Kutsuna Shiori landed her body on her bed. She looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom and tried to pat it. It wasn’t like she could actually manage to pat it but somehow, that action caused her to feel calm. Her mind wondered back to the boy she had met at the café where she worked. That mysterious, brooding boy somehow reminded her of something that she had forgotten about. Shiori sighed. She put down her hands and rolled her body over, her front facing the bed. Now, her mind wondered to that voice of a man that was calling her with a name she had never heard in her life.

 

 

“Jun…Jung…Jung…aish!!! This is hopeless!!!” Shiori said, as she sat up straight, trying to form the name that she didn’t know whether exist or not. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight. Dreading the time when she needed to sleep, Shiori walked out of her bed and headed to her study table. She sat down and her laptop. Since she was a little girl, she always found herself unable to sleep every time midnight came. She would be having nightmares whenever she tried to force herself to sleep during those hours. The nightmares she had were always the same one. She found herself looking at a little girl that was crying in the middle of two dead bodies. As she cried, she called out for someone. Somehow, Shiori knew that the little girl was looking for her brother.

 

“Oppa…” Shiori mouthed the word that always appeared in her dreams. Yes, that little girl in her dreams was calling for her ‘oppa’. But that wasn’t the creepy side of those dreams. The creepy side was the bleeding part. The two dead bodies were covered in blood, there were holes on their heads were they probably shot to die. Shiori closed her eyes and shook her head, wanting to clear off her mind from those creepy images.

 

“Oppa…” she mouthed the word again and then, her eyes snapped opened. The boy at the café appeared before her eyes. His sharp stare, his aura and all reminded her of something again. Frustrated, Shiori pushed him out of her mind as she clicked randomly on her laptop.

 

“Murder cases in Korea…year 1991…two victims…one daughter…” Shiori typed on the web search. She had no idea why she was particular that she wanted to find such cases in Korea instead when she was born and grew up in Japan. But the little girl had been calling for her ‘oppa’ in her dreams and ‘oppa’ was definitely one of Korean words. She waited while the web loaded and at last, came out about thousands of reports on such cases. Shiori rolled her eyes.

 

“Great…just great…” she commented and just when she decided to click on the ‘X’ button on top of the page, she stopped when her eyes caught an article.

 

UNSOLVED MURDERED CASE ON LEE’S FAMILY…MISSING DAUGHTER…MISSING SON…

 

Shiori clicked on it. It takes only 2 minutes before the full reports on the case appeared. Shiori scrolled down and found a picture of a flat. Then, inside that flat, a little house where the murdered took place in its living room. Shiori scrolled again and then, she saw the family’s name.

 

Murdered:       Lee Jung Gin (Father)

                        Lee/Kim Soo In (Mother)

Missing:           Lee Jung Shin (Son)

                        Lee Jung In (Daughter)

 

“Lee Jung In…” Shiori muttered the daughter’s name. She clicked on the name and it linked on to a picture of a little girl. Shiori wasn’t sure that it was the same girl she had been dreaming about or not but like always, her instinct told her she was right all along.

 

“Shiori!!! Shiori!!!” she heard her mother calling her and she jumped a little, shocked.

 

“What, mum???” she asked her, annoyed that she called her when she was busy.

 

“A call…for you…” the woman answered back. Shiori sighed. She looked back at the girl on the screen. She bites her lips. Sighing, Shiori clicked the ‘X’ button.

 

“You are not a detective or anything, Shiori…you are just you…there is no need to get work up because of a stupid dream!!!” she reminded herself. Shiori left her laptop and headed out of her room to answer the phone.

 

“Good work, Miss Kobayashi!!! I dare to say, you made a fine entertainer for this club…” Master Kang complimented his new goddess for his night club. Kobayashi Ryoko smiled at the man. She bowed her head down at him and then stood up straight again.

 

“I saw him…that detective you told me to hit on to…” she reported to her master. Master Kang nodded his head, as though knowing this fact already.

 

“I know…I saw him gawking at you earlier…he must have been enchanted with your beauty…” Master Kang commented, smirking a little. Ryoko smirked too.

 

“Well…enchanted or not…I’m not an easy target…” Ryoko told him. The man surveyed her through his eyes. Ryoko stared back fearlessly at him.

 

“Push and pull???” he asked Ryoko at last. Ryoko shook her head.

 

“Nope…I’m just an innocent girl that was forced to work under your power…I’m afraid to be friend with anyone…in fact, I’m afraid of men…” Ryoko replied him, hinting what she had planned on. Master Kang curved an evil grin.

 

“You are playing with his generous heart…” he concluded. Ryoko smiled at him.

 

“I’m innocent…” she reminded him and with those words, the two of them laughed. Jung Yong Hwa, who was watching them from the corner where he was standing, balling up his fists. The goddess earlier was so similar to his girl. To his missing girl, Mikako. Wave of memories hit Yong Hwa. He breathed in and out to steady his heart. He couldn’t help remembering. Because if he did, it would hurt him. The old wounds will bleed and he would be drowned again in those wounds. Yong Hwa turned around and headed to exit the club. He walked passed Lee Jung Shin who had his eyes set on a man that was sitting with Master Kang. Jung Shin smirked. He waved his hand at one of the waiter.

 

“I need to use the VIP’s seat up there…can I have one???” he asked him. The waiter nodded his head and motioned for Jung Shin to follow him. Jung Shin followed in silence. Once he was seated at the seat that was clearly exposing the man he was targeting tonight, he asked for a drink. The waiter left. Jung Shin fixed his eyes on the man that seconds later would be having a place in the cemetery somewhere in Shinjuku. There was no remorse or regret or even sympathy in Jung Shin’s heart as he pulled out the mini gun he had kept in his pocket. Then, to cover his act, he pulled a box of empty cigarette and pushed the gun in it. The waiter earlier came back bringing the ordered drink. Jung Shin thanked him.

 

“Master Kang…haven’t you heard the news yet???” asked the man at Master Kang, shifting his body so that he could face him properly. Master Kang looked at him.

 

“Heard what news???” he asked the man back. From where Jung Shin was seated, he could hear them clearly; in fact, he could even see their expressions as clear as their voices.

 

“The Lee’s boy…the one that Han had taught to be an assassin…he is here in Japan…” the man answered Master Kang. Upon mentioning of those two names, Jung Shin crumpled his cigarette box. He had no idea that the man he was ordered to kill knew that he was coming for him. Cursing, Jung Shin hated the fact that his own boss had betrayed him. He stood up and was about to leave when he heard the one called Master Kang commented on the earlier answer.

