Sarang couldn't be more than relieve to finally get out of that damn wedding dress. Putting on a pair of skinny jeans and a loosely fitted blouse, she tied her hair in a bun before going downstairs.   

Luhan had somehow persuaded Kris into driving Sarang back to their apartment. The ride back to their apartment was silent. It was so quiet she could hear a pin drop. She didn't know what had gotten into Kris; when the two of them were around one another it was never quiet. They were always arguing or fighting.  

She saw him sitting down on the couch, the television was currently on. He was watching a American basketball game.   

She decided to avoid talking to him by moving towards the kitchen. Surprisingly Tao had stocked up their kitchen a few days ago when both she and Kris were out. She found it amusing that even if Tao wanted her dead, he still bothers to stock them up on food. Then again, maybe it was for Kris.  

She was too lazy to cook so she grabbed her favorite brand of cereal and poured it into a bowl. She grabbed some milk and poured the liquid into the bowl before she began eating. She hadn't eaten anything yesterday; mostly because she was too busy locating her fiancée after he had left her on their wedding day.    

She was half way through her second bowl when there was a knock at the door, followed by the doorbell. Kris turned around to face her, throwing her a curious glance. Apparently all EXOM had their keys to their apartment, according to what Luhan told her, so it wasn’t any of them. Sarang wasn’t expecting anyone, and she was sure Kris wouldn’t invite anyone here.  

Kris lazily stood up from the couch and moved over to the door. Sarang went back to eating until she heard the all too familiar voice. She looked up to find a more than angry Chairman Wu storming into their apartment with the devil behind him, her grandfather.   

"What the hell happened to you?" The Chairman snapped. It was obvious that he was upset, because of Kris's actions they had to clean up the mess. Sarang knew that Kris never had these issues before, he knew how to clean up his mess, and he knew how to be smart about his actions. Until now.   

Sarang stood up from the stool she was sitting in, she pushed the stool back causing the three males to move their attention to her. Kris stared at her with unreadable eyes. Her grandfather looked like he wanted to bury her alive right now. The Chairman was the only one who looked more pleased that she was here, why is that?  

"Good morning Sarang dear." He spoke. She gave him a brief faux smile before bowing in respect, even if she didn’t respect the man, he was heartless and power-hungry. They spent the next 20 minutes listening to the Chairman go on about how this would affect their image, how this embarrassed the families, how humiliated he was because of his ungrateful son.  

Sarang stood there, partially listening to the Chairman; her eyes were focused on Kris the whole time, wondering how he could remain so collected in this situation.   

"I hardly doubt this is Young-master Wu's fault. My granddaughter is an ungrateful brat, I'm sure she gave more than enough reasons for your son not to show up. Some children just don't know how to behave." He snorted as he mentally catapulted lasers at Sarang.   

"If only her parents raised her correctly, then maybe this disrespectful child would know her place. My son was an idiot, and I'm sure that filthy tramp of his influenced Sarang into thinking that-"  

"That's enough." Kris finally snapped cutting her grandfather off mid-sentence. Sarang saw fire ignite in Kris's eyes before it quickly dispersed.   

"What are we going to do to fix this?" Chairman Wu queried as he began pacing back and forth. He paced back and forth around the quiet room, his head looking down towards the floor before he finally snapped his head up.   

"An accident. We'll say you got into a car accident causing you to miss the wedding." He suggested. "We can clean up this whole mess that way, plus we gain sympathy from the public." He added. Sarang wasn't sure how, but she and Kris agreed. It was going to fix the mess they created.   

"Kris, you need to keep a low profile. I don't want you working for the next few weeks. We'll tell the media that you're resting at a private hospital under our family name." Chairman Wu added. Sarang could see where Kris got his scheming abilities from. This wasn't the Chairman's first time fabricating a story to cover up a mess. "But what about the whole car accident itself, the media's going to ask for evidence."   

"I'll take care of that." Her grandfather injected. A sinister grin appeared on his face. "I have a history of faking car accidents." He voiced and somehow that irked Sarang. The way he said those words sounded so...heartless. Plus, why did it sound like he was specifically speaking to her when he said that.   

