Consciousness came back to me. But I didn’t open my eyes. I don’t want to wake up. I don’t want to see what I’ve gotten myself into, what I put the pest into. I inhaled and realized that I wasn’t bound anymore. I opened my eyes and was greeted by a dark ceiling.

 

“Finally, the special guest is awake,” a voice said. I pushed myself up and looked for the source. My eyes squinted. The person was standing in a shadowed corner of the room, so I wasn’t able to make out his face. But his voice sounded familiar. My eyes then absorbed my surroundings. Despite everything, I can’t help but wrinkle my nose.

 

Dungeon. Cellar. I can’t believe this. First, I was forced to live in an orange farm, in the middle of the wilderness, the motel and now in a cellar dungeon? What the heck? This is exactly what I’ve seen prisons look like in medieval-themed movies. “Where am I? And who are you?” I asked.

 

A chuckle echoed. “I can’t really tell you where we are.”

 

I frowned. His voice is awfully familiar. Then, he stepped out of the shadows, I gasped, my eyes growing wide. Amusement filled his face as he saw my reaction. “H-heechul?”

 

“You look surprised,” he chuckled.

 

“How. . . what. . . I . . .?”

 

He chuckled again. “It’s a pretty long story. But to make it short, I joined this group because of you,”

 

“Because of me?”

 

“Yes, you user!” he hissed. “You led me on! I did everything you asked me to but then you dumped me, rejected me, and stepped on me. So, when I was offered to avenge myself, I accepted.”

 

“I didn’t. . .”

 

“Lies!” he gritted. A loud ringing cut any of my attempts to answer back. I saw Heechul answered the phone and talked to the person on the other line quietly.

 

As the phone call ended, he reached behind him and pulled something out. Then, he pointed it at me. “Get up!” he ordered.

 

I silently followed.

 

“Walk to the door,” he ordered again. I walked to the door with him behind me. I felt him grabbed my shirt at the back and pressed the gun at the back of my head.

 

As I stepped outside, I saw lines of cellar on opposite sides. If it weren’t for the lights, I would think I have travelled through time. Everything looked black, wet and slimy. I stiffly walked right up ahead, my footsteps eerily echoing along the hall. My breath came in quick gasps. We turned in a corner. There were no more cellars here, only walls. At the end of the hallway was a double wooden door. As we reached it, Heechul grabbed the wrought iron handle and pulled the door open.

 

I was pushed roughly inside, making me land on the floor with my arms outstretched in front of me. I heard a swoosh, like a whip and a sharp click, like something hard and fast breaking the skin. I looked up. At first, I was confused. It’s a large chamber, I then realized. Sang Won was up in an upturned cemented landing while there were guys standing at each side of him. There was a mischievous gleam in his face as he stared in front of him. I followed his gaze and gasped. The pest was down on his knees, his hands outstretched up. There were manacles on his wrists that were attached to long iron chains. I followed the chains and saw it was hooked in a metal ring up in the ceiling then rolled up in against the wall.

 

I started crying but not because of the chains imprisoning him. Everything about him right now is so heartbreaking. He was on his jeans, shirtless and barefooted. His torso was covered with sweat, glistening with the help of the light. There were traces of bruises and scratches on his body. Then, his face- his face was so badly beaten. I even saw a trail of blood coming from a skin break at the side of his left brow. Behind him, I saw a humongous guy with a whip on his hand.

 

“Sang Won!” Heechul called. Sang Won looked up. The malicious gleam in his eyes grew more pronounced as he saw me. With a smirk on his face, he stood up and walked to my direction.

 

“What have you done to him?!” I hissed. He grabbed my hair and started dragging me to the center, a few feet in front of the pest. I gasped in pain but I didn’t scream eventhough I wanted to.

 

“Don’t touch her!” a menacingly hiss echoed through the chamber. I glanced up at the pest. I expected to see fear in his eyes or pain from all the physical sufferings brought upon him. But I can only see sheer hatred in them while he looked at Sang Won.

 

“Ah, now I understand,” Sang Won said.

 

“What do you mean?” Heechul asked. Sang Won ignored him as he continued staring at the pest with a mixture of amusement, curiosity and something else I can’t describe.

 

“You’re not really in a position to give orders, Jiyong. But I confess I’m quite disappointed with you,” Sang Won continued. “You see, I was expecting more from you. I didn’t really expect you’ll show any emotion when you were beaten, always blank.” Sang Won looked down at me, looking extremely curious. He turned thoughtful for a moment and looked back to the pest. “But when this girl entered. . . . I’ve seen your eyes gentled then replaced by hatred as I dragged her by the hair. Hmm. I’m into theatric scenes, Jiyong, you know this. But this’ll be more interesting since you’re involved, don’t you think?”