 

“The little boy whose parents were killed by me???” the man asked in a loud voice. Jung Shin froze.

 

“Exactly…Han sent him here…he said he will be a good company to you…” the latter answered, smirking. Master Kang curved a grin.

 

“Interesting…as usual…Han is much unexpected…” he commented back and the men laughed. Jung Shin his back and stared at Master Kang. His mind wandered back to his conversation he shared with his boss, Mr Han. The old stinky man had said that his parents’ murderer is alive and kicking in Japan. In fact, Mr Han had given him his permission to kill the man if Jung Shin ever find out who was it. Can Jung Shin called this as a good luck??? Within just two days, he managed to find out the truth. Jung Shin’s fist curled up. If only he could lay a hand on his gun, here, he would get to pay for his revenge. But as he stared at Master Kang’s laughing faces, his hands holding the three girls that were entertaining him, Jung Shin started to uncurl his fists. No, if he shoot the murderer here, his dead would come so fast and easy. Jung Shin wasn’t going to make anything easier for this man. He would want to cause him pain. Whether alive or death, he wanted Master Kang to be in pain. Ryoko stood up and turned around to leave Master Kang. On her way, she spotted Jung Shin. She stopped in front of him.

 

“Any problem???” she asked him, raising an eyebrow. Jung Shin looked down at her. He recognized her as the earlier goddess.

 

“Nope…” he replied her and hurriedly walked off. Ryoko narrowed her eyes at him. She was sure she had seen him talking with the detective earlier when she was performing. Shrugging, Ryoko walked down from the second floor. She walked through the crowd as fast as she could, not wanting anymore company. At last, she managed to walk out and exited the club.

 

“Fuh…” Ryoko said, blowing air out from . She leaned her body against the wall and started looking up at the night sky.

 

“Excuse me…” she heard someone saying. Ryoko turned her head to the right and saw Detective Jung Yong Hwa staring at her. Slowly, she straightened herself.

 

“Can I know your name???” the man asked her, taking a step towards her. Ryoko shook her head at once.

 

“No!!! Don’t come any closer!!!” she yelled at him, taking a step back away from him. Yong Hwa stopped in his track. He studied Ryoko’s face and saw that she was afraid of him. Ryoko studied his face too. There was something about him that made her unable to think straight. She knew she should take this opportunity to start with her plan on hitting him but her mind had gone blank. Yong Hwa wasn’t someone she should mess around with, that was what her instinct told her.

 

“You…you…” Ryoko started saying but stopped when she realized she had no idea what she was going to say. Yong Hwa waited, still with his eyes on her, not even blinking at all.

 

“Why are you working in this place??? This place is bad for a young girl like you…” Yong Hwa asked her. Ryoko blinked her eyes. Does he feel concern about her???

 

“Well…that’s really none of your business…” she replied him at last, after some long minutes spent between them with just to stare at one another. Ryoko turned around and walked towards the door but Yong Hwa grabbed her arms and spun her around to face him.

 

“Make it my business then!!!” he yelled at her. Ryoko jerked her arm away.

 

“Seriously!!! You should leave…if any of Master Kang’s men saw you here talking with me like this…I would be in trouble…I am not supposed to talk to anyone else…” Ryoko told him, started to do her plan. Yong Hwa looked around.

 

“There is no one here…we are safe…” he commented. Ryoko clicked her tongue.

 

“Just leave…please, I beg you…” she said at him. She pushed Yong Hwa out of her way. But Ryoko took her steps as slow as she can. As silent as she could, she tried to get one of her name cards from inside of her bag. Then, she dropped the card on the floor, just outside of the club’s door before stepped through in. Once the door closed behind her, Ryoko smirked.

 

“Show time…” she whispered. On the other side of the door, Yong Hwa saw the falling card. He walked to it and picked it up. He read the name on the card.

 

KOBAYASHI RYOKO

 

Yong Hwa stared back at the door, as though he could see through it and saw the girl that had left him. Ryoko’s face came in her mind then to be replaced with Mikako’s face.

 

“Is this your way to torture me, Mikako???” he asked through the night, as cold wind hit his face. Yong Hwa sighed. He put the name card in his pocket and walked away.

 

Lee Jong Hyun kept on trying to undo his tie that was properly tied around his shirt’s neck. With one hand in his pocket, Jong Hyun scanned the hall where the party took place. He groaned when he saw Kang Min Hyuk being surrounded by girls all around him.

 

“Brat…” Jong Hyun cursed under his breath. He had no idea why Min Hyuk forced him to attend this party. He had no idea either why he was forced to dress in a formal suit when he was 100% sure and realized, he was the only one who dressed like that. Great! Just great! He thought dully as at last, losing his patience, Jong Hyun grabbed the tie off and held it in his grip. Then, he heard someone chuckling behind him.

 

“Wow…you look good in this style…” he heard a girl saying behind him. Before he turned around to look at her, Jong Hyun knew already whose voice was that. His Barbie-girl.

 

“Miss Horikita…” he called out her name at the same time he rounded around to face her. There, stood Horikita Maki. She was giving her radiant smile again at Jong Hyun. This time, Jong Hyun had prepared his heart. He had caged it properly so that it wouldn’t let off his soul and made him to appear uncool in front of this Barbie-girl again. Dressed in a blue velvet dress, Maki appeared to be like a princess attending a ball. Then again, she was a Barbie-girl, reminded Jong Hyun’s mind at him.

 

“Ah…so you still remember my name…” Maki commented at him. She walked to him and took out the tie that he held in his hand.

 

“Uncomfortable, isn’t it??? I understand it…my papa always said it was a bother to wear tie…” Maki told him, smiling slightly as she rolled the tie neatly. Then, she handed it to Jong Hyun.

 

“Erk…right…thanks…” Jong Hyun replied her, mind still clouded on what he was supposed to do when he was left alone like this with her. Maki smiled.

 

“Your tie…” she reminded him. Jong Hyun stared down at the tie that was held in her hand. Chuckling, Maki grabbed his hand and opened his palm before she placed the tie in it. Then, she closed his palm and let go of his hand.

 

“There…I wonder why you couldn’t act like a normal people when you are with me…” she commented on his act. It was like she had read what was on his mind. Jong Hyun shifted his body uncomfortably, trying to find the right answer. But seriously, !!! Not even one word crossed his mind.

