~JAEJOONG’S POV~

“. . . I just can’t believe her!” she exclaimed for the nth time. “How can she judge him like that? It’s so unfair”

“We can’t really blame her or other people for thinking that way. Kwon Jiyong got a bad reputation and he did hurt you”

She sighed impatiently. I can tell she’s irritated.

“You shouldn’t gave fought with you mother” I quietly said. “She’s your mother, Dara and Kwon Jiyong’s just your neighbor”

“He’s not just a neighbor! He’s’. . .” she trailed. I looked at her with raised brows. She scowled and looked up ahead. “Never mind. I don’t want to pick a fight with you, either”

“Whay are you so affected, anyways?” I asked eventhough I already know the answer.

“Call me crazy or whatever but he’s my friend” she said.

“A friend?” I repeated.

“Not a friend-friend, it’s just that I . . . I don’t believe he’s that heartless”

She looked at me with pleading eyes.

“Try to get to know him” she said. “He’s not that bad”

A full minute of silence passed.

“I can’t promise you anything, Dara” I finally said. “He HURT you. That alone will make me. . .”

o=o=o

“Kwon Jiyong is’nt going to jail after all” Victoria opened. My eyes automatically went to Dara, watching her reaction.

“Where did you hear that?” Sulli asked.

“I got sources” Victoria smugly said. “Anyways, it turned out that Yunhwan was bitten by a snake”

Relief lit Dara’s face. I expected it already but I hoped for a different reaction. I sighed and shoved it out of my mind. It’s not goof to dwell on negative emotions. I’ll try to understand Dara’s “unusual behavior” towards Kwon Jiyong. For more or less a year that I’m with her, I learned that she firmly stands on what she believes in and she believes that Kwon Jiyong is not the person the rumors are saying. Eventhough I want to snap at him for what he did to Dara, I can’t and I won’t.

“I’m REALLY scared of him right now” Krystal shivered. “Before, I used to FEAR him but now, I MEGA FEAR him already. How come he can just walk away unscathed from all his crimes?”

“You heard Victoria, he didn’t kill Yunhwan. He was bitten by a snake” Dara countered.

Krystal shook her head. “I still believe it was HIM. He must’ve done something to make it look like a snake bite”

Dara was about to answer when I quickly caressed her face. She turned to mew, looking frustrated. I smoothed her frown out and smiled gently at her. I lifted her hand and gave it a light kiss.

“Frowning makes you look old” I chuckled. A smile curved her lips.

“I don’t look old!”

“You don’t but when you’re frowning, you!”

“That’s not true! Take that back” she said.

“Then don’t frown” I said. “I like it better when you smile”

She put up a poker face but I can see the spark of playfulness in her eyes.

“Oh, so you won’t smile unless I make you, huh?” I guessed. With a smirk, I breathed against her ear. She giggled.

“That’s unfair!”

I pecked her cheek. She turned to me again and smiled. She gave me a peck on the lips in return.

“I love you” she whispered.

“I love you” I returned and hugged her close to me. Yes, I’ll hold on to her love for me.

o=o=o

~DARA’S POV~

I haven’t seen Kwon Jiyong in his house for two weeks now. I’ve only caught glimpses of him in school. Everytime I try to follow him for a talk, he always disappears or slips away from me. I can’t help but think that he’s deliberately avoiding me.

I looked out through my window. The darkness and the emptiness of the other room annoy me. I started pacing around my room. I looked at my watch. It’s quarter to seven. I looked around my room. My eyes landed on the Bible and rosary that Sulli gave me. I ran downstairs.

“Hi dear, what are you-?”

I ran past by the living room to the kitchen. As soon as I found what I wanted, I ran towards the main door.

“What are you going to do with all those garlic-?”

“Where are you going?”

I ignored my parents and went to my car. I revved the engine to life. I drove down the road with my destination set in mind. I hope I’m right in thinking that he’s in the cemetery.

As my cat was making its way down the road, something black flew across, making me stepped on the break forcefully. The tires screeched in protest. I looked around and saw a crow flying to the opposite direction. Jeez, what’s with all the crows I’ve been seeing lately? I slumped in my seat and sighed, clutching my chest. I waited for my heartbeat to go back to normal before starting my car again.

I pulled to a stop in front of the cemetery. I stepped off the car, clutching the Bible on my right hand and the rosary on my left. I swallowed hard as I saw the dark cemetery with its eerie mist. I looked up at the full moon in the clear night sky and shivered. I looked straight ahead again. I should’ve brought a flashlight! Stupid me! How I could I forget to bring one? The moon’s barely lighting the whole place. But I’m already here, I might as well get through with it. With a deep breathm I walked through the archway.

