“What the hell?” Bom roared from the kitchen. I grabbed Jiyong’s arm and hid behind his back as she came marching towards us. She’s been ranting ever since she arrived, complaining at how we haven’t fixed everything up. The bed, the couch, the study tables and some other stuff were all stocked up in the living room.

 

“What’s wrong?” Jiyong asked as if he doesn’t know what’s going on.

 

“What’s wrong?!” she went on. “You’re asking me what’s wrong? You haven’t put everything up to their proper places and-!”

 

“We just moved in!” I reasoned out. “We haven’t had enough time to put everything to their proper places”

 

“Dara, you moved in here seven hours ago!” she ranted. “Don’t tell me you don’t have time putting everything to their proper places but you have time for having ! The whole apartment smells and sticky fluids are everywhere – on the floor, on the kitchen sink, on the bed, on the-!”

 

“It’s Jiyong’s fault!” I defended myself. “He was being a ert!”

 

Jiyong looked down at me with raised brows while I gave him a look, asking him to just go with the flow. Out of nowhere, Bom just burst out crying. I glanced at her with worry then back at Jiyong but he just shrugged in return.

 

“Bom, what’s wrong?” I asked her.

 

“Y-youngbae!” she cried.

 

“Why? Did he cheat on you?”

 

“No!” she exclaimed. “He did worst than that!”

 

“Aigoo!” I mumbled and hugged her. “Why? What did he do?”

 

“H-he f-f-forgot to k-kiss me goodnight last night” she cried.

 

“You’ve got to be ing kidding me!” Jiyong breathed, disbelief coloring his voice. I glanced up and gave him a stern look while he stared at Bom with disgust written all over his face. He just doesn’t get it. Men just don’t get how emotional women could get and how simple acts make us feel. But I must admit, for someone like Bom to cry over things like this is pretty odd and weird.

 

“It’s not just that!” Bom wailed.

 

“What else?” I asked in worry.

 

“He doesn’t want to make me love to me anymore because he’s worried for the baby I’m carrying!” she bawled out loud. “Imagine, I’ll be pregnant for nine months! NINE MONTHS! And for those nine months, he won’t make love to me at all!”

 

My heart squeezed. I totally understand how she feels. Nine months without intimate moments with my pancake is the most tragic thing ever! If that happens to me. “He. . . what?” I asked blankly as her words finally dawned on me. “Y-you’re pregnant?! Oh my God! Why didn’t you tell me at once? And for how long already?”

 

“Two months” she sniffed then cried harder again.

 

“At least there are only seven months left” Jiyong snorted.

 

“Seven months!” Bom wailed louder.

 

I looked up at Jiyong. ‘Get Youngbae’ I mouthed. Seriously, this guy’s pretty rude and insensitive. But I still love him, though.

 

- - -

 

“Ha!” I breathed as I dropped myself in the bed. We finally put everything to their right places after Youngbae came to bring the wailing Bom home. I can’t believe her. I didn’t expect she’s capable of bawling out like that but I guess that’s how love does to people. I closed my eyes, imagining myself in front of a mirror with a bum. A blush suddenly crept to my cheeks. Aigoo! But wouldn’t it be nice to have a little Jiyong? Aigoo, aigoo! I want a miniature Jiyong to take care of! But wait, that would be err, odd. I can’t lust after my own son! So I take that back. I don’t want a miniature Jiyong. Gah! If my son will have Jiyong’s lips, aigoo! I don’t know what will happen! Maybe half me and half Jiyong?

 

Aish! What am I thinking? I’m already thinking of having a child when we’re not even married yet! We’re not even engaged in the first place. My eyes suddenly snapped open.

 

Engaged. My pancake, my very one fallen angel, my Kwon Jiyong has been engaged ONCE to another girl. Right then and there, my mind went travelling down to memory lane.

 

“How did Bom and the others found us down in the chamber?” I asked.

 

He didn’t answer at once as he was running his fingers through my hair. “Bom said Sulli called them”

 

“She did?”

 

“Yes” he sighed. “Sulli told them that if they want to save you, they have to rescue you themselves”

 

I swallowed the lump in my throat. They went there for me. I don’t know if I should be happy or not about it. I guess I’m in between. I’m deeply touched that they were willing to risk their lives for me but on the other hand, I can’t afford another death under my belt.

 

“That’s so thoughtful of them”

 

He chuckled. “I don’t know what they see in you, but they like you”

 

“I like them too!”

