HOW IT STARTED.

 

"What happened before was very chaotic. Very..."

 

Seungri said almost a whisper as Sandara watched different layers of emotion passes in his eyes. He was looking at nothingness as if eliciting the past. She silently waited for him to continue his words.

 

"Because of what happened, everything changed. Muse existed for the sole reason to protect a friend. However, a bond had broken as well with the very same reason. Friendship had been destroyed and a cold war had been declared."

 

"You mean, Bom was the reason on why you have muses?”

 

Seungri nodded and moved forward to touch his Bom noona's hand.

 

"Top hyun and Kim Jaejoong were used to be best friends, noona."

 

Sandara gasps in surprise at the unknown fact.

 

"And Bom noona was Jaejoong’s ex-girlfriend," he somberly added.

 

"Wha—oh my God!" she exclaims completely shock.

 

Seungri squeezes Bom's hand softly as he recalls the past. He doesn't want to imagine the trauma his noona had to endure in the hands of Jaejoong. It was so cruel.

 

Their conversation sojourns when Top arrived together with the others. The latter is still seething in anger. But he is more appeased now.

 

"Hyung!" Seungri hailed and rises up from his seat to give Top more space.

 

"How is she?" Top asked. He carefully Bom’s arm.

 

"She's fine. The nurse said that she might wakes up later,” Sandara informed him.

 

Top only nods in response and occupies the chair Seungri used to seat on a while ago. He was silent as he stared at his muse.

 

"I’ll gonna get some food. Bom noona will surely ask for food once she wakes up," Seungri broke the silence as he cracks that joke. He at least tried to lighten the mood.

 

"I'll come with you," Daesung offers. Seungri nodded and they left together.

 

"You can go back to the room also. We can handle this," Youngbae ordered to their other gang mates as he turns to the members of Peace Minus One. They complied and left them to go back to their class.

 

"I’ll live up to my promise, Bom. I'll protect you from him. You don’t have to be afraid. I'll be here. Jaejoong will never touch you again," Top whispered to the sleeping girl with so much promise.

 

"He can't touch you again..." he said inaudibly.

 

Sandara looked up and met Jiyong's eyes. There’s no emotion in his face as he leans on the wall silently. She doesn’t know what he is thinking at the moment. Not that she can read his mind. No one can.

 

But in times like this, she would like to know what is running through his mind.

 

***

 

"Top!" Jaejoong called merrily as he waves his hand at his best friend. There’s an evident wide smile plastered on his face as he walks up to Top.

 

"Jae," Top simply greeted him and set aside his sketch pad.

 

He was in the vast field of Gakuen High. They are in their first year middle high school but he and Jaejoong have been friends during elementary days. They were almost inseparable. That’s why until high school, they entered the same school.

 

"You look happy?" he remarked as the latter seat beside him.

 

Jaejoong grins at him as he drapes his arm around his shoulder. A brotherly act he usually does.

 

"I can almost get her yes, Top! Bom will be my girlfriend soon. And if that day happens, you will be the first person to know!" Jaejong said dramatically while he gives him a brotherly pat.

 

Park Bom is the girl Jaejoong has been courting. He doesn’t meet her yet but based on Jaejoong story about the girl, she sounds nice. It has been two months since they enrolled in Gakuen when Jaejoong told him about the girl he has an interest with in their batch. So far, it’s been a month since he started courting Bom.

 

"Advance congratulations then," he smiled to him. He is genuinely happy for him.

 

"I will introduce her to you once she becomes my girlfriend. Just don’t seduce her, please," he playfully said.

 

"Why would I do that? Of course I won’t! That’s ridiculous," he laughs and jabs him playfully. They are both aware to each other’s charm when it comes to women. But Top never got interested to any girls.

 

"Someday you will find your match, Choi!" Jaejoong remarked.

 

"The only woman I love is my mother, Kim. If that girl gets par with my mom, maybe I could spare her a chance," he said to him.

 

Jaejoong laughs out loud while holding his tummy.

 

"Always the Mama's boy, I see."

 

"Yeah. And I'm proud to be one! I have to go. I still have a class to attend to. Adios!"

 

 

***

 

Days had passed without Jaejoong showing up. Top didn’t wonder though because he knew his best friend was busy with courting Bom. He could only shake his head while smiling unknowingly.

 

He must say, his friend has been struck real hard by Cupid’s arrow. This is the first he saw him so dedicated with something or someone. He must be really in love with the girl.

 

Jaejoong is the type of person who doesn’t have any resolution in life. For him, it's all about fun. And seeing him exert so much effort just for a girl means something.

 

Park Bom must be really special.

 

"Top!" his train of thoughts broke when he heard his name being called by Jaejoong’s voice.

 

Top turns to him but Jaejoong wasn’t alone. He was with a girl who seems giggling while she let her dragged by the overly excited best friend of his.

 

"Jae," he greeted him curiously.

 

"It was a good thing I found you here. I thought I have to hire a search team so I could find you. I’ve been looking for you, you know?” Jaejoong joked upon reaching him.

 

"Why? Do you need something?" he asked while gazing interchangeably in between Jaejoong and the girl he is with.

