Sorry for the long wait. I've been quite busy last year. But I suddenly feel motivated to update this again. And you know what had motivated me? It's the TWICE 4th world concert 'III'. Their concert in Seoul at the end of year 2021 was so lit. I keep repeating their fancam videos. ICON, Espresso, Cruel, and 132, have been stuck in my ears for days. The instrumental versions are also very good.

ANNOUNCEMENT: I will try to update this fic again. If I’m not updating here, then I probably will be updating using my own account, (anzaionce.)

Darkness still engulfed the entire town. It was past midnight, and only a few hours before dawn. The cell block inside the police station was seen guarded by a few officers in shift. The air surrounding the buildings was cold and quiet.

The Japanese cowgirl was lying on a small bed inside her cell. She wasn't sleeping, and she didn't seem to be in a peaceful state as she kept tossing and turning every few minutes. Her wandering gaze looked empty, and her face gave away a troubled expression as various kinds of emotions took its turn in taking over her mind.

Yesterday evening, after receiving a phone call informing the news about her father's death, Mina went back to her cell with a very messed up thought. She didn't talk to her cellmates and just sat quietly on the corner, burying her face on her knees. She didn't touch the dinner she was given. And she stayed like that until the guard came and turned off the lights for the whole block.

She then spent her night sleepless inside her cell. Lying on the small bed, staring to the ceiling, and drowning in her own thought. For the first time in her life, she felt empty. Her father had died and now she was alone. And what's worse, she failed to keep her promise, that is, being present when her father takes his last breath. Years ago, after Naohito fell from his horse and the doctors claimed he wouldn't recover, Mina made a promise to herself that when Naohito died someday, she would be there by his side to send him off. She made that promise because she couldn't send her mother off before. Her mother had died in such an abrupt and unexpected way, falling from the cliff in the mountain. They never had a chance to say goodbye to each other. And that's why, this time, when Naohito's days were already numbered, Mina wanted to properly send him off. Mina had planned to spend their last days together when his time came, sitting beside his bed, holding his hands, and talking to him until he's gone. But alas, something happened on their way. Some nasty, evil people made a scheme and sent Mina to jail. And after almost three weeks, she was still in here, locked inside this cell.

Mina had recalled many times in her mind, how her father had begged her to not leave their house that Saturday morning. But she insisted to go, saying she had something important to do with Nayeon. Now she regretted it so much. How could she be so selfish? She was so busy dating and going out with Nayeon that she forgot her father needed her more. And now, after her father's gone, Mina only got herself to blame. She couldn't imagine how agonizing it was for her father, to be waiting for his own death, while wishing so badly to see his daughter again for one last time. Mina thought if only she could turn back time, she would've stayed for that night, and she would never leave her father's side.

But then she realized it's not her fault. Rather, it's those evil people's fault. Even if Mina didn't come to Nayeon's house that day, Jennie and Jaebum would always find a way to mess with her life. She recalled how those two had been giving her a difficult time since the beginning. From when Jaebum paid Nichkhun to attack her during the polo game while making it look like an accident. Then Jaebum threatened Chaeyoung to cancel her accusation. And then Jaebum and Jennie cheated behind Nayeon's back, just right after Nayeon agreed to marry him. And finally, they set up a trap and sent Mina to jail, causing her to miss the final hours of her father. Mina suddenly realized how much her happiness had been robbed by these people.

Mina felt her anger grow rapidly, burning her soul from the inside. Her anger kept getting bigger and bigger, eventually overshadowing all other emotions within her. And for the first time ever, she felt a new kind of emotion. A very bad emotion, the worst amongst all. Mina never experienced this emotion before. As she dwelled deeper into her feelings, the anger slowly began transforming into something else. A hatred. And a grudge.

Yes, a grudge. It is a harbored feeling of resentment and ill-will resulting from a past insult or injury. A strong anger and dislike for a person who you feel has treated you so badly, especially one that lasts for a long time. This resentment then turns into an unexplainable desire to see the other person suffer, or experience pain, injury, and distress.

Grudge will seek for satisfaction. And the satisfaction can only be gained with an act of revenge.

Mina had never held a grudge against anyone before, much less wanting revenge. When she was kidnapped and beaten by Seunghyun's gang, she didn't feel grudge, only anger, which she didn't hold for so long. She agreed that Seunghyun should be sent to jail, but it was only because he had attempted to Sana. When Seunghyun attacked Mina's workers and stole her horses, Mina was angered too but she still put a limit on what she would do to Seunghyun. She didn't attack him back, and she didn't try to steal his horses or ruin his property in return. Instead, she challenged him in a fair fight and demanded him to stop assaultings her friends. Also, when the townspeople gossiped and talked bad about her, Mina was still unbothered. She knew words won't hurt her, unless she allows it to. She would only get angered when the attack was physical and real. And even so, her anger was easy come and easy go. She never held it in for too long, because she figured it would be easier for her to live her life like that. Forget, and forgive, and just avoid the bad guys.

However this time it's different. Jennie and Jaebum weren't just a random stranger. They were Nayeon's family and closest acquaintances. The only way Mina could avoid them is by breaking her relationship with Nayeon and stopped being friends with the Im girls, and that was impossible. Mina had tried all she could to get along with Jennie and Jaebum, but it was all in vain. They kept making Mina's life difficult. What they did was despicable, and they will do it again and again in the future. And this time, they had gone too far, inflicting pain and sorrow not only on Mina but also on her father. This was something that Mina thought could never be forgiven.

And now all she wanted was to make Jaebum and Jennie suffer just like she did. She wanted to return all this pain to them, and make them meet their demise. But how? Being a naive girl, Mina didn't know how to do things like this. She didn't know how to be cruel and intentionally hurt people. Yes, she knew how to punch and kick people. But she didn't know how to torture and destroy people emotionally.

Moreover, if she did try to hurt Jennie and Jaebum, what would Nayeon feel about it? Jennie was Nayeon's cousin. As bad as Jennie is, she's still blood-related with Nayeon. While Jaeb