Chapter 13- The Fundraiser (Pt 2)

Me: ...

Seven's POV

"Saeran…?" His name escaped my lips. Perhaps I had gone unconscious from the pain and my brother had come to see me. But as I took a step forward, a searing stab shot through my ankle and I cried out. I realized with a start that this wasn't a dream. Not at all. I glanced at him once more. He had changed his hair color completely and the crimson red I once remembered was gone. He wore a long black jacket and black pants decked with knives. My eyes widened when I saw a gun on his belt. He smiled at me and I continued, trying to ignore it.

"You're...alive? How? Why are you here?"

"Aww, that's the first thing you say?" Saeran questioned, almost offended. "How about it's good to see you? Or...I missed you sooo much." He cooed. I frowned, something was wrong with him.

"I...I don't understand…" I whispered. "What happened to you? I thought you were dead. They told me you were gone."

"Of course they did." Saeran replied simply, as if it was the most blatant thing in the world.

"I missed you." I whispered. "I can't believe you're alive." I had thought my brother had been dead for the past several years, and now he just suddenly shows up better than ever? In the middle of all this? What was I supposed to say? How was I supposed to react? I tried to move towards him but the frigid look on his face made me stop.

"I was...saved." He said in a contemplative tone.

"Saved?"

"That's right."

"Saeran," I soothed. "I can help you. But you have to leave right now, it's incredibly dangerous here-"

"I know." He said calmly. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"If you know then...you have to get out of here."

"Hmmm…." He paused. "Nope." I frowned.

"Saeran are you listening to me?"

"Yep."

"Then-" He sighed, as if almost bored and then pulled down the shoulder of his jacket, revealing his bare shoulder. My eyes hesitated on his face and then flicked to his bare skin. I froze. The symbol of the organization I despised was inked onto it, as pale and prominent as it could possibly be. A large single sinister eye. Mint Eye.

"That's not-" I stopped. "That's not possible."

"But it is." He drawled. "It's right here."

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"You know, this is really quite great." He observed, ignoring my question. "I didn't expect you to be here. I heard you broke in and expected you had died during the escape. But you are here! And now you can watch our debut." He lifted his arms and gestured to the rest of the building. "Our debut to the rest of the world." Dread filled me and a chill swept across my skin as the realization settled. I took a step back slowly. My brother was really part of it. Part of Mint Eye. The organization that had caused so much pain in my life. But how was that possible? I shook my head, numb. He pulled out a gun from his belt and stared at me, his lips curling into a smile. Then, suddenly, we heard a painfully familiar voice, a cry. It was close. Close enough to hear over the muffled gunshots. My eyes instantly snapped away and my heart thudded violently. I knew that voice. Kao.

Oh no.

Slowly, my eyes slid back to his. I could tell from the recognition in his eyes—he knew her. Somehow, he knew who she was. Fear crept up inside of me.

"Ohhhh. There she is." He said softly. His fingers trailed across the side of his gun slowly. "I was wondering if she would show up."

"Saeran." I said carefully.

"Yes, dear brother?"

"Please."

"Please what?"

"Don't hurt her. Don't hurt any of them."

"You mean your precious friends?" My brother hissed. His eyes narrowed ominously. "The people you abandoned me for?"

"I didn't abandon you!" I shouted. "That's a lie and you know it!" Saeran scrunched up his nose as he observed me with a look of disgust.

"And now you act as if you love her." He said slowly. I was silent. "It kind of makes me want to just-" He paused and unlocked the safety on his gun. "Take it all away from you." He finished with a smile. I could feel sweat slowly trickle down my neck as I took a step back. He was unstable—too unstable. I didn't know if I could fix it.

"Saeran. You're better than this." I whispered.

"You want to know what I went through?" Saeran asked, gesturing to me weakly with his gun. He laughed a little. "You want to know what I endured?" I opened my mouth to reply but he continued.

"Pain." He said. "So much pain. And it's all your fault! It's all your fault and that-that V!" Saeran yelled, outraged. "They found me because of him! Because you trusted him! And they took me! And they tortured me! They tortured me until I couldn't feel pain anymore! Until I couldn't feel anything anymore!" Saeran screamed, his hand was trembling now as he waved the gun around. "But I kept going! Because I knew that you were waiting for me! Next thing I find out is that you've not only forgotten all about me, but never even made an attempt to find me!"