 

He kissed my head. “I know”

 

Silence.

 

“I want to hear everything” I broke the silence. “I want to hear how you planned out to kill Su- I mean, her”

 

“I can’t tell you everything” he then said.

 

“But why?”

 

“Because I don’t want to remember everything Sulli asked me to do”

 

I suddenly felt guilty. “At least tell me some parts”

 

“I guess it all started with my mother telling me about the ability of a masked shadow to a normal shadow into a masked one. Right then and there, I knew I have to be a masked shadow even if it’ll cost me everything because as what I learned, only a masked shadow can match up to a masked shadow. I asked Bom to tell you about the prediction in hope that you’ll love Jaejoong again. Then I asked Jaejoong to keep you alive no matter what because I’m not 100% sure I’ll win against Sulli if we fight after she turns me into a masked one. I’m not even sure if I’d still be the same Jiyong after the transformation”

 

“I didn’t. . .” I mumbled. “I tried to see Jae as what the prediction said – my soulmate. But I can’t. . . your face kept on popping into my head. It has always been you”

 

“You got it bad, huh?”

 

I rolled my eyes at his attempt of making a joke. He just at it. “Tell me more” I said instead.

 

“When I saw a chance, I quickly acted on it. I-”

 

“What chance?” I cut off.

 

“When Sulli put you under a spell, she offered me a deal. She said that if I. . . sleep with her, she’ll lift the curse off. At that time, I’ve already decided on what I have to do so I acted up on it. There’s no guarantee that I’ll succeed or she’ll do her part of the deal, but I risked it because there’s no other way. Being the best liar as what everyone says proved to have a good use. There were times that I think Sulli knew what I was up to but she didn’t say anything about it”

 

“She really likes you then” I stiffly said. “Or love you”

 

“I don’t think she’s capable of that”

 

“Oh no” I argued. “Never underestimate the power of love, Jiyong. It may be love for self, for power, for money, for nature, for someone special. . . . still”

 

He sighed. “I should have seen it earlier. When she saw me down the alley, transforming. . . I really thought I wiped off her memory, turns out we can do that” he said, ignoring what I said.

 

“She fooled all of us” I replied, deciding to drop my case.

 

“She did” he agreed. “And it damn pisses me off that I wasn’t the one who took her down”

 

“Speaking of, how did she die?”

 

“I have no idea” he answered. “I was beaten up and she was heading out of the chamber when it suddenly turned very dark. The next thing I knew, there’s a black phoenix at the center of the chamber”

 

“I saw that, too! But what was it doing there? Is the phoenix some sort of a shadow, too? Do you have any idea who that was? Does it even turn to human?”

 

“I have no idea” he answered. “None of us does. I actually didn’t believe that phoenix existed, much more a black phoenix”

 

“And Jaejoong. . . . he grew old”

 

“Yes. He must really love you for doing that”

 

“But how. . . .?” I trailed.

 

“Replacing your lost blood was one thing but you DIED. A life lost must be replaced by another one’s life. So, basically, he gave you his life”

 

Silence.

 

“What about Sohee?”

 

“The. . . royalties paired us”

 

“Do you. . . do you like her?” I swallowed. “I mean, she’s really cute and pretty and. . .”

 

“You’re jealous” he stated.

 

“Of course I am!”

 

“Sohee. . . she’s like Bom to me, in a way”

 

“In what way? The girlfriend way or the friend way?”

 

“Dara” he wearily sighed.

 

I pouted and wrapped my arms around him possessively. Kwon Jiyong is MINE. “I’ll have to steal you away from her, then”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“You’re MINE and I don’t like to share” I declared fiercely. I hated how this Sohee girl is like Bom to him. I HATE IT. This is the price of being away from him for so long, I know that but I won’t let that separation ruin what we have right now.

 

“You really are stubborn, huh?” he chuckled.

 

“This is not a laughing matter!” I scolded him. “I’m serious!”

 

He lifted my chin up. “I already told you how I feel, so you don’t have to steal me from anyone”

 

“But you’re engaged to her!”

 

“I’ll fix it” he said. “Now, go to sleep”

 

I smiled. That day, when he said the ‘I love you’ words to me - that’s the most glorious and unforgettable moment for me. I kept on replaying it in my head every now and then for the past months or so. That moment’s been burned in my mind, my heart, my soul. Up until now, it never fails to make me feel special, to make me feel giddy, to make me feel happy.

 

“Jiyong?” I called out loud.

