NARRATOR’S POV :

From a distance, a guy with bright blonde hair was walking across an empty hall. He was walking in a steady pace, his footsteps echoed along the deserted hallway, left abandoned somewhat like some scene of a thriller game where all the zombies hide quitely awaiting for their victims. He fastened his steps hastily, desiring to quickly finish and wrap this all as fast as possible as he could. Honestly, he hated for having to do this and carrying out the ‘nonsense moreover ridiculous’ idea suggested by them. How he hated them for betraying him and setting him up without him  aware of the situation. Or it would likely to be said and best suited explained that he had fallen for their ‘trap’ unknowingly. He reached in front of a door, and he knocked on the door vigilantly. It was only a big brown wooden door, like any other door he had encountered before in the past or formerly. However, it seemed as if he was used to always being extra sensitive and careful on every situation or was trained to be very alert and responsive enough towards anywhere or during any surrounding he was.

“Come in.” someone answered grumpily who he assumed and predicted based on his ancient manly voice in his 40’s answered in it.

The guy twisted the golden doorknob slowly, opening the door. A man with glasses on shifted his attention from the pile of papers on his table towards the young man who appeared by the door out of the blue uninvited and unexpectedly during at such an hour.

“Yes, May I help you?” he inquired curiously, as he took of his glasses and rotated his body with his chair trying to face and see who exactly was interrupting his work during his ‘leisure moment.’

The young man approached him, and placed his black stuffed file on top of his table.

“I’m Kwon Jiyong. I’m the new transfer student from Canada.” He introduced himself politely, and gave a 90' degree bow in respect. However, he's mind was somewhere else though.

~~~~~~~~

"So, you're trying to say that you are no longer serving him? That you've turned over a new leaf?" a guy asked skeptically while chewing a gum.

"Can... we trust you now? " another person pried warily from across the room.

Kwon Jiyong got up from his chair. He was hurted by their contemptous words and dubious mannerism.

"Forget it" he scowled and straight away proceeded towards the door intending to exit the room. Frankly, he was really dismayed and totally sadden by the fact that his friends were still eyeing him doubtfully and kept on questioning him. They were still ongoing suspecting him as one of 'the devil's' most cherished and prized minion. Still distrustful at him as always. 

Who wouldn't? After all those dire moments they had to dealt with for him.

It was often that Kwon Jiyong gave them, his only loyal, faithful and and reliable companions a hard time. Throughout all those time, they would constantly and tirelessly help him get back on his feet. And of course, subsequently Kwon Jiyong would again be anguished and despaired by his own absurdity guilts and prejudiced mistakes. During those times when he was drowning in his never ending despair. Initially, Kwon Jiyong was known for his exhibit of an unemotional, brute and an assertive type of person. But, the truth was he's still a childish, careless, and a foolish guy. An empty shell of a heartbroken and miserable man. Nobody, not even his friends could fix him that time yet alone himself. 

He had to do what he had to do, does he even had any other choice during that time? She was dead because of him. Kwon Jiyong had became a cause for the death of his loved ones, wasn't?

And so, once upon a time, a long-long time ago.

One day, he chose to live without feelings. No more happiness, no more sadness. No more anything. 

No more having to care for something or someone.

Kwon Jiyong decided to walk on the path of  isolation. Leading a solitary life. Embracing the helpless and lost feelings. Abandoning and aparted himself from everyone. He wished to be outcasted and alone with no one clinging on him. He intended to withdraw himself from the world.

Theoratically, he was dead. Not dead like buried inside a ground or burned into ashes. Even zombies were more fun to be with rather than him according to them. He's alive, but barely breathing. Still alive, but not living. He discarded away those feelings or sentiments that had worn him out to an extend that he no longer felt the need or will to move forward with alike attachments towards people. What's the point if everything he touch dies in the end?

Kwon Jiyong was alive, right?

He had a sworn promise to keep, didn't he?

"I'll keep on living, only that. Don't expect anything more from me."

~~~~~~~~~

“Ah, I see you have arrived safely here. Welcome, my boy.” He’s face lightened up as he finally stood up and welcomed the young man warmly and kindly. Jiyong was alarmed, as he was self-reflecting just now. He presented his ‘best-happy cheerful-and-most-friendly-smile’ that he ever owned and gave a simple introduction about himself.

“Well, you are quite an excellent student. I can see here you’re fairly an over-achiever, but in a very good way and I can tell right here and right now based on your attitude towards me, you’re also rather well-mannered and surprisingly courteous. Let’s see here… A black belt in judo, taekwando,.. And almost all martial arts there is. Once participated in the national chemistry quiz representing your state and even won 2^nd place. You also won a gold medal in high jump during the Annual Winter Olympics at your country, and so on. Well, I’m very most glad to accept you here as my student.” He praised Jiyong and patted at his shoulders proudly.