 

“I…well, I need to go…” he said at last and hurriedly, turned around to walk away. After 22 years of living, this was the first time he felt so defeated in his life. This girl, this Horikita Maki, this Barbie-girl of him caused him to feel ashamed of himself. When she was with him, she cut all of his senses, making him unable to think or do anything right. He was sure she was taken aback with his sudden act but seriously, why couldn’t anyone taught him how to deal with girls??? He was such a freak now when he had one girl he was interested with. But then, Jong Hyun stopped walking when his eyes caught a waiter, walking around carrying a tray that filled with glasses of drinks. He stopped the man and without words, he took the tray away from him. Ignoring his calling, Jong Hyun walked like a robot back to where Maki was standing. She stared at him in surprise when he was closer and at last stopped.

 

“Which one would you like to drink??? I can see lychee juice, orange juice there…and here is…ah, I don’t know what it is…next one will be…okay…sorry, I don’t know all of these drinks…except for the lychee one…” Jong Hyun started talking, pointing here and there as he held out the tray at Maki, indicating which glass after glass but then stopped miserably as he realized he had no idea what were the names for each drinks there. Maki looked up to look at his face. He cracked a grin, an apologetic one. Maki smiled brightly.

 

“I will take lychee then…” she replied him, taking a blue glass, her voice sounded like she was restraining herself from laughing out loud because of Jong Hyun’s bizarre attitude earlier. She sipped on her drink, keeping her eyes on Jong Hyun. Jong Hyun stared at her, again at a lost on what to say.

 

“Have a drink too…” Maki said to him. She copied Jong Hyun’s earlier act, pointing to the glasses here and there, introducing each of the drinks on the tray.

 

“I can see lychee juice, orange juice there…and here is…ah, I don’t know what it is…next one will be…okay…sorry, I don’t know all of these drinks…except for the lychee one…” she even copied his words before she raised an eyebrow at him, a little smirk curved on her lips. Jong Hyun chuckled, bites his lips and nodded.

 

“Smart…” he complimented her and looked down at the tray he was holding.

 

“I will take lychee then…” it was now his turned to copy Maki’s words. They both laughed a little. Holding the tray in one hand, Jong Hyun tasted the drink. It was okay but then he heard Maki laughed.

 

“Hey, put down the tray…we have our drinks now…” Maki told him as she waved to one waiter and he hurriedly went to them, took the tray away from Jong Hyun, giving him a ridiculous look. Jong Hyun grinned at Maki again.

 

“Right…I must admit I acted really weird around you…” he concluded his bizarre acts around her. Maki grinned back.

 

“You are so cute…” she complimented Jong Hyun this time, causing him to almost break the glass he was holding. Luckily, at that time, they were interrupted with loud clapping and music. At once, they both turned their bodies to look ahead at the center of the hall. A big, ancient chair was placed in the middle of the hall. Much like a chair used by a king to sit on his throne. Then, Min Hyuk was pushed to sit on it, around him, girls were surrounding him, admiring him with dreamy-like expressions on their faces. Someone had put on a bright-golden cloak on Min Hyuk’s back, tied up around his neck. The prince act didn’t stop there. A crown was put on Min Hyuk’s head. Like he did have the throne in this party. Jong Hyun rolled his eyes.

 

“Nice…I never knew my little bro got an interest to play prince…” he commented as he shook his head in disbelief. Maki laughed.

 

“Ah…but you know, it is a fact that Mr Kang is very popular…every girl knew his name…Kang Min Hyuk from Business Faculty…the Prince Kang…such a heartthrob…” Maki commented back as they watched Min Hyuk struggling to get off from the girls surrounding him. Jong Hyun snorted.

 

“Alright…I can’t deny it too…Min Hyuk suited the nickname…I mean, he is smart, good looking, rich and definitely prince like…but to do something like this to him…it is just too much…” Jong Hyun said. Maki stared at him. It seems to her that Jong Hyun was comfortable to talk in a more ease way with her now. Realizing that she was looking at him, Jong Hyun turned his head sideway at her.

 

“Miss Horikita???” he said. Maki smiled.

 

“You are good looking too, Mr Lee…but more in a way of good looking bad boy…” she said to him. Jong Hyun blinked his eyes stupidly at her. She laughed.

 

“You should see your expression right now…you look really funny…” Maki told him in between her laughter. Jong Hyun looked away, desperate to do something to hide his face that had turned real red upon hearing her words about him. He grabbed another waiter that had walked passed them, put his empty glass on the tray, grabbed another glass that he didn’t know what was the liquid in it, drank it at once then grabbed another glass, emptied it at once again before he put the two empty glasses on the tray, gulping down his throat. The waiter stared at him.

 

“Are you done, sir???” he asked him, unsure whether to wait for him for another drink or walked off. Jong Hyun nodded his head. He left, glancing at Maki, who was giving him a nod like she was thanking him.

 

“Cute…” Jong Hyun heard Maki complimenting him again. His mind told him to say something cool, something real cool that actually made her wanted to compliment him again but nothing cross his mind, again. Cursing his empty-for-words-mind, Jong Hyun dared a glance at Maki, who was watching him with an amused expression on her face.

 

“You are…you…Miss Horikita…pre…pret…” Jong Hyun stammered, trying to say that he thought Maki is one pretty girl too but something stuck in his throat and he couldn’t form the word properly. Come on, he had lived his life for 22 years using swearing words, yelling and shouting instead of complimenting people. How can he start to form a nice word like that just to impress a girl??? He was never poetic to begin with. Maki raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“Peh!!! That was really annoying!!!” Min Hyuk said in a loud voice, appearing on Jong Hyun’s side. He pushed the cloak that was covering his hands away before he looked up and found both Maki and Jong Hyun staring at him. Min Hyuk grinned.

 

“Hi…wow, Miss Maki…aren’t you pretty???” Min Hyuk greeted them and at once, throwing in a compliment that Jong Hyun almost choked to die in the process to say it aloud. He glared at Min Hyuk, unsatisfied that he got to compliment Maki first before him. Min Hyuk saw his glaring and understood it at once.

 

“I think that was what hyung was dying to say to you…” he added with a wide grin at Maki. Maki blinked her eyes and moved her gazes at Jong Hyun instead. Jong Hyun blinked back at her. Min Hyuk chuckled a bit.

