Chapter Fifty

I should have embedded in my mind the numerous times he had prevented me from falling and from drowning. When I thought I knew every single thing about him, everything just had to repeat the cycle, back into the endless circles of maze. When I thought he was the white, the black surfaced from the inside. Like an oblivion of black, he kept on pulling me back, beyond what he could do. And all I could do was run away from him. Run forward.

Kyungsoo’s expression remained stoic, his jaw clenching after he spoke the words towards Joonmyeon. 

With a focused, intense glare, Joonmyeon maintained the stern, silent demeanor he was displaying. Joonmyeon heaved a sigh deeply as he looked at the ground for a moment, likewise settling his hands inside the pockets of his black overcoat. Without moving a muscle on his face, he turned to look up again, meeting with Kyungsoo's serious gaze.

Kyungsoo continued. "I told you. The deal's off."

In response, Joonmyeon let out a small sigh of mocking laughter as he craned his glance to the ground on his side momentarily. Then he intently looked at Kyungsoo, slightly tilting his head at a small angle, as if to taunt the figure in front of him. "Off? Your unpredictability is making you predictable." He resumed speaking. "And if I don't show up to play according to your rules, you're going to accuse me of being the cheating player again?"

Kyungsoo's expression hardened, his gaze becoming calculating and darker as he listened to the person in front of him. 

"I know you, Kyungsoo." Joonmyeon added with unyielding firmness in his tone. "Who knows what you're going to do to her while I'm away."

Away? My body jolted up on reflex as I peeked from my position behind the tree I was hiding at. I partially squinted up my eyes at the scene as my concentration heightened, as if literally preventing my eyes from blinking.

Kyungsoo did not budge from Joonmyeon's statement, however with the partial movement of his seemingly balled fist inside the right pocket of his tailoured coat, including another contraction of his jaw muscle, he was implying a mental message that he did not like the sound of the other's statement.

"So let's settle what's left unsettled tonight when everything is supposed to end. As what we had agreed upon." Joonmyeon peered at Kyungsoo intimidatingly. "But you should know that I'm not in favor of that second deal in the first place."

Kyungsoo did not speak a word immediately. However, after a number of seconds, his face slightly lit up in a sarcastic mocking manner as his lips unfurled up to a side, taking a step backward. His gaze still never left Joonmyeon's. "I would have to agree with that. That 'supposed to end'." He took another step backward, his taunting voice still resounding. "But I'm glad you came tonight. I knew you would. You always do."

Kyungsoo continued. "I'm letting go. I'm letting her go."

I suddenly heard a noise coming from my far back. I scuffled in position, taking cover behind the other side of the trunk against the cemented path of the secluded area in the park.  There were a set of footsteps of about three people proceeding towards the spot of the two figures. When I turned to observe the scene I was monitoring earlier, other four guys emerged from behind the thickly trunked trees in the park and another marble monument erected in the area. 

They were seemingly familiar. They were around the same age, also wearing casual winter clothing. I knew I had seen them before and I was also sure that they were not attending the same school as ours. 

For a second, Joonmyeon took a step back as he eyed the newcomers. However, he took a serious, straight stance once more as he shot a meaningful yet intimidating glance at Kyungsoo, who was then staring at him menacingly in return. Joonmyeon took his hands out of his pockets, settling them at his sides, however, they began balling up.

"Captain Kim." The guy in the black waterproof jacket and jeans, sporting a messy black hairstyle, walked towards Kyungsoo, finally standing beside him and facing Joonmyeon. He smirked tauntingly at Joonmyeon. The other six guys surrounded Joonmyeon, scrutinizing the guy in the middle of them, subtly stretching their necks to the sides, cracking their knuckles up for a moment.  

Joonmyeon plastered his gaze on the guy who muttered his name without moving a ligament in his body. In return, the guy scoffed with a single laugh towards Joonmyeon as if due to lack of response of the latter. 

"First off, I would like to thank Kyungsoo for this wonderful opportunity." He continued, sarcasm domineering. "We might not be in the soccer field but this will definitely mean pay-off for our team."

The guy walked towards Joonmyeon, angling his chin up as if literally berating the figure he was approaching. "You should have brought your teammates. Cause you don't look high and mighty like what you always do in the field." 

Joonmyeon still did not respond, his eyes narrowing for a second. The guy began backing off, still eyeing Joonmyeon with a disreputable smirk. "But before we get down to it," the guy's glance lingered on Kyungsoo for a split second as he stood beside the latter once more. "You should know I found the backstory quite interesting." He spat sardonically. 

The guy proceeded. "I heard from my good friend here that he and the soccer captain of Seoul Elite are fighting over some girl because of some agreement gone bad."

Joonmyeon tightened his balled fist up based on what I could see from my position. The guy eyed Joonmyeon's fist and smiled at the latter's reaction. He continued muttering, as if to provoke Joonmyeon further. "Because the cheating player who already has everything also got the girl."

