“No evil dooms us hopelessly except the evil we love, and desire to continue in, and make no effort to escape from.”

― George Eliot, Daniel Deronda

As the taxi pulled to a stop, Chaerin looked at the building in front of her. It was a normal restaurant, not luxurious, not cheap, it was just normal. She paid a double sum to the driver and left, not even waiting to listen to him or his thanks. She walked quickly into the restaurant, where a young lady greeted her.

“Good Afternoon miss, how can I help you?” The lady said and Chaerin removed her sunglasses as she smiled at her.

“I’m here to meet with Kim… Kim Woochoong.” She said and the lady smiled, but Chaerin could noticed the slight wavering of it, the quivering of her lips and the slight surprise of her eyes.

“Sure, follow me.” She said smiling and Chaerin followed her. The lady walked her to the back of the restaurant, where a few doors where closed. The lady knocked on one of the doors and a suited man opened it seconds after, looking at them both.

“This is-“

“CL, please come in.” The man said, disregarding the attendant. Chaerin nodded and walked in, as the man dispatched the lady. Inside there was a big dining table with leathered chairs around it. In the far end of the table was Woochoong smiling and laughing with one young girl, about the age of Chaerin herself. For a moment, she felt nauseated and disgusted, but, as it was none of her business, disregarded the feeling of repulsion and walked in, bowing at the people on the table.

“Oh, Chaerin, glad you came in such a short time.” Woochoong said as he extended his hand at her, gesturing her to sit next to him. Chaerin nodded and walked towards him, bowing slightly as she sat on the empty chair next to him. He handed her a plate full of food, which Chaerin ignored completely.

“Why did you called me, Woochoong?”

“I have a plan, for you my dear child.” He said as he ate a piece of chicken. “An arrangement, in fact.”

“And what kind of arrangement we’re talking about?” She said, now cautious of her own words.

“Well, I know you know how fond I’m with you. And I truly admire your skills, your beauty, but I’m too old to have you for myself.” He said, and Chaerin felt the repulsion creeping through . “I’m certain you’ll finish this job victoriously, and when you do, I shall give you a space in my own family.” Chaerin felt a cough creeping through her and grabbed the cup of vine to prevent it from being heard.

“A space in your own family?” She said and he nodded. “That’s too kind of you, Woochoong. I could never ask for that.” She said, feign being honored.

“You’re not asking for it, and it’s nothing, compared to all that you’re going to give me. I would love to have you as my daughter in law, it’s the least I can do for you.” He said and Chaerin chocked, this time loud, and everyone noticed. Woochoong handed her a napkin and grabbed her hand. She repressed every urge she had in her of punching him and killing him right there and then.

“I could never…”

“Yes, you will.” Woochoong said. “I will give freedom to your father, have him by your side even. I’ll give you the world if you asked for it, in exchange of your marriage with my son.” He said, and as if it was timed or practiced, the door opened, and none other than Kim Jonghyun entered the room, a face as strong as metal, his eyes fixed on his father, not even noticing her presence there.

“Enlighten me father, why have you interrupted my daily nothingness with your oh so urgent call?” Jonghyun said, not even bowing as he stood at the foot of the table, staring at his father.

“Mind your manners my son, we have a guest.” Woochoong said, totally unaffected by Jonghyun’s harsh words. Jonghyun looked to the side, and finally, he spotted Chaerin, and his already huge eyes widened a slight bit as he saw her next to his father. She looked at him, no emotions on her face as they both exchanged looks.

“And who might she be?” Jonghyun said, breaking eye contact with her. Woochoong grabbed Chaerin’s hand and stood up, gesturing her to do so. She did, her long her moving a bit with the wind of the fan.

“This is Miss Lee Chaerin, my new colleague and you’re future bride.”

The lights were shining bright with different colors, red, blue, green, purple, light green and pink. The people where already cramming the place as the DJ took over the booth, making announcements and playing different remixes of popular songs. G-Dragon’s songs were in almost all the remix, and as Jiyong walked into the club, his voice ran through the place and the people started to cheer loudly as his own image was being plastered on the big screen, announcing his new album release. He scoffed and buried his face deeper on his scarf, his hands dug deep on his jacket as he walked towards the V.I.P section.

The place was filled with expectant eyes as the images of his recent photo-shoot appeared on the screen. He looked at himself and scoffed, feeling the sensation of being alone in an alien place, where all of them loved G-Dragon, but no one knew Jiyong lived and existed, buried deep within GD’s fame. He had celebrated his fame once, when all that matters to him was the mere thought of making money, of being big, of being known. Now it all seemed like a dream, like a constant nightmare at the back of his head. After she came, everything had changed for him, his desires, his goals, his dreams. Music wasn’t the thing that attached him to Earth anymore, it was her, and every second he spent away from her, he felt his body slowly leaving the sanity of Earth, searching for a new home.

As he approached the V.I.P section, a pair of hands grabbed his arm and turned him around, pushing him into one empty room. Instinctively he reached for his gun, but remembered he still was G-Dragon, and if a fan knew he had a gun with him, would freak out, tell the press and everything would go down. Instead, he pushed the person with his shoulder, pinning them on the wall. The person was tall, taller than him, but their body was skinny, muscular, and had no curves at all. It’s a man, he thought as he grabbed the shirt of the person and pushed him forward, then back, hitting his back on the wall. The person grabbed both his wrist and pulled away, laughing a bit as he did.

“Calm down, Jiyongie, it’s me.” He said, and Jiyong squinted his eyes, trying to see the person whose voice was utterly familiar to him.

“J-James? Is that you?” Jiyong said, relieve and amusement was clear on his voice as James switched the lights on. They were on one of the smaller V.I.P rooms, only a couch and a table was in the center while the walls were decorated with posters of different artist, Jiyong being one of them.

