Dara sat anxiously in the living room, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Her eyes darted back and forth between her father and mother. The way they were looking at her now made her feel self conscious. It was like they were about to tell her that someone died. Finally, she sighed and hung her head. “Please, just tell me already before I lose it from anxiety…” She groaned.

 

    “Dara, honey, we know that it hasn’t always been easy. I...well, we know that you’ve always wanted to know about your birth parents…” Her mother started.

 

    “I do. But, really, if this is too hard for you both then it’s fine. I’m fine with not knowing. Besides, me knowing about my birth parents isn’t going to change anything.”

 

    Jin Young looked at his wife before releasing a heavy sigh. This wasn’t as easy as they had thought. His eyes flickered to the hallway where Jiyong was standing, his arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed as if in deep concentration. He turned to Dara and gently reached for her hand. “No, a promise is a promise. I said I’d tell you and I intend to keep my promise. Your parents were...very extraordinary people. They did great things, your father especially. You father saved lives on a daily basis and a lot of people looked up to him. Myself as well. He saved my life after all. And your mother, she was the definition of beauty. You seemed to have inherited that trait.”

 

    Dara nodded, soaking everything in. Eighteen years she has waited to hear about her birth parents, anticipating the “big secret” her parents seemed to be keeping from her. Yet, here they were now, talking about her parents as any other person would. It was nothing special. Hell, it was hardly something to keep from her for eighteen years. Is this really all she had been waiting for? “Is...is that all?” She whispered.

 

    “No...listen, Dara, you’re different. Soon, you’ll begin to see why. You may not understand it but please know that your father and mother did what they thought was best for you. So, I hope you don’t have any ill feelings towards them.”

 

    “Why would I? And what do you mean I’m different? I don’t understand.”

 

    Jin Young sighed. “You’ll understand soon. You will be scared but don’t worry. You’ll be fine.”

 

    Dara stared at her father in confusion. What did he mean? Why was he giving her such cryptic messages? Everything was supposed to be clearer now that she was eighteen. But it seemed things only got more complicated. “There is one more thing…”Jin Young said slowly.

 

    “What is it?”

 

    “Jiyong...isn’t a relative. He is your protector. He is here to keep you safe.”

 

    Jiyong lifted his head now, his eyes meeting Dara’s as they glanced towards him. She frowned before turning back to her father. “What do you mean he’s my protector? What exactly is he supposed to keep me safe from? Am...I in danger?”

 

“Well, you---”

 

    CRASH! Before her mother could continue on, the windows shattered, masses of black smoke spilling into the house. Soon, the masses materialized into people. Dara’s eyes widened as panic began to settle inside. Men cloaked in black surrounded them, cross bows in hand. Jiyong flashed over to where Dara was and shielded her from the mysterious men. “You all have five seconds to get out of here before I send you all to Hell.” Jiyong hissed.

 

    “Stay out of this, you filthy Half-breed!”

 

    Jiyong’s eyes lit up with a violent purple color as a dark aura surrounded him. Dara shook in fear, taking a couple steps back from him. He seemed to notice but clenched his hands into fists. “Get the hell out of this house!”

 

    Jiyong’s eyes flickered to the Darklighter to his right and glared. As soon as he pulled the trigger, Jiyong pushed Dara out of the way and jumped over the Darklighter’s head. He grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, shoving him into the others. Balls of Dark Energy appeared in his hands and he threw them at the Darklighter, each one disintegrating on contact.

    

    He grabbed another and by the head and snapped it off, causing black inky like blood to splatter his face and hands. He didn’t stop there and grabbed two Darklighters by their collars. Without the slightest hesitation, he growled and shoved his hands into their chests, crushing their hearts and burning them. The Darklighters screamed as their bodies turned to ash.

 

    In the midst of the fighting, Chanyeol happened to sneak in and grabbed Dara from the couch. Jiyong sensed this and flashed over to them, breaking Chanyeol’s hold on Dara. “Get your filthy hands off of her!” He growled and kicked him back, sending him flying out the window.

 

    Chanyeol got back up and glared at Jiyong. In an instant, the two were neck and neck. Chanyeol summoned a Black Dagger and attempted to slash Jiyong across the face, however Jiyong was fast and managed to summon a dagger of his own, coated in poison. Dara, who was still completely terrified and shocked crawled into the corner the room, rocking back and forth, pressing her hands to the sides of her head. “This is just a dream…just a dream…”

 

    “Ah, look what we have here…”

 

    Dara snapped her head up as one of the Darklighters approached her. As he walked towards her, Dara raised her hands. “Stay away from me!” She screamed.