The guy stifled a laugh to himself as he placed a hand inside the pocket of his jeans, gazing at Joonmyeon once again. He remarked satirically in a fake surprised expression. "I didn't know you cheat, Kim Joonmyeon. You're the captain of your team. You should know the rules of the game. You shouldn't play foul." He continued, his expression then growing firmer and sterner. "Or not. After you punched me in the middle of our soccer game. Aren't you some shi.tting d.ick, Captain Kim?"

"And what, Kim?" The guy began pacing forward again. "Go somewhere far away and leave your newly acquired b.itch?"

Joonmyeon's fist clamped tighter, his expression becoming displeased as he slightly scrunched his eyebrows up. 

As if on impulse and as if my hands had life of their own, I began to reach for my phone in my pocket, still emitting small movements as I hid behind the wooden structure.

"Maybe you should just shake on the deal, Kim Joonmyeon." The guy stopped in front of Joonmyeon, glaring at the latter as he angled his face up once again. "Just give custody to my friend over here." He placed a hand coolly on Kyungsoo's shoulder. "I'm sure that with all the years you'll be away, she'll be able to forget you."

I continuously felt my heart being constricted inside me as specific words kept on repeating from their vicinity. He. Away. Years. He hadn't told me anything about leaving. Out of my trembling condition because of the freezing atmosphere and mixed emotions welling up, I began dialling on my phone, still careful not to create any noise. I just had the strangest and fearful feeling of what was yet to come.

Out of the blue, Joonmyeon began stifling a small, single laugh to himself as he glanced at the snowy ground of the area. He lifted up his head, only to dart a mocking expression towards Kyungsoo. "It's pathetic you even had to bring your former schoolmates here."

Just when I was about to place my phone against my ear after dialling, I noticed my phone getting snatched away from me by a figure behind me. I felt my right upper arm being grasped so forcefully as I was dragged away from the shadows of the wooden structure. My eyes widened as the unfamiliar taller guy, who was probably with the Gray Wolves people, threw my phone to the side with it hitting a tree trunk emanating a solid cracking sound, as he continually tugged at me. I then felt the snow and dirt grazing my right cheek before knowing it, losing my balance to the ground when the figure pushed me harshly.

I gave a small grunt of pain with the roughness of the ground against my cheek. With the fall, I was also feeling discomfort bolting up through my right arm. Even before I could support myself up with my left elbow, I heard my name being muttered, as if out of surprise.

"Myunjae?" I turned to look at the owner of the familiar voice from my position on the ground. Joonmyeon, with a stern yet shocked expression stood motionless in his spot. It didn't take long when he pushed in between two of the figures hoarded around him in a circle. When he reached my spot, he hunkered down in position, eyeing me out of concern and attempting to assist me up.

Almost the same time as Joonmyeon spoke my name, another figure expressed my name. "Myunjae, what are you doing here?"

Kyungsoo began taking a step forward, but immediately stopped as his gaze landed on the guy trying to support me from the snowy cemented ground.

As I fully took a straight stance, still dusting myself off and with Joonmyeon still holding both of my upper arms as he observed me with a concerned yet surprised expression, the guy who was mocking Joonmyeon earlier resumed speaking, blurting out a statement. 

"Myunjae? The Seo Myunjae?" The guy eyed me from head-to-toe, stabilizing his gaze with mine. "Oh. The agreement girl." He laughed at his own coined term. "The girl that Captain Kim won, or perhaps, stole like a shiny piece of trophy." 

Joonmyeon released me from his hold, turning on his heels as he faced the guy. The guy smirked in return. "What? You're gonna hit me again? Maybe later, after you return what my friend rightfully owns from the very start."

Joonmyeon's fist reddened much more as he clenched his right fist up. 
On reflex, I tugged at his right wrist with both of my hands. "Come on, let's just go back, Joonmyeon..."

However, the guy didn't stop taunting him. "Just return the b.itch, Joonmyeon..."
"Jinsung," Kyungsoo spoke out of the blue, the tone rather coming out in a warning manner. He glanced at the Jinsung guy who was still rooted in his spot as he continually mocked Joonmyeon.

"Dont worry, you partying b.astard. If you're just looking for a good f.uck..." Jinsung continued.
Joonmyeon began storming towards him.
"...with slu.ts who seemed like they could do better than your b.itch..."
Joonmyeon pushed the two figures blocking his path.
"...I know a good place for some good f.uck-"

Wiithout any warning of halting in his path, Joonmyeon punched Jinsung right across the face with his fist, knocking the figure out of his balance.

Joonmyeon stood in front of Jinsung, who was then clutching onto his jaw. However, as if enduring or recovering from the blow to his face, Jinsung just gave a cunning grin, partially the side of his lips that was bloodied and dabbing the back of his right hand onto it. 

