CHAPTER NINE

L’s CHOICE

That night, L met Ji Hye at the forest. He held Ji Hye’s hand.

“Ji Hye…”

“Himchan hyung finally found Hyo Mi noona, Then I’ll say something to you…” he said. Ji Jye looked at L, didn’t understand what he mean.

“Mwo?”

“As far as my existence, I really never care to look for a girl to become my life pair. Then I met Eun Yoo, and I started to feel that I’m stupid. But I can’t have her in my side forever. When she died, I felt my life…empty, and I don’t wanna fill it with another love anymore…”

“L…” Ji Hye said softly.

L’s eyes started to wet.

“Ji Hye…Ji Hye…” he said. Ji Hye touched L’s arm.

“What?” she asked.

“Can…can you accompany me? Can you…become my life pair?”

***

“Can you become my life pair?”

 L’s question made Ji Hye nervous. After asked that, L looked embarrassed,

“Omo…Never mind. I…I lose control and don’t know what to say. Um… I’ll go, see you tomorrow, Ji Hye…”

L stood up and started to walk nervously.

“Um…L,” Ji Hye called.

L stopped and turned around. His face looked a child, pure and fearfully. Ji Hye laughed a little.

“You little kid…” Ji Hye walked to L and hit his head.

“Ouch…What are you doing?” L sighed.

Ji Hye laughed again,

“That’s your method to confess to a girl?”

“A…ani…” L looked embarrassed again.

“You’re so different compared to the first time I met you, do you remember?” Ji Hye said while smiled.

L looked awkward.

“Ah…um…”

“So…my life pair. What will we do first?” Ji Hye asked and grabbed L’s arm.

L gawk, and Ji Hye laughed again. She walked, while dragged L who still looked confuse.

***

“A…finally you reconcile again with him, Jong Uppie…Aigo, you two really made me insane…” Yong Guk shook his head. Zelo laughed and so did Jong Up. They two played billiard together.

“So, I want you two to vigil tonight at forest,” he said agaid. Zelo and Jong Up nodded.

Young Jae and Dae Hyun entered the room, they looked annoyed,

“What’s up?” Yong Guk asked. Young Jae threw his school bag and sit.

“Hoya and Dongwoo defeat us at mathematic test,” he answered.

“And Sungyeol defeat me at history test,” Dae Hyun continued. Yong Guk laughed a little,

“Ah…so you both must study harder from now,”

“We will,” answered Young Jae and Dae Hyun, still feel frustrate.

Ji Hye and Himchan came, they walked to Zelo and Jong Up and played together with them. While Yong Guk, Young Jae, and Dae Hyun didn’t see, Zelo talked to Ji Hye,

“So…want to meet them?”

Ji Hye nodded,

“Of course,”

“I send a message to Hyo Mi and said we’ll meet at 11 pm,” said Himchan while hit the ball.

“OK,” said Zelo.

“Hya, why all of you talk so soft? Are you planning something bad?” Yong Guk shouted at them.

“Ani…” Ji Hye, Himchan, Zelo and Jong Up said together.

***

“L hyung…Are you really sure you wanna do this?” Sungjong asked at school. L nodded.

“For Hyo Mi noona, Sungjong~a…”

“Are you sure?  Just for Hyo Mi noona? Not else?” Sungjong asked again. L looked at Sungjong.

“I’ve found my life pair…Sungjong~a. Ji Hye…” he said.

“Omo…I can’t believe this,” Sungjong covered his face with his hand.

“L hyung…we really in trouble…”

“I don’t care. The enmity annoyed me. I hate this enmity. Look at Hyo Mi noona, Sungjong. She can’t be with Himchan hyung…This enmity make them must meet secretly….” L tried to explain.

“There’s nothing we can do about it! We can’t make the enmity gone…” Sungjong looked despair.

“No, there’s still one way,” L said while looked at Sungjong loudly.

“What do you mean?” Sungjong looked afraid.

“The ball…” L answered.

“The ball,” Sungjong repeated. Then one second later he shocked.

