"Sacrifice" | Chaeyoung x Male Reader

YN was busy on his duty at one of the jobs he applied for when he received bad news from the doctor who contacted him through a phone call.

Here he goes, sprinting after he exits the elevator to arrive quickly in the medical room.

"Doc! Doc!" YN shouts as the nurses standing near the door immediately stop him after he tries to enter the room.

"Sir, please, we request that you stay outside."

"What are they doing to her? What's happening?" YN aid as he tried to sneak pass against these nurses blocking her path.

"Let him go, the doctor commanded the two nurses who were blocking the tensed and horrified guardian.

They listened, and YN stepped closer to the doctor, who was now out of the room, facing him.

"Doc, tell me, please. What happened to Chaeyoung?" YN pleaded with a shaky voice.

The doctor sighed, clasping his hands together to make his stance straight and proper. "Mr. Son, I called you here because, as you can see, your sister had an urgent emergency, and the nurse who's checking on her notified us after she noticed what happened to her."

"And that is?"

"Mr. YN, I'm sorry to say this, but this isn't a grateful or relieving update you're going to hear, the doctor apologetically said, increasing YN's anxiety.

"Her vital signs are back to stable now, thanks to the early action we took for them, but I'm not confident enough to say that this is going to be the last."

"W-why?"

"I found out through the check up I performed on her that your sister's condition has gotten worse, Mr. Son." The doctor cautiously said. "Her body's gone weaker and slightly more critical than the previous examinations we had, and the effects of that change were witnessed just a while ago by our nurse here."

YN and the doctor looked at the nurse beside them, who was listening sadly to their conversation.

"When I was about to leave after changing her clothes, she just suddenly started to slowly shake. Her temperature went up too when I touched her again to figure it out." The nurse recalled what she experienced a while ago.

"Oh god..." YN covered his head in stress and agony again after hearing another pityful incident about his poor sister.

"Her immunity system is now doing its best to fight the illness that's been damaging her body, Mr. Son, and we both know that proper medication is the best support system we've got here, the doctor continued. "I assume you haven't paid her medical bills so far."

"N-not yet, d-doc," YN said weakly. "The savings I'm getting from my jobs aren't enough."

"As much as I want to help you further, aside from my responsibility here as her doctor, I would be happy too, but I must remain professional and fair here, Mr. Son" the doctor empathically remarked, giving her a forced smile.

"I'm not rushing you or something, but... it would be better if you could find a way faster to pay her bills because, based on what we found out after we stabilized her, she'll need additional support, and I have no other choice but to add other recommended treatments for her."

YN can only nod; he's already speechless about what he'll say since his mind is quite preoccupied with the worried thoughts he had about her sister's health status.

"I understand, doc. T. Thank you."

"You're welcome and good luck, Mr. Son. Again, I wish her a speedy recovery, the doctor said before he left with his assistant nurses.

YN walked inside the room where his lovely sister, Chaeyoung, is currently lying down on the bed in an unconscious state.

Aside from her peaceful appearance, it's kind of hard to remain in her sight knowing that there's a distraction that ruins this wonderful view she has.

These straws and hoses were all connected in some parts of her body, specifically her nose, arms, and mouth.

These were the ones that were in handy to provide a sufficient amount of blood and a stable flow of nutrition traveling through her body, attempting to deflate the chances of more advantages her illness could get.

Remembering what the doctor just told to him after he caught how hard he's resuscitating Chaeyoung earlier who seems like she's going to die, his heart is too vulnerable to easily break again and give up the tears he's holding on while he's coversing with the doctor about Chaeyoung's condition.

YN cried as went closer to her sister's pity-looking resting figure.

"Where? Where could I find a job with higher demand of salary? I don't know what to do anymore..." YN crouches as he gripped his hair harshly in frustration, questioning the complaint he has about the doctor's request. "Why is our life should be this hard, Chaeng?"

A brief of a background behind this tough sitatution YN has been going through as of now.

The two Son siblings, Chaeyoung and YN lives in a small, poverty- stricken town.

They are currently struggling to make ends meet. YN, the responsible older brother, works tirelessly to provide for his sickly younger sister, Chaeyoung.

