The Afterlife

42) Tidings of Relief and of Pain

Once the day had begun, it seemed like it was never going to end. It stretched and kept its slow pace for long, seemingly keeping those in love, in love, keeping those happy, happy, and keeping those who wanted to offer the most painful farewell just exactly what they wanted.

"Wait for me," Taehyung kissed his beloved forehead and smiled, "with the speed of light, I will be here, and I will hold you."

"I will be back," Hyejin giggled at Taehyun's refusal to let her go, "get it together, sergeant, and have faith in me."

"Me and you remain, Yoongi," Yeji smiled from his side, hand holding his and eyes catching the stars in the sky very easily, "let it always be so," she told him, and he nodded.

"I am always watching," Yoohyeon breathed deeply the scent or her beloved, hugging while the world gave them silence and peace they wished would last forever, "my eyes will always watch you," she promised, and Minji did the same.

Sihyeon watched them, all of them, in silence as they spoke among one another. She stood between every last one of her family without speaking a word, and even when they made way for the station to repeat the plan they had been training for one last time, she watched as her team members swore to each other with their eyes and hearts alike, all until the door to the office opened, and Sihyeon's rage all spilled past her eyes like the very first time.

At once, she marched towards the door and pushed herself against the man who just joined them. Her hand held his neck, and she slammed him against the wall while her other hand held a gun to his throat. Jeonghan did not dare breathe, and Sihyeon searched for his eyes as he struggled to find back his breath.

"Dux-" Jisoo almost stepped her way, but ue was immediately held back by nothing but Sihyeon's voice itself.

"Here is a little challenge, Jeonghan," she let her anger spill past her gritted teeth, and she squeezed his neck further into the wall.

"Dux, please-" when Jisoo tried again, this time going as far to touch Sihyeon's shoulder, she did not seem like she bothered with his presence at all.

"One sentence, three words," she told Jeonghan and saw nothing but herself and his desperation to find life, "say something enough to make me spare you."

When Jeonghan hastily tried to open his mouth, the tip of Sihyeon's gun immediately slammed against his teeth, and she ckicked her tongue at his impatience.

"Ah-ah-uh!" Her eyes went wider and gun squeezed closer, "careful now, every letter counts," she warned, lowering her voice for only him to hear, "so think wisely."

"Dux, please, listen-" Jisoo held her arm and clenched himself to her side, too bold was such an action that Taehyung wanted to snap him out of it, but the former only saw his leader and himself begging her.

"Jaewook fucked up." Jeonghan said at once, and everything else went silent like that. He breathed heavily, and he squeezed his eyes shut as Sihyeon slowly lowered her gun again to his throat, prepping it and pulling its parts.

"Oh, no- dux-" Jisoo was almost standing between her and Jeonghan, holding her hand and begging her to look at him.

Sihyeon pushed him away, and when he receded, she went and fixed her gun again before Jeonghan interrupted her, speaking breathlessly with both his hands raised in the air in surrender.

He closed his eyes and he swallowed, making way for the most genuine of his words to be the only to be spoken, "I am sorry, dux. I am really sorry," his racing heart was the only sound besides his own, and he pleading tone spoke so clearly for his mind, "he was my brother, my blood, and I had no reason to not believe everything Kim Namjoon told me."