Please be advice that the story is not mine and I already ASK for permission to post it. Please visit her website at http://wattpad.com/thedispirit - the author of this story is thedispirit.

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Chapter XXII

Without taking another last glance at those cold eyes of his, I quickly darted off to somewhere where my tears would turn cold and will just break into pieces as if nothing happened.

Seohyun’s right. Humans are stupid when it comes to love. I love Jiyong to the extent that I’m the only who’s caring and feeling grateful that one of us exists. But love is not a universal power anymore. Anyone can say those three mere words to express their stupid love to someone. It all matters on how you love someone.

And I stupidly decided to love him with everything I have.

I somehow want to question Shakespeare. Doubt that the stars are fire, Doubt the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love.

I suddenly felt doubts that the stars are really fire; maybe those stars are there are just fireflies that got stuck in that sticky selfish sky—just like me as the firefly and Jiyong as my sky. There is no way out when I’m trapped in that sky, even though I keep struggling, a force in me keeps me shining in that dark sky.

I suddenly felt doubts that the sun really move. Maybe, just maybe, the sun is as selfish and lazy as we humans. Maybe the sun is just a show-off. Maybe the sun is selflessly giving warmth to everything but deep inside that bright star is a selfish act wherein it slowly devours everything around it.

Maybe, truth is really a liar. Maybe all along, lie is really the truth and yet the truth is masking its lie by blaming it to ‘lie’.

My mind is full of ‘Maybe’s’ that can’t be answered in any way.

I looked up at the sky and saw the clouds forming darkness above me, ready to devour everything I have and return my soul to the land as droplets of water. And by then, I started questioning the rain.

It must be a beautiful scenario and feeling when you’re the one connecting two different worlds. The rain—these mere drops of water are the only reason and way for the sky and the earth to connect in some cases.

The sky cries, the land catches it tears and dries it away—and by that, the tears of the sky relieves the pain of the land and beautiful sprouts of flowers bloom.

‘Kwon Jiyong, you are the sky and I may be the land.

But there is no such ‘rain’ between us.’

My mind started sulking in the corner of my brain and lighting up the darkness with pitch-black emotions.

After admiring the dark sky and receiving its tears, I looked straight ahead; ready to go back where I belong. I’m ready to face my death, I’m ready to die, I’m ready to sadly smile in front of Jiyong as he realizes that I don’t want to let go of the book which is my only chance for me to have a fairy tale, happy ending.

Right now, the least person that I want to see and yet I really want to talk to is in front of me with those pity eyes of hers.

“Why did you do that?” my voice rumbled like the thunder around me.

“It’s what you need, Sandara.” Her voice is stern and stiff, not the sweet Seohyun that I knew. She’s a different person and I don’t know who she is.

“What I need? You’re ridiculous! Who are you? Why did you tell Jiyong about it? The Seohyun I know is not like that at all! She’s my…friend.” My voice slowed down as I came to a stop on the last word. CL’s name lingered in my mind. A friend, I’ve forgotten what this word truly means.

“A friend, Sandara. I am still her.”

“No, you are not her! I don’t understand you anymore!” The world of ‘pain and heart break’ is rapidly increasing its population and heavily burdening me every second in my remaining life.

“You don’t understand me? Or you never did?”

I stopped and heard my heavy breathing along with the rushing rain.

“Why did you tell Jiyong about my death?”

“He has the right to know, Sandara!” her golden eyes glowed even more as her voice roared like the crashing waves on the shore.

“You’ve put his life in danger!”

“I put his life in danger? Wow, I can’t believe you’re so stupid, Sandara. Do you think that if Jiyong didn’t know about your death, he’ll be alive? Think, Sandara! He’ll quickly rush to the upper league and ask about you when you’re gone. Technically, the upper league won’t tell Jiyong about your death because they know that it will only disrupt his evolution to a full Superman.” She exhaled and shook her head gravely, “But I guess, no matter what happens, it’ll end up just the same.”

“The same? What do you mean?” my voice shattered as it was chopped letter per letter by a painful knife in my throat.

“That book, the book of heroes, it’s been passed on to the leaders of the upper league generations after generations and by then, the greatest supermen were charted every decade and centuries. And with these supermen,” she paused, looking up at the sky as if reminiscing something that has happened in the past to fill in her story, “they were all the same. They were great, fearless, special, and powerful! They are indeed the finest among the best superheroes the stars ever made. But even so, with these supermen—they all have the same weakness.”

I tried removing the lump in my throat by gulping down my saliva that suddenly tastes like iron blood.

“And what is that weakness? Is it the kryptonite?” I asked as my anticipation roused.

Seohyun chuckled softly, shaking her head in despair.

“No, but close enough. These powerful and indestructible supermen were all killed by the same reason. They loved their only strength and weakness.”

Seohyun stated the words slowly, peeling the skin of truth from its lying mask. She looked straight back at me as a smile flashed on her face.

“Unlike fairytales, in this world, the kiss is the killer. Eternal love is the poison and only death and sacrifice is the healer.”

With these last words of hers, she vanished into the golden dust of air—just like then and then someone will appear. It’s as if every time this person appears, it’s already a sign that these Bum’s should get out of his way. It is the time wherein he’ll suddenly appear before me and calm everything down.

I feel like a little kid seeing a big teddy bear that she wants. I feel like a little kid seeing a cute pup and then owning it. I feel like a little kid receiving her first Christmas gift ever. I feel like a little kid, just a little kid that needs a candy whenever I am down. And that candy is him.

The happiness in me conquered everything, even my own body and tears.

My breakdown isn’t about the pain anymore, it’s all about the gratefulness that he is alive and he is right in front of me now, smiling as if he’s the sun that clears the dark sky once again.

“How did you…I mean, you’re alive!” I clung into his neck and pulled him towards me tightly.

“As long as you live and breathe, I will too. But,” he paused and pulled away from me slowly. He caressed my cheeks, wiping away the tears flowing down my face, “I don’t want you ever crying again, okay?”

Without hesitation, I nodded, forgetting about everything that happened.

“I quickly came back as I felt that you were almost dying. It suddenly feels like it’s already your death soon enough.” He exhaled, wrapping me in his arms and whispering to me, “What happened? Why were you crying? Why did I suddenly felt that you were…dying?”

And by then, I remembered Jiyong.

By my reflex, I rapidly pulled away from Leeteuk. His eyes showed confusion for a moment but it seems he quickly understood what I felt, or maybe, what I think.

“You know, I have this thought that my life is also filled with ‘Ifs’. And it’s the thing that I hate the most but by the time that I met you, it’s almost a possibility for me to continue living.” He planted his hands in his jeans pockets as he looked up at the sky. I followed his gaze and astonishment enveloped me as I saw the sky clearing up with Ice smiling towards it.

His eyes landed back at me.

“If…you met me first, if…I am not a villain, if…you never married Jiyong, if...you loved me first and if…there is a chance for you to be mine. Is it never too late?” he asked the questions to himself although his eyes are locked with mine.

No words came out of my mouth.

I stood there like a dumb person not knowing that the world exists.

My mouth trembled as I try to find the right answers and words to an unanswerable question raining down on me.

“Leeteuk…It’s…”

“Please don’t answer yet. Think about it but then again, don’t keep me waiting because I’ve decided…” He sighed and smiled a sweet, malicious smile, “I’ve had enough. I’ve decided to steal you away from Jiyong.”

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Leeteuk and Dara?

or

Jiyong and Dara?