Episode 45 – Her Last Hug
The air was screaming with the echo of gunfire, the metallic scent of blood, and the raw, agonizing tension of betrayal. Every sound was amplified, every breath a struggle against the suffocating weight of the moment.
Miran's cries, sharp and piercing, cut through the chaos as Minjae collapsed to the ground, a bullet lodged in his arm. She screamed his name, a guttural sound torn from her throat, her eyes wide with terror, fixed on his bleeding form. Her heart thundered louder than the gunshots, a frantic drumbeat against her ribs.
ZEROFACE, his face a mask of cold fury, grabbed her wrist, his grip like a vice, pulling her back from Minjae. "Stay quiet unless you want him dead next," he hissed, his voice a venomous whisper that promised immediate pain.
But something snapped inside her. The fear, the pain, the helplessness—it all coalesced into a desperate, feral rage. This was her family. Her choice.
With a desperate, animalistic scream, Miran twisted her body, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins. She bit down hard on ZEROFACE's hand, her teeth sinking deep into flesh, tasting the coppery tang of his blood. He yelped in pain, a surprised, guttural sound, releasing his grip for just a moment—a precious, fleeting moment she used to run.
She dove toward the fallen guard near the crates, her body propelled by a primal instinct to protect. Her trembling fingers snatched the pistol from his limp, lifeless hand. Her hands trembled, a tremor that ran through her entire body, but her aim, fueled by a fierce, protective love, was clear. Her fingers squeezed the trigger, and she fired at ZEROFACE's remaining guards, the shots ringing out like desperate prayers, forcing them into cover.
Minjae was still conscious, barely, his breath ragged, his vision blurry with pain and the encroaching darkness. He struggled to push himself up, his good hand pressing against the gaping wound in his arm.
ZEROFACE roared, his face contorted with a mix of rage and disbelief, raising his gun, its barrel glinting ominously, aimed directly at Minjae's head.
And then—
"No!"
Miran, without a second thought, threw herself between them, her body a shield, a final, desperate act of defiance. Time slowed to an agonizing crawl. She saw Minjae's horrified eyes, ZEROFACE's grim determination, the flash of the muzzle.
Three deafening shots rang out, tearing through the air, each one a hammer blow to her very soul.
Miran stumbled, her body jerking violently with each impact as the bullets hit. One to her stomach, a searing, white-hot agony. One to her ribs, a crushing blow that stole her breath. One below her collarbone, a sharp, burning pain that spread through her chest.
She collapsed onto Minjae, her blood, warm and sticky, mixing with his. He caught her in his arms, his eyes wild with disbelief and terror, his face pale, mirroring the stark white of the moon.
"MIRAN!" His scream was a guttural roar, filled with a pain that transcended physical wounds.
Gunfire erupted from behind them as the police force stormed in, a wave of blue uniforms flooding the scene, shouting urgent, indistinguishable orders. Sirens wailed, piercing the night.
ZEROFACE, his plan shattered, tried to retreat into the chaos, but Minjae, with trembling hands and a blazing, unholy rage in his eyes, picked up a fallen rifle. He fired at ZEROFACE. Once. Twice. Again and again. Each shot a desperate cry for vengeance, a guttural scream that tore from his lungs, screaming until his voice broke, until it was nothing but a ragged, heartbroken sound.
ZEROFACE fell to the ground, a crumpled heap. Lifeless.
Officers rushed to Minjae, their faces grim, dragging the rifle from his hands as he tried to pull the trigger again, his body still consumed by the need to punish. He resisted, not seeing anything but the crimson stain on his hands and the fading life of the girl in his arms.
Kevin, Guen, Alex, and Dohee ran toward them, stumbling through the chaos, their own weapons discarded, their faces etched with horror.
Miran lay in Guen's lap now, her breathing shallow, each gasp a struggle. Blood pooled beneath her, a dark, spreading stain on the cold concrete, but her eyes were still glowing, soft and warm, holding onto a fragile light.