 

“Thanks…” Maki said in a slow voice, looking down on her feet, not knowing whether to say it to Min Hyuk or Jong Hyun. Silence wrapped them in a very awkward moment as Min Hyuk exchanged glances first to his hyung then to Maki and back to his hyung again.

 

“So…what is hyung actually???” asked Maki, clearing loudly to break the awkward silence.

 

“Ah…its mean older brother…it’s a Korean’s wording…” Min Hyuk answered her. Jong Hyun nodded silently, still watching Maki with his eyes. Ignoring his stare, Maki fixed her eyes on Min Hyuk.

 

“I see…forgive me, I forgot that Prince Kang is a Korean…and I think Mr Lee too, right???” she asked Min Hyuk again. Min Hyuk nodded his head, agreeing with her.

 

“But, I must say that hyung is really bad with Korean’s wordings…living for so long in Japan caused him to lost his memories on how to speak Korean…” Min Hyuk started saying, trying to joke about Jong Hyun but then he stopped in the middle of his words for Jong Hyun had pulled his cloak and choked him since it was tied around his neck. Jong Hyun gripped more tightly on his cloak, causing him to jerk back a little and his crown fell off from his head, landing with a ‘thud’ on the floor.

 

“There…I destroyed your throne…a gift for bad mouthing me…’ Jong Hyun told Min Hyuk, letting go of his cloak at last. Maki laughed as she watched Min Hyuk struggling to gasp for air, hands patting his neck. Jong Hyun pouted.

 

“It’s not funny…I’m his hyung…he shouldn’t kid me around…” Jong Hyun told Maki. Maki grinned.

 

“I think it is funny because you did it to him…I mean, no one had ever done this to our Prince Kang…” she commented back. Jong Hyun blinked his eyes. There, again. Maki was showing him some affection again. Behind him, he could hear Min Hyuk still coughing for air.

 

“Ah, hyung!!! I was joking, okay??? Joking!!! Can’t you tell it??? Damn…don’t listen to him, Miss Maki…he was just trying to look cool in front of you…” Min Hyuk commented on the matter. Jong Hyun wished he could just shut up. Why did he have to say it like he wanted to impress Maki??? Well, he did actually but couldn’t he do it without anyone else noticing it??? Maki shook her head.

 

“Call me Maki…no need for formality like Miss or anything…” Maki said to Min Hyuk. Min Hyuk nodded.

 

“Min Hyuk then…no need for that Prince Kang…I am never a prince in the first place…” Min Hyuk told her too. Maki moved her gazes at Jong Hyun.

 

“Maki sounded like a pen’s brand…” he muttered under his breath.

 

“You said something, Mr Lee???” Maki asked him. Before Jong Hyun could answer her, Min Hyuk put his arm around Jong Hyun’s shoulder and dragged him away for a bit.

 

“Just get into that first name basis, hyung…it will make you closer to her…no need to interpret whether her name sounded like a pen’s brand or anything!!!” Min Hyuk reminded him with a hiss. Jong Hyun glared at him.

 

“I was just saying!!!” he hissed back at Min Hyuk. Maki watched them in confusion. Then, she stared at her watch.

 

“Ano…Min Hyuk, Mr Lee…I think I need to go home now…” she announced. Both Min Hyuk and Jong Hyun looked back at her.

 

“You need a ride???” asked Jong Hyun at once. Maki shook her head.

 

“Papa will come and get me home…” she answered, taking her phone out and started dialing. She looked up and stared at Jong Hyun. Her big, bright, round eyes sparkled.

 

“I will see you around, then…” she said to him. Smiling, she left. Min Hyuk grinned as he watched the dumbstruck look on Jong Hyun’s face.

 

“I will see you around, then…” he said mockingly, imitating Maki’s words. He punched Jong Hyun on his chest.

 

“Got a girl at last, I see…well, it’s about time…I think a woman’s touch can softened that hard-rock-like heart of yours, hyung…” Min Hyuk said, taking off the cloak. Jong Hyun sighed. Maki’s last words to him caused his heart to bloom but somehow, he found himself unable to face any possibilities that might occur between them.

 

“I’m not fit for anyone, Min Hyuk… I don’t put faith in love…” Jong Hyun said in a determined voice. He patted Min Hyuk’s shoulder, gave him a small smile and walked away. Min Hyuk watched his back until it’s disappeared from his view. Right, his mind agreed. Lee Jong Hyun was taught not to love. He was taught to hate, to kill and to be mean. But people could change, right??? Min Hyuk thought dully as he bites his lips, feeling sympathy for his hyung.

 

________________________________________________________________________
 

Takada Riho looked around as she sat down on the steps in front of the house. She knew that no one was inside because all the lights were turned off and she couldn’t hear any sounds from inside. Sighing, Riho looked at her wrist watch. It was already 1.00 am yet Lee Jung Shin was nowhere to be seen. Riho sighed again.

 

“I need to see you, my hero…” she muttered under her breath. She bites her lips and started battling with herself whether she should just go home or wait until Jung Shin appeared. Before she was done, she heard someone clearing his throat. Riho jumped and she looked up at once. There, standing in front of her, was the face of the boy she was dreading to see.

 

“What are you doing here???” Jung Shin asked her in a cold voice. Slowly, Riho stood up.

 

“Welcome home…” she greeted him with the usual words used by the people when they saw their family members came home. Jung Shin groaned. Riho noticed that he was dressed in black again today. In fact, he was bringing the same guitar case he had brought along him the night they first met. Something about him wasn’t right. Riho had no idea when he was there except that he finally showed up and startling her. It was like he appeared out of the thin air, materialized without sound and then, there. But of course, this was no Harry Potter. People can’t materialize out of the thin air in the reality. Ignoring Riho, Jung Shin walked passed her and unlocked his door.

 

“You should say ‘I’m back’ when someone was welcoming you home…” Riho told him, making him stopped walking into his house. Jung Shin blew air out of his mouth.

 

“Look, lady…I don’t want to have anything to do with you…I saved your life and you had thanked me…that’s it…end of everything…now, can you please just leave???” he said to Riho, turning around to glare at her. Riho watched him with a pair of searching eyes. Now, what was this girl trying to do??? Jung Shin thought desperately as he realized Riho wasn’t afraid of his stare. His deadly and dangerous stares.

 

“Riho…” she said suddenly. Jung Shin narrowed his eyes at her.

