(A/N)

I was trying to make this the last part of this long arc that had been going on more than a YEAR now and then write something really . . . 'special,' and then write the aftermath of this arc. But, this chapter started turning out to be too long, so I decided to separate this into two. Darn it :(

I'm trying to balance the atrocity of the villain and Ahri's (slightly plot-twisty) cunningness in this chapter. I hope it worked.

By the way, I upload some art on my twitter account: MHKray98

I'm currently drawing environment and character art that depicts an adventure in a fantasy world. I'll really be thankful if you could check them out :)

As always, I'm always grateful for your support and I hope this read isn't bad :D

{[WARNING]}

{[WARNING]}

{[WARNING]}

This is 18+ THIS IS 18+

This chapter will be very triggering for some readers. Strong words, violence, mention of sexual abuse, and the 'r' thing that may happen or may not happen.

You have been warned.

Thankfully, this will be the last one that mentions or depicts the 'r' thing.

(A Few Days before Jeffric Ran Away)

A boy was sitting on the edge of the roof of a building. He was staring out at the cityscape with hollow eyes like a corpse. The hard wind of the winter night savagely blew his long brown hair, his breath, and his tears to the side.

He had his earphones on, not caring that his ears were numb from the cold, not caring his nose was hurting, not caring his lips were starting to turn white.

If his lips weren't moving, people might've considered him a corpse; dead from inside to outside.

But maybe he could be considered as a corpse.

After all, a person who had let go of everything was just a step away from the gates of heaven or hell.

But, for now, he just kept on singing a song he was listening to underneath his breath.

"I wish that I could fly . . . way up in the sky . . . like a bird so high . . ."

I put my phone back in my pocket, feeling something . . . odd about Ahri's behavior.

'The way she said those last words . . .' I thought. '. . . it seemed so . . . familiar.' Then my legs started twitching nervously. 'Is she in some kind of trouble?'

"What's the matter, hon?" Evelynn, who was sitting next to me on the sofa asked, fixing her eyes on me in the way I found scary. Moreover, she was too close to me, and I was on the corner of the sofa.

"I-I don't know exactly." I pressed the side of my body into the arm of the sofa, trying to figure out whether or not Evelynn was slowly coming closer and closer to me or I was just imagining things. "Ahri sounded . . . strange."

Evelynn frowned, her cold smile and the hungry look in her eyes suddenly disappearing as if they weren't even there in the first place. "What do you mean exactly? Don't tell me Foxy's in trouble."

"Well, I-I don't know . . ." I whispered, fidgeting a little as I felt myself starting to sweat nervously under her stare. "I'm sure it was nothing . . . And even if she were in trouble, she'd have told me about it."

"That makes sense." With that, she pulled her smartphone out of the pockets of her tight jeans and started scrolling through it. That was when I noticed that the side of her thigh was pressing into mine; my other thigh pressed onto the arm of the sofa.

She was definitely moving.

Trying to ignore her, I pressed my back onto the sofa, telling myself that I was just worrying for nothing.

'She's not in some kind of trouble, and you're just jumping to conclusions,' I told myself. 'You know her well, and she'd have told you if something was wrong. Just believe in her, and stop being nervous. You're an adult, so act like an adult, Jeffric.'

Just as I was about to calm down, I finally realized what her tone reminded me of; suddenly immerging out of the back of my head as if my brain finally put two and two together.

The nervousness returned to punch me in my heart as I slowly pulled my smartphone out.

Her voice . . . it sounded like how I used to sound whenever I was being threatened by others.

Gulping, I tried to call her, but I couldn't push the call button. Something was holding me back; something that feared what or who could be threatening her and whether or not she was being threatened.

And, I didn't want it to be true.

Standing up abruptly, I quickly walked toward the door of the apartment, feeling my heart beat faster and faster with every second.

"Where are you going, hon?" Evelynn called out to me, standing up from the sofa.

"Where's he going?" Akali's voice came out of my room. "Ask him if he's gonna buy some cup ramyuns from the convenient store."

"Oh, ask him if he could buy some soda too!" Kai'Sa's cheerful voice also called out from my room.

I had no idea why they were in my room, though.

I pondered why they were inside it for a moment before remembering.

'Oh right, they are practicing yoga and doing basic workouts. . .' I thought. Then, I scratched my head in confusion. 'But why in my room, though . . . ?'

When I put on my shoes, Kai'Sa and Akali had walked out of the room to watch me. They were wearing yoga outfits: Kai'Sa was wearing darkish-blue yoga trousers and a white yoga bra, and Akali was wearing black yoga trousers and a bright-red yoga bra.

Their skin and outfits were wet with sweat, making me look away to not show my blushing self.

"You're not buying ramyun, are you?" Akali asked, panting slightly from all the work she did.

"That means no soda for me . . ." Kai'Sa drooped a little. She was also panting like Akali. They both were making me feel hot inside for some reason.

