Stunned, Aera was sent almost reeling back from the shock. The silence that hung in the air around them wasn't a cruelty she inflicted on purpose to torture him. She was speechless, her gaze dropping to her feet.

Once the astonishment subsided, she felt herself come back to her senses. She averted her gaze to him, emanating with resigned sympathy. Looking at him with the same eyes that were once desperately bleeding for his love.

"I've already found everything I want," she shot harshly. "And the one I want to be with forever."

One arm folded over her chest as it gripped at the other. The shimmer from the silver ring on her finger caught Yoongi's eye and he immediately glanced downwards. The gesture was impulsive, a mindless attempt at self-soothing as if she was hugging herself. By no means did she intend to shove the ring in his face, but it was already too late. He saw it.

Once again, his dark orbs turned into cold and loveless abysses. Expectedly, he became somber as a tight frown occupied his forehead. His anger was almost palpable, laying on Aera's chest like a bag of concrete.

"You're engaged." He grumbled in a voice that feigned indifference.

Uncomfortably, she hurried to fold both arms, her movements sharp and rapid.

"Like I said, I've made my choice."

"It's nothing I can't change." Yoongi's hard expression was replaced by subtle smugness.

Perturbed, for a second Aera thought that he'd use his Powers on her again. She blinked nervously, avoiding his gaze. Much to her surprise, he took a step back.

"He doesn't deserve you." he mumbled.

"You're one to talk," she retorted in a fit of bravery. She was stunned to realize that Yoongi's influence on her had diminished. Yes, it was still there, but it wasn't as strong as before. "You made a fool of me and abused my love. Now you barge in here and ask me to follow you to some imaginary darkness, filling my head with ridiculous promises I know you'd never keep. I am not the same girl-child whose heart you broke."

He fell silent, dark orbs carefully eyeing her. His expression hardened, coldness emitting from his body.

"So if there's one thing I want to say to you now, is that I'm letting you go," Aera took a deep breath in, peering at him daringly. "You have no power over me now. I am done hanging on that stupid rope of hope, wanting to understand your motives for hurting me. You told me about them now, and truthfully, it was the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Hurt me so that I'd get over you sooner? What a fucking joke you are, Min Yoongi. What do you think this is, a k-drama? I'm so sick of being the target of your manipulations.

"You watched me bleed," she went on. "Day after day, you kept increasing the level of cruelty. How could you say you loved me? If you truly did, how could you stand by and watch me suffer? That's ridiculous. Your love is a lie. It's poison. Instead of healing, it just keeps on inflicting more pain. I let you in, and you cut me to the very core. But now, I'm releasing the grudge I held onto for so long. I don't hate you anymore. And I want to say something to you.

"Thank you, Yoongi," Aera's shoulders relaxed as the words escaped her. "Thank you for breaking me. What was left underneath all my destroyed layers was my soul, bare and exposed. And I realized. You could never break it. Not unless I let you get to it. So thank you. Thank you for crushing my heart and making me realize how strong in fact I could be. How much I can handle. Now I have a strong heart, thanks to you."

She tilted her chin upwards, peering at him coolly.

"And I can finally love again. I'm ready to be loved," She uttered confidently. "Just not by you."

The subtle clenching of his jaw was the only betrayal of Yoongi's disappointment. He narrowed his eyes at Aera, as if he was sizing her up. The usual arrogance was swept away from his face and now he just stared at her blankly.

In the mixture of competing emotions deep within her, one of them in particular resurfaced in the back of Aera's mind. It was pride. She had finally mustered the courage to say everything she had on her mind.

As her elation dissipated, she noticed Yoongi's cold exterior was back on display. Scoffing a sarcastic laugh, he lowered his face to look at the floor.

"Congratulations on your engagement with the brooding bodyguard." he said once he picked his gaze up, irony evident in his voice. A small smirk played on his lips.

All of a sudden, he stuffed a hand in his pocket and took out a small sparkling object. Aera squinted, trying to identify it.

"Someone told me you had lost that." he said, taking her palm and dropping it there.

Bewildered, Aera's eyes snapped wide open. It was the skull-shaped crystal clock from her father. The one Hyukjae had supposedly stolen from her, and the one they desperately needed in order to unlock the content from her grandmother's book.

And Yoongi was just casually handing it to her.

"Yoongi," was all she managed to let out in a breathy voice. "Why?"

"I have my own reasons," he flashed her a brief smile that disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. This was head-spinning. Which team was Yoongi really playing for?

Abruptly as he had appeared, he spun on his heels and walked to the door, resting his hand on the door knob.

"I'll see you very soon, Aera." he said as-a-matter-of-factly, as if her heated speech from just a minute ago didn't bother him one bit.

Smoothly, he disappeared behind the door.

The wind barged in through the balcony door, ruffling Aera's hair and throwing it in her face.

There was a storm brewing outside.