Darkness Ethereal | K.TH

Please, V

"V....?"

"Tzuyu, you skipped eating again?" His eyes are dark as he closes the door behind us. Jimin and Jungkook had both gone to sleep, both of them having shadows under their eyes.

"I forgot— I'm sorry," I apologize, then my eyes slit at the time. "V, you shouldn't be up right now. Don't you have a—"

"Tzuyu," He sighs, dragging a heavy hand over his fever-bright eyes. His face is flushed with red, and worry fills my features.

"V, you look really sick."

"I don't care," He hisses. "Don't care about me, Tzuyu— care more about yourself."

"If this is about me not eating enough, then I'm sorry, V. I was distracted— I promise I won't be anymore."

"That's not the point!" He exclaims, his face pale and ashen with stress. "Tzuyu, you fainted. In the middle of the street, where anything could've happened to you. Do you know how that makes me feel?!"

"Jungkook was there—"

"Is Jungkook going to be there every time?" He retorts back, his deep voice climbing. I've never seen him this stressed before— this angry before.

"No, Tzuyu. No."

Heat slowly flushes my cheeks as I look up into his stormy eyes, anger clipping my voice. In the back of my mind, I know this is wrong. I shouldn't be getting angry.

But I lose myself anyway.

"What do you want me to do, then?!"

"I can't let you go outside anymore if you don't take care of yourself, Tzuyu! Someone could've easily taken advantage of you—"

"You don't want me to leave the house?" My voice is utter disbelief as he stares at me coldly, features stiff. "That's ridiculous! What about school? What about—"

"You don't understand."

"What do you mean I don't understand?! V, I don't want to be locked inside this apartment just because—"

"If I can stay locked in for eleven years, you can do that until you learn how to take care of yourself."

His words stun me, and fury blinds my mind— my logic. And the next thing I know I'm yelling poison at him. I'm saying things that will hurt him, and what scares me the most is that I can't stop.

"How can you lock me when you know how it feels like? Why do you have to be so possessive over me— I thought your stupid disorders were all healed!"

Pain rips through his eyes the moment I say that, and sharp, agonizing regret pulses through me the same moment I see him flinch back. He swallows— once, twice— before his face hardens.

"I don't want to see you ever again."

"Fine!" I exclaim, tears welling in the corners of my eyes as I whip around. Fury and regret clashes in my mind as I slam the door behind me, leaving V on the other side.

I'll be the one who leaves this time.

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The moment I step out of the apartment is the moment I want to run back inside and beg for his forgiveness. The tears I'd been barely holding back spills from my cheeks in a rush of emotion, and I let a defeated sob escape my lips.

His eyes.

I can't forget the pain that had torn his eyes apart when I'd said words that I'd never meant to say. I didn't mean a single thing I said in there, yet I can't find myself to step back inside and tell him that.

I miss him already.

"Stupid!" I exclaim as I kick at a nearby tree. "Why do you have to be so freaking dumb, Chou Tzuyu?"

And being just early morning, the air feels colder than ice as it bites into my skin. I hadn't even brought out a jacket in my rage, and now I was shivering in a long-sleeved shirt.

My phone reads 6:26.

What was I supposed to do now?

All I can do is walk aimlessly, the life gone from my eyes as I continue to reimagine the scene all over again. I should've kept my head— I should've never said a single word.

He'd just been worried for me. That's all he had been— worried, and I'd returned his concern with rage that he didn't deserve.

Tears seem to freeze on my pale cheeks.

Then the wind is knocked out of me as I crash into someone, making me nearly fall back as I stumble violently.

A drunken voice echoes angrily as I look up, my eyes widening when I see a man. He seems completely drunk as his face flushes red, an alcohol bottle still clutched in his hands.

And I run.

The moment I spin on my heel and run for my life, the man releases a furious shout. Then terror blinds my thoughts white as the alcohol bottle smashes just meters to my right, sending shards flying.

A gasp escapes my lips when one of them slash across my cheek, opening a cut that stung too much for my comfort.

"Not even apologizing, little girl?!"

I'd hoped that he'd give up on me after that, but he's apparently properly drunk because I soon hear heavy footsteps trail mine.

I'm so screwed.

I couldn't outrun him— I wasn't fast at all, and my pitiful stamina was bound to run out soon. Then something catches my eye.

Tree.

It's an insane idea, but it was the best shot I had. Instantly, I swerve my feet towards the direction of the tree, wondering if I was getting the punishment I deserved.

"I'm sorry I crashed into you!" I call as I latch on to the bottommost branch, groaning as I pull myself up. Fear paints my mind red when he starts to mirror my actions, climbing branch after branch.

"I'm sorry— But you're really going to fall if you keep following me!" I yell over my shoulder as fear drives me to climb faster, pull myself up higher.

But he doesn't even seem to hear me.

What if he does reach at me the top? What if he falls, and it's all my fault if he cracks his neck or something?

Worry and concern clash with the terror clouding my instincts, and I try not to look at how far I'm from the ground as I pull out my phone with trembling fingers.

I'm really shameless, aren't I?

Even though I'd just screamed at him, yelled at him— V's number is the one I find pressing. He's the only one on my mind as I swallow, relieved to find that the man had finally sobered up.

Maybe I didn't need to call him, after all—

Then a horrified scream escapes my lips as the man loses his grip against the trunk of the tree. He collides heavily with the ground, and my breath stops with fear.

Is he dead?!

I needed to help him!

But the moment I reach down my foot to touch the lower branch, my head spins with dizziness. I quickly retract my feet, hugging the trunk desperately as I blink as fast as I can.

I'd been so angry that I'd forgotten the number one rule to my disorder.

Eat as soon as I wake up.

Now I'm terrified as I dial V's number again, pleading that he answers. Any moment I might lose my grip, plunge to the ground just as the man had done.

And I was even higher up than him.

Please, V.

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Hehehehe sorry (not sorry) for the cliffhanger!