12

Fire: Heat

Air: Stuffy

Noise: Screaming

Blood. So much blood. Here, there. Splatter away.

"Your Highness!!"

"No!! Don't! Stop it!!"

"Stop! Stop!"

"Your Highness, I'm begging you! Please, stop!!!"

I can hear those crying in the background. So loud that the sound resonated deep into my lob.

"Goodbye, my wife..."

I lifted my head and a glimpse of Khittan, holding a royal sword appeared in front of me. His vicious face slowly changed to sweet but sorrowful...

There is something in my hand. I lift it high.

A letter.

So I chose to leave. You will gain your freedom and you will be free to love anyone that you want to. As for me, don't worry. I know how to revive myself. But I just want you to know something.

I'll never stop loving you, my wife.

"No! No!"

I stand up in hasty, running towards the door, and swipe it open. I don't know how much I run, how far I go, and which way I'm heading. Nevertheless, my legs won't stop moving.

"Lady Karin! Wait! Lady!"

I let them chase me. I don't care anymore. I need to be fast, or I'm gonna lose the one that I love. I can't stop cursing and blaming myself for letting it slip through my finger.

The love that I want is right in front of me!

And, how can I put a doubt on him, thinking that he betrayed me?

All he did was to protect me.

"Lady Karin! Stop!"

I run, with my finger brushing the linen that hangs around me. The red-white covers that surround me make my sight feel heavier.

As I was about to turn, my body slammed into someone.

***

"Khittan!"

Silence.

When I open my eyes, everything is white. Gradually, the environment slowly appears through my eyes. The gradient of light wood and white slowly fills my sight.

The door slowly opens from the outside, revealing Hera, Sweet, Ivry, Jun, and...

Khittan.

"Unnie!" Sweet hugs me while crying in my embrace. Hera pursues from behind, trying to calm her girlfriend.

"What happened?" I ask Hera. She looks at Jun and Khittan.

"You got hit by a car, unnie. You lost consciousness for almost 3 days," says Hera. I frown, trying to recall what happened to me.

"Luckily, Ivry-ssi saw the incident. If it wasn't for her, we would never notice it," I look at Ivry. The girl is standing still next to Khittan.

The reality strikes me. I look down as I play with the hem of my hospital gown.

"Jagi, did you remember-?"

"Yes. I did..." I reply in short. Everyone gasps and later still, like maybe they feel guilty or something. But, no one feels devastated more than I do.

"I need to rest. Jun, stay with me?" I ask him. I can feel that Khittan is glaring at me with his dark sight. Hera ushers Sweet out of the room.

"Ivry..." the girl turns her head towards me.

"Yes, Karin?"

"Thank you," I say. She smiles and nods, putting her hand on Khittan's back and slowly ushers him out as well.

Now, it's only me and Jun.

"Jun..." I grab his palm tight, looking straight into his eyes. The man that I thought I loved, but in the next life, still, he is not the one that destiny sets for me.

"Jagi, I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing to be sorry, Jun. I... I'm being unfair to you. I know your feelings for me. But I can't love you back the way you love me. We both know this relationship is too much to handle for both of us," I tell him the truth. Slowly lifts his hand and places it on my cheek.

"I did try my best to love you, Karin. We are happy, but I know... I can see that you're lost. The relationship is lacking. We love each other but it feels different and distant," he replies. Probably the epiphany hits him as well.

"I prefer to be your Noona. Cheer you up when you're down, going to the concert without being concerned about the media and fans, group dinner, you being a pamper pouch, smack your head when you're acting crazy..." we laugh in unison.

"I think I prefer that more than this. I don't wanna get hurt whenever I read the news about you. And be paranoid even when I'm around you. The spotlight is too much for me. I want to be your number-one supporter, not a toxic girlfriend," I put his hand down softly.

There is a beam of tears coming from Jun's eyes. I feel guilty for breaking his heart, but I guess that's the thing that I'm supposed to do in the first place. I'm not supposed to blindly accept his proposal.

"I'm sorry, jagi... I thought I could make you happy..."

"Hey, you always make me happy! All these years, there has been no time that you have made me annoyed!" I smile and caress his cheek a bit.

"Even when that time, I forgot about our-?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. That's childish, don't you think? Being annoyed over something like that? Pft, I'm not a teen anymore!" I snicker and laugh aloud.

Jun smiles, but I know he feels sorry for me. I didn't mean to put us in this kind of situation, but the harm has been done and I have to fix it before it's too late.

"Jun... You know I love you, right?"

He nods in tiny.

"And, I know how much you love me," I hold his hand again.

"I love you so much," he replies.

"So, you know what to do and what I want you to do. Am I right?"

Tears slowly stream from my eyes. I can see Jun is crying as well.

"Living my life to the fullest. Never turn back and keep going," he slowly replies to me, with tears flowing from his eyes.

I wipe his tears from his cheek softly. Slowly drawing a smile on my face.

"Good boy..."

"I'm not a dog, you know?" he replies, pouting his lips.

We both laugh.

And gradually, my heart feels lighter and at ease. Another chapter has been closed with a good ending.

"Can I ask a favor?" he suddenly asks.

"What?"

"Can I keep calling you Jagi? I don't know, somehow I can't call you noona anymore..."

"Sure. You can call me anything that you want... As long as you don't call me bastard-"

"Jagi, that's too much!" Jun frowns. I laugh at him, teasing him with my gesture.

I'm glad it's a happy ending for us. Even if we break up, we can still smile and love each other in another way. Love doesn't mean we need to be a couple. Standing by each other can be love as well.

And that's what I'll do for the rest of my life.

Standing next to Jun. Forever.