chapter nine; 
                  weakness

“Agassi, why are you here? I thought you were with Yifan?”

The old lady held your hands as she saw you.

“You’ll be forced into the marriage again when you brother sees you.”

“Ajumma, you know I can’t leave Jihoon alone.”

Yes, although you kept denying it, you don’t want to return to this house. You didn’t want to kill anymore. You want to live a life as the one you are in now seems to be not one at all but an illusionthat was blinding the both of you from seeing what other things this world can offer you. All those wonderful things, all it takes for you is to grab it. After all, what was done has already been done and killing people will not bring your parents back.

“Jihoon... He needs me.”

“My child, if he needs you to kill that person, he can do it himself. You’ve been his weapon for years already. You don’t need to involve yourself into something you don’t want.”

She rubbed her thumbs at your wrists. They were rough and filled with thick calluses.

Her skin had tried to protect itself from the harsh environment. To keep itself from hurting it had formed a barrier, a hard outer shell. Calluses, your heart needs a whole lot of those.

“Ajumma, what are you talking about?”

“My child, do you expect me to not know?”

She gently caressed your smooth face, lovingly. Her hands were warm and tender.

“I know every scar, every single thing that was added on your body. There were no explaination for all those wounds other than that, isn't there? Over these past few years, you’ve matured and became a woman not by experiencing life itself but by all your hardships. You must have suffered a lot. The first time you did it, tell me... I was hard for you, isn’t it?”

You can’t even remember how you’ve started or how many men you’ve killed for this. You weren’t so sure if you killed the right people either. It had been several years ago, you were fifteen back then. Most women spent their time embroidering their own clothes but you were too busy wielding swords with your brother. Defence, you thought it was all the two of you needed. Why were you caught in this meaningless bloodshed anyway?

Your first kill was a worthless man; a drunkard who tried to enter your room, hoping for a chance to steal your belongings, gold or whatever he can find. He got into your room and you had unknowingly slit his throat with the knife you had cleverly concealed on your clothes before he noticed you. The trauma you had caused your body to move without your permission.

Finding a dead man on your room, you panicked and couldn’t stop shivering. Obviously, you had ran to Jihoon to find comfort. The both of you disposed the body into the market place. The guards had seen the corpse the next day with no money and had thought that it had been robbed and killed in the process.You and Jihoon had thought that only the both of you kept this secret for the next four years.  You didn't know back then that it will give Jihoon that sinister idea that would come have effect one your current lives; an idea that would lead to the darkness that shrouded his mind into thinking that all the bloodshed would make up for the lost past. 

“I can’t remember...”

You lied.

“I remember. My child, killing does not solve anything. It wouldn’t bring your dead parents back! No matter how many people you kill, it won’t change anything! You can’t be your brother’s weapon forever. Live a new life with Yifan.”

“I’m sorry.”

A tear fell from your cheeks.

My brother, he needs me.

-

“Jieun! I thought I’ll never see you again.”

He hugged you. You missed him so much.

“Me too. I’m sorry for running away.”

You smiled contentedly in the warmth of his embrace. Your brother, the person you love too much.

“You ruined my plans.”

His voice had turned darker, it was not of brother you loved but it was the voice of one you feared the most.

“All of it.”

He pushed you hard, making you fall over. The porcelain that your clumsy hand had hit had turned into a thousand pieces. Your eyes had begun to turn watery from fear. Yes, that man is was still Jihoon; the man you equally treasure and fear the most.

Most of the women that fell for him loved the sense of danger that came with him and his arrogant stature. Little did they know that danger wasn’t just his aura but it was his whole being. Having women confess their love for him, married or not, made you nervous for them. He was both sane and insane. He had killed a few women too. He had complained that they were too pushy for him, annoying him to the core. You wondered how he managed to get away with these murders.

“I’m sorry brother.”

Your tears were starting to fall, betraying you. You don’t want to be afraid of him.

“Forgive me.”

“How would you expect me too?! I had waited for something like this for a whole lifetime. Given a chance to do it once, you blew it and switched places with a worthless musician!”

“I did it because I can’t do it anymore! The smell of blood had already filled my nostrils. It's hard to breathe, to sleep, to do anything! It's drowning me!”

You grabbed the hem of his clothes and kneeled in front of him. Your pride is one of the few things you value in your life and this made it hard for you to kneel in front of anyone, even if it was your own brother.

“Please, let’s stop this. Let’s live a peaceful life and forget everything.”

“Don’t you understand Jieun? We must finish what we had already started!”

He crouched to meet your eyes and removed your hands from his clothes. He hand gripped into them so tightly that is would possibly be enough to cause bruises.

“Everything was going so smoothly. Don’t tell me you’re turning weak, sister?”

“I’m not.”

“Then why are you backing out, especially when it will be the last kill?”

“Is that true, Jihoon? The last one?”

You looked at his eyes.

“Yes”

He gave you a dark and devilish smirk.