 

“What?” the answer came from the bathroom. My eyes suddenly snapped open, then I felt myself grin. I quickly jumped up to my feet.

 

“What are you doing?” I called through the closed door.

 

“Taking a bath. Why?”

 

“He he” I giggled to myself. Peek, I want to take a peek. I reached for the knob and turned it to the right but it was locked! “Ya! Why is this door locked?!”

 

He laughed. “To stop you from barging in!”

 

“AISH!! Open this at once! I need to pee”

 

“I don’t believe you” he laughed again.

 

- - -

 

JIYONG’S POV

 

She was already sleeping when I stepped out of the bathroom. I smirked. A while ago, I never really thought she’d give up but I guess she really was tired. I went to get something comfy to wear. After putting it on, I walked towards the bed.

 

“What a spoof” I chuckled before leaning down to give her a peck.

 

“Gotcha!” she suddenly said, her arms going around my neck while her legs wrapped around my waist. She pulled me over and rolled, putting me under her. “I’m pissed” she told me.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you locked the door! Why did you lock it?!”

 

“I want to”

 

She suddenly leaned down and claimed my lips. For someone as small and stupid as her, she can be really aggressive sometimes, not to say vengeful. I let her kiss me, my arms going around her waist as I kissed her back. I switched our positions and let our lips stay connected for a while before pulling away and rolling off her.

 

“Ya!” she protested.

 

“I’m tired”

 

“You don’t LOOK tired”

 

“I am tired” I emphasized and looked at her. She pulled a grimace first before sighing heavily.

 

“Fine” she waved off and cuddled close to me. “Just a goodnight kiss then”

 

“You already kissed me” I pointed out.

 

“You’re turning me down?” she aghastly asked.

 

“Yes” I rolled my eyes. “Now go to sleep”

 

“You’re really rude”

 

I just grunted in response and went to close my eyes. The darkness somehow brought some sense of. . . unsettlement, which I must say is kind of weird since people like me prefers dark places. It’s been months since Dara and I got back together. I admit I still don’t feel at ease, somehow. I just got used with the thought of Dara being in danger that eventhough months had passed already, I can’t help but feel uneasy, uncomfortable. And the things I’ve done before in hope to keep Dara alive haunts me in my sleep. The nightmares are not on nightly basis. They usually come when I feel a sense of peace inside of me. I’m not a coward but guilt or maybe even conscience is hard to fight. Ironic, I know. For someone like me, I should not feel any guilt or nagging of the conscience. But if given the chance to go back in time, I won’t change anything. I’d still do all of those for HER.

 

“Pancake Jiyong?”

 

“What?”

 

“You’re still up?” she softly inquired,

 

“Obviously” I snorted. “What now?”

 

“I’m thinking. . . .”

 

That’s not a good sign. “What about?”

 

“About Bom, Youngbae and their baby”

 

“What about them?”

 

“Can you believe it?” I mean, up until now, I can’t believe Bom’s pregnant”

 

“She’s married, Dara” I told her. “It’s normal for married couples to have a child or children in that matter”

 

“It seemed surreal to me” she continued. “What about you? Have you ever thought of having a. . . child?”

 

I knew it. Sandara Park ‘thinking’ isn’t always a good sign. I know she’s been meaning to ask me that question. Should I lie or tell the truth? “No” I finally answered. “I don’t want to have a child”

 

She tensed. Dammit!

 

“But why?”

 

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t want my son to go through with being a shadow. I don’t want my daughter to be the royalties’ guinea pig. I don’t want them to feel what I felt when I learned that evil blood runs through my veins. I don’t want them to hate themselves like how I felt about myself”

 

“Oh, pancake” she cooed. “You don’t have to feel that way. If you remember, you tried to live as normally as you can. Being a shadow does not mean you have to be a REAL shadow. It’s your choice”

 

I chose to remain silent. She doesn’t really understand, does she? And she will never understand it because she’s a normal human being. Try as I may not to think of it, there will be things that she won’t understand about me.

 

 

-------------

*a/n:

Whoa! WHOA! Thanks so much for the warm welcome guys!! Aigoo, i read all your comments.. Tsk, I wasn't really gone that long, was I? Hehe.. Anyways, thanks so much, really!! Aigoo. Please don't expect too much from any of my stories, 'kay? Still a noob writer here..

 

sorry for the typos and grammar errors!!

 

and thanks for all the love! love y'all!!

mwah!!

 

xoxo

hagocimit

 

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