Chapter 112 - The Final Decision

*Present Timeline*

"Mirae…"

Someone was gently poking her cheek. She opened her eyes to see that she fell asleep on Ash's shoulder.

"It's morning," he said softly. They were inside KJ's room at the hospital. KJ had been in coma for a month and only one day is left before the doctors will proceed to cut off his life support.

"There's just one day left," Mirae whispered. Ash wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

"Keep faith in him," he assured her. "I know KJ better than anyone else. He'll come out of it."

But Mirae had her doubts. Only sheer luck or an extremely well timed miracle can bring him out of his vegetative state. She glanced at KJ's motionless form. 

It was hard to imagine that the person who had abandoned his grandfather at the latter's deathbed jumped in to save his friend from getting shot. All these years, she thought of him as an irresponsible jerk who only thought about himself. But seeing how he did not hesitate to save Ash, made her doubt her own thoughts. Was she wrong about him?

"Mirae," Ash called her. She snapped out of her reverie.

"I'll go and get some breakfast for you," he said. "You didn't eat anything since last night."

"On second thought, I'll come with you," she insisted. "My guards are on standby anyway. Let's go."

Ash nodded and together, they set off for the cafeteria. Ash ordered two bagels, a strawberry shake and Americano for themselves. He handed Mirae her shake and bagel, and they began to stroll around the hospital's garden. 

"Why did you guys choose KJ as your leader?" she suddenly asked, biting on her bagel. "Hyun Jung said you were supposed to take up that position but you declined and suggested KJ instead."

Ash took a sip of his coffee, thinking about his answer. "When I first met KJ after our auditions," he said. "There was a deep pain inside him which none of us could fathom. He seemed distant but he was also very observant. He could read the members as if he had known us for a long time and yet, none of us knew anything about him. He would not talk about his family or past but simply dedicated his life to this group."

"KJ had natural talent and instinct," he went on. "He knew what the group needed in order to succeed. But most of all, he was willing to risk his life for all of us. I didn't know that time, but I had an inkling. And I was right."

He added the last part with a hint of sadness. "I wish he wasn't like that," he said quietly. "I don't think I'd have done the same thing if I was in his shoes…"

"You would have," Mirae commented. "A person who'd comfort a stranger on a rainy night, would definitely jump in to save his loved ones."

Ash looked at her with a confused expression. She smiled at him.

"Twelve years ago," she began. "When my parents died, I was crying outside the hospital while it was raining. At that time, it hurt so much that I thought I'd die. Truthfully, I wanted to die at that time. But then...a blonde boy came along. He held an umbrella over my head and listened to my blabberings. I cried my heart out to him and he listened."

The faint memories were coming back to him. The dark, rainy day when everything changed for him. The night of decisiveness which brought him to a bleak world. The only small consolation he got was from a young girl who was crying in that very rain...

She looked into his eyes. "That boy...was you," she revealed. 

Ash caressed her cheek. Mirae gave him a small smile as he embraced her. 

"Thank you," he whispered against her ears. 

"Why were you there that night?" she asked him softly, still clinging on to him.

Before Ash could reply, Mirae's phone began to vibrate. Letting go of him, she answered her phone.

"Hello?" she greeted.

Ash watched her face go pale. 

"What happened?" he demanded as soon as she hung up. Mirae was in a shock.

"K-KJ…" she managed to stutter amidst her dazed state. Getting alarmed, Ash began to run towards KJ's room while Mirae followed.

He dashed past the corridors towards the VIP section. A team of doctors and nurses were heading towards KJ's room. Ash barged in but the nurses forced him to back away.

"What is happening?" he exclaimed. 

"His condition is worsening," one of the doctors said. "I'm afraid he won't survive-"

Ash grabbed his coat.

"Ash!" Mirae called out. "Ash don't!"