They both dream of a better life, but their hopes seem dashed when Chaeyoung's medical condition worsens, and they are burdened with exorbitant medical bills they can never hope to pay.

Sadly, they couldn't approach any close family, relatives, or friends to gain financial support because they never had one.

Their parents were gone way too early; YN was just 15 years old at the time, and Chaeyoung was 8 when their parents died in the explosion of a popular factory in the town. Both of them are workers there.

Their relatives from their father's side hate them since they never actually wanted their father to marry their mother in the first place, while on their mother's side, they never knew who may be their relatives there because their mother didn't want to introduce them.

Lastly, they didn't have any friends because they were too secure and restricted to interacting with and getting close to other people, especially those who were the same age as them.

It's understandable regarding how they used to always be criticized, mocked, and bullied in their neighborhood.

The day after the doctor announced Chaeyoung's worsened condition, YN became even more pressured to balance his time between the work he had temporarily sidelined and his time to visit Chaeyoung. It wasn't until he decided to leave and decrease the set of jobs he took that he could prioritize Chaeyoung as equally as his jobs.

There, he guards his younger sister every day with the same amount of time as his mind is filled with pieces of thoughts and ideas he's trying to form that would reveal a solution to his problem.

That day, when he was feeding Chaeyoung her breakfast, she randomly asked him out of nowhere.

"Oppa?" She asked after swallowing the spoonful of mushroom soup.

"Yes, Chaengie?"

"How long can I get out of here?"

YN went silent for a second, looking away at Chaeyoung as he suddenly think the total earnings he had so far which still doesn't reach the requirement to pass her medical bills.

"Soon, Chaengie. But first, you have to be good, okay? You should rest and gather up your energy again so we can live again normally, YN reasoned out.

"Okay, Oppa." She timidly smiled.

Oppa, just like you, Chaengie. I'm excited to get out of here too." YN sympathized. "How are you feeling these days?"

"Would you be angry at me?"

"Why would I? I'm asking you, so that means Oppa wants to know." YN denied. "I will never be mad at you, Chaengie. Tell me, please. I'm just concerned about you."

"I'm okay right now, Oppa, but... it hurts sometimes too." She shuts her eyes and frowns. YN had a visible, bothered expression in his face. "It's hard, but I still try to be a good girl, like what you say to me, oppa."

YN couldn't handle his emotions anymore. He dropped the spoon and the bowl at the table beside him, snatched Chaeyoung's hand, and hugs it as he laid his head on his stomach while looking up at Chaeyoung getting brought on by the moment done by her brother.

"Don't cry, Oppa."

"I'll work hard, Chaeyoung-ah. Okay? I'll find us a way to get you out of here, he said with trembling lips. "Be strong for me, please. I promise you, everything's going to be okay. If I had to sacrifice what's in me, I'll do it just for your safety, Chaeng. I love you."

"I know, oppa. That's why I still try to hold on while we wait. Don't forget to rest too if you can. I love you too, oppa." Chaeyoung slowly reaches for her brother's head to gently stroke his long disheveled hair in a way for comfort.

Just as they were pulling themselves apart from their breaking point, later in the afternoon, YN woke up from Chaeyoung's torso.

His sister is now the one who is sleeping. Giving her space, he stayed outside for a while to use his phone and revisit the memories that he made with Chaeyoung when they were youths through the pictures and videos he has saved in his gallery.

"Cute girl."

He was so invested that he wasn't aware of a mysterious stranger who had just approached him.

"Pardon?"

"Who's she to you?" The guy looked at the window where he could see Chaeyoung sleeping.

"That's my sister. Her name's Chaeyoung, he answered.

"As I said, her name suits her. It's cute."

"Okay?" YN glared at him, unsure of how he was going to react.

"May I ask what happened to her?"

She's been diagnosed with gastroenteritis. She's already had a problem with her lungs since she was young."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." The guy showed his sympathy. "Get well soon to her."

"Thanks."

"It must be so hard for you, I believe, he said.

Yeah, it is. Considering she's my only sibling and the only family I've got, he said." He quit using your phone and focused his attention back at Chaeyoung. Meanwhile, the guy wore a winning smile on his lips after he heard that.