She brushed the thought away as she watched the two Chairmen bass in their master plan before leaving the scene. The second Kris closed the front door her kneels gave in causing her to fall back down into the stool.   

If anyone asks why both she and Kris were so ed up, blame it on the two Chairmen.  Their heads were so messed up and they just had to pass the genes down to them.   

Sarang rested her head down on the counter only to wince when a sharp pain spread from her cheek.   

"What happened to your face?" Kris asked. She jumped when she heard his voice. She hadn't heard him approach her at all. He was now standing only a few inches from her, and honestly she preferred keeping her distance from him right now.  

"Nothing." She answered stony. She answered a little too quickly apparently because she saw his brows furrowed slightly as if he knew she was lying, which she was.  

"Turn towards me." He ordered, Sarang ignored his remark and continued to chew on her cereal. It wasn't like he cared anyways, why was he so curious. "Lee Sarang." He sputtered. She dropped her spoon into the bowl, causing some milk to splash onto the counter.  

"What?" She snapped turning slightly towards him. What he did next surprised her. He reached out, and grabbed her jaw forcing her to face him.  

"You're hurt." He stated. She frowned; if she didn't know better she would assume that he cared.  

"What does it matter to you?" She snapped turning around in her seat so she could go back to eating. Apparently he wasn't going to let her go easily. This time he grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her back towards him. His fingers gazed against the patch of skin on her face. She winced when his fingers moved over her cheek.  

“Come on idiot.” He mumbled before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the stairs.  

“Yah! I’m eating.” She exclaimed as he pulled her up the stairs and towards the bathroom. Once inside he grabbed her by her hips and lifted her onto the bathroom counter. He opened one of the drawls and pulled out some ointment.  

“Geez, you’re such a child sometimes.” He pronounced softly. Sarang rolled her eyes.  

“If you’re going to complain just give me the ointment.” She snapped reaching out for the ointment but he just pushed her farrer back against the counter before standing between her legs.  

“So stubborn.” He hissed as he began treating her. Sarang pouted, letting him do what he wanted. It grew quiet between them, but unlike the car ride back, this silence was gratifying. That was until be broke it, 

“Does he do this often?”  

Sarang stared at him, but his eyes refused to meet hers, or maybe he was just too busy applying the ointment.

“What?” 

He huffed; he was frustrated and worn out, “Does he hit you often?” 

“Oh.” Sarang replied looking away from him. “He stopped the older I got. This was actually the first time in three years, but hey, who can blame him.” She rebutted  

Kris tensed and Sarang wondered if she had said something wrong  

“Why didn’t you stop him?” Kris challenged and it looked like something in him suddenly snapped when he asked that question.  “You’re not scared of killing anyone who got in your way, hell, I bet you can take down half the gangs in Seoul if you wanted, so why can’t-“ 

“Is that a compliment? “ She asked cutting him off. He growled, twisting his fingers into the fabric of her shirt before pulling her closer, his cold hard eyes boring hers.  

“Why didn’t you stop him from hitting you?” He hissed angrily. His voice vibrated against her skin, disbursing chills throughout her body.  

“I-, you wouldn’t understand.” She replied as she pushed him back before lifting herself up from the counter. She turned and began to walk away when he spoke again.  

“Are you scared of betraying him? If you are, you shouldn’t be. He’s nothing close to how your parents were.” He whispered. She looked at him and narrow her eyes.  

What the hell! How did he know that she was scare of betraying her parents? Only Luhan knew, did he tell? No, he didn’t. 

“You were eavesdropping on our conversation!” She clamored stepping back towards him.  

“I don’t trust you, of course I would.” He explained. Sarang exhaled deeply before inhaling a breath of fresh oxygen into her system.  

“What can I do? What can I do so you’ll trust me?” She questioned. He snickered as if he was listening in to a joke.  

“Trust isn’t given Sarang, it’s earned.” He explained. She frowned, when the hell did he start speaking like a philosopher? That was the last thing she needed. “You know how you start, tell me the truth. Tell me what you’ve been doing since the moment I met you.”  

Sarang stood there, baffled by his request. She wasn’t ready to tell him, or anyone for that matter. Sarang knew that helping the Dragon was going to inflict physical scars, but she never thought about the emotional ones.  