 

Jaejoong grins triumphantly.

 

"Remember what I told you before? That I would introduce Bom to you once she said yes to me?" Top nodded as an answer. "Well, she already agreed to be my girl. So here she is," Jaejoong pulled the girl closer and stared at her lovingly. "Meet the woman I love, Park Bom. Babe, this is my best friend, Choi Top!"

 

Top politely offered his hand to Bom and smiled.

 

"Finally! It's nice to meet the woman who tamed this punk," he said playfully.

 

"Yah! Bommie might think something about me," Jaejoong complaints and pouted.

 

Bom and Top chuckle at his silliness.

 

"It's nice to meet you as well, Top. Don't worry. I'll make sure that his ties are tight and good," she playfully accepts his hand.

 

***

 

Sandara silently walks up to Jiyong who is sleeping on the bench. They are in the rooftop. The atmosphere is still intense after what happened between Top and Jaejoong. Nevertheless, their class returned its enthusiasm.

 

She sighs and occupied the space on the side of Jiyong’s head.

 

The endeavors are stressful. She cannot talk to Bom.  Target is quiet and never loses his guard down for the latter. And she still having a hard time dealing with Jiyong’s gifts and letters that being trashed on her locker by his bunch of fangirls.

 

Up until that moment, Sandara still wondered who the hell picking up on her locker.

 

"You're spacing out again," Sandara startles when she heard Jiyong's voice breaking her reverie.

 

"You're awake. Did I wake you up?" she asked.

 

Jiyong shuffles to seats up and yawns as he scratches his hair.

 

"What are you doing here?" he asked back instead in low just-woke-up tone.

 

She shrugs and watched as the clouds in the sky move. It seems peacefully yet it's not.

 

"Is this mine?" she heard him queried.

 

When she turned to him, she saw that he is already holding the plastic bag she brought. He fished out the takoyaki box and the soft drinks in can. She smiled at his behavior.

 

"How about you Jail? Why did you decided to have a muse? Bom said I was your first," she suddenly asked while he starts digging up on the food.

 

He didn't answer though and just looked at her over his takoyaki. She thought that he wouldn’t answer but after swallowing his first piece of takoyaki, he turns to her with stoic face.

 

"Because it's stupid," he said and picks up another piece of takoyaki ball.

 

Sandara furrows her brows together.

 

"And now it's not? Have you changed your mind?" she asked once more.

 

He looked at her idly and hovered a piece of the food in front of her. Sandara didn’t have a choice but to open and Jiyong let her eat the whole takoyaki ball in one go. She almost choked at what he did.

 

"Just eat instead of asking nonsense things. You're too noisy," he said.

 

"Mmmmphphhhpph..." she said in muffled voice. The big piece of takoyaki in prevents her from talking.

 

Jiyong smirks at her before drinking his soft drinks. Sandara snatches it away making some droplets of soda spilled on him. She drinks it and swallows hard shoving the offending food down .

 

"That's my drink," Jiyong said with nonchalant tone.

 

"So? I am the one who bought it anyway," she coughs.

 

"You just gave me an indirect kiss," Jiyong said as a matter-of-fact with serious face.

 

Sandara coughs more as she realizes what she just did. She turns to Jiyong with terrified look in her face.

 

"Gah! Why didn’t you stop me?! I hate you!" She shakes him harshly with Jiyong still trying to eat his favorite treat.

 

 

***

 

Jaejoong and Bom’s relationship is smooth sailing; henceforth, Target is really happy for the both of them especially for his best friend. He also found a sister in Bom’s persona. She is really funny and weird in a good way. Bom has a sunny personality and very friendly. She talks a lot and has a crazy addiction with corn.

 

He easily gets along well with her and they have a common trip. They are like aliens in the same mothership.

 

Everything is going smoothly. Not until before the summer break.

 

Jaejoong is getting distant. He meets him not so often unlike before. Even talking to him became less. He doesn’t have any news to what he is doing. He just found out that he is acting strange when Bom once approach him to ask about Jaejoong.

 

"He's acting really weird these past few days. He frequently turned hasty. He is being irrational as well," Bom told him. Top can see how worried she is for Jaejoong. "Did you know what’s happening to him?"

 

"I’m sorry but I don’t have any idea as well, Bom. We don’t talk much lately." Top raked his hair in frustration.

 

"I'm worried, Top. I feel something is wrong with him,” Bom said and looked at him with tears pooled around her eyes.

 

"Come here," he sighs and gathers her into a gentle brotherly embrace. "Don't worry. I'm here. I will talk to Jae for you, okay?" he cooed her.

 

"Really?" Top nodded. "Thank you so much," she said and cried silently.

  

***

 

"Ouch! Jae, you’re hurting me!" Bom cried out and struggles to release herself from the tight grip of Jaejoong’s to her arm. He just dragged her away from talking with her lab partner about their final science project.

 

"Who the are you talking with earlier? Are you cheating behind me, huh?" he angrily accused her as his grip tightens around her arm.

 

"Ah...w-what are you talking about? Let go of me," she pleaded confusedly. She can feel his fingers digging on her flesh. Her arm will surely bruise later.