 

“What???” he asked her.

 

“I said my name is Riho…Takada Riho…you called me as lady earlier…well, now you know what my name is…” she replied him. Then, she walked to him, pushed his door opened and stepped through. She clicked the light on and sat down on the couch. Jung Shin watched her in disbelief. After some minutes, he followed her inside, leaving the door opened.

 

“Okay…I get it…I know your name now…leave…” he hissed at her. Riho ignored him.

 

“Have you eaten??? I can cook for you if you want…” Riho told him as she stood up and started to head towards the kitchen when Jung Shin grabbed her hand, pulled her towards the door and pushed her out. Then, he closed the door behind him, dragged her towards the main road and finally, reaching the place where he had hid his car and threw her inside. Then, Jung Shin walked into the driver’s seat, got in and started to turn on the engine.

 

“Where are we going???” Riho asked him. He ignored her.

 

“I shouldn’t have saved you!!! Girls are troublesome!!! I should have done it since the first time I met you!!!” he said loudly, more like he was talking to himself. Riho watched him as he drove out of the main road, heading somewhere. He hit on the pedal and the car groaned loudly before it speeded off. Startled, Riho grabbed for the seat belt.

 

“Hey!!! Wear your seat belt if you gonna drive like we are racing in F1’s track!!!” she shrieked at him. She fastened her seat belt, sat back and tried to relax. Jung Shin groaned. This girl was weird indeed. No one in their right minds would tell someone that was about to kill them to wear seat belt when they were in the middle of kidnapping act. That’s right. Jung Shin kidnapped this Takada’s girl and he was going to kill her in just a moment away when he found the right place to dispose her body.

 

“Hey!!! Are you listening or not??? Wear your seat belt!!!” Riho yelled at him once again. Losing his patience, Jung Shin turned his car into a corner that leads them into a place where abandoned buildings were left. This area was very dark and eerie that Riho found herself gulping down as she watched the place through the window. What was this boy trying to do to her??? She thought as finally, Jung Shin stepped on the brake. Riho was thrown to the front as he did because it was too sudden she wasn’t prepared for it. Jung Shin walked out from his seat and walked to her side. He pulled opened the door, grabbed the seat belt off and pulled Riho out. Then, they walked in silence through the dark buildings, the only light came from Jung Shin’s car. Then, Jung Shin stopped and he threw Riho off with such a force that she landed on her down on the ground.

 

“Ouch!!!” she said as her hands felt the damp ground. She had cut her palms, both of it and she was sure her legs were cut too since she was thrown on the ground that covered with broken glasses. She raised her hand up and sure enough, her palm was bleeding. Before she could act or talk, she heard a soft clicking noise behind her. Slowly, Riho turned her head around. Her eyes grew wider. She blinked.

 

“I should have done it the moment you landed in my arms that night…seriously…don’t blame me or take it personally…I always did this when someone invaded my privacy…I shouldn’t keep company…especially, not the one who is noisy like you, Miss Takada Riho…” Jung Shin said in a clear, calm tone as he held his gun, pointing straight at Riho’s heart. He didn’t seem to be hesitate or even shaking as he locked his gazes with her. Riho looked from the gun then up to Jung Shin’s good looking face. Realization hit her when the pieces were put together. Reasons why this boy always appeared to be mysterious, always distant, always dressed in black, why his house were hidden deep in a jungle, why he parked his car hidden from any eyes view or reason why he had always clung to his guitar case. Riho knew that she was in a dangerous situation. She should be scared or feel the fear as her eyes looked at the gun again. But no. She didn’t feel anything like that. So, she stood up, limping a little since her legs were cut too from the pieces of glasses around the ground. She stared at Jung Shin’s face this time, fearless.

 

“Kill me then…” she whispered through the night.

 

Erina Mano sat down on the bench at the back of the hall where the party still being held. She glanced at her wrist watch and realized that it was already late in the night yet her friends still hadn’t show up and wanted to go home. Erina sighed.

 

“What a luck…” she muttered under her breath. She hugged her body, feeling the cold wind hit her. Then, she remembered Min Hyuk’s picture that she had stolen from the board. Okay, stole was a strong word. She didn’t steal it, she just took it without permission. In the first place, she didn’t know whose permission she should asked for, so, yeah. She just took it, okay??? Erina chuckled. She was just twisting her words around so she shouldn’t feel too guilty about taking the picture away. She stared at Min Hyuk’s face for a while. She was no Cinderella, she knew it. All her life, she grew up to learn that reality was really harsh and she had no right to dream that it was going to be better just because she wished for it. But Min Hyuk, this boy, this prince in her campus told her something else. She had lied for herself that she disliked him. She hated him. She lied because she didn’t want to wish for something that was impossible. She lied because she didn’t want her heart to grow and her feeling towards this boy deepened. Erina realized from the first day she started working in the library that Kang Min Hyuk, the so good looking prince had fallen for her. She had no idea why he had chosen her among hundreds of girls, thousand maybe that had fallen for him. Min Hyuk, the boy that always sat at the library, hiding behind books, hiding from anyone else that tried to get closer to him. In the front, everyone might have thought he was lucky to be just him but Erina knew Min Hyuk was more than that. The reason why he chose to be in the library wasn’t just because he wanted to be there to impress her. No, but Min Hyuk chose the library because he wanted to be safe in his own little world. It was like, he was caging himself in, trapped and hidden from anyone else. Erina knew this reason because she did the same for her survival.

 

“Erina-chan???” she heard someone calling her name and hastily, she jumped, pushing Min Hyuk out of her mind. She looked up and saw Min Hyuk standing there, facing her. Erina blushed. Luckily, the light here was dimmed or else Min Hyuk might catch her blushing just when they were so close like this. Min Hyuk sat down next to her. He stretched his body.

 

“I don’t know you will be here…if only I know, I wouldn’t waste my time inside…being here with you is going to be more fun…” he said as he looked at her again. Erina looked away.

 

“Don’t make me laugh…all the girls inside were worshipping you like God…surely, you would enjoy their attentions…” she commented. Min Hyuk laughed a little.

 

“I will…if you are among them…” he commented back. Erina looked at him.

 

“Just leave me alone, okay???” she said to him, crossing her arms together. Min Hyuk followed her act.

 

“How about you just stay here with me???” he asked her back, crossing his own arms too. Erina groaned.

