A/N: Hands out tissues for the lovely Jina shippers. I love them too and I guess Nina is human. She can make a terrible mistake. 💔 😔
She's going to learn from this, don't worry.
Date posted: 16th Sept 23.
Chapter Twenty Three
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Her heart feels like it's just been stabbed.
Nina just stumbles out. The click of the door behind her feels like a gunshot. The floor feels as if it's moving. She slumps against the door, broken and teary eyed.
All those terrible things she's said to Jin…
She hears Jin behind the door and knows he's also slumped against it. He never opens it but her heart races and she wishes he would open it, grab her into his arms and kiss her all over. He'd tell her not to betray her heart and remind her that they were this power couple who planned a bright future together. Was he too leaning against the door and waiting for her? Were neither of them going to open the plank of wood between them? Nina places a palm on the door and forces herself to breathe quietly so he wouldn't hear her. She imagines Jin doing the same on the other side, their palms lining up like in one of those soppy tv shows.
Sorry, she mouths. Please don't hate me.
He couldn't see or hear her anyway.
It takes so much willpower to drag herself off the door and move to someplace discreet. Like the wall that leads to another hall. Nina makes that her hiding spot.
In a matter of seconds, Jin opens the door and steps out.
She watches from the corner as he stares at nothing.
"Nina, if you're listening, I know this isn't what you want. Please, come back. Your attacker is still out there. We're stronger together than apart."
His voice is so soft and full of compassion.
Her heart drops.
She doesn't move forward.
She takes a big nap when she returns to the apartment she shares with Julia. Nina dreamt of being in Jin's arms when it was lashing outside with rain. Once she wakes up, she recalls Jin asking her what was the most significant moment when she realised she liked Jin as more than a friend. Of registering his severe importance in her life. She hadn't know at that time.
It was when he held her during that wild rainstorm. In downtown Brisbane. When they took shelter and when she clutched onto him. There was a huge urge to find him and tell him that.
She was going to miss being wrapped up in those strong comforting arms. His warmth. His eyes. His lips.
It was temporary. She hadn't told him because she wanted to make it look real. If she managed to get this evil assassin locked behind bars then she'd tell Jin everything. He'll understand. He'll forgive her.
She tries to way away the memory of his eyes brimming with pain and confusion. Jin was the only one who showed her what love was. He showed her how to love. Such a beautiful soul like him never deserved pain. His dark eyes looking at her in pain...she'll never get over how much guilt it filled her.
She calls the police and co-operates with them, giving them what they needed to help catch this horrid person. In the meantime, that cretin would have to believe Nina and Jin were not together. She has no idea how long this damn investigation would take.
There was no way Jin would have left her alone otherwise. It had to be done. She did the right thing.
She did the right thing…
To try fix her aching heart, she takes deep breaths. Then looks at her phone, desperate to just call him up and apologize for the horrible prank she just pulled.
Instead she remains seated on her bed, legs crossed and in semi meditation.
It had to be done, for his own protection. Rationalising wasn't easy but knowing the bastard would leave Jin alone would be good enough for her for now.
She just needs to let Julia know before she learns it from Jin. It had to be made dramatic. Even Julia had to believe the lie. The blonde woman goes to the lounge area where her friend is.
All day she waited for the private number to call. So when it did, Nina moves so she is within Julia's eartshot. The brunette is on the sofa buried in coursework.
"Hello, my goddess." Came the disgusting voice.
"I broke up with my partner. We aren't together anymore and I don't plan on having a reunion."
Julia stops writing something and looks up. Their eyes meet.
"Well well well, that's good news, Williams. Now you and I could be together."
"Not going to happen." Nina clears her throat. "Get that clear."
"Well you can't be asexual…,"
"Why not?" She challenges. "In fact I can live that way of life." She moves her gaze to the clock on the wall.
"No you can't!" He spits back angrily. "Why do you think I made you break up with your boy toy anyway?!"
"I know but I couldn't care less. I'm not going to prostitute myself to you. Does this failure of a person, who likes choking have a name?"
"I'm not giving that away!"
Tch. Well atleast she hit a nerve. Nina observes her manicured nails. Sharp enough to scratch.
"Okay then, I'll call you cockroach. Hello, cockroach." She drawls mockingly into the phone.
"It's Alligator!" He huffs and he mutters some Russian cursewords.
Alligator. Interesting. She'd need a very sharp knife. For an abusive alligator.
He continues. "Actually forget that…just I…..I just want to meet you."
"Where?"
"I will come to see you whenever I want and no I don't mean the place where you live. I don't care about the woman you're living with. She's not a rival….infact if she too was interested, I wouldn't mind. I like women." He sleazily sneers.
Nina scowls in disgust.
"No, you leave her alone and be careful, I'm not in a good mood." Nina warns, momentarily forgetting Julia is present.
