Jungkook rose from his seat after finishing his food and grabbed his outfit and headed to the door, putting his foot one by one into his boots. The gemstone on his ring hadn't yet glowed. He had a couple hours left for the training session.

"Where are you heading off to this early?" his grandfather spoke behind him.

"To the Cultivation Sector."

"I still have enough supply of Grimroot," the old man stated. The sound of chair screeching against the floor traveled to his ears. The old man had gotten up from his seat. "It is still early. Let's spar for a few rounds."

Sparring with his grandfather would help him a whole lot in preparing himself for any attack that would certainly come for him in just a matter of time. Yet, only on the seventh day of the week that the certain herb that he needed would be available.

"Maybe another time, Grandpa," he said.

The elder let silence hang in the air. Only his footsteps could be heard as he approached Jungkook. "You are slacking off," he finally said when he stood just right behind Jungkook.

"I am not," Jungkook replied curtly. His sharp ears caught the faintest sound of his grandfather inhaling air, about to say something in return to him, but Jungkook made sure he took the chance. "I will not be getting Grimroot for you. I need all the herbs you used to treat my wounds last time."

"You are healed."

Jungkook's jaw hardened. He didn't want to reveal his suspicion, the intuition he had of what was about to happen to him soon. But this was his grandfather. The person who had raised him since he was little. The person who had tried to provide him everything he needed. The person who had been there for him through thick and thin. The only family member he had left. He deserved to know.

"Kim Hanbin," he said with a struggle, feeling all the areas of where he had been injured before pricked with thorns though they were previously healed. "He will be back, Grandpa. Soon."

The tension between him and the older man grew thicker. As he drew his breath in, it was with an involuntary quiver. Jungkook turned his head slightly and said over his shoulder.

"If I survive his attacks this time," he let out a dry chuckle, the smile didn't reach his eyes, "I apologize in advance, Grandpa. Seems that you will have to take care of me again."

His grandfather's voice was a mix of anger and warning. A hint of gloom was also present. "Jungkook."

"I will get as many herbs as I can today." He began to step away from the house. "It will save you a lot of your time."

*

A faint voice from afar caught Jimin's ears as he walked through the woods in the lush forest. His eyes narrowed, steps slowed, careful not to make obvious sound that would attract the owner of the voice.

"Leaves that live..."

Jimin's eyes widened in alarm, heartbeat picked up. Someone was trying to enter Taehyung's haven using the spell the latter invented to open the gate made of large trees. Without thinking much of a plan, Jimin dashed, desperate to get out of the obstacles around him to stop the intruder but halted as soon as he saw who it was.

Jungkook was groaning, pulling his red hair as he chanted the spell wrongly, repeated while stammering. The Newcomer cursed, and suddenly he stopped moving, frozen in his spot. Without turning, bright flames formed in his tightly clenched fist and speedily, he sent the fireball toward where Jimin was.

Jimin's fingers quickly spread, his palm facing down toward where a puddle of mud was and very easily and swiftly, water was extracted from the dirt, forming a ball of water floating under his palm and he threw it at the fireball coming his way.

Jungkook abruptly turned his head around and Jimin shot him a glare as he slowly stepped forward, freeing himself out of the thick darkness of the woods.

"I am convinced that you do not wish to be an official Defender by now," Jimin said, slight fury lacing his tone. "What do you think you are doing? Must I remind you that a Newcomer like you are prohibited from using your ability so recklessly outside of your own sector? Especially in this sector."

The red-haired man's features hardened, yet Jimin did notice the look of relief washed over him before regret flashed across his face. Jungkook's head hung low for a few moments and Jimin took the time to observe the younger man as he stood just right in front of him. Then, he walked past Jungkook and began to carefully sing the tune of the spell after eyeing the whole area to see if there was any foreign pair of eyes watching them.

When the trees reduced in size, allowing them entrance, Jimin looked at Jungkook one more time. Their eyes met and he made sure to narrow his eyes at the younger man.

"You have not answered me. What are you doing here? Not to mention, you are trying to enter my friend's place using that secret spell. I certainly don't remember Taehyung granting anyone else permission to use that spell except me."

An uncomfortable expression passed over Jungkook's face. He shifted from one foot to another, fingers tightening around his Defender outfit that he was holding with one hand. "I need herbs."

Jimin didn't see the untruth.

"I apologize," Jungkook gave a slight bow of his head, "for using the spell without permission. I have tried to call his name from out here but there was no response and I am running out of time."

Jimin frowned and let a sigh escaped him heavily. "If your grandfather refuses to go to my sector, I can head over to your place and heal him."

Jungkook breathed out calmly. "It is not for him."