Jiyong thanked the principal, and also secretly thanking Minzy for successfully forging the fake certificates. Later, the principal instructed the staff to make an announcement to call out for the student president, Kim Yumi. Awhile that, Jiyong sat inside the principal’s office and had a small conversation with him. So far, disguising as a high school student is going pretty well he thought silently and slowly his mind drifted away again. 

~~~~~~~~~

    "Can we really trust him? I mean.. Remember that time when he tried to kill us? Or that time when he wanted stabbed me? And that time when he..." 

"He joined the darkside. He allowed himself to be engulfed by darkness. He did way too many unforgivable stuffs and some unacceptable things to us and others as well. He chose to be that way, remember? So, no of course we can't trust him anymore, Junho" another person gave his opinion and seemed as if he is fixed to it.

"Oppa,... it wasn't his fault. He didn't choose, joined or allowed himself or whatsoever to the darkside. Stop freakin speak like we're in some star wars thingy. Darkside? Why say so? 'The Devil' is more relevant to be accepted than that. You're more pathetic than VI, Junhyung-oppa.." it was Minzy's turn to say a few words, the maknae and only female in the group.

"Why are you always relating his patheticness with me? Hmm,..? Totally agree on your lame-ness hyung. Anyways, fat cheek's reasons are solid and suprisingly factual enough concerning with why he was like that in the first place. He can't be condemned or criticized for what he did, you know? Let the past be in the past." VI or also known as Seungri mocked the forever-alone guy and purposely provoked the hot-tempered cutie, Minzy.

"Who the hell are you calling fat cheek's?!" both of them irritatedly yelled and confused on who actually he was referring as fat cheek's.

Seungri laughed uncontrolably while being chased and pursued around the room by two annoyed person.

"Fat cheek's is Minzy. You got awarded with that honourable title, and it's my pleasure. Hyung, I'll come up with a more epic one, can't wait for that ha?" Seungri persisted. He loved the way they would react on his deliberate tease and never-ending jokes. Simply priceless.

"." Junhyung retorded bitterly.

"Jerk." Minzy snapped back about to be sulky.

"What about me?" Junho suddenly interupted their lengthy conversation and nonsense arguement.

With that they broke into laughter, leaving Seungri on the verge of tears. Tears of joy or pain? Who knows exactly, because by that moment he was attacked heartlessly by the ones he acknowledged as family or his friends for life.

Junhyung, Minzy and Junho. Jiyong used to be in the picture.Used to.

Jiyong poised himself against the wall and sighed. Their laughter could be heard even outside of their apartment. He missed it. He missed them so much. How dumb could've he ever be? How could you even abandon your friends? Exiled and cast aside them like they're worth nothing to you? 

Right now, hearing them laughing and joking around with each other. It was too late, already. Often in life, when you've come to realise something the timing was always a bit off or it was too late. Sometimes it was over before you know it.

The only option available to him rigth now was to watch over and protect them from a distance. This time, he's made a pledge to himself. He won't ever allow the ones that he be indebted with, the ones who had been  through all the good and bad times with him to be in danger. It's his turn to protect them.

~~~~~~~~~ 

Minutes passed, all of a sudden someone knocked on the door for permission to enter.“Oh, she’s here. Come in.” the principal said and allowed the person to enter. The door opened, and it was Yumi, the student council’s president.

“You need me, principal?” she asked, then noticed someone else was there sitting quietly and absently like a perfect wallflower.

“Yumi, meet Kwon Jiyong, the transfer student I mentioned a few days ago.”

She looked at him, and gave a friendly smile at him, like a gift for the new kid from ‘Canada’.

“Oh, hi I’m Yumi, Kim Yumi. Nice to meet you.”

 “Nice to meet you too. I’m Kwon Jiyong.” He casually replied.

Then, the principal asked Yumi to help him out around the school, and accompany him towards his class. Kwon Jiyong thanked the principal again for his kindness and hospitality, and he followed Yumi heading towards his class.

“Lucky we’re in the same class. I hope we get along somehow.” She said and smiled warmly at him.

Kwon Jiyong suddenly felt bothered and realized something from the past, some memory related to him in the past.

Why did his heart felt different, and skipped million beats rapidly whenever she looks at him?

What could be the authentic reason and the meaning behind that beautiful smile until he can’t take his eyes off her?

Why couldn’t he resist to or just stop immediately from looking and stealing glances at her?

It was the same précised and exact feeling, the same heartbeat, the same pair of eyes and that color of her hair which had took him by surprise and off-guard, totally defenseless.

 At last, he finally figured out and remembered when she turned around to face him.

How her hair twirled elegantly and it fell on her shoulders like it’s meant to be and the world stopped orbiting and time slowly came to a standstill, his surroundings slowly drifted and turned into slow motion.

And in that moment he swore, 

Like how it happened to him, on that particular day.

When he had decided to end his life, when he thought that he couldn't accomplish his promise. He lost the only one he can't live without, so it was meaningless to him. Sooner or later, life was hollow. Back then, what more can be done? Should he continue living, when everything was insignificant? To live in vain? Amidst the catastrophe occurencing him, a miracle descended on him. On a rainy day, it happened. It took only 60 seconds. 60 seconds of a life time. He never thought that he could bring himself back to those feelings. During those 60 seconds, to him it was a forever and a day.

Those eyes. Those lips. That face. The touch. The feeling. That changed his life all together.

Isn’t this the girl who almost got herself killed?   

“Wasn’t this the same girl who I saved with my own hands?”