As she made her way towards the exit, someone familiar unexpectedly met her eyes; someone she never dared to meet up with and see again.

She stopped on her tracks and hurriedly held onto the lightly flowing curtains, in hopes to conceal her presence. She sharply drew in some air, feeling the tense drumming underneath her chest.

Her anxious eyes kept on trailing the guy, whom she knew, was able to pay heed to her existence.

“Krystal?” She heard the guy’s faint uncertainty. She unknowingly tightened her grasp onto the curtains, obviously not wanting to have another momentary drama scene.

It was no doubt, she recognized that voice anywhere. It may have been quite a long time since they last saw each other, but it was still not long enough for the sound of his voice to be erased from her memory.

All the pain she had undergone and felt during the past hideously tumbled back, the memories she has been meaning to discard washed over her once more as if she had only been through them just the day before.

“Krystal, I know you’re here,” the guy spoke again, his words echoing in her ears. “Where are you?”

She clutched her chest, feeling a twinge land on her as she did. The wretched memory flew back into her mind, no matter how hard she tried to forget it.

Krystal, I love you. I want you...

She shivered disgustedly at the thought. Hot water clouded her eyes, biting onto her lip; she tried with much difficulty to hold back her tears.

“Krystal, please talk to me just this once. I know I’ve done you wrong,” the guy told her, seeming as though he was pleading. “I-I’m sorry, I really am.”

She froze on the spot, her trembling hands loosening their grip on the curtains. The lump in was nearly suffocating her. All that she longed to do at the moment was to break down and cry.

But she knew that she can’t.

Distrust engulfed her. Was it really him? Did he just apologize? Did he actually regret the intolerable mistake he had caused her?

Are you him?

Are you really Kai?

She just can’t bring herself to face him, not now. With everything that happened between the both of them, forgiveness was indeed tough to harbor. The tremendous pain he had brought her was what shattered her life. The past he forcefully shoved unto her was what practically ruined everything.

Utter coldness fenced her, all that wandered within her preoccupied mind was the unforgotten obstacle she had encountered, the obstacle that involved Kai who was earnestly searching out for her.

She was solely hurt. Her life was a total disaster. She was stuck in some emotional roller coaster that left her so darn pathetic and unstable. As much as she tried to muster up the power to break free, she couldn’t.

She was too drained. After being physically and mentally abused, who wouldn’t be?

After her happenstance with Kai, she was left alone with no one to be with, no shoulder to cry on. From the way she was situated, she was not even in her right mind to consider herself as a decent human being.

She didn’t give a damn to anything, to anyone. She blamed herself for being so retarded, for being so weak. She should’ve fought back.

If only she wasn’t so helpless, she could’ve escaped. But instead, things turned out so differed, painful even. The greatest blessing she has been meaning to bestow to the man she loves with all her heart was claimed by a foul beast in the end.

And it so happens that the beast was someone whom she thought was a fine guy who knew very well, the word respect. She knew she shouldn’t have trusted him.

The world just crumbled down on her in one go. It was Kai’s fault. Because of him, everything was a huge mess. It was all thanks to him that she felt like some unwanted crap that never deserves even the simplest act of humanity.

Where are you going, Krystal? I’m right here! We can do anything! The night is young, baby…

Kai’s revolting words crossed her mind, causing her tears to spill out endlessly. She hugged her knees close to her chest, trying to divert her attention from the horrid memory that repeatedly played in her mind.

Krystal, where are you going? Don’t you want to make love on bed with me?

Again, she heard Kai’s voice. She shuddered, weakly dropping her arms to her sides, bursting into a fit of harsh cries. She shook her head, not wanting to recall the stupid instance any longer. “God, please stop…”

You’re gonna love this, baby…

She broke into sobs, rudely clenching her fists as she kept her eyes shut. “Please stop…”

The memory of Kai abusing her physically was what plainly got her distressingly battling with a mental breakdown. She held onto her head, feeling it whirl about limitlessly as tears sprang from her eyes.

As much as she loathed the fact, she still felt Kai’s hot breath graze the depths of her very own skin. The fact that he actually jostled his length into her literally crushed her soul. How his tongue pierced through every inch of her, how he owned her despite how much she despised him was terrible enough to make her want to go for suicidal attempts.

Well, this is what you deserve…

She screamed at the top of her voice, hurling the half-filled bottle of soju onto the walls before it was smashed into tiny pieces.

Don’t tell anyone about what I did, or else…

“Please just shut up! Damn it, stop! God, please stop!” she screamed recklessly, hauling the strands of her hair as she watched the unmoving pieces of glass from the soju bottle she broke.

Do you want me to do this to someone else you love?

“Stop it!” Blood seeped from her hands, wounded this time, by her own fault. She was in an unimaginable pain, yet she never once gave a damn. She screamed as though there was no tomorrow, as though her life depended on it. “Damn you! Shut up! I never asked for this !”

Do you want me to do this to your best friend, Sulli?

“Go to hell!” She screamed before finally surrendering. Realization struck her agonizingly. She crashed down the floor, her tears never ceasing. “ you…Kai.”

She knew, yet there was nothing she could do.

