"I am sorry, we were a bit late."

 

The door flung open revealing Jin Young with Jiyong and Dara and some two more aids trailing behind him. Bom was seated on the couch beside CL while Seunghyun was still seated on his bed.

 

 

"I don't know if I should be disappointed, Dr. Park. I was hoping to witness a reunion. Where is our little lady Hayi?" The man asked making Bom stutter as she spoke.

 

 

"O-o-utside... she went outside. She doesn't like it here."

 

"Why what a shame. Does she already know?"

 

"No..." Bom managed to say. She swallowed hard and turned to Seunghyun and saw the man balling his fists. She shook her head and forced a smile as she faced the man on the wheelchair once more. "Do you want to see her?"

 

"Aisht, let the kids play. She only has a year before she enters the training ground. Let her enjoy her childhood."

 

Bom lowered her head as she felt herself choking upon hearing the man's words. So after all her hard work,  her daughter still won't get exempted from the training.

 

"Hayi is not undergoing any training." Dara firmly said, making Bom look up to her. "I want that included in our pact," she said.

 

"I'll think about it. You are demanding so much, Park. You should do well to please me."

 

"What pact are you talking about?" CL stood up and glared at Dara. "What are you talking about?" She asked once more but Dara tried to ignore her and turned to the head instead.

 

"CL will have to leave today. I'm not going anywhere unless she safely goes back home."

 

"What the are you talking about, Dara???" CL angrily marched towards Dara and pushed her away but the latter didn't even flinch, her eyes still directed to Jin Young.

 

"Tell me that's possible. I want to hear it from you,"  she calmly said.

 

"What the hell is going on here?" CL asked once more.

 

"Very well then. Be prepared, Lee Chaerin. You're going home today." JinYoung answered.

 

"What? No... No! I'm not going anywhere without you!" CL grabbed Dara's shirt angrily but Jiyong was quick to pull the girl away.

 

"Enough... Enough!"

 

"Damn it!" CL broke away from Jiyong and slapped his face. "This is all because of you!!!"

 

"ENOUGH!!" Jin Young shouted, rooting them all to their spot. "You should be thankful I'm letting you go home alive." The man glared at CL. "I am giving you a choice. Go home with your memories still intact or stay here and get it all wiped out in just a shot."

 

CL shook her head in disbelief. She turned to Dara, to Seunghyun and back to the head of the Lair, the shock all over her face.

 

"She's going home as soon as possible," Jiyong interrupted. "Choi Seunghyun will follow as soon as his doctor permits," he continued, directing his eyes to Bom.

 

"Does Park Sandara wishes the same too?"

 

"Yes..."

 

"Well then, you have decided so quickly. See? I'm easy to talk to." Jin Young clasped his hands and turned to his men, signalling them for their leave. "I'll leave you with a few moments to discuss everything."

 

Jin Young punched a button on his arm chair and gripped it and soon he was moving out of the room, his men still trailing behind him leaving everyone in silence.

 

Bur Dara was quick to break it.

 

"I don't have anything to discuss with anyone in here,"

 

"Dara..."

 

Dara looked up to Jiyong before turning around.

 

"Talk to them. At least talk to them," Jiyong said, all apologetic and blaming himself for everything but Dara shook her head.

 

"No! You can't decide for us! What is wrong with you?" CL asked but Dara but the latter just ignored her.

 

"Please take CL home," Dara told Jiyong instead. "Make sure she'll be safe,"

 

"Dara..."

 

"Dr. Park... Please watch after Seunghyun's health,"

 

"Sandara... Why are you doing this?" Bom stood up but Dara didn't pay her a single glance.

 

"Please, don't think about me. From now on, don't worry about me."

 

"Sandara, that's bull!"

 

Jiyong whipped his head towards Seunghyun, eyeing him in displease but Seunghyun was not fazed.

 

"What now, Kwon? You're happy now, huh? Is this the kind of life you dreamed of for her???" Seunghyun almost leaped up from his bed and if not for his wounds, he would have lunged himself at Jiyong. But soon he was crumbling down in pain and Bom quickly ran to his side. She checked on Seunghyun's wound and turned to Dara once more.

 

"Sandara, please! At least tell us what you are up to, please." She begged knowing how everyone is worried about what is going on. "Please," but she didn't get any answer. Dara marched straight out of the room instead.

 

"Dara!" CL tried to run after her but four man quickly came to her view to block her. She turned to Jiyong to ask him but the man's face was devoid of any emotion.

 

"Kwon Jiyong... What is happening???"

 

Jiyong shut his eyes and balled his fists. How does he answer it? Guilt started to eat him up, creeping up his system, consuming him whole.

 

"Get ready," he told CL.

 

"What—"

 

"We're leaving in a few," 

 

And with that he found himself running after Dara, trying to reach her for he knows he only has a few hours left with her.

 

And the fact that he knows the kind of place Dara is heading to made him more uneasy.

 

The training ground.

 

Where ammunitions and firearms are free for everyone to hold.

 

Where a wrong move can quickly define someone's death.

 

Where children are being trained as early as the age of five.

 

Where Dara might find just one of her greatest shocks in life.

 

*********

 

 

"Sandara! Sandara, let's talk!" Jiyong pulled Dara by her arm, spinning her around to face him. His voice resonated through the dark hallways but he knew it was never strong enough to shake her. She was very determined and he has never seen her like this. 

 

"Let's talk," he said once more, this time softly. He turned his gaze to Mino who was behind Dara.

 

"Excuse us for a moment," Jiyong told the young man and the latter bowed slightly.

 

"I'll be waiting at the great hall," Mino said before retreating.

