First Snow

Wrong Train, Right Direction

"And now, what do we do?" he asked between laughs.

Jaw clenched, Ri Jeong Hyeok gauged him with his eyes. Cho Cheol Gang was visibly hurt from when he had shot him, from the limping he detected, however, the man sounded way too confident, and he didn't like that.

"Now you surrender and you pay for your crimes."

Cho Cheol Gang pretended to think about it before grinning.

"If it were that simple, we wouldn't be here ..."

His smile disappeared.

"Because of that bitch and you, I lost everything ..."

"You lost everything because of your own crimes." Ri Jeong Hyeok replied coldly.

Cho Cheol Gang let out a sneer.

"You like to play vigilante, don't you? Others have tried before you and failed ... Your brother, that Ji Ah, and Seri ..."

Ri Jeong Hyeok's fingers tightened around his gun.

"Don't talk about them ..." he growled. "The NIS is coming, you won't be able to escape this time ..."

"Really? And do you think it was wise of you to take your eyes off Seri?"

Ri Jeong Hyeok felt his face drain of color, as a brutal cold sweat gathered on his forehead. Cho Cheol Gang's smile returned, more carnivorous, with a satisfaction that drew a shiver from him.

"It's interesting what people are able to do for money. Take a medical student for example, over-indebted because he's too addicted to gambling... What do you think he would be willing to do in exchange for a chance to erase his debts? "

He felt like he was gasping in pain.

"No ..." he breathed.

"By this time, it must be too late ..."

As Cho Cheol Gang made a move, raising his gun to aim at him, probably thinking he would take advantage of his shock, Ri Jeong Hyeok immediately shot, once, twice, three times, taking them both by surprise.

Cho Cheol Gang watched in amazement the blood spilling onto his chest before looking up at Ri Jeong Hyeok. He wanted to shoot but his gun slipped away from his grasp, and he collapsed to the ground.

Frozen, Ri Jeong Hyeok stared at the extended form of the man who had ruined so many lives, his gun still pointed at him. Cho Cheol Gang was looking at him with a smirk, eyes glassy but still lucid.

"You are...full of surprises, Ri Jeong Hyeokssi, I...I confess that I didn't imagine that someone like y...you could shoot another man in cold blood ..."

He coughed and his fingers managed to pick up the weapon that had fallen with him. He pulled in his direction, but wide aside, and Ri Jeong Hyeok didn't even try to move, to dodge. The gunshot still echoed in his ears, along with the erratic beating of his heart.

"I might die ... But I would have the satisfaction of taking Yoon Seri with me ..."

He coughed and closed his eyes, finally coming to a stop.

Ri Jeong Hyeok fell to his knees, eyesight blurred with tears, his hands shaking unable to do anything but rest on his knees.

"If you hadn't been involved ... She would still be alive ..."

Cho Cheol Gang had reopened his eyes, but his gaze seemed more distant, and blood was beading in the corner of her mouth. He groaned in pain and his eyes finally closed. Ri Jeong Hyeok didn't know if the man was still alive, and at this point, he didn't care. He didn't hear the cars approaching, the police sirens, he couldn't hear anything except Cho Cheol Gang's last words.