"I couldn't imagine what you're going through just to ensure that your sister would wake up one day with no more burden to carry on her health, the guy replied.

"What about you, by the way?"

"Ahh, my friend is in the next room. He's injured."

YN nodded understandably. "May I know why you just suddenly came forward to talk to me? Do you seek help or a company to join you for some nice talk?"

"A bit of both, but I'd much rather look forward to the first option, the guy said, showing his clean set of teeth as he grinned in front of him for the first time.

"What could it be?"

"Perhaps you've been having troubles regarding money, haven't you?" He said. "Based on what you told me, that's one of the most common obstacles you have to cross as someone in a tough situation like yours."

"And if I say yes, what can you do about it?" YN raised his eyebrow.

The guy took a seat beside YN and looked at him intently. I've got an offer for you that could change your lives forever.

"What will I get from them in return?"

"A substantial sum of money that would cover your sister Chaeyoung's medical bills entirely,, the stranger smirked. "How much is her medical bill?"

"More than 11 million won."

"Then this is the perfect offer for you, my friend!" the stranger exclaimed with enthusiasm. "Not only that, you can even have fun with your sister whenever you two want to do things like go to an amusement park, rent a house, or anything with the extra money left!"

"Why should I be confident with that? Why should I trust you?" YN daringly questioned the stranger, who still doesn't seem bothered or intimidated.

"Because, buddy, I won't be here at the hospital taking my friend's medication and came across to you if I'm lying, the stranger shrugged. "I'm just the same as you. Wait, what's your name?"

"YN."

"YN. Well, my name's Minghao." He offered a handshake for a kind greeting, and YN accepted. "So, back to what I was saying. I'm just like you, YN. I got offered, I accomplished what was needed, and I got the prize. Now I assure you, once you get what I mean, you'll just thank me after with whatever you want to do."

Desperate and feeling trapped about the stakes presented to him by Minghao, he suddenly thinks about his desire for Chaeyoung's improved condition for him to see and be grateful for someday.

"What's the offer?" He finally shared in interest with Minghao.

"A job better than what you have today, Minghao boastfully smuggles.

He looked at his watch, and he got surprised. "Oh shoot, I've got to go now, YN. The job is to be an assistant in our organization. Here, I'll give you my number. If you're still interested, call me and we'll talk about the details in private."

Minghao said, placing his business card on YN's lap before he patted him on the shoulder and stood up from his seat.

"It was nice talking to you, YN, and of course, it's better to see you more when we work together." Minghao smiled as he rotated his body away from YN and walked to the hallway far from him.

YN was left with the choice of processing deeply. This is somehow important to her because this can be the right key to Chaeyoung's recovery and setting her free from her sickness that weakens her slowly.

He thought about it the entire night until it came to his decision to officially accept the offer without realizing the gravity of the task he had agreed to.

After he texted the number of Minghao from the business card that was lent to him, he received the scheduled time and place where the two of them would meet in private.

----------------

"So you have come to seal the deal I've made for you, Minghao said, crossing his arm and looking at YN impressively.

"I'm doing this for my sister; just... please prove me that this will be worth it."

He sipped another cigarette and blew a puff of it. "Chill down. You know why we're here, right? I've got to tell you about everything of it."

YN nodded and gazed at the people bypassing on the sidewalks.

"If I tell you what's going to be, can you handle it?"

"Why? Is it something heavy I need to accomplish?"

"Guess you could say that." Minghao shrugged. "But you agreed, right? You're the type of person who would do anything to save his loved one. That's why you put yourself here with me."

"Everything." YN looked at Minghao with dedication in his eyes. "I'm just tired of seeing her suffer every day, and I know that she's trying her best not to give in, and I don't want that time where she couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't lose her. She's the only one I have."

Minghao looked at YN, who was breathing hard and trying his best to remain composed. He proceeded to smoke before speaking. "Whatever it takes, huh. Alright then."

Minghao pulls out a folder and lends it to YN, who gets puzzled. "What's this?"

"Open it. The job you're taking is depicted inside."

YN slowly opened it, and the first thing that greeted his eyes was a huge picture of a familiar figure he had once seen.