 

“I’m not in the mood to joke around with a prince…if any of your fan club’s members see us like this, I will be a dead meat…now, leave…” she replied him. Min Hyuk smirked.

 

“So you do know that such club existed…I thought you ignored every single thing concerning me…” he said to her. Erina closed her eyes. Yeah, she knew. She did because she likes him too, right???

 

“Fine…if you don’t want to leave, I will leave…this isn’t my party or my fac to begin with…” she said at last, opening her eyes and stood up. She tried to walk away when Min Hyuk grabbed her arm. Standing up too, he let go of her hand, took off his jacket and put it on Erina instead.

 

“You are so cold…come…” he said, as he took her hand and motioned her to walk. Erina pushed his hand away.

 

“Don’t…I don’t need you…” she started saying but Min Hyuk’s glare caused her to shut up. She had never seen the gentle Prince Kang to glare like this.

 

“What???” she dared herself to ask.

 

“I just wanted to be nice…can you please, just once accept my intention??? It isn’t like I’m going to hurt you or anything…in fact, I knew it very well that you wouldn’t like me at all…I knew it well…don’t worry, I wouldn’t let my hope high…I just wanted to be nice…” Min Hyuk told her, frustration built up in his voice. Erina stared at his face and tried to search for some words to encounter him. But when she remained silent, Min Hyuk acted first before her. He grabbed her hand again and pulled her towards the hall. Erina followed silently. She watched their entwined hands and felt the warmness coming from his hand. The cage she had put around her heart shattered and she felt herself tearing up. It was true then. When you hurt the person you love, you will only hurt yourself in return. She was trying to be mean to Min Hyuk yet in return, she was also being mean to her own heart. Before they reached the hall, Erina tugged Min Hyuk’s hand a little and pulled him to a stop. He stopped and looked down at their hands then looked up at Erina’s face. She bites her lips, avoiding his gazes.

 

“I want to go home…can you please help me??? I don’t have any money or any way to go home alone…I…” she said, blushed, feeling embarrassed that she had to admit she had no money at all. She stopped in the middle of her words and sighed.

 

“I promise you I will return your money back so…” she started saying again but Min Hyuk had already pulled her into a hug. He hugged her close to his chest and rested his head on top of Erina’s head. She stopped talking at once.

 

“Ne…what are you doing???” she asked him, surprised as she tried to look up at his face.

 

“Nothing…just keep quiet…let’s just stay like this for a while…” he replied her. Min Hyuk closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. He wanted to be a hero for Erina. This girl, he knew everything about her life. He wanted to shut off those obstacles that made life so misery for her. He wanted to protect her, to hold her whenever she felt so alone, so helpless and so cold. Like tonight. And somehow, God had answered to his prayer. He got to hold her in his arms. Her fragile, small body was like a treasure to Min Hyuk. He wouldn’t let anyone take away this treasure from him. In his arms, Erina gulped. Was she dreaming that Min Hyuk was holding her right now??? She had gone frozen from the shock, yet her cold body somehow grew warmer when they were so close like this. Can she be a Cinderella at least, just for tonight??? Erina thought as she heard the beating sound of Min Hyuk’s heart. It matches her owns heart beats. Erina closed her eyes. She had gone greedy again. She had let herself drowned in this good dream. She knew it. Yet, she didn’t want to wake up. No, not yet.

 

Yong Hwa was sitting in his car. He fixed his eyes on the road that leads to the King Cross Club. His fingers kept on twirling the name card of a girl named Kobayashi Ryoko. He wanted to learn more about this girl. This girl had stirred some memories that he had buried deep down in his heart. She stirred them and then, when he wanted to know, she shut him away, as though there were some forces caused her not let him closer. Yong Hwa glanced at the clock on his car’s dashboard.

 

3.00 am

 

Great. Really great. He would have another sleepless night again. Yong Hwa put the name card in his jacket’s pocket and crossed his arms. He wasn’t going to go home or anything, not until he managed to see Ryoko again. Then, the cold night answered him. From afar, Ryoko suddenly appeared. She was wearing woolly thick coat covering the little clothing she had worn underneath it when she was working for the club earlier. Her long hair was tied up in a ponytail. She had removed her make-up, the thick, seducing styled make-up was replaced with pureness as Yong Hwa stared at her face. Ryoko seems to be oblivious that someone was watching her. Without thinking, Yong Hwa stepped out from his car. It would be easier to follow her on foot rather than bringing the car along with him. In complete silence, he started to match his steps according to Ryoko’s. In the cold night, the city of Shinjuku didn’t seem to be asleep. In fact, it was still lively as though it was during broad daylight. Here and there, teenagers were enjoying their own activities. Couples were walking everywhere, deep in their own feelings too. The call girls were trying to gather as much customers as they can while the drug dealers tried their hardest to make the business booming. Yong Hwa ignored all of these crimes activities. He wasn’t on his duty tonight. He was only here to know the girl he had been following right now. Ryoko stopped walking when she arrived at a small stall that sell takoyaki. She bought some and then started walking again. Yong Hwa was sure she was heading home but somehow, their footsteps seem to be heading to unexpected places. As the goddess of King Cross Club, Yong Hwa had expected Ryoko to be living a luxury life. Somewhere in expensive condominium or bungalow, have a ride with a paid driver and all yet Ryoko had walked all the way towards her house, which appeared to be in a very low-cost, cheap flat in Shinjuku. The old building seem to be almost impossible to live in, the wall cracked and the painting was long forgotten since Yong Hwa couldn’t describe what was the color. Ryoko stepped in and then headed to the third floor, using stairs since the elevators could no longer work. Yong Hwa watched her down by the road. At last, she stopped in front of a door and knocked. Some seconds later, an old man appeared. He look really old that even walking caused him to be in pain that Ryoko caught him in her arms the moment she stepped halfway through the door. Then, the door closed and she was no longer in Yong Hwa’s view. Yong Hwa pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

 

“Hello…” after one ringing, his colleague answered his call.

 

“You are on duty, right???” Yong Hwa asked him at once. The latter said ‘yes’.

 

“Well, I need information about a girl named Kobayashi Ryoko…find everything that could relate her to the King Cross Club…” Yong Hwa ordered the man on the other line.

 

“You are still not giving up on Taiga Gang, Yong Hwa???” asked the man at him. Yong Hwa groaned.

 

“Hey, someone needs to put a stop on that gang…and that someone will be me…” Yong Hwa replied him. The man sighed.

