Jiyong’s hand trembled slightly as he looked at Youngbae, his eyes wide as his finger touched his lips. Images of his father came to his mind, of his own mother mistreating Youngbae as they were children. Everything seemed to fall into place as he looked at Youngbae, processing everything he told him.

“That’s exactly why my real mother didn’t want me.” Youngbae said, looking down. Jiyong gulped, moving his head to the side as he looked at the trees. Everything seemed to be halted to a stop, as if the whole world stopped only to hear Youngbae’s real story.

“And you still befriended me?” Jiyong said, his voice a little bit louder than a whisper. He heard Youngbae sighing, but he didn’t looked, almost afraid of his answer.

“At first, I had to. Younghwan made me protect you. Whatever happened to you, I would pay the price.” Youngbae said. Jiyong looked at him with wide eyes.

“Why?”

“Because you’re his treasure, like he would always say.” Youngbae said, then chuckled without any humor. “Or more like his investment.” Jiyong shook his head as he let out a sigh, mixed feelings of anger and guilt creeping through his spine, clouding his mind.

“That’s why I can’t love her…” He muttered. Youngbae touched his shoulder, and Jiyong looked at him with blank eyes. “My father will never allow me to be free, right?”

“As long as he lives,” Youngbae said, letting out a soft sigh as he shook his head. “No.”

“I think Younghwan’s making us all pay for his mistakes.” Youngbae muttered. “And even my mother is making us pay for it, now I’m certain.”

“Is she alive?” Jiyong said, and Youngbae nodded.

“Like Taemin, she’s hidden from public view, but she’s alive.”

“Can we use her to get to Sooman?” Jiyong said, then bit his lip, looking at Youngbae apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I don’t really know her.” Youngbae said, then shrugged. “And use her, I don’t know. I don’t think Sooman’s the problem here.” Jiyong narrowed his eyes as he understood what he meant. Yes, there was only one problem in all the families, one core to the erupting volcano in the underground.

“My father.” He muttered as he traced his fingers through his hair, resting his back on the seat. “Then take me to him, I’m going to kill him.”

The darkness surrounded the people, distorting them until they disappeared. She tried to run, to scream as the people turned into hollow ghost of something that was once there and now it wasn’t. Smirks were all around the shadows as she turned around and around, pulling her hair as she felt her body being dragged into the darkness.

“Let go of me!” She screamed, pulling her hair so hard a few strands came out lose, yet she couldn’t feel pain. She watched her hair turning into snakes in her hands, and she screamed, throwing them away. “What’s wrong with me?” She cried as she let herself fall on her knees, losing strength of all her limbs.

In the distance, she could hear people laughing, almost making fun of her as she cried, completely numb and unable to move. Too convincing to be fake, yet too surreal to be understood, she tried to drag her body towards nothing, there was nothing more than her sorrow and weak body in that place. The sorrow and the smirks, almost pushing her, different faces, same gesture, same facial expression, haunting her until she reached a wall. She thought of safety, scratching the wall until her nails bled. Golden blood was dripping from her hands and the wall, and she gasped, throwing herself to the back, only to see the wall distorting into a person. A man, with golden hair, fair skin, toned muscles. A man of dreams, a perfect, painful reality. “Jiyong.”

He smirked at her as he extended his hands towards her. She gulped, trying to avoid looking into his eyes, golden orbs blazing in fire. She could see herself in their reflection, a golden version of herself. Against her will, Chaerin grabbed his hands, feeling warmth emanating from them as he slowly stood her up. She smiled, a smile that turn to a frown as she felt something cold and hard on his hand. She looked down, only to see a golden gun with a carved dragon on it. She gasped again as she took a few steps back, and he lifted the gun. “I am the Golden Dragon.” He said in a strong voice, and she shook her head, biting her lips as tears fell nonstop from her eyes.

“Why are you doing this?” She begged, but he just smirked, his golden eyes turning black, the fire dying in them.