"I'm . . . I'm just going to Ahri, see if sh-she's alright. That's all." I tried some nervous laughter, which came out in a very awkward way.

"How do you know where she is?" Evelynn asked, her head somehow freakishly turned toward me while her body seemed it didn't even move a muscle. "Wasn't she on her way home when you were calling her?"

"O-Oh, about that . . ." Pulling out my smartphone, I accessed an app and showed it to them sheepishly. "We . . . we have an app on each of our phones that shows our locations . . ."

Kai'Sa and Akali squealed girlishly as if they were watching romance dramas. "Ohh that's so romantic!" They exclaimed at the same time.

Giving them a nervous smile, I went out and closed the door behind me. Then, I looked down at my smartphone screen.

Ahri wasn't moving at all.

And, she was in an alleyway.

I felt my heart drop as hard as a baseball bat.

"Oh no . . ."

Ahri stood in front of the cruel-eyed man, acting as if she were scared by bowing her head slightly while making her shoulders and legs shake a little. She let out whimpering noises through her trembling lips, making her eyes look fear-stricken.

Nobody would've realized she was just acting . . . except Evelynn perhaps.

As she'd expected, the cruel-eyed man grinned in satisfaction, thinking that he was causing fear to rise within her when in reality she was annoyed, offended, stressed, and disgusted.

"It's been a long time, b*tch," he said, leaning on the alleyway wall while folding his arms in front of his chest. "How was your life?"

'Very nightmarish,' she thought. 'All because of you.'

But she didn't say anything. Instead, she let out more whimpering noises, backing away a little for good measure.

"Oh, no, no, don't back away from me, you sl*tty fox," he hissed. Before her back could press onto the opposite alleyway wall, he grabbed her by her left hand and pulled her to him.

Ahri found herself staring up at his face, which was contorted into a sickening smile.

"You know, the videos of you I recorded all those years ago are becoming boring." He leaned closer, and she could smell smoke in his mouth. "Even though your naked body was so . . . erotic."

The videos. She knew very well what they held.

Years ago, when she became a sensational solo pop star, he started making moves on her. He was a part of a popular boy group back then, which was disbanded due to several major controversies with its members. He was one of the members who seemed to be free of crimes, but she knew he was far from it.

At first, when he started talking to her after her concerts, she was very thrilled, meeting a handsome and talented artist. But, the more they met, the more she started noticing how . . . off he was. And, one time when he was driving her to her house, he reached out and touched her breasts.

At that moment, Ahri slapped his hand away and forced herself out of his car. She decided that she'd never talk with him, let alone hitch a ride in his car ever again.

However, a few days later, after a performance, she entered her house and instantly got punched hard in the stomach. Then, before she could cripple down, she received another blow to her cheek, sending her sprawling onto the ground with a shriek.

She coughed and whimpered in pain as she felt her clothes being pulled off from her body. She tried to resist but received another blow to her cheek.

Before she knew it, she was naked, and he was filming her with his phone while standing over her.

That was when her nightmare began.

He used the film to call her to his place and filmed or took pictures of her naked body in various poses for his enjoyment. He even threaten her that if she called the police, the videos would be spilled across the internet and ruin her career. He sometimes groped her, but never kissed nor forced himself onto her.

The only thing he said about the matter was, "I'm just waiting for the wine to age, sl*t."

And, he had always boasted about the club of his, constantly promising her that he'd take her there someday and 'enjoy' her with his friends.

Ahri was already considering taking a break from music at that time, but this solidified the decision.

When she stopped working, he stopped calling her. For a few years, she blocked herself from the outside world, living in her apartment. She occasionally hung out with Evelynn, but she didn't tell her about her nightmarish life. She just blamed it on having no control over what kind of songs she wanted to sing whenever Evelynn asked her what was the matter whenever she noticed that something was wrong. It was partially true, after all. She thought she didn't need to make her friend worry.

She'd thought he was done with her when she started creating K/DA, and making the group was going to be the symbol of her moving forward from that nightmare.

But, that didn't mean she didn't prepare for the worst.

Foxes were cunning, and Ahri wasn't an exception. And, moreover, she was a gumiho—a creature known for deceiving men and then tearing out their liver.

When he forced her onto her knees, she made sure she made noises in protest; the more she fought, the more disadvantageous the recording would be for him.

"I've waited so, so long for this moment . . ." His gleeful, excited voice alone made her stomach churn. But a sense of victory stopped her from vomiting. "I've had so many delusions about you, you know."

"Wh-What do you m-mean by that . . . ?" She whispered as pathetically as possible, acting like a vulnerable, cornered woman. 'Yes, do tell. Talk all about them to my recording device, idiot.'

Like a fish catching the bait, he did just that.

It took everything for her to not smile her animalistic smile.

He didn't know he was digging his own grave.

I ran through the streets, navigating toward where Ahri was.

While I was moving, she still didn't move, which made my mind spiral out of control with worries and fears.