He was clever enough to know that she had another vendetta, he just didn’t know what. If she was to tell him about all her motives and everything she’s been doing it would be the same as letting him take a walk through her heart.  

“See, that’s why I can’t trust you. You don’t trust me. We don’t even know each other, how the hell am I supposed to trust you.” He affirmed as he stepprf closer to her, “But you know what I can tell so far. Lee Sarang, you are a bitter, angry little girl trying to live in this ed up world. You’re smart, defensive, too damn stubborn, and completely nuts.  Your parents were killed to protect me, and you hate me because of that. At the same time you can’t because that pathetic mind of yours has you believing that you would be betraying your parents if you harm me. You don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself, and I’m more than sure that if given the chance, you would kill me within a heartbeat.”  

Sarang feels anger engorge through her veins. Here he was thinking he knew her. Was that really what he saw?  Was she really this awful in his eyes?  

She doesn’t reply and Kris assumed he was correct. He leaves the bathroom, purposely bumping into her shoulder as he walks away. She feels the dingy atmosphere linger, even when his presence is no longer there. She felt his words sink in, and she knew that he is partly right.  

However, she knows that he is also wrong. In truth, everything Kris had stated was everything Sarang tried leading off. It was everything she tried to fake so the world wouldn’t see what was inside. Honestly she was scared of herself.  She was her own biggest nightmare.  

People were blind sometimes, only seeing what one portrays to the universe and not where it comes from. It was like a little duckling swimming, on the surface she looks calm and at peace, but underneath the water she’s working with all her might, careful not to drown.  

She falls onto the ground, hugs her knees tightly to her chest. She ponders on his words, remembers the look in his eyes and how they flashed with danger. He felt the same way she did, she was sure of it. He felt angry as well, and bitter. He was in so many ways, like her.  

Then it struck her and she finally understood, "You're just like me you idiot." 

------- 

After a chaotic night with EXOK they finally return to HQ. They were all exhausted and tired. The warehouse from last night was destroyed, but no one really worried about that. A warehouse catching on fire wasn't as interesting news as 'Heir of Wu Corporations, in a car accident hours before his wedding. Currently resting."  

Kris couldn't help but snickered at how everything turned out. His image was still clean, his plans were finally going according to schedule, and no one found out what really happened. If only that crazy woman could remain out of his life and mind, then everything would be perfect.   

He parks his car in the underground garage of EXOM's hideout, his mind was still replaying the events of this morning. He couldn't help but let his anger boil when he remembered Chairman Lee's words. He was insulting Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Kris could tolerant his parent's rants, he had grown used to them, but he couldn't handle someone down-talking the two people who had helped him when he was in need.   

Something about Chairman Lee's words irked him, "I have a history of faking car accidents." Those exact words replayed and he made a mental note to ask Lay to do a thorough background check on the man.   

Sarang was the biggest factor of all his troubles. The woman had managed to piss him off, yet intrigue him like no one else could.   

It wasn't intentional that he had stumbled on her and Luhan when they were talking. What she said surprised him. For one, he had never heard her talk that much without lashing out over something. It didn't startled him, Luhan had a way of making people feel comfortable around him. Maybe that was the reason why people trusted him so much, that was until he decides to tie them down and break every bone in their body one by one.     

Did she just not care, did it really matter that little to her?  He didn’t know, but her answer flustered him as much as it intrigued him.  

Then he remembered everything that happened earlier. If only she knew how angry he was when he realized that the Chairman abused her. He wanted to rope his arms around the old man's neck and squeeze the life out of him. His anger only intensified from there.   

He sighed, strolling into the kitchen where the other members were digging into their dinner. No one had eaten all day, and everyone was starving. He sat down on one of the stools, letting his head hit the countertop.   

"You're right." He heard someone state. He turned around, already knowing who had spoken. He was about to ask how she got in, but presumed that it was Lay. Lay had been the only person who stayed back so it had to be him, plus he was the only one who wasn’t present.    

"How did you get in?" Chen questioned. Sarang pointed towards the techie who had just walked into the room, answering the question. Lay seemed unamused by the conversation. He just grabbed his dinner, grab the seat next to Xiumin and began eating.    