I jumped in my place as I heard an owl hooted followed by the rustling of leaves. My heart pounded painfully against my chest. I shouldn’t have come here.

“What are you doing here?”

I literally jumped two feet when I heard that familiar voice. I turned to my left and saw a shadow of someone.

“I want to talk to Kwon Jiyong” I said. The person stepped out of the shadows. The moment, he did, ii saw the scrutinizing look in his eyes. He looked at the items on my hands and the one on my neck.

“I’ll bring you to him on once condition”

“What condition?” I asked nervously.

“Don’t remove that thing around your neck and don’t hide those things in your hands”

I felt myself blushed as I heard the hidden laughter under his words. I felt offended of course but I didn’t say anything. Instead, I held my chin up proudly and agreed to his condition.

“Follow me, then” he said. He started walking deeper into the cemetery with his hands inside his pockets. I can’t help but notice that he’s also in an all-black get up.

“Do you guys always wear black clothes?” I asked.

“No. that’s only Jiyong” he answered, still walking up ahead of me. “But we all love black so we wear black most of the times. It’s easier to blend in”

“Are you in a fraternity or cult?” I asked again, trying to distract myself. Twice or thrice, I think I saw something but when I looked closely at it, there was nothing.

“Hurry up and don’t look around” he said. “I won’t take responsibility if you’re left behind and get lost”

I looked up ahead again and found out he was a few feet away from me already. I quickened my pace and trailed along behind him.

“How much further are we going to walk?” I asked a while later. “We’ve been walking for half an hour already”

“We’re almost there” he simply said.

After a few minutes, his pace slowed. I looked up ahead and I saw a tomb housed by a roof. He pushed the fence and went in, I followed.

“Ya! What are you doing?!” I asked scandalized as he pushed the cover of the tomb. My eyes grew wide as I saw a descending staircase.

“Ladies first?” he turned to me. I looked down at the staircase then back at him.

“I . . . I don’t really think it’s. . . a good idea. I might g-get lost” I stammered.

“You won’t” he said. “And besides, I’ll be behind you”

Should I trust him or not? I stood on my place, hesitating. After three inhales, I just nodded. I already went this far. I gave him another testing look before going on to the stairs. There were torches on the wall. The shadows of the flickering flames were making riot to my imagination. I tried to ignore the shapes forming on the walls because of the shadows. At least it’s NOT that dark as I suspected it to be – that much is a consolation to me.

“I feel dizzy” I blurted out.

“It’s normal to feel dizzy” he answered.

“How long will it take us to reach the bottom?” I asked.

“Depends” he answered again. “It’ll be quicker if you just jump over the edge”

“I-I’d rather take the stairs” I mumbled. A light chuckle came from behind me.

“You sure are funny” he said.

“have you tried jumping from here to the bottom?” I acidly asked.

“Yep” he answered. “Always”

“I don’t believe you!” I said, stopping in my tracks to face him. “You’d be dead if you jump from this height!”

He just shrugged in response. I fumed then face upfront again.

“Do you want to try it?” he suddenly asked.

“Try what?”

“To jump”

“No!” I almost shouted. He chuckled again. I gave a squeak as I felt my feet left the stairs. “What are you doing?!”

“It’ll be faster if we just jump!”

I’m starting to hate this Seungri guy. “Oh no, no, no! I’m not – waaaaaah!!!!!”

I closed my eyes and held on tight on the bible and the rosary I’m holding, silently praying. He’s crazy! And I’m out of my mind for thinking of doing this!

It felt forever when the sensation of falling stopped. I peeked through one eye and saw that we finally reached the bottom. I looked at Seungri. He was standing very still, grinning. I looked up from where we came from. I almost fainted.

“How did you do that?” I started as he put me down.
“Do what?” he innocently asked.

“It’s too high! How did you-?

“Maybe you just got the height wrong or I just have strong legs”

“No, there’s no-“

“This way” he cut off and walked straight up ahead. Despite being irritated, I followed.

“What is this place?”

“You’ll see” he answered.

We reached a door; he looked back at me before pushing a metal door open.

“Welcome to the arena” he said. I shaded my eyes as I was suddenly blinded by the light coming from the place, followed by the deafening sound of hundreds of people shouting, cheering and roaring.

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*a/n: banner credits to reader sweetmafi