✓ GREEDY HEARTS | JAY

45 - Done For Me

JAY'S POV

My father is pointing a gun at Niki, the boy Y/N cares so much about, and I can feel the anger boiling within me. The urge to rush forward and take him down is overwhelming, but I know any rash move could lead to Niki getting hurt. I know Y/N's rage cannot be contained much longer. "Father," I hear myself say, the word still rotting in my mouth like a bitter taste. I hate that I share the same blood as him. I hate that he's the reason behind so much pain and suffering as much as it disgusts me. 

His eyes flicker to me, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Well, well, if it isn't my disobedient son. Thought you could defy me and run off with your little playthings?" His tone is mocking, and I can see Y/N gripping the handle of her gun tighter. Please don't do anything rash, I silently plead with Y/N. I don't want for her to end up in a situation where I can't save her, though I'd move heaven and earth to do so.

Through the earpiece, Jungwon and Heeseung inform us that the president's men have arrived and that everyone is taking their places, waiting for the right moment to strike. The pressure in the room is mounting, and Y/N's steely gaze remains fixed on my father. "Let him go." She says, and Gosh, the room seems to hold its breath. I wonder how much rage and anger can humans contain before they explode, and it feels like Y/N is reaching the limit.

My father, however, responds with a cold, humorless laugh. "You always did have a flair for the dramatic, Y/N. But you're in no position to make demands." I watch with a racing heart as he steps closer to the boy, kicking his leg until he's on the ground, groaning and clutching his side. "I'm well aware of those agents hiding outside and the little plan you've cooked up. If you make one wrong move, your little friend here will be the first to pay the price." His voice drips with malicious satisfaction and all I want to do is rip off his smirk and wipe it off his face.

His men are hiding behind the big crates, and if it's not for the moonlight that illuminates the scene, the warehouse would be swallowed in darkness. Niki grits his teeth, trying to push himself up despite the pain. Y/N shoots him a quick glance, silently urging him to stay down and not expose himself to further harm. But there's no way we can save him without someone having to take a risk. I know this, and that's why I take a deep breath and slowly start walking towards my father. 

"Jay-" I block out Y/N's voice, trying not to listen to the worry laced within her words. The warehouse seems to shrink with every step, and I can almost taste the fear, the anger, the pain. He watches me with sinister amusement, the cat toying with its prey. Who's who is not so clear anymore. I reach a point where I'm mere feet away from him, and his cold, calculating eyes meet mine. He doesn't shoot me, yet. He doesn't order his men to kill me nor does he make any sudden moves. I'm not afraid, not because he's my father and he wouldn't hurt me, that's something I discarded a long time ago. No, I'm unafraid because I've realized that the true danger lies in the grip he once had on my life.

"It's me who you want, Father. Right?" I raise my eyebrow, leaning against a nearby crate, watching as his eyes narrow ever so slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before it's replaced by a smirk, a cruel twist of lips that sends a shiver down my spine. "So the little bird has finally found its voice," he mutters, his voice dripping with disdain. "But do you truly believe you hold any value to me, Jay? You, who have dared to defy me, to turn your back on everything I've built?"

"Why did you erase our memories?" The question echoes through the place and from the corner of my eye, I can see Y/N's eyes widening. "Not only you murdered her parents, but you also manipulated our memories so we don't remember each other. So I don't remember what we once meant to each other. It's sad that your attempt at controlling us has failed. My father's eyes narrow as he processes my words, a storm of emotions flickering across his face – anger, frustration, and a hint of uncertainty. For a moment, it seems as though I've struck a nerve, unearthed a vulnerability he desperately tries to hide.

"I did what I had to do, you were a foolish child, blinded by delusional feelings." He spits out, and all I do is listen. We just have to divert his attention from Niki and buy enough time for the NIS agents to make their move. "But it seems you've found your voice at the worst possible time. Nevertheless, your little rebellion ends here."

"Come on, Father. Shoot me." I open my arms wide enough to show him just how fearless I am in that moment. "Do it. You always did what you thought was necessary, right? Murdering innocent people, manipulating lives, erasing memories. Or are you too cowardly to pull the trigger yourself?" The child in me still hopes his father would at least hesitate before committing such an act. But deep down, I know that hope is futile. My father's gaze hardens and he tightens his grip on his gun. Yet, before he can make a move, the warehouse is thrown into chaos. 

Explosions rip through the air and the snipers outside spring into action, raining down gunfire on my father's men. I quickly crouch down and hold Niki's hand, pulling him away from my father while he's trying to process what's happening. But when the sound of a gunshot is accompanied by pain surging through my arm, I stumble, gritting my teeth against the pain. A sharp, burning sensation radiates through my wounded arm. Niki's eyes widen in shock as he sees me falter. Fuck. We need to get out of here.

Y/N and Areum are at my side in an instant, their guns drawn as they cover us. "Jay, fuck, you're bleeding." Y/N's voice is shaky and I know she's worried sick about me. I know even the mere sight of my blood unsettles her, but she doesn't let it show.

"We'll deal with that later," I reply, suppressing the pain in my voice. "Get out of here." I spot Jungwon running towards me, his eyes widening in fear as if I'm about to die. And maybe I am. Maybe this is the end of the line for me. Because the next thing I know is someone lunging at me and I don't have enough time to even react. The figure crashes into me with unexpected force, knocking me off balance and sending us both falling from the big window on the upper level. Glass shatters around us as we plummet to the ground below, and the air is knocked out of my lungs upon impact.

Pain explodes through my body, every nerve screaming in agony as I hit the ground. My arm is bleeding, my bones aching, and I can taste blood in my mouth. I push myself up, ignoring the searing pain as I look around me and at the figure who crashed with me. It takes a moment for my vision to clear, but when it does, I see the figure lying motionless across from me. 

It's my father, blood pooling around his body while a sharp pipe goes through his abdomen. The realization hits me like a sledgehammer. For a moment, I'm frozen, my mind grappling with the surreal scene before me. My father is lying there, lifeless, his once looming presence now reduced to nothing more than a broken shell. There's a part of me that wants to feel triumphant, to revel in his downfall after all the suffering he's caused. But beneath that, there's a wellspring of sorrow that haunts me. 

Why did he risk his life and attack me like that? The question doesn't have a clear response, and no one will be able to answer it now that he's dead. But when I look down and find a knife pierced through my stomach, the answer becomes painfully clear. He was willing to sacrifice everything, including his own life, to end mine. 

The pain that has been numbed by the shock of the moment suddenly surges back with a vengeance, coursing through me like fire. I can feel warm blood seeping through my fingers as I press against the wound in a futile attempt to stem the bleeding. My head falls back against the cold concrete floor, and I gasp for breath, the world spinning around me in a dizzying blur.

The moonlight casts a ghostly glow over the scene, illuminating the chaos and destruction that surrounds me. What a tragic way to end it all, I think, the bitter irony not lost on me. To have survived so much, only to meet my end at the hands of my own father.