HIS PRINCESS | K.TH

Who We Used to Be

AERI

I don't know why I'm here.

My eyes glower towards Rin, who shoots me an awkward smile. I'd come so fast because her voice had been so urgent over the phone— but instead I was now here, surrounded by V's friends and feeling insanely pissed off.

"So what do you want?" I sigh. "There must be a reason why you got me over here like this, yeah?"

I still wasn't in a good mood from how I'd ended things with Baekhan. He hadn't done much— but that look of pure betrayal after I'd told him had stuck with me.

Jungkook and Jimin glance at one another.

"Let me explain, Miss Aeri." Jungkook speaks up first, his tone serious. "And— please, just hear me out for at least a little."

"V hyung has gone down to the Underground."

...okay? Probably for one of his stupid street fights. He really hadn't learned his lesson from last time, had h—

"He's gone to your place. From before." Jungkook continues, and I slowly lose all words as he goes on. "He's gone to find your brother— Shin Aemin's records of a prototype that he and his class developed in Seohan University, six years ago. He thinks that your brother must've hidden it somewhere in the house."

The color slowly drains from my face.

Aemin?

Aemin.

I'd never expected to hear his name again.

Flickers of him slowly begin to claw its way up from where I'd buried it deep in my mind. I see flashes of his easy smile, his smile now covered in his own blood.

"...Miss Aeri?"

I look up, expression blank. All of their faces are dark with concern.

"Are you alright?"

I nod, but it feels like my own body isn't mine.

Jungkook continues softly. "He's gone down there by himself, and he doesn't know that his father has put a trail on him. He's going to lead them straight to the records if he finds it."

"So?" I whisper. My voice comes out so much more harshly than I mean to.

"I thought they were all together on this," I snarl. "V killed my brother, didn't he? Who cares about the fucking records or whatever anymore after six years?"

"Because it's a prototype for a bomb."

Jungkook closes his eyes, hesitating. Then he looks towards Jimin, who nods with an exasperated expression.

"V hyung didn't kill your brother, Miss Aeri."

I still.

...what?

"His father did. And it's because of guilt that he's let you believe this until now. He blames himself, that he could've stopped this from happening to you. Even though he never would've been able to."