Duty and Death

Desperation and Devotion

Eight months had passed since we sought refuge at my parents' house, and the tension had only grown thicker with each passing day. The safe heven we once thought this place would be now felt like a suffocating prison. Each moring was a reminder of our predicament. Even the small joys-like the feeling of my baby kicking-were overshadowed by the reality that we couldn't stay hidden forever.
That evening, the atmosphere in the house was different. There was a heaviness to the air, a sense of something boiling beneath the surface, ready to erupt. It started with a simple question at dinner, something my dad had asked a hundred times before.
"When are you going to find somewhere else to go?"
Hoseok set his fork down, his jaw tightening. "I'm trying, dad. It's not that simple."
"Not that simple?" My dad's voice rose, incredulous. "It's been months, Hoseok! How hard can it be to find somewhere safer?"
"Safe from who?" Hoseok shot back, frustration leaking into his voice. "From the police? From our enemies? There's no place that's safe anymore! We're doing the best we can!"
My dad stood up from the table, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Your best isn't good enough! You're puttinh all of us at risk-your mother, your sister, Haeyang-"
"And you think I don't know that?" Hoseok yelled, standing up as well. "You think I don't think about it every single fucking day? You don't think I'd do anything to keep Hyejin and her baby safe? To keep all of you safe?"
"You're doing a lousy jon of it!" my dad roared, his face red with anger. He stormed out of the dining room, leaving us in stunned silence. I watched him go, my heart pounding. Hoseok tunred to me, his expression a mix of anger and despair.
"Don't listen to him," I whispred, reaching for his hand. "We'll figure it out."
But before I could say more, my dad reappeared in the doorway, a gun clutched in his hand. My blood ran cold. He had always been against guns, always been the rational one. This was different.
"Hoseok," he said, voice trembling with rage, "if you won't protect this family, then I will. You're going to leave. Tonight. All of you."
"Dad, but the gun donw," Hoseok said slowly, raising his hand in a calming gesture. "We can talk about this."
"There's nothing to talk about," my dad snapped. "You've had months, Hoseok. This ends now."
"Dad, please," I started, moving forward, but Hoseok shot me a warning glance. My mother stepped between them, tears streaming down her face.
"Seung-ho, please," she begged, her voice breaking. "This is our son. You can't do this. Think of the baby, think of Hyejin!"
"Get out of the way, Eun-mi," my dad growled, his eyes wild. "I can't lose any more of this family. If you won't make them leave, I will."
"Dad!" Haeyang shouted, trying to move toward him, but my dad swung the gun in his direction, making him freeze. "Stay back!" he warned, his voice cracking.
I could feel my pulse racing, the air thick with tension. My heart hammered in my chest, and I took a step forward. "Dad, don't do this," I pleaded, my voice steady despite the fear clawing at me. "You don't want to hurt anyone."
"Just go!" my dad yelled, his eyes locked in Hoseok. "Go, and we can all be safe again!"
Before anyone could react, my dad's finger tightened on the trigger. Everything slowed down as the sound of the gunshot shattered the air. I moved instictively, throwing myself in front of Hoseok. A blinding pain tore thorugh my leg, then another burst of agony in my chest.
I hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of me. The world spun, pain radiating from my wounds. I heard someone scream-it might have been me. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and I struggled to breathe, each gasp sending fire thorugh my chest.
"Hyejin!" Jungkook's voice was distant, panicked. I felt his hands on me, trying to stop the bleeding. My mother was suddenly there, cradling my head in her lap, her face a mask of terror. "No, no, no, Hyejin, stay with me, please," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.
My dad stood frozen, the gun still in his hand, his face pale. He looked like he was in shock, like he couldn't believe what he'd done.
"You shot her!" Jungkook shouted, fury in his eyes. He lunged at my dad, punching him hard across the face. My dad stumbled back, the gun falling from his hand. Jungkook grabbed it and handed it to Hoseok, his hands trembling with rage. "If you ever point a gun at my family again, I'll kill you myslef!" he yelled, his voice breaking.
Hoseok stood there, the gun heavy in his hand, his eyes locked on our father. The room was silent, the weight of what had just happened settling over us like a thick fog.
"Take her to the basement!" my mom ordered, snapping out of her shock. "I'll call a private surgeon, someone who can keep quiet. She needs help now, or we'll lose her and the baby."
Jungkook didn't hesitate. He scooped me up into his arms, careful of my injuries. Pain shot through me, and I whimpred, my vision blurring. I could hear Hoseok shouthing orders, telling Haeyang to clear the way, telling my dad to stay back.
The basement was cold and dark, the air smelling of damp concrete. Jungkook laid me gently on the couch, his hands shaking as he tried to keep pressure on the wounds. My breath was coming in short, shallow gasps, each one sending a fresh wave of pain through my chest.
"Stay with me, Hyejin," Jungkook whispred, his voice chocked with tears. "Please, stay with me. I can't lose you. I can't lose our baby."
I tried to focus on his face, on the warmth of his hand against my skin. The room was spinning, my vision tunneling. I could feel the blood seeping through my clothes, the cold creeping into my limbs.
"Jungkook..." I tried to say, but the words came out as a weak gasp. I could see the fear in his eyes, the desperation. He was holding me together, his touch the only thing keeping me from slipping away.
The door to the basement slammed open, and my mom rushed in, a phone pressed to her ear. "He's on his way," she said, her voice shaking. "He'll be here soon. Just hold, Hyejin. Please, hold on."
I could feel my consiouness fading, the edges of the world blurring. I tried to focus on Jungkook's face, on the sound of his voice, but it was getting harder to stay awake. I could feel the darkness pulling at me, dragging me down.
"Stay with me, Hyejin," Jungkook kept saying, over and overm his voice breaking. "Stay with me. I need you. Our baby needs you."
I wanted to tell him I would. I wanted to tell him everything would be okay. But the darkness was too strong, too overwhelming. It wrapped around me, pulling me under, until all I could hear was the sounf of my own heartbeat, growing fainter with each passing second.

And then...

There was nothing.