20h:17m:43s

seokjin sighed as he looked away from his wrist. he looked at the girl's calm, sleeping figure on the bed. she was not the sad psycho girl anymore. she's not the emotionless girl i met. few days had passed, and she had progress ever since. hyuri was now able to smile.

and he was happy. because she was happy.

seokjin's phone rang, creating a noise in the quiet room. he takes it and walks out of the room to answer. "seokjin-ah?"

"yes, father?" he replies politely. "stay home today, our company is on fire and they're threatening me." his voice was unsteady, and seokjin wasn't sure if he understood what he was talking about.

"w-what?" he couldn't finish but his father hung up immediately. he heard the bed creak and turned to hyuri who had sat up, rubbing her eyes as she yawned.

"good morning, did you sleep well?" he flashes her a smile. and unlike before, she smiled back, as bright as his. she stretched his arms out for a hug, which clearly shows how clingy and comfortable she'd gotten around him. it had been two days since she started to live with him, and now that he know her well, she actually is a little girl rather than a psycho.

he gave her a puzzled look as a tease, but her glare indicated that she clearly didn't enjoy it. she glared at him while he chuckled before sitting next to her.
he gave her a long tight hug, knowing it could be the last one. it had been a routine of hugs to make sure she was no longer in sadness.

"can we eat out? i want to eat ice cream and walk beside han river," she pulled away. seokjin never thought twice of granting her wish, probably her very first one as she never wished for anything. this was the first time they got out together, maybe the last too.

seokjin & hyuri were walking closely the park next to han river, hand in hand. it was a picturesque scenery, unimaginably, that woman who was about to jump off the building - was now learning how to smile. all because of his kindness and patience.

it just what he wanted before he left this strange, cruel world —
05h:58m:14s

seokjin wished that someone could save him, but he did not want anyone else's precious time to be wasted on him. he himself knew how precious every second was. He did not think he was worth it.

she glances over at hyuri. but hyuri — she's worth it. he thought with a bittersweet smile.

she grinned at him when she noticed him staring. he loved how she smiled everytime she caught him staring. he wanted to see her smile forever, but he knew well that word doesn't exist.

"kim seokjin."

"every smile that i have, it's all because of you. these tearful eyes, now they shine because of you. these foolish, trembling hands," she looks at her hands, no longer shaking abnormally.

"they are steady because you held them every time. in this scary, scary world, you, who once was a nosy stranger, you are the reason why i wanted to live."

"and for that, i'm thankful. i'm very grateul for your existence. although i was so difficult and stubborn, you kept up with me."

seokjin smiles softly, though he was surprised at the sudden speech, but she was not finished yet.

"thank you. thank you so much." she places her palm on his cheek. "for saving me."

he remembered how she thought he lied about the 'i love you'. but seokjin did wish that she realized it was not.

those words, he never knew it was all it took to fix her - a lost, broken soul. once he broke into her high, thorny walls, she became affectionate, and she changed a lot.

he wasn't used to her, but it was a good change he was happy for. she was damn cold the first time they talked.

but even so, he would always remember that very moment as magical.

"i will always save you as long as i can."

he hugged her tight —
and he didn't want to let go.

05h:2m:23s, flickering.

five more hours with her — please.

"Please."

seokjin felt a threatening jolt of pain shot at his back.

to hyuri, the sound of gunshot wasn't as scary as living - but the gunshot with seokjin right infront of her.

It was terrifying as hell.

he collapsed, kneeling on the ground, attempting to touch the pained part of him. hyuri looked at him with wide eyes, she did not know what to do.

"no..." she falls weakly on her knees, trying to hold his face. the blood on his hands terrified her to the point that it felt painful to her too. as for seokjin, it was so painful that it suddenly became numb.

"kim seokjin, please!" she began to cry and it brought back memories, starting from that first moment he met and saved her.

"Please... don't." he struggles to hold her face. "Don't cry."

each second he felt weaker and weaker, but the fact that hyuri was living, it numbed the pain. he could smile the pain away as long as she was breathing, living.

"I lived for you! Please... live for me!"
she held him so desperately, screaming in tears.

"Please, I don't want to be alone again.." she pressed her forehead onto his, eyes shut. "You promised..."

she closed her eyes, shutting her tears yet they continuously fell. seokjin took a last glance at her wrist, but he could no longer see her time as he held her for the last time.

all he knew was that – he wanted her to live forever.

He wanted her to live.

Not for him,

but for herself.

he couldn't see lifetimes anymore, not even his own. maybe it was just his eyes deceiving him with the physical pain, or maybe his special sight was now taken away.

Now that I'm gone,
who will save you?

The last feeling he felt was
worry - no, it was love.

"Save yourself... for me." He smiled, though he was gasping for air as he managed to speak.

Until darkness took over.

➳

She clenched her chest as she saw his eyes close. Countless questions made her heart sink deep, in pain.

How can I live
now that you're gone?

Who will save me?

How do I save myself
when my hope is gone?

My dear Hyuri,

I loved you.