Jimin tilted his head. "For you, then?" he asked, and the Newcomer nodded. "Didn't my sister heal you already?" Jungkook looked like he had an ample amount of hesitation sitting within him. "If you have new injuries, you know you can always tell her. She will be really glad to heal you."

"Jimin!" Taehyung's voice came from his house. "Jungkook! Well, well, to what do I owe this visit?"

Jimin finally led the Newcomer in and explained to Taehyung on what the younger man needed. Taehyung asked the Newcomer what herb he needed, and he mentioned several different herbs, each in large quantity. Though Taehyung displayed almost the same expression as Jimin did, confused as to why the younger man needed that much herb, Taehyung had quickly gathered everything and happily gave them all to him and reminded him that he didn't have to pay for anything.

"If I may ask," Taehyung began hesitantly. "Why do you need all of these?"

Jungkook didn't look in any of their eyes when he answered. "For future use."

As soon as Jungkook left and the gate closed again at the graceful swing of Taehyung's arm, Jimin hastily asked the usage of those herbs.

Taehyung's brows furrowed, looking far into the distance. "Those herbs are used to treat very severe wounds." He turned to Jimin with serious eyes. "Do you remember my wounded arm, Jimin?"

His mind easily recalled back to seeing his friend's arm that was lacking in flesh, all bloodied and how visible the bones were. Jimin nodded.

"Whatever wound he is trying to treat, it must be too serious, too severe. Way severe than my wound last time," he paused and took a deep breath, releasing it long. "It is the kind that would cost life."

"Will you be cured with those herbs?" Jimin asked curiously.

"It will take you a longer time to cure yourself with those herbs compared to getting a Healer's healing," Taehyung explained. "In the end," Taehyung briefly chuckled, "a Healer's touch will always be the best when it comes to treating wounds."

A strange feeling of anxiety settled inside of him as his brows furrowed deeply. "Eventually, you will still be cured, then?"

"Yes," his friend nodded. A sense of relief flashed across Jimin's features. But it soon disappeared when he saw Taehyung's apologetic look when he said, "Though, there is no guarantee that you will if it is not your first time getting such wound."

Jimin's head slowly turned to where the gate was and let his ears take in Taehyung's next words.

"Most likely, though, you will not last long."

*

"You are." Chaeyoung said in a breathless whisper, no longer it was a question. It was now a statement, a fact, a confirmation.

Junhoe exhaled sharply through his nose, his nostrils flared with an emotion that Chaeyoung was not sure if it was pure anger over the fact that she had his secret figured out or something else. He raised his hand abruptly, causing Chaeyoung to flinch. Junhoe pointed to her eyes, the calmness was completely gone from his face.

With low and rough voice and teeth gritted, he spoke, "If you dared to tell anybody -"

"Who's there?!" A voice interrupted him from finishing his threat to her.

Both of them looked to where the voice came from. At the end of the alley where both Junhoe and Chaeyoung had first entered, stood a man eyeing at their way. Junhoe gripped her arm and pulled her from the wall she had herself pinned to and dragged her to where the man was. Junhoe only sent her a warning look, using his eyes to tell her to keep her mouth sealed as his grip around her arm loosened when they neared the entrance of the alley.

Chaeyoung winced slightly, her eyes downcast, stumbling slightly when they finally reached the entrance and she almost gasped when Junhoe wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him with force.

"My fiancée and I were just fooling around," Junhoe spoke as Chaeyoung let her eyes fixed to her own feet on the ground, trying to calm herself down when Junhoe's fingers dug into her flesh.

The man before them did not speak nor did he let out any sound, but Chaeyoung could feel the man's eyes on her the whole time.

"Is there a problem?" Junhoe asked, pulling her even closer that she was literally pressed up against his side.

She held back her wince at the pain Junhoe inflicted on her as his hold tightened. She could feel his fingers digging not into her flesh alone, but her bones as well. Carefully, Chaeyoung lifted her head to see what was actually happening. When she did, her eyes widened.

Her lungs were emptied of air when her eyes settled on Jungkook's.

Though Jungkook was already aware of her situation and the identity of her future husband, guilt still exploded within her. Though the other day Jungkook made it seem like he wanted them to end for a reason still unknown to her, but with the way he was eyeing them head to toe, and his face displayed nothing but pain, Chaeyoung couldn't help the strong need of pushing Junhoe away.

Jungkook's gaze averted and Chaeyoung felt her heart throbbing at the way he looked at Junhoe's hand on her waist. He turned away immediately and Chaeyoung's mouth only opened and closed for a few times. Only when Jungkook had already walked away so quickly that she managed to push away Junhoe's strong grip on her waist.

Before she could make a run, Junhoe was quick to catch her arm, pulling her forcefully that she almost bumped into him.

