Dae Ho fixes his leather racer jacket and untucks his white undershirt, tying his shoelaces with a huff. It's D-day. He stands in front of the building he had been to not long ago. Seoul Army Hospital. The only difference is, this time he is alone, without Haneul by his side. Taking in a long breath, he enters the premises, hands in his pockets.
Upon his arrival, a flash passes through him but Dae Ho is fast enough to block the kick that's thrown his way. He grabs the man's shin and twists him around, flinging him to the ground. A punch from the side and another kick from behind comes in next, the fighter protecting his face but failing to dodge the kick. He flies into the wall with a thud, his back but he then recovers quickly and takes his stance.
"Come at me," he smirks, cockily signaling the men with his hand. He's oddly excited, adrenaline rushing through him. He goes all out, he has nothing to lose anyway. The fighter throws punches like there's no tomorrow, and lands kicks like that's his only function. He trips and falls, bruises when the men fight back, but that doesn't wipe off the grin he's wearing.
A bleeding lip and torn knuckles later, Dae Ho strides into the hall, wiping the sweat glistening on his face and ruffling his sticky hair. The space where dusty items and burnt furniture were thrown is no more, clean white space in view, although the sooty marks on the walls are still visible. A swivel chair sitting in the middle turns, revealing Vee in a crisp black suit and neatly combed hair.
"Isn't it beautiful to end something in the very place it started?" The Chinese man claps with a smug smile. "Welcome! Shall we begin?"
"Why did you call me here?" Dae Ho questions with gritting teeth, the previous burst of energy dissipating into boiling anger at the sight of the man who killed his sister.
"Do you have the USB drive?"
"I'm not giving you until you tell me about Minji. What did you mean by she didn't die that day?" Dae Ho already feels bile rising to his throat, his fingers digging into the skin of his palms.
Vee slides a blue velvet box on the floor without any explanation and the fighter picks it up. He takes in a sharp breath at the writing on the card when he opens it. Something he'd recognize easily.
'Congratulations on another successful tour, Oppa! Keep spreading your wings and soar high! —the only songwriter to exist'
It's undoubtedly a message from Minji as 'the only songwriter to exist' had been an inside joke between the two when the girl tried writing a song but failed miserably and Dae Ho mocked her with the title with a burst of rumbling laughter. He runs his finger over the words, nostalgia creeping in. A silver necklace is placed beneath the card, with two wings spread wide, joined by a black stone in the middle. It's ironic, Dae Ho thinks. The pendant contrasts with the one-winged tattoo he has on the left side of his back, shackled by a metal chain, constricting its movement, bounded, representing something fallen.
Vee chuckles and cross-crosses his legs. "Now, it's your turn."
"That's it? You think this necklace is worth exchanging with a whole research project?"
"Oh no, I honestly think the necklace is trash and worthless but it must be invaluable to you with the way you're clutching it." Vee shakes his head. "And if you ever want to know what really happened to your dear sister, you'll do as I say."
Dae Ho sighs, he's tired and done with Vee's bull crap. He pulls out the USB from his pocket and hands it over to the man, sliding it over just as he had done. The latter smiles in victory and grabs the laptop placed on the metal desk behind him.
"Woah! Almost five years and it's finally in my grasp!" Vee gushes as he inserts the drive into its slot. His grin spreads wider as he goes through the content, and Dae Ho presses his lips together as he hears the screaming of the test subjects. The Chinese man is stalling him, it's pretty clear. He watches the videos more than necessary and it's irritating how there's nothing much the fighter can do. So, he just waits.
Vee closes the laptop lid after a while. "Since you're a fool to give me the USB for info on your dead sister, I'll keep my end of the bargain too."
Dae Ho wishes he had his gun to shoot Vee in the head and get over whatever this is but the men outside took all his weapons.
"Do you know what happens when you mix methyl orange with acid or did you fail chemistry class?" Vee laughs while swiveling on the chair. "Well, to answer your question, it turns red!"
"What?"
"For example, what if I fill a blank bullet round that's used in movies with methyl orange and apply acid on Minji's forehead? The moment she shoots herself, bam! There's a chemical reaction taking place and it looks as if she's bleeding." Vee juts out his lips at Dae Ho's confused face. "We had already injected you with hallucinatory drugs so it was easy to create the scenario I wanted. And it was fortunate that Minji fainted on the spot with fear the moment she pulled the trigger. You passed out too, so we just moved her unconscious body away and even freed you and dropped you in the middle of nowhere."
"S-so...you're telling me she was alive!?" Dae Ho breathes in horror. He spent years mourning her death and sulking around, getting drunk at every chance he got when he should have been searching for her. He's been chasing in the wrong direction. All the years have been wasted over his wrong decisions. His stomach drops at the realization. But if Minji was alive why didn't she ever contact him or at least send him a signal?
"Minji was then transported to China on a ship and sold."
Human trafficking.
Dae Ho lurches forward and pulls Vee, landing a hard punch to his face. "How dare you!" He pushes him onto the ground and lets his fists pound him. "You'll pay for this!"
But Vee chuckles, licking the blood streaming from the corner of his lips. "Ah, finally! That's the reaction I have been waiting for. It's so satisfying how easy you are to rile up, Park Dae Ho."
The fighter retracts. He wants to throw up. While he's been thinking the whole world is against him, Minji faced an even more vicious fate. Her misery didn't end with a bullet but continued to follow her due to their father's deeds.
