From Past To Present, I Still Love You 147 His Last Breathes

For such a talkative and happy person, Yoona didn't realize Ji-ho had suffered this much throughout his childhood.

Sometimes, the seemingly happiest people are the ones with the most pain.

He hid all his insecurities behind his smile. In fact, when she thought about it, Ji-ho rarely talked about his personal life at all. This was the first time that he had revealed something this big to her.

She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly. A warm smile lit on her face as she tried to swallow her tears. "I'm glad you told us."

He let out a chuckle. "You're welcome, I guess? I'm pretty sure Minhyun knew most of it already. Though he probably didn't know the emotional details."

Minhyun let out an awkward cough. "Due to the importance of that job request, I have to do background inspections."

"I know. I'm not mad," he said with a smile. "Though it is kinda creepy..."

Ji-ho faced Yoona. "Be careful. He's probably done one on you as well."

"I know," she replied. Knowing Minhyun's personality, he had to have done his research before they had even met. She understood. After all, Minhyun had many enemies and he had to be careful with who he a.s.sociated himself with.

A forced smile appeared on the MH CEO's face. "You're making it seem like its a bad thing."

"Well…" Ji-ho began. "Well, I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. After all, you've got many enemies who'd like to kill you. And this comes from first hand experience. That bullet hurt."

Yoona could feel the temperature of the room drop. Darkness clouded over Minhyun's face. It was not towards Ji-ho, but the situation.

Just remembering about the fact that the young boy took a bullet for him made Minhyun tense.

An awkward chuckle escaped Yoona's mouth. While continuing to hold Ji-ho's hand with her left, she used her free hand to do the same with Minhyun's. She had to lift the mood somehow. After all, she didn't want Ji-ho to spend his last moments in such a depressing atmosphere.

Suddenly, an idea popped up in her head. She pulled Minhyun closer and locked the two hands she was holding together.

Minhyun tensed up beside her and she could see the faint blush appearing on Ji-ho's face. To finally see a flash of color on the white-haired boy's complexion made her happy.

"What are you doing," Minhyun said flatly. Awkwardness immediately took over his body. At the moment, seeing the young boy's reaction, he didn't know whether or not to take back his hand or keep it there.

Yoona let out an innocent smile. "I was holding his hand. Now it's your turn."

"That's true!" Ji-ho exclaimed. He let out a giggle. "Besides. When else, other than my death bed, will I have the chance to hold Minhyun's hand. The MH CEO holding another guys hand? It's a scene from a BL!"

Minhyun grit his teeth. For the first time in her life, Yoona received a deathly glare from her boyfriend.

In response, she just stuck out her tongue.

"Speak like that again and I will…" The threat that came out of Minhyun's mouth came to a halt upon the realization that it held no power against Ji-ho.

He cleared his throat. "Anyone who speaks of this publicly outside of this room will be punished. I will make sure to hunt you down."

Immediately, the hospital staff cowered and nodded. The warning was enough to kill the mood.

Seeing this brought happiness in Yoona's heart. How lovely. It was a warm scene between the two boys. Not in the romantic sense of course, but due to the connection of friendship between them.

And then, without a warning, a sudden wave of sadness washed over her. As the two boys argued, as if there was nothing wrong, she couldn't help but stay on the side. Her hands slightly shaking.

To think that all of this would disappear.

It was frightening.

There was no one in the world that could take up Ji-ho's spot.

No one that will make Minhyun react this way.

She bit her lip, trying to stop the tears from falling down her face. But she was weak against her emotions. One fell. Then two. Until she became a bawling mess.

The two boys looked at her confused. She was the one that made the atmosphere happy again, yet she was the one crying.

"What's wrong?" Minhyun asked. His eyes were widened as he saw his loved one in tears.

She took a step towards them. "I'm just going to miss this."

There was a moment of silence.

"Me too," Ji-ho gently whispered. A tear fell from his eyes, yet he didn't have enough strength in his arms to wipe it away. His strength was fading, he could feel his body no longer the way he willed it to. "I'm going to miss this a lot."

All the memories that they had together ran through his mind. From the first meeting he had with Minhyun to to him being chased around by Minhyun half naked. He spoke once more. This time, he was crying as well. "Like really really really miss this."

Minhyun whole body began to shake. Why did the conversation suddenly have to go this way? "f.u.c.k."

He didn't want to admit it. But his heart was saying otherwise.

"I'm going to miss this too."

Minhyun's true thoughts escaped of his mouth. It was embarra.s.sing and pathetic of him to say such a statement, especially as someone who was known to be cold and detached to the world. This was not written in his social code. Yet, no matter how annoying the young boy was. No matter how much times Minhyun wanted to strangle his neck. In the end, he was going to miss this.

And yes, even the hand holding.

Why? Because it was an opportunity to feel Ji-ho's warmth.

A warmth that was destined to fade.

A tear fell down his cheek. Minhyun lifted his free hand, shocked by his body's sudden reaction. But that was not the only one. Soon, more tears began to coil in his eyes. His heart felt heavy. f.u.c.k. So he was really going to die today.

Before, everything was a what-if situation. Nothing was confirmed. And since the white-haired boy was always smiling, it never seemed like he was going to die.

But Ji-ho was crying. Yoona was crying. And he was crying.

Reality hurt.

And as if G.o.d wanted to make the situation crueler, Ji-ho suddenly coughed, blood spraying from his mouth.

Minhyun widened his eyes, instinctively wanting to help him somehow, someway. Yet, all he could do was watch as the doctors came to his aid.

Panic immediately filled the room. Ji-ho couldn't stop coughing. He was losing so much blood.

Yoona hid herself in Minhyun's arms. The sight was too much for her to bear.

It was clear that the end had come.

He could feel it as well. The strength that was escaping his body.

His vision became blurry.

Was this it? After years of waiting, was he finally going to die?

"I-I," the words tried to escape his mouth. But he could not speak. His body wasn't behaving. It was finally fully rejecting his soul.

"Ji-ho?" Yoona whispered. "You spoke? W-what are you trying to say?"

He tried again. Forcing his throat to say this last word. "L-le-tter."

Her hands were shaky. "Letter? What letter?"

Now, he had no strength to answer her question.

Ji-ho could feel it now. Everything was in slow motion. He looked towards the two people he cared about, a light smile on his lips. He couldn't see their faces anymore. The blurriness making them unrecognizable but he could feel their love.

It was really comforting.

All thanks to them, for the first time in his life, he felt warmth and care.

When he used to stay at the hospital, a dark feeling in his chest would arise whenever he saw a family cry for their lost loved ones. At first, he couldn't understand why the feeling was so intense and what it could be. And now he realized, it was jealousy. During that time, he believed that n.o.body would react the same way to his death.

But here he was. Dying with two of his most special friends by his side.

No. Not friends. His family.

The family that he never had.

Gathering the last bit of strength he had, he mouthed, "I love you guys."

This was his last goodbye.

A single tear fell down his face.

Goodbye.

A loud beep echoed through the hospital room. The vital signs monitor displayed a straight line and a zero.

Fate had claimed another victim.