New Year of 2016 was strangely cold that time. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that they were sailing off-shore, or maybe it was just this man that stood in front of her unabashedly. Sena did not know whether she should cry or laugh, but none of them sounded like a good option right now. She only noticed – for ten-seconds later than her usually quick reaction – that Kim Jongin was standing behind her grandfather like he used to for her.

It did not come out as much of a surprise, really, for she had known for a long time that this day would come – no matter how much she denied it. Jongin’s words were lies. They were sweet and poisonous, and she fell onto his trap so easily because even when she knew, she still fell for him. It was inevitable. It was also inevitable that she felt the crack from her heart, slowly shattering as the midnight approached.

“Sena, I have wanted to see you for the longest time,” Sang Hyun repressed the hidden malice in that honey-coated voice and stretched out his long arms. He had grown thinner from the lack of blood supply and his health was suffering as the result. Jongin kept his head straight on Sehun, and the latter just shook his head wordlessly. He, too, was pained to see his comrade’s betrayal, but it could not be compared to the pain Sena must have felt at the moment.

The eighteen-years old girl just stood there with ashen-white face. She did not cry, nor did she scream, but little did they know that she was swallowing down all of her tears, unable to break down. She was very much aware of this heartache and how it was slowly eating her inside. The thing about broken heart, she realised, was how fast it struck, yet as it shattered, it slowly – very slowly – took away her ability to think. All she could feel was pain.

“If you have wanted to see me, you wouldn’t have hid and faked your own funeral,” When she talked, she sounded light – so light that it left no marks at all. Jongin’s left eye twitched and he stared down at her black eyes that had lost their lights. “If you have wanted to see me…” She swallowed bitterly and continued, “If you have wanted to see me, you wouldn’t appear with the army of Byakko and try to kill us.”   

“Kill you?” Sang Hyun snorted and suddenly laughed out loud. “Oh no, Child, not you. Everyone else is Byun Baekhyun’s business, but you are mine. I will not let you die tonight.”

“Why? So I can become your puppet leader?” Sena’s fists hardened and she dared herself to step forward. She did not take more than two steps until Joonmyun grabbed her wrist and forced her to hide behind his back. Jongin pulled the gun from his hips and pointed it at Joonmyun’s forehead. The sound of click pierced her heart more than anything else ever would because Sena came to the painful realisation that perhaps, Jongin had never loved her at all and that seemed to matter as much as her life-and-death.

“Step back, Kim Joonmyun or I will shoot your head,” Jongin coldly commanded and took one step forward. His gaze did not waver one bit. Sena squeezed Joonmyun’s hand a little too strongly and told him with plain, cold-blooded voice, “Kim Joonmyun, step back this one time. Remember our deal. You don’t have to die because of me, and most definitely,” She stared at Jongin with so much hatred piling up, “Not because of my ex-protector. I will deal with him.”

“Sena!” Sehun hurriedly rushed to her, but Jongin shot both his legs that he fell down almost immediately with an exclamation of pain. Sang Hyun looked at him distastefully and shook his head. Long years of teachings had not changed both of them one bit. Sehun, albeit a bit too detached and carefree at times, proved to be more emotionally capable than the ignorant and sadistic Jongin. “Sehun, how many times do I have to tell you until you get it in your head that my granddaughter shall be addressed at all times by her rightful title?”

“He belongs to me,” Sena confidently said. She had not the heart to glance at Sehun as his blood flew on the floor. All she could see, however, was red. It was affecting her ability to think rationally. “He is mine, therefore he listens to my command, not yours, Grandfather. It is about time you get back to the grave, don’t you think?”

“When have you learnt to use that pretty little mouth to insult me, Child?”

She felt chills ran down her spine when he spoke.

“Step back, Sena. There is no need to protect that useless fiancée of yours,” Baekhyun casually reminded. “Right, Kim Joonmyun? You are the type to hide behind your girlfriend.” He laughed, sitting on the metal with both his hands clutching it tightly so he would not fall. “Just surrender yourself, Sena. You are clearly outnumbered here.”

“And just what exactly did he promise you that you agreed to work with him?”  

“He did not promise me much, just things I could have gotten myself,” He replied lazily. “But then it’s fun when I get to mess these three clans up, don’t you think? Suzakku is led by a child. Wu Yi Fan will need a few more years before I can have my fun with him, but now I got you and Kim Joonmyun.” He glanced and threw a smirk at Kim Minseok who stood his ground helplessly, “Pity that Genbu is now led by an airhead . Kim Yong Ha that dead bastard is more foolish than I thought. But that is advantageous to me, as well. Before long, Byakko will dominate the world and the three of you will serve under me as my servants. It’s just that simple, really. There is no other reason.”

“Pfft,” While Minseok was trembling, Joonmyun laughed out loud, holding onto Sena’s shoulder for support. “You think you are doing a favor for yourself, but you are just used as a tool to serve his purpose, Byun Baekhyun. Everyone else thinks you are a psychopathic genius, but in the end, you make the most predictable mistake for Seiryuu. Correct me if I’m wrong, Yoon Sang Hyun, don’t you want Sena for her blood? Judging from your complexion, you won’t have that much longer to live, will you?”

“And what good would it be for you to know?” Sang Hyun snickered. His grip on the wheelchair tightened. “Jongin, good boy, kill that one. I don’t need him.”

