DARA's POV

 

"You placed that lady in Danger, Hero-ah! Why did you let her go with you? Did you forget how dangerous this place can be?!" I heard a roaring voice when I come to my consciousness. "You know very well that no ordinary being can get out of this place as they pleased. Yes, you just saved her life from that attack but you placed her again in danger!" the girls voice said. I just listened to their conversation and pretended to be asleep.

 

"I momentarily forgot. I am not in my right mind" Hero sounded in regret while I felt happy because I learned that he saved me when I was shot with a poisoned arrow a while ago.

 

"Y-You momentarily forgot? FORGOT!?! You know very well the rules, Hero! Any person who get here will have to die except if you are a client or you have a business with one of us!" the girl sounded angrier as time passed by, my ears even hurt from her shouting.

 

"I know it's my fault, Jinhee" Hero said and by mere mention of Jinhee's name, I quickly took a glance and saw a girl with a blonde slightly wavy hair and she's wearing a frilly green dress and above all, she's just a kid! Jinhee is a kid!

 

"Why of all excuses did you tell them that she's your apprentice!?!" I quickly closed my eyes when she pointed me. "You just saved her life and now she's just going to die because of your forgetfulness and stupidity!" she yelled at Hero like there was no tomorrow. I am deeply touched because I can feel that the kid is worried about me but I dislike her tone when speaking to Hero.

 

"I'll let her escape. She can use her teleportation ability tomorrow and---"

 

"And what?! Did you forget that the heads' barrier is strong? No ordinary being is capable of escaping from it even if that girl has an ability! She'll be killed and blame it--"

 

"Ow... W-where am I?" I interfered before the kid finished her sentence. I saw both of them look at me. The kid glared at Hero and went towards me.

 

"Are you feeling fine?" she asked and I nodded. I pretended to be clueless and she explained where am I and what happened to me.

 

"Thanks for mending my wounds... How many hours am I unconscious?"

 

"Half a day, lady." Jinhee answered.

 

"I see... Thanks for everything, young lady." I said and get up from the bed. Hero looked away when I glanced at him while the kid stopped me from getting up. "I caused enough trouble, I must go."

 

"Lady, you are in Hidei. You are free to come as you please but you cannot go out freely. You'll be killed once you get out of my house." the kid informed me and I pretended to be shocked.

 

"S-sorry... Won't you be in trouble for taking care of me then?" I asked. The kid glance at Hero who is just silent in the corner and heave a high. "W-what's wrong?"

 

"Yes you are at fault when you brought Hero back here without thinking of the consequences but that guy is at fault too when he placed in you danger... I must say in deep danger." she started and I know where this conversation is going but I still pretended to be ignorant.

 

"What do you mean Hero placed me in danger?" I asked and gaze upon the complete replica of Jaejoong which I still believe is him.

 

"The thing is you can go back safely if he just told the head that you are his client but... but he told them that you are his apprentice." she said and I chuckled.

 

I pointed at myself. "What? Me? His apprentice?" I laughed again while the kid frown.

 

"It's not a laughing matter lady! You are about to die!" she yelled at me like she did at Hero earlier. "Every apprentice here will have to take the test... and I am telling you, many have tried but only few remain alive." she informed me again. Even if I want to smile, I have to refrain from it because this kid will just be upset and I am happy to see Hero's reaction. He looks worried about me.

 

"I can teleport once midnight strikes---"

 

"You can't teleport to escape. The head's barrier is strong but when he learned that Hero got an apprentice, he put a stronger one to prevent you from escaping."

 

"W-what? I can't teleport?" I asked, restraining myself from smiling. If they really believe that I can't teleport then I can stay here and make sure that Hero's memories will return if my guess is really right.

 

"Yes. That leaves you dying today or dying at a later date"

 

"She will not die!" Hero suddenly shouted. "I will make sure you escape from here unscathed"

 

I smiled. "Do you really believe that I will die from that test?"

