Jessica took a deep breath, collecting and gathering her nerves for whatever she was about to say. She stood at Yuri’s doorstep after being informed by Yuri’s mother that he had just reached home after an afternoon practice. Okay, Jessica.

“Yuri,” she said with a forced smile as she pushed past the door into Yuri’s living room.

What she saw shocked her more than anything else. The door creaked open, revealing a currently occupied Yuri with someone seated on his lap. He was leaning up to her, his mouth on the girls as her hands grabbed the nape of his neck. Even if her feelings for him had been minimal, Jessica still felt betrayed, knowing that it was her lips that Yuri used to kiss, and that it was his neck that she used to caress and grab when they kissed. And right now, Yuri was laughing against her lips now,  bringing tears to Jessica’s eyes as she thought of the vibrations of his lips that used to be so pleasurable…lips that used to laugh on hers. But still, she didn’t cry, knowing that her tears would only make Yuri think that he had actually hurt her and made the Ice Princess weak. Yuri broke off the kiss, realising that Jessica was standing at the doorway, eyes glittering with unshed tears. Yuri sat up immediately, pushing the girl off his lap on onto her own two feet. The girl still clung onto his shirt, her hands grasping his collar.

“Jessica…,” Yuri pushed the girl’s hands away, moving forward to grab Jessica by her shoulders, but she shrugged them off, struggling to escape from Yuri’s strong grip.

“Don’t touch me,” she didn’t look at Yuri’s pleading eyes, only at the tiled floor beneath them.

“Sica, please,” he begged.

“Don’t call me that…just don’t…just…stop. Stop, Yuri,” even if she had come in with the intention to end their relationship, it still came to a shock to her, and the pieces of her heart could only stab at her.

Her helpless, raw whisper stopped Yuri, and his hands released Jessica, falling to his sides limply. Jessica walked away, her shoulders slumped and her head bowed. The moment she turned away from him, the tears that she had kept for so long falling endlessly down her face. She needed time to be alone, but she needed Tiffany. She needed Tiffany, but she needed Sooyoung. It confused her, and muddled up her mind even more. Deciding to be alone for a while, she dug her hands deep in her coat pockets and wandered around aimlessly. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and passers-by stared at her strangely, but she ignored them, lost in her own world. Betrayal had never felt so painful before. Sitting in a corner of a nearby alley, she curled into a ball, hugging her knees as she cried. Night is descending and the full moon was glistening with tears in the blue-black sky. As those tears began to fall, Jessica could only cry harder.

Sooyoung walked in Jessica’s apartment, expecting to see the blonde girl on her bed, listening to music or sleeping; especially in the cold, wet weather. Instead, he only saw a disappointed Tiffany who was sitting on her bed, perched over her phone.  Tiffany’s head snapped up as the pale and shaken Sooyoung entered, his fingers trembling on the doorknob. He had been mentally drained after the ‘talk’ with his brother and urgently needed Jessica’s warmth now.

Sooyoung looked at the doorknob questioningly and then glared at Tiffany, who shrunk back in fear. “You don’t lock the door?”

Tiffany shook her head. “No.”

“Well then, start doing it,” Sooyoung seemed to realise that he had snapped at Tiffany and sighed, rubbing his temples. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. By the way, where’s Jessica?”

“It’s okay,” Tiffany offered him a small smile, careful not to smile so much at him as she recalled Jessica’s cold glare earlier.”She went out, to Yuri’s place.”

Sooyoung’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he struggled to remain impassive. He kept his eyes in check, though he almost lost it when he heard Yuri’s name.

“Why is she there? What is she there for?” Sooyoung’s voice was quiet but seething.

Tiffany tilted her head to the left, wondering if she should tell him. Sooyoung noticed Tiffany’s dilemma.

“You’re going to tell me,” he shot lasers at Tiffany.

“She—she made me promise not to!” Tiffany protested weakly.

“I don’t care,” suddenly, Sooyoung felt sadness, anger and raw betrayal.

He blinked and had to grip the door for support as he felt those emotions racking through his mind. He saw murderous intentions before him and stabbing someone who seemed all too familiar. Immediately, he knew what had happened. Without another word, he took off, leaving Tiffany staring strangely after him. Mechanically, she got to her feet and locked the door, remembering Sooyoung’s words and that frightening glare.

Sooyoung ran like he had never run before. His aching lungs were screaming at him for air, and in his weak, starved state, he forced himself to push onwards for Jessica’s sake. The rain drenched him and he was soaking wet, and yet he ran. He could detect her easily despite his dimming senses. For Jessica, anything was possible. He haltered before the young, blonde girl hugging herself, not caring about the cold or rain. Her blonde hair was plastered to her skull and she was shivering from the cold, but she still refused to budge. Kneeling next to her, he removed his leather jacket, and raised it above her head, sheltering her from the rain. Jessica began to realise the shade and looked up. Puffy, red-rimmed eyes stared into his dark blue ones, but they were nothing like the eerie blue Jessica had seen before. His eyes expressed how worried, how sorry he was. Jessica softened, but didn’t move from her spot.

“What are you doing? You’ll get sick," Jessica managed to croak but he only shook his head in reply.

“Your blood will protect me for some time. Now, get up. You’ll get sick,” Sooyoung grabbed her arm while the other held the jacket above her.

“I won’t let you touch her,” Sooyoung snarled, hands on Taeyeon’s shoulders.

Even though Sooyoung was taller, Taeyeon was stronger, having fed more than Sooyoung had. He shook off the emaciated angel’s hands off his shoulder and stared deep into Sooyoung’s eyes, those black irises shifting into a pure white, the colour of fear.

“You have felt for the human, haven’t you?” Taeyeon’s voice was low, dangerous.

“It’s not what you think it is. You know very well that we both can’t love,” Sooyoung growled at the floor.

“Love? Forget love, brother. If you love, your chances of Redemption are gone!” Taeyeon spat, wondering how his brother could be so delirious.

“As if you haven’t given up on it,” Sooyoung shot back. “You murdered, Taeyeon. Compared to you, loving isn’t so bad a sin.”

“Look what they did to me!” Taeyeon ripped his gloves off, exposing the seemingly-normal hands.

Sooyoung backed away, his wary eyes on Taeyeon’s hands. “Get away from me.”

Taeyeon reached out to touch Sooyoung’s shoulder, but Sooyoung pushed it away. The brief contact with Taeyeon’s exposed skin sent waves of searing pain through Sooyoung’s body. He could feel all the pain, all the loneliness that had became and corrupted Taeyeon over the years. Sooyoung’s knees buckled as a cry of pain escaped his lips.

“What they did to me, this is my revenge for that,” Taeyeon withdrew his hands, gloving them.

“Taking it out on innocent people is not revenge,” Sooyoung said through gritted teeth.

“It’s my revenge to the world who had taken Mi Young away from me!” Sooyoung could see Taeyeon’s one moment of vulnerability as he said Mi Young’s name.

The predator watched silently as Sooyoung and Jessica walked down the street.

“My revenge has just started, little brother.”

Reader’s Note:

Finally, no more YulSic, so expect more SooSic. Anyway, Taeyeon is plotting his revenge. What do you think he will do? And Tiffany? I’m sorry to leave you guys hanging like this time and time again, but I can’t help it! Sorry.

Thank you for reading!

Yours Faithfully
Jazzign