Emylia arrived in what felt like too short a time, as if she had already been prepared to come at any moment. She stepped in with a small bag in hand, her face tense. I didn’t know whether she was worried or if she just didn’t want to see me.
Without wasting time, she immediately sat beside Jihoon, who was lying weakly. "I brought this medicine," she said while taking out a few small bottles. "This is the only thing that can temporarily stop the bleeding."
I just watched. I didn’t know why I felt uneasy seeing her care for Jihoon so attentively.
She poured a small amount of liquid from one of the bottles into a spoon and carefully fed it to Jihoon’s lips. I noticed her hands tremble slightly. Jihoon swallowed the medicine slowly before finally falling asleep. His breathing was more stable, but his face remained pale.
Silence filled the room.
I stood in a corner, hands in my pockets, my eyes still fixed on Jihoon. I could feel Emylia looking at me, but I refused to meet her gaze.
"Thank you for calling me," she finally said.
I let out a small, cynical laugh. "Don’t get the wrong idea. I did this for Jihoon, not because I wanted to see you."
I heard her sigh softly. "I know."
I frowned. She didn’t fight back? Usually, she would try to argue with me. But this time, she just accepted it.
"He’s really sick, Taehyung," her voice was soft. "I know you’re still angry at him… and at me. But he truly regrets it. I can see it."
I laughed again, this time more bitterly. "Regrets?" I looked at her. "Do you think it’s that easy to atone for everything he’s done? Everything you’ve done?"
Her eyes dimmed. I saw her lips tremble slightly, but she held it in.
"I’m not asking you to forget, Taehyung. I just want you to give him a chance."
I clenched my jaw. "I don’t trust you, Emylia."
She was silent for a moment before finally nodding slowly. "I know."
Once again, I couldn’t read what she was thinking. I didn’t know why I wanted her to fight back, to get angry or cry—but she did none of that. She just accepted it.
I hated this feeling.
I hated that I still couldn’t forget everything.
---
Emylia's POV
I looked at Taehyung’s face, still full of hatred. I had long prepared for this, but why did my heart still hurt?
I had accepted the truth—he would never take me back.
I lowered my gaze to Jihoon, who was sleeping after taking his medicine. His breathing was slow and more stable, but I knew his health was deteriorating. I tried to focus on Jihoon, not on the man standing in front of me with eyes full of ego.
"I don’t trust you, Emylia."
His words echoed in my head. I knew. I knew he would never trust me again, never forgive me.
I took a slow breath before lifting my head to meet Taehyung’s gaze. He was still standing rigidly, his face hard with nothing but lingering anger.
"I know," I finally spoke. "I don’t expect anything from you."
He let out a small, cynical laugh. "Good. Then you should stop hoping."
I smiled faintly. "I stopped hoping a long time ago, Taehyung."
I saw him flinch slightly, as if he hadn’t expected my response. I was no longer the Emylia who would beg or cry for him. I was tired.
I turned my gaze toward Jihoon. "I only came because I take care of Jihoon. He wanted to see you, so I came."
I stood up and adjusted my small bag. I had nothing more to say.
"If you want to leave, just go. I won’t stop you." Taehyung’s voice was still cold, but I no longer felt hurt hearing it.
I simply nodded. "I was going to leave anyway."
I knew I had to let him go. If I stayed here any longer, I would only hurt myself. Taehyung was no longer the man I once loved—or maybe he was still the same, but he had lost all feelings for me.
And I… I had to learn to live without him.
My steps halted when I heard Jihoon’s voice.
"Emylia… don’t go… I’m sorry…"
I froze where I stood. His voice was hoarse, as if he was talking in his sleep. I turned back to see his body still lying on the bed. His face was pale, sweat dripping from his forehead. His breath was shallow, and his lips moved soundlessly for a few seconds before he spoke again.
"Don’t leave me… I’m sorry… I regret it, Emylia…"
I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from crying.
Taehyung stood in the corner of the room, watching without expression. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but I could feel his eyes never left me.
"Jihoon," I called softly. I stepped back toward the bed and gently held his cold hand. "I’m not going anywhere."