There wasn't a single reason for her to stay in a place, unmoving. In an alleyway? Not even a chance. Moreover, she quickly hung up while we were talking over the phone.

Anxious tears started trickling out of my eyes, blurring my view. But I didn't stop, crying out apologies whenever colliding with the passersby.

She was in trouble. I knew it from experience.

Being bullied was one thing, but knowing that the person I loved the most was being bullied was another.

"Please be safe . . ." I begged, looking down at the smartphone screen to check where I was. I was almost there. "P-Please be safe . . . !"

While the man was telling the helpless woman now on her knees in front of him his delusions, he'd entered his chat room on his smartphone and started typing.

guys great news. tonight, or in a few days, ill be bringing the k/da as our 'guests' to the club. be hyped.

In a few seconds, messages from his friends started filling the chat, all cheering him or being astonished at how he got in touch with the famous KPOP girl group.

The man smiled as they started calling dibs on specific members or fantasizing about the moment.

'More minds to break, more bodies to defile.' He thought gleefully, looking down his nose at Ahri whose beautiful golden eyes were filled with fear for what was to come. 'And more slaves for the club.'

"No . . . Oh god . . . why . . . ?" a man whispered, one hand holding his phone in front of his face while the other clawed at his leg.

He was slouched in the corner of his apartment, his whole body trembling in agony and despair.

He'd thought his life was already a hellhole ever since he started getting bullied by 'him'. But now, he felt as if the cruel-eyed man had grabbed his ankle and pulled him down even further.

Was that man a demon? How did he actually get his disgusting hands on the famous girl group? Just how?

Dropping his smartphone, he buried his face into his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I can't . . . I can't live like this anymore!" He wailed. "Why . . . Why is this happening to me?!"

Ahri thought she might die of disgust while hearing the man's delusions he bragged about. For one thing, he wanted to watch her being gangb*nged by multiple men while she was wearing her old popstar outfit. And, he'd imagined himself as the CEO of a music company that owned K/DA and described in detail how he'd force himself on her while her (imaginary) boyfriend was around.

The most infuriating thing he'd told her was how he and his friend would force her and the rest of the members of the K/DA to have a 'pleasure-filled night' after every single live concert.

'My ears are gonna bleed . . .' Ahri thought, mentally cringing and facepalming at him. 'One more story from him, and I might actually drop this act.'

If she wasn't acting scared, she'd have stared at him with narrowed eyes filled with disgust while letting out a laugh that was devoided of amusement.

"By the way, what does your group's name even mean?" he asked, grossly licking his lips. "Kissing D*cks Association?"

He laughed at his own joke, while Ahri forced herself not to groan out loud. Instead, she made herself tremble in fear, making her eyes shudder in their sockets as they stared up at him helplessly.

"That name will mean that unless you do something for me . . . perfectly."

When he started pulling the zipper of his jeans, Ahri instantly shut her eyes tight.

She was expecting it, but it didn't stop her from feeling disgusted than ever.

'There's no way I'm looking at his disgusting thing,' she thought, forcing her face that tried to glower to form an expression of immense distress, which wasn't hard.

"N-No . . . p-please . . ." She whimpered, making herself tear up by remembering all those days she was abused by him, feeling as if the hell that had engulfed her would never let her go. The recording must show how distressed she was, and she was going to show it.

To stop him once and for all.

"Now, now, don't cry, Ahri." She could imagine his 'thing' right in front of her face, and it made the tears flow even more. "If you could satisfy me, I promise that I'd never lay a finger on your friends."

'Yeah, right,' she thought, blubbering incoherent things at him while making her shoulders and head shudder in horror, like a person waiting for their execution.

Suddenly, she felt his hand slap his cheek very hard, making her shriek in pain.

"Will you stop saying things I can't understand, you dumb b*tch?" He snarled. Then, she felt his hand being placed on the back of her head. "Now, do it."

At that moment, an image of Jeffric flashed by her head, a pang of guilt throbbing in her heart. She felt as if she was betraying him.

'I'm sorry, Jeffric,' Ahri thought, a sob getting caught in her throat, escaping in a strangled cry. 'But I must do this . . . for our safety.'

Suddenly, she heard a voice she knew scream from the entrance of the alleyway. At that moment, it was welcoming, yet horrifying at the same time. It was a voice of an angel, yet a trigger for her doom.

She'd failed. He'd seen this.

Ahri heard her plan shattering around her, his voice being the hammer that caused them to break apart into millions of pieces.

"S-Stop right there!" the voice yelled, filling Ahri's heart with joy as well as dismay. "I-I-I'm not scared to hand this video recording t-t-t-to the authorities!"

Slowly turning her head toward the direction of the alleyway entrance, she opened her eyes to see Jeffric standing there, his face pale as snow, his wide-open green eyes showing his state of shock and horror, one hand outstretched in front of him, holding his smartphone that showed the video he'd recorded in its screen.

At that moment, Ahri was reminded of how cruel fate could be.