"You're right." She corrected stepping towards Kris. He sighed, he was already exhausted and he didn't want to argue with her. "I am angry, and I am bitter. I'm also stubborn and completely nuts." She affirmed solidly, he remembered the speech he had given that morning. She was stating everything he had said.   

"And I did hate you, I hated you so much for taking my parents away. Then I realized that it was none of your fault. I realized that you were probably hurting as much as I was, because in a way, they were also your parents… So I'm here to tell you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you, all of you, lost two people that were really important in your life."   

Just when he thought she couldn't do anything else to shock him, she does. She does it in the most unexpected way. Here was the strong, tough Lee Sarang apologizing for a lost that occurred a decade ago.  

"And just so you know, I wouldn't kill you the first chance I get, and its not because I feel an obligation to my parents, but because you don't deserve to die." She finished before she turns on her heels and walks out of the room, they all stare at her walk away. Only when the front door closes do they finally breathe. 

Silence infuses the room until Tao spoke, "What the hell happened between you two this morning?" 

"I have no idea." 

 ------- 

Sarang strolled down the dark road, the street lights provided more than enough light for her. It was serenely quiet here, and there was no one on the streets. She felt calm, as odd as if was.  

Maybe she hadn't realized it, but now she did. She wasn't the only one in pain, they all were. She wasn't the only one who hid her feelings, they all did. She remembered their alarm faces when they realized who her parents were, and she realized that she wasn't the only one who lost something.   

She laughed mutely to herself, why didn't she realize this sooner, how could she be so selfish. They weren't going to let her snake her way into their lives with open arms, so she shouldn't force them. For the first time in a long time she thought of how everyone else felt. Even EXOM felt pain, only they were hidden beneath layers of pride, strength, and determination.  

"Sarang." Someone called out to her. She was so deep in her thoughts she didn't realized that there was a car following her. 

"Luhan." She acknowledged.  

"Get in." He ordered waving for her to enter. She is reluctant for a few seconds. "I can always throw you in here." He shouted. She groaned, fine. She gets into the passenger side seat before closing the door and buckling on the seat belt. Luhan begins driving away, she gives him a curious glance.  

"Where are we going?" She asked.  

“I'm dropping you off at home." He answered aridly. She frowned, she had no home. Her home had been taken away years ago.  

"You did good. It really takes skills to get under his skin like you do." He commentd. Sarang is puzzled by his statement. 

A soft smile lifts onto Luhan's face before he explains, "Do you know that we have never heard someone apologize to us, especially for something they had no fault in, but here you are Lee Sarang, saying you're sorry. Your parents are dead because of Kris, because of us, and you have the nerve to apologize. It should be the other way around." He explained, his tone was upset and angry with a hint of sorrow.  

"I just thought it was the right thing to do." She replied knowingly. "I know that at the end of the day the EXO that everyone is so afraid of, the EXO people run from, you guys are still human. You still care."  

"How do you know that?" He questioned. He wasn’t sure what she still saw in them. They were a bunch of misfit hooligans who had committed too many sins. They had jail cells in Hell waiting for them.  

She smiled remembering the day at the dress shop. She remembered their laughs and their smiles, and how she envied them so greatly. "You guys are willing to die for each other, you care about each other. You guys will burn down the entire world for each other, and I envy that. Your friendship. That's how I'm sure that you guys still care."   

"You have to stop doing that." Luhan stated.  

"Stop doing what?” 

"Stop understanding us, because if you don't, it's only going to make it harder for Kris to kill you." 

"He's still content on killing me?" 

Luhan exhaled deeply, he seemed extremely bothered by her question as he ruffled his hair with the hand that's not on the wheel of the car.  

"I don't know anymore." He answered frankly. "The Dragon's not known for taking back his threats, you should be dead by now. The only reason why you're not is because you're Lee Sarang, his fiancee and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Smith." 

"Do me a favor then. The day he finally decides to kill me, don't be there to watch." She asked composedly. Her face didn’t show any signs of fear, she looked rather content with her fate.  

Luhan bewailed angrily and hits the wheel, Sarang doesn't react to this though. "You're not scared of dying are you?" He didn’t understand how she can be so willing to stop living. Luhan was a fighter, and he’s fought his whole life to stay alive. Here Sarang was, throwing her life away like it was nothing.  

