Love is Stronger than Blood (Snowdrop Oneshots)

20- run away with me

Canon divergent. Set six years before Snowdrop.

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Kangmu stands outside Hanna's apartment building. It's the middle of the night. He knows he's taking a major risk by daring to show his face around here, but it's a risk he has to take. If he doesn't, he'll regret it for the rest of his life.

He looks over his shoulder to make sure he isn't being followed, then runs inside to the stairs. It's too risky to take the elevator. He goes up as quickly and as quietly as he can to the third floor, then silently creeps down the hallway to Hanna's small apartment. He takes the spare key she'd given him from his pocket and inserts it into the locked door. With a click that seems deafening in the still night, the door unlocks and he slowly swings it open. He winces as the hinges creak ever so slightly.

Kangmu locks the door behind him, looking around the familiar main room of the apartment. No lights are turned on, so only the moon lets him see. He walks over to the window and scans the area outside. Once he makes sure no one's there, he double-checks that the windows are locked and pulls the curtains shut.

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Kangmu opens the door leading to Hanna's bedroom. His fiancée is sound asleep in her bed. After scanning and clearing the room for listening bugs, he kneels next to her bedside, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Hanna-ya. Wake up. Hanna?"

Hanna's a light sleeper. She stirs by the second time he says her name.

"Kangmu?" She asks with tired eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to tell you something. And I don't have much time."

Hanna sits up in bed. She can tell from his alert eyes that something's wrong.

"What's going on?"

"I have to leave, tonight. I'm being forced out of Korea. I've been reassigned to a German ANSP chapter."

"What?" Hanna asks, her eyes wide. "Why?"

He shakes his head. "It's a long story. Your father's furious with me. He told me I'm not to be seen around you again. If he finds out I'm here now..."

"Appa? What's he got to do with this?"

"It's a long story, and I don't have time," he pleads with her. "There's a flight out of Seoul at sunrise. I need to be on it."

"Wait... you're leaving?"

"I have to, jagiya."

"You're leaving me here? When will you be back?"

"That's the thing... I'm not coming back."

Hanna's mouth drops open. "You're... you're not?"

He shakes his head again. "I can't. And that's why I'm here. Your father wanted me to leave without a word to you, but I couldn't. I had to tell you."

Hanna reaches out for his face, but her fingers barely brush his cheek. "You're leaving me here?"

"No. I'm here to ask you to come with me."

"What?"

"Come with me," he repeats, grasping her fingers within his own. "Run away with me. We'll be gone by daylight, before your father gets wind of it."

"Lee Kangmu..."

"If I don't leave, your life will be in danger. Your father threatened me with your life. But if you come with me..."

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Now."

She's silent for three long seconds. "You want me to leave everything behind and flee with you to Germany? Flee from my father?"

"I know, it's a lot to ask. But if you don't, I'll never see you again. And I don't think I'll be able to stand that. I know I'm being selfish. You don't have to come. You can stay here, carry on with your life like you never met me. When I leave here, I'm as good as dead to you and your father."

"Kangmu..."

He cups her cheek, gently. "I'll miss you, jagiya. I just wanted to say goodbye."

"But..."

Kangmu leans forward, kissing her gently. It's the last time he'll ever kiss her, so he memorizes the feeling of her lips on his and the soft skin of her cheek under his calloused hand. Once he runs out of breath, he pulls away, staring at her and holding back the tears that want to fall from his eyes.

"Annyeong," he whispers, his voice raspy from emotion. "I'll never forget you, Jang Hanna."

He stands to leave, his fingers parting from her face.

"Wait, Kangmu-ya," Hanna says suddenly. "I'll come with you."

He blinks in disbelief, turning back to her. "You... will?"

"If you leave, what do I have left here?" She asks, getting out of bed. "My father never cared for me. I just quit my job at the book shop last weekend. If you're leaving, I'm coming with you."

"Hanna... but you—"

"I thought you wanted me to come," she says, crossing her arms.

"I do. But..."

"But nothing," she insists. "Help me pack."

Kangmu nods, and within ten minutes they are ready to go, well before sunrise. Right before they leave, Hanna places a note on her dining room table for her father to find:

Appa-gwi-ha;

Yut-mugguh

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Appa: dad

Annyeong: goodbye

Gwi-ha: dear

Yut-mugguh: fuck you