Jihoon breathed more steadily, but his face still looked pained. I felt his fingers weakly tighten around mine, as if he was afraid I would disappear.
I lowered my head slightly, looking at the man who had once destroyed my life. The man who made me kill, who dragged me into this dark world. But at the same time… the man who also took care of me when I had no one else.
"I forgive you, Jihoon," I finally said softly, my voice trembling. "But I can’t forget everything."
Jihoon didn’t respond—perhaps he was too weak. But I saw a tear slip down his face.
I squeezed his hand a little tighter. I hated him. I was angry at him. But I also felt sorry for him.
Behind me, I heard Taehyung exhale slowly.
I turned slightly, and our eyes met. I searched for something in his gaze—anger? Hatred? Or maybe… sympathy?
But he only looked away, as if what was happening in front of him wasn’t his concern.
I tried to suppress the turmoil in my heart. I should have been used to this by now, but why did my heart still ache?
Why was I still hoping he would say something?
Why was I still hoping… that he cared?
Jihoon furrowed his brows before slowly opening his eyes. His breathing was heavy, but he still tried to sit up. I immediately let go of his hand, while Taehyung remained standing at the edge of the room, watching with an unreadable expression.
"You’re awake?" Taehyung’s voice finally broke the silence.
Jihoon took a weak breath before giving a small smile. "I’m not dead yet, apparently," he joked, but his voice was full of exhaustion.
I got up from the side of the bed, giving space for the two of them. Taehyung remained still for a few seconds before finally stepping closer to Jihoon.
"You don't have much time left," Taehyung said quietly, his voice softer than before. "Why did you go through all this trouble to find me?"
Jihoon let out a small laugh, but it only made him cough harder. I saw traces of blood at the corner of his lips. He quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand before looking at Taehyung. "Because I want to die without regrets, Taehyung."
Taehyung remained silent. His eyes lingered on Jihoon, as if trying to find the truth behind his words.
"I know I've made a lot of mistakes," Jihoon continued, his voice hoarse. "I made your life miserable. I turned Emylia into a murderer. I lied, I manipulated, I ruined other people's lives because I thought I could control everything."
I lowered my gaze, clenching my fingers together. I knew all of it was true, but I also knew Jihoon genuinely regretted it.
"I won't ask you to accept me as your brother because I know I don’t deserve it," Jihoon spoke again. "But before I die, I want you to know… I’m truly sorry."
Taehyung still said nothing.
I noticed his hands clenched at his sides. From the way he stood, I could tell he was fighting his own emotions.
Finally, Taehyung took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I still hate you," he admitted bluntly.
Jihoon gave a faint smile, as if he had expected that answer. "I know."
"But I also pity you."
Jihoon froze. Even I turned to Taehyung in surprise.
Taehyung finally sat on the chair beside Jihoon’s bed, leaning back as he let out a long sigh. "You're an idiot, Jihoon. If you really wanted to make things right, you should’ve lived longer. Not like this."
Jihoon chuckled weakly. "Not everyone gets a second chance."
"I don't care," Taehyung replied. "But if you really want to die without regrets, prove first that you can do the right thing."
Jihoon stared at Taehyung, and for a moment, the room fell into silence.
I knew this wasn’t full forgiveness.
But it was a start.
I took a deep breath, looking at Jihoon, who was still lying on the bed with his pale face. Taehyung sat in a nearby chair, watching Jihoon without a clear expression. Both of them remained quiet after that conversation, lost in their own thoughts.
My phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw the name flashing on the screen—one of the trusted men at the casino. I quickly answered the call.
"Yeah?"
"We've got a problem, boss," the man’s voice sounded tense. "One of our warehouses was attacked. I think there's a mole leaking information."
I frowned. "Who attacked us?"
"We're not sure yet, but they took part of our stock and left some of our men injured. I need your orders now."
I bit my lip. This wasn’t the right time to leave Jihoon, but I couldn’t let chaos break out at the casino.
I turned to Jihoon. "I have to go."