"Wasn't this... wait? He furrowed his eyebrows. "I feel like I've seen him before."

"Of course you do. That guy is from around here." Minghao dropped the cigarette butt and stomped it with his shoe.

"You're looking at the person that holds your fate—whether you'll be victorious or you'll continue to see your sister closing in on her deep end."

"What's important with him? Why are you showing me this? Is he going to be my boss or something?"

Minghao chuckled and looked back at the contents of the folder as he went closer to him. "You're too innocent, YN. I'm starting to feel bad for you, but you don't mind it, right? Everything... for... your... sister, you said."

"YN, that's your job right there", Minghao confirmed. "But he won't be the guy you'll follow; he's the command itself."

"What do you mean?"

"As your supervisor who hired you, I'll keep my eye on you anytime as long as you decide to do it, which you better do," Minghao said.

He pointed at the picture and stared directly at YN. "Your job is to kill this man."

YN's eyes expanded and jaw tightened as he discovers the shocking truth—the stranger expects him to commit a heinous act.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me. I want you to end this man's life. That's going to be your service for us.'

"Wait a minute." YN distances himself from Minghao as he runs his hands through his hair while walking back and forth.

"I-I can't do that! Did you really just tell me to kill a person? Are you being serious right now?" YN tremendously said. "This isn't what I wanted!"

"But you're now here, and you accepted the job. You know the prize in repay, right? It's also the simplest job I-"

"No."

Minghao's face formed a statled emotion. "What?"

"I'm not doing it. I'm not a murderer; don't make me one." YN furiously shakes his head. "And what the hell's wrong with you? Is it really that easy for you to say something like that to others who expect nothing like yours?"

"YES! Because that fucking bitch deserves to die for what he did to me and our organization!" Minghao yelled infuriately at YN, who was taken aback at his fuming state.

"Didn't you say that you're this determined guy who would cross the bridge and leap upon the obstacles just to ensure the safety of his loved one?"

"That's true, but this wasn't included, Minghao! This is something I couldn't do. I don't want to stain my reputation and purity by murdering someone as my job",  YN retorted.

"Bullshit, you don't realize you already had yourself tainted with sin just by associating with me." Minghao scoffed.
"So that's it? You're going to refuse my offer? You couldn't handle it, didn't you?"

"If that's going to make me sound like a coward, I don't care. I want to help my daughter without stepping any other people's lives or even better, I ain't going to steal it away from them." YN replied.

"I'm sorry, Minghao but I'm out. I really expected better from you."

YN was about to walk away when Minghao interrupted him again. "You don't think I share the same expectations as you, which you didn't fulfill either, YN?"

YN paused on his steps. "I expected more from you. I thought you'd be willing to give it all, but it looks like you don't. You may be dedicated, but you proved me wrong that you're not the type of person who would be making sacrifices."

YN turned around and glared at him sharply. "Who are you to assume me like that? You don't know me?"

"Don't I?" Minghao mocked him. I'm already giving you assistance to save your sister, even if it was too risky. Do you really think you're the only one who didn't want to make the hardest choice? We're the same, YN! I didn't want any of this, but I had to!"

YN remained silent as Minghao proceeded to become outraged. "You disappointed me, YN. I understand this side you have in you, but I wouldn't let you just walk away selfishly and leave me with my unsolved problem."

"What are you going to do?"

"You already accepted the offer, and that's a pinpoint for me. There's no contract here anyway, so that means I get to decide around here."

YN gulped and stared nervously at Minghao. "Please, no. D-don't-"

"I'm instigating you to shut down that guy I assigned to you or else..." Minghao then revealed his gun beside his waist, which frightened YN.

"I'll do it myself, but if I do, I must finish you first for that."

"Would you want to stay alive to witness your sister get healed because of you, or would you want her to wake up alive and well only to find out her brother abandoned her?"

"N-no..."

Consumed by guilt, YN grapples with the impossible decision he must make: sacrificing his own integrity and the innocence he has always upheld or losing the only chance he has to save Chaeyoung's life.

