Chapter 118 - No More Secrets

"Ugh!" KJ groaned in annoyance as he tried to take a step forward. He was holding the bed's railing for support while trying to flex his muscles. The pain was lessening but it was still difficult to walk. He yearned to be back on his feet and the walking sticks were beginning to annoy him.

He clumsily tried to lift his leg and take another step but he lost his balance. Stumbling forward, KJ closed his eyes, expecting to fall flat on his face but someone grabbed him.

"Careful!" a familiar voice exclaimed. Startled, he looked up to see Mirae. She was wearing her mask but her eyes were recognizable. She helped him stand steady and led him towards the bed.

"Thanks," KJ mumbled as he sat down.

"Why are you doing all this by yourself?" she frowned. "Where are the physicians? They're supposed to monitor your exercises."

"I was frustrated laying in bed all day," he replied. "I wanna go out. I wanna walk, I wanna run, I wanna dance!"

The last statement was met with a snicker from Mirae. KJ gave her a look.

"Sorry, but you're a terrible dancer," she giggled. "Even for an idol!"

"I can still dance better than you!" he snapped.

"I doubt it," she said smugly. "The last time we danced, you were stepping all over my feet. I was too preoccupied with Madam Hong to point it out."

Remembering that woman made KJ's blood boil. He clenched his fists, which only pained him more due to his sore muscles.

"Control your anger," Mirae warned. "We still have to get to the mastermind behind the Cartel."

"What happened to her?" KJ asked. "Madam Hong?"

Even though he was updated with most of the things which happened during his coma, Hyun Jung skipped out on what happened with Madam Hong. Mirae took a deep breath.

"She's dead," she replied, feeling a little troubled. Even though she had said that she did not care what Song Tam Lin did with his wife, she was still shaken by the fact that he killed his wife without blinking an eye. "My men handed her over to her husband and he…"

KJ did not need to know further. He had heard of Song Tam Lin's reputation but he also knew of the man's love for his daughter. Whatever Madam Hong was doing was not his concern until he found out about what happened to his daughter. That must have pushed him past his limit.

"If Madam Hong hadn't shot you that night," Mirae went on. "I wouldn't have handed the tape over to her husband. But after what she did, I had to deliver the tape to him. What he did with that information was up to him and he…"

"Did he say anything afterwards?" KJ queried. 

"He...he didn't exactly say it to me," Mirae said. Her eyebrows were furrowed in worry. "But Hyun Jung mentioned that he offered me two favors. I don't know what he meant by that."

"It's hard to tell," KJ said, deep in thought. "Song Tam Lin isn't the most trustworthy person in the business world. But he is known to be generous to his friends."

"Is he a friend, KJ?" Mirae questioned. 

"I have no idea," he said, shaking his head. They sat in silence for a minute. 

"Where's Ash?" he suddenly asked. 

"He had an early morning shooting," Mirae sighed. He left that morning without even having breakfast.

"Can we go outside?" KJ requested. "I really don't wanna stay cooped up in this room for another minute!"

"You're such a baby," Mirae rolled her eyes. But she helped him to get on his feet and slipped an arm around his hand to hold him steady. KJ took one of the walking sticks under his other arm and let Mirae lead him out of the room. 

Two guards were standing outside his room. Mirae instructed one of them to follow them from a distance. She then helped KJ as they slowly walked towards the hospital's garden.

KJ breathed in the fresh air. It reminded him of the days he was in the Academy. He had missed the mountain's clean air for years and had never returned there. He made a mental note to visit the place sometime.

"You must have missed being outdoors," Mirae noted. 

"A lot," KJ sighed. They strolled through the beautiful garden. There were exotic flowers with sweet fragrances all around the air. The walkway was smooth and comfortable to walk on designed specifically for the patients to enjoy small walks. A small fountain sat in the midst of the place, sprinkling clear water from the ground. 

Mirae's hand was firmly gripping KJ's as she aided him to limp. There was something different about him, she thought. A small smile sat on his face, as KJ enjoyed the feeling of fresh air against his skin.

"You're more expressive," she commented. KJ looked at her.

"Huh?"

"Earlier, you used to have this look of anger on your face all the time," she explained. She twitched her nose mimicking his expression. "As if you'll eat up the entire world."

"But now your expression shows as if you're happy," she went on. "It feels nice."

She smiled at him which KJ returned.

"I've decided to be more carefree," he revealed. "Be more open with the people around me, do what I love to do. Enjoy life."

Mirae gaped at him. She held his chin and peered into his eyes. 

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Are you really KJ?" she joked. "I mean your soul didn't get mixed up while you were in come, right?"

"Stop that!" he flicked her forehead. 

"Yup, you're KJ," she sulked, rubbing her forehead. "Only he'll be this mean to me."

"Who said I'll stop being mean to you?" he teased her. "It's fun to annoy you."

Mirae pouted but gave him a smile. "I'm glad you're growing up," she said patting his head. Her touch made him blush. He cleared his throat, shaking away past memories from his head.

"L-let's walk around the fountain," he stammered. "It's the least you can do after I took the bullet for you."

"Yes," Mirae sighed. She helped him walk around the fountain as they basked in the beauty of the park. They took a seat at one of the benches.

"Thank you," she suddenly said. "For what you did."

"There's nothing to thank me for," KJ said quietly. "I was simply protecting me friend."

"I should have been more trusting," she said, with a hint of regret in her voice. "It's just...I couldn't bring myself to trust you at all. After how you did not show up at your own grandfather's deathbed...I did not have a good opinion of you. I felt you were not trustworthy…"

"KJ did not say anything but listened to her.

"Why didn't you come?" Mirae questioned him. She was looking straight at him, waiting for an answer.

"I had already said my goodbyes to him," KJ said. "Telling him goodbye for the second time would have been more painful."

Mirae blinked. 

"At that time," KJ continued. "I didn't choose my dreams over my grandfather. I had already come to terms with his passing. Seeing him one last time, would have shattered me. And…"

He looked back at her. "Another reason was...you."

"Me?"

"I knew you were there," KJ revealed. It was not a lie. "At that time, I was afraid of facing you. You already know this, but on the night your parents died I was also with them."

"KJ I alr-" Mirae started but he cut her off.

"Let me say it," he requested. "That night, I snuck off to attend a friend's party against the wishes of Ms. Sohee. She had warned me not to go and yet I went with my friend. But he betrayed me and handed me over to the Cartel's men. One of them was...Ziko."

Mirae froze upon hearing that name.

"That night, Ms. Sohee and Mr. Jung saved me," KJ went on. "But on our way to the Academy, Ziko crashed a truck into our car. Ms. Sohee died on the spot while Mr. Jung and I were severely injured. He then proceeded to beat Mr. Jung to death. Before he could harm me, a police car had arrived and he was forced to escape."

"That night, it was my fault," he said. "Their deaths are on me as well. If I had listened to Ms. Sohee, they would have been alive…"

"They would have been killed either way," Mirae said. "Even if you hadn't gone to the party that night, they would have died."

KJ frowned at her.

"What do you-"

"That night, the Cartel was actually out to assassinate my parents," Mirae stated. "You simply came as a golden opportunity for them. So even if you hadn't gone to that party, they still would have been killed. So, it's not your fault."

"Mirae I-"

"Should stop blaming yourself for something you didn't do," she put the words in his mouth. "All I want you to do is trust me and keep telling me the truth. I'll take it from there."

Her eyes were resolute. Just like they had been in the original timeline. It felt like dejavu to him. 

But this time, it was different. There will be no more secrets between them.

"Alright," he finally nodded. "No more secrets."

"No more secrets," she smiled.