“I am the Golden Dragon.” He said again, and she sobbed, looking at him as he put his index finger on the trigger. “I am here to kill you.”

The sound of the bullet, her eyes snapped open, and she gasped as she felt the stinging pain on her chest. She screamed as she put her hands on it, expecting to see blood oozing out of her, yet, there was nothing there. She sobbed as she looked at her hands, trembling as she saw images of blood dripping from her, yet there was nothing. “Chaerin? Is everything alright?” She heard someone saying, and she slowly moved her face to the side, only to see Taemin standing at the door.

“Where am I?” She sobbed, and he let out a sigh, entering the room, not forgetting to close the door behind him.

“At my house.” He said as he sat down on bed. She shook her head as she grabbed the sheets, hugging them tight as she felt all her control fading.

“Why?” She said, her voice breaking. He bit his lip and looked to the side. She looked too, tears falling from her eyes as she saw her reflection on the full panel mirror next to the bed.

“We have to protect you.” Taemin said in a soft voice. Chaerin let out another sob as she saw her deteriorated state. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair was all tangled and sweaty, her face looked hollow and pale. She looked dead, with fresh tears falling from her eyes, she looked like a corpse.

“Protect me from what?” She cried, now looking at Taemin. “He said he wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Protect you from yourself.” Taemin said. She shook her head, sobbing silently as Taemin moved closer to her. “You are not well.”

“I am fine.” She cried but he shook his head, cupping her face between his hands.

“Chaerin, listen to me. You are not ok, and what happened at your apartment,” He said and stop, clearly fighting with the emotions he was feeling. “I don’t want to see that again, not because of some selfish bastard.”

“Don’t call him that.” She said and he looked at her, his eyes firm. “Don’t call him that.”

“Then what can I call him? Do you want me to favor him when he has hurt you so much?” Taemin said, and she shook her head again, biting her lower lip. She felt she would break it any minute, but she couldn’t’ stop biting it, the pain reminded her she was still alive, and that she was still there, fighting against her own will.

“He didn’t hurt me.” She said, and Taemin scoffed, standing up as he scratched his head. His hear turned out a mess, and he looked at her, and she moved back, watching in him the same expressions Jiyong always had. The same cold, fierce stare, the same tensed movements, the same tactical reactions.

“He killed your father! He is going to kill you, what can we do to make you understand he will hurt you, he is no less dangerous than we are!” Taemin said. She continued to look at her youngest cousin, slowly turning into a man she didn’t knew, a man that was as dangerous as the man that swore to love her, and hurt her both physically and emotionally.

“Are you?” She said, almost out of breath, and Taemin nodded, moving his hand towards his back. He pulled out a gun and set it on her bed. She looked at it as tears fell from her eyes, shaking her head no.

“Maybe there’s more you don’t know.” Taemin said, his face slowly turning back to the cousin she knew, to the young man that didn’t gave a care in the world.

“Taemin, no.” She said, still shaking her head no. “Not you too.”

“I’ve killed men, women, even elders, what makes you think I won’t kill that man that has done you so much wrong?” He said, his voice cold. She put a hand over , still looking at the gun on her bed.

“Not you too.” She said, trying to imagine him killing Jiyong. It was impossible, it was unbearable. A world where her family killed her heart was a world she couldn’t imagine, but unfortunately, she was living on it, and it was driving her to the edge of insanity.

“He came by last night, that Jiyong.” Taemin said, and she looked at him with wide eyes, remembering Jiyong’s bruised and bleeding face. “He has guts.”

“You were the one who hurt him?” She said, almost hissing. She wasn’t even sure what she was feeling anymore, and she didn’t cared. All she knew was that her family hurt Jiyong, and from all of them, Taemin was one.

“Along with the others, yes. He trespassed our territory, he knows it’s off-limits.” Taemin said, his coldness never fading. She shook her head, and the next thing she knew, she was jumping over her bed and throwing her body towards him. He fell with her full weight down, and she started punching him and kicking him right on the floor.

