Yuma took the last bite of her food and burped. She sighed in relief as she could finally feed herself a delicious meal.

Dropping the chopsticks on the empty plate, she shifted her gaze to the open window. Her gaze was distant, and a frown of worry wrinkled her face.

"Hoon, I'm sorry I can't fulfil your last wish. You were wrong for the first time," she chuckled, smiling faintly, a smile that reflected the agitation and pain she was going through.

She placed her hand on her bump gently as if she were actually carrying the child in her arms.

"We are homeless again, child, but don't worry, we will find a place soon. Alright?" She did not know whether she was assuring her child or herself.

Sighing, she tried getting up, but her hands touched the water bottle placed at the extreme corner of the table.

"Thank God the lid was closed, or else he would have made me mop the floor at this hour," she murmured, rolling her eyes and bending down to pick up the bottle. It was difficult to reach with her bump, but she managed.

Just when she stood straight, she heard the door unlocking. She closed her eyes, praying it wasn’t that gangster with one more weird suspicion and trouble again.

She kept her eyes closed, but her body started trembling when she heard a familiar voice she could never forget.

"What a surprise Hoon's wife!"

She opened her eyes to see the biggest nightmare of her life.

"Dohyun!" she whimpered, taking a step back reflexively.

Her eyes moistened as the flashback of that catastrophic night replayed in her mind.

"Didn't know you were so desperate to die at my hands." He grinned, approaching her.

"I have to be strong for my child," Yuma whispered, affirming her withering soul with motherly courage.

Taking a step forward, she looked straight into Dohyun's eyes. "Dare to even think ill of my child, and I will rip your existence apart." Her warning held a superiority that no goon or even an angel could withstand.

Dohyun froze for a second, then regained his calm and scoffed at her words.

"So now I should be scared of a pitiful pregnant woman?" He started laughing, giving Yuma a chance to clutch the vase beside her and smash it hard against his head.

Dohyun yelled loudly, clutching his head. Blood oozed profusely, trailing down his face.

"You b*tch!" he started cussing at her, but she cared less and began to leave the room. But before she could exit, she felt her legs wobble. Breathing heavily, she looked back. Dohyun was squirming on the floor but had grabbed one end of her gown.

"Bold of you to think you can escape after hitting me," he stuttered, his voice holding a rage that sent shivers down her spine.

She faced him and tried to remove his grip on her gown. Each passing second threatened ruthless consequences if she didn’t get away.

"Leave me. Leave my gown, you b*stard," she shouted, hitting his hand. But Dohyun tightened his grip. He shook his head to clear the dizziness and seemed to come to his senses, making Yuma tremble at the potential consequences.

She jerked her gown, causing Dohyun to scream and release his hold. But the sudden motion twisted her leg, and she fell on her back.

"Ah!"

She screamed, closing her eyes, but instead of the cold marble, she felt a warm embrace from behind. She opened her eyes and looked at her saviour.

"Jungkook!"

She called out softly, the tenderness in her voice expressing untold relief and protection.

"What's happening here?" Jungkook's harsh tone pierced the eerily calm surroundings, snapping her out of her trance. She gulped and stood up with Jungkook's aid, who rolled his eyes at her.

"So f*cking clumsy."

She ignored his comment and turned her eyes on Dohyun, who was already on his feet, glaring at her soul.

She gasped, hiding behind a confused Jungkook.

"What are—" Jungkook halted when he saw Dohyun grunting in pain, blood pouring down his face. "How did this happen?" Jungkook asked him casually, devoid of any worry. They only had money to discuss and a friendship of convenience; they cared little for each other's well-being.

"Ask your chick!" Dohyun shouted, pressing a handkerchief to his head.

Jungkook's eyes widened at his declaration. He knew she was different, with a magic spell that ignited buried softness within him, but this was unexpected. Hiding his shock, he turned to face her.

"Why did you hit him?" he asked calmly, his eyes so dead and barren that Yuma feared he might support his friend instead.

"Tell me," he whisper-yelled, prompting a response.

"I can't tell you," she refused, knowing he would never stand against his friend.

"If that chick won’t open her mouth, I will tell you. Remember the man who raided my place and captured tons of my drugs?" Dohyun blabbered weakly.

Jungkook wanted to turn around, but he kept staring at her frightened face. For some reason, he wanted to understand the reason behind her fear. He could see her eyes growing moist with every word from Dohyun.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted to her neck. He froze when something caught his eye: the shining pendant on her neck, flashing nostalgic memories in front of him.

Just when he was about to touch her neck, he heard—

"I wanted revenge, so I killed her husband."

The air around them tightened. Dohyun smirked when he saw Jungkook releasing Yuma from his grip, who couldn't hold back and started crying at the mention of her dead husband, whom she still loved with all her heart.

"Now help me, Jungkook. Grab that chick, and I will kill her just like I did with her husband—"

His tone peaked to a scream when someone threw a knife his way.

"What the f*ck are you doing, Jungkook?" Dohyun cried out, grasping his right arm, which was sliced deeply by the knife.

Yuma gasped and widened her eyes. She couldn't decipher how swiftly Jungkook attacked Dohyun and stood facing her again.

"B*stard, have you gone crazy?"

Dohyun marched towards them with a knife, making Yuma panic.

"Turn around, he's coming to kill us." She screamed, but Jungkook stood in the same posture, looking unbothered by the danger behind him.

"Turn!"

