A Second Chance(discontinued)

Lonely

Ji Ul's POV
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I waited as Mad monk(Mu Yeom, she calls him that) helped us check out of the hospital. Both of us were being admitted out today.

"Do you want to go get some coffee?" I asked hopefully. Being with Mad monk is proving to be so much more of a challenge these days.

"Look at you, shouldn't you be working on your webtoons?" He chided.

"I do it at night. So are you coming?"

"No. Wife(officer who works really closely with him, HE's not literally the wife) is waiting for me at the station."

He walked away, and I sulked. Sometimes I wonder if he is refusing me on purpose. Nevertheless, I still headed to the coffee shop.

"Unnie!" I called out as I went past Maria's trailer and spotted her walking down the path.

"Oh, Ji Ul ah." She smiled.

I looked at her thoroughly from head to toe. A jacket over a shirt, jeans, a purse, and heeled boots. It doesn't look as if she is simply going out for a walk.

"Unnie, are you going somewhere?"

"Didn't you know today is the day when Ryu Tae Oh leaves?"

I looked at her blankly, before remembering that Tae Oh is indeed leaving the country today.

"Seems like you don't. Well, just so you know, we are allowed to go see him off, that's where I'm going. Do you want to come along? Seeing as you're always calling him oppa."

"Uh, I don't know about that......"

I always wanted to trust people, that's why when the news came around that Tae Oh was the copycat who was going around killing innocents, I didn't want to know. I wanted to believe he wasn't a monster, but human, like us. When that didn't work out, I tried to make people see that they, too, can be just like us. That was one of the worst mistakes I could make. I didn't know better the gravity of the situation, the amount of danger I was putting myself into, and that almost took my life. Now, I don't think I can trust Tae Oh, or people like him for the matter, as much.

"What are you thinking? Do you not feel the same about him anymore?" Maria unnie's voice broke in.

I stayed silent, not knowing what to say, until she spoke again.

"I think I know what you are hesitating about, so I will say this. That other day, I talked to him. I asked him if he wanted to, and he said he did want to change."

"......why are you telling me this?"

"Its obvious that after all that had happened, your trust in him would pretty much be gone. But you know, if your mind is already set on the goal, you are already halfway there."

I thought about it. If he indeed wanted to change, then there's always hope. But right now, isn't it a bit too late? He's already leaving to serve his sentence, and who knows what it will be like after that.

"It doesn't hurt to just send him off, you know." Maria unnie stated.

She's right. What am I doing thinking so much just about the matter of seeing him at least one last time before he leaves, for a long time?

"Okay, fine, I will come along." I finally decided.

Tae Oh's POV
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The officers were busy with all the preparations before leaving. One handcuffed me and started to lead me towards the boarding gate. God, why handcuffs? I turned my head to look at the officer, and was greeted by a familiar face.

"Your second experience, I believe. Remember what it feels like. This is the pain your victims feel." Detective Ha said.

I smirked. "What if I forget? What are you going to do about it?"

"Then I will just have to make you feel and remember again." He replied, before passing me to another officer. People were staring and pointing at me, but I didn't care. You could say I was already accustomed to it.

We neared the checkpoint, and I turned to look in the direction of where people are all sending off their loved ones, expecting no one to be here for me. But no, two figures were there.....Oh sunsaeng, and Ji Ul.

Oh sunsaeng had a really small, but at the same time, sad smile on her face. I know what it's for. Right now, I might never get a second chance for me to change, ever. It made me feel like regretting all that I have ever done. I turned my sight onto Ji Ul. Her face was wooden, expressionless. I can't figure what she might be feeling or thinking, but it doesn't seem like she made an easy decision coming here. I still smiled at her, and was glad to see her at least attempt one, be it fake or not.

The officer pulled me along, and I was forced to leave them behind as I left, not even able to say a proper goodbye.

Ji Ul's POV
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Tae Oh left, and strangely, I felt a tiny tremble from my heart. I brushed it off, and turned to leave, but footsteps came up behind me. I looked back, and my heart immediately lifted seeing Mad monk. I didn't even notice he was here. I ran back towards him, but stopped when I saw him talking to Maria unnie.

I couldn't hear what they were saying, but they left together amidst the officers, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the large, empty departure hall. Almost as if it was contained in for a long time, a tear rolled down my cheeks, and I felt my heart break. I have no idea from what, but I felt lonely, just like that time a few years ago, when all the pressure drove me to the edge, and I finally tried to kill myself.

Tae Oh had left, and I would never see him again. Mad monk and Maria unnie have each other, so why would they bother with me? I'm all alone, there's no one with me. My legs weakened and I was forced to squat. My tears kept flowing. People were looking at me weirdly after some time, so I forced myself to stand up and leave. All the way home, I felt like a lifeless, dead body, only walking because the sadness is driving me along. I felt like killing myself all over again. My life has fallen into pieces, and I'm sure that this time, no one can fix it for me.