"That's a lie!" I yelled, my hands clenched into fists. "When I got out, they told me you had killed yourself! But I never stopped thinking about you! You were the reason I started to view myself as something other than the son of a worthless woman! You were the reason I could pull myself through all the times I thought I couldn't bear to live-"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU FIND ME?!" Saeran screamed. "You think I care that they told you I died? I don't! Because if I was in that situation, and if they told me that YOU had died, I would have never stopped looking for you!"

"I-"

"Because you were all I had then." Saeran said, his voice calming considerably. "You were my father, my best friend, and my brother all at once." He whispered. "I always thought you'd be there to rescue me, like you did with mom. But now I realize that I should have never hoped you would." Saeran stopped walking forward. "Because if I had, I would have been able to forget about you much faster." His arm came up as he put the gun to my forehead. "Although it'd be much less satisfying to kill you."

My eyes widened as I saw his face. Unfeeling. His eyes were unfathomable dark pits as his finger began to pull back the trigger. No. I didn't want to die. That old fear came up inside me once more, like black smoke that took my heart in it's clutches and squeezed until I couldn't breath. Do something. I was frozen to the ground, my heart pounding against my chest. Move.

And then the doors opened.

Kao's POV

I ran through the hallways, opening every door, searching every room. He was here. He had to be.The screams and shrieks in the lobby were now muffled as I sprinted across the carpet. A large door stood at the end of the hallway. A feeling of dread washed over me as I hurriedly burst through it.

In front of me was a large, dark room. I could see the rest of Seoul from the vast windows that outlined the walls. There it stood, unaware of the chaos within the hotel. I saw two figures in the dim light, one with their back to me, the other blocked completely. The figure glanced over their shoulder and observed me, silent. Their hair was a familiar white that had been brushed aside. However, their green eyes were unfamiliar, stricken with madness.

It was Jeong.

He laughed a little, a grin splitting his face.

"There you are. I was wondering when you'd show up." He said happily. I stared at him and backed into the walls behind me.

"Jeong…?" I asked softly. "What are you-"

"Welcome." He said with a little bow. When I saw a gun in his hand I froze. "You must forgive me, I was getting a little...bored so I sped everything up." He stepped aside with a slow smile. "But now that you're here, there's no need for that now, is there?"

The second person in the room, who I could not see before, was Seven. He was leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. He looked up at me and his eyes widened. A flicker of relief could be seen in them and then panic. He appeared to be in pain. Blood trickled down his forehead and his red hair was messy and unkempt. I saw that his glasses were gone. I stared at him, astonished, wondering if he was really there, or if he was just a mirage.

"Seven?" I asked softly.

"Get out of here Kao." Seven said with grit teeth. The harshness of the statement bit into me like glass and I took a step back.

"Awww. Don't be mean to poor wittle Kao." Jeong sang, strolling over to me and grabbing me by the shoulder, I jumped.

"Get away from her." Seven hissed, there was venom and hatred in his voice. Something was very wrong. I tried pushing away from Jeong but his hand stayed firmly on my shoulder as he guided me towards Seven.

"Don't listen to him." Jeong whispered to me. "He gets a little nervous and dishonest around those he...likes." I shivered as his breath brushed my ear.

"Get away from me." I said finally. "Please."

"Nobody likes poor Saeran today." Jeong said, his hand slowly lifting off my skin. Saeran? Who was Saeran?

"Seven, what's going on?" I asked softly. My eyes slid to Seven who said nothing as he winced and clutched his side. I hurried towards him, flinching when I saw the blood on his jacket. "Oh my god." I whispered. "What happened to you?"

"Please." Seven whispered. "Please leave, you have to go."

"I can't." I replied adamantly. "You're hurt. I can't leave you."

"He'll kill you Kao." Seven said quietly with a pained expression. "Please." My breath hitched and I shook my head grasping his hand.

"I let you leave before. I'm not leaving you again."

"Kao-"

"No." I said. "Get on my back, we're getting out of here."

"Please." Seven muttered. I grabbed his arms and hauled him on my back with a grunt, staggering under his weight.

"My, how heroic." Jeong slurred, observing us with lowered eyelids.

"What did you do to him." I hissed.

