“Ok.”

                It was as simple as that. For what seemed like a long dragging silence, all the while just staring at each other,  I found myself saying that which my brain has trained me for the past weeks. Confused, surprised, crazy, mad, I told him to go away. He didn’t even think about my words, and just answered okay as if he prepared his response for quite a while now. I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but before I could even react, he was gone, invisible in the dark night.

                I stood transfixed on the spot, feeling the air dampen my skin. An eerie silence greeted my ears, as if I just imagined all those people hanging around the Han River with smiles on their faces not so long ago. The pain on my leg was throbbing, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. What is Kai doing here? How did he find me? Were the others just watching me silently too, letting me be by myself as I wished to? 

                Something cold trickled down my spine. I should find a secluded place to spend the night, before another attack like that happens. If it wasn’t for the seer who helped me, I would not have those seconds heads-up to save my life. 

                I walked slowly, dragging my wounded ankle with me as I looked for an alley. Somehow, I could feel someone is watching me, and I know very well who it is. Mixed feelings were burning inside me. I felt irked that I’ve been discovered, but I could also feel in one corner of my heart that there’s solace in his appearance.

                In the middle of my search, I couldn’t handle the feeling of  being watched anymore by someone I couldn't see. It makes me go even more paranoid. So, I stopped, took a deep breath and said, “Fine. Would you just show up?”

                In a matter of seconds, I felt a circle of air gather at my side. Slowly, as if the air decided to be made of visible particles, it solidified in the form of Kim Jong in.

                He was just looking at me again, and I realized then how much I dislike him being so silent at times. It makes it hard for me to figure out what he’s thinking.  Still, as he bore those black orbs of his for eyes into my own,  I didn't get scared like I used to. Instead,  I felt confident. 

                “How did you do that?” That wasn’t what I wanted to say, but it’s the first time I ever saw him materialize out of will, as if he’d finally become master of air, the element I know he’s so comfortable with maneuvering.

                “You’re not the only one who’s allowed to upgrade,” he stated nonchalantly, as he pulled my bag before I could even protest.  As soon as he was done delving through the contents, he handed me a small vial. When I looked closely at it, I realized it was one of those duirean-invented medicines. I had not gotten the urge to use it even once, because as the words printed on the container say,  it’s for extreme cases only. “Being brave is different from being stupid. Can’t you feel it’s killing you?”

                I was dumbstruck and simply didn’t know what to say. I know he spoke true, because I could feel my hands getting more and more numb. My vision was faltering as well seeing how the edges of his figure were becoming unclear. Still, I didn't feel the gravity of the situation.  I couldn't even feel the pain on my bitten leg anymore.  Kai got a little impatient at this and said, “Well?”

                Suddenly, he took the medicine in his own hands and kneeled  in front of me. He applied it on my wound whilst I flinched because then, the medicine stung like hell. As if on cue, it all came back, the feeling that I was bitten by a wild dog. I could tell he was trying his best to apply the ointment gently, but it was getting to me, the heat. Every part of my skin that touches the medicine felt like it was burning. I didn’t want to cry out loud, so I just sat on the ground, closed my eyes and tried to think of something else despite the growing headache.

                “I told you,” I heard Kai said, but it seemed to come from far away. Damn those mutts. I opened one of my eyes in time to see  him take out his white handkerchief and bind it tightly around my ankle.  I tried to stop him, but he merely swatted my hand away. I frowned, knowing fully well that if I was in a much better condition, I wouldn't have let him do this. In fact, I would not let him do anything. 

                “Why do you care?” I spurted out. I’ve started to become a little too brazen in a matter of weeks. Rather than bothering with his actions, I should really be asking myself first, what happened to me? I can almost not recognize myself.

                Kai seemed to realize it too, because he paused for a few seconds, and then continued working on my ankle without sparing me a glance. “Are you asking because you don’t know or are you just in denial of the whole idea?”

                “What do you mean?” I asked. My hands felt cold from the sudden nervousness that struck me. I indeed felt dumb, because with just a few words, I got what he meant. Maybe he’s right. I’m just not ready.

                “You’re hopeless,” he commented and stood up. I thought he was going to leave me then, but he held out his hand and helped me get back up. My whole leg felt like brick.

                “D’you think you can move?” he asked.

                “Yeah, I guess,” I said and took one step. I did not intend to but it seemed like I was doing it in slow motion.

                “Well, I don’t,” he said. Sometimes, Kai is just plain frank or sarcastic. His temper is really so unpredictable. 

                He put an arm gently around my waist and leapt us in the air, just like how he did it the first time. I found myself clinging to his