Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 353: Death Not In Vain

HOSPITAL

Everyone waited with hanging breath for the surgery to be over. Dan-Han had his eyes fixated at the door, Ni-Na kept biting her nails, while Ji-Tae sat a far end with a cigarette between his fingers.”You really should stop smoking here! This is a hospital!” Ni-Na snapped at Ji-Tae, while she fiercely glared at him. Ji-Tae stared at her as he stubbed the cigarette in his hands and lit up another. “I can’t help it.” He shrugged. Their parents glanced at him and sighed, and with no care he continued smoking.Ni-Na’s shot daggers at him with her eyes. She wondered what he was doing here. She had not expected him to show up there. His appearance at the hospital had really surprised everyone. She hissed and turned to Dan-Han, who seemed lost as he kept staring at the door. His heart was in the surgical room with Eun-sun.”How long will this take?” She complained.”She’ll be fine.” Her mother placed a hand on her shoulders.Ni-Na turned to her mother. “She has to be. What will happen to big brother if something happens to her?” She asked.Her question made them all look at Dan-Han. No one had the answer to that, but they prayed nothing happened to Eun-sun for his sake.Ni-Na stood up. “I’ll go talk to him.” She said.Her mother stopped her. “Leave him alone. He’ll appreciate the silence more at this time.” She said. She also wished to comfort him after all she was his mother now, but knowing the kind of man he was, she thought it better to let him be. Upon arrival, she had ensured none of them had approached him or asked him any question. The man was distraught and enraged, and it was better to comfort him by quietly being there for him.Ni-Na sighed resignatedly as she glanced at him again. Seeing him that way, made her heart bleed for him. She couldn’t imagine what he was going through at the moment. He had just lost his mother, and he must be scared to lose the woman he loved too.”Finally,” She heaved, when she caught sight of Jae-Hyun walking through the glass doors that had been a barricade for hours. Everyone hurried over but Ji-Tae remained still, almost as if he wasn’t concerned.Jae-Hyun walked over to Dan-Han. The downcasted look on his face made everyone nervous.”How did it go?” Ni-Na urged.Jae-Hyun looked at Dan-Han and hesitated. “We tried our best to save her, but she’s still in a terrible state.”Dan-Han frowned. His face becoming distorted with anger. “What do you mean?”Jae-Hyun gulped, his eyes around the faces surrounding him before resettling on Dan-Han. “The thing is, her head is badly injured and the knife punctured a vital organ, and...””And?” Ni-Na’s mother urged. “We found traces of poison in her blood. We believe the weapon used in stabbing her was laced with a poisonous substances.””Young man, what are you trying to say?” Ni-Na’s father was getting rather impatient with Jae-Hyun’s dallying.Jae-Hyun nervously swallowed as he looked at Dan-Han who seemed like he was about to crawl into hell and set the whole place ablaze. “What I’m saying is, we can’t assure you of what might happen next. There’s poison in her system and we have to properly get rid of it, which might be hard to do due to her current predicament.””Are you saying she would die?” Ni-Na was hoping that wasn’t the case.”No!” Jae-Hyun fired back. “I’m saying we have to wait.””Wait for what exactly?!” Ni-Na was losing her patience.”To get the result of what was used to poison her. Only then can we start treatment.””How long?” Dan-Han’s cold voice seared through the air.”I don’t know. Whatever it is, isn’t something common. But we’re going to do our best.”Silence reigned in the hall. Everyone kept their gaze on Dan-Han who seemed dead on the spot. Ji-Tae let out a mirthless laugh after listening to all Jae-Hyun had said. “How troublesome.” He hissed and stubbed out his cigarette. He rose to his feet and walked away with his hand buried in his pocket.”Dan-Han?” His aunt softly called when he remained quiet.”I want to see her.” He said. “You can’t-” Jae-Hyun’s unspoken words got stuck to his throat. “Okay.” He said and hurried away to make arrangement for Dan-Han to see her.”How could this happen? The girl is such a nice girl.” Mrs Lee lamented. Her husband threw his hand around her and comforted her. He turned to Dan-Han.”Do you know who might have done this?” The man asked.Dan-Han blankly gazed into space. “No.” He replied, while he clenched his fist. “But they’ll pay for it with their lives.” He said and walked away...Ji-Tae leaned against his car as he lit up another cigarette. The word poison kept