“Do you or do you not love Kwon Jiyong?” Youngbae said. Jiyong put a hand over his face as he held in a breath and the urges to kick his face over and over again. He could hear Chaerin’s breath stopping, her heart beating faster. His hands started to sweat as he realized one thing, she wasn’t sure of her answer.

“Are you high?” She said. Jiyong laughed softly before removing the hand from his face, looking at her shocked expression.

“Don’t mind him, he’s just messing around.” Jiyong said as he looked at Youngbae’s satisfied expression.

“But I am completely satisfied with my answer. Thank you very much.” Youngbae said. Jiyong glared at him, his hand balling into a fist.

“Youngbae, enough. We came for an answer, and now, Guardian, make sure you get to the manor by tomorrow.” Jiyong said. Youngbae smirked and nodded.

“I will be there, Magna Veneficus.” Youngbae said between his teeth. Jiyong smiled and nodded, standing up and walking towards Chaerin, who was still looking at Youngbae with a shocked expression.

“Are you alright?” He said softly as he stood in front of her. She looked up at him and nodded, closing .

“Y-Yes, I am.” She said and threw her loose her back. “I’m perfectly fine.” Jiyong nodded and opened the door.

“It’s not that I am throwing you out, but could you please leave us a minute alone?” He said. Chaerin nodded and walked out, her hair swinging dramatically as she walked out of the room. Jiyong let out a sigh and closed the door, locking it.

“Smooth.” Youngbae said. Jiyong smirked and turned around, his hand still holding him onto the door.

“I can’t be with her.” He said. Youngbae shrugged and rested his back on the sofa.

“Too bad, your body thinks otherwise.” He said. Jiyong punched the door and let out a soft scream of exasperation.

“I ing hate this! I ing hate being so weak because of her! I hate living so long only to lose her! I don’t want this anymore!” He screamed as he punched the walls, the bar, threw cups and glasses, bottles and napkins. Jiyong was ranting his rage on everything he could put a finger on, on everything that could be close enough for him to break. Youngbae was laughing as Jiyong vent his anger on everything, thing that made him stop, his hand bleeding, and look at him.

“I was starting to believe you had no feelings at all. Years can make us forget about who we are.” Youngbae said, serving himself another glass of Vodka.

“Years, my dear friend, are what are turning me insane.” Jiyong hissed. Youngbae lifted the glass and drank.

“Kill her, end your pain. End her life.” Youngbae said. Jiyong, who was pacing around the room, stopped abruptly.

“What?” Jiyong said, his eyes wide. Youngbae nodded as he stood up, walking towards him.

“You’re sick of everything, lift your hand and kill her. You’re sick of living? End her life, then you will be able to die, all of us.” Youngbae said, now a few inches away from Jiyong. He felt his knees trembling at the thought, his mind filled with bloody memories of her dying over and over again on his arms, close to him, or even far away.

“I killed her once, and all of this started.” Jiyong said. Youngbae smiled and shook his head.

“No, she killed herself, you just didn’t do anything to save her.”

“I can’t kill her.” Jiyong said. Youngbae smirked, then put a hand over Jiyong’s shoulder, almost throwing him off balance.

“Then love her and end your pain. Become one with her and finish the one who’s truly hurting you! She already feels something for you, confused or not, she feels something.” Youngbae hissed. “You’re a handsome, young man.”

“Figuratively.”

“Make her love you, love her.”

“Is love really necessary? I have suffered enough.” Jiyong said. Youngbae shook his head smiling.

“Since when you became such a crybaby? I remember our Salvatore being sadist, cruel and strong, what happened to you?”

“I became Jiyong?” He said. Youngbae snickered and walked towards the now destroyed mini bar and grabbed a bottle that was still sane. It was a bottle of whisky. He poured two cups, and handed one to Jiyong. “Trying to get me drunk?”

“Trying to make you sincere.” Youngbae said as he lifted his cup. Jiyong hesitated, looking at the cup, thinking of all the possibilities of that word, of everything that he could do and couldn’t.

“I can’t love her.” Jiyong murmured. Youngbae drank his whisky and put it down, looking at Jiyong with a serious expression.

“Then just kill her.”