"I didn't do anything." Jeong said innocently. "We just had a niiiice chat."

"Why are you here?" I demanded. "Answer me."

"Oh my. So scary." Jeong whispered as he pointed his gun at me. I didn't flinch. Jeong was silent before he let his arm fall next to his side.

"Boo. You're no fun Kao."

"Why are you here?" I asked once more.

"He's part of Mint Eye. He's also my brother." Seven whispered. I froze and Jeong grinned.

"Oh? Did I never tell you?" He chuckled. "I'm a good actor aren't I? That whole innocent thing was pretty fun, I must admit."

"You're joking." I said quietly. "You?"

"Yeah." Jeong said calmly. "Me."

"But you-"

"You're too trusting Kao. That's your problem." Jeong took a few steps toward me as I took a few back. "You can't help but instinctively trust anyone who has a common interest. It was so easy to convince you...a little disappointing actually." He shrugged. "Guess I was expecting more." I stared at him, trembling.

"Why?" I asked finally.

"Why what?"

"Why did you…"

"Lie?" Jeong finished calmly. "Cause it was fun." Anger flooded through my veins.

"It was...fun?" I asked. "Fun? Do you have any idea what I've been through the last couple of days?"

"I don't care." Jeong replied nonchalantly. "Besides, I don't think you understand the position you're in, Kao."

"Oh I understand perfectly well." I hissed. "I understand that you're a psychotic bastard and I was stupid to trust you." Jeong clicked his tongue impatiently.

"No. You don't understand." He said finally, briskly walking to me and putting his gun to my forehead. He leaned in, his emerald eyes glinting with entertainment and a little bit of something else I couldn't pinpoint. "I could kill you right now." He muttered, mainly to himself. "That man is out of the way now. I could do whatever I want."

"What man." I asked. Jeong narrowed his eyes and leaned back, ignoring my question.

"But killing you right away is no fun."

"You're not going to get away with this, you know." I carefully took a few steps towards the door. Jeong watched me, amused.

"Jumin has reinforcements and they've already called the police." I continued, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Everyone in Mint Eye will be captured, and we'll be rescued." Jeong threw his head back and burst out laughing.

"You're so naive. You really think we would be stupid enough to just barge in here and not think of the consequences?"

"That's what it looks like." I replied with grit teeth.

"We don't want to kill everyone. If we did, you'd all be dead already." Jeong said with a grin. "We've been waiting years for this day. We've calculated every possibility, everything that could go wrong. And believe me, right now everything is on track." I stared at Jeong, challenging him. Hatred was bubbling through me. I had trusted this person, believed that they were on my side. And now they were dangling that trust in front of me, enjoying as it slowly shriveled up and died.

"There's a knife at his belt." Seven whispered, so softly that only I could hear him. "When he comes close to you again I need you to drop me, grab it, and stab him. " Stab him. The idea of doing that terrified me.

"I know this will be difficult. You've never had to hurt anyone before. But he won't let us go alive."

"I don't know if I can do this." I whispered shakily.

"You're doing great." Seven said quietly. Jeong was oblivious to our conversation, still obsessed with his explanation.

"By the end of this, Mint Eye will be known as one of the most dangerous organizations in Korea. No, the world." Jeong continued as he came closer to me, his gun at his side.

"Now." Seven whispered. I let Seven slide to the ground as I dove for Jeong and reached for the knife at his belt. He wasn't expecting it. His breath hitched as I yanked the knife out and stabbed him in the leg. Jeong roared in pain as he grabbed me and threw me against the wall. I cried out as I limply fell to the floor. My vision blurred as I blinked rapidly. I looked up with a grunt, expecting to see Jeong standing over me with his gun over my head. But he wasn't. He wasn't looking at me at all. He was engaged in combat with Seven.

I watched in awe as Seven sprinted towards Jeong, jumped, and then kicked him, his foot connecting with his chest. Jeong stumbled backwards and snarled, grabbing Seven's leg and throwing him over his back. Seven could still move? I let out a breath as they fought and realized with a start that the entire time Seven had been acting. He had gotten Jeong to lower his guard so when he was off balance he could attack. Even with his injuries he was still amazing.

