"God, they just wouldn't shut up," she repeated again, her eyes filled with trauma. "Next thing I knew…the bullets started going off from my gun…” She covered her mouth with her bloody hands. Pained guilt teemed on her face. “This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she cried through muffled hands. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
Ji Hoon was confused. He was more than confused as he listened to Soo Jin. She didn't make sense at all. And if being confused wasn't enough, he was also worried that she'd end up hurting herself. From the looks of it, if he didn't get her out of the club soon, her condition would worsen. His concern for her at its apex, Ji Hoon immediately grabbed Soo Jin by the shoulder and carefully pulled her up. It didn’t matter what happened. The best thing to do now was to get her out.
"Baby, look at me. Look at me," he said firmly, his hands cupping her cheeks again. He looked her dead in the eyes. "It'll be okay. I promise. Go wait in the car. I'll take care of this."
Fresh tears formed in her eyes. She shook her head in protest. Knowing fairly well that leaving her in the club would worsen her trauma, Ji Hoon decided that it was best if he left with her. Pulling her cold body close to him, he sped toward the exit. As he held onto her with one hand, he held up his cellphone with the other. He scanned through his phone and dialed the number of one of the higher-ranking members in his gang.
Pushing the exit door open with his shoulder, Ji Hoon pulled Soo Jin closer to him. They proceeded out of the club. His phone to his ear, it only took one ring before someone picked up on the other end.
"Boss?" the voice asked over the receiver.
"Club Pure,” Ji Hoon said without pretense. "Bring whoever is with you and bring several cars. There are bodies I need you to get rid of."
He struggled to hold onto Soo Jin, who was having a hard time holding herself up.
"We'll be there," the voice answered dutifully before hanging up.
Ji Hoon hung up and threw all of his attention back to Soo Jin. When he reached his car, Ji Hoon sped to the passenger side and opened the door for her.
She was now staring lifelessly at the ground.
He cupped his hands against her face and stared reassuringly into her blank eyes. "Baby, it'll be okay. I'll make sure it's okay, alright?"
All she did was nod absently.
Though she was gazing into his eyes, he could tell from the blankness in her expression that she was already lost in contemplation about something else. Coming to terms with the fact that there wasn’t much more he could say or do, Ji Hoon gave a worried sigh and helped her into the car.
He ran to the driver's side and got in. Speeding off into the night, the Mercedes squealed in the silent streets, leaving behind the unimaginable massacre that would eventually leave its notorious mark in the Underworld.
■ ■ ■
The truth was, Yoori had never known uncomfortable silence like the one she and Ji Hoon was sharing. She knew that Soo Jin was a troubled person but she couldn't have anticipated how troubled Soo Jin was.
An Soo Jin completely lost her mind that night.
Both leaning lifelessly against their respective doors, it took Yoori all of her self-control to not allow tears to flow out of her own eyes. An Soo Jin was alone when she killed the family that night. She was completely and utterly alone when she killed them.
It was just her that night.
There was the validation Yoori needed to convince herself that she couldn't be the monstrous Scorpion girl.
Fuck amnesia, she brooded angrily. She couldn't believe she even allowed herself to remotely believe that she could be the Scorpion girl. So what if she had amnesia? So what if people told her she resembled An Soo Jin? Fuck that. All of that.
How could she let all of that get in the way of the fact that she had a life in her hometown? She had a family by her side when she woke up in the hospital that day. They not only reminded her of her life prior to the car accident but they also took care of her from then on. She was almost sure she was a burden to her parents but they took care of her regardless because she was their daughter. Who would put up with taking care of someone if they weren't related?
She shuddered as she recalled the part of the story where Ji Hoon almost slipped on the amputated fingers. It didn't take Yoori long to surmise what Soo Jin was doing in there. Soo Jin really did torture that family for hours before she killed them, she concluded with disgust.
An Soo Jin was not just a monster; she was a monster that lost her mind.
Ji Hoon finally broke the silence when he took stock of the disgust on her face. "Before you begin to judge Soo Jin for her mistake that night, you should know that she died that night as well."