“HE WAS LOOKING FOR ME! HOW DARE YOU!!” She screamed as she hit Taemin everywhere she could manage. Taemin simply put his arms in front of his face as she continued to hit him all over his torso and arms.

“HE IS DANGEROUS CHAERIN! YOU CAN’T BE WITH HIM!” He screamed back, but Chaerin didn’t stop, she continued to hit him, venting her anger on him.

“AS MUCH AS YOU ARE! AND HERE I AM! YOU ARE NO LESS DANGEROUS THAN HIM!”

“BUT HE’S OUR ENEMY!” Taemin screamed again, and she stopped, her fist right next to her face. She was glaring at him as she panted, and he slowly uncovered his face, looking at her. She already broke his lip, and his cheek was also bleeding. Chaerin stood up, still glaring at him.

“He is not my enemy.” She hissed and walked towards the door, putting her hand on the doorknob. “No matter what he has done, he is not my enemy.” She said again and got out of the room in a haste.

“HE KILLED YOUR FATHER!” Taemin yelled from the room, but she ignored him as she hurried down the hallway until she reached the stairs. In there, two men dressed in black suits stopped her, and she hissed, trying to walk past them, only to be blocked.

“We’re sorry Miss Lee, you can’t get out.” One said. She glared at him, closing her fists.

“Let me out.” She said and tried to move past them, and again, they blocked her way, holding her by her waist.

“Sorry.”

“Chaerin, you’re awake.” A man said from behind them. She hissed again as she freed herself from the suited men. Without turning around, she took deep breaths, controlling the urges to kill them all.

“Sooman.” She said, slowly turning around.

“It’s not uncle anymore?” Sooman said as she finally looked at him through narrow eyes. As usual, he was dressed in a grey suit, but his tie was undone and the first buttons of the shirt where also undone.

“Would ‘stepfather’ suit you more?” She said, and Sooman glared at her, also closing his fists, then loosening them.

“Don’t push the limits, young lady, you’re walking on quicksand.” He said, and she scoffed, moving her hair out of her face.

“What can be worse than being held hostage at this horrible mansion?” She said, to which Sooman smiled, looking around the place.

“Maybe be kept at a prison?”

“Would you do that?” She said, to which Sooman smirked.

“If I have to.” He said. Chaerin glared at him, biting her lower lip again.

“Let me out.” She hissed, and Sooman raised an eyebrow, still smirking at her.

“Why? To go back to your beloved enemy? He is probably planning how to get you, only to kill you and bring your corpse to his father’s feet.” Sooman said, and she felt her control slowly fading, slowly losing her tenacity and fierceness. “Oh yes, whatever Younghwan wants, Jiyong does. And guess what Younghwan wants right now?” Chaerin felt her eye twitching as Sooman walked towards her, yet she couldn’t move, only glare at him as he stood right in front of her. “He wants you dead.”

Maybe it was the anger, or maybe it was just a reflex, she didn’t know, but the very next thing Chaerin did, was something she never expected her to do. Her fist landed right in Sooman’s face, knocking him down. She tried to get on top of him, but the guards held her by her waist, pulling her away from Sooman as another one helped him stand up. Taemin was now standing next to her, watching everything alongside of Kikwang, both with their faces serious. “I want you dead! I want every one of you dead!” She screamed at the top of her lungs as the guards tried to steady her.

“She’s mental! Guards, take her to her room!” Sooman said, and Chaerin continued to fight the guards. “Taemin, call the mental hospital, I am afraid our little niece has gone mad, she can hurt herself here.” Sooman said as Chaerin was slowly being dragged back to her room.

“NO! You won’t lock me up Sooman! You won’t lock me up! LET GO OF ME!” She continued to fight as they finally reached her room. She tried to hold the frame of the door, but the men were stronger than her, so they easily pushed her inside, forcefully closing the door and locking it from the other side. “!” Chaerin screamed as she pulled her hairs, looking around her room, trying to find some way out.