 

Hero glared at me. "Whatever you're thinking, I won't let you participate in that test!"

 

"If you help her escape, you will be killed too! We don't have a choice, you don't have a choice but to let her participate."

 

"She is right, Hero-ah. I don't want to cause any trouble, if I will die, then it is my fate to die."

 

"I WILL NOT LET YOU DIE! YOU HEARD ME? I WON'T!" He shouted in frustration.

 

I giggled. "Yah, aren't you overreacting? It seems like you have fallen for me already because you are so determined." I said, really happy from the inside.

 

"W-who said I... I don't like you!" he said and looked away while Jinhee sneered.

 

"I'm just kidding." I let out a laugh. "But maybe you will if I overcome this test." I said and winked at him when our eyes met and I swear, I saw him turned red! Jinhee looked at me with amusement and laugh.

 

"I like you!" she suddenly said. "You have guts! I'm Jinhee, Kang Jinhee! and you are?" she introduced herself and lend me her hand.

 

"I'm Dara." I smiled and shook her hand. Hero went out while I stayed in Jinhee's bed. I took an interest with the kid, she's almost equal and will give Hyun Joong oppa a run for his money. She is really knowledgeable on her field and I really really like her because she gave me many information as regards Hero and it is giving me hope, hope that he really is Jaejoong because her story of meeting Hero fits into the picture though I still need some answers to complete the puzzle.

 

When Jinhee fell asleep, I get up from my bed. I get a parchment paper and a quill and started to write.

 

Dear Mother,

            I am sorry if I have to write again and did not come home. I promise, I will be back, alive and kicking. Your daughter just need some time and I am enjoying myself in my little journey. Don't worry about me, I am not doing something dangerous. I am not looking for trouble and will get out of trouble, so don't overreact and send hundreds of knights just to find me. Don't even think of sending my friends, especially don't ask for Prince Donghae's help and let him look for me. I'll be gone and I don't know how many weeks or months it will took me to return. Spare me, let me enjoy my little vacation okay? I love you, mother. Send my regards to father, mwaaah!

 

P.S. You can't find me, no matter how hard you try. I am your daughter after all

 

I smiled and the parchment burned from my hands and I know that it will be delivered instantly to my mother. I just hope she won't flip once she knew what I am up to. I went back to bed and sleep beside Jinhee.

 

Morning came, Hero woke me up and I felt Jinhee's not beside me.

 

"Eat first and I will train you" he said with a pokerface.

 

I smiled at him. "Goodmorning, master"

 

He frowned and went out first. I washed up quickly and went out of Jinhee's room. I saw her preparing the table.

 

"Goodmorning, Jinhee-ah!" I cheerfully greeted her. She smiled and greeted me back. I went towards her and was about to help her when she stopped me and pulled a chair and forcefully made me sit. "I will help"

 

"You are my guest, you don't have to do the household choirs and..." she stopped and glanced at Hero. "You have to train with Hero if you don't want to die early."

 

I let out a laugh. "Yah, you really like to rub it in my face hmmm?"

 

She smirked. "Not really. Now have breakfast before you go. You only have three days to train so don't slack off."

 

After eating, Hero and I went to the nearby forest. I silently followed him and I stopped when he stopped. He laid all the weapons he packed and look at me again.

 

"In three days, I will train you in using these weapons. You also have to train how to survive in different situations. You cannot use your abilities always and I advise you not to use it because if you do, the head will surely keep you here and never let you go. Ability users are rare in Hidei, especially elemental users and unfortunately, you have both and you have two elements which is very rare. Even if it is dangerous, do not, I repeat, do not use your abilities."

 

"I am not complaining" I smiled. "Shall we start?"

 

"Aren't you scared of dying?" he asked seriously.

 

I just smiled. He marked the centre of the tree, picked a shuriken and stand on my side then threw it and hit the red marked on the spot.