 

"Don’t you dare cheat on me, Bom. Or else, you won’t ever like what I’m going to do with you, do you understand?!" Jaejoong warned her before harshly releasing her to the point she ended up being thrown to the wall.

 

Bom gasped and drops on the floor, crying.

 

"What's happening to you, Jae? You aren’t like this before. What's the problem?" she asked with tears falls freely from her eyes as she looked up to Jaejoong.

 

But the guy only looked at her coldly.

 

"Don’t forget what I told you, Bom." Then he left.

 

Bom was left there broken. She suddenly feels anxious with the way Jaejoong acts lately.

 

She thought that Jaejoong will change eventually but days passed and his beatings to her got severe. She had enough of his out of place possessiveness. There won’t last a day without him hitting her. She would only hide those marks of his cruelty through concealer and make-ups.

 

Nevertheless, she cannot take it anymore and once gain seek Top. She told her everything about what’s happening between her and Jaejoong. Top cannot believe it at first. Not until she showed him the marks Jaejoong left at her back by whipping her with his belt.

 

"H-How...this...this can't be happening...how could he..." Top swallowed hard having a difficulty accepting things. How did Jaejoong swallow doing this? What’s happening to his friend?

 

"T-Top...help me...J-Jae...I don't know him anymore..." she begs while crying desperately.

 

Top felt pity towards her. But he was torn between her and his best friend. He had known the latter since young. That’s why he cannot understand on why Jaejoong did it to the woman he claimed to be so in love with.

 

'What's happening to you Jaejoong?' he thought.

 

 

***

 

 

"Let's talk, Jae," Top said sternly at his friend. He caught up with him but he was with bunch of boys, about their age whom he just saw today.

 

"Top," Jaejoong smirks and walks up to him. He lit up a cigarette before fully turning to him. "What's up?"

 

Top frowns at him. When did he start smoking?

 

"Can I talk to you...in private?" he eyes the men behind his friend and back at Jaejoong.

 

The latter looks behind him for a moment then turned back to him. "There are my friends. They can listen whatever you wanted to tell me," he shrugs.

 

Top breathes out with the lack of choice.

 

"What are you doing, Jae? You're ruining not only yourself. Think about Bom. She’s having a hard time with you," he told him seriously.

 

Jaejoong chuckles sardonically.

 

"What's this? You two were close and you’re defending her?" A sarcastic smile tugs on the corner of his lips. "Or maybe...you were his ‘other’ guy?" he suspected him.

 

Top snapped and grabbed his collar as his eyes turns to slits.

 

"What the hell is wrong with you, Jae?" he snarls at him through gritted teeth.

 

Jaejoong's friends suddenly surrounded him and broke them apart.

 

"Chill dude," one of the guys said as he grips his shoulders firmly.

 

"Junsu, let him go," another one said.

 

"I'm not doing anything, Yoochun," Junsu raised his hand and stepped away.

 

"Stay away from this matter, Top. I may forget that you were my friend," Jaejoong said austerely.

 

Top looks at his old friend. Jaejoong has empty eyes that he even can't recognize his best friend in the man in front of him.

 

"Are you still the Jaejoong that I know? You know what? I don't know you anymore, Jae. You've became a different person," he sadly remarks that turns cold when he met his eyes.

 

After that day, Top had discovered that the latter completely joined Bloody Fangs as the third leader of the gang. He totally lost his best friend.

 

***

 

"Top?" Top flinched from his reverie upon hearing Bom’s voice from his back.

 

He was in the usual spot in the field of Gakuen and silently observing the soccer players. She sat beside him and leans her cheek on her propped knees as she stared at him somberly.

 

"I’m sorry," Bom whispered.

 

He turns to her and gave her a perplexed look.

 

"What for?"

 

"You and J-Jae...I ruined your friendship."

 

Top looks away and sighed.

 

"It's not your fault, Bom. Jaejoong had changed and he is the one who ruined the friendship you were referring. I tried to understand him. But I am incapable of influencing him to take the right path. He made a choice and decided to cut our ties. It is almost 3 years already. What he did to you is the breaking point of all this madness," he said blankly.

 

"But still...I can't help to think. If not for Jaejoong’s love for me, none of this would have happened."

 

"Don't blame yourself. We have our own little ways to show how much we love someone. Maybe, Jae’s ways of loving you seems wrong in the eyes of many. He may hurt someone especially you. But it will always right for him. Because that’s his only way to show you the love he knows."

 

"It's so sad then. The kind of love he knows only causes him pain. Instead of gaining love, he ended up losing everything."

 

"Love is meant to lose when it's not for you. You cannot force it. You cannot own it. Because love is not a property to be owned but a gift to be shared," Top remarked.

 

Bom broke into smile.

 

"Some definition of love, Choi “Top” Seunghyun."

 

Top shrugs as he looks up the sky.

 

 

+

What do you think? Kekeke~~ Double update! Yosh! As you can see their story is nto done yet. You'll know everything as the whole story goes on. So stay tune arasso? ^_^)v

- CAMILLE.