~CHAPTER 75~

December 24, 2013, 4 am

I was standing in front of a tombstone; his tombstone. A year has passed but I still couldn't believe everything that had happened. I wish I could turn back time but I can't. I can only stop it.

"I really miss you. Why do you have to do that, huh?" Tears started to fall on my cheeks again. I couldn't remember how many times I have cried. I couldn't stop blaming myself. 

"Kris" I called for him and began to cry. My face was buried on my hands.

A cold wind passed by and it brought shivers to my spine. 

"Ha...na" I heard a voice. When I looked up, my eyes was filled with horror. Kris' dead body was reaching for my face. "Ha..na" He called but I shook my head vehemently and stepped back.  "You're mine" He said.

"No! You're not him!" I screamed. The sky turned red and everything became eerie. 

"I am Kris" He grinned and blood came out of his mouth. I felt like throwing up when I saw how his shoulder became unbalance. 

"No!" I screamed. 

I shot my eyes opened panting for air. "No" I furrowed my brows and placed an arm over my eyes. Tears began to fall. "Another nightmare" 

6:30 am

I stood in front of his grave- for real. 

"Kris..." The wind blew making my now short hair brushed against my face. *Here I am now.....so please stop haunting me in my dreams.* I muttered and wiped the dirt on his grave away. “Advance Merry Christmas” I smiled and stood up. I didn't plan on staying there the whole day since I'm going to Rian's place later. 

While walking, I felt a cold drop on my head. I looked up only to find it snowing. Raising my hand, I  waited for a flake to drop in it. In a few seconds, a flake landed and it brought coldness in palm. I smiled and continued on my way.              

A young boy with his mom passed by me. “Mommy, she’s scary.” He pointed at me. I glanced at him and smirked. The boy gasped. “Mommy! Let’s go!” The boy whined and dragged his mom away.

"Hana! Why are you so late?!" Rian stomped her feet while her arms a crossed. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head and continued to walk in front of her.

“Chill. I just visited him a while ago” When she heard this, her face fell and I could sense what she was thinking. “Don’t even think about blaming yourself.” I narrowed my eyes at her before messing her hair.

She scowl, shoving my hands. Sighing, she s her arms on mine and dragged me inside her house. “Come on, the others are waiting”

I smiled a little gazing at her new mansion. Ever since the incident last year, Rian and Yoonmi bought a new house. They wanted to have a fresh start, forgetting the nightmares of the day of their abduction. *You can’t blame yourself, Rian. Afterall,  I am his killer.* I shut my eyes feeling that same pain again. He died because I hesitated. He died because I was too weak. He died because of me.

The girls and I spent the whole day lounging at her living room. Daeji and Rian were really noisy because of their bickering.

“Is there anything else that you need?” Tilting my head, I saw Rima standing behind me. I shook my head and she nodded, leaving.

Suddenly, a phone rang making our heads turn at the side. Haesung answered a call. Her expression slightly changed and she ended it with a cold “Neh.” Looking at us, she sighed. “It’s my mom. She wanted me to go home now”

We frowned after hearing that.

“I’m sorry but I couldn’t do anything about it. I’ll make it up to you next year I promise” She clasped her hands as if she was asking for a favor.

“Okay then. That’s a promise.” Yoonmi said and gave her a hug. “Advance Merry Christmas”

“Hmm… you too. Advance Merry Christmas” She patted Rian’s back before letting go.

It was already 9 pm when she received the call. Therefore, I volunteered to send her to the bus stop. Good thing, when we arrived there, her bus just pulled in.

“Take care” She said after giving me hug. “Advance Merry Christmas”

A smile crept on my face. “Same to you.” Patting her shoulder, she nodded and boarded the bus. She gave a last wave before it left.

I was on my way back to Rian’s place when the light post in a distance flickered. It was snowing that day and to top that, I was all alone in the street.

Suddenly, I heard sounds of footsteps drawing closer so I stopped in my tracks.

“Why are you alone here, miss beautiful?”  I heard a guy’s voice behind me. Turning, I saw a drunk guy who was holding a bottle while walking, wobbling. He stopped in front of me and blinked a few times to adjust his blurry vision. “Haf I seen you befow?”

I stared at him without having a hint of fear. I didn’t feel any. He raised his hand reaching for me but I caught his hand.

He laughed eyeing my grip on him. “You really loowk familiar-hic!” He grinned and took a step closer making me narrow my eyes.  “whawt is ya name-hic!”

His breath stinked because of the alcohol. Guys like him disgust me. “Do you really wanna know?” I hissed.

He grinned, nodding. “Come awn, babe, -hic!” Chuckling, he shoved my hand and was going to slung his arm on my shoulder.

“Park Hana is my name” I said in a dark tone watching him freeze on his spot.

“W-What?” He swallowed hard and shook his head. *Did I hear correctly?* He eyed me from top to bottom before taking a step back. “Oh ” He stumbled, body shaking. I smirked and took a step in front but he immediately waved his hands in front. “D-Don’t come near me!” His face that was red from the cold became covered with fear.

Smirking, I took back my step and shooed him away. He nodded his head and stood up, running away from me. What made him look like he has seen a ghost? Hearing my name.

“Aish. And here we are really worried about why you didn’t arrive sooner.” I turned my head and saw Daeji shaking her head. I smiled and went beside them.

“You scared off another hoobae.” Yoonmi pouted.

“You know that guy?” I asked, raising my brows.

“He’s in the 10^th grade. I remembered meeting him at some conference” She tapped her chin.

“Are 10^th grader even allowed to drink?”

They just side-eyed me, shrugging. I sighed. Ah. Teens nowadays.

“I will never forget the look in his face when he heard your name. It was E-P-I-C!” Daeji giggled, placing an arm around my neck headlocking me.

“That’s the perks of being the notorious gang leader of SNU” Rian shot me a glare so I looked away. It was not my plan to be called that name.

I still remembered everything clearly. The day that they triggered the last bullet is the day I decided to fight back. But somehow, it didn’t end nicely because I send a dozen of girls to the hospital. Mostly because I broke their nose. Sigh. It was only the nose.

Anyways, ever since that incident, everyone in the school grew afraid of me. Some guys, though, tried to teach me a lesson for hurting their girls and I gladly returned the favor of fighting back.

Using these “opportunities”, I decided to start a new life. That’s why I became like this. *The notorious gang leader of SNU-who has no gang at all*.

Snapping back to reality, I gazed at the falling snowflakes.

 “Ever since all of you left....”

                                   “Everything has changed.”

I placed my hands inside my pockets. "This is the new me." 

-The End-