Author’s POV

Jiyong stood at their garage, staring blankly at his phone.

[Message]

From: Unknown Number

Karma’s here. Will she be safe from your karma?

[End of Message]

Unknowingly, he had been gripping his phone. Nearly destroying it. He headed out again. This time he headed towards Dara’s house.

He didn’t even care if he was already driving past the speed limit. All he cared about was that he should go to Dara’s house as fast as he could.

His heart was beating erratically, He felt like life was taken out of his body. He needed to make sure that Dara was safe. Away from danger and away from anything else.

Just as he reached Dara’s house, he received another text message.

He immediately opened it, fear evidently consuming him.

[Message]

From: Unknown Number

Aren’t you a bit too excited to see something bad happen to her? Too bad karma’s gonna hit you when you least expect it.

[End of Message]

Jiyong gripped his phone tighter. He doesn’t know what to do now. All he knows is that he has to protect Dara. At any cost… even at the expense of his life.

He closed his eyes and sighed loudly. He didn’t know why but his heart was still beating hard.

He looked back at his phone and he looked for a number and he immediately called it.

After a few rings…

Dara: yoboseyo?

Jiyong: cakey…

Dara: mm? What’s up coffee-yah?

Jiyong: nothing really. I just… I just wanted to talk to you.

Dara: (giggles) about what?

Jiyong: about things.

Dara: you’re really weird lately Coffee-yah. Ever since we came back from the villa you’re acting kind of… well…

Jiyong: I guess I’m just being paranoid.

Dara: is this about Minzy?

Silence.

Dara already knew it when Jiyong turned silent. She knows that Jiyong was afraid of what might happen to her.

They’ve talked about this in the villa before.

She knows that nothing bad will happen to her but Jiyong knows otherwise.

Dara: coffee-yah?

Jiyong: cakey… I’m scared.

Dara: m-Muo?

Jiyong: (sighs) what if I won’t be able to protect you from them?

Dara: Coffee-yah… you’ve always protected me from everything. I trust you. I know you can protect me from them too.

Jiyong: but… but what if I’m not able to?

Dara: coffee-yah… you were the one who told me to believe in myself. If you can’t believe in yourself… then I still will.

Jiyong: Dara.

Dara flinched when Jiyong called her by her name. Very different.

Dara: w-w-wae?

Jiyong: Nothing… Just… Just take care okay?

Dara: de…

Jiyong: g’night…

Dara: good night coffee-yah.

As the call ended, Jiyong’s heart settled down. It wasn’t long before he calmed down and went back home.

The next day, Jiyong was too pre-occupied about last night that he didn’t even notice Seunghyun talking to him. He was only snapped out of his reverie when Seunghyun smacked him on his head.

Jiyong: hyung! What’s wrong with you?! (Rubbing his head)

Seunghyun: Aish!! I’ve been talking to you for a while now and you’re just spacing out!

Jiyong: tsk! What are you talking about anyway? I’m sure it’s not even important.

Of course it earned another smack on his head.

Seunghyun: (sighs) this is something important Ji.

Jiyong: what is it about anyway? And can you stop hitting me?

Seunghyun: It’s about my mom.

All emotions drained out of Jiyong when he heard what Seunghyun said. He looked away, not wanting to know what his hyung has to say.

Jiyong: hyung…

Seunghyun: I know it’s stupid to even talk about her but… Ji… She’s still my mother. (Sighs) I know that you hate them as much as I do but… knowing that I really won’t be able to see her… it… it only makes me rethink of life.

Jiyong: hyung… what are you even talking about? They’ve abandoned us! They left us! We don’t even ha