A DEAL IS A DEAL (PART 2)

Part 2：

Solar stood frozen as he heard Chaerin's name. A sweet smile crept to him afterwards.

"May you accommodate me to Mistress Lee Chaerin's place. I have an urgent matter to talk to her."

"B-but Mistress-"

The other maid nudged her immediately. "O-of course, sir." The maid bowed as she lead Solar to the mistress's place.

It was quite a long walk, up to the 5th floor, curving to the right was a unique vase full of white roses which was the mistress's favourite. The corridor was decorated with white candles that gave off dim light towards the room. The room had golden linings and silver door handle of a swan as the servant knock on the huge white door. With no response, this time Solar knock on the door twice but in a louder rhythm.

"Come in." Chaerin's voice, soothing and calm replied. The servant open the door as Solar went inside. Chaerin who was sitting on the bed, playing with her pink laptop, playing some fashion game looked inaudibly surprise as she saw Solar. "Mistress, this is the orange juice you ordered and Mister Solar would like to talk about something but since Jupiter Jale isn't here-"

"Thank you Delphine, it's okay. I would love to listen to the newcomer." Chaerin said as the servant place the orange juice to her bedside table and walk away with the silver tray in her hand leaving Solar and Chaerin alone.

"I suppose you are the newcomer who challenge the second in command?" Chaerin dropped her laptop aside as she sat in a formal manner, looking at Solar.

"What does she mean Jupiter isn't here? Why does Jupiter have to be here?"

"He is my bodyguard for today night but I figured out he is not able to make it."

"I need to talk regarding an urgent matter."

"Go ahead."

"You love Jale. Right?" Solar said, ignoring her completely as Chaerin looked at him then she giggled.

"Yes I love him."

"I never expected you to be so candor and straightforward." Solar shrugged. Chaerin dragged him to a table with 2 chairs. The table was white and so are the chairs, just like an interior furniture for a wedding.

"I am an honest person Tomb. So what do you want to talk about?" Chaerin asks as both of them sat there talking seriously like a detective and a culprit.

"Do you know the task that your uncle ordered to Jupiter ?" Chaerin close her eyes. "Yeah. The mission of the aigan. I know what you are thinking Solar."

"You knew?"

"I have the ability to read people's minds. You're saying we are on the same ship and you will drag the aigan away. While I'll be dragging Jale away so both of us can have our... liking."

"Genius." A faint smile appeared on Solar's lips.

"You shan't not worry too much, Solar. The aigan is not Jupiter's type."

"He loves her. You don't understand."

"No. You don't understand. My uncle ordered the Deception Team to make the aigan like and trust him so that in the end, the aigan will risk themselves to give the key. Anyways, He said it. He said that he only loves me. Not the aigan."

"....Wait a minute.. so jale is only acting?"

"However Tomb, don't get your feelings to high, you cannot betray our clan for the aigan."

"......"

"It's pretty late Solar Tomb. I'm wishing you a goodnight sleep. Sweet dreams." She whispered as she shoved him right off the door that Solar didn't have the time to protest.

The door closed as Chaerin rest her head aside, sighing. "..... genius huh?" she laughed and went to the balcony outside.

The air was pretty cool and she was just wearing a black thin tank top with black skinny jeans. Her brown chestnut hair flowing in the night as she release her bunned hair and play with the patterned rubber band she used earlier to tie. She looked below, trees everywhere. Somehow, she really wonders how life is in the mundane world now where there are many places to go but the reason why they are locked inside The Forbidden Land is because Afloure Carter Waschanes, which is her cousin created special keys that connect Viewin and The forbidden land. He was outraged with uncle because he envied him. Uncle used to tell her that Afloure and his friends, which she only remwmbers certain friends like Kris who is the leader of the gang, Chanyeol and Tao. She finds the name 'Tao' amusing so she could remember it. While Chanyeol sounds like seaweed.. and Kris.. is pretty much simple to be remembered.

Afloure and his friends hated Uncle because he can invent things using mundanes and do stuffs for himself. So One day, Afloure bolted out a plan, he secretly paid the Viewinese to create special keys and ask the people to build a grand door in the cave without Uncle's notice. He betrayed his friends, left them in the forbidden land. Betraying uncle, betraying herself too. He was 6 years older than Chaerin and she could still remember the parts where he ask for her hand in the masquerade party, playing hide and seek, joining her to a nearby stream and play with the mermaids, etc.

Usually, she could remember mundanes entering the place and Afloure will hold her hand tightly as Uncle sends down monsters to kill them. Uncle said that he loathe mundanes but he wish to use them for his experiments. So he will either keep or kill them.

