The morning arose, the birds chirping as they greeted yet another new day. The curtains were slightly opened, letting the warm ray of lights enter the dark room. In bed, his sleeping figure breathed slowly as she stared at him, at his scarred back and bruised face. An angel, fallen from sky, his wings taken from him, leaving him burning for life. She breathed in, feeling empty of any emotion, of any graceful feeling that morning could bring.

Yes, the same man that she had hated had become one with the man she loved, and he heart was utterly pained, almost dead to reason with the reality that had become her living nightmare. An eye for an eye, almost too impossible to fulfill, yet terribly necessary for her mind to have peace.

No longer sleep came to her, too afraid to wake up from her nightmare, and too insecure to let go of the soft grasp of reality. He was all she had hoped for, and now, he was all she wanted to forget. Mixed emotions were no longer present, Chaerin knew what she needed to do, what she wanted to do, yet no human or divine strength could make her move an inch closer, to mean harm to the divine creature sleeping soundly in her cheap bed.

Jiyong moved softly, almost impossible to see, but she saw. A spasm of his body reacting to a nightmare his mind was providing. Her instincts moved her to him, touching his face softly, trying to straighten the frown on it. Yet he didn’t woke up, only stirred as his muscles tensed one more time. Chaerin looked up, looking at the piece of metal under his pillow. With a smirk, she grabbed it, pulling out a golden gun from under the pillow. She put it on the nightstand as she touched his face one more time.

Jiyong snapped his eyes open, looking around with his eyes almost turned black as he looked for the gun. She smiled again and held his hand with her left hand as her right hand went to his chin, lifting his face. “It’s me.” She muttered as he looked at her, his face distorted. Jiyong took a deep breath and finally looked at her, his expression changing drastically as he realized it was her.

“Chaerin.” He muttered huskily. She nodded, caressing his cheek as she sat down next to him, moving the sheets away.

“You were having nightmares.” She said, and he nodded, letting out a groan as he sat up, the sheets revealing his and injured chest.

“They are the constant visitors of my nights.” He muttered. Chaerin nodded, resting her body on his chest, caressing his skin. He groaned again, and moved slightly to the side, moving her weight to his center.

“How does it feels to end a life with your own hands?” She asked. It had been going on around her head since he fell asleep, and now, she wanted to know. She felt him holding a breath, then he touched her hand with his own. She felt them, all callous and harsh against her soft skin.

“Nothing.” He muttered. She frowned and looked up at his face, he was frowning as well, his face all serious as he continued to caress her hands. “Nothing is felt.”

“Surely you must feel something.” She said and he shook his head. She closed her fingers around his, intertwining their hands.

“I have forgotten to feel a long time ago.” He said. Chaerin smiled and nodded, touching his chest again.

“For me, you feel for me?” She asked. Jiyong looked into her eyes, his face serious. He lifted his hand and touched her cheek, then pulled her closer, kissing her lips softly.

“I do.” He said. Chaerin nodded, pulling away.

“One could only tell, hearing your music and reading your lyrics. I’d say you’re a professional liar.”

“I am.” He said, smiling without any humor. “I am a master in lying, yet I fail to have the will to lie to you.” Chaerin smiled and grabbed his hand, kissing it.

“I should have known those hands weren’t the ones of an artist.” She said, admiring his callous hands, ruined and injured. Up close, she was able to see the scratched and disfigured fingers he had, the bruises were fading, yet they were there once.

“I am an artist.” He said, intertwining his fingers once more with her. “I specialize in the art of death.”

“Is that even an art?”

“It takes a great heart to be able to put a bullet in one’s head.” He said, and she smiled without any humor, chuckling slightly.

“It took a master piece to put one in my father’s head, didn’t it?” She muttered. Jiyong stopped smiling, his face made a frown as he looked at her.

“Your father was a great man.” He said, moving her aside as he put his feet on the floor, letting out a sigh. “And I am truly sorry you happened to be his daughter.”

“Do you regret?” She said. Jiyong stood up and grabbed his shirt, letting out another sigh as he looked at her.

“I never regret.” He said and put the shirt on.

“Do you regret meeting me?” She said. Jiyong threw his hair back, standing in the middle of the room as he looked at the walls.

“I wish you never walked into my company, yes.” He said, then turned to look at her. “But I don’t regret loving you, since it’s the only real thing in my messed life.” Chaerin nodded as he walked out of the room, leaving her all alone. She let out a sigh, throwing herself on bed as she hugged herself, embracing the dying heart that beat inside of her.

His hand held on the doorknob as he looked down, letting out soft breaths as he tried to control his uncontrolled heartbeat. Her face had tormented him throughout the night, sleep was almost unable to reach his tired body as he continued to look at her, sitting near the window throughout the night. He had watched her, all the night he had stared at her, the shadows of the curtains hiding his face as he looked at her, her thing figure breathing softly as she looked outside the window.