Chaerin walked back into the dancing crowd, people bowing and smiling at her, though no one seemed to notice them. She shook her head and walked faster towards a lounge seat that was close to the DJ Booth, which, surprisingly, wasn’t occupied. With a loud sigh, she dropped herself on the chair, sulking down as she looked at the dancing crowd. It felt like ages since she sat there, drinking and having fun. Now she was far from having fun, far from feeling free ever again.

Her chest heaved up as she suppressed her tears, remembering how well she used to enjoy her life, and how miserably lonely it had become. People danced their worries away, she knew that, she has been that. People drank their sorrows away, she knew as much, she had done that too. It was terrible how miserable she was feeling, confusion reign all over her, and it stressed her out, being the first time in her life that she had been so lost, so not under control.

“This is stupid!” She said as she pulled her hair in exasperation.

“Am I interrupting something?” Someone said close to her. She gasped as she heard that familiar voice. She quickly turned around, and her eyes widened as she saw who was standing just behind her. Jonghyun, as handsome as ever, his hair glistening silver in the lights of the club. She felt so happy she didn’t noticed the black eyes, nor the wicked smile.

“Jonghyun!” She said and quickly went to hug him, completely forgetting about what happened to him, of how he turned Evil or how he got into her dreams. She had completely forgotten everything, the happiness of the moment made her completely oblivious of the music, of the people, of the feelings. “I missed you.” She murmured on his ear as he lifted her up while hugging her.

“I missed you too.” He said and put her down.

“Where were you?” she said as she buried her face on his chest. She felt nothing on him, no smile, no laughter, nothing.

“I was… out.” He said, slowly pulling her away. Just then did she realized the black orbs that took place in his eyes. A shiver went down her spine as she looked at his blankness. He smiled, but it was as empty as her own heart. “Is Jiyong around?”

“Jiyong?” Chaerin said. Jonghyun nodded, now looking around the place. Chaerin wanted to tell him that he was, but instead, said nothing. Jonghyun seemed too stiff, too tensed to even be noticing her lack of response.

“He shouldn’t be here.” Jonghyun muttered and pushed Chaerin to sit back. She gasp as he sat next to her, as fast and smooth as the wind. “He wouldn’t let us talk.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Chaerin said, suddenly very aware of Jonghyun’s movements. He was looking at her with tender, black eyes. His hand close to her as she gripped the pillows of the lounge.

“He doesn’t like my kind.” Jonghyun muttered, slowly approaching her face. She gulped as she gripped harder the pillow. “He hates my kind, despises us.”

“Your kind?”

“Evildoers, Darklings, like he calls them.” Jonghyun muttered. Chaerin gulped again, a drop of sweat falling dramatically from her forehead as she felt Jiyong’s presence approaching. “It was hard to find you, I can’t feel your aura anymore. The Change… changed so many things.” Jonghyun murmured as he touched the tip of her fingers. She looked to the side, now worrying Jiyong might get there any minute.

“You can’t feel us anymore?” Chaerin said. Jonghyun shook his head as he intertwined his fingers with hers. “I thought you were dead.”

“Dead? That’s what he said?”

“That’s what I saw. You, burning to ashes.” Chaerin said. Jonghyun chuckled and lifted her hand, kissing it softly.

“You saw the flames, not me burning. I disappeared, Jiyong casted me away.” Jonghyun caressed her hand softly, and she remembered all those nights she spent with him, laughing and enjoying themselves.

“Jonghyun… you can’t be here.” Chaerin muttered. Jonghyun frowned as he looked at her.

“Why? I wanted to see you so badly.” He murmured. Chaerin gulped as he got closer to her, his breath so close it gave her goosebumps.

“I’m afraid I might lose you for real, just leave.” Chaerin said. Jonghyun frowned again, stopping just in front of her face. She was trembling from the inside, scared of Jiyong’s reaction. But why should she be scared? She was nothing to him.

“Have you… bonded, with him?” Jonghyun said. Chaerin raised an eyebrow.

“What?” She said. Jonghyun smiled and kissed her suddenly. She held in her breath as his lips touched hers, gently, passionately, full of longing and desire.

