*banner by nogardsevolarad

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A loud roaring sound was echoing inside his head. It was annoying the crap out of him that he just wanted to lay down and go to sleep. He hesitated for a moment, should he knock or not? But surely, his presence would not go unnoticed? He heaved a sigh and decided to still knock. Two rapping sound echoed along the empty and dark hallway. It was rather stupid actually, for him to act politely like this. Why should he act polite to the people who he knew took and hid her mother away?

 

The large oak doors opened on its own. He didn’t go in at once. He waited for the doors to be fully opened before entering. As he did, a lone man was sitting on one of the high-backed chairs at the far end of the room. The place was the total opposite of their research facility. This one was more, medieval looking.

 

“Jiyong,” the man said. “This is a surprise.”

 

Jiyong clenched his fists. There was no mockery or sarcasm in his voice – yes, shadows are surely great liars and pretenders. “Are you really surprised?”

 

The man smiled. “It’s a surprise, actually. You, the direct descendant of the shadow kind, never even once acknowledged it; never even once stepped on this place and joined our discussions.”

 

“And why should I do that?”

 

Cheong Sik went quiet for a moment. “Surely, you’re aware of what’s going on?”

 

“If I were, I would not even go here.”

 

He closed his eyes and joined his fingers, as if in prayer. “Your aura has changed. . . .”

 

“Oh really?” he sarcastically replied. “Well, you.”

 

“Do you know that it would be harder if you keep your real self tamed?”

 

“I’m not a dog that should be tamed.”

 

“But you are tamed now,” he went on. “That girl did, didn’t she?”

 

Jiyong stiffened. “Leave her out of this!”

 

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Yes,” he whispered quietly, as if speaking to himself. “I could see what Ahn was trying to tell me. The thing is, like what you’ve said, we’re not dogs that once tamed, and we will become loyal. I’ve seen men of our kind like these before. With us, the tamer we become, the wilder our dark side would want to come out.”

 

“I’m tired of your word games, Cheong Sik. Where is my mother?”

 

“I’m afraid I don’t have that answer.”

 

“You don’t have the answer or you don’t want to tell me?”

 

“Both,” he shrugged.

 

“Can I ask why?” he gritted.

 

“You do know what a bargain means, don’t you?”

 

Jiyong laughed sardonically. “Oh right!” he exclaimed. “So you kidnapped the mother of your direct descendant to ask for a bargain.”

 

“I did not plan this myself, Jiyong.”

 

“But you’re a part of it.”

 

“True,” he answered.

 

Silence enveloped them. “What about my stepfather?”

 

“Your stepfather?” he asked. “I didn’t know you care for him as well.”

 

“Where is he?”

 

“I’m afraid I don’t have the answer to that as well.”

 

Jiyong clenched his fists again. “What do you want from me?” he snapped.

 

“Two things,” he said. “First, bring the black phoenix to us.”

 

“The black phoenix is just a legend!”

 

“Oh no,” Cheong Sik chuckled. “You, of all people know that the black phoenix is not just a mere legend. You saw it, didn’t you? You saw the phoenix down that chamber? Tell me, why do you think it saved you and your friends from that ?”

 

“How should I know? The black phoenix can’t talk, can it?”

 

“Bring the black phoenix to us, Jiyong and you’ll see your mother again.”

 

“Why?”

 

“You don’t have to know why.”

 

“So basically, you would want me to bring the creature that saved the direct descendant of the shadows?”

 

“You’re not really being loyal to the creature, are you?” he asked. “And besides, you’re much stronger than you think you are.”

 

“What if I refused, you’re going to kill my mother?”

 

He smiled again. “Oh no. . .” he said. “. . . at least not right away. But if you refused, then maybe, Sandara Park will inspire you to find it for us.”

 

Jiyong suddenly found himself in front of the guy, clutching his neck tightly. “I said, leave her out of this!”

 

Cheong Sik smiled upon seeing Jiyong’s tamed aura flaring. His all-black eyes glowed with menace. “She’s already. . .” he chocked. “. . . a part of this, Jiyong. Ever since you revealed your real self to her. . . she’s been part of this already. . .”

 

“IF. . . .ANY OF YOU. . . . LAY. . . JUST. . . . JUST A FINGER. . . ON HER, YOU HAVE ME TO ANSWER FOR!!!”

 

He never felt so angry before. He never felt so. . . evil before. Just thinking of Cheong Sik hurting Dara boiled his insides, sending him almost to the brink of his sanity. “Who would you choose then, your mother or her?”

 

“I don’t have to choose!”

 

He laughed. “Then you don’t have that much choice.”

 

“What if I don’t find the black phoenix?”

 

“Then Sandara Park will die.”

 

Jiyong’s black eyes sparked and the next thing he knew, he already snapped Cheong Sik’s neck. He suddenly stepped back upon realizing what he had done. His eyes went wide at the sight of the man’s lifeless body, with his eyes still wide open. He looked down at his hand, it was smeared with blood, and it was trembling – trembling not from guilt or fear, but from excitement, he then found out.

 

“I knew you had this in you,” a new voice entered.

 

Jiyong’s head snapped around, looking for the source of the voice. He tried to sense for its presence but he could not sense it anywhere. But then, he recognized that voice. “Show yourself!”

