"I've spoken to the lady. She won't be pressing charges so -"

"She shouldn't. It's her damn fault anyway!" Jungkook rolled his eyes in complete annoyance.

"Jeon Jungkook - language!" His mother gasped before laughing.

It should be amusing for him to see this response on his mother. He thought he would get a beating! But no, there's nothing that could get him to smile or laugh today. He's been tossing and turning - restless, ever since he got home. By the next day, anger started creeping in. 

He's angry at Lalisa's mother for triggering his 'little monster'. He's angry at the police officers for cuffing and dragging his 'little monster' off. He's angry at 'Bam' and whoever that man was that showed up at the station and had his 'little monster' taken away. He's angry at his 'little monster's' parents...her adopted ones - for not being here, taking care of her.

He's also angry at his parents for not even asking more questions about Lalisa to the detectives - or why and where they're taking her to. And he's especially angry at himself for not being better at handling the whole situation yesterday, from start to end. All in all, he's angry at the whole world right now...except at his 'little monster', of course. 

"Anyway...I'm putting my foot down, Guk. You will not see her again -"

"Eomma!"

"And you will not speak to her, ever again!" He sighed, cupping his face with his palms to stop himself from lashing out. "I'll be speaking to the Dean tomorrow and appa and I think you should get counselling -"

"For what??"

"For your sudden inappropriate behaviour!"

"Inappropriate - everything is inappropriate around here!" He can't help his feet from standing so abruptly. "A woman in our neighbouring town threw her child away in a tank and no one even knew about it for over 20 years! Everyone keeps acting like some royal saints but goes off calling a person names like 'dirt' and - and 'slut'! I know I lied and I'm sorry - but that's hardly what I'd say 'inappropriate', not when it's compared with those things! What do you want me to say then - that I'll be sleeping at her place in Heulg, will that truth be even better?"

"Guk, I am your mother - don't speak to me like this!"

"Or is it inappropriate because I was with her?" He scowls. His breath is shallow but try as he might, he can't seem to find anything resembling calmness. "Eomma...out of all the people in my life...I respected you and appa the most. You were non-judgmental and you taught me to be the same too. You asked me to be kind and generous, and now...what is this?"

He could tell that his mother is seething with anger but he refused to back down. I can't change the world but I can change me! 

"I can be judgmental when it comes to my son's safety. You lying wasn't the problem. It's the fact that you got hurt - was I right to assume that you got that bruise on your face a few weeks ago because of her too?"

He takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes. "I got that bruise because it would've been her. I got this wound too -" He pointed to his shoulder. "Because it would have been her -"

"And yesterday?"

"Yesterday..." He sighed, feeling the pain in his chest all over again to recall it. "Eomma...can you tell me what you would've been if it were you? If you put yourself in her shoes -"

"We are not doing this! I will not pretend like I know -"

"That's what I'm saying!" He clasped on his hair, exasperated at the heated environment in his own home. "Maybe we should try to have a little empathy for the girl who lived her life thinking that she has everything - that her parents were real and that she was loved, only to find out that she was a mistake and everything was a lie! Because we can't imagine it ever happening to us - eomma, I can't pretend to know what I would've been if I find out I was thrown in the trash," With tears already forming in his eyes, he pleads. 

"She left her safe place to find out who she was. She didn't go around purposely hurting people - if she was, she would've left me broken and bled out on my own! It was my choice too to protect her. My choice to cross the river! She...she makes me want to find myself too...is that so bad? Is that so inappropriate...that your son is finding himself?"

His mother kept her silence but he could see the heavy burdens - falling and rising on her shoulders. 

"You said growth is like a tree. You asked me to be that tree that keeps giving, no matter what, and that's what I've been doing. You asked me to stand my ground. This is it, eomma...this is my ground. I want to be more...I want to see the world - I want to understand the world. You're an expert in sociology and I always hear you speaking so beautifully about all these people. I heard you speaking beautifully about her too and I...I want to understand it, just like you. Can't you see that? I'll get hurt. I'll get beaten down, but it's inevitable! I won't let that stop me from being better because..." He sighed again. "Because I want to be better. She makes me want to be better, eomma...please understand..."