It brought pain to his soul, watching her feel the pain and hatred for him, unable to end his life for the love he had force her to feel. He was to blame, all her misfortune, he was the only one at fault. And what was worst, she couldn’t stab him, couldn’t suffocate him or torture him. And he couldn’t do the same either, for if her body was to perish, he would die with her. He had bonded far beyond necessary for her, making it a meekness for himself. She was everything pure of his life, and like everything else, he tainted the pureness and turned it into hatred. Tainted everything beautiful in her, turning it dark and obscene, taking any innocent thought upon her mind and twisting it into evilness.

Jiyong straightened himself, taking slow and silent steps towards the living room, where his phone laid unattended. From the distance, he saw the blinking blue led, and his face turned into a frown as he hurried towards it. With his right hand, he grabbed it, quickly unlocking it and scrolling the notifications panel down. More than 10 missed calls and text messages, half of them being from Youngbae, but only one belonged to his father. He took a quick glance towards Chaerin’s room before dialing his father’s number back.

As the call rang, Jiyong sat down on Chaerin’s sofa. The pillows almost covered him completely, the perfect comfort for his sore body. A smile almost appeared upon his face, and when his father answered, his voice as harsh and serious as always, it was completely gone.

“Father, good morning.” Jiyong said, to which his father answered with a grunt.

“Where are you?” He simply said, and Jiyong smirked.

“I think the question would be how are you there, is it not?”

“Don’t play with my patience Jiyong, it’s coming to its limit regarding you.”

“I didn’t know there was patience regarding me.”

“Jiyong, I can find you, and I can bring you back. Don’t test me.”

“I know you can father, you always had.”

“I’ll ask once more, where are you?”

“I am nowhere.”

“Could it be, perhaps, Lee Chaerin’s apartment?” Younghwan said, and Jiyong straightened up, glaring at the wall.

“It could, it could not.” Jiyong answered, now careful of his surroundings. One tiny noise heard and it would be the end.

“How fast would you be able to come back here if your mother were to be in danger?” He said, and Jiyong widened his eyes slightly, almost forgetting how to breathe.

“I think, father, you’re smarter than that.” Jiyong said softly. “Hurting mother will only bring chaos upon your dear house.”

“WHERE THE ARE YOU?!” Younghwan yelled, clearly losing his patience. “The family will be here any minute, and all I have is an empty room without my son in there.”

“You see, if your son weren’t to be locked up in that room in the first place, maybe the room would not be empty now.”

“I’ll kill her Jiyong, I’ll make her existence null if you keep playing this game.”

“You were the one who taught me the rules, and also, the one who taught me the rules were made to be broken.” Jiyong said, a soft smirk appearing on his face. “Don’t be afraid of losing at your own game.” He said and ended the call, standing up hastily. He stormed into Chaerin’s room, and she looked up, her hair disheveled and her clothes slightly rugged.

“Is everything alright?” She said as he walked in, looking straight at her.

“Would you trust me if I told you to pack everything and leave with me?”

“Why would I?” She said, and Jiyong nodded, biting his lower lip.

“You can’t stay here any longer.” He said as he unlocked his phone again. “Neither can I.”

“Who are you calling?” She said as she stood up. Jiyong dialed Youngbae’s number and pressed the phone to his cheek.

“Youngbae, he’ll pick us up in a few minutes once called. Please Chaerin, pack everything you need.” Jiyong said as he walked back towards the living room. Youngbae picked up the call as he grabbed his boots.

“Everything alright?” Youngbae asked as he answered.

“It will be, I need you to pick me up.”

“Will be there soon.” Youngbae said and ended the call. Jiyong nodded and set the phone aside, inserting his foot in the boot. Chaerin walked out, hugging her slim body as she looked at Jiyong.

“Where would you take me?” She asked, and Jiyong shrugged.

“I’m still debating.”

“On what?”

“On either take you to your loving family or take you with me.” He said, stressing the ‘loving’ part as he pointed his bruises at her. She looked down, still hugging her body as she walked towards him.

“If you were to take me to my family, I won’t be able to see you anymore, right?” She asked, and he stopped lacing his boots to look at her.

“Why not?”

“Once I’m in, I won’t be able to go back.” She said, and Jiyong smirked.

“I’ll get you out.”

“Jiyong,” She said, touching his hand softly. “I’m to be wed.” She said and he looked up, widening his eyes.

“What?!” Jiyong said as he looked at her in disbelieve. She bit her lip and nodded.

“My uncle wants me to marry for an alliance.” She said, and Jiyong scoffed, resting his back on the sofa.

“Has it been made public yet?” He said, to which Chaerin shrugged.

“I don’t know, I got out after he told me.”

“Who is to be your future husband?” He asked, and she looked down, biting her lips.