 

The pest didn’t answer. Sang Won then dragged me up and pushed me towards Heechul. “Hold her,” he ordered. I felt Heechul’s hand wrapped on both of my arms, his fingers digging painfully in my flesh. “Five whips!” Sang Won announced. My eyes widen and my head snapped back to the pest. The guy behind him nodded, raised the arm bearing the whip ad sent it across the pest’s back. I shrieked the moment the whip made contact on his skin. I saw his body jerked forward but he didn’t make a sound or anything to show that he’s in pain.

 

“Stop!” I shrieked as the whip went flying on his back for the second time. “STOP! PLEASE! STOP!” I screamed again and again as the third, fourth and fifth whips hit his back. I was crying hard now. My voice was hoarse, raspy. My whole body felt heavy, my heart thumped painfully against my chest. I don’t want to watch anymore but I can’t close my eyes.

 

“Now are you going to tell me where the microchip is?” Sang Won asked.

 

“Dream on!” the pest answered.

 

“Ten whips!” Sang Won hissed.

 

“No! Are you planning to kill him?!?” I desperately screamed. Sang Won held his hand, silently telling the whipper to pause. He looked at me with wonder. “Please, stop. Please stop hurting him!” I cried, begging.

 

“She doesn’t know where it is,” the pest suddenly said.

 

“Why don’t you just tell him?” I asked the pest through tears. I can’t stand it anymore. For the sake of a microchip, he’s letting himself get tortured? No, I can’t bear it, I just can’t.

 

“I can’t,” the pest whispered, his eyes gentling.

 

“Why not?” I snapped. “It’s just a microchip! Why are you letting yourself suffer for a damn microchip?!”

 

Sang Won suddenly laughed, the sound of it bouncing off the walls. “Oh my, feisty. You’re letting a girl underhand you like this, Jiyong? But she’s right, though. It’s just a damn microchip, c’mon, tell me where it is and I’ll spare your life.”

 

“You’re wasting your time,” the pest said.

 

“Sorry miss,” Sang Won said then nodded to the whipper. And the torture began again. I screamed again, out of desperation. I started struggling against Heechul’s hold but he won’t let go, I elbowed him and stepped on his foot. I quickly ran to the pest the same time I heard Sang Won said. “No, let her be,” in an amused tone. When I reached the pest, I knelt in front of him and cupped his face gently.

 

“Why, hello there!” he whispered, his lips forming into that trademark devil smile of his that I really love. His body moved forward again as he received yet another whip. Without thinking, without minding what the others would say, I slammed my lips hard on his. I know it’s impossible, but I was hoping to make him forget about he pain from the whip; I was hoping to numb him; I was hoping to wipe off from his mind that he’s being whipped; I was hoping he could think of nothing else but my kiss.

 

As the whipping continued, so did the kiss. I didn’t really expect him to kiss me back since he’s feeling weak with all the whips and doesn’t have enough strength to kiss back. That’s fine with me. I CAN kiss, I can do all the kissing. But he surprised me when he started kissing back. I don’t know how it happened but in just a matter of seconds, he was now leading the kiss. Not long after that, I got lost in his kiss, against his mouth. But wait, I should be the one leading the kiss, not him! So I started fighting, competing to get the lead again. When we ran out of breath, we separated. I realized then that the ten whips were over.

 

“That was some kiss,” he smirked. On normal occasions, that smirk could have caused a fight between us. That smirk always irks me, annoy me, and irritate me. But instead of snapping at him, I started crying again. “As far as I know, I’m a good kisser. So, why are you crying?” he teased.

 

“You’re hurting!” I choked.

 

He chuckled. “Hey, I’m just a pest, remember? No need to waste your tears. I’m not worth it,” he joked.

 

“This is not a laughing matter!” I sobbed.

 

“Since when did you become such a crybaby?” he snorted. “But I must say, I’m pretty surprised with you.”

 

“What do you mean?” I sniffed.

 

“I should teach you to control your kissing urges,” he smirked. “Have you noticed how you always do the first move? Well, not really always, but most of the time. Am I that irresistible?”

 

I stared at him weakly. How can he joke like this? “Just tell them where it is hidden,” I tried.

 

His eyes saddened. “I can’t,” he whispered.

 

What if. . .? What if he doesn’t know where it is? When these bad guys realized the pest doesn’t know where it is hidden, they’re going to kill him! I heard him sigh. “Listen to me,” he said. “I’ll get you out of here, I promise.”

 

He misinterpreted the fear in my eyes.

 

“Bravo!” Sang Won suddenly clapped. “Wow! Just wow! Simply amazing! It’s like watching a Shakespeare tragic masterpiece, so dramatic!”

 

The pest looked past me. I turned around and followed his gaze. There was a look of amazement and slightly concealed disgust in Sang Won’s face. “You totally lost it, Kwon Jiyong,” he said, shaking his head, looking utterly disappointed. “Get the girl,” he turned to Heechul.

