I was getting really sick of feeling like an ant under UKnow's magnifying glass. He would stare at me and...wouldn't stop! He got this look in his eyes that made me shrink and twitch in discomfort. Yeah, I was scared of him. Who wouldn't be?

UKnow was a killer, merciless. Even if he called himself “a gentleman”, I wouldn't put it past him to try to me. Because the look in his eyes proved he was at least thinking about what he would do with me along those lines.

I shuddered.

“Would you stop it?” I snapped. I was nearly shaking. “You've kept me here long enough. What more do you want?”

“I haven't gotten sick of your company yet.”

“Well, I've gotten sick of yours.”

He chuckled, squashing the of his cigarette in the ash tray at the table. “You're really getting worked up. I'm kinda .”

“Fine, you want to try and me? Come over here and let me cut your off!”

He laughed fully, then. “Detective, Detective. Calm down.”

“Just...” I didn't know what to ask of anymore. “Why are you so...attracted to me? Why are you doing this?”

“You still haven't figured it out, have you?”

“Figured out what?” I demanded. “I'm tired of you trying to mess with my mind. What the do you want?”

“You don't remember me, do you?” I stared at him, unsure what to say. I was supposed to remember him? From where the where? He came forward, squatting in front of me. “That river would have been awfully cold if you would have jumped into it.”

It took a moment. Then, it clicked. Or crashed. A memory, long forgotten and buried came rushing back. Rushing back like...

...the water below me as I peered down into it. My eyes snapped up, looking ahead rather than down. I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. If I jumped in, it would probably hurt for a little bit, but if I in enough water...would it go away?

I was ready to end my life. Nothing was going right. Mom and Dad had found out that I had almost failed two of my classes, no matter how hard I had studied. Mom had called me a failure and compared me to Jaejoong. Again. Bringing my complaints to Junsu had led to more controversy. We had fought, really badly. He told me to take more responsibly and show my parents a little more respect—not a suggestion I ever took lightly. It ended with him slamming the door in my face. He ignored me. Once in a lifetime, Junsu was actually angry. At me.

And Jaejoong was again the shining star in our stupid, little family.

All my hard work had led to was an almost flunk, fighting off bullheaded es, more detentions, and fights. It was piling up too much for my sixteen year old self. I didn't want to keep struggling and shrinking in Jaejoong's shadow. What was the point in even being here when I was practically ignored except when they wanted to yell at me?

I took a deep breath. Don't think about it. Just fall. That's all you have to do, Jin Ae. Just fall.

“You sure you want to do that?”

The voice startled me and I almost slipped right off the railing before grabbing onto one of the supporting beams. I turned to see a boy peering at me from a few feet away. I quickly assessed his shabby clothes and thin figure. Even though it had to be nearing the forties that night, he was without a jacket.

I turned my head away, nose in the air, feigning confidence. “Leave me alone.”

“Why would you do that?”

I looked at him again, sharply. “Do what?”

“Jump.” He approached and I took a sideways step. “What's the point? You honestly think you have anything that bad going on in your life to kill yourself?”

“What do you know?” I snapped. “You don't know about me!”

He cocked his head to the side, not at all deterred by my harsh outburst. “You left your backpack full of books at the edge of the bridge which means you're getting an education. You're not thin so you have plenty to eat. You have nice clothes and just looking at you shows you have a roof over your head.”

I averted my eyes to the water. “Whatever...you don't know anything.”

He smirked. “Yeah. You doing it because—what? Your boyfriend broke up with you? You failed your finals or whatever it is you take? Your parents ground you and won't let you go to the mall with your friends?”

“Don't sound like a such a know-it-all!” I hissed.

“So I'm right somewhere along those lines.”

I grit my teeth, fighting back tears. “You don't know anything about me!” That's all I could think to say.

“I know you really don't want to kill yourself.” My jaw clenched tighter. “Come on down. I'm sure you've got someone who would care if you died. If not, I would care.”

“Why would you care?”

“Why wouldn't I?”

“Because you don't know me.”

“Do I have to know someone to value their life?” I didn't answer. “Come on down.” He offered his hand, but I ignored it and stepped reluctantly off the railing.

I swept a hand through my tangled hair and moved by him, weary of this random stranger. Picking my backpack from the ground, I slung it over one shoulder and began home. Then, I noticed the boy was gaining on me until he fell in step beside me.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Walking you home.”

I stopped and faced him. “You don't know me; quit acting like you care about me and go home.”

