{...for this unfortunate incident, LAPD is prioritizing the safety of Noah Raycarlton and Haley Lusk, who are held as hostages....}


    {The negotiating team is in the middle of trying to contact the abductors but...}


    {...We don’t know why Haley Lusk suddenly ran to the captors’ car yet. The authorities are trying to find out whether he is one of the aplices...-}


    It was their story on television all the time...


    {Raycarlton and Reba issued a joint statement on this.


    The two families won’t ask for any punishment if Noah and Haley were retuned unharmed. But if the abductors hurt a single strand of their hair, they will do whatever they can and cruelly avenge them....}


    On another channel, a video was released of Noah’s mother, Kelly Reba, crying and screaming, ‘Leave my son alone!’ She was going through the incident a second time that which others normally don’t experience even once and ended up fainting. Edgar Raycarlton held her and shouted at the cameras to move away with a scary expression.


    The whole world was aze about this horrible incident. They all hoped Noah Raycarlton, who was beloved by the Americans, would return safely. Just like 20 years ago.


    “...-Turn off the TV.”


    Said Aaron. Ashley looked at him like she didn’t even want to answer and simply unplugged the TV cord.


    She took in a breath, wearing a devastated expression. Why did things turn out to be like this? She always lived dangerously, like a mayfly, but she never thought of being caught in a situation where she can’t do anything. It wasn’t her intention from the beginning. When Aaron killed Mason and told her to choose a side while pointing a gun, Ashley realized that this path was predestined for her.


    No one survived after betraying Zii. Killing a superior and stealing an item that the Zii was looking for, was as good as abandoning any thought of dying peacefully.


    But maybe, she thought, maybe they will have a way to survive if they could make a deal with the Raycarlton household. If they had the thing they wanted, then maybe, they could survive.


    ‘Ah, right. I wanted to see you guys make exactly those expressions. The expression showing that the only choice you guys have got is hopelessness-...’


    Ashley’s vision turned blurry when she heard Noah’s cruel words. It was not as if she wanted to be in this situation.


    Ashley went pale; she nced at Aaron and turned away. Noah was in Haley’s embrace, his eyes closed, as he copsed. Red blood was spreading on the ground, wetting it.


    ***


    The first thing Noah noticed after he got shot was that Mason was screaming painfully.


    Wow, God.


    Within a moment his body was trembling in pain, like getting struck by a lightening, but Noah only thought sweetly, ‘Am I dreaming? If so, I hope I don’t wake up.’


    When Noah’s condition was the worst, he didn’t dream about getting abducted or a repetition of Mason leaving him. Contrary to his condition, which was very bad, his dream was very sweet and happy.


    In his dream, Mason didn’t leave or die, but stayed with him. Noah was lying down with a fever and Mason touched his forehead and asked, ‘Are you okay?’ He was next to him sporting a worried expression.


    Knowing that it was a dream, Noah was anxious and afraid during the dream, and when the borderline of dream and reality became hazy, he woke up. As much as the dream was sweet, the reality was miserable and horrible.


    So Noah worried what if this reality was a dream. If it was, he wanted to die, so he doesn’t have to wake up forever.


    Mason held him and was desperately calling, “Noah, -Noah!” with a pale face.


    “Ugh-...,”


    Noah pretended to be in more pain and moaned lowly. Mason frowned like he was going to cry soon.


    “Noah, wake up. Are you okay? Noah!”


    Mason’s hand, which embraced him, shuddered. Enwrapped in that hot heat, Noah gulped down and leaned his cheek against Mason’s arm.


    “...-,”


    As he pretended to be weak, holding his breathe and let his body tremble, Mason bit his lips like he can’t even say a word. “-Why did you....?” It seemed like he was asking why did he agitate them. Noah burrowed deeper into his arms and mumbled, “....It hurts.”


    “Are you kidding....,”


    Of course it hurts when you get shot, do you have to get shot to know that. Mason got shot multiple times. Most of them weren’t critical, but no matter where it was, it hurt like hell.


    The gunshot wound in the middle of Noah’s arm wasn’t critical, but it was dangerous. This ce was too dirty and humid and moreover, they weren’t in a situation to run to a hospital right away.


    Mason kept huffing and puffing as he watched Noah, who was soaked in sweat, pouring out his blood.


    Mason was the type to turn cold when faced with a bad situation. His brain spun better under a critical situation, and thanks to that, he had made severalebacks and saved several lives. He didn’t have to try to be cold; he was naturally that way.


