Up and down did her chest move slowly as she heaved deep breaths under the compulsion of what felt like an eternal slumber. Dark bangs swirled along with the wind eventually falling on her closed lids while the golden rays animated on her pale face bestowing her with an ethereal guise. Her beautiful braids remained longer than ever and her lips appeared as dried rose petals that refused to sway.

Y/N looked just like a princess, peacefully resting behind the walls of her fragile monarch, waiting for her Prince Charming to come and save her from this wretched misery. On the hem of her closed lids remained the long wait for her one true love's kiss. But sadly, this princess wasn't lucky enough to dwell in such a magical world of fantasies.

Instead this was real life and it was much more sour, much more hostile. No matter how far I extended my arms, I knew I wouldn't be able to reach her, wouldn't be able to pull her out of this lingering sleep. No matter how truly I felt for her, I knew I wouldn't be able to kiss her out of her coma. I wanted to though, so badly.

She was right there in front of me, lying wrapped up in the pastel sheets and yet she seemed so far away.

I miss you Y/N, please come back to me.

Taking her cold hands in mine I rubbed them gently, trying to generate some heat in them but my attempts like the ones before were rendered futile as her skin still felt cold and heavy against my own. Her bony knuckles prodded against my palms making my heart ache for it marked how much weight she had lost in the last two weeks. Obviously she didn't receive adequate nutrition while in her stay with Sang-Ook and now being only fed through machines and tubes, how much difference could it even make?

Y/N looked weak and I hated to see her like that.

Its been six days already, how much more beauty sleep do you need Y/N-aah? Just wake up already.

Placing a tender kiss on her forehead I sat back down on the stool before starting a conversation with the sleeping girl. I knew it was stupid and I knew she wasn't going to respond to any of my words but still, somewhere deep in my heart, I felt the need to do this.

What if she can listen to me? Maybe, after hearing me calling for her she'll want to wake up...

"Hey Y/N, how are you doing? Aren't you bored from all the sleeping? Why don't you get up and we can continue with that little date of ours. You know you never finished that Caramel Macchiato of yours. So how about you wake up and I'll make one for you, yeah? Why don't you answer me? Please Y/N-"

A trembling sob intervened my solo oration and I heard my breath hitch within my throat. My eyes felt moist, but I didn't let any tear drop down to my cheeks. I had cried enough already, I didn't wanna do it anymore. All I wanted now was to stay optimistic and brave for I didn't want Y/N to wake up to a messed up, disheveled Jungkook. I wanted her to be surrounded by hope and positivity not despair.

So I went on, went on with my monologue.

"You know Y/N, tomorrow is the trial. And it's my first trial in forever. I am gonna walk down the aisle and I'm gonna represent my team. I am gonna speak for my fellow companions, I'm gonna speak for you and I promise to try my best to make you proud. You remember I told you that if you give me a chance, I'll take your revenge for you? Well, I am so close to doing just that. I am nervous though, very much, what if I mess up? Would you wish me luck so that I don't mess up, hmm? Y/N?"

It was getting harder and harder to put up a happy upfront. The conflicts inside me contrasted with my act spawning an overpowering friction within me but still, I kept going, not for myself, but for my Y/N.

Sliding some of her fringes away from her eyes I dragged my fingers down her face, tracing the smooth curves as gently as I could before drifting further down to her soft, black braids. I lifted one up and brought it near my nose to take a small sniff. Her freshly shampooed hair smelled like lavender and it intoxicated me with a much needed calmness for I remembered, it was the exact same fragrance I had smelt when I fell on top of her the day I was brought to the Kim Mansion for the first time.

If back then somebody had told me that I'd be finding by soulmate within this beautiful vixen, I would have slapped that dude square on his jaw. But now, considering how things have turned out, I couldn't be happier. Actually I could though, if all the Sang-Ook shit didn't happen. But nonetheless, I was grateful to have Y/N.

With the bitter sweet memories flooding my mind, I took her hand and brought it up to my cheeks to glide her fingers mellow against my skin before closing my eyes to savor her touch. A sense of warm bliss clenched my heart but that was soon replaced by shock and I was forced to slap my eyes open when I felt a tiny movement against my cheek.

What!? Did Y/N just move?

I clutched her hand tighter before springing up from my seat thereby making the poor stool fall down from the sudden jolt and roll on the floor. I moved closer to Y/N's face to stare intently at her for I wanted to catch any further movements that she'd make.

"Hey Y/N, can you hear me? I am right here, beside you. Look at me, everybody is waiting for you to wake up, please?"

Bending near her I caressed her hair slowly before placing my palm against her cheek. She did feel slightly warmer than before and I had to bite my tongue to not shout with joy. However my composure jumped right off the ledge when I felt Y/N's fingers wrapping weakly around mine as if she was trying to hold my hand just like I was holding hers.

"Hey is anybody there? The patient's waking up, come quickly"

A few seconds after me creating a fuss, two nurses barged into the ICU, both bearing surprised gazes and I gestured them to spare a glance at our entwined hands. Though Y/N's face remained as calm and pale as ever, she still was exuding tiny movements and they were enough to make my heart go frantic inside my chest.