Just when Dohyun was about to stab his back, Jungkook turned around and encircled his neck. A shiver ran down Dohyun's spine when he saw Jungkook's face. It was painted with wrath, a promise to devour the enemy he was preying upon.

Dohyun's face became pale from the lack of oxygen. He struggled to free himself, but Jungkook choked him more violently each second.

Just when he was about to lose consciousness, Jungkook jerked him away. Dohyun went flying to the floor. His body was tired and ached from all the injuries.

Yuma was confused by the terror unfolding in front of her, but she was somewhat relieved that Jungkook saved her.

Dohyun opened his eyes weakly when he heard footsteps approaching him. He froze, watching a gun in Jungkook's hand.

He tried dragging his weak body away.

"Why are you doing this, Jungkook? I'm your friend."

Yuma stepped to their side of the room but maintained a distance. She was shocked to see a lone tear falling from Jungkook's eye. His eyes were blood-red as if he was trying to suppress his vulnerable state.

"Because—" Jungkook spoke in a plunging voice and loaded his gun. Dohyun shook his head. "Because the person you killed was my brother." He cried out pointing the gun at Dohyun's forehead.

Dohyun widened his eyes, realizing he had messed up big, but before he could do anything, a loud gunshot silenced all the turmoil within the room. But someone was still going through inner turmoil. Jungkook fell to his knees and started crying.

Yuma looked at his crying figure with her blurred vision. Both of their cries echoed in the room, their raw emotions laid bare before each other. None of them tried hiding their vulnerable state. One was weeping in remembrance of her late husband, her love. The other was crying for his brother, who was like a father figure to him. Yuma gulped down her tears. Her grief seemed lesser to her when her heart pierced with his painful cries.

She took slow steps to him and placed her palm on his shoulder. He stopped crying and looked at Yuma. His eyes softened, realizing she was his brother's wife and was going through the same pain as him.

"How did this happen?"

Two weeks back…

"I'm back home, babe," Yuma shouted excitedly to show Hoon the new dress she had bought for herself.

Getting no response, she decided to check their bedroom. She was busy admiring her dress when suddenly her legs hit something. Fortunately, she held onto the side table beside her. She looked down, and a terrifying scream left her mouth. Her world came shattering down. There lay her husband in a pool of his own blood.

"Hoon!" She screamed, kneeling beside him.

She pulled his head onto her lap and patted his cheeks. "Hoon, who did this to you? Please wake up, please. Don't scare me," she pleaded, her tears falling uncontrollably. Her breath stopped as she looked at the deep wound in his stomach. With trembling hands, she checked his pulse.

She desperately pressed his wrist, hoping to feel a heartbeat. The painful reality dawned on her, and she broke down completely, placing her head on his chest.

"No, please. Don't leave me. Tell me you are pranking. Get up, I know you are pranking me. It's wrong. It's wrong! Why, Hoon, why? What about our child? How will I raise him alone?"

She was drowning in her sorrow when she heard a thud sound. Looking around, she realized it was his mobile with the screen flashing an audio recorder.

She sniffed and played the audio.

"I will be dead until you receive this recording. I'm sorry for leaving you, my love. But our destiny is cruel. Dohyun stabbed me"

She remembered that criminal whom her cop husband had caught for smuggling drugs. Yuma could feel the pain in his words which was ripping her heart mercilessly.

"Please listen to me carefully. This place is not safe. Go to my brother's house. Only he can protect you from that goon. Take all the money and property documents with you and leave immediately. You already know where he lives."

Yuma shook her head, not able to accept her changing world. She couldn't imagine living without him.

"No, love. I don't have time to convince you. I can't- I- I will die any moment. Please I beg you. Wear the pendant Jungkook gifted me, he will recognize you. Protect yourself and our child. Leave...please. I'm always with you. I love-"

The recording went silent with the perishing breath of Hoon.

Present

The property papers flew and fell at Jungkook's feet. But he stood still; the piece of paper weighed nothing compared to the guilt and grief surrounding him.

"He should have called me!" Jungkook sighed and opened his swollen eyes. The guilt of not saving his brother was eating him up.

"How could he call a gangster to protect himself from a gangster?" Yuma's bitter voice made him snap his eyes at her while she looked away to avoid his piercing stare.

"For fuck's sake, I'm his brother first. My family is my priority," he hissed lowly, not having the energy to fight with her.

"Don't pretend in front of me, Jungkook. I wasn't part of his family when you lived with them. But I know everything. How you chose this dirty world over your family. How you left them when they needed you the most. So do not play that family card on me," she spat, turning her head away.

Jungkook clenched his palm. If it were someone else, he would have beheaded that person for disgracing him about his family. But he held back and reminded himself who she was.

"Your brother left this letter for you." She extended a piece of paper without looking at his face. He took it immediately and read through it.

Yuma looked at his face, deciphering what was written in the letter as her dying husband had made her promise not to read the letter and to hand it over to Jungkook.

Yuma huffed when she saw Jungkook unmoved. His blank face didn't help either.

She waited a few more seconds and then stood up. Her actions caught Jungkook's attention, yet he chose not to look at her.

"My work is done, I'll take my leave. Try to lead a decent life at least." She said her last words and walked away, but she felt Jungkook's cold hands on her wrist. The hold was firm yet gentle.

"Who told you are leaving this house?"

_________________

Ahem. A very unexpected twist, right? ☠

Will Yuma stay? And what will happen next?