"Do you remember anything before?" The boss asked lightly as he stood beside her.
"A few..." Valerie murmured softly, looking away undauntedly.
He stared at her sideways and couldn't help but feel remorse after what happened to her a year ago till now. "I know an apology is not going to fix everything, but to make up for what I did, I truly meant what I said..."
Valerie didn't say anything as she gazed off towards the surface. "It's alright. You were under the mind control program."
"How did you know?"
"I heard the conversation earlier with you and your friends," she recalled and continued on, sighing in dullness. "Anyway, I don't know why I'm here for you again, so if you can enlighten me, then go for it.”
The boss slightly scoffed and turned his head back to the front with a continuous smirk. “I guess you’re right about her, Eunwoo. Your girlfriend has definitely improved.”
Eunwoo gently placed his hand on her left shoulder, saying. “She’s always been exceptional and there’s nothing I ever want to change that.”
Valerie silently looked at him in adoration and was given a quick peck on her cheek that made her beam a little.
Indubitably, she was never murdered since it was only a hoax to ensure that her enemies like Si-hyuk were not able to trace her remainings. The costume team had to use a counterfeit and create fake blood by making it seem more realistic, almost as if it was human, including the imitation of organs they implanted inside the wax figure. She couldn’t be more grateful that she was helped by the other members as well and may recompense.
…
By the time it was noon, the trio and the seven members of BTS had entered the building where Taehyung asked for the girl’s identification. The receptionist politely told him that there were no records of her and with that, he emitted out a sigh of disappointment. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedku8XTvMm
“I’m sorry, but the phone number is inoperative, so I recommend you to speak to a file clerk.”232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWkV9NfCMP
“Jeez, not again…” Bryan slapped his forehead mentally. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpljzSLeKp1
“Miss, I think you may have other contact information about this other girl. You see, all of my friends only want to confirm if she’s living somewhere in this area or not. Based on our research, her actual status is said to be in this location right here. She’s been imposing as one of the Seoul high school students, Hyun Aera,” Taehyung contended. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBuy9VJVuy
“Like I said, it’s best that you should all discuss it with a file clerk. They are the ones who have the rest of the old materials that you’re looking for,” the receptionist uttered clearly. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLafrsXxmP
Taehyung blinked his eyes and pressed his lips together in conjecture. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhuXRna9FR
Jimin went up to her and interrogated further with a lull expression. “Do you have the calling card?” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dDqD0k62E
“Yes, I have it,” she responded and pulled it out of the holder as she gave it to him. “Here you go.” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF613Zo5RnE
“Thank you,” Jimin said as he took the card and read it discreetly. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVvD9Pj0ac
“Now what?” Jin muttered with a blank expression. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaf75wRkgYi
“We’re going to have to call a file clerk,” Taehyung suggested. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPrJVUqgRI
“So we just came all the way here for nothing?” Hoseok shrugged. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfYYpMgSCk
“Not really, but we were able to get an answer,” Yoongi said. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUT0zJzmlS
“I was expecting we would find her already,” Jungkook whined. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHdVUedbrj
“It’s not that easy. This will take us time-” Bryan stated, then stopped for a bit when his solar device was resounding from his hand. He turned it on and jolted. “Woah! She’s-” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEveg3KawOP
“What?! She’s what?!” Sally demanded urgently. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFMl1m1Mnk
“She’s here…” Bryan said faintly and became confused. “But why is she there?” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aYUWFdBpn
“Where?” Jin asked in puzzlement. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBV31codAee
“The Lotte World,” Bryan answered. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7QgzKch4z
“That place? Isn’t it temporarily closed?” Hoseok raised his eyebrows oddly in puzzlement.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhM84ERkb5
“Maybe she just wants to get some air or take a look at the park,” Jin said.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKYCHUnnDd
“What makes you say that?” He queried. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoT8CqL8bv
“Because one of my friends goes there during his free time.” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWUrYmdrpp
“So why don’t we ask them?” Yoongi indicated. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf5S5K8Ag8
“There’s no need for that. We can simply head onto that area,” Jimin noted.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s hurry,” Jungkook urged on, whereas Namjoon secretly observed his friends in the corner of his eyes and raised his phone up as he began to subtly text someone at an obscure level in which Jin noticed. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMwZBP68KM
…
The daylight was rising up against the sea that glistened the waves of the water and radiating every corner of the mountains. The car was speeding up a little while Eunwoo’s hands gripped onto the steering wheel to drive smoothly on the road. Valerie was sitting next to him, whereas the boss stayed in the backseat. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jhCqDMW9W
“Have they all eaten?” He asked. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXH6CYTzsDV
“They did and have made arrangements,” Eunwoo replied. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRXW4BGuSl
“Ah, they’re ahead early, eh? That’s very unexpected and gratifying to hear.”232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGRm1v3uAl
“It’s what you wanted,” he said. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnY4THUOHXN
“Of course,” the boss smirked in an appreciative manner. He turned over to look at the side of Valerie’s head and went on. “Last year was definitely horrendous and knowing that I was not in my own state of mind by putting TXT in a fake scandal and setting the Jeju Island on fire was something that I truly felt rueful and iniquitous.” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadRDk3U5UU
He paused for a bit to wait for her response, but she continued to stare at the front window in silence. He breathed out through his nostrils and folded his hands, saying. “Look, I’m not here to pressure you to talk. However, if there’s anything you've been experiencing or that you may have recalled, I would be happy to listen…” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkSgmXGsCS
“No. What is it that you want me to do?” Valerie asked jadedly.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5pnGqA5wN
“Huh?”232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXq6FrYfha
“You heard me... As I’ve said previously, I don’t remember at all and neither the ones you had mentioned,” she declared firmly.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSyoei386z
“Alright, alright. I was only asking about your well-being and that is ‘if’ you are willing to,” the boss chuckled. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuD2j02sdrX
“I already answered, didn’t I? Another subject matter would be copacetic, thanks,” Valerie pointed out and turned a little sideways to look at him dully. “I should have asked you the same question since you claimed that you were not in your own mindset.” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AQWvXC5s1
Eunwoo, on the other hand, was listening to them as his eyes were fixated cautiously on his driving. Though, he did not want to meddle into their conversation. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSz9ElFcgMT
The boss scoffed in satisfaction and smiled faintly. “Just as I thought. You have stepped into a new level. Don’t worry, your lover boy has given me strict orders. We are almost here.” 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbmyl1PpgK
The three of them made their way to the entrance gate of the private building as Eunwoo parked the car on the driveway. Within an instant, they all got out of the vehicle and saw the rest of the group members, who were talking amongst each other. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGOBHiqDiT
Valerie observed them and started to become a little hesitant to approach them. 232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPDSiQw6z1
"Come on now. Don't tell me you're giving up," The boss said in exasperation.
"I never said I was, nor did I come to agree to your terms just yet..." She retorted back and continued to walk away from him. Her demeanor became very irreconcilable as her eyes were set upon the road.
"No matter how many times they try to kill me, they will never defeat the unbreakable ones...
The ones with the past full of scars and wounds...
They all think I'm dead,
But I'm still alive...
And this is far from over...232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8kQ0NGZjf