 

“I agreed with you but you know, you need to have some rest too…don’t be too obsessed with that gang…they could drive you to madness…” he advised Yong Hwa. Yong Hwa chuckled, shaking his head.

 

“They already did, man…” he countered him back and before the latter could answer him, he had already cut the line off. Yong Hwa stared up at the door that had Ryoko living in behind it. Kobayashi Ryoko. She was a prefect resemblance of his missing girlfriend, Tabe Mikako. They shared the same round eyes, pointed nose, rosy-red lips and long, straight, shiny black hair. They even shared almost the same height. The only difference would be the body size. Mikako was a lot chubby and plump while Ryoko owned one slender body. Nonetheless, they looked almost the same with just a glance. Yong Hwa could still feel the blood rushing to his head when Ryoko first appeared before his eyes. It was like seeing his dead girl came back to life. Came back and reminded him of the dark past he wouldn’t want to remember at all. Yong Hwa closed his eyes. His colleague had said that the Taiga Gang could drive him to madness if he continued to hunt them like ants did for sweet things. But that wasn’t the case. He wasn’t hunting the gang for the gang but his aimed is an old man named Kang.

 

“I will get to you…someday, somehow…and when that time comes, I will be able to fulfill my promise towards Mikako…” Yong Hwa said determinedly. He reached into his purse that was kept in his inside pocket. He opened it and then pulled out the little photo he kept hidden between his money. A girl was smiling prettily at him, her frozen smile was still warm as though she was a real one instead of a captured one.

 

“Mikako…” Yong Hwa whispered. But of course, Mikako would never respond to his calling now. She had stopped responding for the past 6 years and she had been haunting his nights since that day. She would appear in his dreams, sometimes, she would be in a good mood and they would talk and made out. Sometimes, she would be in a bad mood and Yong Hwa would hug her close, consoling her. Sometimes too, they would just sit together, their lips shut as they sat in silent. Yet, there were also times when she appeared as a death girl. Yes, death girl. Yong Hwa started to feel his body shaking with the memories.

 

“I will get the revenge for you…I promise, I will…” he said to the photo, determined voice filled the night surrounded him.

 

Jung Shin tightened his hold on his gun. He stared at the girl that was now stood in front of him, instead of looking at the gun that was pointing towards her heart, she had her eyes locked on him. Jung Shin narrowed his eyes. This was not the response he had expected from her. Especially, from a GIRL like her. When he killed, even the MEN would beg him to spare their lives, some would even try to shamelessly run when they knew they never stand a chance with his gun. But this girl, this fragile girl was…weird…difference…exception…madness. She didn’t even flinch or shown any signs of fears when her life was a moment away. In fact, she was advancing towards him now, limping a little with every step she took.

 

“Kill me…shoot me…” her voice filled Jung Shin’s hearing, a voice that sounded real firm. Jung Shin clicked the gun once again, unlocking it and then put his finger on the trigger. Any second now, this girl will lose her life. That was what his mind told him but his impulse wasn’t reacting to it. His finger stopped moving on the trigger. Jung Shin’s eyes darted down towards her legs. Why was she limping??? Was he too rough when he thrown her on the ground earlier???

 

“I said shoot me, you bighead, Mr Assassin!!!” Riho yelled at him. Then, she stopped walking when the pain from the cut on her legs started to throb more. She looked down and cursed. Now, when she was closer to the light that came from Jung Shin’s car, she could see how much damaged was done down there. Jung Shin saw it too. She was bleeding from her knee down to her ankle. Both legs did but the left leg had it worse because some of the glasses had pierced into her skin. No wonder she was limping. But Jung Shin had to give some credit to her for able to ignore the pain there when she was facing such a life threatening act from his gun. She wasn’t crying in the first place. Then, Jung Shin’s eyes darted to her hands and saw both of her palms were bleeding too. ! He thought. His eyes started scanning the ground. Pieces of glasses were literally carpeting the area where she was thrown off. Jung Shin gulped. He stared back up at her face. She was glaring at the wound on her legs and then she chuckled.

 

 

“I imagined myself to look real pretty when I’m dead…this isn’t the situation or how I wanted my body to appear…” Riho muttered under her breath. Jung Shin rolled his eyes. Did God made this girl to be always clueless and fearless? He thought dully but something else had crept into his cold heart. A word called ‘sympathy’ or ‘funny’ or ‘impressed’, he had no idea what it was called or described caused him to click on his gun again, locking it back to its safe mode. He lowered down the gun and stuffed it back on his belt. Then, he walked to Riho and grabbed her in a fast mode, up into his arms.

 

“What the…” Riho started saying but unable to form the words further when she was rushed back towards the car, thrown inside, confusion drawn on her face as she watched Jung Shin rushed back to his seat, started the engine and U-turned the car around to head out from the place. All of these happened too fast, she was thrown again to the front. When her hand hit the dashboard, she yelled in pain.

 

“Ouch!!!” she said, jerking her palms away. Jung Shin rolled his eyes and chuckled.

 

“Are you idiot??? You feel the pain now but didn’t feel anything when I was about to kill you earlier???” he asked her, stepped on the brake, rounded at her and stared hard into her eyes. Riho stared back, hands both raised up on the air, like she was surrendering to him.

 

“Let me think…the shock was still there…I…I can’t think straight…” she answered him, blinking her eyes a few times, thinking. Again, Jung Shin rolled his eyes. He moved closer to her while she backed away, pasted her body onto the seat. Jung Shin pulled the seat belt and put it on for her. She blinked again.

 

“Thanks…” she muttered. Jung Shin ignored her and he stepped on the pedal again before they zooming off to somewhere Riho had no idea again where the hell it was this time. Not until when they got into a little town where they stopped suddenly again, the difference this time, she wasn’t thrown to the front when Jung Shin hit on the brake because he had managed to grab her shoulder when he did. Riho blew air out of .

 

“Will you please learn how to slow down when you are driving??? Seriously, one of these days, your car will be caught on the speed trap camera which is not something should be afford by an assassin, right??? The cops will get to you!!!” she hissed at him, reminded him about something that an assassin shouldn’t do, messing with the cops. Like she was an old friend of Jung Shin. Jung Shin groaned, again ignoring her babbling. He stepped out from the car, moved to her seat but before he could do anything to get her out, she already did it herself. Limping, she leaned on the car.

