ten.

LUNA

The whole car ride was, how should I describe it, energy-draining. Felix kept on striking conversations. On the other hand, I keep responding to him but with just a few words, and Ren kept on glaring at me throughout the whole ride. Shooting a thousand daggers at me. He's keeping his eye on me.

I didn't do anything other than just sit inside the car, wait for us to arrive at our destination, listen to Felix's never-ending chit-chat, and ignore Ren's death glare. It was tiring, draining to be exact.

The car came to a halt. Knowing that we have finally arrived at our destination, which felt like I'd been in that car for hours, I couldn't help myself but release a sigh of relief not hiding from anyone how that car ride exhausted me so much. I can even sigh overdramatically in front of Felix, letting him know that his endless talk drained all of my energy.

Felix opened the car door for me, being all gentleman-like. I mentally rolled my eyes. He had his hand out, waiting for me to accept it and go out of the car but I ignored his hand and left it hanging like that.

I continued to waltz my way inside the building where this 'party' was at. I could feel Felix's gaze on my back. He was left dumbfounded when I completely ignored his hand that was waiting for me to take it.

Ren caught up to me in a flash so that I won't even have the time to think of escaping. I growled in annoyance. I wasn't thinking of escaping really. But having Ren around like a magnet that won't fuck off is annoying.

I stopped at the entrance of the party. A guard was guarding it, asking for a piece of paper that grants you access to enter the party, an invitation. I don't have that so I waited for Felix.

"You're fast, and your like what? 4'11?" Felix snorted. I scoffed at him. Why do others always assume my height? I hate it. I had no energy to argue with him so I just shut my mouth tight. I watched as Felix handed a black envelope to the guard.

Wait, that looks oddly... familiar?

I didn't have much time to get a good look at the envelope when Ren rudely pushed me inside. It wasn't necessary to push me but he did it anyway.

As soon as I went in, the cold air from the air conditioner greets my skin making me shiver. The clothes I was wearing weren't of much help to me. I covered myself with my hands, hopefully, it will warm me a little bit. I made my way deeper inside the dim room.

There were a lot of people. The party wasn't starting yet. "Sit down," Felix told me as he sat down on a grey leathered couch and he pats the space beside him, indicating for me to sit down there.

When I was about to sit down, the lights opened and my attention went to a stage.

My eyes trembled as my heart started to beat faster than normal. The nostalgic and familiar sight made my stomach churn. A sight I would trade my whole life for to forget.

This party wasn't just an ordinary party where you dance, drink, and socialize.

We're at an auction. That's why that black invitation was familiar to me, it had the same logo as the auction in North Korea from where I was brutally tortured.

I snapped back into reality when I felt Felix's hand wrapping itself around my hands which were now stiff as soon as I caught sight of the auction stage. He called my name which made me look at him.

"I... I'm going to go get a drink" my voice shaking despite my efforts to keep it still.

I was about to leave but Felix didn't let go of my hand, "You're not thinking of escaping, are you?" his eyes squinting as he looked at me.

"I'm not. I'm thirsty that's why I want to go have a drink" I respond, speaking slowly to keep my voice still. He stared at me in suspicion for a couple of seconds before finally freeing my hand.

"Remember, Ren's keeping his eyes on you. Even with how fast you are, you won't be able to escape Ren and me" he warned. When he finished what he wanted to say I practically ran to where the beverages are.

The auctioneer begins his speech. The familiar words of the auctioneer triggered the trauma I tried so hard to hide. I wasn't aware at first that my past gave me traumas, I thought I was invincible, that traumas couldn't affect me but I was proven to be wrong when I came across a store that sells that hammer used in closing the bidding in the auction.

My trauma was very severe that even little things that reminded me of the auction immediately triggers my trauma and I'll start having panic attacks. Kai taught me how to stop my panic attacks but it didn't stop my trauma.

I didn't attend any auction after I found out that it triggers my trauma. well, until now that is.

My hands were shaking as I grabbed the wine glass that was already filled with red wine. I slowly started to balance my breathing, inhaling and exhaling continuously.

"Sold!" the loud bang of the gravel made me jolt, dropping the wine glass I was holding. It made a loud sound which caught the attention of the people near me. I stared at the red wine on the ground.

"Monster."

"Ma'am, are you okay? I'll clean this up-" the waiter's voice snapped me back into or reality, my whole body froze when I realized the voice was very familiar to me. I looked up to see the waiter's face, "Kiera?"

