The white shine of the bright hue that conquered every speck of corner was a sight alarm for waking up. It was morning...

I can't believe three days had already passed away like three seconds... It was as if we had reached just a few hours ago and are now heading back! What an incredible journey...

We had all sorts of activities. We went in groups to hunt for mushrooms, bring wood for the bonfire, and play board games along with our teachers and almost everyone present on our campus. At night, we roasted the delicious mushrooms before supervising whether they were edible or not. 

There was a river situated beside our staying area, which was surprisingly extremely clean, fresh, and sweet-smelling. We used its water for nearly all our work and portable uses. It was such a fun and lovely experience to play with the fish in there too!

Nowadays, where can you see so much cleanliness in river water? It's either completely contaminated and filled with dirty and acidic elements, or just dried up due to the people extensively using too much of its water. I wish we all could preserve and save up all the natural blessings we've been given. But, there have to be some people who don't listen... 

Because of these people, our earth is going through an immeasurable amount of suffering and pain. What if it cannot talk? It has feelings too, right? I mean, it gave birth to us beings who can feel, so it can feel too! Just imagine if we could hear it talk, it expresses its grief. It would be filled with cries...

"Hop in faster! We don't have much time. We need to reach on time." Our professor clapped his hands announcing, looking at the bus that had just entered the hills, stopping right in front of us, as the students started hoarding like horses, to get seats beside the 'window'.

We had already gathered all our tents and buried the pieces of burnt and unused wood birches before packing. We should keep our environment safe, right?

"Ah! Stop behaving like animals you stinky pieces of asses! Make a straight line and enter in discipline!" He hissed, before screaming uninterestedly. The students were statued. Some of them were with wide eyes while some made faces, mocking the professor as he insulted us like that on a daily basis.

Not a new thing at all...

Just as everyone got in, I kept standing outside, sparing a glance at my watch from time to time, internally cursing at a certain someone, for whom I was waiting.

Where is he now?

"Miso?! Get in!"

"Y-Yeah, I am-"

"HUH? OH. TEACHER, DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND, I'M HERE!" 

We heard a shrill voice, with the resonating sound of boots thumping against the hard ground, as the clumsy figure slowly approached us.

This little-

"Ah, Jimin! You're finally here. Where have you been all this time?" Professor raised an eyebrow and before I could react, Jimin pouted cutely, staring at Professor with puppy eyes.

"You left me behind... I didn't even know anyone was packing until I heard you shout something like 'ass'."

Oh yeah, that's right.

Jimin's punishment had been extended and he had to sleep in the open, on the bare ground almost for all the nights we were here. Since everyone in the tent woke up to pack, he kept sleeping in the open as he didn't know what was going around in his surroundings.

"Well Jimin, I hope this trip turns out to be a good memory for discipline, sacrifice, order, and learning for you." Professor gave a tight-lipped sarcastic smile as Jimin narrowed his eyes at him.

"What was my fault anyways? I just complimented you! I mean, you do have sexy lips-"

"GET in the bus or we're leaving you here!" He hissed as I turned around, stepping into the bus. 

I'm done with this drama.

For the next few hours, I had a peaceful journey, watching the view through the window. Yeah, I fought and won the window seat. Yay!

As the cherry blossom trees shed their pink leaves that flew down slowly, as the birds chirped pleasantly in the dawn of morning, as the moon bid goodbye to our world, as the sun's orange hue engulfed our country, my eyes escaped reality and shut close with the warm wind soothing gently over my form, serving like a piece of blanket.

I hadn't been able to sleep well for the past nights. Jisoo let me in her tent which was occupied by her, and one of her friends, but the insecurity and awkwardness didn't let serenity conquer my mind.

And hence, I slept on the way back, losing all of my senses to unconsciousness.

{ }

"Miso... Miso!"

Hm? Which fucker dared to ruin my sleep?

"Miso! MISO!"

"WHAT?" I yelled with a whine as a yawn erupted in my mouth with a groan.

"Ugh! Professor... What's the problem?" I inquired with lazy tears in my eyes, blinking softly. That's when I noticed the entire bus was empty. 

He crossed his arms and tilted his face.

"We're here. Tell me if you don't want to leave. I might just leave you in here."

Huh? Oh.

