Atlantis, under the sea
Under the sea...
Where are you now?
Another dream...
The monsters running wild
Inside of me...
I'm faded!

-Faded-

Tapping her foot against the furnished marble, she was sitting on the chair Infront of a heavy wooden desk with the name tag 'Officer Jeon Jungkook'.

They brought her here for more investigation and interrogations. Because currently she had encountered with criminal itself, just the thought of it gives her goosebumps. She knew it, her guts knew something was wrong with the man. Yet she had blabbered her whole current life to him just like that.

Does she regret it? Absolutely yes.

She knew from his eyes, they were cruel. As if looks could kill, she would be long a dead meat by now. She wonders why she is alive by now. Was she lucky for once in her life? Pffft no. She doesn't know anything for now except for the fact that she is scared, but this time for real.

The door opened revealing the handsome buff young man, Jeon Jungkook. Wanna know something? She already hates him too. The way he treated her like a stray dog as if his motive was just that criminal. His questions and obsession over catching that criminal made her guess his sexuality! Stop!

He sat down looking straight into her eyes with hardness as if she was the criminal herself, she wasn't afraid. She wasn't even intimidated; she was disgusted tho. She stares back at him, shamelessly slumped into the chair. Already bored but inside terrified. She won't show any sign of weakness.

"You are utterly calm for a situation like this..." She looks disinterested as she speaks. "And you look utterly incompetent for sitting on this chair." He clenches his jaw at her insult but gulped it down. He should be calm if he wants detailed explanations.

"Ok back to the case." He said dismissing the hard tension between them and opening his recorders and taking a pen and the register to note down her encounter with the criminal.

"Miss Eliana! Let's not waste our time, mine is precious to me and I assume yours would be too. So, first question, what name did he tell you?" He looks at her expectantly. She was sitting in the previous situation quietly staring. Her self-respect was more important. She was never treated well but she was adamant to get his ego down too.

"Don't you think officer, you have an apology to do?" She asked smiling mockingly, he looks at her in disbelief. "And why would you assume such an unnecessary thing?" She leans forward and spoke. "You directly assaulted me, officer! Weren't you so hyper on asking question that you forgot other laws of humanity?"

"And do you have a good proof against me on this accusation." He retorts. Her smile faltered and her face cold looking at his smile widening. "Brave of you to think I don't!" She said before pulling down her sleeve to show her bruised wrist that had some nail marks too. Jungkook poke his inner cheek and huff.

"You are a clever one!" He said even if he didn't want to. She almost smiled but hold her grip and she wanted to be cool for once and get back her respect. "What do you want in return, it's not like I would be forever locked up in jail because of a small mistake like that but let's be professional, I have an important case to solve. And right now, I don't need anyone being a headache for me!"

She scoffs at his such attitude; it made her feel like she was at fault. "Apologize sincerely for what you did, and then only I'll begin to explain!"  She sits back folding her hands.

He looks down and shake his head at her in amusement, she is besting his anger, but it made a small sincere smile tug at his lips. Nobody ever questioned his actions and this small two-inch girl asking him to apologize because she knows she holds something that is important to him.

"You are lucky that you matter for my case!" She gulps at the way he said that half friendly half threatening. She remains silent staring at him. Jungkook sigh before standing up and bowing his head deep in apology and regain his posture, "I apologize for mistakenly being harsh with you and disrespecting you, kiddo!"

He sat back down. "I apologized not because you told me to, but because I respect women, my mom raised me well!" He said a bit arrogantly. She thought it was sweet but also, he was an arrogant bitch.

She leans towards the desk keeping her arms folded on the desk as she said taking interest. "Well, I'm ready to proceed, Officer Jeon!" Jungkook nod while he prepares and get serious.

"Again, my first question is, what did he told you, his name?" She replied firmly. "Kim Taehyung!" Jungkook brow furrowed as he had something in mind, but he didn't express his thoughts and moved on to next question after writing her statement down.

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Jungkook slam his palm to the desk for the third time in this whole interrogation, she was pissing him off. "Exactly how dumb are you, tell me right now so I don't get surprised further..." she slumps in the chair guiltily and surprised because this is the first time aside Ria who is scolding her for her behavior and mistakes.

