Chapter 62 - The Last Wish

Mirae sat across Hyun Jung at a table next to KJ's bed.

"When did this happen?" she demanded.

"Just last night," Hyun Jung said in a grave tone. He had arrived that morning to give Mirae some bad news: the head surgeon who tried to kill KJ, committed suicide by intaking cyanide.

"Where was the cyanide hidden?" Mirae questioned him.

"One of his eyes was operated upon a long time ago," Hyun Jung informed her. "It was replaced with a glass eye. He hid a small but fatal dosage of cyanide inside the eyeball and swallowed it when we left him alone in the cell."

Mirae let out a series of curses.

"He was a lead for us," she said, running a hand through her hair. She got up and paced back and forth the room. "He knew the leader of the Cartel!"

"CEO, he was probably bluffing," Hyun Jung reasoned. "The current leader of the Cartel has been active for over thirty years. No one knows who he is! I highly doubt this surgeon was important enough to be in the inner circle. He joined only a couple of months ago based on his activities."

"What if he wasn't bluffing?" Mirae countered. "What if he really knew who the leader is?"

"Unfortunately, that information died with him," Hyun Jung admitted. "We're at another dead end."

"Have you tracked Teppei's movements?" she asked.

"We're still trying to locate him, but he's too sly. Like us, even he has informants inside the police. They're giving him information on all our movements. If only we knew who the spies of the Cartel are!"

Mirae was deep in thought. 

"Set up a fake trail for the police team who are tracking Teppei," she finally said. "Let them follow those. We'll use the real information to keep an eye on Teppei. But we will not arrest him, yet. We'll catch him when he comes back to the country to crack that deal in Insa-Dong. That way, we can catch him red handed with evidence."

"Understood," Hyun Jung nodded. Mirae sighed and sat down. Even with a mask on, she looked very tired. 

"CEO, may I ask you something?" Hyun Jung requested her. 

"Yes," Mirae said. "What do you want to know?"

"Why are you doing so much for KJ?" he asked her. "You barely know him. I understand that you took up the duty to protect him, but you don't have to stay here everyday to look after him. We can do that ourselves. Yet, you are shouldering all the responsibilities. Why?"

Mirae pondered the question, debating whether to tell Hyun Jung the truth or not.

"I misunderstood him at first," she admitted. "I thought he was simply a rich brat who disregarded the people around him. But…"

"But that night," she continued. "He protected someone I cherish the most. That too at the cost of his life. At that moment, I realized that he is not what he seems. There is so much more to him. He just masks it all under the guise of aloofness."

Hyun Jung smiled. "That's him alright," he mused, glancing at KJ's unconscious body. "Even in school, he was like that. I thought he was a rich brat who got everything because of his status while kids like me worked hard and yet, achieved very little. I used to hate him a lot. To be more precise, I envied him. But.."

"But what?"

"But after an incident, I realized that Jiwon isn't as cold and aloof as he pretends to be," Hyun Jung commented. "It's just...his pride prevents him from expressing his true feelings. He'd readily give up his life for his loved ones but is too proud to admit it."

"How did you two become friends?" Mirae asked curiously. 

Hyun Jung looked at his friend, reminiscing that fateful class trip. 

"It all started with a class trip…" he began.

….

"KJ, you sure have an interesting history," Jade said as they saw the children boarding a school bus.

"It's not that interesting," KJ shrugged.

"Oh please," the cat scoffed. "You were born into a mafia slash mercenary family. An evil, murderous Cartel is after you. Your trainer was a freaking badass who, by the way, was also your mother-in-law. You have a roommate who hated you but is now your bestie. Then you were married to Mirae but you ended up altering time and erased your marriage from ever existing. And then you went on to become the Nation's Idol before getting shot by a mad woman who lusted after your best friend. Pft. This can turn into a novel or an American movie!"

KJ rolled his eyes. "I thought you were supposed to increase my spirit powers?" he asked dryly. "How are any of these incidents gonna raise my will to live? In fact, I'm dreading the things you are going to show me! I don't want to see any of those."

"You have to," Jade insisted. "There is something which you need to know. But before I tell you that, you'll have to relive these memories so that you can connect the dots! Everything is connected to the truth."

"What truth?" KJ demanded forcefully but Jade shook his head.

"I can't say it now," he replied. "But we have very little time. Trust me, KJ. After you find out the truth, you'd want to live. Your willpower will increase."

"Jade," KJ argued impatiently. "It's better if I die! Mirae and Ash will mourn me for a few days but after that, they can be together forever. I've done enough damage to Mirae. Can't you just let me cross over?"

"No!" Jade exclaimed. "You will see it all to the end, KJ! I insist. Please, just let me help you. I promise, you will regain your will to live."

"Fine!" KJ conceded. "But if this 'truth' you speak of does not manage to raise my spirit power and will, then just let me go."

The last part came out as a plea. He really wanted to cross over peacefully. There was nothing left for him in the life he chose except for fear and loneliness. It was his choice to erase his marriage. He will face the consequences gratefully.

Jade was in a dilemma. What if the truth really did not have any effect on KJ? The cat did not want KJ to die. After all, Jade was created from a wish by his master. It was his duty to protect his real master's last wish. That was the reason why he materialized in front of Jiwon all those years ago.

Master, I will fulfill your wish, Jade vowed. Even at the cost of my own life.