"Stay with us, Miran. Hold on," Guen said, her voice cracking, tears streaming freely down her face as she pressed her hands against the wounds, a futile attempt to stem the tide. "Please, just hold on."
She smiled faintly, a ghost of her usual bright smile, a gentle curve of her lips.
"Kevin..." she murmured, her voice barely audible, a fragile whisper against the roar of the sirens. "You taught me how to fight with logic... and not just fists. You were the mind I leaned on, the one who made me see a different way. Thank you... for letting me be part of your world, for showing me there was more than just the shadows I came from."
Kevin wiped his eyes furiously, his own throat too choked with emotion to speak, simply nodding, a silent promise.
"Guen," she turned her head slightly, a fresh trickle of blood on her lips, her gaze finding her friend's tear-streaked face, "you were the only one who made me feel like I belonged... like I wasn't just a ghost from the north, a weapon with no soul. You were my first real friend, the one who saw me."
Guen held her tighter, her body trembling, shaking her head, denying the inevitable. "You're not a ghost, Miran. You're family. Always. Please, don't leave us."
Her eyes shifted, searching for the others. "Alex... you genius hacker freak. You made me laugh even when I wanted to cry, when the world felt too heavy. Thank you... for always making chaos feel like home, for bringing light into my darkness."
Alex sobbed openly, nodding furiously, unable to form words, his brilliant mind unable to hack a solution for this.
"Dohee," Miran whispered, her voice growing weaker, "you were like the sister I never had. I always admired your strength, your heart, your unwavering courage. You gave me a voice when I had none, you taught me to stand tall... Never stop protecting others the way you protected me, the way you fought for me."
Dohee was crouched beside them, holding Miran's shoulder, her body wracked with silent sobs, unable to breathe through her tears, her heart shattering into a million pieces.
And then, her gaze, filled with a profound, aching tenderness, turned to Minjae.
He was still on his knees, staring at her with disbelief, his hands soaked in her blood, his own wound forgotten. He couldn't form a single word, his mind a whirlwind of agony and denial.
Miran raised a shaky hand, her fingers cold, and cupped his cheek, her touch feather-light.
"Minjae... You crazy boy. You made me feel alive for the first time. Truly alive. You made me feel... loved, in a way I never thought possible." Her breath caught, a ragged gasp. "I wanted more time. Just a little more. A lifetime of more. But I'm glad it was you... You gave me something worth dying for, something real to hold onto."
He grabbed her hand tightly, pressing it against his tear-streaked face, his voice desperate, raw. "Don't say that, Miran! We're going to get you to a hospital! We have a chance—a chance for us! Don't you dare give up!"
She smiled. A weak, soft smile that held an ocean of sorrow and acceptance. It was a smile of farewell.
"No more lies, Minjae. Not now. I know it's bad. I know I'm fading. I can feel it." Her eyes, though dimming, held his gaze, unwavering. "But before I go..."
She looked into his eyes, a silent plea.
"Can you... can you hug me one last time? Just one last time, Minjae."
He didn't hesitate, not for a single agonizing second. Minjae pulled her gently into his arms, cradling her against his chest, holding her as if she would disappear if he let go, as if his embrace could somehow defy the inevitable. His arms wrapped around her trembling frame, warm and desperate, trying to absorb her into himself, to keep her there forever.
The rain began to fall. Light. Cold. Cleansing. Each drop a tear from the sky.
Police sirens continued to wail in the background, a mournful symphony. An ambulance finally pulled in, its flashing lights painting the scene in stark red and blue. Parents of the CHIPER members arrived, rushing through the broken barriers, their faces a mix of terror and relief, quickly turning to anguish. Minjae's mother gasped at the sight of her son, covered in blood, crying, holding a girl so fragile in his arms.
But the world blurred for Minjae. All sounds faded, all sights dimmed.
In his arms was Miran. Her breathing shallow. Her warmth fading, slowly, irrevocably.
She was still there.
And she was still holding on.
The world paused, holding its breath, as he held her tighter, willing time to stop, willing her to stay.