Running (Epilogue)
Title: Running
Pairing: Yoosu, ChangKi, Yunjae
Rating: PG-15
Genre: Angst, Comedy
Quotes:
"There is no such thing as [running] forever."
“Why are you still here?”
“She wants to see you.”
Yoochu’s eyes shifted, proving to Geun Suk that he still had a soft spot for Shin Hye. “Have you told her anything about me?”
“Not yet, but I…”
“Tell her that I’m dead.”
Geun Suk flinched. He could already imagine the hurt in Shin Hye’s eyes. “She…”
“You joined the mafia to help her find me. You were only her friend back then, but now you’re her fiancé. She has you. She doesn’t need anyone else.”
“She’s spent her life trying to find her family…”
“She found him. He’s dead,” Yoochun spoke in a cold voice. “Take her and leave this country, Guen Suk.”
Silence.
Geun Suk watched Yoochun closely. The older man turned away, eyes rising to look at the full moon. “It ends here, Geun Suk. I’m starting anew.”
“Do you really think you can keep the truth hidden forever?”
Yoochun craned his neck slightly to glance at Geun Suk. Geun Suk’s eyes were daring him to remember.
[F.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k]
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“This microchip has all the evidence you need to ruin Bae’s trades and put him in jail.”
Junho blinked, shocked. Micky turned his back on Junho and walked away.
[E.n.d.F.l.a.s.h.b.a.ck]
“You took the microchip because you were ready to betray Bae. But then your supervisor died and no one else knows about your undercover status. No one would have believed that you’re an agent either,” Geun Suk reminded, proving that he knew more than Yoochun thought. “So you had nowhere else to run, no one to help you. Bae was suspecting you so you found a scapegoat.”
Yoochun’s supervisor had been ruthless anyway. All he wanted was to destroy Bae; sending Yoochun in as an undercover agent, not caring if Yoochun had to assassin one drug dealer after another.
The first person Yoochun had killed for Bae was a powerful mafia leader. He was always protected, but Yoochun managed to outsmart his men and killed him. He got on Bae’s good side and was specially trained to become one of the best assassins. Yoochun was only given difficult tasks, all of them being powerful people in the illegal industry.
His Supervisor, who he always met secretly, told him that it’s okay. He could kill those people because they’re bad people, murderers themselves. He said it wouldn’t be on Yoochun’s record as a crime, but as an accomplishment for the government.
Yoochun believed him. Yoochun also believed him when his Supervisor said that once they find evidence against Bae, Yoochun would be able to become a true cop. Except…there was no record. His accomplishments were never recorded. As a matter of fact, there was nothing in record.
[F.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k]
Micky grabbed the front of Junho’s shirt and pulled him forward, close enough so that the other men could not hear what he was saying.
“Bomi is already gone. Since I’m going to send you there with her, then you might as well take my troubles away with you.”
Junho’s eyes widened in shock and anger, as if saying, ‘So it’s true!’
[E.n.d.F.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k]
He’d killed Junho right after that. No one knew what he’d said to Junho. The others, including Junsu, believe that Yoochun had informed Junho of Bomi’s death (the end of her suffrage) and had told Junho to act angry so that the other men would not suspect Micky of helping Junho.
They didn’t know. Junho knew, but would no longer be able to reveal this truth. But there’s still Geun Suk.
“The only reason you’re still alive is because you love my sister,” Yoochun spoke in a calm tone. “Don’t push me to the edge.”
“I just want you to meet her…”
“And then what? Will she leave me? If she doesn’t leave, then you will have to leave without her. I don’t want you here, in this country, in my life. This is a secret I will hide forever.”
Geun Suk’s brows furrowed as he watched Yoochun. Geun Suk had entered the mafia to find this man, to find Shin Hye’s brother. The only source they had was that her brother had abandoned her at the orphanage and one Sister from the church found out that he had joined the mafia. Shin Hye grew up being told that her sibling that abandoned her, became a gang member, and was committing heinous crimes. But she still wanted to see him, she still held onto those distant childhood memories of her older brother hugging her, loving her when their parents didn’t.
Then Geun Suk had joined the same gang. Getting on Bae’s good side was a big plus, but most importantly, he found Shin Hye’s brother. He found out that Micky Park wasn’t who everyone had defined him to be. He wasn’t the horrible brother who had abandoned his baby sister and joined the gang for drugs and money.
Geun Suk had found out that Micky was the mystery person who had been donating money to the orphanage and was the one providing money for Shin Hye’s education. It wasn’t a random selection and this kind person decided to ‘adopt’ her from a long distant location. It was the brother who never abandoned her.
Micky Park is human. He has a heart. He’s made mistakes. He’ll spend the rest of his life making up for his mistakes.
“You don’t want to see her?” Geun Suk finally spoke.
He saw Yoochun’s hand form a resistant fist. “No.”
Geun Suk sighed. “We’re leaving Seoul tomorrow. We won’t come back.”
“Good,” Yoochun replied.
Geun Suk stared at the other man’s back. He stood with posture and confidence, hiding the fact that he cared. “I’ll take good care of her.”
Yoochun’s head lifted a little more, looking back up at the moon. “You’re the only family she has left.”
“I’m all she’ll ever need,” Geun Suk promised. “Thank you.”
Yoochun didn’t move, didn’t respond, but he heard Geun Suk’s movements.
The younger man murmured another, “Thank you,” before walking away, disappearing into the darkness.
When he knew that he was standing in this field, alone, Yoochun allowed himself to turn around. He glanced at the area that Geun Suk had stood and saw the rectangular object peeking through the grass.
Yoochun picked up the picture that Geun Suk had purposely dropped and could feel the happiness conveyed in the picture. The beautiful girl, his baby sister, was all grown up and happy. Her smile was beautiful and Yoochun trusted that Jang Geun Suk would keep the happiness in her eyes, in her life, in her heart.
He held the picture in both hands and stared at it for a second longer before tearing it into shreds. He allowed the torn pieces to fall onto the ground until there was only one piece left in his hand, sticking to his palm.
Yoochun clenched his fist because he couldn’t let that one piece go; this one torn piece of his baby sister’s hand (decorated with an engagement ring). He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared up at the bright moon.
This little piece, he’ll keep to himself. Just like the secret. Junsu and no one else would ever find out that Yoochun had set Junho up, had used Junho as his scapegoat.
Changmin was right. There is no such thing as ‘running forever.’ But Yoochun isn’t running from this secret, he’s keeping it closely within himself…forever.
Whoever said that there’s no such thing as ‘forever’ is wrong.
Wrong.