“ The…what?! L hyung, are you really…really crazy?”

***

There’s a vampire tradition which last a hundred years. When the full moon came, every year there’ll be a ball. At that ball, every vampire could dance with whoever they picked, whoever they like and no one couldn’t forbid. Usually, it means they could choose their pair, their life pair. And it depends to their couple dance, they will accept or not. And if they refuse it, you can choose the other. Only man could choose for his pair, not woman.  

And if the girl you pick accept you, it will be your duty to protect her. And the other vampire shouldn’t disturb. Your pair is yours. That’s the rule. The other vampire couldn’t steal your pair.

Sungjong really felt despair. He couldn’t say anything to L.

“You’ll be on my side, Sungjong~a…didn’t you?” L looked at Sungjong, his eyes showed his belief to Sungjong. And Sungjong, although still felt that L was careless, couldn’t say no.

“Omo, hyung…How can I protect you?”  

“We’ll protect each other,” suddenly Zelo and Jong Up appeared and smiled.

“I can’t wait for the ball. Last year we couldn’t come because Yong Guk hyung said we’re underage,” said Zelo.

“You’re still underage,” said L and made Zelo’s face turned sullen. Sungjong couldn’t hold his laugh until L said,

“You’re still underage too,” and Sungjong face turned sullen immediately.  

***

“Am I beautiful?” Ji Hye said. She stood in front of the other member.

“Uh huh,” Yong Guk only answered it.

“Um…OK,” Daehyun thumb’ s up.

“Yeppeo,” Youngjae nodded. Ji Hye looked at Himchan, Jong Up, and Zelo.

“Hya, why you don’t say anything?” she asked grumpily, and made them froze.

“Uh huh, um… yeppeo. Neomu yeppeo,”

“Yes…yes…beautiful,” Jong Up repeated.

“Mmm…,” Zelo nodded quickly.

Actually, all of the B.A.P member include Ji Hye looked very charming. Yong Guk wore a luxurious tuxedo. Daehyun wore white coat with black collar. Youngjae wore black tuxedo with white collar, Himchan wore a luxurious tuxedo like Yong Guk, and both of Jong Up and Zelo wore white tuxedo. Ji Hye wore a very beautiful dress, and curled up his hair. She wore silver necklace and earring too.

“Who’ll be come, hyung?” asked Daehyun.

“Vampire family from other city near Seoul, and…and Infinite family,” Yong Guk answered fretfully.

Ji Hye and Himchan smiled secretly.

“Let’s go,” Yong Guk said, after prepare. They rode their black car and reached a big building coincide with another vampire vamily,

“Long time no see, Yong Guk,” handsome vampires with neat beard accost him. Yong Guk smiled at him,

“Sang Woon, long time no sees too. Kids, this is Byun Sang Woon, my old friend from Busan,” Yong Guk introduced him to the other member. Dae Hyun looked happy,

“You’re from Busan?” he asked with Busan dialect. Byun Sang Woon laughed.

“Yes, nice to meet you. This is my family member,” he introduced . The girl member named  Choi Na Ri seemed interested Dae Hyun and she stated a conversion with him quickly.

“How fast,” Young Jae looked jealous.

They entered the hall. More vampires there, all of them looked charming.

“Look at them. The three girls of Incheon,” Zelo pointed at three girls not far from them.

Three girls of Incheon was a famous vampire girl group from Incheon. They well-known as beautiful, smart, but arrogant.

“Want to talk to them?” Zelo asked to Jong Up. Jong Up shook his head.

“Shirheo. They look a little bit arrogant,” but he suddenly looked at twin girls.

“They’re cute. How do you think?” he pointed. Zelo looked at the twin girls then smiled.

“Your choice is really good, hyung. Let’s talk to them,”  

The Infinite members came. Their appearance made a din,

“Woah…Infinite family!” said one of girl vampire.

“Sunggyu is really handsome…”

“Between Woohyun and Sungyeol, who do you think is the most handsome?”

