Her figure, slowly approaching the old figure of who she had named “father” made Jiyong’s heart clench for a moment. He had to look to the side to swallow the hard lump that formed on his throat. Was it the way she called him? The way she tensed the moment she saw him? It was hard to tell, for him at least. The last time he had seen his father was almost 13 years ago, and he looked terrible, his face sweaty, his clothes stained with blood, red, fresh blood. His hands wounded, and he could tell his body too was wounded. Jiyong shook his head and clear his throat, trying to ease the heaviness of the lump that refused to leave his throat.

“Father, is it really you?” Chaerin spoke again, her voice breaking as she did. The man walked towards her, and as a reflex, he grabbed her face on his hands, then hugged her tight. Once again, Jiyong cleared his throat and shifted his stance, to find a position where he would look fierce and strong, even if deep down, he was starting to feel as deflated and broken as a balloon.

“Yes, oh my dear Chaerin, how long has it been?” The man’s shaky voice said, and Chaerin hugged him tighter. He had seen that woman’s fierce face killing, he had seen her moving swiftly through the shadows, he had seen her most devious, her most expression, but the one she was wearing now was completely foreign to him. She looked young, she look exposed and vulnerable. Jiyong shifted his gaze to her father, to Kijin, and his eyes narrowed as the too familiar face made his brain work. Just where have I seen that man before?

“It’s been so long father, so long… I missed you.” She said, and when her father hugged her tighter, a silent shriek escaped her lips, and her father pulled away quickly. Jiyong’s body moved instinctively as he noticed she had lost balance, and just before she could fall, Jiyong was at her side, holding her in place.

“She’s badly hurt, I was taking her up to tend her wounds.” Jiyong said with what he hoped was the most polite tone he could muster. Kijin looked at him and nodded, his face stern and fierce, just like he was so used to see his own father, and Hyunsuk.

“No, Jiyong. I’m fine.” Chaerin protested, and something inside Jiyong clicked, and he felt that anger running through him again.

“I’ll judge that-“ both Jiyong and Kijin said at the same time, and Jiyong looked at him with a bewildered expression. Her father, however, just nodded, a gesture of letting him take over. Jiyong nodded too, and then looked at Chaerin, who was looking at him with big, brown and confused eyes.

“I’ll judge that, and you’re not fine. Please stop making this harder, you know I will do it anyways, you either help me or not.” Jiyong said, and Chaerin rose an eyebrow, then looked at her father, who nodded while crossing his arms. For a moment, Jiyong saw the tantrum of a little girl in front of him as she pouted, then she looked at Jiyong and nodded, walking ahead of him. Jiyong shared a look with what he would like to call his father-in-law. Both of them nodded in agreement and Jiyong walked behind Chaerin, helping her up.

Once inside his room, Jiyong locked the door and helped Chaerin walk towards his bed. She had complained she was feeling dizzy, and he thought the best thing would be helping her take a bath while resting at his bed. He would do as much for her, and he would gladly do it. As he help her lie down on his bed, he quickly walked out of the room and into the bathroom. He cursed inwardly for this house not having one master bedroom with a bathroom inside.

Jiyong took one big, silver bowl on the bathroom and filled it with water. Then he grabbed one towel and quickly went back to his room. In there, Chaerin lied on his bed, her eyes closed, and her arms on her stomach. She looked calm, and he had to shake his head to the sides to avoid imagining her, just like that, on a coffin. That position she had gave him nausea, made him dizzy and uncomfortable. He closed the door with a loud noise and Chaerin’s eyes popped open. Her face turned into a smile as she saw him approaching her. He set the bowl on the nightstand and dipped the towel on it.

“Sit up.” Jiyong murmured on a soft, caring voice. Chaerin did as told, but as she did, Jiyong noticed her whimpering and flinching, so he helped her instead.

“Don’t worry, I can do it.” She said and finally sat up straight. Jiyong tried to ignore her again as he help her take of her shirt, but she stopped him, again telling him that she could do it. Jiyong stood up abruptly and walked towards the window, controlling his urges of punching the walls. “Are you alright?” She said, and he turned around, his face, he could feel, was tensed and serious.

“No, I’m not. Could you please let me help you? Could you please stop acting like you’re the strongest woman out there?” Jiyong said, controlling his tone.

“I don’t need your help. I’m fine, you’re just exaggerating.” She said as she finally took off her shirt, her face showing the pain she was feeling. Jiyong turned around and punched the wall, one, two, three and more times until he felt his urges fading. Then he looked at her, and as he did, he felt a stream of hot liquid falling from his hand, but he ignored it. She was looking at him, her face normal, calm, as if she was waiting for him to finish his little outburst.

“ Chaerin, can’t you see I’m here for you?! Stop trying to be strong with me. I’ve learned to be weak for you, why can’t you do the same?” He said, and as if she slapped him, she scoffed.

“Being weak? For what? You once said it, the world crushes us, the world s us, and you want me to be weak? You must be insane.” She said as she grabbed the wet towel. Jiyong walked next to her and took the towel from her hands, a little too rude. She looked at him with her usual fierce stare, but for now, he couldn’t care less.

“It’s the world that’s ing you. I’m not.” He said as he unhooked her bra, her s falling free in front of him. In other circumstances, he would have jumped on top of her and devour her, but now he was feeling everything but lustful. The irritation he was feeling clouded every feeling, and he put the wet towel close to her skin, and she flinched, the water was cold. “And when I do you, you enjoy it. When the world does it, you don’t. See the difference?” her eyes softened as he cleaned her abdomen, her chest and her shoulders. He didn’t looked at her anymore as he tried to focus on her skin, on cleaning her completely.