Seven fell onto the tiles noiselessly. He flipped onto his side as Jeong shot into the floor where he had been a split second ago. Using the opportunity, Seven swung his leg and tripped his opponent. Jeong fell onto the floor but recovered his balance quickly, rolling on the ground and aiming at Seven once more before pulling the trigger. Seven dodged the bullet and threw a punch, which his opponent blocked with his forearm. Without hesitation, Jeong grabbed Seven's arm and wrapped it around his back, restricting him. With a kick, he sent Seven flying onto the floor.

"Seven-" I started towards him.

"I've got this Kao." Seven muttered, not looking at me as he shakily stood up and rubbed his back. Jeong observed us, almost bored. "Get out of here and go get Jumin. Bring guards back here."

"No." I said. He stared at me blankly. "I'm not leaving you." I hissed. "I won't. Seven I'm so sorry." I whispered. "I made you leave before because I pushed you, I couldn't hold myself back and I hurt you. I can't imagine what you've been through in the last couple of days and I don't know why you came back, but-" I paused and wiped the sweat off my forehead. "I'm...I'm so happy you did." I looked at him, determined. "I won't leave you again." Seven was silent, an astonished expression on his face.

"You…" He sighed. "I'm no match for you." Jeong laughed a little. We both glanced at him.

"How cute." He cooed. "It must be nice to be in love. Go on." He waved his gun. "Finish, I want to see this." Seven's eyes narrowed at him but he glanced at me once more.

"If you're going to stay," He said softly as he walked over to me. "Then you'll need this." He pressed the dagger I had stabbed Jeong with into my palm. I stared at it and then at him and took it with trembling hands.

"Oh? Is wittle Kao going to fight me?" Jeong slurred. I looked at him evenly, gripping the dagger tightly. I didn't want to use it. I didn't want to use such a vulgar weapon, even if it meant protecting others, but I had no choice. "Hmm?" Jeong smiled a little. "I'll get rid of the gun and fight you fairly on one condition." His eyes slid to Seven. "I fight her by myself."

"Absolutely not-"

"Fine." I interjected. Seven looked at me incredulously.

"Kao you can't fight him, he's a trained assassin-"

"No, no, she's made her choice." Jeong grinned, almost giddy, as if he was a child who had just gotten a new toy. He carelessly threw his gun over his shoulder and it spun on the floor. I swallowed.

"Kao!" Seven's eyes were filled with fear. "You can't beat him, he's incredibly strong-"

"And you can't either!" I yelled. His breath hitched. "Yes I know how tired you are!" I shouted. "No matter how much you try to hide it, I know you can barely move right now, and I won't let him kill you! I know I'm weak, I know that!" I looked away, breathless. "But I have to try."

"Yes, listen to Kao." Jeong walked around us like a lion circling his prey. "Go on." Seven's jaw clenched. He looked back and forth between us. I nodded. Slowly, Seven backed away. He was in pain, I could tell, both emotionally and physically, but he was believing in me and he was giving me a chance. I looked back at Jeong who raised an eyebrow expectantly. "I'll let you take the first shot." He said. I took a deep breath and sprinted towards him, my dagger in hand. He calmly dodged the first swipe and another and then another. I grit my teeth as he grabbed my arm and spun me so my back was against his chest and his arm was around my neck. Seven swore and started towards me but Jeong interrupted him.

"This is between me and her." Jeong said cooly "If you take another step forward I'll slit her throat." Seven swallowed and stopped. I grimaced as Jeong bent next to me, his white hair tickling my neck.

"I'll admit, you're a lot...braver than I expected. Bravo on that." He whispered. "So fiesty."

"Why." I said softly. Jeong said nothing. "Why did you do all that, spy on me, act as if you were my friend?"

"I had to keep an eye on you." Jeong said finally. "That was the most entertaining way to do it."

"No." I replied. "No, I don't believe you. Yes, you had to keep an eye on me, but I don't think that's why you acted the way you did." Jeong was silent. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears. "I think you acted like that because you were interested in me. You were curious about me, if you wanted to keep your eyes on me you never had to introduce yourself to me. You didn't have to be so nice, so friendly."

"I don't understand your point." Jeong snarled.

"You're not a terrible person." I hissed. "I believe that. Perhaps you're misguided, extremely. But when we were together you weren't completely fake. I saw it in your eyes. I think you genuinely enjoyed yourself."

"Look at you." Jeong laughed. "Trying to convince me how I feel."