At that moment, she really didn't want to say anything to him. Yet as the vagueness of his words penetrated her psyche, she knew she couldn't go on with the silence. Yoori looked up at him with frustration present in her face.
"What?" she finally uttered softly.
"Her soul," he clarified. "It died that night. Soo Jin was never the same after all that happened." He breathed in painfully. "Soo Jin changed after that night, immensely. She became more distant and aloof. Though she didn't speak of it much, I knew that every night, she thought about what happened and entertained the idea of ending her own life. It killed me to see her so miserable, it killed me that I couldn't do anything to help her. An Soo Jin was merely living on borrowed time as I tried desperately to hold onto what was left of her."
Yoori was barely listening.
Ignoring this, Ji Hoon continued. "That night, when I heard that someone had killed her, I knew..."
"Knew what?" she asked absentmindedly. It was obvious that she no longer wanted to be part of that conversation, but she continued because she felt obligated to still be in it.
"I knew that she died without fighting. There are few people who could've touched Soo Jin, let alone kill her. The only way she could’ve died that night was if she went obediently. The only way she could have died was if she allowed someone to kill her."
Yoori knew she should’ve listened more carefully to what he was saying but she couldn't bring herself too. There was just so much in her mind.
She knew that Ji Hoon was trying to make Soo Jin sound better than she ever was. So what if Soo Jin regretted what she did in the end? So what if God punished her by giving her a soul in the end, only to have it torn up before she died? She still ruthlessly murdered an entire family. Soo Jin deserved every inch of that pain and more.
As far as Yoori was concerned, Soo Jin was let off too easily.
Returning her gaze to Ji Hoon, Yoori brushed off what he just said and focused on asking something that she was also still curious about.
"She didn't tell you what actually happened in the club, did she?" Yoori asked instinctively. She couldn't let that part go. What happened in the club, she couldn’t let it go.
Clearly disappointed that Yoori purposely ignored what he just said about Soo Jin, Ji Hoon just shook his head at her new question. "She never spoke about it and I never brought it up."
When he spoke, Yoori heard it again – that pain in his voice. It was there again. And it was so much stronger this time. So much stronger that it was enough for Yoori to allow another avalanche of guilt to engulf her.
All this time, she had misunderstood Ji Hoon. All this time, he only took part in the blame because he wanted to lessen Soo Jin's guilt. He allowed the rumors to flow free because he wanted to protect her, even after her death.
Yoori gazed at Ji Hoon with remorse. All disappointment in Soo Jin aside, at least there was one good thing that derived from it. Yoori no longer had a valid reason to dislike Ji Hoon.
"I'm sorry for misunderstanding," she began quietly, avoiding eye contact with him. She stared at her shaking fingers. She mentally scoffed at herself. She seemed to be doing a lot of misunderstandings lately. First it was Tae Hyun and now it was Ji Hoon. Boy, she was definitely on a roll.
Before Ji Hoon could utter another word, his phone
started beeping relentlessly. Yoori knew that it was his alarm.
Their hour was up.
Turning off his alarm, he smiled at Yoori. "I normally wouldn't care too much if our hour is up, but I have some people to meet and stuff to take care of so – "
"How can I make this up to you?" she found herself asking abruptly. She felt awful for what she did to him. She hated Soo Jin but Ji Hoon did nothing wrong. The only thing he did wrong was love Soo Jin, despite her inhumane flaws.
He pondered her offer. "Let's meet again. This time, it will be just you and me. We won't talk about Tae Hyun or Soo Jin. It'll just be about us."
It was probably too premature of her but in light of what she put him through, it was truly the least she could do. So with a small smile on her face, Yoori nodded in agreement.
It didn't help that, as soon as she nodded, Tae Hyun's face popped into her mind. She flinched. She wasn't dating Tae Hyun or Ji Hoon, but she was already feeling like a two-timing hussy. She may not be dating Tae Hyun, but to others, she was still his girlfriend. Even though it was a false thing, she didn't want Tae Hyun to deal with unnecessary gossip – especially one pertaining to Ji Hoon. She couldn't do that to him.