"Listen Doctor!" he shouted, shaking the doctor. The latter was scared out of his wits. "KJ still has one more day left! I know my friend better than anyone else. He'll survive. So don't shit with me!"

"We're...trying our...best," the doctor managed to say.

Mirae never saw Ash lose his cool before. He was beyond himself in his anger.

"Ash…" she gripped his arm. Feeling her touch, Ash cooled down and let go of the doctor.

"Save him…" he pleaded in a quiet tone. The doctor was astonished as Ash turned away. It was too painful for him to lose a friend.

Meanwhile, inside KJ's room, the doctors were at a loss. KJ's heartbeat suddenly dropped to dangerous levels. His blood flow slowed down and he his breath rate was decreasing.

"We'll have to shock him!" a doctor yelled. "Prepare the cardio!"

Two nurses prepared the machine while another one was increasing the volt. One of the doctors picked up the pads and covered it with the sticky liquid. He placed them on KJ's chest.

"One...two...shock!" he yelled. KJ's body jumped up on impact.

The doctor once again placed the pads on his chest.

"Shock!"

KJ's body jumped higher but his heartbeat was still falling. The doctor shocked him a few more times to no avail. They stared at his still body.

"What's going to happen now, doc?" one of the nurses whispered. The heartbeat was falling to almost nil.

"He won't survive," the doctor said in despair.

….

"KJ," Jade nudged him. KJ was still for a long time. He did not react, nor did he say anything about the revelations he had just seen.

But there was a strange look in his eyes. No, Jade noted. There's a strange obsession in them.

KJ was unblinking and unmoving. Jade expected him to be sad or remorseful after finding out the truth. What he did not expect was to see KJ so...determined.

"Jade," he said quietly. "What will happen if I choose to move on."

"That's up to you KJ," Jade said. Even though KJ was his father, he got used to calling him KJ. "If you move on, it's your choice. But this time, there won't be any time travel. You'll be dead for good and Mirae will live her life chasing the Cartel. She will keep on endangering her life until one day, she too faces the same fate as the one she faced in the previous timeline."

"So what will you choose, KJ?" Jade demanded. 

KJ did not answer him but his eyes still held that strange look. What is he thinking? Jade wondered. 

"In this timeline," KJ finally said. "Mirae is happier with Ash. I won't come in their way."

"Is that your final decision?" Jade asked him.

KJ turned to look at him. "Yes," he replied.

….

The doctors had given up. They tried everything to revive KJ but his heartbeats had completely stopped.

"Doctor, you should call the time of death," one of the nurses spoke up. The doctor sighed. He dreaded this. The whole nation will now curse him for being unable to save their idol.

"Alright," he heaved. He held out his watch in front of him and said, "Time of death-"

But a small beep interrupted his words. He looked up only to see the flat line on the monitor was beginning to form curves. First a small curve, then a bigger one followed by larger curves. The monitor began to beep loudly as the curves began to form rapidly.

Astonished at the revived heartbeats, the doctor looked at the patient. KJ was beginning to shake violently. The nurses held him down as he writhed in his unconscious state. 

"Get me an anesthetic!" the doctor shouted. One of the nurses rushed out to get anesthesia. The rest of the team tried to hold KJ's body down but he was shaking so hard that they were finding it difficult to subdue him. 

Ash and Mirae rushed in after hearing the commotion from outside.

"What's happening?" Ash demanded as the medical team tried to hold KJ down.

"He suddenly started shaking violently!" the doctor exclaimed. "A nurse has gone to bring anesthetic! We must subdue him."

Mirae quickly strode towards KJ. Holding on to his torso, she leaned towards his ears.

"Please wake up…" she pleaded, a single drop of tear falling from her eye.

Suddenly, KJ's body became still. Surprised by the abrupt change, everyone cautiously moved away from him except Mirae. She hovered over him, confused by what was happening as she saw KJ's eyelids flutter. 

Slowly opening his eyes, KJ saw a pair of round green eyes staring into his.