After a minute of glaring, his mother then sat herself down - huffing as she threw her gaze away. Jungkook does the same, hoping that she is now taking some time to rationalize things better. 

"That's a good speech," His father suddenly showed up by the stairs. Maybe he heard the loud ramblings and thought I'd gone mental!

"Thank you," He replies with caution and noticed his mother pursing her lips. "If this 'new' me bothers you so much, then fine, I'll go to that counselling. But you can't stop me from seeing her -"

"Guk -"

"No! I -" The anxiety is back. Jungkook swore he could pack his bags and move to Heulg if his parents keep insisting like this! "I'm in love with her!" Wow...what a relief to be able to say it! "I love her...everything that she is...this is it. This is love! I thought I was going crazy with all these need to be with her..." Dear God, thank you!! "I won't stop looking for her and when I find her, I won't stop seeing her!" 

He doesn't know why he's now smiling. Perhaps it was the revelation...or perhaps because of the imaginary possibility he created in his mind.

"I can be quite determined, eomma. Both of you should be proud. It got me crossing that river on my own before...I can do this for a lifetime!"

. . . 

He's been anxious and tensed, and not a thing could stop him from worrying crazily like this. It's been 4 days since Lalisa's breakdown at her biological mother's house and that's how long he hadn't seen her.

From the window of his classroom, he watched the Faculty Dean walking alongside four other people - a woman and three men - out to the parking space. One of those men looks familiar so he knew it has something to do with her disappearance. 

It took him a few deep breaths and heavy, calculative thoughts before he ran out from his class - surprising Jaehyun, Chaeyoung, and probably the entire room. At the back of his mind, he's already gotten so much glares from his parents during his second 'failed visit' at the police station - but really, what can they do? 

Give me more craps about involving myself with 'troubles'? I'm actually getting the hang of it already, to be honest! I told them that I won't stop searching...they should just start patting my back for keeping my promises at this point!

When he managed to find the Dean, the others are no longer with him.

"Jeon Jungkook-ssi...I know you didn't just run out from your class -"

"Was that her family? What did they say - did they tell you where she is?" He huffs out.

The elder cocks his eyebrows and stares at him harder under those thick glasses. "I've spoken to your parents as well...seems that you're being let off by a thin thread,"

"We can have a one-on-one later, Hae Seong-nim. Please tell me, where is she? I know one of them, I saw him with her before!" He recalled Bam's face, trying to match it perfectly with the guy he thought he'd seen.

The man takes a deep breath, probably to calm his nerves with this boy. "Lalisa Manobal is no longer a student here. I must remind you that it is unacceptable for any of Jinsil's students to be associated with -"

"You...you kicked her out?? But it wasn't her fault - she was only looking for her eomma!"

"She broke into a property, vandalized the house, and threatened to hurt its residents! And may I remind you that she injured you in the process?"

"That can also wait for the one-on-one - I need to see her!" He makes a move but is stopped by the Dean.

"She's unwell, Jungkook-ssi. She needs help -"

"I can do that -"

"By professionals!" The old man glares at him. "Now I don't know what kind of relationship you have with her but as a friend, I suggest you let her heal on her own,"

What? What does that mean?? Jungkook is on the verge of crying because the thought of his Lalisa having to suffer this kind of injustice is painful for him to even accept. They weren't there! I was and I saw her! It broke her...her eomma broke her...

"Are they locking her somewhere?? Please! Please, tell me!! She's not a bad person, she only wanted to see her eomma - her eomma, it's her fault! She was the one who made Lisa -" 

"She's lucky to even see daylight today, Jungkook-ssi...and you should take it as a blessing too! You would've been dragged into the courtroom if it happens but look! All is well..."

All...all is well? That's all he could say?? What is this world I've been living in? How are they so ignorant -

"It's alright if you won't tell me where she went, Hae Seong-nim...I can find out on my own,"

. . .