"Yes." I said, grimacing as his throat pressed against my windpipe.

"Must be pretty desperate."
"...Yes." My vision began to darken as I gasped for air. It hurt. I grabbed Jeong's arm and tried to push him away but he didn't budge. "I don't know your past with Seven." I croaked. "I don't know why you two hate each other. I don't know anything, I'm naive, I'm stubborn, and I can be selfish. But I enjoyed myself too." I whispered. "I don't care how stupid this sounds to you, but I did enjoy myself when I was with you. The night that we ate at that restaurant, I felt so happy, so blissful. That was actually the first time I had been on a date with a guy before." I whispered. "I never...I couldn't do that in high school because my family was going through hard times. My father he...he got amnesia when I was younger. Eventually he couldn't remember any of us."

"Why are you telling me this." He growled.

"It broke my mother." I said with a sob. "She couldn't truly believe that he was gone, she thought-she thought he could come back. That if she opened her eyes he would be the same old, goofy, stupid dad. He never did, and it ruined her! But you-you're not gone Jeong!" I cried. "You didn't lose your memories, you're not incapable of coming back. You have a choice! You have a choice and I know it's hard, I know you may not want to, but you can come back! The smile that I saw wasn't fake, it was real! All those times you showed me kindness they weren't all for Mint Eye, they were because you were curious, you wanted to know what it was like to feel! Please…" I sobbed. Seven was staring at us, wide eyed and silent. Jeong said nothing. I closed my eyes, knowing that I was going to die. He pushed me down onto the ground so that he was on top of me, pinning my arms down. Then he leaned in. I could see the palpable fury in his eyes and I felt so terribly afraid.

"How the hell do you know how I feel?!" He snarled. "You think you've lived a difficult life?!" I trembled and he continued, outraged. "How dare you try to sympathize with me, you don't even know-"

"NO!" I screamed at him. "I don't know! I don't know anything! But I'm trying! I'm trying to understand how you feel!" I writhed under his grasp. "I do know pain! Maybe not as much as you, but I've experienced loneliness, and fear, and pain in my life like you have!"

"Yes, I know what your life is like!" Jeong yelled. "I know it so well I could have lived it myself! I know your life inside out! I could rehearse it with my eyes closed, in my sleep! I watched you, I had to watch you because you were so important to us! I watched every time you cried, broke down, yelled at your sister! Locked yourself in your room and sobbed until you couldn't sob anymore!" My eyes widened. "Every time you tried to convince your mother that your dad was gone! That he would never come back! Every moment of your weakness, of your strength!" He took a few heavy breaths, and for the first time I could see the sadness and the pain in his face. He looked away, still breathless.

"Jeong-"

"And every time you locked yourself in your room, I wanted to help you because I knew how it felt. I knew what it was like to be abandoned, left by the people you loved." His eyes slid to Seven's and then back at me. "Every time you argued with your sister, I remember wanting to say the exact same things to my brother. Yes. I do know you Kao, perhaps better than anyone else." He whispered. I trembled.

"...How?"

"They raised me to watch you, to be the intercepter who would take you away when it was time. It was easy to set up cameras in your house and control the ones at school. At first I hated it, I wanted to be out in the field, not watch a pathetic teenager feel sorry for herself. But they made me." He hissed, leaning closer. I could see the fighting emotions swirling in his eyes. "But every day I watched you I felt more and more sorry for you. No, not sorry for you. I began to relate to you and understand how much we had in common, how much we both hurt. I wanted to meet you. And eventually I began to-to…" He hissed under his breath and shook his head. "No." He squeezed his eyes shut before they snapped open and glossed over. "I'm part of Mint Eye and I will fulfill the will of Mint Eye."

"So you'll submit?" I asked softly. His crazed eyes flicked to mine and dilated. I leaned closer to him. "Did you truly watch me? Did you truly understand me? How it felt? Did you relate?! Then why are you being so weak?! Why are you letting them control you! Haven't you ever wanted to get away? To be done with it all? To be free? Isn't that why you began to want to meet me in the first place?!" We were silent, breathless. Jeong took a few deep breaths before he tore his gaze away. His eyes narrowed and then widened a little.