playing in his mind. He knew what the doctor was trying to say was that Eun-sun’s chances of survival will be slim if they don’t identify the poison soon. There was only one person who liked playing with things like this, and he warned her.”Little girl, Park Eun-sun, the world must really hate you. But If you die after this, I’ll kill your ghost.” He dropped his cigarette on the floor before hopping into his car.He connected his phone to the bluetooth and made a quick call.”Bring me that stupid girl.” He ordered.Ji-Tae drove to an old apartment somewhere at the outskirt of town. He ambled into the room with casual steps. He smiled when his eyes fell on the girl tied to a chair. “Ji-Tae, what’s the meaning of this?” Kwon-Nara asked the moment she saw him leisurely stroll into the room with that creepy smile of his.He fell on the couch opposite her and crossed his legs. He reached for a cigarette and litted it up, before taking a long drag from it.”I see you’re being crafty again.” Kwon-Nara frowned at his words. “What do you mean?” She feigned ignorance. Ji-Tae’s smile broadened as he took another drag of his cigarette.”Do you know when I smoke?” He asked, his gaze directly fixated on her letting her know he needed an answer.”How would I know?” She stink eyed him making Ji-Tae chuckle.”I’ll tell you.” He said.”I smoke when I’m pondering on creative ways to kill, and that’s why I’m smoking right now.” He told her. Kwon-Nara slightly shifted uncomfortably but she maintained an ignorant look.Pointing at her, Ji-Tae said. “This is where you ask me who I’d like to kill.””Me?””No, just the minions you sent to touch her.””Touch who?” She innocently asked.Ji-Tae chuckled. “I don’t know if you’re naturally stupid or you acquired it after your birth. Which is it?” “Ji-Tae! Let me go this instant!” She snapped at him.He amusedly looked at her before standing on his feet. He stalked towards her. “I’ll only ask once, what Poison did you give her and give me the identities of everyone involved in this, or believe me I’ll boil you in acid, and you know I don’t joke.” His lips widened and revealed a smile not reaching his eyes, but in every way dangerous.Kwon-Nara gulped as she lowered her eyes. “I still don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t hurt anybody.””Okay.” Ji-Tae shrugged. Ni-Na heaved a sigh when she saw him retreat, but she gasped when a jaw breaking slap hit her face from behind her, tearing her lips and breaking a tooth. It was the man behind her. He had kidnapped her too.She stiffened when she felt a cold metal against her neck. Her heart skipped several beats like it was about to rupture in fear.Ji-Tae tsked and held her chin up with his finger. His eyes glistened with mischief and evil, making Kwon-Nara shudder.”I really didn’t-“”I warned you. You should have just been obedient.””I... I...””Names.” He drawled.Kwon-Nara felt cold crawl up her spine as she vigorously nodded.”The last numbers in my phone.” She rambled out. The man behind her pulled her phone out from his pocket, and passed it Ji-Tae. He gazed at the number and passed it back to the man.”Find them, burn their throats and deliver them to Dan-Han. I’d like to see the devil in him come alive again. He can be so creative.” He dreamily chuckled, while man nodded. He left immediately to carry out his task.Ji-Tae turned to Kwon-Nara. “Now, the poison or should I use other methods to get it out of you?” Kwon-Nara crazily shook her head. Beads of sweat were pouring down her head already.”So weak.” He hissed. “Little princess would have thrashed your ass had you met her one on one.””Ji-Tae..””Where is it?” He interjected her.”In my bag.” She hurriedly told him. Right this moment, she was reminded of how crazy Ji-Tae could be. If Dan-Han was a devil, this one was a crazy monster.Ji-Tae found her bag on the side. He poured the contents on the ground, and when he found what he was looking for, the smile on his face disappeared and a frown distorted his face.”Ji.. Ji-Tae, I didn’t...””Do you know why you’re not dying today?” He asked and she fearfully shook her head. She should be relieved but she wasn’t. His words did say he wasn’t going to kill her, it said not today.”That’s because I still have plans for you. But be rest assured you’ll surely die and it’ll be by my hands. I’ll be artistic with it, just like you’re trying to be.””I didn’t mean to-“”You didn’t but you’ll still die anyway, but it won’t be in vain, be rest assured of that. Now, if you know what it’s good for you, go to the hospital and get inseminated by morning or your death certificate will be ready before your body goes cold.”