“I don't have a home.” That statement was obviously meant to make me feel guilty—and it did. “Plus, if you look across the bridge, there's a group of guys...” I glanced over and, sure enough, there was about six men loitering, obviously up to no good. “Just stick with me and they won't hurt you.” I raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Don't worry, I'll protect you.” He offered a charming smile.

“Well...fine. But I don't trust you. So don't try anything, punk.” And I turned to head home again.

There were no words spoken between us as we walked home. I had always feared walking the streets after dark, but the stranger's presence was almost comforting. At least I wasn't alone. Even if he was weird. But never once was he threatening, never once spoke, or gave me the wrong look. He kept his hands shoved in the pocket of his worn jeans. The goosebumps on his bare arms were visible even in the gloom of the streetlights. He had a handsome face, though he looked like he needed to shave, and shaggy hair that was slightly askew on his crown. He was several inches taller than me, well-built.

Noticing I was studying him rather crudely, I flushed and turned my eyes ahead. “This is my street,” I said, noticing the sign ahead. I turned to him and bowed slightly. “Thank you.”

He returned the gesture and offered a crooked smile. “You're most welcome.”

A silent beat and he got the hint, rotating on his heel to leave. “Wait.” He turned back, raising eyebrows in slight surprise. I dropped my backpack on the street and shrugged off my jacket. “Here,” I said and handed the piece of clothing to him.

“I don't accept charity.”

“I don't usually offer charity,” I said shortly, ing the jacket into the air. “You need it. Now take it. I don't have any food though, sorry.”

He took it from me hesitantly. “Thank you,” he said, seeming pitifully moved by my little gesture.

“Yeah, see ya.” I grabbed my backpack and headed for my street.

“Wait!” I rolled my eyes and turned back. Was I ever going to get rid of this guy?

“What?” I demanded.

“Can I have your name?”

I shrugged. “Kim Jin Ae.”

He smiled. “Jin Ae...that's a pretty name.”

“Yeah, whatever...” He began to leave, strides long. “Yah! You didn't tell me yours!”

He whirled around, walking backwards. “Yunho!” he called. “Jung Yunho!”

The face I stared at was so different from the one I had seen over ten years ago. It was fuller, not so gaunt from hunger. It was older, but it was the same.

“Jung Yunho,” I whispered, unable to believe it.

UKnow—no, Yunho—grinned at me. “Well, done, Detective. It took you long enough.”

I was beyond the word shocked. For once, I could not speak, could not think of anything  to say. My brain had went completely blank, on standby. The man I had been hunting and chasing for the past two years was the boy that had kept me from ending my life twelve years prior. I had always remembered that face, always grateful to that random, homeless boy. No one ever knew of the incident, but him and I—our well kept secret.

But that almost caring and understanding boy was UKnow. My mind couldn't take it.

“How...?” Finally, my tongue could form words, but I sounded like empty-skulled idiot.

UKnow—Yunho, whatever—scratched the back of his head. “How what? How did I go from a street rat to a high-society hit man?” I just stared, slack jawed. “When you've been homeless for since you were a little kid, living out of dumpsters and ready to die in an alley, and a man comes to you offering a job...its a pretty sweet deal.”

“Someone came to you...to...?”

“I was trained,” UKnow said, his voice taking on a softer tone. “I was trained to kill with anything I could get my hands on—or just with my bare hands. I was trained to be silent, deadly, unmerciful. In exchange, I didn't only get food and clothes; I got a fancy penthouse and a bed and whatever I desired. As long as I worked for it.” I sat there, saying nothing. This whole new portal to the mystery of UKnow had opened up right before my eyes. I wasn't taking advantage of this chance.

“But I never forgot the name and the face of that beautiful girl I met on that cold night. The girl who I saw something in. I'd watched plenty of people end their lives in that river, but there was something different about you.” He pointed at me. “You were going somewhere. I don't know what it was—if it was your sure attitude or just your eyes—but I knew you couldn't let it go to waste. And I was right.

I put you in the back of my head for a short time,” he went on. “But when word got out who the new detective working on my case was, that name—your name—brought back that single, happy memory. I was excited. Maybe I'd have an actual challenge. I had been so in love with your memory, but the moment I saw you in action, I fell in love with you.”

Honestly, I thought my head was going to implode right there.

------

Well...there's a mind blown moment for you all. Two updates at a time again because I forgot about last time. Sorry!

Thank you guys for your constant support!