ALWAYS You: Swan's Shadow [YOONGI] (Book 3)

Chapter 34

In-ah collapsed at the massacre before her. She felt physically sick. She sat alone in a dark room, rows and rows of monitors broadcasted live CCTV footage of the dojo arena. There was no escape from it, blood scattered into the cameras in every scene.

Moments ago, she watched with her very own eyes how Kim Chung Ha plunged a sword into Yoongi. 

She watched how her friends desperately tried to save him, and now she watched how her friends were using their last remaining strength to fight to their death. 

In-ah shook her head. "I never wanted it to be this way." She clapped a hand over her mouth, suppressing a sob from escaping her lips. 

She zoomed in on Soo-ji, who remained sat in the corner of the room. On her lap laid a motionless Yoongi. Soo-ji was no longer crying. She was emotionless, too shocked to have any other reaction. 

The assassins and snipers continued to pile in, scattering into every inch of the room like ants. In-ah knew that there was no way her friends would win this fight. 

She blinked her tears away. And when she looked back on Soo-ji's monitor, she was astonished to find Soo-ji no longer in the corner of the room.

"Wha-" In-ah started, rewinding the CCTV footage to a few seconds back. She watched, with held breath, how Soo-ji planted a kiss on Yoongi's purple lips. She watched Soo-ji slowly laying Yoongi's head on the floor. She watched how Soo-ji slowly picked up a discarded sword next to her, heading towards Kim Chung Ha.

"SHIN!" A gruffly sniper yelled into her earpiece, making her jump. "We've lost Choi Soo-ji. She was in the corner just a minute ago! Locate her NOW!"

In-ah's heart beat like wildfire against her ribcage. Her breathing was irregular as she watched her dear friend take one step, two steps, three steps, towards Chung Ha in the middle of the dojo.

The KSI or the Hope Gang. An ultimatum was before her and she must make a choice now.

"I-I can't see where she is." In-ah answered into her earpiece, locking it off completely.

She ripped the earpiece out, finally deciding where her loyalties lie.

***

"I love you." Yoongi's whisper echoed inside Soo-ji's head. 

He wasn't really gone. No. There was no way Yoongi would leave her behind. She could still hear his voice, for Christ sake. She peered down at him on her lap. He must be tired, Soo-ji almost laughed, he's even taking a nap during a fight!

Soo-ji couldn't remember the last time she looked at his face properly. She traced his features closely, blocking out what was happening around her. His sleeping expression was gentle. His jawline was sharp and smooth. His parted lips almost brought a blush to her cheeks when she remembered how those very lips used to bring her so much warmth. 

The delusion that she forced herself in was blissful. In her mind, Yoongi was still alive.

A tear rolled down her cheek. 

"D-don't cry..." She remembered Yoongi telling her just before he left. 

"I'm not crying." She whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. 

"I'm so proud of you." She heard him say next, bringing a smile to her face finally. "You have to live."

Soo-ji squeezed her eyes tighter, shaking her head. Dying for her was easy. Living without him was difficult. 

"The Hope Gang needs you."