~ Together by a String ~ (Jiyoo)

~19~

I turned my head towards the bike and saw Minji looking at me with tears in her eyes the moment she saw my blood on the ground. I wanted to hold her and stop her from crying. I wanted to feel her touch one more time and tell her that everything was safe, that we wouldn't have to face Yunjin anymore and that I would be okay... I hoped that I would.

I crawled my way up from the ground and slowly walked towards her while holding the bullet wound on my lung. Fuck, it hurts so much. She dropped her bike to the ground and dashed towards me. I wanted to smile to make her get rid of her worries, but I couldn't.. I was getting weaker and weaker..

"Jiu..."

"YOOHYEON!!"

I heard her muffled voice call my name. She was right infront of me, but she felt so far away.. I couldn't walk anymore and just stood there, watching her body get closer and closer to me.

I then got a sudden flashback of the day we became friends.. I remembered her smile and how she told me that she was proud of me. Then, I also remembered the night I told her I liked her and asked her to be my girlfriend and how she instantly accepted. I smiled at the memories and then shed a single tear, watching Minji run to me. Why did I think of those memories now of all times?

"*whisper* Am I dying?"

I weakly spoke to myself and soon, I finally felt Minji hugging my weak body. I didn't have any more energy and just fell in her arms, making us both fall down to the ground. She gently held my head over her lap and looked around, noticing the bullet on the ground. Her shaky hand slowly hovered over my shoulder and stomach, then staring at my hand that was over my lung. She gently removed my hand and widened her eyes the moment she saw the hole on my skin, it being her breaking point, causing her to start panicking and crying even more.

My poor Minji.. She looked so sad. I didn't like it when she was sad.. I managed to place my bloody hand on her cheek with the last remaining energy I had left and smiled at her.

"Jiu.. I love.. you."

"No no no, shut up! Don't you dare do that to me, don't you dare say anything like that now.."

"I really.. really love you.. I'm happy you accepted me again.."

"Hyeon please... I-I love you too.. Stay strong for me, okay? The paramedics will be here soon, just please stay awake for a bit more.."

I nodded and watched the police roam around the place while examining Yunjin's dead body. I saw her lying lifeless on the ground while a white blanket was being placed on top of her now deceased body.

I felt weird seeing her dead, since she used to be my girlfriend at some point, but I looked back at Minji.. I felt so relieved that it wasn't her that went through what I just did. I felt happy, but that feeling got immediately replaced by sudden nauseousness. There was a thick liquid going up my throat. I turned my head towards the ground and coughed a big amount of blood.

Minji held my head carefully and sobbed on my chest. I pat the back of her head and felt her move to look at me and kiss my lips. Her lips were shivering with fear and I could feel her tears fall on my skin. She pulled out and caressed my cheek, sniffing and closing her eyes because she couldn't hold in her tears anymore. I noticed my blood on her cheek and lips and wiped it off for her, accidentally smudging it all over instead of cleaning her.