"Jooyeon..." My voice is low and almost sounds weak. My breathing was still a mess and I tried to hide it, making sure that Jooyeon doesn't notice my complexion.

"Where were you? When Union fell it almost seemed like you disappeared into thin air!" He exclaimed. I couldn't tell if he was happy to see me or just in disbelief that I'm still alive, "I thought you died while doing that 'Kill The Mad Dog' mission, thank heavens you didn't because you still have to pay for my earpiece" His eyebrows furrowed as he pointed his finger at me.

As much as I want to smack him, I couldn't. Having a panic attack and doing your best to hide it really needs a lot of focus and energy. I feel like my legs would give up at me any moment now.

Staying in this building also isn't helping my efforts in stopping my panic attack, the noise from the auction just keeps on getting louder and ringing in my ear.

I stumbled. My hands immediately grab support on the table of beverages, avoiding myself from falling. Jooyeons hands reached out to me in shock, "Kiera? Are you okay? You don't look too good" Worry written all over Jooyeon's face made me let out a small chuckle.

"I'm... alright" I couldn't control it anymore. No matter how used I am at building a hard shell to cover up my real emotions it will never be enough to cover my past, my trauma, my vulnerability.

Jooyeon was about to place his hands on my shoulder to support me but a hand slapped his hands away from laying even a single finger on me.

Jooyeon looked at the person who arrived out of nowhere. He immediately knew who it was and was left in shock.

Lee Felix

"Hello," he says while smiling. A smile that sends shivers down your spine. "Do you know him, Kiera?" he asks, glancing over at me. I looked at Jooyeon and he was very shocked and confused at the same time when he saw Felix.

I don't want Jooyeon to get tangled up in the mess I created myself.

The thought made me release a chuckle which I hid. It seems like I had already grown attached to Jooyeon, a feeling that I tried my hardest to avoid, especially with Kai but my efforts were in vain. Maybe it's really in my nature to get attached to people so easily, too easily.

"No, he's just a waiter doing his job. It was my fault... I was... clumsy." I tried my hardest to speak clearly, hoping Felix didn't notice that I was currently having a panic attack that might lead me to my grave.

"Hm, alright." He turned to look at Jooyeon, a smile appearing on his face "I apologize, I'll send the payment for the damage my partner has caused to the host of this party." He says, his hand holding mine as he intertwined together with mine. I was too busy with my panic attack to react to his actions.

He started to walk as I just also followed. We were walking side by side with our hands intertwined, "Where...?" I'm out of breath. Great, now it's really obvious that I'm struggling to breathe.

"We're leaving." He says, not batting an eye to me, his attention focused on the front. My eyebrows furrowed. It hasn't even been an hour since we're here yet we're already leaving? What about the reason why he came here - if he even had a reason.

He suddenly came to a halt. My tired eyes managed to look at where he was looking, I became stiff when I saw someone I wasn't expecting to see.

Kai.

He was standing in front of us, looking directly at Felix. "What a coincidence" Kai smiled at him.

"Diego," Felix also smiled at him. "We meet again." He says but there's a hint in his voice that he was expecting this as if he planned their meeting from the start.

Diego? Is that Kai's undercover name something? I was barely standing, Felix's hand on mine was really helping me to continue standing despite having a panic attack. My lips were dry, and I was still shaking, out of breath, and dizzy but I needed to endure it a little longer.

I can't even ask for Kai's help because it would totally expose my relationship with him, maybe it can even expose Elite, the organization Kai worked so hard to maintain and hide from the world. I'm not going to let it happen.

"Your partner doesn't look too well," Kai says, his attention never leaving me, not even hiding it from Felix.

Ah fuck, he isn't helping right now. I know he's probably - no, very angry at me for a lot of things and I can't blame him since it was my fault from the very beginning but he should at least try to not pay any attention to me when speaking with the enemy.

"Does she?" Felix says, never looking at me but just continuing to look at kai, observing him with an unwavering smile. Kai, on the other hand, already stopped smiling as soon as he looked at me. He obviously knows I'm having a panic attack.

I continued to avoid his gaze, my eyes locking on their shoes, jumping from one shoe to another just to avoid Kai's gaze.

"You should let her rest." When he looked at Felix, he brought his smile back up again. Felix laughed as silence erupted between the two.