Joonmyeon sternly muttered, glaring at Jinsung as the latter regained his balance. "You b.astard-"

"B.astard?" Jinsung laughed haughtily. "We're all b.astards here, Captain Kim. But do you know what's the most pathetic kind of b.astard?" Jinsung recommenced. "The kind who thinks he can still be a good guy after all the deceitful games he has put himself through. That's the harsh reality, Kim..."

"...there's no such thing as a perfectly good guy."

With a single prompt of Jinsung's head, two relatively taller guys held Joonmyeon on the upper arms, while Jinsung and the two other guys stood in front of Joonmyeon. I knew I should have run but with Joonmyeon's current state, I ran forward. Before I could reach a radius of a single meter towards Joonmyeon, the other two guys from the circle went towards me and grabbed my upper arms, preventing me to move.

I violently tugged my limbs free but the more I did, the more they held onto me. "LET ME GO!!!"

With Jinsung's smirk fading almost instantly, I suddenly heard a cracking sound as he punched Joonmyeon right on the side of his face, with Joonmyeon's head cocking to the side. Joonmyeon slowly craned his head towards Jinsung again, as if to mentally notify him that the shot didn't affect him, with a smirk running across his lips.

However, Jinsung didn't budge. "That's for humiliating me in the field." Jinsung muttered with a dark tone.

Joonmyeon attempted to free himself as he tugged his arms out of their grips but the guy on Jinsung's left kneed him on the stomach, with Joonmyeon emitting a short grunt of pain.

Then without another notice, Jinsung punched Joonmyeon once more, on the same side of the face of the latter. Joonmyeon's head half dangled in position as he tried restabilizing it. However, the moment I saw the side of his lips bleeding based on what I was seeing from my spot, I began acting hysterical, attempting to free myself from the firm grasps that I was almost feeling my limbs bruising. "LET HIM GO!!!"

"That's for winning the soccer finals." Jinsung resumed as he lightly flicked and eased his hand that he used to punch because of the force. Then he clenched it once more, smirking then  exiling the said expression on his face.

"NO...NO!!! STOP...LET HIM GO!!!" I cried out loud.

Jinsung's fist then met Joonmyeon's jaw once more with so much force, that Joonmyeon had a hard time lifting up his head after the third blow. Jinsung held Joonmyeon on the collars of his overcoat, forcing the latter to face him, with the two guys still holding onto Joonmyeon to prevent him from escaping. 

I could notice a purplish bruise forming on the side of Joonmyeon's lips. Joonmyeon's head hung almost lifelessly, however as if he was forcing himself, he glared at Jinsung in return as he held his head up. 

"LET HIM GO!!! STOP!!! PLEASE!!!" I began weakening down as I breathed cold air in and out, my tears beginning to blur my vision. The warmth of the fluid was so evident against the cold, flushed skin of my face. I then redirected my gaze towards Kyungsoo, who was continually stoically watching the scene in front of him. "Kyungsoo. Please." I muttered softly in between sobs. "Stop this. Just stop."

Kyungsoo looked at the ground for a moment, however, his face remained serious and void of emotions. He suddenly mumbled, with head still hung low to himself. "Jinsung. Just...."

Jinsung craned his head towards Kyungsoo at the sound of his name, with Joonmyeon's collars still in his hands. "No, Kyungsoo. Don't deviate from the plan. Besides, it isn't good if things don't go according to what's planned." Jinsung smiled haughtily. "You said so yourself."

Kyungsoo balled his fist up as he looked at Jinsung. "Jinsung. I'm warning you."
"If I were you, Kyungsoo," Jinsung responded as he gazed at Kyungsoo, "I'll back the f.uck off."

Kyungsoo remained silent, his jaw clamping at the statement thrown at him. Jinsung smirked as if satisfied with Kyungsoo's lack of response. He tightened his grasp on Joonmyeon's collars to restabilize the latter's body up. His right hand released the left collar part of Joonmyeon, preparing himself to hit Joonmyeon once more. "I'm gonna beat you so bad your whole school, your whole team, and your b.itch over there won't recognize you." 

"NO...NO...STOP....DON'T-" I began shrieking in between sobs.

Even before Jinsung's fist could land a muscle on Joonmyeon's face, Kyungsoo briskly walked to Jinsung's spot. Jinsung wasn't able to dart him a look and ask about what he was doing when Kyungsoo planted a massive hit towards Jinsung's left side of the face, making the latter release Joonmyeon.

"What the f.uck-" One of the guys gave a startled expression as he gazed at Jinsung off balance on the ground. Abruptly, both of the guys let go of Joonmyeon's limbs, with Joonmyeon half dropping to the ground with a knee, partially scrunching up his eyebrows because of the pain. 

"Run! Get out of here!" Kyungsoo dodged an incoming punch as he kicked one of the guys on the abdomen, making the other squirm on the ground. 

I then began noticing Kyungsoo partially contorting his face into a hurt expre