Hoseok
*Three days later*
I stood in that warehouse again. I could see the dead bodies around me but my eyes focused on Hanuel. I saw her as she turned around and she smiled at me.
I smiled back, feeling relieved. I started walking closer to her when suddenly, a loud shot echoed. Its sound seemed to vibrate loudly across the warehouse. I stopped and flinched, almost as if on automatic.
I felt my body, looking for pain but it never came, I was fine. I looked up and saw Hanuel’s face twist in pain. Her sword fell to the ground with a clang as she fell down to the ground. My mind seemed to click. My wife was shot.
‘HANUEL!’ I screamed as I ran to her. I dropped my gun to the floor and turned her around. She gasped for air while my hands travelled to her chest from where she was bleeding heavily.
The blood was just coming out faster than I could even attempt to control it. I pressed on her wound and she groaned. ‘Sorry… I’m sorry, I need to stop the bleeding,’ I said but she just smiled.
‘You’re… you’re okay and so is Min—Minho,’ she said before she started coughing. My eyes grew wide as she coughed out blood.
I cried as I helped her to sit up slightly just so she did not choke on her own blood. ‘Please, please stay with me,’ I begged. She smiled as she reached for my cheek. I shook my head as I held her hand there. ‘Please, I need you,’ I said.
‘You do—don’t ne—need me yeobo,’ she said as she coughed again as more blood dribbled down her chin. ‘It’s time to le—let go my love,’ she said but I shook my head.
‘Never… I’ll never let you go,’ I said as I held her tighter. I could feel her becoming weaker in my arms. ‘Please, don’t give up on me, on us,’ I said as my tears fell on her face.
‘I lov—love you but m—my time is u—up,’ she stuttered as more blood came out from her chest and mouth.
‘Please Hanuel, please don’t leave me again. I almost lost you once, I can’t lose you. I love you too much,’ I said.
She smiled as she closed her eyes and her hand fell slowly from my face. I shook my head as I held her tighter to me.
‘No… no Hanuel, say something, please, anything, please, stay awake,’ I yelled as I shook her but there was no response from her. I gasped, feeling my own chest hurt, almost as if I were shot myself. I felt myself getting panicked as I checked her pulse but felt absolutely nothing.
‘No, please, baby, please,’ I said as I rocked her body back and forth. I looked up to see the others all looking at us with a pained look on their face until Yoongi kneeled down in front of me.
‘Hoseok you need to stop. You need to let go of her. She’s dead,’ he said as he reached out to touch her, but I pulled away.
‘NO! STAY AWAY FROM HER!’ I screamed, louder than I have ever had before. ‘She’s not dead. My Hanuel wouldn’t leave me,’ I said as I continued to cry. I looked back at her and cupped her face in my hands. ‘Tell them Hanuel. Tell them they’re wrong. Please,’ I begged as I choked on my own sobs.
‘Hoseok snap out of it!’ Namjoon yelled as he came in front of me.
Suddenly, there was a white light and I looked at it. I saw Ah-Chae there, wearing a beautiful dress, her hair down.
‘Hoseok, wake up,’ she said softly. She kneeled down in front of me and Hanuel as she touched Hanuel and looked at me again. ‘Wake up now. You need to wake up,’ she said.
I sat with a jolt, which was a mistake. I groaned, loudly as I felt as if my chest was about to collapse. I gasped for air as I felt arms helping me sit back down.
‘Hey easy dude, you just got major surgery three days ago,’ Yoongi scolded.
I turned to look at him and the rest of the room. There was no sign of Hanuel. My heart started to race as I felt the familiar fear return. I could hear the beeping on the machine increase as Yoongi looked at me worriedly.
‘Yoongi… where’s Hanuel? Where’s my wife? Is she okay?’ I asked. Yoongi smiled and nodded.
‘She’s fine,’ he said as I let out a relieved smile. ‘She passed out when we were bringing you to the hospital. She had been shot in her side and she had some other cuts. Her body was exhausted from the fight and the worry but she’s okay,’ he explained.
‘Where is she now?’ I asked as he sat back down on the chair next to the bed. He looked tired.