"I wonder. Why are you so interested in my woman, Diego?" His smile grew bigger after he said that. Kai's jaw clenched. "my woman?" it was a mumble but I understood it clearly, I just hope Felix didn't notice it.

"Well, she is the partner of one of my future business partners so how could I not be interested?" Kai says, still smiling but it would twitch each time he says the word "partner".

"Pardon what I had just said. I just get very jealous when another man takes interest in my woman." Felix says. My eyes widened when he suddenly brought our intertwined hands in front of his lips and kissed the back of my hand.

My jaw slightly opened as I stared at him with wide eyes. My panic attack only seemed to have worsened now. I couldn't even let out a word because I was feeling very weak and out of breath.

"Now, if you'll excuse us we need to go home. See you, Diego." those were Felix's last words to Kai before pulling me with him, leaving the building. I didn't even notice that Ren was following us from behind all along due to how weak I was.

Felix opened the car door and I went inside, scooting over at the end, making some space for Felix. He sat down beside me followed by Ren. "Turn off the AC and roll down the windows." he commanded and the driver obliged.

I closed my eyes as I breathe in and out as slowly, deeply, and gently as I could, through my mouth.

"Let's go" Felix says, still not looking at me. The driver started to drive.

Unlike the ride earlier, it was quiet and very awkward. I'm just glad it's over. I didn't even get to ask Jooyeon why he's working as a waiter now, he looked really stupid in those clothes and it didn't even suit him.

The car came to a halt and the three of us went out. Ren guided me inside the house, his guard still up intact, not letting it down even just for a second. Felix didn't say anything and went straight to the room where his office is.

My eyebrows furrowed, why was he acting like that?

I couldn't care less so I just decided to go to my prison room - with Ren following me behind of course. When I went inside he slammed the door and locked it from outside, securing that I couldn't escape.

A nightgown was already laid in the bed as soon as I got there. The workers here are really fast with their work, they're beyond professional and I'm beyond impressed.

I changed into it, though uncomfortable with the dress, I wasn't left with a choice. I plopped myself into my bed, letting it devour me. It's an exhausting day, there's a lot of things to think. I just can't seem to reach to a solution, answering my question, on how Felix and Kai know eachother.

I'm too tired to think...

Before I knew it, I had already fell asleep.

-

My eyebrows furrowed when I felt a sting on my ankle. I immediately kicked my feet when I felt someone was in the room other than me.

"AGH! HEY!" I sprung up from laying down and saw Felix now on the ground, hands on his nose from where I kicked him.

"What the fuck were you doing?" I glared at him. He sat up on the ground and glared back at me as he hissed.

"I'm saving your life" he says, scrunching his nose due to my kick as he focused on my ankle. I was about to stand up but he gripped my leg, "Stop moving" he sternly said.

That's when I noticed that he had an ointment and a cotton bud in his hands. There was a cut on my ankle, it wasn't small nor was it big or deep but it was bleeding. I probably got it from earlier when the wine glass shattered into pieces.

He gently applied ointment on it and started to blow on it.

I'm his prisoner but he's treating me from a mere cut. Seriously, what is his deal?

"Why are you blowing on it?" I asked. It took him a couple of seconds to respond because he was so focused on my wound.

"Someone did this to me when I was young and he said it'll lessen the pain you'll feel" He smiled while nursing my wound, "Does it lessen the pain?" He looked up at me, his eyes meeting mine, his iris coming into full display as he stared back at me full with curiosity in his eyes.

"I don't feel anything." My stoic response made him laugh. He looked back at my wound again and smiled to himself but I could see that his smile wasn't filled with happiness or amusement but sadness.

"Yeah, he lied." He mumbled.

I only watched him as he continued to do his wound nursing. He reached for a gauze bandage and draped it around my ankle with utmost care. His eyes never leaving the gauze. It was just a mediocre wound but he still used a gauze on it.

When he's finally done he stood up, satisfied with his work on my ankle. "Oh, I almost forgot" he says and got something out of his pockets.

It was the picture. He handed it to me with a smile "What is that picture anyway? it's old and you can't even distinguish the person's face in the picture." He starts to ask.

"It's just something someone left behind for me" I simply said, not getting into a lot of detail in explaining what the picture is.

There's no reason for me to tell him the truth nor to open up to him. He's my enemy and I'm being held captive by him. I'm going to escape someday and we'll part ways, forever.

(A/N)
It feels like it's been decades since I've updated this book LMAO. There's really not much going on? This book will probably (?) become a flop👯