"Ohkay... Alright, I'm up!" I rolled my half-open eyes as I stood up in dizziness, accidentally banging my head on the shelf above me.

"Ow..." 

I whined again as I watched Professor's back disappearing slowly, as he walked out of the bus with his luggage too, mumbling a small 'I don't get paid enough for this'.

{ }

Ding Dong.

I rang the bell, waiting patiently for the door to open and the person to wrap arms around me immediately.

"It's been so long." I smiled softly, waiting for my brothers to open the door upon my arrival.

Almost a minute passed but there was no sound from inside. 

"Huh?"

I rang it once again.

"Yoongi! Namjoon! I'm home!"

After a moment of silence, the door finally swung open and I involuntarily closed my eyes, opening my arms wide and enveloping the body that came into view as soon as the door slid across.

"Awww, I missed you so much!" I chirped, hugging the man tightly with closed eyes and a wiggling body.

Did Namjoon change his perfume? Well, whatever, who cares?

"Woah, really?" 

A voice chimed just close to my ear that was not at all something I was familiar with it. 

My body stiffened.

A husky chuckle stimulated the hair within my ears, making my eyeballs pop out of my socket as I quickly detached from the person.

"J-Jackson?" I gulped looking at the smirking detective with half of his weight over the wall, leaning on it as his leather jet-black jacket shone under the sunlight.

His dark-brown eyes were glistening with the natural moisture as his cheeks gleamed like glitter, almost pridefully.

"Yes missy, that's me."

This man is my worst nightmare.

"What are you doing at my house?" 

Before he could reply with the playful smirk adorning his lips, a voice spoke out,

"Jackson? Who's there?"

Yoongi...

"That's me, Yoongi!" I answered, exclaiming back before squeezing my way out at the entrance and walking in with awkward body language as Jackson gasped, snorting.

"Oh, Miso! You're back!" Yoongi stood up as he hugged me tightly and I reciprocated the same. I could feel him caressing my back softly as I wanted to prolong the experience. It always made me feel at ease whenever a family member, especially my brothers, showed affection to me.

Now it feels like home.

"Have a seat." 

There was everything I expected would be, when I return back, but there was someone missing.

"Yoongi, where's Namjoon?" I wondered. Namjoon was nowhere. He does take naps in the daytime sometimes when he's excessively tired or worried but it wasn't daytime right now. It was a bright and sunny morning when he woke up and is usually found reading the newspaper and slurping his regular coffee in the living room.

"He's out to buy onions and potatoes. There were no groceries, so I sent him to build those muscles." Yoongi gave a teeth smile and I laughed internally.

I love when he shows his gummy smile. 

"I see." I stopped speaking as Jackson Wang sat beside me, with one leg over the other, gazing at Yoongi with a patient expression.

"What is he doing here?" I questioned with a disgusting face, pointing at him.

"Hey! What do you mean by 'WhAt Is He DoInG HeRe'? I'm not a stranger. Stop staring at me as if I'm an ugly person."

"Ew, ugly people are prettier than you, you racist. Stop shaming the readers."

Lol no, y'all are pretty asf, I'm just playing around. 🌚

"Huh? I'm ugly? Have YOU ever looked at yourself in the mirror? Weird pouting human. You absolutely do not look 'cute' in that!" He backfired as he made an even more disgusting face, to which I would've laughed if it wasn't in this context but I maintained my rigidity and turgidity for some self-respect.

"Pouting? Oh wow... Now you even admitted that you check out single women without their consent, you pervert!"

"I'm not a pervert you fat-

"STOP!" 

Just as Yoongi banged his fist over the glass table, we both shut up. 

Everyone's afraid of Yoongi's anger. The last time he was angry, he almost broke a guy's neck. Thanks to the parents, the boy was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, or else, his face would've been facing the right side forever.

"Stop fighting!"

"..."

"Jackson? I expected some maturity from you. You aren't a kid to be blabbering with this dumb girl!"

"Huh? How dare you call me dumb? I ain't dumb! It must be because of my brothers-"

"Okay, now shut the fuck up for god's sake! Aren't you tired from the trip?" He eyed me suspiciously.

"..."