“L is charming…”

“Sungjong is really cute…”

“Hoya and Dongwoo look very cool…”

Infinite member looked very famous among girls. Young Jae looked annoyed,

“Omo…we’re famous too, but why they get more attention than us?” he said.

“That because they have the biggest number of member …” Himchan answered. Vampire usually made group with six members or less. But Infinite family was the only one group that had six members. The smallest number of member was the three girls of Incheon.    

“Ah…just different one person from us,” Young Jae said fretfully.

Ten minutes later, after all of the invited guests came, the ball began.  The music started and the host, the member of vampire family that their age was older than Infinite family and B.A.P family announced,

“And the dance…begin! Woman are on the right side and man are on the left side!” 

“I’ll dance with one of that twin,” Zelo said to Jong Up. Jong Up nodded.

“Me too. She’s interesting,”

L looked for Ji Hye from the left side and when he found her, he smiled secretly. Ji Hye smiled secretly too.

“Now, find your dance pair!” the host shouted again.

Zelo and Jong Up walked to the twin vampire quickly.

“May I become your dance pair?” Jong Up said. Zelo watched him to know the way to ask girl for dance. Fortunately, one of the twins accepted him,

“With my pleasure,” and she smiled. Jong Up smiled too and looked at Zelo.

“Good luck,” he said. Zelo looked at the other twin who looked at him too.

“Ah…um, I…Ah, May I…” Zelo looked nervous. The girl in front of him grabbed his arm,

“Let’s dance,”

Woohyun and Sungyeol looked at the girls who looked really hope to picked. Only the three girls from Incheon who still looked didn’t care. Woohyun walked to one of them, to the girl with red dress.

“Nam Yoo In,” he talked to one of Incheon girl who looked at him coldly.

“Yes?” she said. But Woohyun didn’t feel hesitant at all. He knew he face really cold girl.

“Your family name is same with me. Perhaps you match with me,” he said.

“Just in your dreams,” Nam Yoo In answered.

“Then my dreams will complete if you can dance with me,” Woohyun said while smiled. Nam Yoo In looked at him intensively.

“In count of three, I’m sure you’ll accept me,” Woohyun said again. And he started to sing, with a soft voice, with emotions. And he never let his eyes off from Yoo In.

“OK, I will dance with you,” finally Yoo In said. Woohyun smiled and the other man vampires said “oooh” together,

“Serious? How can?”

“How he do that? He can attract one of the three girls of Incheon?” one of vampire looked shocked.

Sungyeol gawk while looked at Woohyun. Woohyun whispered,

“Ask them with sincerity. And your eyes must show your feelings, never say something lie,” he suggested.

Finally Sungyeol didn’t dance with the remains of Incheon girls because he didn’t like their arrogance. He found ingénue vampire with bright smile and looked very kind and dance with her.

L walked to Ji Hye who stood far from him.

“Let’s dance,” he asked. Ji Hye looked hesitant.

“But…”

“In rule, you can’t block the other vampire’s way to dance with someone he like. And I want to dance with you,” he held Ji Hye’s arm. Ji Hye looked at L, smiled hesitantly.

“Trust me,” said L when he hugged Ji Hye.

And they danced for five second when Sunggyu looked at them and grabbed L’s shoulder.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW!!” he shouted, with loudly voice. Yong Guk saw them too and walked quickly to Ji Hye too and shouted,

“JI HYE! GO AWAY FROM HIM!”

The ball stopped immediately. Everyone looked at them. Sunggyu looked very angry. Really angry. L didn’t answer, just looked at Ji Hye who really scared.

“It’s time for us to go,” and he grabbed Ji Hye’s arm. In two seconds, he ran quickly and Sunggyu couldn’t catch him.

“We must go to,” Himchan, who watched what happen grabbed Hyo Mi’s arm too.

“OK,” Hyo Mi looked ready for a moment like this, it’s like she’s already expect it.

“NOOO!!” A roar came from Sunggyu and Yong Guk.

With two peoples from each group, Sunggyu never looked angry than this time. His roar was very scary. And Yong Guk face looked like he wanted to kill people.