“Kim Jonghyun.”

“.” Jiyong said and stood up, one boot unlaced. “ing .”

“What?”

“The Kims,” Jiyong muttered. “I was assigned with his younger brother.”

“Is that a problem?” She asked and Jiyong nodded, scratching his head as he tried to think of something coherent.

“Yes, there is.” He hissed. “One, you’re to be wed, how can I let you? And two, if the Kims find out you’re with me, they’ll probably kill you too.”

“They won’t, my uncle–”

“Will not be able to do nothing, he needs the Kims alliance to strengthen his power.” Jiyong said, standing up and glaring at nothing. “And if they find out about us, you’ll be in danger.”

“I’m still new at this.” Chaerin said out of breath. “Why they hate your family so much?” Jiyong let out a sigh and shrugged.

“My father’s not that good with public relationships, I guess.”

“Your father…” Chaerin murmured, and Jiyong turned to look at her with a frown.

“What of him?”

“Would there be any possible way of making an alliance?” She asked, and Jiyong scoffed.

“Who? Your Lee’s and the Kwon’s? Never, not now.” Jiyong said, putting a hand over his forehead. “Not after what happened with your father.” Chaerin looked down and nodded.

“That ruined it, right?” She said and Jiyong shrugged.

“I don’t like this.” Jiyong said as he looked at her. Her eyes had changed, the sparkle had died in them, the innocence of her look had vanished, and he couldn’t take it anymore, not when she spoke to him so casually about alliances within families, not when she was being part of something he never wanted her to. “I don’t like you talking like that.”

“I haven’t said anything wrong.” She said, her eyes widened. Jiyong shook his head, then crooked it. He lifted his hand towards her, hoping to touch her, when noises from the hallway caught his attention. He quickly looked at the main door, not moving an inch as he stared at the gap between it and the floor. “What is it?” She asked, and he moved a finger to his lips, moving softly towards the door.

“My gun?” He said and she stood up, walking towards her room. He moved to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and returned to the door, pressing the glass on it from one end, the other to his ear. He heard footsteps, walking softly towards the door. Chaerin walked out, in time for him to hear a gun unlocking. His eyes widened as he moved hastily towards her, grabbing his gun from her hands.

She was going to speak, but he put a hand over , holding her neck with the other. She gulped, looking at him with wide eyes. “Where you expecting any visits today?” He whispered, to which she shook her head. He slowly removed his hand from her face, and she breathed, her lips.

“It must be my cousins.”

“The Heirs?” Jiyong asked, and she nodded softly. “.” He said, looking at the window.

“You have to go.” She said. Jiyong looked at the door again, the doorknob was moving slowly, the way he himself would have done it.

“Come with me.” He said, looking straight into Chaerin’s eyes. She bit her lip, looked at the door, then back at him. Her hands went to his cheeks, pulling him down to peck his lips.

“Now’s not the time.” She said. Jiyong felt his heart constricting inside of his chest, looking at her as she looked at him with longing eyes. “Not now.” He nodded, biting his lower lip as he bent down, kissing her softly, longingly. She put her hands on his neck, pulling him away. “Now go.”

“I’ll come back for you,” He said as he kissed her one more time. She was urging him towards the window.

“I know, I’ll wait for you.” She said with tears on her eyes.

“Chaerin, it’s true, I’ll come back for you, I swear.” He said and she nodded, biting her lower lip.

“I know.”

“I love you.” He said as he got out. He saw her closing her eyes as a tear fell down, nodding.

“I love you too.” She said and closed the window, keeping him out. She blew him a kiss as she closed the curtains, turning around just in time to greet the people who entered her apartment. Jiyong narrowed his eyes as he saw her cousins walking towards her. He quickly went down the emergency stairs until he reached the ground, Youngbae’s car halting to a stop just in front of him.

Jiyong went over the car, casually walking as people looked at him. He opened the door and got in, setting his gun down. Youngbae speeded out of the place, not muttering a word as Jiyong looked at the building, anger and sorrow washing over him. “I’ll come back.”

Gily's Notes: Oh my! It took me AGES to update!! And I think this ... but it's kind of a bridge for the next events...

As usualy, expect drama, but I don't know when I will update. I have a tiring job, really. It's all I ever wanted (yuppi), but then again, it's tiring. Tomorrow I have a 16 hour shift, and I'll be expecting extreme exhaustion the very next day. Fortunately, I'll be free soon, so I will try and write, but my mind is WAY too tired...

I am stressed because of this, I have to forget about my first passion to concentrate on my job... It's painful...

I really hope this reaches your expectations, and like I said, don't expect anything soon, but pray for it!!

Your coments are TRULLY appreciated! 

Hope you all had awesome holidays, and thanks to those who took a bit of your time to greet me happy holidays, you rock!!

KAMPAI!

Happy Reading ~

Gily ♥