She felt good and warm but also guilty, she made this officer go through three mental breakdowns in just two hours. "Eliana, who tells a stranger their address and personal information in one meeting..." she looks up to defend herself. "No, I just told him I live at the edge of the XXX street." Jungkook glare at her which made her shut up.

He throws himself on his chair and clutch his hair in frustration and whisper to himself. "Now I have a new problem!" The thing was Eliana accidentally had spilled her workshop address like saying; Do you know that XXX restaurant, I work their part time, they pay me enough to rely on while Taehyung had just asked her about if she works.

She told the criminal everything about her current life. Scared was a small thing to say. She was more terrified and horrified, her only hope was Jungkook. She was suddenly giving him puppy eyes to which he rolls his eyes and said that he won't be going to do anything for her.

"You are the dumbest girl I have ever met, fool of me that I thought you were cool at first. Bullshit!" She looks up. "Where will I live?" He gave her a good sarcastic smile. "The same small rent house that was the last house in XXX street." She slowly whispers. "Sorry!"

He sighs. He took pity on her scared figure and spoke. "Shut up, I'll do something!" Relief, that she felt, she can kiss Jungkook's arrogant ass if she has to if he is being generous and helping her out. Aside from Ria, he is the first helping her out in a serious matter.

Jungkook escort her out after having a full three-hour interrogation and detailed explanation. "Your friend was dying to meet you; she looks more like a lover of yours." He scoffs and she chuckle while going towards the reception.

She was crushed into a body taller than hers. Ria. Eliana doesn't understand, every time she comes home late or something serious happens, she checks her body and scan her as if she got hurt or not. As Ria spots the wrist bruise on her right hand. She gasps.

"Who did this? This bitch!!!" She was even ready to throw hands at Jungkook while, Eliana dragged her by the waist and said slowly. "No, Ria you are making it hard for me. I'm fine, it's alright. I'm alive and that's all I need." Ria turns to her ready to be a mother again.

But as ria saw her sad face. She pulls Eliana into a tight comforting hug and soothe her back. "I'm sorry Eliana! I'm sorry for overreacting but it's just I can't see you hurt." Ria gulp while she said that. Eliana tried not to break down, but she looks up and spoke. "Do you have another place to live at?" She asked and ria was confused.

Eliana was guilty of putting her best friend in danger too. "The criminal knows about our address." Ria falls silent. Before she knows her, best friend wraps her in her comforting arms and spoke. "It's ok, don't feel bad. I'm happy you are safe and sound, don't get hurt ever."

After so much fighting and quarrels, Ria finally went home to a new place which was safer for her while Jungkook drove Eliana to a police center where they give off shelters to people.

Jungkook glance at her looking outside the window. She looked so miserable not because of what happened with her today. Jungkook was interested in people minds. He always liked people with stories. And he was curious to know hers. He always meddled in others and tried to solve them. In other words, he like psychology.

He liked mind games. In his every case, he had been succeeded because he was ten steps ahead of the criminals. But this case, it amuses him. He is holding onto this case because he wants to know how much that criminal can go off to, and how much he himself can solve?

"You like silence?" Jungkook ask suddenly, she doesn't flinch, but she replies back. "When people around us doesn't care what you have to say, we always fall silent and talk to ourselves, because our mind holds fantasies to escape realities." Jungkook falls silent. Did she just open a new theory or what?

"I can listen!" She chuckles lowly. "I hate pity!" She replied.

"Who said I'm pitying you? Maybe I love to listen? I'm selfish!" He grins at her before fixing his gaze at the road. She smiles and her heart eased for some reason, it almost felt a soft hug. "Thank you, Officer Jeon. I'll think about it!"

Jungkook dropped her at the center after admitting her. He put his own number in her phone and gave a call. He also attached her location to his own in case anything happens so he can track her down

She settles on the single mattress that was on the ground and the fluffy blanket looking warm. Better than her own house where she had to look up at the cracked ceiling all night. She flips her bag on the ground and changed into the pajamas the center provided and laid down on the mattress.

