couldn't form into words the feelings that she felt, nor the way you always seemed to look so incandescently breath-taking.

You continued to dress her, your fingers grazing over the number 067 stitched into the fabric of the black jacket. You gave it to her, and watched as she slipped her arms through the sleeves.
You adjusted her bow tie and the smoothed down the lapels of the jacket. She was ready now.

Even though the situation was completely unbecoming, you couldn't deny that Sae-Byeok looked wonderful in the tuxedo. Despite the fact that her skin had gone pale and had been covered in a layer of sweat, she looked entirely elegant with the satin clothing.

"I have to go now," she said quietly. "Just in case... I don't make it out and you do, take care of my family will you?"

"Don't say that-"

"Y/n, I need you to swear." Her voice cracked and her eyes were fighting back tears. "I need you to swear that you'll look after him."

"..." You didn't like where this was headed, but you would do anything for her, and only her. "I promise."

She let out a breath of relief before turning to leave. That's it?

"Wait..."

Sae-Byeok stopped in her tracks.

You didn't know what to say. You wanted to say what you felt but you didn't even know what that was, so instead, you said the first thing that came to mind. "I just wanted to say... whenever I picture myself happy, I'm with you."

She turned her head and whispered back. "... What are you saying?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do with everything I feel for you." At this, she turned to face you fully.

"Stop," she said quietly.

"You have to know. Sae-Byeok-"

"I never fully realized what it meant to hurt, truly hurt, until I wanted you to such a great extent, only to have no other choice but convince myself I didn't. When I thought you died, I fell apart... and I don't why," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"..."

She turned back and left the bathroom.

You didn't even get to say goodbye.