MISSION TIME: IF THIS BOOK REACHES 100 POWER STONES BY THURSDAY, I'LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE ON FRIDAY!

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"Ugh! Who knew carrying a girl on my back would be this difficult?" SD groaned as he tried to hoist Sunye from the car. He had just parked in front of her apartment building and was trying to carry her on his back again.

"Why don't you just carry her bridal style?" Orea's curious voice came from his earphone.

"But I saw in the dramas that the boy gives the girl a piggyback ride," SD pouted. Sunye was still unconscious. Other than mumbling some random things in her sleep, she was completely out and blissfully unaware that she was riding on the back of the man she loathed the most.

"Piggyback rides seem more romantic," he said, nodding.

"Are you an idiot?" Orea asked in dismay.

"Well I would prefer it if she was riding my front but-"

"UGH! STOP IT!" Orea screamed. "TMI! TMI! I'M A MINOR YOU FREAK!"

"Think of my words as the first step to adulthood," SD said, feeling very wise. There was a series of curse words from the other end before the line was disconnected.

"Everyone wants info from me but when it comes to advice I'm suddenly the bad guy?" he sighed. "Life is hard! Being me is hard! Can I just become a cheesecake which Sunye can eat?"

"Cheese...cake…" Sunye mumbled. SD held her tight as he went towards her building but stopped in his tracks. A few meters ahead of them was Jonghyun's blue Maybach.

"Wow," he said sarcastically. "What a caring boss! Stopping by at an employee's place after office."

There was no doubt that Jonghyun was there to meet Sunye and if they waltzed into her building at that moment, he would spot them. The last thing SD needed was for Jonghyun to start asking questions.

"Looks like we'll have to spend the night together hun," SD smirked.

Sunye mumbled something incoherent before falling back into a deeper sleep. SD sighed and hoisted her properly on his back before heading for his car. He lay her on the backseat before striding over to the driver's spot. Glancing at her from his rear view mirror, a sad smile was etched on his lips.

"So close, yet so far," he mumbled.

"San…"

SD, who was about to turn the key to the engine, paused and turned around. Sunye was still asleep but there were tears falling from her closed eyelids.

"San…" she whispered. "Come back…"

The tears were rolling down faster as her mind showed her images of the friend she had lost. Even in her sleep, her grief was visible on her face. The mask of aloofness had slipped to reveal her vulnerable side which she hid from everyone.

Slowly reaching out to her, SD gently wiped her cheeks. For once, there was no smile on his face. His heart was contorted by an unbearable pain as if stabbing him with a million knives. The sadness on her face only reminded him of what they had lost and what he was supposed to do.

"If only I could turn back time," he mused. Could I return the smile on your face? He wondered.

As he revved up the engine, he could only reflect on the irony which separated them. She was in love with Kim San but unaware of who he really was. Sometimes he was the Crown Prince who was born for glory. Other times he was a shadow who was born to follow and obey. All of them had the same goal and yet, their paths diverged far away from each other.

"I revel in the darkness," he mused. "And yet, you stay in my heart, holding the light to my doom."

The childhood crush had developed into something deeper. They were no longer that naive eight year old children who made countless promises to each other. The distance had only reaffirmed those innocent feelings in his heart. He loved her with his soul.

But did she love him?

"That is an answer I hope I'd never get," he said in an ominous tone.

He continued to drive ahead, unsure of the path they had set on. All that lay was a thickening darkness which was ready to consume them all.

….

The bright sunlight peeked through the curtains, hitting her eyelids. Sunye stirred, pulling the blanket above her head. She had slept soundly after a long time and was too comfortable in her present state to even bother waking up. Instead, she rolled over, cocooned in the blanket and ready to sleep more. Oddly, her bed was softer than usual and the blanket was also feathery.

She reached out to touch her bolster and managed to grab on to something sturdy. Frowning a little, she ran her finger over the silky bolster.

It's soft, she vaguely noted. She was so sleepy that she did not dwell on it and rather hugged it tight. The warmth emitting from it was very comfortable and she refused to part from it.

"I know I'm hot but why stop there? Go ahead and touch me more!"

The familiar voice made Sunye snap her eyes open. Any wink of sleep just flew out of the window and right next to her was…

"AHHHHHHHH!" she screamed and pushed him away. "SD! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM?"

The blue eyed demon flashed her a devilish smirk. He was wearing a white shirt with grey sweatpants. His shirt was half unbuttoned, revealing his staunch upper chest which Sunye was unconsciously exploring just seconds ago.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" she shrieked.

"Look around, Sherlock," SD said in a sarcastic tone. "This is my house."

Sunye glanced around and to her shock, she was not in her bedroom.

"Why did you bring me here?" she demanded. "And did you...did you…"

She looked down and to her relief, she was still clothed albeit in those skimpy ones that SD had forced her to wear. Still, she did not feel violated.

"I am offended!" SD claimed. "Do you really think that I'd sleep with a girl when she's unconscious? I told you, I prefer feistiness in bed and for that, the girl needs to be the one with the whip and leash! So she needs to be awake."

He then grinned further, adding, "Now that you're awake, want me to bring that whip?"

Sunye grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. SD dodged it, laughing hard.

"Why am I at your place?" she gritted. "And why are we in the same bed?"

"For the first question," he began. "After I saved you from that mafia lord, I did take you back home. You were unconscious coz they mixed something in your drink but I took care of Kibum and rescued you. But our boss was at your building so I had to bring you here in order to protect our little secret. As for the second one, I did not sleep on this bed with you. I slept on the couch."

He pointed at the couch which was unkempt. Sunye's lips quivered.

"The only reason I'm on this bed is because I wanted to show you my beautiful face when you woke up," SD beamed, cupping his face with his hands to flash a seemingly innocent smile at her.

Sunye hit him with another pillow, this time squarely on his face.

"GET OUT!" She yelled.

"I saved you from those mafia people and yet, I don't get a thanks," he sighed. "Life is so unfair to good people like me!"

He bemoaned the lack of empathy for his good deeds. Sunye did not retort but simply glared at him, debating whether she could get away with murder. SD's antics drove her up the wall and sometimes she wished that murder was not illegal.

Still, she could not help but feel grateful as well because he saved her not once but twice. It was unlike him to save others without a reason and yet, he did not abandon her there.

"I'll go and make breakfast," he went on, hopping off the bed. "You can use the bathroom to freshen up. An ex-fling had left her clothes here. They're in the closet. You can wear them if you want. Although, I'd prefer you with nothing on…"

Sunye's glare made him stop. "Anyways," he said with caution. "I'm off to make breakfast for us. Ciao!"

SD turned away and headed for the door. He was almost at the door when he heard a soft voice speak up.

"Thank you," Sunye mumbled. "For saving me."

He did not reply but flashed a thumbs up at her and left the room. Sunye watched him leave, thinking of their strange adventures. She had known the man for eight years and yet, he remained a mysterious enigma in her life.

Just who the hell are you? She wondered for the millionth time.