Inked Bonds- My Demon

(21) The Date

Gu-won's POV

I sat inside my office cabin, staring blankly at the table as Mr. Kim's urgent knocks echoed through the door, "Master, open the door. Are you okay?" His voice sounded muffled.

All I could hear were Yeona's words from earlier: I can't trust you anymore. You can no longer protect me, your powers have become so weak that you can't even protect yourself.
She had uttered those words with such finality that it felt like a physical blow.

I knew Yeona wouldn't give up on her brother's case so easily. I knew her too well. There had to be more to her sudden change of heart, more to her sudden lack of trust in me.
There was one person whom Yeona would have confided in, one person she trusted the most. Without a second thought, I sprang up from my chair and rushed towards his office.

Bursting into his cabin unannounced, I found Min-jae sitting behind his desk, upon noticing me. He stood up, his expression unreadable.
"You..." I gasped out, trying to catch my breath, "You knew everything, didn't you!? What happened? I'm sure she told you everything. Why did she suddenly give up?"
"If you're so curious, ask her yourself." he replied nonchalantly.

"She won't tell me anything!" I snapped.
"She must have her reasons for not saying anything."
His reply only fueled my frustration, I grabbed his collar, "You should've talked her out of it by any means necessary. Don't you know how important it is for her to find her brother's killer?"

Min-jae pushed me away, & straightened his suit, his gaze piercing mine, "I do know. I know it all too well. Yeona has always blamed herself for her parents' death. She'll now blame herself for Ye-jin's death as well because of you!"

I felt the ground shift beneath my feet. "What?" I choked out.
"You're the reason why she gave up. She didn't want you to get hurt again."

A tear slipped from my eye, a silent realization of the sacrifices Yeona had made to protect me. Without a second thought, I hurried to meet Yeona.

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I pushed open the apartment door and my eyes fell upon Yeona, she was sitting behind the sofa, hugging her trembling thighs, tears streaming down her face.

"Let's go back. If you're giving up because of me, let's go back and fight again," I said, taking a step closer. Yeona, upon hearing my voice, hastily brushed away the tears that stained her cheeks and turned her gaze away from me. "It's not like that." she murmured.

"Yeona... do what's best for you because that's what's best for me."
She turned to face me, "They're all dead, Ye-jin, mom and dad..." she said, a tear escaping and descending down her cheek and she continued, "Everyone I've have ever loved is dead and you'll die because of me too."

"I don't care." I replied without hesitation, taking a step closer, I kneeled down before her, and gently lifted her chin to meet my eyes. I leaned in and kissed her.

This kiss was not like any we'd shared before. It wasn't a facade for the media or a gesture to conceal our faces from someone. It was filled with a depth of feeling I had only just realized- the feeling of love I had discovered for this woman, for my wife.

As we broke away from the kiss, I wiped away her tears, gently cupping her face and whispered, "Even if my feelings for you make me insignificant and weak, you're my fate that I cannot defy."

A smile appeared on her face, and I took her hand in mine, suddenly her gaze shifted to her wrist. There, the tattoo was now glowing radiantly. Her eyes widened in excitement & she gasped, "You.. Your powers."
I couldn't help but smile at her genuine reaction & nodded, "My powers are back."
Yeona threw her arms around me in a tight hug.