17

"It was fun!" says Wei. We checked out after about two hours. It was indeed a fun hangout, with friends. With Jun. We locked hands while walking out from the safari theme park. After some nice conversation with Jun, my mind clears up like a sky.

"Uh oh, it's going to rain soon..." says Hera. We look up to the sky. I can feel the chill air brushing my cheek.

"You wanna leave?" asks Jun. I'm fidgeting for a moment. I mean, I'm free and technically managed to escape from the mansion. Logically, I can just walk away. All my belongings are with me now.

I can go and leave those behind me.

As I was about to answer the question, some random girl walked upon us and accidentally collided with Jun.

"I'm sorry!" she yelps a bit. Jun was strided to the front a bit. Luckily, I was there to hold him on the ground.

"It's okay..." he answers, face up.

"Oppa..." Sweet points onto him. The group gasped as he looked at us, in confusing mode.

He just dropped his mask. And now his face is bare to the public.

"Oh my God, it's Jun!" the girl screams. Now everyone is looking at us. I'm too stunned to ever think about the next move.

Girl fans immediately flocked to us, causing mayhem in the parking lot. Jun tries to cover his face and drags me away from the group, but it seems impossible to do that.

"Jun!" I can hear Yunta calling his name. I look up and see Yunta is trying to reach us. Wei and Fun shield Hera and Sweet, immediately escort them to the car, while being chased by the fans as well.

"Is this your girlfriend, oppa?" a fan asks him, amid a chaotic event. Now, everyone is flocking to me as well. I try to cover my face and slowly drift away from Jun.

"Noona!" Jun was yelling when he realized I was about to separate from him.

"Noona? Is this Miss Ki?"

The nightmare begins. I try my best to dodge the crowd. But, it's impossible as there are too many people surrounding me. Some even force me to take off my mask. I gasp for air. It feels suffocated.

"Jun!" all I can do is call his name. My hand is no longer with him. I can hear him calling my name, but it seems so far away.

Somehow, I feel I might die tonight.

"Step aside everyone, please step aside!"

The crowd slowly dispersed. I look up and see two people in suits.

Oh God. Now this is a real disaster!

"We need to escort Mr. Jun, Mr. Yunta, and their friend to the van. Give your best cooperation," more suited people come to clear the coast. Yunta quickly reaches out for Jun. He stares at me, in a confused mind.

"Come, let's go to your cars," the lady bodyguard ushered us to the parking lot. I am detained by them almost all the way.

"Lady Karin, you have 5 minutes," the lady pats my shoulder. I know the drill.

I look at them, tears in my eyes. They realize it's time for me to bid farewell. I drag Jun to the secluded place behind the Jeep.

"Don't go, noona!"

"How can I? I wanna stay but I guess it's all for good if I leave," I say. He pulls me in his embrace.

"I love you, noona. Please, wait for me!" he cries. I shed some tears as well. He pulls away.

"I leave for now, for the sake of your future. But, I'm always in your heart..." I poke his chest. He nods as an indication that he understands my choice is all about him and his future.

Then I slowly bid everyone goodbye. Sweet is crying in Hera's embrace.

"Lady Karin, we need to go," I turn my head so many times. I watched them as the car slowly disappeared from the theme park.

"The Crown Prince is waiting for us at home,"

I keep silent. I know who I'll face next.

Him.

:::

When I enter the mansion, it is dead silent. Unlike any other day when there are so many movements around the house.

"Good night, malady," even my bodyguards leave me alone. This feels weird.

"Why did you come back?" a man roses from the sofa. He turns around. I stand firm on my ground, keeping my silence as the answer to his question.

"Why don't you just leave? That's what you want, right?"

"I just miss my friends..."

"Your friends or Jun?" there is no anger in his voice. Just a monotone dialogue. Yet, it's enough to send chills in me.

"I have the right to meet people. And missing anyone-"

"You do know the agreement, yet you still breach it,"

"How can you stop people from meeting each other? Your treatment of me here is not more than just a prisoner to you!" I know I crossed my line now. But, I had enough of all this! I'm losing my mind already.

"Prisoner? Is that what you see? A prisoner that can still be alive, safe, and sound under the most comfortable condition, is that what you feel?"

"I had enough of these shits! I had enough of that routine, your helpers trolling me around, your bodyguards that watch me 24 hours! I want my life back!" I yell at Khittan.

"You don't understand. I'm trying to protect you,"

"From who? From the media? From Hope Bunnies? From who, tell me Khit? I believe everything was solved after Jun released his statement on the fansite. Why am I still in here? Tell me. Tell me!"

"I never meant to keep you. But-"

"Are you trying to keep me by yourself? Am I your prisoner now? You do wanna cage me, right? If you do want to separate me from the world, then you'll treat me just like how you treated me before!"

"Stop making nonsense assumptions!"

"How can I not? For me, the issue is done. Then why am I still in here?!"

"I'm trying to protect you from your family!"

Silent.

Khittan huffs a bit. He grabs the vodka on the table and drinks it vigorously.

"Your father knows your location now. He is trying to bring you back home and proceed with the wedding. He issued a deportation document to the government, stating that your scandal caused shame in your family," Khittan held a deep breath.

"Now, I'm working my best to convince them not to proceed. Because I know, once you get deported there is no way you can return here," he continues. "And... We might eventually marry each other in no time," my heart sinks when I hear the word marry.

"Well, that's good for you, right? You want to marry me so much! So, why do you care??" I ask Khittan. I can see how he's looking a bit... Angry.

Khittan gets closer, taking a step one by one towards me. He grabs my hand and yanks me even closer.

"Don't you dare mock me while I'm being generous to you!" I can feel my face as white as a sheet. But I don't know what possessed me until I dared to spit these words to him.

"So this is your version of generosity! What a nobleman!"

"You know nothing, Karin,"

"All I know is once a bad guy, always a bad guy!"

"Is that what you see in me, even after all that I done to you? You still think I never change?"

"Yes! If you change, why am I here?" I should just bite my tongue off. Now, Khittan looks even more mad than before.

"So, you want me to be that bad guy?" he suddenly chuckles. I think this is the best time to run, but I don't somehow I'm too scared to even lift my fingers.

"Khit, I-"

"I should just straight away being a bad guy on the first day. Why am I so eagerly wanting to be a nice man when you never see me as one, right? Why stop myself?" he suddenly grabs my shoulder and claws his fingers onto my skin. I yelp in pain, but he remains to hold me.

"You hurt me, Khit!"

"Well, that's my job, remember? Hurting you!"

"Khit, stop!" he smirks. I resist with all my might, but he is too powerful.

"Aw... Am I hurting you, my wife? Hm?" his chuckles make him look more eerie.

"I'm not your wife!"

"Oh, yeah... We never consummate the marriage..."

"Khittan, stop!"

"Maybe I should've just done that on the first day when you arrived. So, you have no reason to reject me, run, or have a relationship with Jun," my face drops. My heart is racing.

"Khittan, let me go!" I pull away myself with my might. Even tear my clothes in the process. I try to run upstairs but Khittan manages to grab me from behind.

"Where are you going, my sweet wife?"

"Let me go, Khit... Please..."

"Aw..." he pulls me so close towards him, that I can feel the hitching breath coming from him. "I love when you call me Khit, and beg me like that..."

"Please, I'm begging you..."

"You know begging doesn't work with bad guys,"

I feel helpless. And regret, maybe a bit. When he swings my body facing him, I feel the same aura as I felt in my nightmares.

Is he finally resurrected from Hell?