"When I met you at first I was disappointed." He whispered. "You were nothing different, and you didn't live up to the expectations that I had created in my mind. You were plain. But...but you were so determined to learn, to better yourself. I-I didn't understand. I thought you were like me, torn and pained, accepting of your fate. But you weren't. You kept going against what other people told you, you kept risking your safety to learn even the smallest, most unimportant detail." His expression contorted and I saw the pain in it. "And eventually I wanted to become...like...you." His eyes widened and then he grit his teeth. "Why am I saying this?"

"Saeran." I whispered. He blinked and then looked at me. "That's your actual name, right?"

"I…" He looked away. "Yes."

"It's a nice name." I said meekly, as tears slid down my cheeks. Saeran stared at me in agony before he gently released me. I slowly sat up, dazed as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Kao." He whispered. He was trembling, I realized. I gently hugged him back. Saeran began to sob quietly. "I don't know what I'm doing." He whimpered. "Sometimes I can't feel anything, and it's like I'm very very far away. I can hurt people, and I don't care. It feels good...but it scares me. And then I-" He broke off. "I feel so much and it hurts, and I just want it all to go away. I just want to disappear." He sobbed. "I want to disappear Kao, I do, I do, I do. I want to make it all go away." I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged him tighter, this person, this person who was in agony, who was hurting so much. "Kao." He sobbed. "Make it go away."

"I can't." I whispered, trembling slightly. "It won't go away Saeran, not right away. Pain is...pain is a lasting thing that can only go away with time and love. But you have to let it." We broke away and I looked at his face. He looked so wretched and tired of existing. His white hair was disheveled, and it fell across his emerald eyes that were in so much agony I thought I could cry.

"How can you do it…?" He asked softly. "Make me lose my resolve." He glanced at my questioning face. "I came in here so sure, so sure that I wouldn't break down, that I would accomplish what I needed to do. I would grab you and give you to Mint Eye, and I wouldn't show the slightest bit of pain or remorse. But you made it all go away." He bit his lip. "I don't understand, how do you do it?"

"I don't know." I whispered. "I don't...I don't know anything."

"I can't do it." He said weakly. "I can't hurt you." His hands clenched into a fist and he moved it close to my face. I saw it tremble. "See? Look...I can't...I can't-" Carefully, I grabbed his fist and opened it. Saeran looked at it sadly as I placed my hand in his.

"I'm sorry too." I whispered. "I'm sorry I tried to hurt you. I hate hurting people. I despise...weapons. I glanced at the dagger I was still holding and threw it away in disgust."

"You didn't have a choice." Saeran replied softly. His white hair hid his eyes. "You thought I was going to kill you."

"Yes." I whispered.

"I wanted to, you know. I hated you, no, I still do hate you. I hate how you get inside my mind. How you got inside my mind even when you didn't know who I was. I wanted to...to hurt you. But I can't." He slammed his other hand against the ground. "It's over now. Mint Eye...they'll kill me."
"No." I said.

"Yes." He replied.

"No. We'll destroy them." He looked up at me, his eyes devoid of wrath and fury. In them, I could just see exhaustion and pain.

"You can't destroy them Kao. No one can."

"We will." I said, shaking. "We've found evidence on them and we can."

"It won't work!" He said loudly, making me blink. "They're unstoppable!"

"It will." We both looked up as Seven took an uneasy step forward. His golden eyes flicked towards me and then to Saeran's. "After I ran I went to Mint Eye's hideout, I was able to sneak in and I got files on them, a lot of files on them. It'll be enough to completely expose them." A little bit of madness seemed to come back into Saeran's eyes as he looked at Seven.

"Don't spout lies. I don't need anymore of those."

"I'm not lying." Seven replied. He reached into his jacket and threw a file onto the ground. Saeran and I both looked at it. It was crinkled and filthy, as if it had been dumped into a lake.

"That's...impossible." Saeran whispered. "I know you snuck in, but retrieving such confidential files is..."

"I wasn't alone." Seven said. "And I'm a hell of a thief." Saeran was at a loss of words. He looked at the folder like it was a ghost. Trembling, he reached for it. Seven immediately stepped on his hand but I shook my head at him.

"Let him."

"But-"

"Let him." I said again. Seven's eyes narrowed but he removed his foot and looked away. Saeran opened the file. His eyes widened as he scanned it's contents.

"I don't...I don't believe it."

