"You what?"

"What do you mean "what"?" Jungkook growls back at me, tossing his cap back onto the couch. "She caught onto me. You should've at least mentioned she was that quick."

I grip his wrist.

"But you got her out of there, didn't you?"

"Yeah." He says, eyes narrowing into a glare. "Hyung, what did you even do to her? The moment she realized that I had anything to do with you, the look in her eyes changed."

He snaps his fingers in front of my eyes.

"Bam. Just like that."

"One moment she looked like she was going to adopt me, and the next literally murder me."

I hesitate for a second, before I finally tell him.

"Her brother was one of the victims from Seohan. Six years ago. And when he died, her mother passed away from shock. Her father killer himself right in front of her eyes."

Jungkook's mouth drops open.

"Don't tell me you..."

"She thinks I did that."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Jungkook exclaims, looking like he's about to lose his as he stares at me. "Tell her the damn truth! Do you want her to hate you or something? If I was her, I would've strangled you to death already!"

"She already did that too."

He falls into silence, before shooting me a look.

"I mean, you're still here so she clearly didn't finish what she started." He mumbles, breathing out in annoyance. "If you don't tell her, she's going to hate you forever. No wonder she looked like she was about to kill me."

Then the door suddenly bursts open.

"Ha! Loser, you couldn't even bring a girl back here? Are you serious?"

Jungkook's expression morphs into a violent scowl as Jimin jumps into the room, finger pointed accusingly towards him.

"You're actually so bad with girls!"

"She isn't a typical girl." Jungkook growls back. "If you think it's so easy, then why don't you try bringing her here? I'll bet everything I have that she'll break your nose and send you crying."

Jimin's voice raises.

"What did you just say, you bunny-ass psychopath?"

I sigh.

I'd just do this myself.

Jimin and Jungkook are still going at each other as I step out of the room, my head hurting. My thoughts won't leave her— it won't leave Aeri.

If only I'd tried just a little harder.

If I'd found her before the Underground had. If only had I been able to keep her safe. She had lost everything in the span of days, and where had I been?

Foolish bastard.

My family had destroyed hers. Would anything change if I listened to Jungkook? Told her that it hadn't been me who had burned her brother to the ground that day?

Nothing would change.

I just needed to beg for her forgiveness.

And do whatever it takes to make up for my sins.

_________________________________

V.

He really had been a curse to the very end.

"Isn't that the girl who beat Shadowdancer to the ground?"

I bite my lip, pulling my hood down deeper as I hurry my pace. It's not just them— several others on the street glance in my direction, whispering to each other.

Back then, I hadn't realized just how many people had been watching when I'd nearly lost myself and killed V then and there in the Ring. There must've been hundreds— maybe even a thousand.

And rumors spread like wildfire in the Underground.

You're a stupid bitch too, I hiss to myself. Should've dragged him somewhere more private before doing whatever in front of an entire damn crowd.

This wasn't good for me.

Avoiding the whispers, I go down deeper into the twisting maze of dark and dirty streets. The air grows thicker with dust.

Soon I reach a small store tucked into the corner of a messy row of buildings.

"Aeri!"

A small girl peeks out from behind the counter. I give her a smile as she sighs in relief, taking the plastic bag off of her head.

"I thought you were that nasty debtor."

"He was here?" I ask, turning to look out of the store. Rin sniffs, going back to adjust the shelf of cigarettes behind her.

"Earlier," She says, rolling her tawny eyes as she pulls her equally tawny hair into a ponytail. "I was hiding— literally sweating behind those boxes over there. He looked around once and left."

She tosses me a box of smokes.

"That's the newest one. Tastes pretty nice, too."

"Thanks," I say, placing some bills on the counter. "Rin, if he comes again let me know."

"Let you know? What will you do about it?" She says, making a face. "He's going to bring all his stupid friends over there and make a mess."

I laugh lightly.

"I'll beat the shit out of him. And his friends too."

She grins. Her two front teeth is slightly larger than all the others, so that it shows like a bunny when she smiles.

"You're the best. Want a leftover sandwich?"

I shake my head, laughing still.

"I'll pass. Thank you though."

I hear her call for me to come back again soon as I leave. A faint smile hangs on my lips— Rin was barely a year younger than me, yet she felt much more younger.

She'd helped me when I'd been lost and naive, in the harsh grip of the Underground. That night, I would've starved to death on the streets if she hadn't taken me in.

I owed my life to her.

Slipping out a cigarette, I light it and take a long puff. The smoke fills my throat like air, leaving a bittersweet taste on my tongue.

There are a lot of thoughts on my mind.

Rin helped to run her mother's store. They were deep in debt— just like I was. Maybe even deeper.

I tried to help whenever I could, but there was never enough.

Never enough.

The faint memory of V flickers through my head. He'd caught me just before I'd gone to my client, his expression so desperate.

Aeri, please. If it's money you need, then I...

I remember cutting him off then. I hadn't been able to keep quiet.

My eyes shadow.

Him and his stupidity.

Maybe I should just use him. Use him and his money, play with him for a little while. Then throw him away, revel in the hurt in his eyes.

I'd have my debt paid. Have Rin's debt paid too. Everything would be much easier that way.

So why wasn't I doing it?

I light a second cigarette. My steps echo silently against the cracked cement, bleeding oil and filth. And my cramped apartment slowly grows closer and closer.

My lips press together.

The visage of him, against the blood-spattered floor of the ring. His eyes had taken me in, like I was the oasis to his desert. As if he'd searched for me, all this time.

The cigarette snaps between my teeth. I hadn't even realized I'd been tightening my jaw all this time.

Fuck him.

Remember what he's done. He had dragged me down to hell that night, and now he was just trying to finish the job.

I toss the broken cigarette down to the ground.

So break him. Break him first, before he breaks you. He would get to me eventually. That day, I'd seen the look in his eyes. He would not let me go that easily.

So I would go to him. Take everything and wring him out to dry— I had all the advantage.

He had already made it too clear, that he was willing to do anything for my sake. That had been his first mistake.

And in the end.

I'd leave him to rot alone.