Jihoon lifted his tired gaze. "Why?"
I sighed. "There’s trouble at the casino. I can’t stay here for long."
Taehyung, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. "Go. I’ll take care of Jihoon."
I looked at him. Taehyung might still be angry at me, but at least he wouldn’t let Jihoon die just like that. That was enough to make me feel a little relieved.
I leaned slightly toward Jihoon. "Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone."
Jihoon gave a faint smile, though it was clear he was in pain. "I don’t have the energy to do anything stupid right now."
I took a deep breath and turned toward the door. Before I left, I heard Taehyung speak softly.
"Don't die before you make things right."
I didn’t know if that was a threat or a hope, but I knew Jihoon heard it. And I hoped Jihoon understood the meaning behind Taehyung’s words.
---
Taehyung’s POV
I leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes for a moment. My head was still a mess from everything that had happened between me and Jihoon. I couldn’t fully accept him, but at the same time, I knew he didn’t have much time left.
Suddenly, the hotel room door was knocked on loudly. I jolted before getting up and walking to the door. When I opened it, Ray was standing there with a face full of urgency.
"You need to know this. Right now," Ray’s voice was serious.
My chest tightened. "What is it?"
Ray stepped inside, shutting the door before moving closer to me. "Our guy watching Jungkook’s house saw something off. Jungkook wasn’t home, but…"
I frowned. "But what, Ray?"
Ray took a deep breath. "Mirae went with Jimin."
I felt my heart nearly stop. "What?!" I grabbed Ray’s collar, shaking him roughly. "What the hell do you mean?!"
Ray didn’t resist. He just looked at me with a serious expression. "Our guy saw Mirae receive a big package. She opened it, and then she started crying."
I clenched my fists. "What kind of package?!"
"We don’t know," Ray admitted. "But after that, she left the house… and turned herself in to Jimin."
I let go of Ray’s collar, my steps unsteady. My head pounded. "No way… Mirae wouldn’t do that…"
Ray swallowed hard. "But she did, Taehyung. Jungkook wasn’t home when it happened. By the time our guy tried to follow, Jimin had already taken her away."
I gritted my teeth, anger and frustration boiling inside me. "Jimin…" That name tasted like poison on my tongue.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "I have to find her."
Ray nodded. "I’ve already ordered our people to keep investigating. But we need to move fast before it’s too late."
I clenched my fists tighter. "If Jimin lays a hand on Mirae… I won’t let him live."
I couldn’t wait any longer. Without wasting time, I grabbed my jacket and car keys, ready to move. Jihoon, still weak on the bed, looked at me with a furrowed brow.
"Where are you going?" his voice was hoarse, showing how unwell he still was.
I took a deep breath. "To find Mirae."
Jihoon tried to sit up, but I quickly stopped him. "Don’t do anything stupid, Jihoon. You can’t come."
"You think I’ll let you go alone?" Jihoon tried to argue, but I firmly pushed him back onto the bed.
"I’m not alone. Ray is with me," I shot a glance at Ray, who was already prepared. "You’re useless if you come. You’re sick. If you die on the way, who’s going to help Mirae after this?"
Jihoon fell silent. His eyes pierced into mine, but he knew he couldn’t argue with the truth.
I sighed. "Listen, Jihoon. Just rest. I’ve already told your men to pick you up. Go back to your hotel and recover. When you’re really better, then we’ll plan our next move."
I saw the dissatisfaction on his face, but eventually, he nodded slightly. "If you find Mirae before I do, don’t do anything reckless."
I smirked. "No promises. If Jimin touched Mirae, I’ll make sure he dies."
Without waiting for Jihoon’s response, I turned and walked out of the hotel room. Ray followed closely behind me.
Outside, Jihoon’s men had arrived. They helped him stand and guided him toward the car that would take him back to his hotel.
I didn’t look back. "Ray, we’re moving now."
Ray nodded. "We have a few possible locations. Jimin won’t take Mirae far from this city. We’ll find them before it’s too late."
I got into the car, started the engine, and without hesitation, I sped off toward our first destination.
Mirae, wait for me.