 

"I need to prepare Jiyong. We will be leaving soon,"

 

"You don't have to do this. You don't," Jiyong said but Dara stayed firm. "I'll find a way. I'll take you out of here—"

 

"Jiyong..."

 

"Don't do this!"

 

"Then what should I do? Sit down and wait? What about my friends? Jiyong... I'm so tired of just waiting for things to unfold before my eyes. We've talked about this. I've gotta do something. I have to do something!"

 

"I can't allow you to go there. I'm perfectly fine now. You don't have to train—"

 

"I want to understand this place," Dara said which made Jiyong furrow his brows in confusion. "I want to understand these people. I want to know why my father fought for them all his life then just leave them just because his only daughter was concerned. Jiyong, I am so confused. I am still confused about the little patches of my past being fed to me. Coz this... This head is sick and could not remember! And somehow I feel sorry for your people and to your father. It was because of me and dad's foolish fears that you had to work for the government to survive."

 

"No. It was never like that,"

 

"If I need to endure your father's wrath the same as how you endured dad's, then so be it. I have nowhere to go, anyway, Jiyong. Our relationship is forbidden just because we are not living in the same world. I might as well grab this one last chance to be with you and save my friends as well."

 

"You don't know what you are talking about!!!"

 

"I know Jiyong. Please, trust me. I'll be fine,"

 

Jiyong shut his eyes and raked his hair as he turned around, punching the wall in anger. He was very furious but what can he do? He leaned on the wall and rested his forehead on his arm, trying to calm himself for at the very moment, only God knows what he is capable of doing because of his anger.

 

If God ever existed for him, that is.

 

"Jiyong..."

 

He felt her tiny arms around his waist as he heard her voice. "Don't make it harder for me. Please,"

 

He heaved a sigh. Is he making it hard for her? Slowly, he turned around and gathered her hands in his, bringing them to his lips. Dara smiled a bit and cupped his face with one hand while her other his messy hair away from his face but Jiyong pulled it back, guiding it to his cheeks so he could feel both of her warm hands.

 

Oh how she always warms him. Even when he thought his heart has grown cold enough for years to stay away and just watch her from afar, just one smile from her and he would always go running back to her. He shut his eyes.

 

Until when will he cause danger to her life?

 

He mentally scoffed.

 

He has always been the biggest danger in her life.

 

"I love you," Dara murmured, waking up Jiyong from his trance. "I love you that's why I want to belong in your world. We can never make it in mine. At least give us a chance in this place,"

 

Jiyong clenched his teeth as his vision became blurry. His brows furrowed as his face hardened as the lump in his throat became more painful than before. But what's more painful is the stabbing pain in his chest when he heard the woman he loves dearly asking for something he has been wishing all his life.

 

 A chance for them. 

 

All they need is a chance for them.

 

 

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

 

"Hyung... You think,  by the time we go home, CL will still be there with her memories intact?" Seungri asked as he made his way to the other black car parked a few meters away from The Dock's Inn. Youngbae didn't say anything. Instead, the man just inspected his car and belongings.

 

"Yah hyung! We will be going separate ways  Why are you giving me a cold shoulder huh???" Seungri asked once more only to be ignored again. 

 

"Aisht... Hyung... Hey hyung—"

 

"Shut the up, rat," Youngbae glared at Seungri before looking around and he sighed in relief when he saw there were no one in the area. He slammed the trunk of his car close and marched towards Seungri. 

 

 

"How can you be so dense huh? You think you can trust these men assigned to go with us?" he asked Seungri and the younger man just blinked at him in sudden realization. "Song Mino... Jiyong picked that boy up from the training ground and taught the boy so much and even trained him, himself. And now what? Look at what he did to us!"

 

Seungri lowered his head but not too long he snapped back at Youngbae once more, eyeing him weirdly.

 

"What?" Youngbae asked but Seungri just tilted his head and continued looking at him cautiously. "Yah. What's with that look?"

 

"H-h-yung..." Seungri swallowed hard and backed away. "W-w-e've been friends since we were young right? Since our families arrived at Area 1, right?"

 

"Yah you idiot, what are you trying to say?"

 

"I was just wondering... By... By any chance..."

 

"BY ANY CHANCE WHAT???'

 

"HYUNG IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO BETRAY THE DEPUTY HEAD... NO... IF EVER THE HEAD HAS ORDERED YOU TO SPY ON US TOO, I'M SORRY BUT I WILL FORGET THE DAY WE BECAME BROTHERS!!! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!"

 

"You idiot!" 

 

"Ouch!!!" Seungri nursed his head after receiving a smack from Youngbae.

 

"How dare you think of me that way? I'd rather die than to betray him! Aisht..." Youngbae scowled at Seungri.

 

"I was just wondering you know!!!"

 

"Wondering my ! Aisht! Just go back to your room and lead your team well! Don't add up any more burden to Jiyong or I swear..."

 

"Okay! Okay! Tsch... Always so eager to get rid of me. Don't call me when you encounter any explosives you hear me?" Seungri angrily marched away but upon remembering something, he quickly ran back as he fished out something from his pocket.

 

"Don't contact me using our communicator okay? Here... Use this," Seungri said as he handed Youngbae his mobile phone. "I will call you as soon as I get a new one. Don't call me. I'll call you," Seungri pointed out before finally walking away once more.

 

Youngbae looked at the device in his hand then back at the retreating form of Seungri. He shook his head in disbelief.

 

"Didn't he say I shouldn't call him?"

 

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

 

"Hyung..."

 

"Oh... You're there. Is everything ready for her trip?"

 

Tablo nodded and walked towards Jin Young who was seated on his wheeled seat, tapping his fingers on the arm chair while looking out of the ceiling-to-floor glass panelled windows.

 

"I'm sorry hyung but all the associa