Another Life With You

Adrift

Jeong-hyeok hadn't felt such a rush of adrenaline since his days in the army.

"Stay in the car, alert the NIS and wait until they arrive," he instructed Seri, jumping out before she could protest. His and Seo Dan's apartment was located on the 5th floor of the housing complex. Having sprinted into the lobby, he jammed the lift button impatiently. It was coming down slowly from the top floor. Jeong-hyeok pivoted and slammed open the fire exit door, taking the stairs two at a time.

On the 5th floor, he burst into the hallway. It was empty and that made it easier to hear the loud thud that came from his apartment. Jeong-hyeok ran to the door and hurriedly unlocked it, pushing it only to find it stuck. There seemed to be a weight behind the door. He took a step back then shoved the door hard.

It took his brain a moment to catch up with what his eyes saw. The curtains were drawn shut, leaving the living room dim. Jeong-hyeok looked down by his foot to see a man sprawled by the door. His heart jumped when he realised it was Cho Cheol-gang himself. Jeong-hyeok immediately pushed the man against the ground, holding Cho Cheol-gang's arm and shoving his knee into Cho Cheol-gang's back. Cho Cheol-gang let out an agonized groan, and that's when Jeong-hyeok realised that there was a trail of blood leading from the criminal's leg down the length of the room, to where Seo Dan's willowy figure was huddled in a corner. Cho Cheol-gang's leg was a mess of blood and flesh.

"Dan," Jeong-hyeok said, barely louder than a whisper. Her face was turned away, hidden by a glossy curtain of hair. He couldn't tell whether she was conscious or not.

She stirred at his voice. "Jeong-hyeok tongmu?" she murmured. There was a shotgun, of all things, propped up on the wall next to her, and she seemed to be gripping it with one hand, still. "I shot him," she looked up, hair falling aside to reveal her doe-eyes and porcelain face, looking even paler than usual from what he could see in the dark room. Dried streaks of tears ran down her cheeks.

"You did well," Jeong-hyeok murmured back.

"Stupid bitch," Cho Cheol-gang spit out against the ground, where his face was mushed against. "Is it worth sacrificing yourself to save this traitor? He knows nothing of loyalty, of dignity, of honour."

Jeong-hyeok's grip tightened on Cho Cheol-gang's arm, and he shoved his knee down harder, eliciting another pained moan from the man. "Sacrificing...?" Jeong-hyeok echoed, not understanding.

Sirens were blaring outside, at long last, but Jeong-hyeok hardly heard them as he turned to look at Seo Dan again. He suddenly noticed that there was blood spattered on the wall next to her too.

Seo Dan saw his concerned stare and, oddly enough, began to smile. He so rarely saw her smile in their day-to-day life that the sight touched him. Jeong-hyeok began to smile back, until she turned her body from its protective, huddled position to face him. As she revealed her torso, Jeong-hyeok's smile faded.

A knife stuck out of the side of her body, a red stain flowering on the surrounding fabric of her shirt.

"Do you know how many times I've wished you would look at me with those eyes?" Seo Dan whispered, the wistful smile still on her face.

Footsteps thundered down the corridor outside. Jeong-hyeok had left the door gaping, and soon it was crowded with NIS agents holding their guns up.

"I've got him," Jeong-hyeok said numbly, standing to let someone take over. Two agents went to hold Cho Cheol-gang down – not that he was in any state to run away. The shotgun bullet had ruined his leg.

Jeong-hyeok scrambled to the other end of the room, dropping to kneel beside Seo Dan, hand hovering uncertainly over the knife

"Call an ambulance!" he heard someone say behind him. All he could do was keep his eyes on hers.