Minghao passed the gun at YN by placing it a top of the target's picture. "Don't try to do anything stupid, YN. Let me remind you that my associate can hunt your ass down or much worse... your sister could be inv-"

"DON'T!!! P-PLEASE..." YN kneeled in front of Minghao as he began to dwell up in tears. "D-Don't do it, you don't have t-to. I'll take it."

Minghao snickered and patted YN's head. "There you go. That's what I want to hear from you."

"You know what's the deal here. I'll tell you next time where you can find your target, just tell me when you are ready. Accomplish and I will treat your sister to full recovery. Good luck."

Minghao picks up the folder with him. As he is about to leave, YN caught him with another statement.

"Can I have one condition?"

"What is it?"

"If I did it... can you promise me that you'll help me not caught and get thrown in jail?"

Minghao lowered his head then smiled. "Ofcourse, I will. You're on my watch and under my care, but still that's your mission so you should still try doing it clean."

--------------------------

As YN delves deeper into the morally murky world he has entered, he uncovers a web of secrets, lies, and conspiracies that stretch far beyond his initial predicament.

The task involves assassinating a target, someone whose death would shake the foundations of the town and potentially ruin YN's reputation forever.

He learned that the target is actually the grandson and future congressman of their town and that he didn't do anything wrong with the stranger, it was rather brought with revenge.

With each passing day, the weight on his conscience grows, and he questions whether he can complete the task without losing himself entirely.

It's been 5 days after, and YN called Minghao through the phone as he settled himself at the staircase far from the people around the hospital.

He tried to approach his concern regarding to the stranger. "Have you gotten yourself fully prepared?"

"I want to ask you something first."

"Go ahead."

"What's exactly your problem with the target?"

"Should be this really be important?"

"Of course it is! You don't think I wouldn't fucking know that the one you assigned me to execute was the mayor's freaking grandson, are you out of your mind?" YN barked, but he tried to control the volume so it wouldn't be widely audible for others to hear.

"So you already know." Minghao wasn't shocked. He was expecting it anyway. He isn't dumb to send a man not to execute his prey instantly but to spy on him and learn background information about him.

"But why are you asking me this?"

"Isn't it obvious? You're the one who's holding the root of the agenda here."

"Let me throw back that first line you said to you, fucking twat." Minghao grunted. "Why would you be asking me about it? I thought you did research about him."

YN remained silent, unable to respond Minghao's question as he got cornered.

"Looks like you didn't. I-"

"You haven't let me finish first, dumbass." YN spun the insult back at him. "Do you think I am that dumb to ask you this if I already discovered a piece of it from him?"

Minghao's the one who turned silent afterwards.

"I did research, just like what you told me. I learned something that fascinated me a lot about you and your goddamn lies, Minghao." YN interrogated.

"What heavy baggage do you carry to him despite being his childhood friend?"

The image of Minghao included in a photo with the congressman that was taken for media few years ago reappeared on YN's mind.

He can hear Minghao breathing deeply behind the call. He waited patiently before he finally able to comment.

"You're right, he's my friend... but that was in the past, and I'm sure he also consider it to be one of his forgotten memories. His enormous ego poisoned his mind. Everything.

That's why when I was recommended to be the one who was about to be positioned for the town's government, he stole that for me just because he thinks I'm not fitted yet. That I lack higher education than him."

YN continued to listen at Minghao's story. "Not only he took away my opportunity, it felt like my life became nonsensical after what he did. He rose to fame, I ended up being a nobody on the streets."

That's when I started to learn on hating educated people like him, they can look highly of theirselves that they believed they should be the privilege than the rest who stands below them."

"I hated his guts. I despise how it manipulates him. That's why I wanted to take it away from him and set him free. I know that the friend I once knew would never do this to me... so I'm just doing this to help him in return for everything he has done for me in return."

"I'm doing this because I still love him, YN. Despite how crucial and dangerous it is. I know I may not have been the one who should personally done it, but I admit... I tried everything I can but it didn't work because... I-I'm weak. I want to save this town from him and his bloodline but I'm no match to his ego which what makes him who he is today, YN: a ruthless aggression personified."