"I will. We will too someday in my bed. I will teach you the stuff you did to me before."
"No," Nina replies. "You won't."
Because that day will never come. She ends the call, cursing under her breath.
"You and Jin broke up?" Julia asks in shock.
Rory told Eun-Seo that today was the day she could get her friend back. All the excitement and happiness of finally meeting Nina instead of Wendy and of Nina meeting Eun instead of Valentina made her giddy. She knew she sounded like a puppy dog but one of the reasons she married Rory was because he was better at being organised than she was. All her life she was chaotic and unable to get any semblance of structure into her life. Knowing what to do, when to do it and how to have patience. She was always impulsive and it always landed her in a lot of trouble. She was lucky to have a husband who brought her the things she lacked in life and he seemed to genuinely want to help her get her old friend back. He wished her luck and even prayed that Nina would accept her.
She sees Nina's shock when she opened the door.
"I wanted to see you."
The blonde looks at her with suspicious and didn't easily let her in. She holds the door as if to keep her out.
"How did you find me?" Came the cold tone.
Confused, Eun replies, "I know you Nina. We were friends before."
Her eyes narrow. "Everyone knows me it seems. But you didn't answer my question."
Eun shows her a picture of them. Her, Nina and Anna. All in pretty cocktail dresses. Youth fresh on their faces, round and smooth. Not a single wrinkle in sight for Eun. Nina eyes her own attractive image more closely. Her lips were painted in a cool shade of pink and her dress was purple, with beautiful patterns that swirled left and right. There was something strange about her, as if she were looking at a different woman.
This was a woman who hadn't quite endured much pain yet. Very much like a fresh out of college vibe. It was on all of them. Even Anna had this girlish look to her. The photo was dated 1993 in the corner.
This photo must have been forged. Nina didn't know what to believe anymore. So many questions should have been asked but she couldn't quite figure out which one to start with. The pain of her earlier heartbreak is still consuming her mind and heart.
"I have the same job as you did. I can find anyone I want." Eun said softly, meaning her no harm. "I come in peace. Please can we talk?"
To her surprise, she is let in. The place was a mess. A brunette was trying to clear it up. She looked up and gave a quick but unsure wave before Nina leads Eun into the kitchen and made her way towards the block of knives. Nina folds her arms.
"You were always a gun person." Eun begins. "More than knives. Knives were Anna's forte."
"You know Anna."
Eun nods and smiles. "Anna, you and I were a trio."
"Do you know the name Alligator?" Nina asks.
Eun's face drops. "He's an evil bastard who is obsessed with you. I've not heard about him in years. Thought he moved on. Did you remember him?"
Nina has no idea if she could trust this woman just yet. "He found me."
"Nina, you stay away from that man! He's been causing you problems. Nothing but an obsessed stalker. He's never had a chance with you."
Nina says nothing and keeps her arms folded. Eun wonders what happened. It makes her feel this pang. Nina never treated her that way before.
"We were friends Nina. We were close. I had no idea Anna betrayed you and had you captured. I had no idea you were in limbo in some damn tank. I might have died trying to get you out if I did know. I only waited all this time to tell you the truth because I want you to remember. Just being Valentina to you isn't satisfactory. I want you to remember your girl Eun."
"Nice story." She yawns. "What about the one where I was attacked at a hotel last night. Did you remember that?"
"What?!"
Nina pulls out a knife and points it at her. Eun is shocked. "Nina…,"
"You're not going to tell me how to live my life." Nina says flatly, her hand almost shaking.
"I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, Ivory Cutter." Eun says calmy. She pulls into her bag and brandishes out her unloaded pistol.
"You were an assassin. You should hold this gun."
Eun holds it out to her. Nina slowly takes it. She didn't care if Nina shot at her, she's able to avoid a gunshot and a stab.
Nina drops the knife and holds the gun in her palm. Her hands shake. She looks at it intently. Then points it at Eun.
"Did you attack me at the hotel?"
"No, I had no idea about that incident." Eun replies, there was sadness in her eyes when Nina points the gun at her. Never did she expect such a thing.
Nina seems to feel conflicted about it because the gun was back on her palm. One moment later she tosses it onto the floor, as if it's something so repulsive.
"That's strange." Eun replies, "Holding a gun is normal for you."
"How many have I killed?" Nina's voice is a mere whisper.
Eun hated to tell the truth at times. "Many. Our hands have blood on it, Nina."
Nina makes a face of disgust.
"I want the best for you. Maybe it's great you're no longer an assassin."
Nina doesn't respond. Eun slowly recovers her gun off the kitchen floor and puts it back in her bag. She observes Nina and sees the lost look on her face.
"I am not your enemy and will never be. I am your friend. If you need anything you can call me." Eun replies and places her business card on the counter. "It's got my private number on it so please be careful. Don't want it in the wrong hands. See ya, Nina."
She opens the kitchen door and leaves.
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