    But now, Mason was trying to detach himself from this situation. He forcefully calmed his shaking arms and pressed on Noah’s shoulder. There was a limit to how much blood he could stop with just his hands, and a scarilyrge amount of blood was pouring out.


    “Please untie us.”


    Mason asked Ashley and Ashley, who was sitting down on the floor, nkly stared at Aaron before she got up to untie Mason and Noah’s arms and legs.


    “-What are you doing?”


    Aaron stood up and pointed his gun at Ashley and she just red back at him.


    “What am I doing? I want to live at least one or two more hours. Do you know it’ll all be over if this man dies right now?”


    “We have one more hostage.”


    “Don’t be stupid,” Aaron said threateningly, and Ashley sneered.


    “One more? Will that man’s household also think like that? If they confirm that he is dead, the Raycarlton household will bomb this building right away.”


    Ashley replied coldly and cut the tapes that were tying Mason’s wrist and legs with a knife. Aaron shook with rage, kicked a chair and stepped out.


    “-...,”


    Mason took off his top right away after she untied his wrist and pressed it on Noah’s shoulder. Ashley brought an emergency kit that had some bandages and antiseptic and tossed it to him. She sat down on a chair with a tired face and turned on the T.V.


    {...-ording to Fred Ralph, who was caught on the scene, the criminals did not n this before...,}


    Mason just glimpsed at the T.V. that was telling their story and turned back to Noah again. Noah, who was drenched with blood and cold sweat, was breathing faintly and digging deeper into his embrace.


    Mason sanitized a small pair of scissors in the emergency kit with fire and poured the antiseptic on Noah’s wound.


    “Ugh...”


    Mason pushed a part of his clothes into Noah’s moaning mouth and murmured, “It’s going to hurt.” He pushed a knife into his wound. He quickly found the bullet and pulled it out and put a cotton pad on the wound and bound it tightly with the bandage.


    After the first aids treatment was done, Mason took out the piece of cloth in Noah’s mouth and checked his forehead.


    Mason confirmed that the blood had stopped on Noah’s, whose eyes were half closed, forehead, and calmly measured how long he could withstand. About 30 minutes? Could he stand it that long? I don’t know. He looks okay now, but if he doesn’t get the blood transfusion right away, he’ll go into shock and after that I can’t imagine what’ll happen. ...-He could even die. I’ve seen many people die of simpler causes. Mason stroked Noah’s, whose eyes were closed, cheeks as he panted lightly.


    “....Hug me.”


    Noah asked in a small voice like a child and Mason stared at his face as he smiled faintly. He was definitely a bigger man than himself, but Mason felt heartbreaking sadness and pity as he embraced his shoulders. Unlike when he was a child, the smell of blood was strong. But warm and wet.... he felt a heart beating slowly. A fragile creature that will die soon if you let go.


    “.....”


    Mason inhaled deeply. He felt like he knew why he was acting like this in front of this man. He felt like he knew why he was always on his mind.


    Mason mostly didn’t realize it himself, but it must have been a very touching moment for him to save Noah.


    There was long stirring in his chest when he had found a dying Noah inside a small bag, after having lived all his days dry and indifferently. A small child who couldn’t be if it weren’t him. It was only him who heard the heartbreaking bag scratching sound amongst many people on the street. Only he delivered Noah out of that small bag and held him like this.


    Was everything predestined?


    Mason stared at Ashley, who was watching T.V. with red-rimmed eyes and then looked at Noah. Here was Noah, who only could be saved by him, and then there was Aaron and Ashley, who had killed him. And now, Aaron and Ashley were trying to kill Noah. They never had any interaction, but they, who had no reasons to meet, were all brought together up to here.


    Can all of this really be a coincidence?


    Maybe the reason why he transferred into Haley’s body was because it was going to turn out like this.


    He never med destiny while he was alive and never believed in the existence of God, but even Mason thought that this moment might be the God’s will.


    If not, how did Noah end up in his embrace so fast?


    Mason pressed his lips on Noah’s cheek. A wet and soft cheek touched his lips, and Noah slightly opened his eyes. And closed it again probably because he didn’t have any energy.


    “....Don’t fall asleep until you meet another person outside.”


    Mason quietly whispered to Noah and raised his head. He called Ashley, who was looking their way.


    “Bring him in, Ashley. I want to negotiate with you guys.”


    She opened her eyes wide, and Mason smiled bitterly.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------


    Okayyyy what are you gonna do Mason?!!