"Let go," she firmly told him. "Let go!"

"Where do you think you are going?" His eyes were full of warning, colder than before as his grip tightened around her arm that she was convinced her bone would crush at any moment.

Chaeyoung looked dead in his eyes. "I will not tell anyone!" she hissed. Disgust filling up her entire being, already feeling like she was a traitor for that statement.

Junhoe's brows knitted, expression unchanging and he seemed to have a lot more to say. Perhaps, a lot more threats he wanted to spit to her. But she took his silence as a chance to release herself from his grip. She made a turn and ran, thanked the divine power when Junhoe did not chase after her.

"Jungkook!" she shouted. She had too many things to tell, too many things to ask. She couldn't give up that one moment of when she could see him. These days, it was too hard to get a single glimpse of his face. "Jungkook wait!"

Jungkook did not run, but he quickened his steps, head dropped low as he made his way out of the area. She kept yelling his name. A few heads turned and Jungkook slowed his steps. His shoulders looked tense as he made a stop a little far from the little crowd, seeming as though he was waiting for her.

"Jungkook," she breathed when she reached him and he made a sharp turn.

"Get back to him," he told her and looked around, worried eyes looked around. "We can't be seen together. Go."

"What are you talking about?" she asked while trying to catch her breath.

"Just... please just listen to me, will you?"

"No." She frowned. "Not until we get to talk about..." she trailed off, not knowing what his reason was for the sudden isolation. "Jungkook, about Junhoe – it is not like what you think. What you saw -"

"What I saw," he paused to lick his lips, looking away from her with the pained expression back on his features, "is not my problem. Anything you are going to do with your fiancé will not be my problem."

"He is not my fiancé," she corrected firmly, though her voice slightly wobbled.

"Soon, he is," he said flatly and turned on his heel.

Chaeyoung called his name again in a desperate tone, wanting him to stop and he did stop, only to tell her to stop calling him. Her frustration grew at how she had no clue of what caused his sudden change of heart.

"Can't we talk?" she pleaded and Jungkook's frown looked sad as he stared into her eyes for a long time before she softly said, "At the pond. Please."

Jungkook broke the eye contact, sighing heavily but relented. He let her lead the way and he followed her from behind. She wished she knew why he wanted to avoid being seen walking together with her. Even each of their movement looked so secretive. As soon as they arrived safely at the pond, the place that they felt most comfortable to be in, Chaeyoung did not waste a second.

"What is happening, Jungkook?" she asked. Her voice was noticeably sorrowful even to her own ears.

He swallowed hard, she noticed. He gave the lightest shake of his head. "Nothing," he muttered.

She chewed on her lip hard. Her eyes began to shake. "Are you... are you really giving up on us?" Her voice broke at the last word.

Jungkook's hardened expression faltered. Slowly, his gaze met hers. "I have told you. I am doing this because I care for you."

"Well, won't you tell me a reason?" She didn't know if she was even ready to hear any reason at all. Part of her regretted that she asked, but another was just highly curious. "I don't believe that you have no reason for doing this, Jungkook."

Silence.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Chaeyoung's eyes began to form tears. She believed that the little conversations they had that slowly evolved through time were what made their feelings for one another even stronger. His refusal to talk about it only made whatever that they had built become weak. "Why do you keep pushing me away?"

"Chaeyoung," he breathed, sounding dejected. "Please. You have to understand-"

"If you do care about me, you wouldn't push me away."

"This is the only option I have." His own frustration was visible on his face.

"How could you do this to me?"

"I want you safe!" His jaw tightened and he was breathing heavily. "I can't risk your safety. You can't be around me, Chaeyoung. You will not be safe around me."

Chaeyoung wanted to scream at him on how she had only felt safe when she was with him.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" she spat.

"If being with Junhoe will keep you safe and being with me will only harm you, then I have no choice but to accept it."

"What are you talking about?!" she shouted in frustration. She wished he knew that being Junhoe would mean that she was a lot closer to harm. "You do not know what you are talking about."

"All I want is to keep you safe from harm, Chaeyoung!"

Her tears fell down her cheeks rapidly. "Well, you do not know what you are protecting me from, you do not exactly know who you should protect me from, Jungkook."

"Oh," he scoffed lightly, pushing his tongue against the wall of his cheek. "Trust me, I know well. Because I know exactly well, I want you to be with him. I want you to... I want you to forget about me."

Her eyes became glossier. Her lips trembled. "No, you don't. You don't know. You have no clue."

Anger took control of her mind and body. And perhaps, it was her fear, her confusion, her dilemma that sealed her mouth shut because instead of revealing the truth to him, Chaeyoung walked away, wiping her tears roughly, heart turning colder with each step she took.