Live or Die

CHAPTER 19

The tension crescendos as Joon Ho and Do Jin arrive at the last floor of the building, their breaths shallow from the ascent and the weight of anticipation. The sight that greets them is chilling: Yeji, bound and vulnerable, juxtaposed against the figure of Jae Hyun, who stands with an unsettling calmness, a smirk playing on his lips. His demeanor is one of control, as if the fate of all present were but pieces in his malevolent game.

Joon Ho: (voice laden with a mixture of rage and desperation) "Let her go, Jae Hyun. This has gone far enough. You won't get away with this."

Do Jin: (echoing Joon Ho's sentiments, his stance protective) "You're done, Jae Hyun. Release Yeji now, and you might still have a chance to lessen your sentence."

Jae Hyun's smirk widens, unfazed by their threats, reveling in the perceived power he holds over them.

Jae Hyun: "Pleading now, are we? It's too late for that. Yeji knows too much, and I can't have that risk hanging over me."

As Jae Hyun steps closer to Yeji, a threatening presence, Joon Ho reaches into his coat, his movements deliberate. With a swift motion, he throws a sheaf of documents at Jae Hyun, the papers fluttering like accusatory birds before striking Jae Hyun's face and falling to the ground.

Joon Ho: (with a voice that cuts through the tension, revealing a truth long hidden) "You're wrong about Yeji, Jae Hyun. She's not just someone you can eliminate to cover your tracks. She's my daughter."

The revelation sends a shockwave through the stale air of the rooftop. Jae Hyun's smirk falters, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. The documents lie scattered at his feet, a testament to Joon Ho's claim, their contents a confirmation of Yeji's lineage.

Jae Hyun: (picking up the documents, his composure cracking) "This... this can't be."

Joon Ho steps forward, the truth of his words resonating with a newfound authority.

Joon Ho: "It's over, Jae Hyun. You've lost. Let Yeji go, and surrender. It's the only way you might salvage a shred of decency from all this."

As Jae Hyun's fingers tremble, leafing through the documents that spell out his undoing, a stark realization dawns upon him. The papers, adorned with legal jargon and DNA evidence, irrevocably tie Yeji to Joon Ho, drawing a line of blood and heritage that he cannot erase. The shock that washes over him is palpable, his once smug demeanor crumbling into a visage of disbelief and horror.

Jae Hyun: (muttering to himself, disbelief coloring his tone) "This... How is this possible? She was just a pawn..."

His voice trails off into the cool night air, leaving the words unspoken yet understood by all present. Jae Hyun's grip on reality—and power—weakens, the documents in his hand a testament to his miscalculations and misdeeds.

Meanwhile, mere steps away from this confrontation, Do Jin hastens towards Yeji, his movements driven by a singular focus. He finds her bound to the railing, a figure of vulnerability against the backdrop of the city's sleeping giants. His hands work quickly, yet gently, to untie the knots that bind her, each movement infused with an unspoken promise of safety.

Do Jin: (softly, as he works to free her) "It's okay, Yeji. You're safe now. We're here."

As the last restraint falls away, Yeji's resolve crumbles along with it. The stress and fear of the ordeal rush forth in a torrent of tears, her body trembling as the adrenaline that once fueled her defiance gives way to relief and exhaustion. She collapses to the floor, the cold concrete a stark contrast to the warmth of the tears streaking her cheeks.