"Jackson has just got here to discuss some important things with me. Just go to your room, get changed, and rest for some time." Yoongi commanded and his hand actioned onto the stairs that led to my room, upstairs.

"Yeah, whatever! I might be tired, but I'm gonna sit here." I sighed with exhaustion. There was no way I could ever win an argument with him. All it took was a serious glance strutting my way and I felt powerless.

There was an uncomfortable silence until I decided to interrupt the thick atmosphere with my sharp, puzzled voice.

"What? Weren't you discussing something? Go ahead, talk about what you wanted to!" I retorted when my eyes found both men gazing on the floor with deep thoughts as if trying to kill time or at least wait until I moved away.

"Can I speak in front of her?" Jackson rolled his eyes, asking in a desperate monotone voice as Yoongi subtly nodded.

"Yes, we can. If she isn't going to move, then we shouldn't delay our plans either. Just spit it out fast, I have the laundries and dishes to do." 

Wow, how rude.

"Alright then." Jackson restored a deep breath, before releasing it gently as he began.

"The murder cases have surprisingly decreased." 

Hm?

"Oh. That's a good thing, then." Yoongi nodded in agreement as his confused eyes swayed back to Jackson when he narrowed his eyes, furrowing his eyebrows and deeply stared back at Yoongi.

"Gradually, they have almost stopped. The 'Joker' is no more killing anyone. This highly secured street too, has been freed from the color 'red' that is, danger on our radar. It feels like magic. It didn't lessen and gradually end, but it just abruptly stopped."

"Still... It's a good thing." Yoongi repeated, nibbling on his lower lip as he blinked rapidly.

The joker has stopped? Taehyung isn't killing anyone? Woah... That's a good thing.

"No, it's not. As the 'Joker' only killed criminals and high-ranking officers and men that had committed some illegal activities and actions, his just dying away hasn't been helping us at all. Instead, all the criminals and dangerous rapists are still on the run, committing a huge amount of shits and causing trouble to the people of Seoul." He exclaimed with a judgemental gaze.

That made something tick in me. It fueled a wave of anger in me. 

"What do you mean?" I spoke slowly, gaining the attention. I looked up with cold eyes, coinciding with the pair of dark eyes within his.

"Firstly, you put up all those shitty barricades and so-called protection just to save the citizens from the Joker, and now that he has stopped killing, you're suddenly disappointed that the other criminals are not being encountered?" I snapped at him.

"No, I'm talking about the problems in the society-"

"Screw the problems in society. There's no way you can be so selfish. Isn't this your job? To find criminals, investigate and bring justice and honor to your position and country? Now that you could relax for a few months and not deal with so many cases because the Joker killed all of them, suddenly you're panicking because now you have to work hard again?"

There was a deafening silence across the room as Yoongi blankly stared at him, at a loss of words. Judging by his stare, anyone could make out that he indeed was in disbelief.

"What nonsense are you talking about-"

"No, what nonsense are you talking about? Come to the point, detective. Don't beat around the bush."

I too, am the daughter of a detective. I have observed the behavior and situations many times. This just doesn't feel right.

I watched as Jackson sighed before speaking once again.

"I just... I wanted to inform you both that we're still going to put barricades around your street."

"And why is that?" Yoongi questioned, sarcastically, almost lifting up the glass of water he bought for Jackson before he could even drink it.

"Because we all detectives have decided that we're gonna accommodate with the Joker and work along with him. We are going to take down all of the criminals with his help and since this is an inner decision, no one among the local citizens should know about that. We're going to lie and say that the Joker is still prone in the areas as he was before. At night, we will use him and work with him to convict those law-breakers as soon as possible. We just need your permission to set up the fake protection."

My heart stopped for a moment.

The detectives are planning to work with a law-breaker just to catch other law-breakers...?

The irony...

"So you're going to use him?"

"I never said we're going to use him! If the bad people can be put into prison with the help of someone, then why shouldn't we grab the chance to do so?"

"Who gave you the orders?" 

"Huh?" He blinked in confusion, taken aback for sure as he didn't expect me to aim at him like that.

"I asked, who gave you the orders to conduct this stupid plan of yours?" I repeated again. 

I'm not gonna blast at him. Calm down Miso...

"No one? This task is assigned to us. To me..." He retaliated.