"Is it enough?" I asked softly. He looked at me. "Saeran?"

"...Yes." He whispered, voice cracking. "Yes...this...this is enough." I smiled a little, relieved. Saeran slowly put the file down.

"Am I...am I free?" He asked to no one in particular. His eyes were locked on the wall in front of him. "Can this nightmare truly end…?"

"Yes." I answered. He blinked and then slowly looked at me, as if remembering I was there. "Saeran, you can be free." His eyes slowly widened and then he laughed a little.

"I can be...I can be...free." I grasped his hand and he smiled warmly at me, blinking away the tears in his eyes.

"Saeran." Seven said. The warm look in Saeran's eyes immediately disappeared and he venomously looked at Seven who withered. "I'm...sorry. I know you don't forgive me but I want you to know that I'm so sorry."

"No." Saeran replied coolly. "No I don't forgive you at all. I still want to kill you." I flinched. "But…" He looked away. "It's not like I'm guiltless either." He slowly stood up, leaving me on the ground as he looked directly at Seven. "I despise you." He said. "But most of all, I just want to be rid of all this, to get away from it all. So I'll ignore it." Seven was in pain, I could see it, but he nodded slowly.

"Wait. What about the others?" I questioned with wide eyes. "Are they-"

"No." Saeran replied as he slowly picked up his gun and put it in his holster. "Our agents were ordered not to kill anyone. They think I'm still with them so I'll call them off." His eyelids lowered and then he looked at me. "I don't like anyone in RFA so I'm not obligated to, but I'll do it for you, Kao."

"Thank you…" I said softly. He looked away sadly and walked forward. Seven and I met eyes and my heart skipped a beat before I grabbed the file and he gently helped me stand up.

"I have a lot I want to say." He said gruffly before clearing his throat. "But I want to do it after all of this." I nodded slowly, looking down. My breath hitched as I felt his hand slide into mine. I looked at him but his eyes were hidden by his crimson hair.

"Come on." He whispered as he led me forward. Tears formed in my eyes but I blinked them away and squeezed his hand tightly. It wasn't enough. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, to kiss him, to cry and to laugh and smile. Not now. I thought quickly, heart racing. We had to help the others. Worry bit at me. What if they weren't okay?

"Thank you." He whispered. I looked up at him as we walked into the hallway. Saeran was a few steps ahead of us, but I wasn't sure if he was eavesdropping or not. "Kao...thank you."

"I...I didn't do anything." I said numbly. "It was all Saeran."

"No." Seven replied. "You...you're amazing...standing up to him like that. You didn't give up. You reminded him what it was like to be human. Thank you. I honestly had no hope when I told you to leave. I had already given up and I wanted to buy you time to run. But you stayed, you stayed and you…" He broke off. "Sorry." He muttered. "I'm no good at this." I trembled with the desire to hug him. Not now.

"Thank you for letting me." I whispered back. "For believing me." His hand squeezed mine and I smiled, despite myself. When was the last time we had held hands like this? Had it been the aquarium? I remembered the fish, the glowing tank that we had walked under. So much had happened since then. And even now, it wasn't all over.

Saeran stopped us right before we entered the main lobby. He looked at the two of us tiredly.

"Stay here. If you two come in you'll blow the cover. I'll dismiss them."
"Are you sure you don't need help?" His eyes slid to mine and then softened.

"Yes. I'm not a commander but I'm high up enough that they'll listen to me." He turned away from us and continued to walk down the corridor. Seven and I were silent, still holding hands, still terrified that something would go wrong.

"Are you sure Saeran is truly with us?" Seven whispered. "What if he…"

"Yes." I replied. The agony that I had seen in his eyes, the pain–it had not been imagined. I knew it was real. I completely believed in him now. We heard his commanding voice.

"It's off. Call it off, release them and leave." There were confused replies.

"What? But...sir."
"Now."
"You can't...we-"

"Now. There was a change of plans, go back to the roof and take the escape chopper back to the base." There was silence. "Do it or I'll tell Elliot to kill all of you, you know he listens to me." I gasped as there was a single gunshot, I guessed Saeran had shot it. "Now." There was silence.

