Her Point of View
I took deep breaths, waiting for the whips from my childhood best friend.
I want to pinch myself and hopefully I'll wake up beside Jeno with his scent lingering in my nose.
I want to believe that all of this is not true. That Jaehyun is still the twelve year old boy I used to play with before.
But I know that wouldn't happen anymore. So, instead, I silently waited for the pain.
"Why me?" Jaehyun asked from behind, his voice deep.
"Why not? It's going to be more fun, right? Best friends turned to enemies. It's like a movie." Diego smiled.
You're fucking crazy, Diego.
"I know. But you also know that I don't hurt women. It's one of the rules in Berani—"
"Cut the bullshit, Jaehyun. Don't be weak." Diego immediately cut Jaehyun off. "I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your head if you keep up with that attitude."
I heard Jaehyun's sigh from behind.
"Do it." I whispered, I was not sure if he heard me but I just wanted everything to quickly pass.
I gathered all the air I could and closed my eyes.
"Eightee! Mom got me new toys—look!"
I went back to a memory with Jaehyun. My heart was already contented with that thought in my head.
I heard as the whip moved with Jaehyun's hand. It landed on my back sending pain to my core. I shut my eyes close. I did not want to see Diego and his men's smiles.
I just wanted to see my best friend's real smile. Even if it was only a memory.
"Eightee."
"Yes, Jae-jae?"
"A teacher in school told me that I should have a person that I will cherish for the rest of my life. She told me that it was called a 'best friend'. I figured that it was you." He smiled. "And maybe Silvia because she plays with us too." He whispered in my ear and giggled.
I tried to conceal the pain with every happy moment with Jaehyun. I could feel my hands trembling around the metal chain.
"You," Diego's voice echoed in my ear once more. It seems he was ordering one of his men. "Rip her shirt from behind."
"What? Diego, she's already hurt." Jaehyun spoke.
"I'm stopping myself from assuming that you still care for her, Jaehyun." Diego replied.
I did not hear a voice anymore but felt an approaching body towards me. A person grabbed the cloth on me and ripped it from behind, exposing my bare back that I assume had blood on it already.
I hissed at the sting I felt when the cold air from the room made contact with my skin.
"Continue." Diego spoke.
A few seconds passed by before I felt the leather whip on my back again. I arched my back in pain, my eyes still closed.
Think of something, Eight.
Think.
Think!
"You're my only friend, Jae-jae... please don't leave me." I cried in his arms.
To this day, I can still remember the warmth in his presence that I felt whenever I was crying.
"I'm always here with you, Eightee." He pressed his pointy finger against my heart.
My shaking hands tried to reach my chest. Maybe it was because I wanted to feel him again.
His warmth. His comfort.
"But I want you here. Beside me." I sniffled.
I tried to erase the reality from my mind as I felt the pain from behind and the blood dripping on my skin.
What happened to you, Jaehyun?
What happened to us?
Please come back.
I can't bare seeing you in shambles.
"I'll be back, Eightee. I don't know when, but I will find you." Jaehyun's tears finally fell. We both hugged each other while continuously sobbing until his parents came and he was dragged by their large bodyguards.
I screamed.
I couldn't control the pain anymore causing my continued screams.
"Oh, my Haera..." I could hear Silvia sobbing.
I felt how Jaehyun slowed down from behind.
"Faster!" Diego loudly ordered.
"Enough, Diego." Jaehyun opposed.
As soon as I heard a gun's trigger being pulled, I shot my eyes open. Diego was now pointing a gun at Jaehyun.
"I said faster." Diego said in between gritted teeth.
It was a warning. I know that he would really shoot Jaehyun.
I looked behind and saw Jaehyun looking at Diego. He was in a suit and he was sweating. His eyebrows were together and hatred was on his face.
"Listen... to him.." I forced the voice out of my throat. I saw how Jaehyun slowly turned to look at me.
He had no expression but I could read his eyes. He was not happy with what he was doing at all.
He didn't look like he wanted revenge.
I looked at him one last time before I turned again and closed my eyes.
Pain flowed through my body as he continuously whipped me. Tears were starting to roll down my face. My body was trembling from the pain and the coldness of the room.
I tried catching my breath but the pain was uncontrollable anymore. I finally let myself fall on the wooden floor. I could hear the impact of my body making contact with the floor. My head was pounding with heaviness and I could barely open my eyes.
"Haera! Get up! Haera!" I could hear Silvia panicking.
I could hear myself grunting and whimpering in pain. I couldn't control my body anymore.
"Enough now, Jaehyun." Diego's voice echoed through my mind.
My senses were slowly fading away. I can only hear the chatters in the room.
"Bring in Zach." Diego ordered.
Jeno's Point of View
I silently stared at the stars glistening within the dark sky.
I can't help but remember Eight.
Where is she?
How is she?
Is she still alive?
What happened to you, Eight?
No, Jeno.
She's a traitor. You have to stop your heart from aching at her thought. You and her will never work.
I closed my eyes hoping that when I open them she's back in front of me with her small smile that conceals her big happiness.
"No, Jeno. I'm not Sueño. I only used you and the group."
Her voice echoed in my ear.
"I never liked you guys. You were just my stepping stones towards my revenge."
I remember her pale and emotionless face during that time. She said it as if it was nothing. And until now, I'm in a constant battle if she really meant it.
While I silently thought of our memories together, I suddenly remembered her at the rest house.
She wanted to tell something, but I never had the chance to know.
"You can speak, Eight. We're your family." Haechan said to Eight.
"So, what is it?" I impatiently asked.
I saw how Eight took a deep breath as if she had something important to expose.
"I'm Yang—" Her voice was cut off with her own phone's ringtone. She gripped onto the brown envelope on her hand tighter.
Yes. The brown envelope!
What the hell was in it?
It seemed really important when she wanted to show it to us.
I immediately called Mark.
"Hello?" He answered.
"Fly to the island now and find the brown envelope that Eight was holding before we flew back. Do you remember that?" I ordered, my heart pounding.
"Yes, I do. But what for?" Mark asked.
"I need to know what she wanted to give us during that night." I explained.
"I'm on my way to the plane." Mark replied.
"Hurry." I demanded and ended the call.