Sena pushed Joonmyun further to her back and shielded him away, “No, Kim Jongin, if you still have, even a little bit of guilt inside you, don’t shoot. I can understand your dissatisfaction while working under me, but if you have to kill someone, then shoot me. I am not worth it, remember? Haven’t you always wanted to kill me?”

“Sena!” This time, it was Luhan who protested. He could not hold back anymore and ran to her. Two Shadow fighters – whom he recognized for their plain, white mask – stopped him with a punch on his face. He quickly blocked it and tried to kick back, but was pushed by the other fighter, and quickly lost out by number and strength. In no time, Luhan was held by the head with his arms dislocated and blood coming out of his lips, nose and ears. It was a horrifying sight. Chanyeol and Tao went to help but they were pushed back. Strong as they were, it was unfair for two to fight ten, and so, they were quickly outnumbered. Tao was lying on the floor, a shot on his hips and another one on his chest. Chanyeol luckily escaped the vital part and shot on his left arm and legs.

“Shoot me,” Sena insisted firmly. Tears started pooling in her eyes but she refused to let them drop. His eyes were so cold and dead. There was no trace of warmth where they used to be. She looked at his face and clenched her fists as memories of his sweet nothing words came back like a broken record on display. Joonmyun grabbed her wrist, trying to stop her, and even Sena knew that Jongin could have shot him easily because of their height gap. And yet he did not, as if he was waiting.

“Kim Jongin, I hereby, free you from your vow. From here onwards, our ties will be severed and you are no longer my protector, as I am no longer your master. So shoot me. Shoot me but spare him.”

“Is he worth it, though?” Jongin finally spoke. He knew well that there was only one bullet left in his gun and he only had one chance to shoot. His eyes swept over Joonmyun, who was expressionless the entire time to Sena, the girl he had lied to for the entire six months. Jongin dared not to stop and think for one moment, that he might have actually developed a liking towards her. “Is Kim Joonmyun worth your sacrifice?”

“Kim Jongin!” Sang Hyun reprimanded him, but he seemed to turn a deaf ear to his words.

Sena did not glance back, but she swallowed her tears forcefully and replied, “He is.”

“Very well, then,” Jongin nodded and took one last look at her, from head-to-toe, remembering every details of what she used to be and carefully painted a picture of her smiling for the last time. Six months it had been, and it seemed that this was the defining moment of their lives. Sena did not seem to hold any regrets, but then again, she was not surprised when she noticed his betrayal for the first time. There was agony and sadness and then, pain, and Jongin wondered whether anyone else would notice it, and he could only hope for the sake of his retribution one day, that Sena would be happier elsewhere with someone else, “Farewell, Yoon Sena.”

“Jongin –!” Sang Hyun shouted, but his voice was drown by the loud noise that erupted from the sea. Baekhyun almost fell down had he not been pulled up by one of his Shadow fighters. Taehyung and Daehyun, two of his protectors stood alerted as they tried to find the source of the noise. The twenty-four Shadow fighters quickly assembled into a large circle and surrounded them.

“What is happening?” Sang Hyun whispered when the ship shook uncontrollably as if a tsunami was coming. Waves and waves of water pooled around the usually calm water. Baekhyun’s large ship was affected as well, and his eyes widened when he saw tentacles – and by tentacles, he meant those abnormally monstrous size that came out of the ocean – wrapped around his ship.

“Seems like you disturb his sleeping time,” Jongdae spoke for the first time since their capture. “Our family’s octopus does not appreciate it.”

“If I were you, Byun Baekhyun, I would choose to be smart and back away while your ship could still be saved,” Joonmyun smirked and stood next to Sena, finally coming out, “Run away while you can. Our family is probably alarmed by the disturbance in our territory. And trust me, angry octopus will be the least of your worry then. This is a fight you cannot win, no matter how strong your Shadow fighters might be.”      

“And if I choose to kill you all by then?” Baekhyun challenged, but his eyes were glued to the tentacles, half in anticipation and fascination. As a psychopath, he knew no fear and no risk, he only knew how to plan and murder, but that did not mean that he would sacrifice his life just to kill them off this time. There would be plenty of other opportunities.

“Byun Baekhyun!” Sang Hyun wanted to stand up, but his body could not take it.

“Tick tock, the clock is ticking very quickly. I’d count to sixty before that ship of yours sink into the water,” Joonmyun looked at his watch calmly.

“Jongin, take Sena with us! No matter what happens, she must come!” Sang Hyun was panicked for the first time in his life. He was so close to grabbing this chance and he would not let it slip. There would be no next time. Jongin took the opportunity to raise his guns at Joonmyun, but Sena was quick enough to see it and intervened his plan.

Bang!

Everyone held their breath at that very moment. It was a clean shot on the chest that hit a vital mark. Even Jongin could not help but widen his eyes in shock when Joonmyun and the Elites rushed to her side in that instant, covering his vision from Sena. He clearly did not expect to injure Sena in his perfectly calculated plan. Sang Hyun was screaming while Baekhyun shouted the order to back away into the ship and escaped. He was mad with furry but there was nothing he could do. The sixty seconds was almost up.

Sena fell onto the floor with a loud thump, and only then did she know why broken hearts could literally kill. The pain she felt now did not come from the open wound on her chest that bled endlessly. She was hurting so much she would rather die than to live in a world like this. Jongin’s face was the last thing she saw. She coughed blood with a satisfied smile and closed her eyes as one drop of tears fell onto her cheeks.

We are even now, Kim Jongin…