"The men paid her generously for her time but that bitch was ungrateful. She escaped even though she was given a life in a mansion." Vee cocks his head with a sneer. "She couldn't go to the police since she was an illegal immigrant nor could she contact her brother since she didn't want to put him in any further danger. Somehow months later, she found a man for herself and married him soon after. They must've been happy but that was short-lived as she died giving birth to her first child. The end! Woohoo!" Vee claps and bows as if he's receiving a standing ovation for the narration.
Dae Ho couldn't care less about the man but he's astounded at the disclosure. He doesn't even register the tears that have escaped his eyes until Vee points it out.
"Who would've thought that you'd even cry today! This keeps getting better," he says like the sadist he is.
Dae Ho ignores him and wipes the wetness from his face. He can't believe Minji was alive all this time! And Vee may be telling all this to spite him but a sense of contentment spreads through his chest. Minji lived her last moments happily, she created a family of her own. Tears threaten to spill out of his eyes again but the fighter holds them in. He still can't believe Vee's words but prays they're true without any manipulation.
All that's left now is to end Vee's game and his whole existence. But the man beats him to it.
"This is boring now." He pouts and maybe Dae Ho should start with slicing his lips. "Minji's story wasn't exciting enough for me so I prepared a little gift for you myself. Yet another thing you cherish. Come in!"
A man enters the hall and Dae Ho's blood runs cold. This shouldn't be happening! What in the world is Kim Haneul doing here!
"Han—"
"Yesterday's extravaganza was for what? A goodbye because you've decided again you needed to throw your life away!" The doctor snaps, getting closer to Dae Ho. "And that piece of shit," he points a finger at Vee. "He called me today to fill me in with the details and challenged me if you'll live today!" Veins popping and nostrils flaring, Haneul jabs the younger with the heel of his palm.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Dae Ho retorts, concerned about how the other would leave here unscathed.
"You expect me to sit back and do nothing when you're out here dying?"
"Exactly! That's what you're supposed to do!" The fighter yells, "Stop meddling!"
"Ahem!" Vee clears his throat to get their attention. "Before you kill each other yourselves and deprive me of my fun, shut up."
"..."
"..."
Vee loads a pistol and points it at Haneul. "Come here." He motions with the weapon. But Dae Ho is the one who moves forward.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to involve innocent people," he seethes with hard eyes.
"But where's the fun in that!" Vee cackles and signals the doctor again. "If you don't want your precious daughter to share Minji's fate, walk towards me."
Haneul's and Dae Ho's eyes widen at that, their nerves bundling up. Vee is a scumbag, it's an already fact. It's frustrating and unnerving as to how he's always a step ahead of Dae Ho, always upping him in one or the other way. And maybe it's because the fighter is done with everything around him, he's being careless now. But yet again, his mind is muddled with bloody thoughts of murder and dead people. How will he let Haneul escape this mess? The man isn't making it easier either.
The bluehead does as he's told with a curse, standing in front. What surprises Dae Ho is how the doctor has a determined expression rather than the scared one he had expected. His jaw is set, chest thrusting out in dominance, and steps steady.
"What is it? And if anything happens to my daughter, I'll cut your body into several parts and feed it to stray dogs." Haneul warns, baring his teeth and shooting a sharp glare. The threat isn't empty nor is it a bluff. Angry Kim Haneul may even be worse than Park Dae Ho. Most of the time, he's easy-going and chill but when anger takes over, he loses control.
"Here," Vee states with nonchalance and curls Haneul's fingers around something, turning him in Dae Ho's direction. "Shoot him."
"Huh...?"
"A life for a life. Kill Park Dae Ho and save your daughter." Vee lets out a peal of sardonic laughter that looks through the hall, Haneul's previous bravado shaking. "This will be the grand finale!"
"I-I...I can't do that..." Haneul stammers as Vee goes behind him and pulls his hands with his, the gun aiming at Dae Ho. "No!" He struggles against the man's grip, careful enough not to press the trigger accidentally. "Leave him and take me instead!"
"This is what I hate about people like you," Vee grumbles, "it's always giving up your life to save the other one. But today, you will take Park Dae Ho's life. Why else do you think I called you here?"
Haneul shuts his eyes as his ragged breathing moves his chest in an irregular rhythm.
"Hey, Haneul," Dae Ho's voice is calm. "It's alright. I'm sorry, you had to come here because of me but I want you to go back alive from here. Just shut your mind and think this is not real."
"That's not possible!" Haneul denies, his hands trembling, heat rising to his face, sweating.
"Minnie is far more important and I don't care about anything else. Just do it."
What terrifies Haneul isn't his finger on the trigger but the serene and genuine smile Dae Ho has plastered over his face. A curve that's an affirmation of him accepting his fate, his freedom, and final salvation.
"0," Vee starts the countdown and Haneul is sure he's going to faint at the pressure and dread. "I'm going to count up to five and if Dae Ho's isn't dead by the end of it, you'll both die along with your daughter."
"1."
"Haneul, take in deep breaths. Close your eyes."
"2."
"You can do this," Dae Ho coaxes him but the doctor feels dizzy, his eyes turning misty.
"3."
"Please, I can't!" The doctor's heart maniacally thunders against his ribs.
"4."
"You have to!"
"5."
"Pull the damn trigger, hyung!"
Bang!
Bang!
Haneul falls to his knees just as Dae Ho's body collides with the hard floor.
A/N: so that's it! Yay!
I wrote this whole book to just include the sentence "Pull the damn trigger, hyung!" phew! I have finally completed that task.