"On our next meeting though, you can't take me anywhere where we'll be seen," she stipulated, trying to minimize the catastrophe that may occur if someone caught “Tae Hyun's girlfriend” on a little outing with Ji Hoon. "Cause you know, I'm still Tae Hyun's girlfriend and it just looks bad."
Though she knew the mention of Tae Hyun had more than rubbed Ji Hoon the wrong way, he managed to keep his composure. "Don't worry. I understand."
Grateful for his reassurance, Yoori then decided it was time to leave. She grabbed her handbag and pushed the door opened. "Good. I'll see you later then."
As she pulled herself onto the cold street, Yoori knew she had to do something to lessen the intensity of the atmosphere that formed between them. She had to leave Ji Hoon on a somewhat carefree note.
She turned back around with a smile on her face. She handed the empty foam cup to Ji Hoon. "Thanks for the heavenly tea,” she said warmly. “I demand another one next time."
She didn't know why she gave the guy an empty foam cup and demanded something for their future date. It was the most random thing to come out of her mouth. However, when she saw his smile grow a little wider, she knew that her odd tactic worked.
"As you wish, beautiful," he said, grabbing the foam cup and placing it in the cup holder. There was a hint of charm present in his voice again.
Yoori rolled her eyes at his cheesy line. At least it made her feel better to see the flirtatious Lee Ji Hoon make his return before their night ended.
"Be good, Lee Ji Hoon," she said, closing his door with much amusement.
"I'll see you soon..." she heard him say as his engine started.
She threw one last wave at him and proceeded down the curb. As she descended into the dim lighting of the streets, Yoori was besieged with thoughts about An Soo Jin and the information Ji Hoon disclosed with her.
She was hoping that the hour with Ji Hoon would help to ease her confusion about who An Soo Jin was but as fate would have it, Yoori only emerged from the meeting much more puzzled. She weighed the different pieces of information that Ji Hoon shared with her. An Soo Jin was a horrible person, she knew that much for sure. But what about the rest of the details that Ji Hoon left out because he wasn't there when it happened?
Questions that will never be answered by anyone but Soo Jin ran through Yoori's mind at a relentless rate.
Why was Soo Jin the only one in the club that night?
What exactly happened to Soo Jin that night? Did she really lose her mind?
How did Soo Jin torture and execute all of them by herself?
And finally, the one question that started the chain of events of that night and the most important question of all: out of everyone, why did Soo Jin choose that particular family?
“Then you’re done in this world.”
29: Hold on Tight
Walking into Tae Hyun's apartment complex, it was no surprise that Yoori still found herself consumed with what happened with Ji Hoon. She was still so mixed with emotions.
She was relieved to learn more about An Soo Jin, but in the same token, she was also angry about what she learned. Every now and then, images of two faceless kids with bullets to their head would invade her mind and haunt her as her hatred for An Soo Jin lived on. Her stomach churned. Recollection of the story continued to repulse her to no end.
In addition to being angry, Yoori was also feeling guilty with how inconsiderate she was to Ji Hoon. Now that she had time to think over their conversation in his car, she felt worse for being such a bitch and treating him so horribly. Apart from his bad relationship with Tae Hyun, Ji Hoon had been nothing but kind to her. He didn't deserve to be treated with such hostility, especially when one of the primary reasons why she deemed him to be the “bad guy” was because she assumed he was part of that club massacre. Obviously that proved to be no longer valid.
Frustration escalating within her, she sighed dramatically. The elevator button lit up after Yoori tiredly pressed it down. As she waited for the elevator doors to slide open, it became natural for Yoori's thoughts to swing back to the set of questions she asked before she reached Tae Hyun's apartment.
Was that family chosen at random or were they chosen for a reason? And if there was a reason, then what was that reason?