"I'll get back myself." Saeran said. "Go." There were a few reluctant 'Yes sirs' and then thudding footsteps that eventually faded away. It seemed almost too easy. I stood perfectly still, terrified that if I moved the men in black would come back and I would drown in the nightmare once more. But eventually Saeran came back and gestured down the corridor. "Go." He said. "They're all there. Safe." Safe. They were safe. I let out a long, trembling sigh. I sighed and sagged against Seven who squeezed my hand. It was over. It was really over.

"Thank you." I whispered, grasping Saeran's hand with my free one. "Thank you Saeran." He nodded slowly. "Come with us." He obliged and followed us into the lobby where the guests were crying and hugging one another, still not completely believing that they had been saved. I desperately scanned the crowd for my friends and then saw them, all huddled together on the floor. Seven and I immediately ran towards them. Jaehee looked up. Her face was tired and exhausted but it lit up as soon as she spotted me.

"Oh my god, Kao! Seven!" She stood up and ran towards me, embracing Seven and I. "You're both here, alive! I can't believe it!"

"YOU GUYS!" I looked over Jaehee's shoulder, only to see Yoosung sprint towards me and join us. His eyes were red from crying, I could only imagine how terrified he must have been. "You...you're okay!" He sobbed as we all broke away. Jumin and Zen had also stood up and they looked at the four of us, absolutely astonished. Jumin looked at Seven blankly.

"You're..here." Then he smiled and pulled Seven into a hug. "I...I thought you might come back but…" He glanced at me and sighed with relief. "Thank god you're okay Kao."

"I'm okay." I whispered.

"Everyone's here…" Zen whispered. His lower lip trembled. "I thought we were all going to die…" I held out my hand and he took it before hugging Seven and I. "Thank god..." Yoosung eventually tackled me again and gave me a tight hug as he cried loudly.

"Everyone's okay." I whispered, hugging him back. "Everyone's...safe." I glanced at Saeran who was awkwardly standing off to the side. I gave him a little smile and he nodded back.

Afterwards, everyone had filtered out into the parking lot where the police instantly rushed to our sides. A blanket was thrown over me and the others and we all sat, huddling together as the police asked us questions. I looked around for Saeran and then froze when I saw him being handcuffed. I instantly stood up and rushed over to him.

"No! Don't arrest him!" I said breathlessly. The policeman glanced at me and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Are you working with this criminal?"

"He's not a criminal-"

"Someone told us that he was part of the terrorist group."

"He-" My voice died. Saeran observed me silently, he gave me a numb shake of his head. "No…" I whispered. "No you don't deserve it." Saeran was emotionally exhausted, I could tell. He didn't even seem to notice or care about the handcuffs on his wrists.

"Release him." We all froze and I glanced over my shoulder. My eyes widened. There, V stood. I could see a large purple bruise on his cheek. The light breeze picked up his blue hair, revealing both of his pale mint eyes that rested on me briefly before sliding to Saeran. My heart thudded violently. "You heard me. Release him." He repeated.

"B-But Sir."

"Now Raymond." Raymond, the cop swallowed and then nodded, unlocking the handcuffs and shuffling away. V was silent. Saeran was staring at him with wide eyes, frozen in place. I trembled and took a few steps back. I had forgotten about V, who was also part of Mint Eye. Who had come here to-

"V?" Seven walked towards us, his eyes wide. V turned around and smiled warmly. No, don't fall for it, I thought. Seven sprinted towards V and pulled him into a hug. "You're okay." The others were close behind him.

"V!" Yoosung exclaimed. "What are you doing here? We couldn't find you at the fundraiser."

"I came as fast as I could." V said as the two broke away. "I have...I have a lot to tell you all." His eyes rested on me and I shivered. "If you'll hear me."

"Of course." Seven replied. "I also have to…" He broke off suddenly and clutched his head, wincing. We all glanced at him.

"Seven?" V asked worriedly. Seven took a few steps forward before something in his eyes changed.

"Tell you all…" He slurred before his voice died out. He tilted back and forth a little before his legs gave out and he fell to the floor. For a split second we all stood there, planted to the ground in shock. But then I realized what had happened.

"Seven!" I sprinted towards him and knelt onto the ground.

"Oh my god." Yoosung whispered. The others crowded around us.

"What's wrong with him?" Zen demanded.

"I don't know." I whispered. I shook him desperately, trying to wake him up, hoping that he would open his eyes.

But Seven was unresponsive.