 

    Suddenly, she felt a surge of energy run through her and a mass of Light shot out from her hands, blasting the Darklighter back. The Darklighter flew by Chanyeol’s and Jiyong’s heads. They whipped their heads in Dara’s direction, momentarily impressed and shocked. Jiyong snapped out of it in an instant and took the opportunity to stab Chanyeol in the stomach. He howled and grasped onto the dagger. “Kwon, you bastard!”

 

    “Go to Hell, Park.”

    

    “Not on your life, Half-breed!”

 

    Chanyeol forcefully pushed the dagger out of him and clutched onto his bleeding abdomen. “This isn’t over. The girl will be mine and I will have you life.” He glared at Jiyong before flashing away, the other Darklighters following suit.

 

    The house was in complete shambles from the fight, glass shattered all around the floor and black staining the carpet and furniture. A whimper came from the hallway and immediately, Jiyong rushed over to Dara. However, she struggled to crawl away from him, her eyes wide with fear. “Dara?”

 

    “Stay away from me! Don’t touch me!”

 

    A ball of light appeared in her hands again. Jiyong flashed out of the way before she could hit him with it. Slowly and cautiously, he kneeled in front of her, his eyes softening as he heart hardened. “Dara...please, it’s ok. They’re all gone now.” He whispered gently.

 

    “Don’t come near me!”

 

    This time, Jiyong grabbed her hands and pinned them down to restrain her from attacking him. He sighed and gathered her hands into one hand. It was then Jiyong realized just how tiny and fragile her hands were. He looked down at them and frowned. She’s so small… “Y-you...changed…”

 

    His eyes flickered up to hers, catching the fear and confusion in her eyes. He felt his chest tighten as he gazed into her eyes, her violet colored eyes. His dark eyes calmed and soon mirrored hers. “Did...did I scare you?”

 

    Dara just nodded, trying to look away from him. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was only trying to protect you…”

 

    “You turned into a monster. You...you ripped their heads off and killed them without batting an eye!”

 

    Dara was near hysterical and Jiyong had no idea how to console her. He’d never been in this position before. Normally, he’d tell people to just it up and move on with their lives but he just couldn’t muster up the nerve to say that to Dara. He couldn’t say something like that to her. And the way she was looking at him now, made his heart feel ten times heavier. He’d been called many things, a monster being one of them...yet it hurt more hearing it from her. But why…? “Dara...please...don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. I will never hurt you.” He spoke, reaching a hand out to her.

 

    She flinched and shied away from him, making him feel a pang in his heart. His forehead creased in worry but when he saw the blackness of his hands, the blood of a Darklighter, he realized why she was so scared of him, why she didn’t want him near her. He clenched his jaw and withdrew his hand from her, standing back up. “If...if you’re afraid of me and don’t want me around, I can always leave. I was never worthy for this task anyway. I understand if you want me to leave. Just say it and I’ll disappear from your life.”

 

    He slowly back away from her, ignoring the pitiful looks from Jin Young and his wife. Hands balled balled into fists as he semi shook out of anger and frustration. “I’ll just step out for a bit…” He shut his eyes tightly before flashing away.

 

    However, Dara caught the single tear that hung just at the corner of his eye. A gasp escaped her lips and then came the guilt. She had hurt him. Shakily, she stood up from the ground and walked over to where Jiyong had been standing. Her eyes scanned the living room and cringed at the damage and the dark spots. “Is...this what you’ve been hiding? THIS is what you’ve been keeping from me? You were hiding the fact that I’m a freak?!”

 

    “No, honey, you’re not a freak. You’re special.”

 

    “Well, I don’t want to be special! I just want to be normal! I want to go back to the way it was before, without this magic bull ! I just want to be a normal girl!” Tears streamed down her face.

 

    Jin Young grew anxious as thunder sounded above. If he didn’t get Dara to calm down soon, a horrible storm was going to brew. The girl was powerful. He’d known that since Dara was first given to him. She was powerful but dangerous unless she learned to control it. “Dara, calm down. I know you’re scared but everything is going to be alright. Everything is going to be fine.”

 

    “Fine?! We just got attacked by demons or something and you’re telling me everything is going to be fine?”

 

    “Darklighters, honey. They’re called Darklighters.”

 

    Dara’s brows furrowed in confusion, not understanding. “Darklighters?”

 

    “They’re like demons but they don’t reside in Hell. They are substantially stronger than demons and possess more power. On the other hand, there are Whitelighters which are like angels but can live among mortals. That is what I am.”