"Oh, so you're going to misuse the powers you have in order to just get a promotion?

"What is wrong with you?" He faced Yoongi with big eyes. "I told you not to talk about this in front of her!" He grunted.

Oh wow... So now, you're gonna make me look like the culprit?

"She's somewhat right..." Yoongi trailed as he removed the glass of water before Jackson could even hold it up, to drink some water.

That's my brotha!

"So what are you gonna do with Joker after he's done with your 'work'?" I eagerly doubted, wondering what he'd say.

"C'mon, do I need to tell her now?!" He gaped at Yoongi who nonchalantly nodded.

"Damn Fine!" He darted his eyeballs toward my direction as I smirked in victory.

"We just received a voice tape with the help of our hacking detectives. Hearing it, we got to know that all of these big murderers, rapists, gangsters, and psychotic stalking killers are gonna assemble at Hilton Street this Saturday."

This Saturday? 

"Isn't it the winter festival this Saturday?" I gasped at him when he nodded in response to my vicious thoughts.

There's this 'Winter Festival' we celebrate in our city. It is not a traditional occasion. It's just that the coldest day is chosen, and people from all age groups stroll across the streets and main roads where there are small stalls situated. People buy things such as food, gifts, play games, dance, sing, ride rides, and lots more stuff. It is usually a custom that everyone wears traditional clothes and has fun in the evening, as it is the standard time for the stalls to be set up.

The young adults go to bars, cafes, clubs, and restaurants to enjoy too. It is mainly like a lazy day where people stay at home and do nothing in day time but just enjoy, decorate their houses, and burst firecrackers in the evening, before dressing up and going to fairs. Everyone normally returns late at night. 

There are many clubs and bars situated across Hilton Street from where thousands of boys and girls come at night to drink and walk back to their homes from the only way, that is, Hilton Street... The festival's this Saturday, which is, two days from now.

"Don't tell me-"

"Exactly. This is why the killers are going to make their way to the street... This will be one of the biggest and dirtiest kill and a blotch of dirt on our law, in the history if we don't make it stop." He finished.

But then... There are so many killers. 

"How will Joker, all by himself, end those dangerous people? He's more susceptible to the risks, are you crazy?!" I stood up in fear.

What if something happens to Taehyung?

But all he did was laugh at me.

This man has really become crazy...

After a long fit of horrendous laughs, he stopped and his hardly moving shoulders due to the impact too, stiffened, as he scoffed at me.

"Fool. Do you really underestimate the Joker that badly? He can be placed in a room all by himself, against thousands of people, ready to tackle him, but he'll end them in just a matter of time." He smiled evilly.

That made a shiver break into my spine.

"This will be one of the most scariest killing-spree in the world."

"K-Killing spree?" 

"Uh-huh. Where more than thirty gangsters die for the good."

"..."

Suddenly, he stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets, and cracked his neck.

"Alright then, I'm going to take my leave. Thank you." He smiled formally as he advanced towards the door while Yoongi crossed his arms, as if amused by the idea of a 'killing-spree'.

"WAIT! W-What are you going to do with his, after that?"

A huge lump formed in my throat and the heart-beats fastened when he turned around, raising an eyebrow.

"Why do you care so much, are you interested in the Joker, missy?"

A chill made goosebumps rise all over me. I didn't like the ambiance. Things just didn't sit right with me.

"N-No I'm just asking-"

"We'll trick him. After he accomplishes our plan as a success, we'll take up arms against him and execute him on the spot too. Two birds with one stone, isn't that amazing?"

Execute him...?

"Y-You can't..." It came out as a mere whisper. No one heard it. No one could. No one ever heard what I really thought. Things always gave me disappointment. I got anxious, then got anxiety by the thought that I was anxious. Double anxiety! Great!

"What else? He deserves it. A criminal like him doesn't deserve any softness or love. He deserved misfortune and death." 

That's all...

That's all he said before walking out through that door as Yoongi muttered 'interesting'.

It was so easy for him to say...

So easy. He doesn't even know anything.

So what? He never killed someone good. He did the right thing anyways.

Every villain has a story, but no one understands it. No one wants to understand it. But I will. I do. This is not the end. At least not for me. 

I'll protect you, Joker.

.

.

.

{}

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Love ya!

~Rose