Aera's P.O.V

"Get out of my way."

I stood in front of Yugyeom, completely frozen. I was useless, I knew that. But there was no way I wouldn't at least try to protect my friend.

"Yugyeom," I said. "L-leave."

"What? What's going on?" He asked.

I felt bad at the utter confusion and rising frustration in his voice. But he needed to get away from Jungkook.

"You'll regret this," Jungkook warned me.

"S-stay away," I told him.

If it was just me, I would barely care about his presence at this point. But now his target was Yugyeom. And somehow that made me more fearful than ever. He was after someone close to me, and it wasn't just to hurt me mentally. Jungkook actually wanted to get rid of Yugyeom for his own reasons; the desperation in his eyes gave it away. But why?

"I can't deal with you anymore!" Jungkook suddenly snapped at me.

I jumped and moved even farther back, pushing Yugyeom with me in the process.

"You're always in the way," Jungkook continued. "I should've just killed you when I had the chance!"

"Jungkook, what are you talking about?!" Yugyeom cried.

Yugyeom's loud voice seemed to make him snap. All of the sudden, Jungkook grabbed my shoulders, slowly gripping them harder with each word he spoke.

"You think you were just lucky? You think I wasn't strong enough? Well, Aera, you're wrong," Jungkook said, a slightly crazed look in his eyes. "I let you live! I was testing Jimin! I could have snapped your neck within a moment, but I spared you for whatever foolish reason! And now it's coming back to haunt me! If I had just killed you then, everything would be exactly how it should!"

I stared at Jungkook with wide eyes as his words sunk in. He spared me? He wasn't actually trying to kill me?

"I was going to let you leave alive, but now I have no choice but to kill you too," he finished softly.

In a swift move, he shoved me to the side. I stumbled and fell, watching in horror as he approached Yugyeom, who backed away in a daze.

"Yugyeom, get away from him!" I cried.

Yugyeom looked at me in fear and surprise. Heart pounding, a rush of energy surged through me, and I jumped up and raced towards Jungkook. I crashed into him, pushing us away from Yugyeom. We landed in a heap off to the side. And suddenly everything was very still. Yugyeom stood in shock and terror, watching us in silence. Jungkook and I laid sprawled on the floor, and all I could hear was his heavy breathing. No one said anything. No one even moved. I wondered if I'd stunned Jungkook into silence. Gulping, I slowly lifted my head to inspect the damage.

Jungkook just laid there in a daze, staring up at the ceiling. He looked strangely sad. I watched him closely for a second, before beginning to stand. In an instant, Jungkook snapped again and suddenly he was sitting up beside me, grabbing my neck. I gasped and let out a strangled cry of surprise. Pain shot through my back as he began to stand, hand still gripping my neck. I stumbled up with him.

"Jungkook! What are you doing?!" Yugyeom cried out.

All the noise came rushing back as Jungkook had me pinned against the wall. Better me than Yugyeom. I thought suddenly.

"You're getting in my way," Jungkook said softly.

That's when I realized he didn't want to do this.

And that made it so much worse. I hadn't even realized my cheeks were wet up until then, and my breathing sounded strange. Being strangled shouldn't have been a familiar feeling. But it was.

"J-Jungkook..." I choked out, despite knowing my voice was the last thing he wanted to hear. "Y-you don't have to."

His eyes widened when he finally understood how much emotion he was giving away. Immediately his expression hardened and his hand tightened. But he couldn't remove the look in his eyes.

"Jungkook, stop!" Yugyeom was suddenly grabbing Jungkook.

His hand was ripped away from my neck, and I gasped in relief, gingerly touching it. Yugyeom shoved Jungkook against the wall, holding his collar.

"What are you doing?! Why are you hurting her?!" He yelled. "I-I'll call the police!"

"Only humans go to prison," I whispered the words Jungkook had said to me so long ago.

Silence followed my soft statement. Still clutching my surely bruised neck, I fearfully studied Yugyeom and Jungkook. Yugyeom still had him against the wall, breathing heavily, but Jungkook just stared back at him. For some reason he looked almost pained.

"Th--this is all your fault," Jungkook whispered, staring into Yugyeom'a eyes. "It's all your fault."

"W-what? How?"

"You should've just stayed away. But instead you became an unwanted distraction," Jungkook snapped.

"Jungkook..."

I could see Yugyeom's grip relax.

"I...I thought we were friends," he whispered.

Jungkook's eyes widened.