"Kook..."

He looks up to find Chaeyoung and Jaehyun, staring at him with some sort of heaviness on their faces. Perhaps it's 'pity'. He's been sitting on his own at the faculty's foyer - thinking hard on the hows-and-whens of finding Lalisa, and he's about to groan in frustration when they came out here to him.

"You know you can talk to us..." Chaeyoung fidgets.

"Why? So you can tell me how I've 'changed' again?" He chuckled. "If you're sent by someone, just tell them you tried your best,"

"No one sent us, man. We really are worried about you," Jaehyun said.

"Yeah, everyone's worried...you can't keep doing this, Kook - you're pushing people away -"

"'People'?" He snickered back to Chaeyoung. "Who are these 'people'? Cus as far as I'm concerned, my parents are still talking to me. Is it you guys? The entire faculty whom half of them, I didn't even know?"

Chaeyoung pursed her lips before she answers it with, "Yes. You might not know them but they know you. They care about you...we care about you -"

"Right...that's...well, sweet of you guys, really - and the faculty! But please, don't try to force it too much. Cus if you really do care that much about me, you would've been there when I needed my friends. You would've supported me...motivate me, instead of constantly insulting her while knowing full well how much this friend, who - in your own words, you cares so much about - likes her! No, I'm not the one who pushed people away, Chae," He wasn't aware when exactly he got himself to stand up, but he's now already stepping slowly away. "You and your people pushed me away..." Like a mad cliché...just like she said. Heh... Jungkook can't help but sighing a bitter smile, recalling it. 

"Kook..." Jaehyun steps forward pleadingly.

"I don't mind, guys...really. I do mind if you're gonna start talking shit about her again, but not about me. I've been just fine on my own - these scars are proof that I'm putting myself out there...it's proof of me living. Probably something you guys should try once in a while,"

"Look, we're sorry we haven't been so supportive but we're only trying to protect you!"

"Protect me from what?? It's all I've been hearing - everyone here wants to protect me - well, who's protecting her?! Who's protecting them? You think they're so different, they're not! You're the one who made them different - you and these whole damn institutions in Geum! Who rescues the women and their children when they get beaten down by their own husbands -" He halts at his own rambling words. 

He can't find her because he doesn't know where to look but Jisoo...maybe Jisoo can!

. . .

Before he met her, he couldn't understand 'space'. Patterns and routines sounded like a good mix of rhythms, but 'space'...the empty tracks that he hadn't explore felt like an endless mystery which he seems to not grasps. But now...

Geum and Heulg doesn't feel that far apart anymore. Jungkook knew exactly which path to take and he no longer feels anxious to pass by the danger of the streets. His feet walks bravely on its own and his mind is focused solely on the mission. 

Stepping into the tattoo parlour for the second time ever, he immediately informed the girl with blue streaks and tattoos covering every inch of her bare arms to call for Jackson. He isn't dressed in a polo shirt today so she doesn't have to stare longer than 3 seconds. 

"Ssup?" Jackson called once he stepped out. "Ahh you! You bailed on me last time -"

"Sorry, hyung! There was an emergency and I had to leave - but hey, are you free now? You want to grab lunch?" He tries his best to get right into it...in his own way, of course.

"Now?" Jackson looks around for a second. "I don't have any appointments until 3 so...yeah, let's go!" 

Hope began blossoming in his chest as he steps out of the parlour with Jackson behind his back,  then his tracks are halted, finding 2 frightened faces standing before him.

"What are you guys doing here?" He frowns at Chaeyoung and Jaehyun.

"We...we followed you. You ran off and...and we're scared you might get hurt again," Jaehyun said, shifting his feet and glances between Jungkook and Jackson. 

"Your buddies?" Jackson asked from beside him.

Are they? Well...since they bravely followed me here, I guess they are! "Yeah...from school,"

"Ahh...Jackson," The elder introduced himself with a smile.

It took a few seconds before Jaehyun shakes the hand, while Chaeyoung keeps her lips clipped in a straight line. They're probably as nervous as I was when I first came here! 

