Jeno was standing in the corner of the cabin. I was just pressing him to the wall, our fingers gliding down and up our chests, faces, sides, backs, thighs. The way he had taken me on my bed almost an hour ago was as if a tornado has crossed my inner...
My first instinct was to go there and crack his skull in half, but I took my phone out, recorded it and went to the police. I met a young female lawyer the court has given me and she was touched by my story. I don't know, it was some kind of miracle or something but she said she will help me to get my parental rights back, but I must go on rehab and quit drugs. I did, I would do anything for Ellie. It was a long battle but finally the court decided to allow me to stay with Ellie. I was so happy, I believed my life will finally work out, I even found a simple job to pay bills by cleaning some shops until that day when I returned to find Ellie unconscious on the floor." Jeno swallowed, some tears rolled down his face. "Why does life has to be so fucked up, the doctors said it's cancer, definitely trigger by that bastard abusing her. I needed money for her treatment, so I called a known dealer and asked for a job. I never returned to using drugs but I was working for the Zone 5 gang to pay that stupid insurance that allowed her to be treated, but her state was getting worse and worse. I was so hopeless, so burnt out. I thought I have reached the edge and they said she has just a few months left maybe. I didn't want to believe, I refused to believe. One evening she was asking me if we will go and see the Blue Birds again and I thought I might fulfill her wish even if it's the last thing I'll do, so I took a piece of cardboard a neighbor had thrown out, Ellie's color pencils and prepared a sing, then used the hidden path only I knew to sneak to The Lagoon to protest. I would have never imagined it will bring me here. Never in my wildest dreams had imagined that one of the richest and most powerful men on Earth will be fighting this battle at my side at least giving Ellie a equitable way to go and experience less pain. This means the world to me." Jeno looked me in the eyes when I was ready to break into pieces, literally.
My throat was so dry, my mind one emptiness so I cuddled to Jeno feeling his warmth.
Ellie has been so pale, her tiny face almost transparent, her hand extra cold when I was sitting next to her bed waiting for the sunrise, hoping she'll survive till sunrise.
Jeno was coming and going, rather doing rounds down the corridor. I fully understood why he couldn't sit here and just wait.
A scream made me jump up and I saw Ellie opening her eyes shivering madly.
Jeno fell though the door tearing on his hair.
"Ellie. We're here relax. Breath." I squeezed her hand when she was still shivering watching the ceiling like fixed.
Jeno was doing rounds up down the room when the door opened and Dejun fell in assisted by a nurse.
I saw him injecting something into her IV bag.
It took some more time, she calmed down, her gaze became more sober, more here and now.
"Ok Ellie, we're here." I caressed over her sticky cheek. Jeno was leaning against the wall panting madly.
Dejun said nothing when Ellie's hand suddenly squeezed around my finger with some butterfly strength.
"Uncle Jaemin." She whispered.
"Yes my baby."
"Will you... when I go to heaven will you take care of Dad?"
I saw Jeno covering his face.
"Promise." I whispered looking into her eyes.
Don't make another promise you can't keep, said that tiny voice in my head.
"Jaemin can we speak privately." Dejun's voice stopped being calm.
"Sure. I'll be right back." I caressed Ellie's nose with the tip of my thumb getting up walking out onto the corridor with Dejun.
He seemed tense stopping at a window that was exposing the desert and that destroyed mountain chain miles form here.
"Ellie will die today. The Lagoon will die today." Said Dejun quietly causing a shiver to run down my body. "And there's only one man powerful enough to save both, if he would for damn once in his life make the right choice!" He turned to me his eyes tossing thunders. "You, yes you. Na Jaemin who will either go down in history as a hero or the most selfish asshole humanity has ever produced. I'm bagging you. For the last time I'm begging you, give me the string engine and I promise you I will cure Ellie."
I was standing there watching him, my mind playing all types of images, the probe-sphere falling, Mark jumping behind me at the sight of the broken bell, my grandfather on his death bed telling me to stick to his dream no matter what, Hendery taking me in a that freaking bathroom, Jeno leaning in to kiss me in The Lagoon...
"I can't." I whispered when Dejun's arms fell.
"What?" I heard Jeno's voice behind me that caused all the blood in my veins to freeze.
"Jeno it's not. I will not allow Ellie to become his experiment." I turned to him catching his eyes - hurt, betrayed.
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Thank you for your feedback. What do you think about Jeno's life story? What about him overhearing Jaemin's conversation with Dejun? What will happen now?