She desperately wanted to find out the answers to these questions. But how would she? Even Ji Hoon didn’t know and he was the only valid link to the inner workings of An Soo Jin. The only one who would know was Soo Jin herself and unfortunately, Soo Jin took those secrets to her grave.
Though the elevator door had dinged open, its call did little to rouse Yoori from her stupor. She was so preoccupied with her feverish curiosity that she didn't even notice the elevator was waiting for her. She also didn't realize that someone was standing beside her, waiting with her in silence as well.
It only became clear to Yoori that there was another in her company when she heard a recognizable voice and felt a familiar hand intertwined its fingers with her own.
"So what's gotten my little party animal so lost in contemplation?"
It happened so naturally that she didn't even catch it. When Yoori peered up at the handsome face of the Serpents leader beside her, her frustration subsided along with her thoughts about An Soo Jin.
A new distraction had presented itself and this much-needed distraction was named Kwon Tae Hyun.
Dressed in a simple black hoodie and black jeans, Yoori was surprised that Tae Hyun still looked slick and stylish in such casual clothing. She concluded that it must be that particular air of confidence he always strutted around with. He looked good in whatever he chose to wear and he damn well knew it.
Purposely ignoring his question, Yoori hid a bashful smile. Did it get warmer in this building or was it just her?
"Hey stranger," she said composedly, concealing the fact that she was more than happy to see him again. It had only been a day but it felt like it had been forever since she last saw him.
"Missed me?" he teased, a mischievous smile already forming on his face. His hold on her hand tightened. He seemed pretty happy to see her as well.
Yes!
"Didn't even know you were gone," she replied coyly.
Tae Hyun laughed. He took a moment to study any bluff on her face. Shaking his head with hilarity, he boldly said, "You're such a bad liar."
Like a rose wilting under the scorching sun, her hidden smile gradually condensed into a frown. Challenging his bold (and unfortunately true statement) she gazed at him in amazement. How could he just see through her like that?
"I can tell you're really happy," he added, his smile broadening when he saw the disbelief on her blushing face.
"Don't flatter yourself," Yoori quipped, unable to think of a better retort.
Without warning, he reached his fr
ee hand out and curled it around her waist. Yoori's eyes widened at his bold actions. It not only scandalized her that she didn't mind it so much with how he was holding her, but it also surprised her that her heart was racing like crazy. All of this was happening too fast and none of it was making sense to her. What was he doing?
His hand resting on the small of her back, he effortlessly pulled her closer to him. "How can I not be flattered when you flatter me, babe?" he asked serenely, pulling her petrified self just a little bit closer so that their bodies were almost touching.
Yoori was confounded. Was he really hitting on her right now?
"Wh–what’s going on? Did you drink alcohol today?" she squeaked lamely. She felt herself turn to mush with the precarious position Tae Hyun placed them in. How did playful teasing on Tae Hyun's part turn into a full-on mating fest? Did he get drunk when he met up with his mentor or something? What had gotten into him?
In lieu of answering, he simply lifted their intertwined hands and waved it in the air.
Baffled, Yoori turned to the direction in which Tae Hyun was waving their hands. There she saw the doorman waving happily at them.
That was when it all made sense to her.
Apparently, Tae Hyun was only acting that way because they had an audience. Yoori grimaced. She suddenly felt offended that he was only acting.
"Next time, let me know when there's a show that I need to perform for," she whispered through gritted teeth. She wore a warm smile for the doorman as well.
The disappointment that came over her unnerved Yoori. Their intertwining fingers now appeared less genuine than she had anticipated it to be. As shocking as it may be that she thought Tae Hyun was purposely hitting on her, she couldn't deny that she was also a tad bit flattered and excited at the thought that he may have been interested in her in that manner. Finding out that he was merely doing it for appearances left a bad taste in her mouth. A bad taste she couldn't ignore.
"Who said I was performing?" Tae Hyun asked, returning his smiling gaze to her.
Yoori rolled her eyes at the unprecedented charm he threw at her. There was a subtle light that shined through his eyes that led Yoori to believe that he may have caught on to the fact that she misunderstood his actions.
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