 

    “I-I...so...what am I? I mean, I shot energy out of my hands!”

 

    “You’re different. You are what is known as a Hybrid. You belong to both the Darkness and the Light. Your father is the Master of Light and you mother is a Darklighter. They created you but they had to put you under my care in order to protect you from your uncle. He wants you for your power. That is why it is essential that you train and learn to control your power.”

 

    Dara stood in silence for a moment. Her brain was still in the process of retaining all of this information. For eighteen years, she believed she was normal, believed that she was just like every other average human but now it turns out that she isn’t human. She is the furthest thing from that. Denial set in and she shook her head. “You...really, Dad. That’s really funny. You’re...so hilarious. But you can knock it off with the jokes now.”

 

    “I’m telling the truth. You are a Hybrid. You have powers beyond my own, even your father’s or mother’s. You’re very powerful and very dangerous. That’s why Jiyong is here. He was meant to protect you and train you to use your powers for good.”

 

    Dara’s mind wandered to Jiyong for a moment. She remembered the way he looked at her, how sad and hurt her looked. He was practically in agony when she had called him a monster. She felt guilty almost. A part of her was terrified but another part of her was telling her that denying it was not going to make it go away. “I...Jiyong, he…” Dara gulped.

 

    “He scared you, didn’t he? I know, Dara. Jiyong is just like you. He’s a Hybrid. That’s why Hyun Suk placed you under his care. The boy needs you just as much as you need him.”

 

    “In other words, you’re telling me to reconcile with him, right?”

 

    Jin Young smiled. “That’s my girl.”

 

    Dara sighed and nodded. Her father was right. No one deserved to be called a monster, especially Jiyong. He had only been trying to protect her after all and like he said, he’d never hurt her. The sincerity in his eyes when he said that...it sent shivers down her spine. “Where can I find him?”

    

    “Mentors and their Charges are usually connected. Focus and concentrate on him and you’ll be able to find him.”

 

    Dara nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on Jiyong and Jiyong alone. Images flashed in head, all swirling together until it finally stilled. It seemed he was in the park, sitting at the edge of a pong. Without knowing, her body began to shimmer and glow. Jin Young smiled proudly. She’s really a fast learner… He watched as Dara flashed away.

 

    Jiyong sat on the swing, staring at his reflection in the duck pond. His violet colored eyes only seemed to frustrate him more. He curled his hand into a fist and soon rain began to pour, drenching him in seconds. The rain obscured his reflection, allowing him to relax a bit. A monster…she thinks I’m a monster…

 

    He hung his head low, causing his bangs to fall in his face, covering his eyes. Droplets of water rolled of the tips of his hair, falling onto his pale cheeks, mixing with his own tears. Suddenly, a bright light appeared from behind him and he turned, shielding his eyes from the light. His eyes widened a bit when Dara began to materialize right before his eyes. “Dara?”

 

    Dara startled and opened her eyes. She looked around, confused as to how she got here in the first place. However, her anxiety eased when she saw Jiyong sitting on the group beside the pond. Slowly, she walked toward him and sat down beside him. Jiyong looked at her in confusion. Is she’s afraid of me...then  why is she here? “I’m sorry I called you a monster…” Dara started.

 

    Jiyong was slightly taken aback. No one had ever apologized to him before, hearing it from Dara made his heart jump. He was speechless. “You’re probably mad at me for that, right? I really am I sorry. I was just scared. I know you meant well and you’re only doing your job...I can’t really be mad at you for that.”

 

    “What…?”

 

    Dara looked at him and sighed. “I said I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you a monster---”

 

    “No, I know what you said. It’s just that...why are you apologizing to me? I would never deem myself worthy of this---”

 

    “I’m apologizing because it’s the right thing to do. From what I’ve learned from my father is that you’re supposed to apologize when you’re sorry for something or if you wronged a person. So, I’m sorry for calling you a monster. You didn’t deserve that. No one deserves to be called that.”

 

    “I-I...I’m sorry for scaring you. I just---”

 

    “You changed…” Dara said suddenly.

 

    Jiyong sighed and shut his eyes tightly. Yes, he did change. Sometimes he couldn’t control it, sometimes it just happened without warning. “Yes...I did. I didn’t to…”

 

    “What happened? Your eyes changed color and you...you were surrounded by this dark aura. You didn’t look like yourself. And...and I could’ve sworn I saw black wings…”

 

    “You saw correctly. Dara, I didn’t mean to lose control like that. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to protect you.”

 

    “I...understand. But why did you change like that?”

