Scene 1: Europe, Switzerland, nightly streets of the capital Bern

On the set: Taemin, Kihyun

Taemin recognises the small figure instantly.

Taemin (mumbling): My Wings… (A genuinely happy smile forms on his lips) The ahjussi is right… I can’t let you go. So I will protect you. And if it is the last thing I do!

(Entry: Aaron)

Aaron lets the door close behind her as she momentarily closes her eyes and feels the pleasantly cool evening air brush against her skin. She does a deep intake of breath and sighs.

Aaron: Alone at last! God, I thought I was going to suffocate to death in there…!

To round off the day, Aaron and her friends had decided to go to a night club. Or more like her friends had decided and Aaron had just tagged along. She isn’t particularly fond of alcohol and partying but she had followed them nonetheless. Because she hadn’t seen another choice and also because it had been a good distraction from her thoughts. For she just can’t get the incident of this afternoon out of her head. Somehow, the fact that she thought of Taemin and NamTei simply from hearing the sound of a piano shook her more than she would have expected.

And now, that Aaron is no longer surrounded by a bunch of animatedly talking friends, her thoughts start circling around that subject again.

Aaron: And that melody…! Not ‘River Flows In You’… The unknown melody… It just keeps on replaying over and over in my head! It was so beautiful! As gentle as NamTei’s personality… As soft and calming as his voice… And as entrancing as Taemin’s looks and dance moves…

(Sighs)

There I go again… thinking of NamTei and Taemin!

She imagines NamTei’s voice while her head gets flooded with uncalled-for pictures of Taemin. Smiling, concentrated, cute, doing ageyo, cool, irritated (only one or two though), embarrassed, sleepy, on stage, back-stage, wearing casual cloths, wearing stage costumes, getting spoiled by s, playing with Yoogeun, playing with his cell phone, and… playing the piano.

Aaron (somewhat resigned): And I’m back to the piano again …!

Just what is this??!!

Aaron is so focused on this endless circle of thoughts that she doesn’t realise that she has started walking some time ago. And Taemin, without a thought of hesitation, follows her.

Kihyun (while frowning slightly): Taemin? Where are you going?

As Kihyun can’t speak English too well, he didn’t understand the conversation between the elderly man and Taemin.

But Taemin ignores him. His mind is busy thinking of what to do next.

Taemin: Should I approach her…?

Now, that I’ve decided, why not?

And then? Say ‘Hi, Aaron! I’m Lee Taemin, your favourite idol!’ She’d probably have a heart attack…! (Glances back at Kihyun) Moreover, there is still him following me… I can’t just do whatever…

Moreover, what about my promise not to see her until I’ve successfully completed the Skydiving challenge? Am I just going to break it like this?

He determinedly shakes his head and decides that, for now, he will simply follow her and hope that she knows where she’s going. But the longer Aaron walks the more Taemin comes to doubt just that. Because the buildings are becoming poorer and poorer. The streets are only sparely lit by a few street lamps and look unsecure, and the atmosphere feels kind of worrisome.

And of course, Taemin is right. Aaron has no clue where she’s going. Her eyes on the ground, she is so absorbed in her own thoughts that she pays absolutely not attention to her surroundings.

Until the inevitable happens and Aaron bumps into something.

Aaron (while rubbing her forehead): Ouch…

She looks up and seeing a pair of grey shaggy pants, she hurriedly lifts her head even more. And finds herself staring at an irritated looking guy. And behind him, she can see a group of equally ragged looking guys.

(Entry: A gang)

Aaron is not dumb. She knows she’d better get out of here fast. The sickening stench of alcohol that they are emanating is indication enough.

She mumbles a soft sorry and wants to walk away but the guy she’d bumped into grabs her arm and pulls her back around.

Aaron: Gosh, this is insane! These are the same peaceful streets I walked just a few hours ago! (Takes a quick glance at the run-down buildings.) Okay, maybe not exactly the same… But still! Since when did my country become populated with thugs?!

Thug Aaron bumped into: Do you think a sorry is enough?!

He puffs his cigarette and blows the smoke straight into Aaron’s face, making her cough and squeeze her eyes shut.

Standing just a few meters away, Taemin has watched everything happen. And even from the distance he can see that those guys are bad news. Thus the moment, the thug Aaron had bumped into clasps his fingers around her thin wrist he curses and takes a step towards them.

