Hearts Awakened, Live Alive

Hongjoong: Are Right in Front of You

"I'm not going to say it again, Ghost. Take. The fucking. Mask. Off," Hongjoong seethed. He pressed the barrel of his gun harshly to the man's chin, pinning him where he stood against one of their hideout's outer walls. Ghost definitely had the strength and size advantage, but he made no move to counterattack. He looked completely taken aback, fake blue eyes wide with shock and hands raised in surrender. Up close like this Hongjoong could see what he'd been missing before. Even with colored contacts and black hair, there was no mistaking it. He felt so dumb, so utterly stupid He'd once thought he'd recognize him anywhere... How pathetic a thought... He'd existed right under his nose for so long and Hongjoong hadn't had even the slightest of fucking clues.

He was filled with anger, with betrayal, with rage. After everything they've been through, after everything they'd shared with one another, how could he not tell him? What other reason could he possibly have for deceiving them all this time except to turn on them when he had gotten what he wanted? He had no idea how the man had done it—being in two places at once in the same room was definitely a feat and a half—but he couldn't even begin to think about all that right now. Not around all the anger, frustration... the sadness on such a scale he hadn't been prepared for.

All this time, it was he who had been used. Deceived. Betrayed. Heartbroken.

"Woah, Woah, Woah! Calm down, what happened just now?" Ghost asked, sounding genuinely confused, if not a little frantic as well. "What did Yeosang tell you?"

"What does it fucking matter what he told me?" Hongjoong yelled. He ripped his own mask off, throwing it somewhere to the side. "Take your mask off or I swear to fucking God, I will shoot you."

"Hongjoong, I can explain... everything—"

"Don't!" Hongjoong cut him off immediately. "Just do it!"

He was so close to breaking down completely. He could feel tears forming in his eyes, feel hysterical sobs burning in the back of his throat. He wanted to scream, cry, curl up in a catatonic ball all at the same time. He hated that this was happening. Hated that his feelings were still so strong despite it all. He wanted to hear all the reasons. Wanted to hear his explanation. Wanted to make everything right so they could both be happy. But the possibility that happiness between the two of them could never be possible was too great a truth to handle at the moment. He needed to know. Needed to know if Yeosang got it right... He was desperate to find the truth.

"Alright," Ghost agreed. He moved slowly so as to not raise alarm and in case Hongjoong decided to freak out any more than he already was. He unhooked his facemask from one of his ears, letting it fall freely from his face, and revealing the handsome features of none other than Park Seonghwa.

Hongjoong choked back a desperate sob, quickly distancing himself from the man and turning his back to him so he couldn't see the tears that had started freely falling.

"Hongjoong, please... It's not what you're thinking, I promise if you'd just let me explain, I told you I'd tell you everything..."

Seonghwa sounded just as desperate, just as on the edge of an emotional breakdown as Hongjoong felt. He couldn't hear this right now. He couldn't deal with this right now. He couldn't... couldn't...

Without a shred of hesitation, Hongjoong whipped himself back around to face who he had thought was the love of his life. He let his vision drift out of focus, blurred even further by the tears he wished he didn't have to shed. If he looked at Seonghwa straight on, he knew he would cave in immediately. He couldn't... He had to do this. For the sake of his family... He couldn't put them at risk just because of his feelings. Seonghwa had always been the enemy. He knew he'd have to choose eventually, and he had a duty as a leader to make sure his team was safe from danger. Even if it meant his happiness. They couldn't pretend any longer...

He aimed his gun forward, clicking it fully loaded.

Then, he pulled the trigger.