“Where were you brother? We thought you got killed. Dara freaked out, she’s making me work my off looking for you.” James said and Jiyong laughed inwardly.

“I’m sorry man, it’s a goddamned long story.” Jiyong said and James smiled, gesturing him to seat on the couch.

“Well, sum it up for me, you’re a ing writer, you can do it.” James told him and Jiyong chuckled.

“Have you… do you know anything about her?” Jiyong asked and James shook his head no slowly, his blue eyes looking at his hands as he did.

“She left no trace, at least not one we could follow.” James told him and Jiyong nodded, more of habit than in agreement.

“That’s how she is.” Jiyong said with a faked happiness. James nodded and patter his shoulder.

“But we do have one small clue on her.” James told him, and Jiyong looked at him with wide eyes. “She has a reason for doing this. One greater reason.”

“I need more than that to believe it.”

“I have proof my dear Korean friend. She texted Dara the day she left. It only said ‘For your Freedom’. Doesn’t that rings a bell to you?” James asked and Jiyong shook his head, still trying to form the puzzle on his head.

“I do have a trace on her… Jamie…” Jiyong started. James widened his eyes at him and Jiyong nodded. He quickly filled him in with all that had happened to him, from the explosion to the kidnapping and to Seunghyun’s revival, or faked dead. James had his blue eyes wide open the entire time, Jiyong looking to the sides every now and then, a habit he had acquired with the years of interviews and press conferences.

“So, you’re telling me she might be in town? Might be here tonight?” James said and Jiyong nodded.

“It’s all I’m hoping for.” Jiyong told him and James nodded. “Where’s Dara?”

“She’s around here, searching the place.” James said and Jiyong nodded, this time, his eyes fixed on the door. James noticed Jiyong’s behavior and looked at the door. There were people walking rapidly through the back of the club, towards Jiyong’s usual spot. Jiyong looked at James, and without sharing any words, both of them quickly stood up, guns in hand, and left the room. Jiyong looked to the right while James to the left.

There, running back, where a few men in suit. James tapped Jiyong’s shoulder and he jerked, looking quickly towards James’s direction. James nodded and pointed to the front, and Jiyong started walking until he reached the last room. The door was closed, but voices could be heard from the inside.

“Mr. Kim, it’s not smart or safe to be here by yourself. You well know the risks this puts you under.” A voice said. Jiyong felt his curiosity growing with every word said, but the name was the one who irked his curiosity the most.

“I know, but they’re here. I can’t miss this opportunity. Besides, you’re here with me.” Another voice said, one a bit older, more raspy and more polite and intellectual.

“I know… Still it’s too dangerous.”

“I take it my son’s also here, am I right?” The old man said, and Jiyong looked at James with raised eyebrows. James looked back and Jiyong mouthed ‘Why are we even listening?’ to which James shrugged.

“Yes, but I doubt she’ll be able to take on the task.” The younger man said.

“There was no task given, in time, Nichkhun, in time.” The old man said. “If she doesn’t succeeds on killing him, then you will be the one to kill…” And just then, a noise was heard from another room. Both James and Jiyong looked back, only to find Taeyang looking at them with a weird expression on his face.

“I think you got the wrong door.” Taeyang said, and Jiyong cursed on his mind as he missed the last part of that sentence. James smiled and pushed Jiyong forward, into the room Taeyang had just emerged.

“We’ll get that later, by the sound of it, it’s none of our business.” James murmured on Jiyong’s ear, but he still felt uneasy, that voice, so familiar yet so unknown to him was etched on his mind as he repeated the words on by one on his head.

As they entered the private room with view to the dance floor, Jiyong sat on the big couch, next to him sat James and Seunghyun was already sitting there. James looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and Jiyong could only imagine what he would be thinking. “So, what’s the big plan, Jesus Christ?” Seungri said as he patted Seunghyun’s knee, earning laughter from the other males on the room.

“Don’t make fun of that. You know I’m a strong believer.” Daesung said hitting Seungri’s head. Taeyang raised an eyebrow at him as he sat down.

“Weird…” Taeyang said while crossing his legs. Daesung looked at him and frowned.

“What’s weird?”

“You being a believer when you had killed so many people.” Taeyang said and Daesung scowled. Jiyong had stood up and walked towards the balcony, admiring the crowd of dancing people.

“I repent about my sins every time I commit them. I know I’m not God’s favorite child, but I try hard every day.” Daesung said with a firm and strong security that all of them had to shut up. Jiyong, however, felt himself distant as he looked at a woman in the crowd. Her dark mahogany hair was long, shining bright with the lights of the club. She wasn’t dancing, she was more like looking for someone. And the way she moved, the way her hair stick to her neck and forehead made his stomach turn around hundreds of times.

He found a certain tranquility in watching her every movement. He couldn’t quite see her face, no, she had her back towards him, but her body under her long, dark hair, the clothes she wore, the way she moved, reminded him of her. She moved quickly, her movements looked trained, precise and accurate, too much for a normal clubber on a normal night. He crooked his head, hands deep on his pockets as he strained his eyes, getting a better look of her. He saw how she ducked a few extended hands, how she pushed away grinding men and women. She was there searching for someone, he was certain of it.

He could hear the people on the room talking, explaining things, but his attention was completely on that lady, and, as he got more comfortable on his spot, she turned around, her face now in complete view, the lights shining on her as he widened his eyes, his heart stopped and his breathing got uneven.

“It can’t be…” 

Gily's Notes: I hope I have you guys on the edge of your chairs! I'm on the edge of mine as I write and write!

Happy Reading 

Gily ♥