The big mahogany doors opened, and Jiyong walked in, accompanied by Youngbae. Both of them didn’t bothered in greeting anyone, Jiyong’s mind was fixed in finding his father. He knew he wouldn’t kill him, he didn’t had any strength or will in him to do so, but he did wanted to confront him, make him say the truth on his face. Maybe that could be enough to trigger Jiyong’s hate, and maybe with that, he would find the strength to pull the trigger against his father.

As he walked up the stairs, he heard footsteps approaching his way. He stopped and looked back, only to see Seungri running towards them. “Jiyong!” He screamed, and both Jiyong and Youngbae exchanged a look, then looked back at Seungri, who was panting as he stopped in front of them. “ I’m glad I found you.”

“What’s wrong?” Jiyong said, no emotion on his voice left. Seungri took a deep breath, putting a hand on the handrails.

“Everything’s wrong, you have to come with me.” Seungri said, signaling Jiyong’s room. Jiyong narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

“I have to talk to my father, wait until I am done.”

“But this is important Jiyong, please come with me.” Seungri said, and Jiyong hissed, turning around to walk up the stairs.

“Nothing is more important than this right now.” Jiyong hissed.

“What about Chaerin?” Seungri said, and Jiyong stopped, slowly turning around, glaring at him.

“What did you say?”

“Is Chaerin no longer important?” Seungri asked, and Jiyong’s stare grew deadlier.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Dead serious.” Seungri said, and signaled at the door. “While you’re here pretending to be the good son, Chaerin’s out there, fighting against her uncle who wants to lock her inside of an asylum.” Jiyong’s eyes widened as he took a few steps down.

“What?!” He said and Seungri nodded. “Why?”

“She had a mental breakdown, as they say, and he wants to lock her up.” Seungri said. Jiyong put a hand on his forehead as he looked at Seungri. “She punched Sooman’s face, and also Taemin got his share of fists, but at the end, they managed to lock her up. I bet she’s on her way to the asylum right about now.” Jiyong shook his head and looked at Youngbae with wide eyes.

“Don’t look at me, let’s go!” Youngbae said, and Jiyong nodded, the three of them running down the stairs. They ran towards Seungri’s car that was parked right in front of Youngbae’s. Seungri unlocked the doors and Jiyong went to the passenger’s door, opening it hastily.

“Take me to her, now!” Jiyong hissed as Youngbae got in the backseat. Seungri nodded and both of them got in the car.

“Do you have your guns?” Seungri said as he drove out of the Kwon’s mansion, and Jiyong glared at him, his hand on his forehead as he thought about how to get Chaerin out of that situation.

“Always.” Youngbae said, and Jiyong heard the gun clicking. He let out a sigh as he looked at the road, biting his lips as worry, stress and guilt crept through him. Everything was his fault, he knew. Her mental breakdown, her unstable state, it was all thanks to him. He didn’t know many things in life, but one thing he knew well, he made a mess, he knew how to clean it up, and that’s what he was going to right at that moment. He was going to clean his mess.

Gily's Notes: HI!! I am impressed I still have readers. Thank you so much! I read your comments and I am so happy you guys think about me and still wish me luck and good things. I am trying my best to make time to write, but as you guys know, I have become a working woman (lol).

Right now, I am sacrificing hours of sleep to write this down. But I had to! 

I want to tell you guys that I have been planning the sequel of Twist of Destiny, and I can't WAIT to start writting it. So yes, sorry for the spoiler but this will not end with the end... lol!

Keep on holding onto this, because even if it's slowly, I will continue to write. Right now I am preparing for one of the most important tests of my whole life, and I want to do good. Between work, studies and personal life, I am fighting to find time to write, but sometimes I find myself so tired I can't seem to write. Imagine working shifts that last either 8 hours or 16 hours... it's hard, but I love it!

Lol, I am done with my nonesense, keep on giving me love and leaving comments, I appreciate them! For all of you who read my others stories AGAIN, you guys are amazing! Don't forget to UPVOTE! I wish to spread my stories EVERYWHERE!!! lol

Happy Reading ~ 

Gily ☻