 

I felt hands on my arms, hauling me up and away from the pest. I struggled, of course. But a hand suddenly sent my head flying to the side. I gasped as I felt my cheek stinging from the slap. I looked up and saw Sang Won in front of me, looking very murderous.

 

“Stop struggling!” he shouted. My jaw clenched defiantly as I glared at him. Then, without thinking of the consequence, I spat in his face. His jaw clenched as he wiped the saliva off his face with his sleeve. The look he gave me made my knees tremble. I already know it’s coming. And so, it did. “You !” he gritted, backhanding my face. As if he wasn’t satisfied, he gave my stomach a blow. I gasped, felt the air knocked out of me as I felt myself doubling over. My knees buckled, making me fall down on my knees, Heechul’s hold on me slipping.

 

“Damn you, Sang Won!” a voice full of hatred echoed through the chamber.

 

“Sang Won,” Heechul called. There was something in his voice, like a warning, or pleading or reminding, I don’t know which.

 

“Sorry. I got carried away,” Sang Won said, not sounding a bit sorry. “Anyways, moving on.”

 

Through my pain, I watched him walked towards the pest, with a gun on his hand. I don’t know where he pulled it from, but I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. “No,” I moaned, barely a whisper as I saw the gun pressed on the pest’s temple.

 

“You don’t want him to die, do you?” Sang Won asked, looking down at the pest. But I know the question was for me. I looked at the pest but I didn’t see any sign of fear in his eyes. I heard something clicked. I suddenly looked up and saw Sang Won looking at me questioningly, waiting for my answer.

 

“Oh, I think I’m wrong,” he mused. “Very well, goodbye, Kwon Jiyong.”

 

“Wait!” I shouted. “Don’t. . .”

 

A smile formed in his lips. “Are you willing to do anything to save his life, little one?”

 

I returned his gaze steadily. “Yes.”

 

“Good. Because I’m going to ask something in exchange of Jiyong’s life.”

 

“What is it?” I eagerly asked. The look on his face made me ask myself if I’m sure about this.

 

“Don’t listen to him! He’s just-” the pest started but was stopped by Sang Won as the latter kicked him in his midsection.

 

“Don’t hurt him! I’ll do anything!” I desperately cried.

 

“I wouldn’t if you grant me the favor I’m asking,” Sang Won said, challenging me.

 

“What is it?!” I repeated a bit hysterically.

 

“Your body,” he said.

 

“M-my body?” I repeated blankly. What did that mean?

 

“Yes,” Sang Won leered. “Your ity, to be exact. I heard you’re still a .”

 

“Who told you. . .?”

 

“That doesn’t matter. Just a yes or a no, Dara.”

 

I sat still for a moment, and then glanced back to the pest. “No. Don’t do it! Listen to me!” he pleaded.

 

I shook my head. “I don’t want to be a burden to you anymore,” I whispered then looked up at Sang Won. “Fine,” I informed him, my voice merely a distant echo.

 

“Good,” Sang Won grinned. “Heechul, you like her don’t you? Why don’t you do it?”

 

“M-me?” Heechu stutteted. But I. . . c-can’t. . . I’m. . . “

 

“I’m just joking. Of course I have to do it. I’m the one who asked for it.”

 

“Screw you, Sang Won! Screw you to hell! If you ever lay just a finger on her, I’ll kill you myself!”

 

“C’mon Jiyong. It’s not like I’m going to her. She AGREED, it’s her choice, right Dara? Tell him you want me, tell him!”

 

“I want him, Jiyong,” I complied.

 

“See?” Sang Won sneered.

 

“I’ll kill you!” the pest’s voice was so menacingly dangerous that it sent shivers down my spine.

 

“Come now. I’m going to spare your life, you should be at least grateful.”

 

The pest looked at me, his eyes pleading. “Please, don’t.”

 

A lump in my throat formed. I never heard him say ‘please’ before. And that look in his eyes could have convinced me to back away from the deal if I didn’t look away. “Let’s do this. The sooner the better,” I turned to Sang Won. I know if I stay longer, the pest will win in convincing me to back away.

 

“So, eager, eh?” Sang Won chuckled.

 

“Where do you want to do this? You better start leading the way,” I stiffly said, standing up.

 

“Oh, we’re not going anywhere,” he slowly said.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“We’re going to do it right here, right in front of Jiyong. I want him to watch us. I want him to hear every sound you make, I want him to hear you scream my name.”

 

My heartbeat faltered. “You’re sick!” I breathed.

 

“Yes or no?” he asked again, pressing the gun deeper into the pest’s temple. “Are you backing out now?”

 

I didn’t answer at once. A thousand thoughts whirled inside my head but I can’t understand any of it anymore. “A deal is a deal,” I finally said. “I already said yes. I’m going to stick to it.”

 

A malicious grin curved Sang Won’s lips. “Good girl.”