ʜᴀɴᴅꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ || ᴋᴛʜ

Chapter 37 || Dead

Y/n was caught in a never-ending nightmare.

That's what she told herself when she woke up yet again inside a beach house at an unknown location. There was constant police protection. And they even refused to leave her unmonitored in case she decided to harm herself.

It had been two months since she had shot the love of her life. Two months of constant hell after hearing that the love of her life, the man who was larger than life and invincible, had died because of a single bullet wound.

Died. Gone. Snatched away from her in the cruelest of ways.

She still felt numb with shock, pain and grief.

"You should eat something," the familiar voice of an old woman prodded.

It was Young-ok. The police had brought Young-ok to the beach house two weeks ago, thinking the older woman would dissuade her from starving herself to death.

"I'm not hungry."

There was a clucking of tongue. "Come on, have at least a little. You need your strength to face the coming days."

I don't want to face the coming days. I don't want to face any day.

Y/n didn't say those words aloud.

"Your mother wouldn't have starved herself like this."

Y/n closed her eyes at the words. Young-ok had used those words constantly to get her to eat something. Y/n tried to resist those words that felt like barbs.

"My mother wouldn't have shot the love of her life, either," she said in a dead tone.

"Believe me, Y/n. Se-on would have done exactly what you did," Young-ok said softly. "Your mother always stood for what's right. She taught her daughter the same."

Tears ran down Y/n's eyes. "She wouldn't have killed the man she loved."

"You didn't kill him, Y/n. You shot him in his shoulder as a warning to stop him."

It was a flesh wound to the shoulder.

She had even seen the bullet exit from the back. She had been trained for several months by Suho and sometimes even by Tae-hyung to learn how to shoot. She was taught which places were to be aimed at for warning and which places with intent to kill.

She shot at Tae-hyung's shoulder to warn him off.

"Heavy loss of blood and then a blood infection. We tried our best, but we couldn't save him."

When Yoon Jiwoo told her that a week after, Y/n couldn't digest the news.

She remained in denial for the longest time. Even now, she somehow refused to believe the man she loved was gone. The bond and the connection she felt between them still thrummed with life. She expected to see him walking into the cottage and pull her into his arms.

"Oh, Y/n." She felt Young-ok's gentle hand on her head. "What you did was right. And I wish Se-on also shot the man she loved. That would have saved her life, and ended the evil, selfish bastard then and there." The last part was said with dark conviction.

"Kim Tae-hee wasn't evil or selfish," Y/n replied. She was mildly stunned that she defended the man. But it was the truth. He was kind to her, and she knew from Tae-hyung about the various philanthropist initiatives Kim Tae-hee and his wife began.

"I wasn't talking about Kim Tae-hee."

Y/n was stunned. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"Here, have some soup. I made it especially for you." Young-ok fed her a spoonful. Shock and confusion made Y/n swallow down the food.

After a few spoonfuls, Y/n realized that Young-ok was using a distraction technique to feed her.

"Young-ok," she scolded weakly.

The older woman smiled innocently making Y/n laugh.

After finishing the bowl of soup and being coaxed into eating a few bites of rice, Y/n stared outside the small cottage at the beach.

"I know my mother would have been strong under these circumstances, Young-ok. But I don't know if I ever can. I miss him so much." Tears filled her eyes again.

"You are strong, my love. Give it time. Things will be right again."

Y/n didn't think it was possible for things to become right again.

Young-ok cleared up the dishes. "Why don't you rest? You've barely been sleeping at nights."

Y/n nodded, even though she didn't want to rest.

After Young-ok left, Y/n spent the rest of the afternoon staring at the waves and recalling her moments with the devil. She fingered the coral pendant hanging around her neck, the one he had gifted to her on her birthday and which had belonged to his mother.

She had requested Jiwoo to bring the necklace from the beach house. It was the only thing she had wanted.

"Y/n?"

She dragged her eyes away from the hypnotic waves of the ocean that beckoned her.

"How are you, Y/n?" Yoon Jiwoo asked.

The policewoman looked at her with a concerned frown. Y/n supposed she did look quite a sight. Her clothes which used to fit her well two months ago were now hanging loose on her body. And her face looked drawn and tired with shadows under the eyes.

"I'm fine," she replied. "How is my father?"

The frown melted away on the other woman's face, and an unreadable look took over. "Your father is fine. He has been shifted to another high-security prison."

Y/n closed her eyes and nodded. Although she felt guilty, her body and mind were too drained to pile on more worry and shock.

Two months ago, when she shot Tae-hyung, his grandfather died of a heart attack the same night. With the death of two powerful Kim men, things blew apart.

Details of the biggest illegal drug networks, which included many prominent names around the world emerged with proof. Many people were arrested, and some were killed during capture.

Illegal drugs worth billions and large amounts of black money made from drug trafficking were confiscated. But while this was happening, the criminal world blamed the major crackdown all on one person. Kang Shin-jae.

Y/n's father had willingly surrendered and was arrested by providing proof to the government of his role in the drug smuggling. Y/n initially thought he had done that because he thought he was much safer being under police protection. But she was shocked to learn that in his desperation of losing money, her father had knowingly transported illegal drugs and weapons using his company's transportation.

Her father was a criminal too.

"Here is your passport and identity cards."

Y/n took the small envelope, but didn't bother opening it. She was told that she could return back to London and lead a normal life. Since Kim Tae-hyung was gone and his property and assets were seized by the government, there was no danger for his widow. Most of the underworld knew that the marriage was an arranged one with the bride being unwilling.

So far, Y/n hadn't decided yet, and wanted to remain in the current unknown beach house which made her feel close to the devil.

"Y/n... whatever you did, the government will always be indebted to you. You have no idea how many lives and families you saved from being destroyed."

Y/n nodded. A voice inside her head screamed at her saying that in the process of saving everyone else, she also destroyed her heart and soul.

"I'll be in touch," Yoon Jiwoo said softly. "Call me if you need anything. But please, take care of yourself."

"Thank you. I will."

[Words Count : 1296]