‘She’s just resting in the other room because we’re forcing her. She spent all day here but we finally managed to convince her to go get some sleep,’ he explained.
‘Oh thank God,’ I said as I leaned back down. ‘I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamt she got shot in the chest and that she just died in my arms. I dreamt that I lost her again,’ I said.
‘She did get shot but it wasn’t fatal or even that severe, unlike yours,’ he said as he pointed to my chest. ‘You took that shot for her,’ he said and I smiled.
‘And I would do it all over again,’ I said quickly. He smiled and nodded. ‘I love her Yoongi, more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I can’t imagine my life without her,’ I said.
‘It’s the same with her. She was crying so much in the van. It broke my heart seeing her break down like that. She said something that, God, it sent chills down my spine,’ he said.
‘I can imagine it was hard on her. What did she say?’ I asked, feeling a little curious.
‘That you’re her happiness. That you’re the one who gives her purpose in life and without you she has not reason to be alive,’ he said.
‘Aish, that girl,’ I mumbled. Yet, I could not blame her. I felt the same way. If she were to die, I might have followed her. Maybe it was pure love or maybe it was toxic to depend so much on someone but I knew I loved her and I would not survive without her.
‘I’m glad that you have someone who loves you the way she does,’ Yoongi said with a smile and I nodded.
‘What about Minho? Where is he? He’s okay right?’ I asked and Yoongi nodded.
‘Adamantem and Glacies took him out of there before the fight was over,’ Yoongi said. ‘He’s with Myung,’ he said, suddenly seeming to be on edge and nervous.
‘What are you not telling me Yoongi?’ I asked. He shifted uncomfortably on the chair. My mind seemed to search the memories until my eye grew wide. ‘Ah-Chae? Where is she? Is she okay?’ I asked.
‘Hoseok,’ Yoongi said as he reached closer to the bed. My heart picked up its pace again as I knew something was wrong.
‘Yoongi please tell me! What happened? Is she okay?’ I asked, getting anxious and nervous.
‘I’m sorry to tell you this Hoseok, but she passed away,’ he said. I gasped as I felt my eyes tear up. ‘She fought until she saw that her son was okay and then her heart gave out. Doctor said that because it took a long time before she was taken to the hospital, there were complications,’ he said.
‘Oh God, I can’t believe she’s dead,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘Dammit, she didn’t deserve to die Yoongi,’ I said and he nodded as he stood up.
‘I know,’ Yoongi said. He reached over to the drawers and took out an envelope. ‘When Yeonjun was going through their house for clues, he had found this letter addressed to you,’ Yoongi said as he handed me the envelope.
‘What?’ I asked as I took the envelope and tore it open. I recognized Ah-Chae’s handwriting which was always so beautiful, unlike my messy writing.
‘It’s a letter to you. I’ll give you some privacy and time,’ Yoongi said and I nodded. I threw the envelope on the bed as I started reading the letter that was written a couple of months ago.
Dear Hoseok,
I keep wondering how to start this letter. What is the appropriate way to address someone who thinks you’re dead? Especially, when I am writing this, just in case something happens to me.
I guess, I’m writing this letter so you know everything that has happened, how and why. I guess I am writing to you to ask for forgiveness for keeping secrets from you and to tell you not to be mad at Hanuel for keeping my secrets.
I guess I should start from the beginning. I still remember the day that EXO came to attack. I was almost shot but you had protected me. You always protected me, even before I was pregnant with your child. You protected me from bullies when were kids and you protected me when we got older. Hell, you married me to protect me and I could not be more grateful for that.
After our son was born, he became my whole world. I knew he was yours too. I was always afraid that we would become a target. I knew EXO still wanted blood for what happened, even if it was their own fault. I knew you were doing everything you could to keep both of us safe.
One day, I was out with Minho at the park. I had a body guard with me when a woman approached me. She looked absolutely stunning and I could not help but think she would be your type. I am not bluffing or exaggerating Hoseok!! I knew it the moment I saw her. She had sat down and looked at me before she took off her mask.
She gave me a note and then left. I thought it was weird but I opened the note which said that Minho and I were in danger and that for more information, I should meet her on the roof, alone at midnight.
