Luscious black hair, porcelain white skin, red ruby lips.

"I'm here to see Mr. Jaejoong Kim."

The warden looks up at the woman and notices the cleavage hanging out from her skimpy red dress. Her heavy perfume is toxic.He coughs.

"I'm here to see Mr. Jae-"

"I heard you the first time, lady. He don't want no visitors today."

"He will see me when you show him this." She pushes a photo across the counter.

"Sorry, lady. I'm not allowed to-"

She leans in and places a gloved hand on his cheek. "You can do it, can't you? If anyone can do it, it's you." Her whisper tickles his ear.

"I-I- I guess, I can..."

"Perfect. I'll wait right here for you."

• • • • • • •

Mr. Kim sits across from her. He has let himself go since the last time she saw him. He does not raise his head to look at her. His eyes are focused on his hands.

"I knew you couldn't say no to me." She smiles a smile no one can see.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"Don't you remember me? I came here before... to interview you for my book."

He sits there for a whole minute in silence before repeating himself.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?"

"I want the truth, Mr. Kim. I want you to tell me the whole truth."

He chuckles. His eyes are still glued to his up turned hands. "Who doesn't want it? Who doesn't want everything? But you can't have everything. I can't have everything."

"Admit it. You didn't kill those girls. Someone else did. Someone who is not you."

"No, you're wrong. I killed them."

"You're lying. Why are you lying? Tell me. Did you murder all those serial killers?

"Yes. I killed them."

"That's not a lie." She takes a breath. "Did you kill those girls?"

"Yes. I killed them."

"That's a lie! I know when you're lying, Mr. Kim."

"No, it's true. I killed them."

"I know who killed those girls... I know who the fairy tale killer is."

"What proof do you have? That photo you showed me? Why is a grown woman so naive? Pictures can lie."

"You know as well as I do that Xinling did it. She killed those girls to justify her guilt. And now she's dead." The woman loses her temper. "Xinling's dead! Why are you still covering for her? She's a serial killer and you're Aequitas. It doesn't make sense. Why is she any different? She doesn't deserve it. Such a weak minded person doesn't deserve it!"

"Who are you?"

"Is it because you loved her?"

"You're Rin, aren't you..."

"Answer my question!"

"You always followed her around and tormented her, hiding in the dark, watching her like a serpent. You lived very well, haven't you... but for Xinling... her sister died that day. And yet, she still loved you."

"It's her own fault! Such a stupid, stupid girl... What blind unconditional love. Even to our monstrous parents who put us through hell every day... all in the name of science. She was incapable of hating them and I hated her for it."

"You hated her because you love her... as much as I. Shouldn't we both understand her now?"

The hot tears roll silently down her powdered cheeks as she stares wide eyed at the white wall.

"I wasn't going to say anything... but it looks like you need to hear it."

The woman bites her bottom lip.

"Xinling wasn't justifying her guilt. She was trying to make you feel better. She knew what you and the doc were up to. She knew you were using him to kill those nine people who worked secretly with your parents. And their accident... was not an accident at all. You're the one who feels guilty. Not her. Didn't you come to confess? But why to me?"

"So you knew... then why didn't you kill me too?"

"Ah. The mysteries of the world. She wanted you to live... not her big sister, but you. Because you wanted to live. All that revenge was because you desperately wanted to live."

"Doesn't everyone want to continue living?"

"Everyone? Do they really?"

"Don't you?"

"I've had my fill. I'm done living. I'm taking my punishment now, waiting for the day to come when I join my baby in eternity."

"Eternity?"

"Yes, that's where she is... sleeping in eternity." 

• • • • • • •

   N E X : NEVER LOVERS