“If I ever lose you, I’ll be a wreck. I know I won’t survive it.” She said.

“Then why are you pushing me away now?”

“Because I’ve taste what he could do. This shall tell you.” She said as she pointed at her wounds. “And if he kills you, I won’t be able to resist it. If he kills me…”

“He won’t kill you.”

“But I want him to. I would love for him to kill me before I have to see you die.” She said, tears now forming at the rim of her eyes. Jiyong let out an exasperate sigh. Clutching tight on the towel, he dipped it back into the water.

“Can you please stop saying that? We will kill him. We will do it.”

“How? You were the one that said it was almost impossible. How are we going to do it? By now he must know I’m with you. There’s no stopping him now Jiyong, there’s nothing-“

“There’s a key. There’s a road.” He said, completely convinced of his own arsenal of ideas.

“What the are you talking about?” She asked, desperation clear on her voice. Jiyong pressed the towel again against her skin, this time, he had let it warm up, and she didn’t flinched by it.

“Today we went in search for a key. One that could help us get into Woochoong’s bloody empire without being killed.” Jiyong started explaining.

“Is that key even real?” Chaerin said and Jiyong quickly nodded.

“Yes, it’s real, and we have a clue towards it.” Jiyong told her. Chaerin nodded, and when Jiyong pressed her ribs, she threw her head back as a shriek escaped . “I’m sorry.”

“No, go ahead. Where’s that key?” She said, half panting.

“You tell me.” Jiyong finally said the words he half dreaded to say. He noticed how she looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, her confusion was clear on her face.

“What do you mean?” She said, and just then, Jiyong stopped and looked at her straight into her eyes.

“What do you know about Kim Dami?”

The apartment was getting cold, as it would in a normal winter afternoon. The luxury of the place could be smell, but for Jonghyun, it was as if he was watching a repeated scenery in front of him. Used to the expensive clothes and furniture, none of the luxury of the place could get his attention long enough for him to care.

“Jonghyun, we need to talk.” Taemin said as he walked into the apartment. The only thing in the day after he saw her go that could bring him to have a little care on the matter had arrived. He looked up at his partner, and every time he looked at him, he wonder how or when Taemin had grown up. He could clearly remember the little mushroom headed bow that always stayed by their side, even if they pushed him away. How much did Jonghyun tried to keep him out of their darkness, but as always the stubborn Taemin, he would jump head first into the pit.

“About what?” Jonghyun simply said. Taemin raised an eyebrow at him, then after Taemin, Krystal walked in, and Jonghyun understood why Taemin wore that poker face. After all, he had his shirt ed, showing his abs. Jonghyun quickly straightened up and hid a bit his abdomen, slowly buttoning only four buttons of his shirt.

“About your father.” Taemin said.

“Did you told him?” Jonghyun asked him, to which Taemin nodded.

“That’s exactly why I came to talk to you.”

“If you came to tell me about Chaerin, I know. I myself went to set her free.” Jonghyun said as he walked towards his kitchen, Taemin following suit.

“Jonghyun, we must fasten our plan. We can’t let him lose anymore. You know he has become a major threat, what if he achieves his goal and takes over the government? It’s not only our lives at risk, but the lives of millions.” Taemin said, to which Jonghyun nodded while letting out a sigh.

“I know… I know…” he said as he sipped on his whine. “But we can’t force anything. She has to find out, and she has to search for us. If we jump head on, as you love to, they will not trust in us, and that’s exactly the opposite of what we want.”

“I know that, but things are getting worse. We didn’t foresee this.” Taemin explained as he handed Jonghyun a manila folder. Jonghyun took it with his right hand and set it on the table.

“I trust she will know.” It was all Jonghyun said. He wanted to do more, only God knew how much he wanted to do, but as Woochoong’s own son, he was tied until someone takes the lead. As Hansel & Gretel, all he could do was leave traces of bread.

“I think this is not the first time I’ve told you, it’s not her I’m concerned about.” Taemin said, and Jonghyun nodded as he took a sip of his wine.

“I know, it’s him. I think she’ll be able to make him come around. After all, if he loves her as I think he does, he would do anything for her.” Jonghyun said, and as he spoke the words, the memories of his own beloved came into mind. Taemin must have noticed, since he walked next to him to put a hand on his shoulder.

“We’ll fulfill this revenge, Jonghyun. We’ll be able to do it, for her.” Taemin said, and Jonghyun took his hand and squeezed it, smiling a slight bit. The bitterness of his self was slowly drowning them with him, and he could not help it, but the happiness and gratefulness he felt towards them was far too great, too big for him to express in words.

“I know, and I can’t thank you enough.”

“We loved her too, she was like a sister to me, to Krystal. Her fate wasn’t fair, but it will not go in vain, I swear.” Taemin said. Jonghyun gave him a crooked smile and nodded.

“When all of this is over, I wish my fate will reunite me with her. When all of this is over, I want you to take me to her.”

Gily's Notes: And another twist... how do you like that!? 

Buahahahahahaha

There's so much more, and I wish I could post it all at once, but then you wouldn't be comenting on how much you guys want to kill me and I wouldn't enjoy reading each and every one of them haha!

We must be masochists xD

Happy Reading ~

Gily ♥