After Afloure lock the grand door altogether, he went missing in a blink of an eye. Uncle was enraged as he found out that Afloure did that due to a letter. In the letter, he admitted that he does all the locking of the doors, but Chaerin never saw them, because Uncle said he had burn them. Chaerin didn't want to believe everything she heard. Her favorite cousin was betraying her, she felt like she want to scream her lungs out.

"....Jale is unable to come today and sorry I'm late."

Chaerin turned around and saw Victory behind her, offering her the orange juice that she left in her bedside table.

"I didn't notice you coming to my room." she admitted as she take the orange juice from his hand. It was no longer cold.

"It's because you're in your deepest thoughts." Saturn replied, while staring at her face. She made eye contact then avert it as she drank the orange juice. "You knew me so well, Victory."

"I've been your bodyguard, serving you for years. How am I not suppose to know?" Saturn shrugged as he stood beside Chaerin, leaning against the balcony.

"Well.. Jale didn't realize that." Her eyes narrowing slightly to the glass she was holding. Saturn place the glass to an ancient chinese like table in the corner as the contents are finished.

".. I think you see it in a different light mistress." Saturn said while eyeing the view as the bright new moon is gleaming in the dark sky.

"I don't think so. Solar is right.. he had a hint that he doesn't have the same feelings as I do."

"S-solar? You speak to him?"

"Earlier he went here, talk to me about Jale."

"How could you know that for sure? It may not be-"

"I sense his feelings Saturn Victory." She interrupted and his eyes went wide as he heard her calling his full name. It doesn't sound strange and surprising but it felt good that the mistress call him that."I saw through his mind, a couple of days ago yet I kept quiet about it. He only see me as his sister. A lovable sister."

"But.. he is so affectionate towards you.." Saturn knew he is denying facts as he could still remember Jale admitting that he loves the aigan but he can't be sure. Jale is a diligent guy, he does his work like a perfectionist and never fails Master. He was suppose to get close to the aigan right? It's part of the mission to retrieve the key after all.

"... I don't know.. He is one of the person that is difficult and challenging."

"W-what do you mean mistress?" "I can read people's minds. But.. I can never enter Jale's mind except 3 days ago, I can never enter Uncle's mind too. I guess he use some sort of method to block the connection so that I can never enter his mind. And.. you're the last one.. I can't read your mind."

"I thought you could.." Saturn looked shock.

"No.. I could not read your mind. You always look like you fake your smile, getting flirty with the servants, being silly with everyone and not making the best in your job even though you can be much better..You are confusing, Saturn." Saturn is speechless, for the very first time, someone can describe him perfectly well and besides everything she said is true.. It is remarkably true that he fake smiles and laughter. He tried his best to show pure smiles, natural laughter but everything is spotted by the Mistress.

".....You don't know me at all, Chaerin." He said coldly as he no longer calls her Mistress. His eyes are cold and distant.

"Saturn, I don't mean to disrespect you-"

"I think it's too late. Goodnight." He coldly replied and went out of the room.

"So what you mean is.. you're going to create some potions that can try to see your past?"

"Yeah, I want to know my past. I don't get it.. The master said that our ancestors are comprise of 2 species. Firstly, a real monster and secondly, half mundane and half monster which is my kind. He said that my parents are dead because of the Warp clan. They kill most of our people and I know our master is a good guy because he wanted to form a clan altogether to unite us, he turn revilliants into monsters to form clans. But the strange thing is.. I can't remember my childhood." Jale said as he pour the contents to another beaker.

"That's... strange." Sulli commented by the aquarium. Jale nodded in return.

"I think I am going to ask him about it again."

"Come here Jale." Sulli said as Jupiter walked to the aquarium and kissed her passionately, he slowly move his tongue to her neck. The taste of fresh water and lilac flowers. "Am I your stress reliever?" Jale chuckled without responding.

"I guess.. it's time for me to sleep. I'm tired Sul." Jale said as he looked at the grandfather clock in the corner. It was nearly 11:00 pm and Dara must be worried about him. He didn't want the same thing to happen to her again.

"...fine." Sulli said as she kissed him for one last time and released him. As he walked to the coat hanger and grabbed his cloak, turning the lights off and heading to the secret passageway.

"Jale?" Dara who was sitting in the dining room perked up as she saw Jale. Straightening herself up, she pull the cloak from him. "A-are you hungry? I have eaten and you-"

"No. I'm not hungry." Jale said as he placed his arm to Dara's shoulder, leading her to their room. Dara flushed as Jale dumped her to bed. His eyes was wandering to her face, body and back to the face again.

"W-what is it?" She nervously asked as Jale motioned by the bed too, carefully placing his hands to her cheeks. "Nothing. We're going to have fun tomorrow Dara." He mentioned as he pull the covers for her and kissed her goodnight.