 

    “That’s the reason people hate me...why they’re afraid of me. Like you, I’m a Hybrid but my Dark side is more dominant. Sometimes it gets triggered when people call me a Half...Half…”

 

    “Half-breed…” Dara said quietly.

 

    “Yes...you see, Hybrids aren’t meant to exist. We’re considered an abomination to both Whitelighters and Darklighters alike. To be called a Half-breed...well, it’s a HUGE insult. That’s why sometimes I lose it.”

 

    “I see. Why aren’t Hybrids acceptable? Why is there so much hate?”

 

    “The same reason why some races hate another. People don’t like it when someone is different. They don’t like people like us because they don’t understand and they don’t try to. That is why they hate us...or me, at least.”

 

    “What about your parents? Don’t they at least love you?”

 

    “My parents are dead…” Jiyong said stoically and sighed. “Don’t pity me, Dara. You pity shouldn’t be wasted on someone like me.”

 

    “Someone like you? What’s wrong with you? Jiyong, those other people may hate you but...I never will. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I just didn’t realize that you were trying to protect me. And I know, your parents would be proud of you.”

 

    “What would you know? My parents...they loved me, yes but they were also afraid of me. My father was a very power Darklighter but he was still afraid of me and my power. My powers blossomed when I was six, too early for a Youngling to develop powers. My mother...she loved me but she was afraid for my sake. She was scared that I’d lose myself to my powers. I guess because of that, they sealed my powers until they died. My father was killed by a powerful demon and my mother was killed by a group of Darklighters. That’s when the seal broke and my powers came into full effect.”

 

    “You mean, you had to live alone? You had...no one?”

 

    Jiyong shook his head. “Like I said, people hated me for what I was. So, I hid in a forest and learned to control my own powers. However, as I grew, it seemed my Dark side grew more dominant. It’s not that I mind, sometimes Dark powers rule over Light powers. And one day, I’ll become a full Darklighter.”

 

    “But Darklighters k-kill innocent people, don’t they?”

 

    “Not all. Some choose to protect Mortals. Not all Darklighters are evil and not all Whitelighters are good. It’s just a title. The soul can be different.”

 

    Dara nodded in understanding. But there was still one thing that bothered her… “Why do you want to become a Darklighter? Why not human or a Whitelighter?”

 

    “Because if I become a Darklighter I’ll gain more power and that way no one will try to cross me or hurt me again. Being a Whitelighter...it’s just not me. And being human...that’s not something I’d ever dream of.”

 

    “Why not? I’ve been living as one for eighteen years…”

 

    “You’ve been living a lie, Dara. I hate to be a downer but your life is a lie. You are not human and you never will be. You’re a Hybrid. There is no human inside of you.”

 

    Dara wanted to argue at first but bit her tongue. She stared at the ripples in the pond, the rain had died down into a slight drizzle. “Anyway, back to my apology. I’m sorry again. I’ll try to make things easier…”

 

    “You shouldn’t be apologizing to me. I should’ve been more in control of myself. But Dara, I meant what I said...I won’t hurt you. I will never hurt you. It’ll be the death of me if I do. I made a promise to protect you and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll protect you with my life. That is...if you’ll still have me?”

 

    Again, the intensity in his gaze could not be ignored. It gave Dara an unsettling feelings inside. She looked away before standing back up, dusting herself off. “I’m not going to send you away. It’d be heartless of me to do that.”

 

    “I won’t let you down.”

 

    “I know.” Dara smiled before turning to walk away. However, she stopped and exhaled. “And you’re wrong…”

 

    “About what?”

 

    “About me being human. If...I wasn’t human, I wouldn’t have given a damn whether you were alright or not. I wouldn’t have apologized. From being here, I’ve learned kindness and compassion for another, something only a human can feel.”

 

    Jiyong sat there for a moment, unable to speak. He just watched as she walked away, the rain still lingering in the air and his body feeling cold all of a sudden. Something inside him had changed...he just didn’t know what. He snapped out of it and stood up, following a few steps behind. Kindness? Compassion? Is it possible to feel those things for someone like me? Jiyong pondered, walking in a comfortable silence.

    Just you watch, Kwon Jiyong. I’ll show you that I’m human. And then, I’ll bring the inner human out of you… Dara smiled to herself as she walked on, completely unaware of the curious pair of eyes watching her from behind.

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Hey, so how was that? :D Yumi apologizes for the semi boring chapter. But rest assured it'll get better...at least in my opinion. More action and excitement to come. Oh! And maybe the BB boys will make an entrance next? ^^

Thank you and please COMMENT and SUBCRIBE!

-Reiya