 

"Will we finish if you teach me how to use all those weapons?" I said while pointing at the weapons. There's a variety of shuriken, from moonstar to wave star. A kunai or throwing knives, a sai, jitte, a blowpipe, a war fan, a kusarigama which is a sickle with chains, a vigoorian flair which is have sickles on both ends of chains, a tonfa, bow and moogle bow which is capable of releasing eight arrows, a scythe, a spear, an axe and different variety of swords, there are even bombs.

 

"That's why we are starting early." he said calmly. He taught me the different uses of weapons which I already know and now we are practicing each. At first I am just practicing alone and most of the time I purposely miss the target or purposely mishandle the weapons, just like now.

 

"This is how you hold it" he went towards me and placed himself behind me. He touched my hand and put it on the right place. He immediately backed away when he almost kiss my cheeks.

 

He stopped lecturing me when Jinhee came with foods, then we started again and now he is my sparring partner.

 

"Not bad but you are too far and too weak. You will die during the test if you are like this, so young lady please be serious before I lose my patience." he seriously said which made me frown. Maybe, my effort is really not enough but whose fault is it? He told me that the head might keep me here if I showed him my abilities. So I suppose it included my physical abilities and now he's telling me I will die?

 

He let me rest and I stared at him when he suddenly gave me a bottle of water and towel. I smiled sweetly and gladly took it though I doubt if he saw my smile since he is not looking at me, actually.

 

At my second day of training, my target is not the tree anymore. There are woods hanging and there are still marks which I must hit, but the thing is those hanging woods are moving. Just like yesterday, I purposely missed some target. I don't want him to think that I am strong because most of the times people do not give a damn thinking you are tough enough and does not need them to worry and care about you. Most of the times, people are afraid of those who have power stronger than theirs, that's why there are people who opt to kill those who threaten them. That's why there is war and I am the living proof of that.

 

Third day passed by and now I saw Jinhee looking worried when we get out of their house. I patted her head and told her that I'll be fine. We first met with the head and he stared at me from head to toe and proceeded to the place where my supposed difficult test will be held. I do not know what awaits me but I am sure that I will survive. I know that I must survive to find the pieces of answer I am looking for.

 

Jinhee's gripped of my hands became tighter as I stand behind the gate, separating me from the audience.

 

"Don't worry about me Jinhee" I said with a smile. "I am strong enough to overcome this though Hero said that I have a long way to go" I let out a small laugh and glanced at him.

 

"I am worried... I am stupid, I should have let you try to teleport instead of seeing you battle here."

 

"It's time, lady." one of the guards told me.

 

"Dara--"

 

"I'll be fine." I turned my back on them. I was almost at the gate but someone embraced me from behind.

 

"I will make sure you will get out of here... I promise.."

 

"Heh? Do you like me now?" I then he let go of me. "Just kidding. See you later, then" I waved and entered the arena. I saw the crowd and its almost half of the attendees of Da Tao Sha and here I thought it is just an ordinary test.

 

HERO's POV

 

Before Dara could enter the gate, I can't help but chased after her and embraced her from behind. I hate to admit it but I think I am attracted to her. There's something about her that even I cannot explain. It's not like me... I am not the same old cold and ruthless guy since I've met her in Aislin. I tried to suppress my feelings the second time we've met, knowing that I don't deserve her... knowing that I will just put her in danger and knowing that I am no match to the person she once treasured and still treasure... and most of all, I am afraid that she will just see me because I look like him... but no matter how hard I try, there are times that I cannot contain what I feel.

 

The soldier escorted me where the head is and I saw Ilwoo and Soo Hyun already seating beside the head. The head smiled and ordered me to sit beside Ilwoo.

 

"The guests has arrived, sire" one of the guards told him and I just noticed that there are ten vacant seats on top of us.

 

"You see, they have a bet. Whether your apprentice will survive or not. You do realize that the crowd is unusually big right?" Ilwoo suddenly told me when the head went out of his way to greet his guests.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Oh? Didn't the head tell you? If that girl did not meet their expectations, she will still die regardless of her survival in all three stages."