Finally, Y/N's gonna wake up. Finally I could have her in my arms and tell her how much I missed her. Finally, I could take her home just like I promised I would. Fi-

"If the court charges her for killing without permission, I might not be able to get her out penalty free, I'm sorry Guk"

Namjoon's words from earlier abruptly rang in my ears and just like that the tears of joy and elation transposed into that of fear and anxiety, plunging me into a deep pit of despair. I didn't even notice when all the rejoicing morphed into a melancholy anguish but once it did, the concoction of the pain and fear I felt was nothing but surreal. Oh how little did the happiness last.

It wasn't long before Dr. Choi infiltrated the scene and I felt my feet taking slow steps away from all the commotion. Once again Y/N's hands slipped from mine but this time, the internal battles were stronger.

I wanted very much for Y/N to wake up right away and flash us with that beautiful smile of hers but I also knew, if she woke up today, I wouldn't be able to save her from tomorrow's trial. Oh man, what do I do now?

There were times when I felt like running away with her, far from all these legal intricacies but then again my conscience would intervene every time for even if I loved Y/N with all my heart, I also loved my profession and I couldn't just betray it. My parents worked really hard to give me the life I have today, I didn't want to disappoint them like that. And also I highly doubted Y/N would be very pleased to know that I ran from my responsibilities instead of facing them. After all, she's the one who stayed adamant on taking the right route and going to jail when all I did was ask her to elope.

Dragging my fingers through my already messed up hair I let out a frustrated sigh. Clearly, running away was not an option but I didn't want Y/N to go to jail either, not even for a single day. I didn't want her anywhere near that hell hole. Ugh! What do I do?

"Are you okay Jungkook?" a warm palm placed on my shoulder rendered my internal voices mute and I looked up to find Dr. Choi staring down at me with a genuine concern latched onto his face. So heaving one more defeated sigh I revealed it all to him.

"That's what bothering you so much?" I slightly nodded to the doctor's question before pressing my lips into a thin line of uncertainty. However, Daejung didn't seem much bothered about the entire scenario. If anything, he actually spared my a witty glance before turning around and declaring in an authoritative voice,

"I can take it from here, you two can leave"

I frowned at how he dismissed the two nurses so abruptly making them both scurry away bidding a formal bow but I didn't seek to question his actions. However the next stunt he pulled had me trembling with sheer anxiety for he marched straight up to Y/N's still figure and one by one he disconnected all the digital life supports attached to her body.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing man?" I rushed to the crazy doctor and I tried to stop him from manifesting any further damages but I knew I was too late when an unvarying noise coming from the heart monitor filled up the entire room. The straight line running across the screen contrasted with the exaggerated beats of my own and I fell to the floor on my knees, river of agony now flowing freely from my eyes.

"W-what did you do?" my voice came out like a breathy moan and I looked up at Daejung with tear flooded eyes only to perceive him once again looking at me with overwhelming concern.

"I'm sorry Jungkook, but I had to..."

All five of us were seated in the mansion's conference room along with some other significant members of our mafia. Some of the household helps were present as well for we were having an important meeting regarding what to do once the entire Kim Mafia was dissolved by the court.

Sure we were all thrilled to start a fresh. I didn't know about other gangsters but for us, who were pushed into this dangerous way of living at young ages by unfavorable circumstances, we wanted nothing but a decent, normal life with normal easy schedules. Giving up the mafia hence felt really rejuvenating.

Things weren't as easy as it sounds though. A new life also meant a new source of income and we had a lot to figure out about our financial advances in a very short time. Not many of us had other qualifications so settling in a new life was going to be difficult. Thus we decided to have this meeting to try and help each other and every member of our mafia family to have a clean reboot.

"As I was saying, once the mafia is gone, all the riches we have collected so far will be gone too and as per I've heard from Officer Namjoon, we might also have to give up the mansion for we won't be left with enough money to pay for its bills. Now, some of us have other homes but some of us don't, so I want you guys to help each other until all of us are securely established with our new lives. We are a family, if time comes we won't hesitate to share the last bit of our food with you guys. We hope you'll do the same for us and for your other friends..."

A major ruckus induced with applauds and affirmations erupted through the hall as Jin carried on with his speech and sheer determination flashed through everyone's eyes as they intently looked forward for what was to come. Won't deny I was pretty nervous about how things were going to turn out but I would say the excitement was more. I had already dedicated 15 years of my life to this criminal syndicate and I knew the change was gonna feel freaking good. For the first time in forever, I was gonna be free to lead my life as I fancy and I knew the others also felt the same way, which was elation with a pinch of sheer anticipation. Oh I wonder what new adventures awaits us...

My phone vibrating in my pocket caught my attention and I fished the device out only to see that it was a call from Jungkook. The trial was the next day so I assumed he was calling to revise some of the pointers regarding the innocent acts we were supposed to put up and I merrily tapped on the green mark before pressing the phone to my ear.

"Yeoboseyo Guk, what's up?"

I waited for a cheerful voice to greet me from the other side but what I got instead caught me totally off guard and the phone fell from my hand and onto the carpet, followed by an unending stream of restless tears.

"No-h!..."