439 The voices flowing in
Jun’s anger, his hateful words, his grief, his tears and his bullet – everything made Jin feel as if somebody was tightly squeezing his heart. His breaths grew more unsettled and restless, feeling an urge to escape somewhere far.
I don’t want to be here…
Shui became increasingly stunned with Jin’s rapidly changing state. He was fine in the car, but coming to the chapel had changed him.
Why is he looking so troubled?
She quickly followed him and said, “Jin, you are not looking so well. We should leave if you are-“
Jin pushed her away, glaring at her. “Don’t…don’t you interfere! I don’t need your concern.”
Shui softly yelped in pain as her shoulder bumped against a pillar, scraping her skin. But more than her injury, Jin’s distress stirred her heart.
His eyes looked reddish with tears wetting his eyelashes. His pained expression made Shui feel at a loss.
What is…Jin grieving? What is he grieving about?
Jin’s eyes widened as he realized he pushed too hard to injure her. “I…I…didn’t mean that…” he balled his palms with anger welling in his chest. “That’s why I said stay away from me! This is none of your business!”
He stormed his way inside, leaving Shui at her place. He breathed heavily with sweat drops trickling down his forehead. As he raised his head, he froze upon recognizing this very place where he had breathed his last.
He stared ahead at the place where he had faced his raging brother. The screams and panic of his family members were still fresh in his ears. Jin’s cries to beg Jun to believe him and Jun’s adamance in not doing so – it felt like the scene replayed as if it was happening all over again.
From behind him, he heard the sound of Shui’s soft but hurried steps.
“You still didn’t leave,” he said but not with hostility in his voice this time.
Shui said, “I won’t leave when you are looking so miserable.”
Silence.
The chapel was empty and devoid of any soul. The silence only rang louder and grew thicker.
With an emptiness enveloping his heart, he agonizingly took one step and two and then more until he reached the very place he once stood in his last life. He could see the apparition of his dead body and blood seeping out of his chest, staining the floor crimson.
‘Jin…you ended everything for me.’
‘You snatched her away from me.’
‘Do you feel happy now?’
‘You betrayed me, Jin. I hate you! I hate you!’
Tears plopped from his eyes, the voices filled with resentment echoing in his ears. It was excruciating to be here. It felt as if a thousand arrows were raining down upon him, stabbing and striking him from all directions. He could only bear the pain helplessly. He covered his face in his palms whispering and calling his brother.
“Bro…”
He felt a hand touch his shoulder, and he narrowed his eyes as he faced Shui.
“Why…are you crying? What happened?”
She had no idea what changed Jin’s demeanor by coming here, but she wanted to know even if there was no hope of Jin properly answering her question.
“Everything. Everything happened. It was this place where it all…ended.”
“E-ended what?”
He grabbed her arms and exclaimed with bitterness. “Everything Shui. Everything ended here and it’s all because of you! If only…if only you cared about Bro, if only you weren’t so selfish, then nothing of this would have ever happened!”
Shui failed to understand his meaning but what she did know was this.
“Liu Jin. I think I was already clear when I said that I always care about Jun.”
“No! You don’t…you only care about yourself! If you respected him even a little bit, then you wouldn’t have hurt him!”
She pushed him back. “I would never purposely hurt Jun! Why don’t you understand!?” She quivered as her tears slipped out. “I am tired of your accusations! Why do you think that you are the only one who cares or loves him? I know you adore your brother the most in this world. But you are not the only one! Get it through that thick skull of yours!”
“Oh yeah? Then tell me. If five years from now on, I still refuse to have feelings for you, what will you do? If you understand that we cannot be together ever, then what will you do!? Tell me! If there is no hope for our future, what will your decision be!?”
“I will give up on you, Jin.”
He froze.
It was a pure and simple fact she said in a way that there was no other alternative to that.
Shui smiled, albeit with sadness. “If it’s destined for my feelings to never be returned, then I will give up on you. If you hate me so much that you cannot even stand my presence, then I will give up on you. I…wouldn’t have any other choice, would I?”
He felt her voice quivering towards the end. He didn’t want to, yet he strongly felt the genuineness in her words. He didn’t want to believe her tears, but then why did his heart leaned with the urge to do so?
“Lies…all lies…you wouldn’t give up on me…” he stumbled back, forcing himself to believe the truth he had been believing until now. “You would never be so-“
*GONG!*
An extremely piercing sound drove straight through his ear that reached all up till brain. His eyes got suddenly blinded by a strong ray of golden light that made him unable to see Shui anymore.
“Ahhh!!”
He covered his ears and as he looked up, he saw a golden clock floating in the air, shining its golden brilliance on him.
W-what is happening…
*GONG!*
The sharp sound of the clock ticking brought an immense pain in his head. He couldn’t believe if this was real or if he was hallucinating.
But before he could question it more, he heard some voices echoing in his ears. One crying voice belonged to the woman who he recognized all too well.
Shui…?
“You cannot…do this…”
“Let Jun…don’t hurt him…”
“Please, I beg you…I cannot do…”
“He will break apart…”
“If that what it…takes…save him…marry…Jin.”