"No," She replied, she pauses for a second before she continues,  

"I'm going to die eventually, I guess it'll make it easier on everybody if he's the one who kills me, then maybe he'll finally learn."  

Luhan pondered on her statement. He doesn't understand, but there's a lot about this woman he doesn't understand, just like there's a lot about the Leader that he doesn't understand. "What do you mean?" 

"He'll learn to finally defeat his biggest nightmare: himself." She explained. Luhan couldn't help but laugh at her answer. How did she know so much in such a short time? How did she figure this all out? Sarang was basically the female version of Kris, killing her was like killing a part of himself.  

"How do you know that?" He asked.  

"Because I'm my worse nightmare. Just like he’s his biggest nightmare" She replied with a perceiving smile. He’s still confused but doesn’t press the topic any longer. He didn’t need a headache tomorrow. He doesn't say anything back until they arrive to the apartment complex. Sarang unbuckles her belt and steps out of the car, as she's about to close the door he stops her.  

"Hey Sarang." He called out.  

"Yes." 

"We're friends right."  

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Luhan, what are you talking about?" She asked.  

"We're friends okay. When you need somebody, I'll be there." A sweet smile crosses Sarang's face, and he thought she looked even prettier when she smiled.  

----- 

“You’re back.” Kris stated when Luhan slides open the door to one of the many balconies.  

It didn't surprise him that Luhan was the first to react after Sarang left. He evened chased her down and gave her a ride back to the apartment.  

Kris took another puff from his cigar, letting the poisonous nicotine fill his lungs. "I thought you quit smoking?"  

"I did." He answered. It was the first time in three years that he's smoked. He found it amusing that the reason he was smoking again was because of a woman. Who would had thought.  

"Business is back on track." Luhan stated standing next to him.  

"I know that's not the reason why you're here."  

"Always straight to the point aren't you. So damn blunt." Luhan commented.  

He snapped his head towards his friend. "What is it?" 

"Are you still going to do it? Kill her." He answered bluntly. 

Kris sighed, he didn't know anymore. That had always been the plan, then she goes and drops a bomb on them. Maybe it was the fact that her parents had helped them, or the fact that she was so eager to gain their trust. Or maybe it was just because she was Lee Sarang, that was enough.  

"Yeah, I was expecting that response. I know, we're all confused as well." Luhan said matter of factly.  

"I don't get what's so special about her."  

"And you also don't get why you're attracted to her." Luhan added, he was purposely trying to test out a theory of his. He wanted to see how the Leader would react.  

"You're right, I don't. So why don't you tell me. I can see the wheels spinning in your head." Luhan chuckled at Kris's directness. Give it to the Dragon to never be shy in situations like this.  

"She's just like you, and we all know it. You want to kill her, but you won't. Plus I think there's a part of you that doesn't want to harm her at all. She's a threat to us, but you don't care about that anymore do you. She's already gained your trust, you just don't want to admit it until she admits what else she had plan, and trust me, we all know that Sarang has another vendetta. You're just trying to wait her out until she cracks. But let me tell you, she won't. She's too strong, and way too stubborn. So you either let her help, or crack her open, and I know you won't go with the latter option. That's why she's special. She's strong. She's a broken wreck, just like us. Just like you." 

"Since when did you start studying human behavior?" Kris joked. Luhan glared at him and punches him in the arm.  

"She thinks you'll do it. She honestly believes you will." Luhan added softly. He wasn't even sure if he should be telling Kris this or not.  

"I thought she didn't care." 

"You're so hopeless sometimes. She cares, Sarang's always cared. This isn't the only thing she cares about, its everything else.You leaving her at the wedding, the fact that her parents were kille, and especially you, she cares about all that. She's just really good at hiding it. My god, I can't believe you haven't noticed it yet."   

Kris laughed loudly when Luhan finishes. "When the hell did you become a therapist?"  

"I'm not just around for killing and torture."  

"Yeah, I know. And I wished you weren't always right." 

Total fangirl spazzing mode when I saw EXO's Growl MV! I think I like this song better than Wolf, plus the dance is awesome.  

Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed the Chapter, I can say that there was some character development for Sarang's character and I have no idea where it came from, it just fitted in there somehow.