“That man had absorbed most of our parents’ properties too. What a greedy man. One last kill, sister... I promise you that we’ll live the life you had been wanting after.”

“Let me do it. I promise to end his life this time.”

“No, I can’t trust you again, Jieun. I’ll be the one to do this one... but I’ll need you to someone else for me.”

He leaned in and whispered a name.

-

It was the middle of the night. The moon was shining brightly and the stars twinkled at the sight. A hawk screeched breaking the silence of the beautiful night. A person clad in black had been standing in the top of the big residence built for the prince that was living outside the palace.

He had been there for hours waiting for this moment where all the guard were turning sleepy. The servants had turned in for their beds too. The man had expertly made his way over to the prince’s room in a matter of seconds as if he had made his way over there for hundreds of times. He was carrying a single edged sword and had a metal claw attached to his left hand. He managed to lift them with ease and grace as if they were the extensions of his body.

He man opened the door to find the prince sleeping peacefully in his bed. A mask was placed over the half of his face, hiding the delicate features he had. He placed his sword near the prince’s throat; ready to take his life.

“Jieun.”

He called out and opened his eyes.

“Keep quiet if you want to live a minute longer”

A velvety feminine voice came out of the black-clad person. It was not a man but a woman. It was you.

“I know you’re Jieun.”

He carefully caressed the back of his hand at your mask, feeling the curves of your skin through the silken material.

“You’re wrong.”

You took your sword away but positioned the metal claw in its place.

“No, I’m not. That voice... I’ve heard it thousands of times. It belongs to the woman I love.”

He removed his hand from your mask as you tightened the claw surrounding his neck. The metal had already caused shallow wounds to form as it dug against his skin.

Your hand was shaking and you can’t seem to find a reply. Why can’t you kill him? Love... Did it make you weak? Tears started to fall down on your eyes. It looked like crystals on the dim room.

“I already said that I can find you anywhere.”

He continued

“That’s because I love you.”

He sat up, not fearing that you might tighten the claw on his neck again and removed your mask. He lovingly kissed your lips. His lips provided the comfort that you needed. In his arms, you found content.

-

“I can’t do it, Jihoon.”

“Have you turned weak, my sister?”

He lifted your chin to see you closer.

“Did he make you weak?”

“No!”

You jerked you head away from his grip.

“He has nothing to do with this. That’s all there is!”

“Do you love him then?”

He held your hand gently, smoothing his thumb over yours.

You didn’t answer. Your silence spoke the truth and thought right. You do love that royal bastard.

“You love him, don’t you?!”

His grip tightened and his nails felt like it had begun digging into your skin.

“Can’t I?”

You lost your composure and began to shout. You looked him. He looked so much like you. He was like a mirror, reflecting you.

“No! You can’t love anybody besides me! I love you, my sister. I love you!”

He began kissing you lips roughly; forcing you, drowning you. He wanted you and he didn't want to give you to anyone else. He wanted to possess you. It felt wrong. It felt horrible. He was taking off your clothes and you screamed. Tears ran from your eyes and you were beginning to fear him more than ever.

“Stop it! Please!”

You managed to say through your sobs.

“Don’t do this. I’m your sister!”

“I don’t care. I love you, I want to have you.”

He smiled as he had thrown out your top. You felt defenceless. The brother that you loved had turned into a complete monster.

“No one will need to know!”

Your hands were shaking and you had grabbed the first object you can see, your pin. You stabbed him in the arm and he yelled in pain. Blood dripped into your white inner garments. He quickly released you and stood up.

“Fine! If you don’t want me, no one else can have you. I’ll finish him if that’s all it takes!”

He left you inside the room and closed the door.

“Please, Jihoon. Don’t do that!”

You tried to open the door but it was no use; he had already locked it from the outside.

-

You were already getting frustrated. Minutes had already passed and you were already trying to ram your body against the door. It was still no use and your body had already been hurting. The strength of your body was already failing to keep itself strong.

Please... Let me out...

You were already in the state of passing out until the door finally opened.

“My child, what did he do to you?  Look at you.”

She held you in your arms and saw the blood on the bandages that covered your body. Clearly it wasn't yours as some of it had fallen on your bare skin.

You can finally breathe but the fatigue has taken over your body. You wanted to close your eyes and fall asleep. You tried to muster your willpower and tried to walk as you fixed your clothes.

“Where are you going? It’s the middle of the night, Agassi!”

Please don’t be too late, Roh Jieun!

 AUTHOR'S NOTES

This part of the story is nearing to its end! How do you find it so far?

Am I the only one who was scared of Jihoon? I didn't know that he'll turn out that way in my imagination. In any case you're wondering, I purposely used Roh Jihoon the kpop solo artist as I wanted to have a good looking brother but imagine him in any way you like xD

Please comment out your thoughts, vote ans subscribe ^^ I'd like to hear from you~

PS. Who do you think will be the next EXO that will have his own short story on this fic? I already gave clues from the previous chapter ^^