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Title: Mirror
Series: Bridal Mask/각시탈
Characters: Lee Gangto, Rara/Chae Hongju, mentions of Lee Gangsan
Summary: There's too much of himself that he saw in Rara.
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He could see how much her hand shook. Rara... definitely knew who he is. Somehow, it reminded him. On how he pointed his gun towards his brother without knowing. On how scared he was, not knowing for sure who was the man behind the bridal mask; yet having this nagging sensation that it was someone he knew well. Someone dear.
And that time... that Gaksital—used his own body to stop the knife meant for him. And that time, before he reached there... that Gaksital had been beating Sasaki down. Sasaki, who wanted to kill him. That Gaksital... who had always been watching over him. Without his knowledge.
Kenji used to keep insisting about it before, yet he refused to believe it. But then he saw it for himself.
He remembered how scared he had been, when that realization dawned. Since the only other strong figure that always watched over him—besides his late father—the only one he could think of, had been his brother. His brother that had saved him from being killed by that lone bandit. That brother, that thought him everything he knew about fighting.
That brother... whom he sorely missed. Not that crazy person. But the one that he desperately wanted to get back.
He could see that in Rara. And unlike his own situation, Rara knew who was the identity of this Gaksital. And he recalled painfully how much Rara has expressed her feelings to him.
His thoughts went to his brother again. What did his brother felt at that time when he pointed his gun towards him? If that time—if he knew—if that time he knew that his brother was Gaksital, what could he have done differently? Would it turned out to be better... or worse? Could he have prevented his brother's death... and his mother's? Could they have been able to protect their mother? Or... would he have done exactly what Rara's been doing? Continuing to side with the enemy?
He watched silently as Rara lowered her gun, as he hoped she would. Because he didn't want to have to kill Rara. Because he still wanted to save her. To stop her from committing the same sins as he once did. Because he didn't want Rara to face the same thing he did.
Rara lifted her gun again as Gangto immediately subdued her. Immediately he recalled the faint memory of him facing his brother before being knocked down. Was this what brother felt as well? Remorse as he had to hurt the person he cared about in order to protect them?
Gangto turned around as he urged Seonhwa and the other girls to escape. Reassuring them that it's safe now and that they don't have to worry. Once he saw them leave, he turned his attention back to Rara and carried her gently towards her car.
Now, finally... after so long, Gangto understood.
Why his brother didn't dare to tell him much earlier that he was Gaksital. How it was easier to try protecting him from afar... rather than risking his own safety by letting him in on the secret. On why his brother wanted to carry the burden alone.
And now, he could only hope... that he could save Rara, the way his brother had saved him.
Series: Bridal Mask/각시탈
Characters: Lee Gangto, Rara/Chae Hongju, mentions of Lee Gangsan
Summary: There's too much of himself that he saw in Rara.
--------------
He could see how much her hand shook. Rara... definitely knew who he is. Somehow, it reminded him. On how he pointed his gun towards his brother without knowing. On how scared he was, not knowing for sure who was the man behind the bridal mask; yet having this nagging sensation that it was someone he knew well. Someone dear.
And that time... that Gaksital—used his own body to stop the knife meant for him. And that time, before he reached there... that Gaksital had been beating Sasaki down. Sasaki, who wanted to kill him. That Gaksital... who had always been watching over him. Without his knowledge.
Kenji used to keep insisting about it before, yet he refused to believe it. But then he saw it for himself.
He remembered how scared he had been, when that realization dawned. Since the only other strong figure that always watched over him—besides his late father—the only one he could think of, had been his brother. His brother that had saved him from being killed by that lone bandit. That brother, that thought him everything he knew about fighting.
That brother... whom he sorely missed. Not that crazy person. But the one that he desperately wanted to get back.
He could see that in Rara. And unlike his own situation, Rara knew who was the identity of this Gaksital. And he recalled painfully how much Rara has expressed her feelings to him.
His thoughts went to his brother again. What did his brother felt at that time when he pointed his gun towards him? If that time—if he knew—if that time he knew that his brother was Gaksital, what could he have done differently? Would it turned out to be better... or worse? Could he have prevented his brother's death... and his mother's? Could they have been able to protect their mother? Or... would he have done exactly what Rara's been doing? Continuing to side with the enemy?
He watched silently as Rara lowered her gun, as he hoped she would. Because he didn't want to have to kill Rara. Because he still wanted to save her. To stop her from committing the same sins as he once did. Because he didn't want Rara to face the same thing he did.
Rara lifted her gun again as Gangto immediately subdued her. Immediately he recalled the faint memory of him facing his brother before being knocked down. Was this what brother felt as well? Remorse as he had to hurt the person he cared about in order to protect them?
Gangto turned around as he urged Seonhwa and the other girls to escape. Reassuring them that it's safe now and that they don't have to worry. Once he saw them leave, he turned his attention back to Rara and carried her gently towards her car.
Now, finally... after so long, Gangto understood.
Why his brother didn't dare to tell him much earlier that he was Gaksital. How it was easier to try protecting him from afar... rather than risking his own safety by letting him in on the secret. On why his brother wanted to carry the burden alone.
And now, he could only hope... that he could save Rara, the way his brother had saved him.
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