Taemin: To hell with Kihyun! To hell with heart attacks!! To hell with my promise!!! Those guys better not touch—

The hand firmly holding on to his shoulder makes him stop in his tracks and turn around.

Taemin (furiously at whoever dares to hold him back in this kind of situation): Who—?!

But Kihyun just shakes his head, telling Taemin not to get involved.

Meanwhile, Aaron is trying to deal with the situation on her own. She looks at the ground and tries to get past the thug once more.

Thug: And you even dare ignoring me when I talk to you?!

He grabs Aaron’s chin and pulls her closer. Again Taemin wants to rush forward but again he gets stopped.

Thug (sneering): I think you owe me something…!

Aaron (getting scared): I don’t have any money on me right now, though. (The thug tightens his hold and Aaron starts to speak faster.) I forgot my purse back at home! I’m not lying! Here’s my bag! Check it!

She holds her bag up.

One of the thug’s friends rips the bag out of her hands and turns it upside down. But of course he finds no purse.

Friend: The is saying the truth…

Thug: Well, then how else do you plan to repay me?

Aaron (whimpers): I don’t know…! Can’t you just let me go? I really didn’t do it intentionally…!

Thug (with an ugly grin contorting his face): I’m afraid I can’t do that… But let me give you a hint; you just need to give me something of yours…

Aaron (scared and confused): Then take my bag! Or my jacket! Just let me go…

Thug: Ahhh, it’s got to be something a little more valuable…

His friends snicker.

Aaron: But I don’t HAVE anything valuable…!

Thug: You sure? I think you have but one thing… Right guys?

They snicker again in agreement.

Thug: The way you’re acting… you’re a , right?

And finally it dawns on Aaron where this is going and horror creeps into her arms and legs; paralysing them.

The guy holds her a little away from himself to get a better look at her. He looks her up and down the way a butcher checks out a cow he’s about to kill calculating how much he can get out of her.

Now, every hope that Aaron may get away unharmed has evaporated into thin air and Taemin knows he has to act. But once again Kihyun won’t let him go. He has to hold Taemin around the waist and use every bit of his strength to restrain him, but he won’t let him go.

Kihyun (panting slightly from the effort of holding Taemin back): Taemin, I know that you want to save the girl. But I promised to protect you and if you were to rush out there right now I can’t guarantee your safety anymore! Even I can’t fight them all!

But Taemin doesn’t care. He can’t just watch! He’ll go crazy!

When the thug starts to drag her somewhere, Aaron snaps out of her paralysis and starts struggling. But that only encourages her captor even more and he tightens his grasp on her. He’s just too strong. And he’s smartly holding her in a way so that she can’t kick his precious.

In the end Aaron is forced down onto a nearby bench. The guy covers to keep her from screaming (like anyone would hear her anyway!) and pushes her down. His friends are standing around them, watching like it’s some TV show. At first, they are obscuring Taemin’s view but then one of the guys moves and Taemin is able to see Aaron’s upper body. Her shirt is hiked up and she’s turned her head in Taemin’s direction.

And that does it.

The look on Aaron’s face is too much for Taemin to take.

Kihyun: Taemin!

Taemin (in English): Damnit!! I will NOT sit here and watch the woman I love getting in front of my own eyes!!!

Not caring anymore, Taemin elbows Kihyun into his stomach and as soon as he feels Kihyun’s grip loosening, he breaks free and races over.

Aaron feels the cold night air brush against her exposed belly and tights. It’s a warm summer night, yet she’s feeling chills all over. She feels limp and faint and she closes her eyes hoping that it’s all just a bad dream. But the snickering and grunting just won’t fade…

And then she hears a voice so beautiful and familiar she knows she must have fainted. There is just no way that he is here right now.

Taemin (growling in the most murderous manner ever): Let.Her.Go! NOW!!!

Ahhh, I'm so sorry!! Here you all are, being so supporting and understanding, and what do i do? Not update for like forever!!! I'm really sorry!! ><

But I hope you liked the chapter... ^^ ('Cause I do! Lol Thought I'm getting chills whenever I think of how this actually plays in my very own country... I don't want to imagine it!)

Oh, and for those who also read my other story, I'm having some troubles with that one... The next chapter just doesn't want to let me write it...! It's just one big mess... T.T Actually, it's the reason why I haven't updated this story either; because I felt bad updating this one while the other is still on a standstill... Though that's actually a ridiculous reason! Hahhh~ Well whatever! That's just me ranting... =.=