"You guys joining us for lunch?" Jackson asked again, completely oblivious to the timid two. 

Jaehyun eyes him, as if asking for some sort of assurance (or maybe an invitation) as an answer. 

"Yeah...they are, hyung. You don't mind, do you?"

"Hey, the more the merrier!"

. . .

"Hyung, how long have you lived here...in Geongjeo-dae?" He asked as soon as Jackson's done placing the order. 

Beside them both, Jaehyun and Chaeyoung are still silent, worries written all over their faces. The restaurant is small and the crowd is loud. It isn't roomy and it definitely isn't comfortable, but the laid-back atmosphere is present with its busy, chatty people. To be perfectly honest with himself, it's not a place he dares to step in too if it wasn't because of Jackson, being here with him. 

"All my life. I was born here," Jackson said, leaning back to his chair after lighting his cigarette. 

"So you must know a lot of people here, right?"

"I guess...if they've lived here long enough,"

Yes! "Do you um...do you know anyone by the name of Jennie?"

"Park or Kim?"

Ahh she never said what the last name was... "I'm not sure...she's a friend of my friend. She had her tattoos done by you -" He caught the small gape from Chaeyoung - probably because Lalisa having tattoos is news! "Lalisa -"

"Ahh yes!! Jennie Kim's her friend. She's the one who introduced Lalisa to my shop -"

Double-yes!! "Do you know where I can find her?"

"Why?"

"Why?" Oh darn...what should I tell him - I can't just say that Lalisa's missing! And I can't tell him about Jisoo, what if he knows her husband and goes off telling him??

"Three Soulites came to Heulg and by the looks of it, two of them doesn't look too thrilled to be here," He smirks towards Jaehyun. "You must be desperate enough...so tell me, what's your name again?"

"Jungkook," He started rubbing his palms on his jeans. 

"Jungkook..." He nods. "Why are you looking for Jennie Kim? You got a problem with her or something?"

"No! No, no, nothing like that!" He laughs loudly due to the nerves. "I um...I'm looking for another friend and I was told that she knows where this friend is - I swear, that's all there is to it!"

Jackson squints his eyes, assessing over his anxious honesty. "Lalisa?"

Yes...but no. "A different friend,"

"Soulites don't normally make friends from Heulg...and if they do, one is usually enough. Aren't you supposed to be allergic with us or something?"

"You're friends with Joon hyung,"

"Exactly why I said one is enough -"

"For heaven's sake, can't you just tell him what he needs to know??" Chaeyoung suddenly interrupted and Jungkook hissed. "We're not stupid - why would we come here, looking for trouble? Look at us, do we look like we can even stand straight in front of this 'Jennie Kim' - whoever she is?? I feel like I'm gonna pass out, just sitting here -"

"Whoa, calm down munchkin!" Jackson laughs.

"Don't call me munchkin! It's hot and it's rowdy -"

"Chae!" Seriously, why did I even think of inviting them??

"Rowdy, huh?" Jackson smirks at her. "Well, welcome to Heulg..." He leans forward to her and Jungkook held Jaehyun from jumping forward by the arm. "Munchkin," He antagonized her further. But it's only that, Jungkook knew it. It's the aggravation that Jackson finds amusing - a personality that is somehow engraved within most of this side of the river's society. 

"Just a little bit of advice here, girlie...I know fifty ways on how to survive on a deserted land. Don't be rude when you're asking for help...from anything or anyone, that's rule number one," Jungkook spotted a hint of tears in Chaeyoung's shocked eyes but he didn't feel the need to correct what Jackson just said. He was right. "You might be smart in your town, but you're just a flick away from getting tossed out to the scorpions here," 

A few seconds went by before he chuckled, "I'm just playing with you! God forbids I'll ever lay my rowdy, arty hands on a preppy Soulite like you - they'll hunt me down like wolves!" Jackson rests back in his chair when the girl says nothing, turning back to Jungkook before he continues with, "How important is it?"

See...he isn't dangerous at all! "Like...my life,"

. . .