 

Mister Ahn laughed. “Want to pick a fight with me, direct descendant or you want to kill me too?”

 

“ you!”

 

Loud laugher echoed in the hall again. “Bring the black phoenix to us, Jiyong. That’s your first task. Your second task will be revealed once you’ve already brought that wretched creature to us.”

 

“Why don’t you find it yourself?!” he roared.

 

“We did search for it. . . we’re have theories already but I’m afraid I would not be able to disclose that information to you.”

 

“What made you think I will find it?”

 

“Well, since it saved you from that before, then it’s quite safe to say that it’s connected to you, isn’t it?”

 

“What made you think that it was me it was trying to save?”

 

“You’ve got a point,” the voice answered. “So, what do you want us to do? Take Youngbae or Bom? Seungri or CL? Who else was down on that chamber? Oh right, would you want us to take Sandara Park then?”

 

“ you!” he hissed. “No wonder Sohee detested you!”

 

“DON’T MENTION HER NAME IN MY PRESENCE!!!” he suddenly shouted.

 

“Or what, send me to hell?” Jiyong laughed. “Oh wait, I think you better do that. Hell seemed like a better place than the place I’m currently in.”

 

 

- - -

 

DARA’S POV

 

“Hey, I’ll be gone just for a few minutes!” she called out to TOP.

 

“Why? Where are you going?”

 

She gave him a small smile. “I’ll just go ahead and get my things from. . . from the apartment.”

 

He stared at me for a moment. I could just see the worry lines starting to crease his forehead. No, I should stop letting people worry about me, especially him. He had enough concerns on his shoulders, already.

 

I rolled my eyes playfully at him. “What’s with that look?” I laughed. “I’ll be back, okay?”

 

“I know. . .” he answered. “But, will you be okay going there alone or would you want me to accompany you?”

 

I shook my head. “No, I’ll go ahead alone. I have to, if you know what I mean.”

 

He hesitated for a moment but then, he sighed. “Okay.”

 

“Besides, I’ll be needing some clothes once we go out and have some drinks or go sky diving or something.”

 

“Sky diving?” he repeated. “I don’t think you’d fit in that,” he chuckled, looking playful now. “You’ll just get blown by the wind.”

 

I grimaced at him. “Ha ha. Very funny, Choi Seunghyun.”

 

It was his turn to grimace. “I hate that name.”

 

“I don’t see any reason why you have to. It’s a beautiful name and it fits you. Anyways, I still think sky diving would be our best option and if ever I get blown by the wind, you could just transport to me or turn into crow to get to me and save me.”

 

“Ah, so you feel so confident of doing things like that because I’ll be there, is that it?”

 

“You’ll always be there beside me, won’t you?”

 

“Dara. . .”

 

I laughed lightly. “Aigoo, sorry about that. Don’t mind me. Anyways, I have to go,” I waved and turned to leave but then, he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me to his body. His arms then went around me.

 

“I’m here.”

 

I closed my eyes and let his words comfort me. Yes, this is comfort. I should learn how to live with this. With a deep breath, I wrapped my arms around him as well and let him comfort me.

 

 

 

 

I looked up at the apartment.Once I step into the doorstep, I know memories will come flooding into my brain. I know those memories would bring me down to my knees again; would bring tears to my eyes again; would kill my heart again. But I have to do this because once I step out from this apartment, I’ll be leaving all the memories confined in it, all the pain and tears in it as well. I have to do this not just for myself, but for TOP as well. And maybe for. . . and maybe for Jiyong as well. Maybe once I’ve really set him free, he’ll find the happiness that he’s looking for. I’m not so sure about myself but I’m ready to look for that happiness, I’m ready to move on.

 

I have to move on because there’s no way of turning back now. I could only look back but I could never retrace my steps again, that path for me is blocked. The only available road for me to take is the road up ahead of me so I have to take it eventhough that would mean the death of my heart.

 

I closed my eyes again and took a deep breath before going in. I didn’t open my eyes until I’ve closed the door behind me. When I opened my eyes, I was greeted, as I’ve expected, by memories like a film being played. And it all started again – the heartbreaking pain in my chest.

 

This would be the last time. . . this would be the last tears. . . . this would be the last breakdown. . . I have to let it all go to finally move on.

 

As I moved around the apartment, I could only cry and clutch my chest. This living room. . . this is where Jiyong and I watch movies, more of me watching since he’s not really into movies. This kitchen, this is where I always serve him his servings of pancakes everyday. Pancake. It’s so weird how one word could hurt like hell. I clutched the table for support, to keep myself up. The pain in my chest is just too much to take for me. I don’t think this is a good idea after all. I don’t think I can do this.

 

With that thought in mind, I hurriedly went to our room, trying to ignore all the memories shared in this room, in that bed, in that desk, in that shower room. I opened our dresser and started to pull all of my things out when I noticed that his clothes were gone. They’re gone! Seeing the empty part of the cabinet finally pulled all the strings off of me. like a puppet, I fell down to my knees and surrendered to the pain while promising to myself that this would be the last time I’ll be shedding tears for him.

 

No more after this, no more.

 

 

 

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bwahahahaha... short chappie..

 

erm, can someone please help me sort something out? I'm a bit confused. . . how come I'm tagged as a Co-Author of The Shadows?

 

EH?