My hand slowly slips from hers.

Aeri is fast asleep. And I brush the tears still caught in her lashes, with a soft sigh. She had cried so heavily that she had almost been half-unconscious when her tears had finally dried.

I wished I could stay.

But I couldn't.

My father had found out about me and the Underground. He had come a step closer to finding out about Aeri, and she was someone I had to keep safe from him. With my life, if I had to.

Especially if he realized that I loved her. He would use her to his advantage— completely wring her dry before killing her. That was just the kind of person he was.

I leave the room, keeping my footfalls quiet. The door shuts behind me, and I look up— searching for traces of Jungkook in the waiting hall.

Empty.

Maybe he had taken Miss Rin back.

I call him. But as each call rings into voicemail, my skin chills even colder.

Because Jungkook wouldn't ever miss calls like this, unless something had happened. He was always the one who was angry at both Jimin and I for not answering our calls.

Had my father already gotten to him?

I call Jimin.

And my hands are shaking, as the phone clicks.

"Tae—"

"Is Jungkook there?" I ask, cutting him off. When he answers with a curious no, I almost turn and slam my fist into the wall.

Fuck.

I'd expected my father to call the both of us in, together. But why hadn't I guessed that he already suspected the relationship I had with Jungkook?

Because I'm a damn idiot.

"Wait, why?" Jimin hisses, voice now frantic. "Don't tell me that...I thought he was in the hospital along with all you guys!"

"He's not here," I whisper sharply. "My father has him. He's going to kill Jungkook if I don't—"

A dark voice echoes in my mind.

He already might have.

"I need to go," I say, ending the call. And I break into a run, about to make a sharp turn when I crash into someone who had been listening in from around the corner.

There's a surprised cry. The voice is feminine.

"...Miss Rin," I breathe, as she scrambles back up to her feet. Her face is pale as snow. "I— did you hear..."

Just from the look in her eyes, I can tell she has.

"If your father kills Jungkook, I'm going to tear his head off and feed it to the pigeons." She gasps wildly, her fists taut by her sides. "Is he— he's dead? Jungkook..."

I don't have time for this.

"I don't know," I whisper. "I'm sorry."

I brush past her, And as I run, I sense her following me. I don't have the time to tell her not to— and neither do I have the time to convince her.

I'd seen the look in Miss Rin's eyes.

She loved him, didn't she?

And she would follow me to the ends of this world if that was where Jungkook was.

________________________________

It's so damn cold.

But I don't feel it at all. Maybe it's because my heart is beating so fast— maybe it's because my head is spinning so wildly. I can't think.

I can only run after the man in front of me. All I knew was that he'd take me to the right place.

Jungkook couldn't be dead.

He'd told me. He'd literally promised me— smiled at me. That had barely been an hour ago.

Tears blur my vision before I quickly wipe it away with my sleeve.

Fucker, I whisper under my breath. Stupid bastard. Promise-breaking idiot.

If he was dead, I'd never forgive him.

Never.

"Miss Rin."

I look up, realizing that I'm standing in the middle of nowhere. The glossy streets of the Skygrounds has turned into trees, towering over my head. In front of me, I see the largest mansion I'd ever seen in my life.

"Is he in there?" I whisper. The mansion towers over the both of us, casting a chilling shadow. It's the most beautiful building I've ever seen, but it just looks terrible right now.

It looks dangerous. And full of bad things.

"...I'm not sure." He says. "I wanted to ask you, Miss Rin."

His voice is solemn as his eyes sweep a circle through the forest.

"Will you look for him in the woods? My father is unpredictable— he could've kept him in either the mansion or the Forest. The woods aren't too closely patrolled, so avoiding the guards won't be difficult."

"Okay." I say, about to start running when he pulls me back. His expression is firm.

"Wait."

"You might come across a thick red line." He whispers.

"Don't go past that line, do you understand? Nothing good lies on the other side of that line and there are much more patrols. Please promise me you won't, Miss Rin."

Thick red line?

"Thick red, 'Kay. I won't."

He nods. And when he turns, I whip around and start running. The air on my cheeks is cold, and I feel the numb panic slowly claw up my throat as I hear the sound of my footsteps, trampling against the frozen leaves on the ground.

It was so damn cold.

And he was saying that Jungkook could be out here? Was he fucking kidding me?

No way.

My body starts to heat as I run. First I'm actually a little scared, but the more I see nothing but trees and the colorless leaves on the floor, the more I think that I'm doing this for nothing.

There was just no way he'd be out here.

And I'm running still when pure instinct makes me turn to look over my shoulder.

Oh shit.

It's a patrol.

My eyes wild, I fling myself behind a rock. The sound of the leaves crumpling under my body weight seems too loud, and I slap both hands over my mouth to silence my harsh breathing.

There's two of them, dressed in dark colors. They're still pretty far away, but they're coming in this direction.

I glimpse something black and metallic in their gloved hands.

My eyes squeeze together as cold sweat drips down the curve of my neck.

Guns.

Then I notice scarlet under my feet.

And I breathe out a curse when I realize I'm standing on a thick red, spray painted into the forest ground. When I lift my head and look around, I see it— spreading in two straight directions from where I'm standing.

It's that line that I was told to stay away from.

They're coming closer.

I duck, pressing myself even firmly against the cold surface of the rock. If I didn't make a noise, then they might walk past me. They had to. I couldn't get caught.

Footsteps ring louder— and louder until I hear it right next to me.

And I can't breathe.

They're talking.

"Where the hell is he? Boss said he would be around here."

"I don't fucking know. Just walk. He's got to be around here somewhere."

...who?

The first soldier starts complaining again. Now they've walked past me, and I peek behind my shoulder— still pressed up against the rock as I look at their backs.

"He must've died in the cold already with a wound like that in his head! And why couldn't they have just shot him when they threw him out here, huh? It's fucking cold!"

My eyes widen when I hear what the other soldier says next.

"You really think Jeon Jungkook is going to die that easily?"

The pieces click. And the moment I realize that these two soldiers aren't out here on a regular patrol, my wandering eyes catch on a dark figure crumpled amongst the leaves.

Right there.

Right there, in the path that the soldiers are walking.

It's Jungkook.