All You Need Is Love II (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 30

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Bright chuckled and turned the gun on himself, holding it against his temple.

"Don't do it." Gulf's skin was covered in goosebumps.

"Stay back."

Gulf reached out to Bright, but his hand stopped in midair.

"I've only got one bullet left. I don't want to waste it." Bright laughed. But there was no conviction in it. "This is what happens when you put all your egss in one basket. You just gotta laugh."

"I don't think it's funny!" Gulf shouted desperately.

He realized there was nothing he could do to stop Bright. But that was exactly why he couldn't give up. As soon as he surrendered, everything would be lost.

"Do you remember what you said to me when you left, Bright? You told me that you didn't have the strength to turn back anymore and that you trusted your fate to me."

"That doesn't sound like me."

"Well, you said it!"

Gulf tried to figure out how he could let Mew know where they were. He had the cellphone in his pocket. But he couldn't exactly call Mew right in front of Bright.

"And I got here in time, so you didn't take your revenge. Once you entrust your life to someone, you can't just do whatever you want with it anymore."

"That's not what I meant," Bright cried un passionate denial.

"No? Isn't that what you said?"

"I wasn't trusting you to decide if I lived or died. I just wanted you to choose whether I killed him or myself."

"That's ridiculous! Do you expect me to believe that?"

"I told you, there's no going back!" The finger of Bright's right hand twitched slightly. "I was about to turn my back on the gang and spark a war. They'll never forgive me. I can never show my face to Boss Mew again."

"Don't be stupid!" Gulf shouted, as he surged into motion.

He had no idea what he was going to do. But he would regret tucking his tail in defeat, he would do everything he could. For Mew, but especially for himself.

There was a dull crack, and pain blossomed in his right hand. When he opened his eyes, he saw Bright standing in front of him in shock, his cheek red.

Gulf realized he had just slapped the man, then immediately grabbed for Bright's right hand, which had fallen loosely in surprise. He tore the gun from his warm hand.

"Y-You---!"

"Stay where you are."

Gulf turned the gun on Bright quickly.

"Shoot me then, if you have the guts."

That had no effect on Gulf at all.

"You've got plenty of reason to kill me. I hit you, I kidnapped you---I shamed you."

"I don't want to kill you."

"Then let me do it myself."

Bright took a Swiss army knife from his coat. With a grin, he held the knife against his throat.

"Bright!"

"If you don't want to watch, you'd better leave."

"I can't do that."

"Then wring your hands and watch me die."

"I can't do that, either."

Gulf didn't know what to do.

He needed to get Bright to drop the knife. He had never handled a gun before, so there was no wa he could shoot the knife out of Bright's hand without hurting him. And once people heard a gunshot, all hell would break lose.

If he took even one step forward, Bright would just press the knife into his throat.

'Don't do anything to make me regret it.'

'Every last hair on your head belongs to me.'

Mew's voice ran through Gulf's mind. What would Mew do?

Gulf turned the gun in his hand and aimed it at his own temple.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"

Cold spilled down Gulf's spine, but he couldn't think of anything else to do.

"Quit jerking me around!"

"I'm serious."

Gulf saw just a hint of hesitation pass over Bright's face. He went on. "If you care about Mew, put the knife down."

He took a step forward.

"You can't threaten me."

"It's not a threat."

"Whatever. I can see your hand shaking!"

"I can still pull a trigger."

"Why would you do that?"

After a moment's thought, Gulf gave the answer that was in his heart. "It would save your life."

"Are you stupid?"

"Mew is working hard for that thing you call stupidity. I swore I would do whatever I could to help Mew. I don't care if I have to risk my life for that."

If nothing else, Bright was someone Mew could trust.

Gulf knew that innumerable dangers awaited Mew after this. In order to survive, he would need every person he could get who understood him and would give their lives for him.

"No," Bright moaned. "I betrayed Boss Mew. I can never go back alive, never serve by his side again."

"Why do you think I'm here?"

The wind gusted. It was cold enough to chill their hearts.

Gulf's hand was like ice as it gripped the gun. But the finger curled around the trigger didn't move.

"Mew knows everything."

"E-Everything?"

Bright looked disbelieving.

"And he came here to save you anyway."

"You're lying!" Bright's voice was shrill in its denial.

"Why do you think I'm lying?"

"I-I tried to kill you. I tried to kill that guy. I risked the boss life and the lives of the other gang members. And you're telling me he came to save me?"

"Mew knows how much you've been suffering."

Bright's knees began to wobble.

He slowly lowered his hand and turn the blade toward Gulf.

"Bright---"

"I can't."

Bright's haunted eyes revealed the conflict within him.

"You can. Please talk to Mew. Tell him exactly what you think, and then hear what he has to say."

"I can't."

Bright's feet carried him one step forward. Then, in a flash, the man threw the knife away and rushed toward Gulf.

Gulf's frozen fingers slipped and the leaden weapon fell into the man's hand.

"Bright!"

TBC