"What happened to your hand? Did you hurt yourself?" CL asked one morning when they entered the school premise.

"It a minor burn." Dara only said after scanning her ID to the scanner. 

CL grabbed Dara's hand to inspect the bandage wrapped around it. "Hot coffee?"

"It's a long story, Cee."

"Well, we got an hour before class." CL said. "I don't think you're that clumsy to handle coffee when working."

Heaving a sigh of defeat, Dara looked at her friend. "I''m gonna tell you the detail at the clinic. I need to get some shot for this burn."

"Alright." CL agreed as they walked towards the direction of the school clinic. While they did so, they weren't aware of the eyes directed to them.

"Maybe you should ask her if she's okay." Seungri suggested when Jiyong kept his eyes to Dara.

"No one is immediately okay for such burn." Jiyong said in tight jaw.

"Then...you should give her the medicine you brought." Daesung said but Jiyong wont budge at their encouragement.

"Should I try to give it to her, bro?" Taeyang asked, making Jiyong looked at him.

"What?" Jiyong asked.

"If you can't give it to her, maybe I should." Taeyang said.

"Don't you ing involve yourself with her." Jiyong snapped.

"Hey, I'm just saying." Taeyang said in raised hands. "After all we messed up on her work place and got her hand burned."

Jiyong stood up abruptly and faced Taeyang. "What's your problem here? Huh?"

"Ey. Break it off." Daesung got Jiyong's side while Seungri on Taeyang.

"Look, Jiyong. I'm not going to fight you but at least, try controlling your temper if you're interested of her." Taeyang advised patiently. "As you can see, she wasn't even excited about having your attention on her. She's not even fazed on your wealth. Whatever your purpose of getting her attention or her love, do it without the influence of your money or your temper."

"Nothing can be bought with money." Jiyong said. "And you might be mistaken my interest on her for something bull like love."

"If it isn't, then what, Jiyong?" Taeyang asked.

Jiyong smirked at him with pained expression. "Do you think someone will fall in love to a mad person like me, Tae? If I don't use my money to get her for some ing reason that even I don't know, what else should I bring the table?"

"Jiyong..."

"Will she ever notice me if not for my money?" Jiyong hissed.

"You're not mad." Taeyang contradicted.

Jiyong only let a scoff before he slammed the medicine kit he brought for Dara down the floor. "You want to give it to her? Be my guest."

The three of them ushered Jiyong who stormed out the VIP area with their eyes.

***
After tending her wound in the clinic, Dara and CL parted ways since they both had different minor subjects to attend. 

"I'll see you at lunch." CL said while Dara only nodded to her.

Now walking to an almost empty hallway towards the library, Dara stopped on her tracks when she jolted in surprise when she heard something in the fire exit. She looked around to see she was the only one in there before she looked up in the creepy stairs. Curiosity got her when instead of furthering her steps to the library, she found herself going up the stairs while she looked up whoever was making such a riot in the silence of the building.

When she made it through the fourth floor, she saw traces upon traces of broken bottle glasses scattering in there. Another clashing sound made her looked up the fifth floor again before she proceeded into discovering what kind of animal was creating such havoc in there.

Upon reaching in there, she lost grip of her books as they all fell down the floor while she ran towards the direction of somebody who held the broken bottle into his wrist.

Dara found herself slammed hard against Jiyong's body, throwing the sharp weapon he held away from him.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! ARE YOU MAD?! HUH?! HUH?!" Dara continually slammed her fists on Jiyong's chest who had the the distant look first before he recognized her.

It was abrupt and yet Dara couldn't resisted when he grabbed her whole body and locked her into an embrace. He was mumbling something she can't make up but she stayed still in frozen state, not knowing why he was acting so unlike him. With many broken shards of glasses around them, it was a picture of a very horrifying scene and yet Dara just let herself be succumbed against the hands of a dangerous person who might be really of unsound mind. Maybe if she didn't know him well, she might have been seriously creep out of him but she knew him too well more than anybody.

"Voices....the voices...made me do it...I-I'm not crazy..." he sounded so defenseless while he continued to cage her tightly with his arms.

"It's alright, Jiyong." She tried to assure him even though she also felt like choking with emotions for him. While her head buried in the crook of his neck, she tightly closed her tight when she felt like crying. With her one free hand, she reached for his head and caressed him there, telling him that he'll be alright. 

Jiyong stiffened at such gesture most especially when she began to hum gently, lullabying him into a song on his ears.

You're not alone, we shared same stories
Just something in your eyes. 
Don't be afraid, they're shadows only
Let's live the world behind

We don't need the light, we'll live on the dark side
Let's see it... let's feel it while we're still young and fearless
Let go of the light, let's fall in to the dark side...

The whole space was filled with her voice making Jiyong not only rid of all the voices on his head but also made him concentrated on her presence only. His eyes then directed to the boring design of the walls in there, feeling so sleepy all of the sudden.

"D-Dara..."He called out to thank her for being there and for singing for him  but sleepiness already knocked him into tiredness that he didn't voice out those words.

Dara felt his arms loosening from wrapping around her in place before she looked up to him when he was literally sleeping in an innocent looking face as if he didn't just attempt to slit his wrist a moment ago.

Now having the chance to calm herself, Dara got off from straddling above him and looked around the messes. She was literally shaking at how close Jiyong succumbed to his monsters. She had no idea if it was coincidental for her to pass through that way when she didn't usually walk in that side towards the library.

When she felt a little calmer, Dara reached over for Jiyong's pocket to find his phone.