That night, you were out on a mission. I went up to the roof to meet her. I even took a gun with me. I saw her there, waiting for me and that’s when I noticed the sword on her back. She smiled at me, almost to show me she was not there to hurt me.
That night, she told me that EXO had hired Scarlets to kill me and Minho in what would look like an accident. They did not want to break the truce or start a war, but they wanted blood.
Luckily, the supposed assassination fell in her hands. She told me that as much as she could, she would not kill innocent people but she could not just let us go or she would be killed. Somehow, I knew she was not lying. I could see it in her eyes. Hanuel can hide well but her eyes tell so much.
So, we decided that both for her safety and ours, we would fake our deaths. She had prepared everything and so, we made it look like we had died. I know that our plan was not fair on you, but I was trying to protect our son. If I was the only target, I would have stayed with you, but Minho was a target as well.
Hanuel made sure that everyone believed we were dead – EXO, the Scarlets and Bangtan. It needed to look real, even if it was going to hurt you. She helped me settle down in a house, far away. She helped me get on my feet and never abandoned me.
Fate can work in mysterious ways sometimes. Over two years ago, she told me how she had ended up tangled with Bangtan after saving Myung. From the first time she talked about you, I knew you would end up together. You’re just perfect for one another.
Hoseok, Hanuel never wanted to keep this a secret from you but I forced her to swear to me and you know how seriously she takes her promises. I was too afraid of what could happen if I returned. She was only keeping her promise to me.
Hanuel has been absolutely terrified of your reaction. She’s been scared that you would hate her for it, that you would be mad or you would not forgive her. She is so scared because she loves you so much.
Please do not be angry with her Hoseok. Please understand her, comfort her, tell her it was okay. Tell her you’re not mad at her because you love her too. I know you do. I saw it in your eyes and smile when you two got married.
Hoseok, Hanuel has had a tough life, but I’m sure you know more about it then I do. I just know she deserves to be happy. You give her that happiness and peace. You’ve saved her in ways you might not realize and I think she has saved you too.
Now, that I will be gone, I do have some favours to ask. I know you won’t say no to this – take care of Minho. He’s such a precious boy – an angel. He’s polite and kind and caring. He’s also a spitting image of you, especially when he smiles. It makes my heart swell with pride. Take care of, look out for him and teach him right from wrong.
Let Hanuel be a mother to him. I know Hanuel’s ability to became a biological mother was taken away from her, but you do not need to be blood related to love a child as your own. I know Hanuel loves Minho and she would go to the end of the earth to protect him. So, let her be his mother from now on as she stands with you while you be his father.
Hoseok, there is something else I need to ask of you. I imagine you met Wonho. I met him a few months after we faked our death. He’s been there for me through a lot – through all the nights I spent crying to all the times I laid awake afraid. I love him and I know he loves me and Minho. Please be there for him and please let him see Minho. He loves him like a son and he cannot afford to lose him too.
Hoseok, you have to know I never blamed you for anything and never will. Like you, I was born into this world and I knew the risks. I hope you can forgive me for hiding away our son. I wanted to protect him. Know that I always cared about you and there was not a day I did not remember you. I know I took away a lot from you as a father and I cannot do much to give it back to you. All I can give you are a collection of photos and videos and items that I have in my house. They are in the attic, in a wooden box. Those are for you.
Hoseok, I wish you the best in your life. I sincerely hope you get to grow old with Hanuel. I will be watching all of you from (hopefully) above. Live a good life.
All my love,
Ah-Chae
I wiped away the tears that had strolled down my eyes while reading the letter. I had barely noticed that I was crying and smiling and laughing and hurting all at the same time.
I heard the door opening and I looked up to see Hanuel there. She smiled as she saw me awake. ‘Can I come in?’ she asked.
I smiled, nodded and reached for her hand. ‘Come here,’ I said. She walked, slowly as she approached me. She took my hand in hers and I pulled her gently towards me. I pressed my lips against hers ad kissed her. ‘I love you,’ I said into the kiss.
‘I love you too Hoseok. So much,’ she replied as she rested her forehead against mine.