It was a picnic in the Sawery Lake, they were eating beside the lake as Dara who had carefully wrapped some tuna sandwiches, pizzas, spaghettis and cappuccinos set aside the food in a red thin blanket. Jale helped her as both of them sat opposite of each other, grabbing their spoons, forks and napkins.

"Vi ameroe sa ta." Jale said and Dara looked at him quizzically. "It means happy eating." Jale smiled as he fed her some of the sandwiches. "Wa queretsa tere fuernos to xoerise, Daraling."

"Jale, please speak in English. I can't understand a word you said."

"This one.. means you cook very well Daraling." Dara's body shooked as she heard Daraling, it has been a long time since Jale called her that.

"T-thanks." She said as she pour the cappuccino to a mug. After they finished eating, they are rowing a boat together in the lake. Both of them happily admiring the bird's eye view as he touched her face lightly. Dara tried to willed herself not to stiffen.

"Kiss the girl."

"What?" Dara flushed as she couldn't believe herself of what Jale murmured earlier. "Nah, Isn't this the scene of the mermaid tale? Where the prince and the mermaid are rowing in the same boat and all those creatures are singing kiss the girl?"

"You mean... Ariel and the little mermaid?" Dara said as she sighed.

"Yeah that one." he laughed and stared at her.

"Jale.. you know.. i was wondering.. where is Taeyang."

"I don't know. I just found you and let's just pretend he's gone." he said as he clamped his hands to hers.

"How do you know I was there?" Dara asked as she felt the warmth in her hands and smiled.

"I search for you everywhere using my heart, Dara." He grinned as he kissed her hand lightly. She blushed as she could feel heat rising to her cheeks.

"Are you always this romantic?" Dara asked vividly. "and are you teasing me?" Jale cocked his eyebrows.

"I am ju-"

"I'll take that as a compliment then." he laughed but then turned serious again. "Have you ever date anyone?"

She felt her body stiffen again. "N-no."

Seeing the expression of Jale, Dara said: "I'm not lying!"

"Why? You're never in love?" He asked again, slightly confuse and curiosity kills him. He wants to know.

".. Just once." Dara admitted as she felt a heavy gaze from Jale and she knew he wanted to know more behind the story.

"A kiddie story." she giggled. "It was 15 years back then, I was playing alone in the park with my cat, Dadoong."

"Dadoong? That's such a weird name." Dara shot a glare at him but continue the story, "It climbs a tree and.."

"Cannot.. jump down? That is.. hilarious."

"Cats are amazing!" Dara fight back, trying to change his stream of thoughts about cats.

"I tried to climb the tree to help Dadoongie. When i caught it, unfortunately, I fell and I'm pretty sure I will be severely injured. But, Instead, i landed on something soft. It was a boy, a pretty boy, with white skin and pitch black hair. I apologized and thanked him. He noticed that i got a cut on my forehead and he it."

Jale could feel a shot of jealousy as he hear her story. "A kiss on the forehead? Uh, boring." he criticized.

"After giving me a kiss, he ran off immediately and I never.. saw him again." she ignored him as she avert her gaze to the water lily surrounding the lake.
"Sad much?" He replied.

"Can you stop being sarcastic?!" Dara yelled. He chuckled attempting to hide his jealousy and giddiness that she never saw the boy again.

"That's a nice love story you got there, Park."

"I'll take back my words, you are not romantic, Jupiter." she jokingly said.

He suddenly entwined his arms to Dara, his face upon her shoulders. She frozed as his hands entwined her waist and shoulders.

"I won't let you go until you claim that I am indeed a romantic person."

"You are not-"

"Won't let goo~" he whistled happily as he tightened the hug.

"Stop moving!! We will fall if the boat keeps on moving."

"Don't make any excuses Daraling." He said as he nuzzled his face to her neck, inhaling her scent. She tried to shake him off but instead Jale's hand pushed her head, sticking it to his chest. His scent is strong, mint all over. It's like a combination of strawberry mints.

"We'll really fall to the lake."

"No we won't. You already stop shaking. So let's just be like this.. for a while." He said, hugging her as tightly as he could like he will never let her go.

"He is getting stronger each and each day. I fear that he will betray our clan.. He does kill Wave the other day where he met Wave and Hangeng right?! What if it happens?! Our clan will be totally destroyed."

"No. It won't happen. He won't betray our clan. I've trained him for all this years."

"It could happen and I don't want it to happen."

"Deatrix, He will never betray our clan. Trust me. He will never."

"What if he does? What if he fell in love with the revilliant and betray us?! Our clan would be a disaster! He will be joining the-" the scientist with the beard stood up in concern, as the other scientists had a meeting with Zachary in the meeting room. The scientists were all discusing their anxiousness of the fighter.

"If he does.. don't worry.. we have a stronger fighter and we will have no choice but to eliminate him." Turning around to Deatrix, he grinned.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************