She laid down and pull the sheets over herself while the tears she'd been holding pool down the side of her eyes and into the pillow. She doesn't complain anymore to anyone. She doesn't want to call mom... dad... nor her brother...

She hopes God hears her heavy heart. She remembers learning that God always listens to even what happens in your heart and mind. Explains that when people pray deeply, they don't speak, they don't need to, because they know, God hears everything.

Suddenly a message popped on her phone. She slides to the left and reach for her phone and opened the message and saw.

Unknown

Good night!

She was scared because only one thing popped on her mind. Was he? No no no. Don't think so scary things.

Eliana

Who are you?

Unknown

Oh, it's me officer Jungkook!

She sigh in relief. Not always does bad things happen. Does it. She replies back short.

Eliana

Night too.

She kept her phone back down as she clutches the blanket close and bury her face in the pillow to sleep. Soon a small smile crept up her face. Jungkook texted her. He cared. She felt safe. She had strange hope and belief that he would protect her.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

The next day.

She was already on work. She was helping the small girl's bath and dress up. Yes, for people above eighteen would work here. Because that's the rule here. The school is closed for a week to stabilize issues, and the police were still investigating everything for any blood trace or CCTV images. They did see them inside the university in whole black cloak, but face hidden mostly getting in the girl's washroom.

They also saw the girl Eliana gets inside. Jungkook mentally face palmed himself the way she ran inside and the attempts she was putting to close the big heavy door. He almost laughed at that. She didn't know she was locking herself with the criminal.

The university outdoor cameras were not working because of their poor services. So therefore, they didn't catch him in any CCTV at how he entered or exited from. From the look of it. He didn't exit through the washroom doors after she had gone. Maybe there was a window. He was right. That bastard went from the window after breaking it.

Eliana sat down on the moist grass of the small garden that was Infront of the center. She got lost in thoughts as her fingers ruffled in the grass wetting it.

Unaware of her surrounding, a man in normal clothes but a hat and scarf around covering his face was looking straight at her from a distance.

She swings her head to sides looking around casually when her eyes catch the figure. It was so sudden. She saw him and it was the same figure from yesterday in the corridors of the university. She felt a cold chill run down her spine as she saw the figure disappear behind the wall.

Running inside the center, she dialed the only number who had to know about this. "Beep... beep... hello? Eliana are you alright?" Said the panicked voice of Jungkook. She was breathing hard as she said. "There is something you might want to know!"

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Standing beside Jungkook's lean and big figure on the rooftop hands on railing, she felt small but safe. He let her talk calmly when she can. He was patient this time, like in no hurry. She starts. "There is a hideous figure following me!" Jungkook wasn't surprised and nod for her to continue.

"At the university, when I was running out, I was cornered by this man. He was tall, like very tall. Maybe a little taller than you are. But I can tell he wasn't Taehyung." He nods taking in her every word. "So why didn't you tell me this information yesterday."

Her lips part in shock. "Yes, how can I forget this. It just slipped out of my mind." He nods but he needed more information. "He was dressed normally. I mean he didn't look creepy, but his face was well covered in a scarf today and yesterday a mask. As if he doesn't want to reveal his face?"

Jungkook nod and spoke. "I'll check the CCTV around here, and for your safety right now. I'm busy so I can't stick around all the time, but I'll tighten up the security here too."  He smiles expecting for her to calm down. How can she calm down knowing a man was stalking her? Maybe even with bad intentions because she doesn't know how stalking is a good thing. Like it's creepy in every way.

He left after some comforting words and as usual after the dinner, she went back to sleep hoping the next day would be a bit better, she smiles shyly as she got a message from Jungkook saying good night.

She turned around and put the covers on herself while counting her heartbeats so that she can fall asleep faster.

────────────to be continued.

Their eyes don't leave...
Even if I close my eyes shut tight,
Or bury myself underground.
It burns holes in my body.
As if someone is watching,
Watching me hide.
Someone is counting my time,
My time that is left in freedom.
Waiting for me to step out.
So, they can devour me...

-Moonfication-

(Poem by me)

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