"Friends? D-don't be so naive, Yugyeom," Jungkook said bitterly. "I only used you to get close to Aera."

Yugyeom dropped his arms in defeat, backing away from Jungkook slightly. Jungkook smirked and crossed his arms, his eyes flickering to each of us. Maybe contemplating who to kill first. But Yugyeom wasn't finished talking yet.

"You're lying," he whispered.

I watched as Jungkook's smirk faltered. As his dark eyes settled on Yugyeom in slight shock.

"N-no, I'm not," he replied quickly.

Yugyeom looked up again.

"Even if it was only for a moment, I know you were my real friend. I've seen so many fake smiles in my life, Jungkook. I know yours was real," he said.

I watched Yugyeom with an ache. How could Jungkook manipulate him of all people? Why did it have to be the most genuine person in my life? How could he trick Yugyeom into believing they were friends, only to break his heart? I looked to Jungkook for his reaction. He just stood there, his face completely blank. He was stunned.

"You...you..." Jungkook whispered.

Suddenly, the front door flew open. To my great shock, Jimin and Namjoon rushed inside with pale faces, stumbling onto the scene breathlessly.  Jungkook and Yugyeom both jumped and turned to look at them in surprise. Jimin took one look at Jungkook and grabbed his neck. Yugyeom and I shouted in disbelief.

"Wait!" Yugyeom cried as Jimin shoved Jungkook against the wall once again.

He ran over and grabbed Jimin's wrist just as he was about to strike Jungkook. Jimin yanked his arm away and snapped his head towards Yugyeom in surprise.

"Who are you?" They both asked in unison.

Jungkook shoved Jimin away as he was distracted. In an instant, he was at my side. Before I knew what was happening, I was suddenly thrown into the same situation as that night. Jungkook had my neck and Jimin was watching in shock. Except this time Namjoon and Yugyeom were here. Everyone just stopped for a moment, breathing heavily, taking in all that had just happened.

"Jungkook, let her go." Jimin was the first to speak.

Jungkook was silent, breathing slowly behind me. I stayed absolutely still, trying not to catch Namjoon's terrified eyes. Yugyeom turned to look at us.

"Jungkook!" He exclaimed. "I don't know what's going on, but please just stop all this!"

"Everyone except for Yugyeom leave right now," Jungkook said in a low voice.

Jimin glanced back at Namjoon and shook his head.

"I will give you one chance," Jungkook said.

When Jimin and Namjoon still didn't leave, his grip around my neck suddenly tightened.

"I will kill her," he warned as my breathing grew quick.

I subconsciously grabbed at his hands, trying to pull them away.

"Aera! No!" Namjoon cried. "Jimin!"

Jimin watched me in horror; I gave him a pleading glance.

"F-fine! But I'm returning in five minutes!" Jimin said to Jungkook. "And if she's dead, I swear you'll wish you'd never even looked at her."

Jungkook was silent, and the two who'd seemingly come to save the day carefully backed out the door they'd come in. As soon as it shut behind them, Jungkook shoved me away. I gasped in relief and Yugyeom ran over to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a panic.

I nodded, gasping for air. Every cough I let out seemed to crack my injured neck.

"I knew it," Jungkook whispered.

Yugyeom and I both turned to him.

"It's her, isn't it?" He said to Yugyeom.

I turned to Yugyeom with a confused frown. He just stared at Jungkook. Then, slowly but surely, nodded to him.

"Of course. Who else would it be?" Jungkook let out a bitter laugh.

But his echoing laughter started to turn into a strange, strangled sort of sound, and suddenly Jungkook was sinking to the ground. It was when he was huddled, rocking slowly, his hands covering his face, that I realized he was sobbing. It was such a mournful, pitiful sound. Like he wasn't made out of death and evil. Like he was just an ordinary teenager. Yugyeom and I watched in shock and unsureness. Even though all I'd ever felt was hate for Jungkook, now I just felt pained for him. After what seemed like and eternity, Jungkook's muffled tears grew silent, and he shakily got back to his feet.

Then, Jungkook walked over to the large window in Yugyeom's kitchen, still visible from where we sat in the front room. We were frozen as he slid the window open, the night air tousling through his dark hair. Then he turned around and locked eyes with Yugyeom.

"It was real," he said softly. Shakily.

And with that, the single boy who'd brought so much pain and terror and torture and suffering and heartbreak to my world, crawled out that kitchen window. He disappeared into the thick blackness. And I never saw him again.

••••••