“No,” He mumbled on her lips. “You can’t bond with him, not now.” He kissed her again, slowly putting his hand on the back of her neck. She closed her eyes, kissing him back. She was surprised she did, but something deep within her wanted this to happen, wanted to kiss him, to make him hers. She put her hands on his necks and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

Jiyong’s presence got stronger, so strong she gasped and pushed Jonghyun away, feeling him too close. As Jonghyun straightened, looking at her with a confused expression, Jiyong held his shoulder and pulled him away from the seat. Chaerin sat upright, feeling guilty all of a sudden.

“Jonghyun, fancy meeting you here.” Jiyong said. Jonghyun hissed and shoved Jiyong’s hand away, glaring at him.

“I am not too pleased.” Jonghyun said. Jiyong smiled and nodded, looking hastily at Chaerin, then back at Jonghyun. Chaerin felt like disappearing from his sight, if she could have become one with the lounge, she would have done.

“I’m burdened, really.” Jiyong said, though his voice showed no signs of regret.

“I bet you are.” Jonghyun stood up, still glaring at Jiyong. Chaerin gulped as she saw Jiyong’s eyes turning red. She stood up, ready to stop him when Jonghyun started laughing. “You can’t hurt me, not like that.”

“Of course I can.” Jiyong said, his hands sending sparks of fire. Jonghyun laughed again and extended his arms, pointing at his chest.

“Go on, I want to see you fainting miserably.” Jonghyun said and Jiyong trembled from anger. Chaerin went to his side and pushed him a bit away, making him widen his eyes.

“Don’t do it, you’re too weak.” She mumbled. Jiyong continued looking at her, though the flames had disappeared and the eyes turned back to normal.

“Listen to her, she’s not so naïve now.” Jonghyun said, still laughing.

“I may be weak, but there are a lot of people here who aren’t, so I suggest your leave.” Jiyong said. Jonghyun’s smile faded, his black eyes turning dangerous and serious.

“I will take my leave, but I assure you, you will not win.” Jonghyun said as he fixed his jacket.

“I wasn’t intending to.”

“I’m not talking about her, she will come when the time comes. I’m talking about the war, it’s imminent, and it’s going to happen. There’s no stopping it.” Jonghyun told him as he walked out of the lounge area.

“We will be ready.” Jiyong said. Jonghyun snickered and left. Chaerin wanted to leave, too, but couldn’t. Jiyong slowly turned towards her, his face as blank as a white paper. “What did he wanted?” Chaerin didn’t know what to answer, or didn’t wanted to. Who was he to her? Who was Kwon Jiyong in Lee Chaerin’s life?

“He just wanted to see me.” Chaerin said. Jiyong chuckled and nodded.

“Indeed, a Darkling just wanted to see the Insegnante. To reminiscence old times?” He said. Chaerin felt angered by his words, her hands balling into fists.

“Jiyong, he was and is my best friend. I don’t care if he’s a Darkling or whatever you may call him, if he wants to see me, he will see me.” Chaerin said. Jiyong widened his eyes for a slight bit, then smiled and nodded. “You don’t own me.”

“Sure I don’t, neither do I want. Do as you please, but if he hurts you, you are on your own.” He said and turned to leave. Chaerin opened to talk, but stopped when he turned and glared at her. “Now we leave, I still have business to attend to.” Chaerin nodded and followed him out of the club.

As they walked out, she looked back at the club, and in there, Jonghyun’s figure appeared from the shadows. She looked at him with a pained expression, and he nodded, mouthing the words ‘We will meet again’ and blowing her a kiss. Chaerin nodded, looking back to the front, where Jiyong was unlocking his car.

“Get in.” He hissed as he got into the driver’s side. Chaerin opened the door and looked back where Jonghyun was, only to find the wall empty. She felt her heart sinking inside her chest and got inside the car, fidgeting with her fingers. It was so unfair, she thought, so cruel how life had treated her. But in the end, she was the one who had to have the fight, and she will have it. There shouldn’t be one way to make things, and she wouldn’t do them in one way. 

Gily's Notes: Oh ho ho now we see some fierce Chaerinnie alright!

Ok, not so fierce, but it's something! :D

And Ji... ohh my Ji :D

Happy Reading ~

Gily ♥