She definitely lost it.

“Krystal, please come out,” Kai begged, swallowing the hardening lump in his throat. “I shouldn’t have done that, I know. I’m really sorry.”

Silence swept over him, all that he felt was the cold breeze that passed by.

He was on the verge of losing his sanity, all that he aimed to do was to seek for Krystal’s forgiveness, but she wouldn’t even budge from her spot. “Please Krystal, talk to me.”

Krystal was somewhere around him, he was aware.

Now that she just appeared right before his very own eyes, he just can’t let her slip away from his fingers without clearing up his past blunder.

Krystal may have gone through a lot of hitches after what happened between them, but she wasn’t alone. Kai had a long journey after apprehending how much vulgar his actions have become.

Unbeknownst to Krystal, regret filled him.

Kai lowered his head, feeling as though his soul has darkened entirely. He forcefully grappled his shirt, letting out crude breaths as he stood in front of his older sister.

“What in the world did you to yourself, Kai?” his sister questioned him grimly, tears falling from her eyes. “As your sister, I expected more from you. Mom and dad, they did too. They’re such great parents. Tell me, do we lack so much as your family? I never thought you’d grow up so different from them.”

“N-noona, I’m really sorry…” he croaked, choking on the tears as he tried to meet his sister’s stern gaze.

“Kai, what the hell?! Are you that dense?! You expect me to forgive you after hearing that you actually someone with that thick face of yours?! Dear god, aren’t you so great?!” his sister exclaimed as she shoved her brother, letting him stumble. “I can’t believe you!”

Kai blinked away his tears, inching closer to where his sister stood. “N-noona…”

“Noona?” Her sister scoffed, trying with all her might to stop her tears as she backed away from her younger brother. “Don’t…don’t you ever call me sister. I’m not your sister. I don’t have a brother who doesn’t even know about shame.”

“N-noona, I’m sorry! Please, don’t leave me…” Kai pleaded, dropping to his knees. “I-I’ll change! I promise! I’ll change! With your help, I can change! Please!”

And with that, his sister finally agreed with him. She still cared for him so much, after all. Kai will always be her brother, and she knew that nothing will ever change that.

After finally complying with the said requirements, they both moved to America for the time being, where Kai was strictly disciplined by her older sister and where he received complete rehabilitation from consigned therapists.

After some time went by, he knew was ready.

“I need to go now. I’ll come and visit again soon,” Kai told her sister, wheeling his luggage as he heard the last call for his flight. “Thank you for everything, noona.”

His sister patted his back in response, a little smile forming on her lips as she watched her brother leave. “Dongsaeng…”

“Yeah?” Kai asked, craning his neck back to his sister’s direction.

“The reason why you’re returning, don’t forget. Don’t forget your promise,” she stated, biting onto her lip. “You must apologize.”

He then nodded, tucking his hair in his cap before turning and left the American lands, back to the place where he previously stood and committed his mistake.

He was ready to set things straight.

He was ready to face Krystal.

“Krystal, talk to me. Please, just hear me out. I won’t leave until you do.” Kai voiced out, his foot leading him almost everywhere.

Krystal simply stood still and tried to be hushed as possible, muffling her cries as her eyes were directed on Kai, who was still disturbed as ever.

She could feel it, Kai’s honesty.

She could’ve sworn Kai was undeniably being truthful at that point. He was being sincere, she could tell with a simple glance. The warmth that lingered in his eyes, they have changed.

Compared to the lustful deed that reflected upon him before, to Krystal, it seemed as though it had perished for good.

She could sense a part of her straining herself to confront him, but then again, another part of her was unwilling to do so.

She has been fooled by Kai once, and she never desired for those atrocious instances to happen to her over and over again.

She felt so doleful, so deserted. Again, it was Kai’s fault, so why was she crying in the first place?

They were both standing stranded on the same ground. Everything seemed like a game. One seeks, one stays hidden, yet both will end up losing.

Kai was wearing out himself, trying to look for her yet she, being the outrageous coward that she is, can’t even make even the slightest move.

Since she knew that Kai will end up finding her pretty soon anyway, she just concluded that she had to escape. Kai may have been prepared, but Krystal still wasn’t.

As soon as Kai was much farther from where she was staying, she immediately darted out of the open doorways, away from Kai who hastily ran after her.

“Krystal! Please, stop! Hear me out!” he yelled as he tried to tail her, but unfortunately for him, Krystal was nowhere to be seen.

He then stopped, panting as he questioned some bystanders that seemed to be attending the same party as he was. “B-by any chance, have…have you seen some girl pass by this way?”

“A girl? Yes, she just passed by here a while ago.”

Where could she be?

He thought hard, slamming his fist against the wall as anger rose within him.

He just failed, but he knew in his heart that there was no stopping him.

He’ll find her in no time, he had to.

Meanwhile, Krystal stayed hidden behind a huge tree trunk, just a few meters away from where Kai stopped. Her breathing was labored and shallow after setting up quite a pace, but she was somehow glad that she was able to distance herself from Kai at the moment. She still had to be courageous enough to face him.

For now, she just had to accept the fact.

Kai is back…