The next day, things were quite normal. No one has any clue of what has happened; also the memory and rumours of Hero asking Jessica out are gone. But what’s more surprising is,

         “Good~~~ Morning~~~ Dari!!!”

         Jessica is still friends with Dari.

        The jolly friend smiles at her brightly. “So how’s your club activities yesterday? Did you finish them all?”

        “Huh? Uhhh…” Dari delays as she was confused. She thought her friendship with Jessica will be gone for the sake of her safety, but why is it now they’re still the same? Did Cloud do this? Did he listen to her concern?

        “Ahbwae??? You don’t know whether you finished or not?” she asks, finding her silence odd. “Ya. Park San Dari don’t be lazy. Finish them so we can go out again tonight, we will go to dinner tonight. And oohhh!!!”

        Jessica’s hands clapped, it’s not that it’s unusual to see her hyper and excited over something, it’s just weird to see her like that when something bad almost happened to her. The brown haired girl brought her bag to the front and brought out a plastic bag and inside a cute printed ribbon/bow “Taa-daa! I forgot to give it to you yesterday”

        Their school doesn’t have a uniform thus every student sport any fashion they want to. As long as it doesn’t violate the basic rules: No showing of cleavage, no too short skirts, no vulgar prints on shirts, no tanktops, pajamas, housewears, no tattoos, and no piercings (for boys).

        Jessica wraps the bow tie under her friend’s collar and smiled. “See? It looks great on what you’re wearing today. I was right on buying that! I swear Dari, Sunny Hill is a paradise, we should go there togeth---“

        Dari wasn’t able to let her finish as she quickly hugs her friend. Truly how happy she is that things are practically the same, it doesn’t matter to her if she was called beast or sees how there’s no possibility that her friends would accept what she really is.

        She wasn’t ready to let go of the friendship just yet, how can she? Her friends are so sweet, they give her gifts, spend time with her, thus she was really grateful.

        “What is this for?” Jessica says. “Did something happen to you or what?”

        “Ani… I just feel like hugging you” she says, pulling back again so it won’t be too suspicious.

        “Hm-mmm” she hummed, tilting her head to the side. “If it’s about a guy you can always talk to me and Stef about it, alright?”

        “Trust me there’s no guy” Dari chuckles.

        And as she says those words, Hero came walking by the hallways, and like the usual, one glance and the girls would go wild with ooohs and ahhhs. Dari held on Jessica’s hand tight, fearing that somehow she will remember or go gaga for him again but the latter seem to not be the same Jessica who has a crush on Hero.

        She just looked at him uninterested and then “Let’s go meet Stefany. She’s waiting by the bleachers”

        Eh? Is this true? Doesn’t she has a crush on him anymore? She wonders as they walk together to the opposite direction. Or is it another of Cloud’s doing?

        Dae…

        She places her hand on her chest near her neck as she feels touched of the guy’s thoughtful act, but then her hand moved everywhere as she couldn’t feel the tiny hard bulge that’s usually rested behind her shirt.

        Her eyes widen.

        Eh? Eh!?!?!

        She stopped from walking and slightly panicking. Where is it? Did I lose it?

        “What’s the matter?” Jessica asks. “Did you lose something?”

        Omo…

        My necklace…

        Our engagement ring…

        Where is it!?!?!

        With both hands inside his pockets, Hero walks inside the woods to spend the entire lunch break at his own hide out. However, instead of seeing it empty and only for him to occupy, he sees a girl lurking around the place, swinging her gold hair back and forth as she searches for something.

       “Are you lost, kid?”

       Dari stopped quickly and surprised to see him there. “What are you doing here?” she asks violently, while Hero kept his cool and removes his tail (of books), he also drops his trench coat on the ground and folds his sleeves to his elbows. By the looks of it, he seems to have memorized every part of the area, where to easily climb, which vines is safer to climb on, which is not, where he would throw in his books, where he would take his nap.

        With droopy eyes, Dari asked him. “Don’t tell me this is your hiding place?”

       He looks at her knowingly, why would he take Jessica here if this isn’t his zone? He’s always here for a long time, he knows it’s a place that can’t be easily be found. It’s away from people, from life… It just so happens Dari was keen on finding Jessica that she found them easily.

       “So what are you doing here?” he asks, jumping high and climbing the tall tree just right across to where she stands. “Looking for your engagement ring?”

       Her eyes widen, how did he know? Apparently, in the middle of their fight, it was accidentally got tugged off and landed somewhere on the ground. She didn’t notice it until today for last night, she was somehow scolded by JungSoo and asked her to reflect.

       Although she feels like sulking for seeing Dae, she threw all her emotions in a scary hollow and caged room by their basement, destroying that one standing punching bag in the middle.

       It’s JungSoo’s way of emptying all their hateful feelings and anything that causes their rage, just to help them refrain from being involved in a fight again. Even though, having battles with Kims are common, as much as possible he wants them to be able to control.

       “Do you have it?” Dari asks him, her palms open and stretched out.

       “Why will I have it?” He asks.

       “Then how did you know it’s what I’m looking for?”

       “It’s a no brainer really, you look like you’ve been searching for quite a while. Plus it’s not dangling around your neck so it must be it” he says, positioning his body to a nap. “Could you go faster though and leave right away after. You’re disturbing my peace”

       “Peace? As if you have that” Dari snort and rolls her eyes as she turns back to her activity.

       Hero can click his tongue and ignore her, placing one arm to cover his eyes.

       She bends on her knees again and started brushing her hands on the grasses, lifting stones, digging her nails to the dirt and soil. It didn’t matter to her if her white blouse starts to turn brown.

       Right then, after a few more minutes of endless searching finally! Dari has found that sparkling 4carat diamond ring lying down on the bushes close to her and quickly picked it up.

       Thank Heavens! She exclaims in her head, holding it firmly to her chest. Omo… Thank goodness…

        Hero’s arm slightly rose up as he glances at the maiden and watches her be filled with relief. She looked like as if it was the most precious thing in her life and something that if gone, her life is gone.

        “Done?” he asks coldly, covering his eyes again. “Could you leave now?”

        Tch… “Don’t worry I will!” Dari says, picking up her bag and slings it over her shoulder. “I have no plans of staying any longer in your sad pathetic and lonely place anyway”

       “Is your hide out any better?”

       “Of course” Dari says, starting to walk away towards her own abode.

       From Hero’s place, Dari’s is way deeper inside the woods. It isn’t a complete hide out though, it’s an open place that can be visited by everyone, animals, lone vampires, and humans. Apparently, it’s the waterfalls she visited before.

       There’s just something mystical about that place, the relaxing sound of the heavy waters splashing, the glistening ambience, the clear water that quietly flows down the stream, the colourful flowers around –very beautiful– perfect for a goddess-like maiden like Dari.

        She drops her bag by a tree’s roots and starts to the top of her blouse to wash the dirt off from her search when suddenly–

        “The waterfall huh?” Hero appears from behind, bouncing a stone on his hand. “Not bad”

        “What are you doing here? I thought you’re going to take a nap or something?”             

        “You said your hide