"Now that you know everything about what drives me to be like this today... I just hope that... you reconsider all of the doubts you had in me, YN. There was a reason why you're the one I picked. I know I crossed the line when I threaten you and your sister, but... this is how being desperate makes us to do uminaginable things and I know you feel the same. Although, I assure you that I didn't meant to do it literally.

So, here I am. I can't believe I'm going to say this to you but I had to.

I need you, YN. I need your help in my battle as much as you need me in your own."

YN was in utter disbelief, the words he wanted to say was stuck at the end of his mouth as he process all of the truth and the points that were all given to him by putting them all together to create a clear sense he was searching since the beginning.

Thankfully, he finally discovered Minghao's true colors and it helped him somehow to judge his actions better.

Minghao wasn't a guy who is just on the ride of revenge fueled with hatred and jealousy, he's the victim who heads to the destination where he can find a place to bring his friend to the betterment of his own self.

He had no other choice but to raise violence if he visions that his old friend would definitely do the same to the townspeople once he wins the position.

"No." YN spoke on the phone. Minghao's heart almost shattered with that one word, not until he learned the following ones to come out.

"You aren't weak. You're just alone the entire time, Minghao. You're already strong for standing up to yourself because you tried but sometimes... we had no other choice but to seek help for others if we sees it as our only way to succeed."

YN recalled that reasoning Minghao has told him when they first met that he was in the hospital as him is because his friend got injured.

That was a lie. There was never a friend with him at that time. He was the only one in treatment.

He's the one who is injured.

YN also remembered that bandage and the arm sling on Minghao's left arm.

He realized that he probably got it from the attacks of his former friend which it was actually true. Minghao got ganged up by his bodyguards just because he refused to leave when the congressman still lived up to his ego and rejected his request to make an action for the poor civilians living in an area who is suffering in a higher amount poverty.

That neighborhood was where YN and Chaeyoung are living as of the moment.

And that's what led to Minghao check out the only solution he has in mind.

Minghao who heard YN's response to his story, got struck in the feels at how accurate and truthful it is.

"Tomorrow's the start of the election campaign, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm doing it there. I-I'll help you through this, Minghao. This is a give and take between us so... in order for you to help me, I must do the same."

Minghao got teared up and smiled gratefully. "I appreciate that. A lot, YN. Thank you and be careful."

"Yeah, I will. I got your back with this, right?"

"I should be."

The call ended. YN returns back to Chaeyoung's room with an assurance in himself that after hearing Minghao's backstory...

He would rather choose to do both this time: save her even if it results on losing his innocence.

--------------------------

The following day, the candidates for the mayoral spot for the upcoming annual town hall election had already finished declaring their plans and their speeches to persuade the citizens why they should support one of them.

YN was one of the crowds.When he saw the congressman walking through the crowd, he wore his mask and cap as he started to reach for his gun and rushed through one of the empty rooms in a building.

As the congressman was still distracted by the amount of people cheering for him, waving his hands, and muttering his thankful remarks to the love and support that the crowd was pouring into him, YN pointed the gun at him.

His hand was trembling, his arms heavy, and sweat was dripping from the heat of the attire he was wearing.

Every inch of his fingers moving into the trigger quickens the recall of his memories of Chaeyoung as if it were the last reminder of his pure and innocent self that he's about to lose today.

But the more he stares fiercely at the man who's responsible for worsening his sister's sickness by transforming the entire area of theirs with an increase of poverty, unable them to find a proper food to consume every day, the more the story he heard from Minghao and all of the research he's done about their relationship makes him motivated to do it rather.

YN noticed that he was about to tilt his body around and leave. He shouted in all kinds of pent-up frustration, rage, and other intensified emotions that he's enduring every single day living in this difficult situation he has with her sister.

He finally pulled the trigger, emanating a defecating and startling sound of gunfire throughout the entire ground.

Once the congressman suddenly collapsed and a pool of blood was created within his spot, everything went into chaos.

Meanwhile, YN also collapsed on the floor, astounded by what he has done.
Contrast to the fallen individual, he wins.

Not just for himself.

For his hometown.

For Minghao.

And most importantly, for Chaeyoung.

However, at what cost?

-------------------------

The news of the unfortunate demise of the congressman spread abruptly around the Korean media and even internationally.