***

"Hey, Jiyong. Class is about to start. Where you at?" Seungri asked after getting a ring from Jiyong. "Dara? Why do you have Jiyong's phone?"

Daesung and Taeyang looked at his direction upon hearing that. They got agitated after Seungri stood up from sitting in the couch in the VIP room.

"Where are you?!" Seungri asked while he motioned Tae and Dae to follow him. "Okay, we'll be there." he said.

"What happened?" Taeyang asked.

"Jiyong got another episode. Good that Dara was there to stop it." Seungri relayed.

"Where are they?" Daesung asked as they followed Seungri.

"In the fire exit of the old building." Seungri answered as they ran to that direction.

Dara looked up when the rest of the F4 arrived from where they were. She made a sigh of relief upon seeing them.

"Is he alright?" Taeyang immediately asked,crouching down to Dara who had Jiyong's head to her lap. "You have some few cuts."

"I'm alright. Please help him." Dara dismissed the fact that she got minor cuts from all the broken shards around while securing Jiyong.

"I've called for a chopper. There's a landing area on top of this building." Seungri said while Taeyang nodded.

"We'll bring him up there to avoid attention from the other students." Taeyang said. "Please come with us too, Dara. We'll have your cuts be treated."

"It's fine. I have classes." Dara said while guiding Jiyong's body into Taeyang's assistance.

"I'll have someone to excuse you." Taeyang assured..

"B-but..." Dara protested.

"Let's go, Dara. The chopper will be there in three minutes." Daesung got her by arm as they went up the roof top which was a couple floors away.

Dara had no choice but to join them in the chopper while Jiyong was being attended by the medical team on board. Few minutes later, they reached the hospital in which there were already doctors in waiting to receive the heir of the Kwon.

Following from behind along with the F4, Dara seemed to notice everyone's immediate response to Jiyong's emergency. 

"Please come this way." We need to treat your cuts and disinfect it." One female doctor said to Dara while she eyed the F3 who only nodded to her.

Now sitting to a rather luxurious couch for mere treatment of cuts, Dara can't believed to herself her eyes. Indeed elite patients were on another level.

"It's done, Miss Park. Please proceed to the VVIP room as per requested by Mr. Dong." the female doctor said. "My staff will guide you there."

"A-ah, thank you." Dara slightly bowed before a staff guided her to a certain room.

When it was opened for her, she was greeted with the presence of the F3 in there.

"How are you feeling, Dara?" Taeyang asked.

"I'm fine." She answered while she eyed the one in bed. "Is he alright? It had been twice I've seen him acting like this."

"Twice?" Daesung raised his brows.

"Yeah. First one on the Hann river bridge. Drinking away before he prepared for a jump." Dara recalled.

Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri looked at each other before they shook their heads. 

"Is it really true? That he's suicidal?" She asked.

"Regarding that, I'd like you to keep it a secret from everybody. Even from your closed friends." Taeyang said while Dara kept her silence, not really wanting to voice out that rumors had been spreading about Jiyong's condition among the elite circle.

"I'm not one with a blabber mouth." Dara only said,

"We know that." Seungri said, gone with his carefree attitude as he threw a glance to Jiyong. 

Dara looked at the sleeping face of Jiyong now, remembering how he behaved like a mad person that moment. She realized, it wasn't only a new path had been created for her to take but also, a drastic change on everyone's characteristics. Like she was placed in a book she used to read before and yet the author decided to make some major revamp. She knew all the casts but she didn't know the plot of the life she used to live in. She couldn't even guessed what tomorrow shall bring her.

Nevertheless, she asked for this change. Might as well try to live in it and forget the old plot where it concluded in a tragic end. 

"Can you perhaps stay until he wakes up?" Taeyang asked. "You're already excused from your classes and CL is already informed about your circumstance."

"The owner of the cafe had me assigned for a night shift along with Minzy tonight. I might leave at six." Dara said.

"I'll take care of it." Daesung presented. "Along with the fixing that needed to be addressed in the cafe."

"I will assure CL too that you're fine. I heard she was worried that we are bullying you." Seungri said when he stood up along with Daeusng.

Both of them left the room, leaving Taeyang and Dara to watch Jiyong.

Both were bathed with silence as they eyed Jiyong with different thoughts.

"Thank you by the way." Taeyang voiced out.

With a brief glance, she only nodded at him before her eyes lingered to Jiyong this time. Somehow, she missed the old Jiyong she knew. For few days, he'd been attending classes with her, she saw hints of his old self every now and then. However, when he spaced out, he seemed to be distant.

"He said something about hearing voices...it made him do it. He said it wasn't him but the voices. I don't understand what he meant."

Taeyang didn't respond to that while he looked at Dara. "Whatever that means, please don't hate him."

"I don't hate him. Just a little puzzled." Dara said and then looked at Taeyang when his phone rang.

"Yes, Bom noona...yes he's already fine." Taeyang said on the phone, excusing himself and decided to went out the room.

Dara heaved a deep sigh again before she stood up and went near to Jiyong. Her fingers hovered over his face before she allowed herself to touch him.

"I didn't ask for a chance and see you like this, Kwon, Jiyong." Dara gently caressed his forehead before she leaned down and kissed his temple. "Please stop hurting yourself." she murmured.

Unperturbed to her was a pair of eyes closely observing her at the small opening of the door.

****

Sparrow101:

Hello gang! Here' s an update for this week. By the way, this title(REVERSE) will be available for pre-order by end of October along with the other school series book titled UNO AMORE. Visit our fb page @sparrow101 to stay updated for new title releases.