 

“What now??? If you want to throw me on the ground again, I swear I will wrestle you back…” she said fiercely at him. Jung Shin curved a smirk that was so annoying Riho curled up her hand into a fist and threatened to punch him with it. He smirked even wider when he saw her action.

 

“Why don’t we try it out now??? Let’s see whether you can wrestle me away…” he replied her with an undertone, almost like a hiss. In one smooth, graceful act, he managed to hold her in his arms again. Riho stared blankly, confusedly as her eyes moved from the ground then up to his face. There, he was smirking that so annoying smirk again. She pouted.

 

“Show off assassin…” she muttered. Jung Shin hid back a laugh and then walked towards the nearest shop. He put her down and held her close to his side, where she can lean easily on his body. Then, he started banging on the door loudly. Riho shifted and stared up at the name board of the shop.

 

MAKOTO CLINIC

 

“Hey!!! Open up!!! Hurry!!!” Jung Shin yelled loudly, on top of his lungs as he banged and kicked the door to his heart’s content, violently that the door will probably crack off its hinges. Riho tried to stop him, desperately telling him that it was already late in the night, no one would be there and they would cause interruption for the people living there.

 

“Just shut up, will you???” Jung Shin snapped at her at last, hand and leg still working on the door so that someone will hear him. Riho rolled her eyes.

 

“Oh, will you too??? In case you had lost your memories, I wasn’t the one who is trying to break the door of someone’s clinic!!!” she raised her voice up. Exactly at that moment, the door clicked and the light from inside of the clinic was . A man appeared and he pulled the door opened a bit to reveal his face.

 

“Look, young man…it’s already 3.00 am…I am not in the mood to attend to someone so…” he started saying but stopped at once when Jung Shin pointed his gun at him. He watched the gun with his eyes came together on it.

 

“Now you have the mood, I believe so…” Jung Shin said to him, his voice turning to icy cold, indicating that he wasn’t someone that the man should be messing with. The man gulped, eyes still on the gun then he nodded abruptly. He let them through, opening the door a little wider. Jung Shin dragged Riho along with him before he throw her on the bed. The man started to take out the necessary things to attend to her cuts. Jung Shin watched him with deadly glare, his gun still pointed to his chest. With shaking hands, he started working on Riho. Riho gulped. She was sorry for this man.

 

“Look…can you please stop threatening his life like that??? He couldn’t work properly if he is afraid of you…” Riho said to Jung Shin. Jung Shin moved his glare to her now. She glared back. Then, he put down the gun, stuffed it on his belt again and stood with his arms crossed, watching the man attending to Riho. Like a security guard. Riho sighed a relief sigh.

 

“It’s not really serious wounds, right???” she asked the man. He shook his head but the moment he tried to get the pieces of glasses that were pierced into her legs out, Riho started to yell in pain and she winced, grabbing the bed sheet for support. She bites her lips to stop herself from yelling again.

 

“Go easy on her or I will put the same pain on you…” Riho heard Jung Shin threatening the man again. This time, the gun was pointed on his head. The man, covered in sweat now, nodded and looked at Riho’s face, looking like he was begging for her not to make life harder for him by yelling in pain again. She nodded back and then bites her lips as he started to get the glasses out. Once he was done, she too was covered in cold sweat. The man walked to the medicine racks and started packing some pain killers, new bandages and all things for the treatments needed for her wounds. He stuffed them into a bag and handed it to Riho.

 

“Clean your wounds every 8 hours…when it hurt, eat the pain killers…” he reminded her. Then, he looked up at Jung Shin and squared his shoulders.

 

“I expect you to pay me with high price…you are breaking and entering!!!” he hissed at him. Jung Shin uncrossed his arms and exited the clinic. Riho smiled at the man that had turned to look at her.

 

“Thanks…” she said to him. The man shrugged but before he could say anything, Jung Shin was back, bringing the guitar case with him. Hurriedly, Riho stood up. Something was wrong. Jung Shin opened the case and worked on the gun in there, the one that could muffled the sound of shooting. When he was done, he raised the gun up and pointed to the man, who stiffened at once. He smirked.

 

“Your payment…” Jung Shin said with a clear, calm tone. Then…

 

“BANG!!!” the gun made a little sound as he pressed the trigger and the bullet ran through the man’s head. With a ‘thud’, his body landed on the floor, blood rushing out, within a minute, started covering the white floor. Riho’s mouth fell opened, wide, disbelief, shocked, all mingled on her face. Jung Shin stuffed the gun into the case, flung it across his arm, grabbed the bag of medicine that Riho had dropped on the floor, too shocked from what she had seen before grabbing her arm. Hurriedly, they exited the clinic. Inside the car, Riho stared at the bandages the man had put on for her when he attended to her cuts. She hid back the urge to cry. She glanced at Jung Shin that was driving next to her, his face unreadable. They stopped in another place, this time, Riho let him do whatever he wanted to do as she watched him in silent. Jung Shin stole a new car, leaving behind the car that they used to ride and park at the clinic. This was his way to eliminate evidences that could relate them to the dead man there. Then, he opened his guitar case and searched for a new plate number, giving his ‘new car’ a ‘new plate number’. Once he was done, once again, he threw Riho into her seat, got on and started driving again. It was when he had cornered into the road that headed towards his house that Riho finally had the guts to ask him the question she had been thinking all along when she watched him doing his ‘work’.

 

“When??? When are you going to kill me???” she asked him with a clear voice, not looking at him. Her question caused Jung Shin to step on the break and the car stopped. He turned to look at her. Riho was staring ahead. Jung Shin followed her gazes. Her question made sense to him. So far, he had done everything he usually did when he met with someone that he wasn’t supposed to meet. The man at the clinic, he saw his face, so he would have to die. The car, he disposed it because it was there on the crime scene. The plate number, so the stolen car couldn’t be located. Then, Riho. Wasn’t she the ultimate proves that could relate him to all of these??? She was there, with him, saw him, saw everything yet she was still breathing. Jung Shin gulped.

 

“I won’t kill you…” he heard his reply. Jung Shin looked around to see Riho looking at him too. She reached out her hand and patted his cheek lightly. Her palm that was covered with bandage caused sharp pain piercing Jung Shin’s heart. He knew it. He wouldn’t kill her. Takada Riho, isn’t someone he could kill without mercy. For the first time in his 21 years living as a heartless assassin, Jung Shin failed his mission.