Jisuk and Subin's Guide to Dating

Chapter 5

They both freeze at the same time, their eyes meeting.  This is definitely not some normal thug.  An awakened one.  Fight or flight.  He weighs the two options in his head.  Beside him, Jiwoo's fists are clenched and he has that determined look on his face, so he's probably thinking to fight.  But they don't know who their opponent is.  The safer option would be to run and hope they make it to the Union or Shinhwa.

Movement at the edge of his vision makes him look up.  A hooded figure is standing on the building in front of them.  He scans the area quickly and immediately sees another figure on a nearby rooftop.  So they're surrounded.  They'll have to fight.  The thought triggers something inside him and he prepares himself.  His power surges up within him in that familiar red-hot rush, ready to crush their opponents.  On the outside, he doesn't show any sign of the blazing heat running through his veins.  Better to make them believe that he's normal and catch them by surprise when he attacks.

Jiwoo turns around to face the first figure.  Wooin almost turns with him, but then he remembers the two on the buildings.  He shuffles in front of Jiwoo's back, doing his best to make it look unintentional.  His hands remain dangling at his sides to maintain his harmless demeanor, but every inch of him is ready to strike at the first sign of an attack.  Although his heart is thumping harder in his chest, its beat still seems steady and a strange calm has settled over him.  It's almost like before a sparring match.  He supposes that he's grown used to this.

"Who are you?"  Jiwoo's voice is firm and without a hint of fear.  Perhaps it's the stress of the moment but even now, a burst of admiration makes itself known inside him.

The figure lets out a deep, throaty chuckle.  Judging from the voice, it's probably a man.  "Me?  My name is Ethan Alderman, although I doubt that means anything to you right now." 

"What do you want from us?"

"Haven't you guessed by now?  I would have thought that Kayden's apprentice would be more used to this sort of thing."

So that's what it is.  Wooin grits his teeth, a burst of anger swelling up underneath the tension.  The last time this happened, Jiwoo's core was broken and he nearly died.  He hates the fact that being Kayden's apprentice automatically turns Jiwoo into a walking target.  It's obvious how much Kayden has helped his apprentice, yet that help has not come without a steep price.  That same attention that nurtures Jiwoo is also an invitation for all of his countless enemies to come and attack like wolves, striking mercilessly at any perceived weakness.

But he's here now and he's not going to let this shady group kidnap or hurt his friend.  The burning aura inside of him crackles and flares underneath his skin, raring to be set loose.  He's not normally a violent person, but anyone who would try to hurt Jiwoo deserves to be crushed into little pieces.

"Wait, what do you really want?  What did Kayden do to you?"  

Worry springs up in him.  Jiwoo's trying to negotiate with their attackers now?  What if Alderman attacks by surprise?

"Kayden Break did a lot of things to me and my group.  But I suppose he wouldn't remember.  After all, I'm not so proud as to believe that we were important enough to stick in his mind.  As his apprentice, you're surely familiar with Kayden's countless conquests."  The last words were said with a sneer, dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your group."  His eyes widen in surprise, and he feels utterly bewildered.  Now Jiwoo's feeling sorry for the thugs?    Before, the fights he had taken part in had all followed the same script—one side confronted the other before attacking and the two sides fought until one had ascended to victory.  Hesitation on one's part was a glaring weakness that the enemy could exploit, the professor had said.