It garnered heavy attention for days when it was reported that they caught the culprit behind the assassination of the late conggressman, but the police couldn't detect and search for its possible identity yet because they found out that it was wearing a black hat and a mask that effectively covered and protected his face from being revealed.

Now the case hasn't been solved yet, and the chances are low as they couldn't find more evidence for it.

On the other hand, Minghao meets up with YN in his car after he secretly visited his old friend's funeral.

"As I promised."

Being true to his words, Minghao rewards a white envelope to the traumatized and guilt ridden YN.

He slowly took it and opened it, revealing with an amount of cash that contains exactly what he needs to do for it.

"I'm sorry for what I've put you through, YN... but I hope you understand that we just led ourselves to the fate we all deserve."

"Now go, and be with your sister. I won't bother you anymore and probably this is the last time we will ever see each other, so I want to say thank you a lot again to you."

Little did YN know that he was referring to his plan of surrendering himself later to the police by taking the blame up with him by disguising himself as the congressman's killer to allow YN to continue living their lives to the fullest with Chaeyoung. That's the only promise he haven't fulfilled yet for him and he believes he deserves the worst consequences.

YN didn't react. He looked again at the cash and hid it in his bag before he got up and opened the door.

As he stepped out, he turned around and faced Minghao one last time before he closed the door.

"Thank you."

Back at the hospital, he saw Chaeyoung awake, sitting in her bed. The nurse excused herself as she entered while holding the medicines, feeding Chaeyoung with them before she left the siblings alone together.

"Oppa," Chaeyoung muttered as she looked at her brother.

YN reached for the chair and placed it on the foot of the bed. "Hi, Chaengie. How are you feeling?"

"A bit strange. I'm feeling... better, Chaeyoung answered. "I'm experiencing less pain these days."

YN nodded and smiled. "That's good news. I'm glad that you are, Chaeyoung-ah. Soon you'll be fully healed and refreshed. Just wait, okay?"

"Okay." Chaeyoung understood. "How are you, oppa? You look... tired."

She went to caress YN's messy hair and the sides of his stressed face. He shuts his eyes as he feels the calming effect of his sister's tender touch.

"I'm tired, yes. But I'm on my rest now. I'm with you, that's why."

"Just rest, oppa. I'll be here on your side to watch you sleep."

YN stared at Chaeyoung for a while as he admired how stable and lively she appeared today. He is witnessing the return of her true self, and he couldn't be happier than seeing his younger sister show sincere happiness.

"You're not the only one who has a good news, Chaengie. Oppa also has one too." 

"Tell me, please." Chaeyoung pouted.

"Oppa already paid all of your medical bills, so rest assured that you'll be taking more treatments and you'll be out here sooner, YN said. His eyes became teary, his stiffness was noticeable, and her lips pressed tightly as he controlled his shaky breath.

"I'm happy that you're finally doing okay, Chaeyoung. Oppa is so proud of how brave and strong you are. I love you so much." He leans forward and kisses the top of her head.

Chaeyoung giggled. "Hehe. It's because of you, oppa. This won't be possible without you. Thank you, and I love you too."

She reached for his hand, but suddenly YN pulled it away to avoid her touch. Chaeyoung was surprised and confused. Why did her brother do that and why does he look afraid of her?

She stared at her brother, who got nervous and terrified at the fact that he nearly let her touch the left hand he used to shoot the late congressman to his death.

He doesn't want her to feel this new stained, dark and forbidden side of him who already killed a person she would mever imagine him to be.

He wants to lure her away at the truth that her beloved older brother she always look up to is now... a murderer.

"Oppa? Is there something wrong?"

"N-nothing, I-I'm sorry, Chaeng. I just felt a little sting on my arm that's w-why I flinched."

Chaeyoung instead reached for his head as she slowly assisted him in laying it down on her lap, where she sang his brother her favorite lullaby that he always used to sing for her.

She put her brother to sleep, despite the fact that his mind has not been placed in a peaceful state yet, as the distress of having to kill someone in order to ensure his loved one's safety by sacrificing his dignity and reputation to be lost forever in the process will remain stuck with him for the rest of his life.