Chapter One - Where It All Begin

First time I saw that person, I thought he was kind of cute.

Really.

Of course I didn't know him. Not yet. I thought he was just some stranger who was struggling with some kind of disease instead of the person who would drag me into the biggest trouble in my life.

I first noticed him because he stopped quite close to me. His breath was shallow and loud. I saw him holding his head in pain as he muttered some incoherent words to himself. At first, all I thought was just about his perfectly white hair with some shade of pink in the lower side. He completely stole my focus when he suddenly pulled out a tube from his coat's pocket and it slipped. He cursed with a hoarse voice while the bottle rolled towards me.

I bent my body and grabbed it fast, hurriedly giving it back to him. I was kind of panicked because he looked so ill. He snatched the bottle from my hand without even said thank you and poured the liquid inside it into his mouth in one swift motion.

I couldn't help but watched him warily, wondering if he was okay because he looked so pale. His white hair made his skin looked even paler than any normal skin. His turquoise eyes stared at me sharply as he swept the remaining of the liquid from his lips.

Some seconds passed and his breath began to get even. Some colors were back on his face. He still looked at me as if he was thinking deeply about something. His forehead was creased.

"Are you okay?" I remembered asking him. I reached out for his arm but he just shrugged it and left without a word, leaving me speechless due to his rudeness.

If I had known beforehand..

If only I knew that he would be the key to my unexpected journey, would I talk to him?

That event happened not so long after I arrived in Korea. I met that man right on the day I came here. I was all by myself. My brother Haruka should have come with me but he failed to catch the flight. Some businesses were keeping him in the model agency where he worked as a full time model.

Well, actually at the first place, we planned to come to Korea because he got some work here. There would be a fashion show held in December 20th and he was going to take part in that show. He asked me to come with him so we could spend some time enjoying this country. That's why we planned to depart earlier than his schedule. Precisely on December 3rd.

Well, we could only plan.

It turned out that Haruka couldn't even come right after that. His manager ordered him to stay in Japan until December 15th. My bad luck, I had to spend the holiday alone.

To be honest, it didn't really bother me that I had to leave alone, but it wasn't a simple matter for my family. They were so angry once they knew I left Japan all by myself. Haruka himself didn't think that I would go alone when he couldn't make it to the airport on time.

As the only daughter of Takamiya family, my life was a little bit complicated. My grandfather was the leader of a yakuza organization. That title had been held by the head of Takamiya family for so many generations and it gave us so many enemies. Not that we acquired that position simply by inherit it, but a young Takamiya had to prove themselves that they really were qualified to do that job. My father refused to take that position so the responsibility was still been held by my grandfather. Currently, my second brother Mitsuki was the strongest candidate to be the next leader.

Well, actually, my life wasn't just slightly complicated, it was a mess. So many bad guy were after me. Some of them wanted me dead, the others wanted to use me. My childhood was spent in hiding inside the house of Takamiya.

Until an incident happened and I had to disappear from the world.

Officially, I had been dead fifteen years ago. Nobody knew that I was alive except my family and our closest follower. All my life, I'd been trapped inside that large house I called home. I could only go out if there were bodyguards or my brothers to accompany me. My family also created a fake life to complete my protection. I was given a new identity as Himitsu Chiharu an ordinary girl from Tokyo. If someone saw me and became curious about me, I just had to give them this fake information and they could never reach me.

Actually, we all had an alter identity but I was the one who had to hide all the time. That was my father's order to protect me. He even insisted to change my hair color and ordered me to wear soft lens. I refused the second part. I loved my eyes and it was the only thing left to remind me of my mother.

So, we could say that I rarely had the chance to go outside the house. This time I could travel abroad by myself. Why should I refuse? I'd been waiting for this chance for a long time. A chance to see the world without having someone kept an eye of me 24/7.

What I did was going along with the flow. At first everything seemed really fun. I took a walk around the city, tasted local food, met strangers and chat with them. Until the twilight came and I had to walk back to the hotel all alone.

Well, it was kinda lonely.

I remembered walking pass some park and saw a couple sat in the swing. It was in the middle of winter and the weather was freezing, I almost thought that they were crazy, but then I spotted their happy face. For a moment I stopped and watched them talked about something I couldn't manage to hear. The cold wind kept on blowing and I had to pull my beanie further to cover my ears. That couple were just talking to each other as if they had no care about anything in this world. Smile planted in their lips and shade of blush adorned their face. Somehow they made my loneliness well up.

That time, I met Unknown for the first time.

He looked really normal despite his white hair. He was kind of cute if I had to be honest. I could never imagine him as a psycho who hacked my phone, send a suggestion application that turned out to be some organization called RFA's private messenger, and also led me to some empty apartment owned by a dead girl named Rika. I also couldn't imagine that, later, just the slight thought of him would make me cringe until I saw that man again in my second day staying in Rika's apartment. I was looking at the street through the glass window, drown in my own thought. I had just hung up the phone call from my eldest brother, Sora, who was insisted in coming to Korea. He'd already got the report from my bodyguards that I went missing. They failed to trace me. They even could not find me through the location of my phone.

I should have been mad, right? My family put a tracer in my body and, moreover, they sent bodyguards without my consent. It was harassments towards my privacy, wasn't it?

But I couldn't manage myself to get mad at them. My mind was full with other matters.

How could unknown mess with the tracer? How could he hacked my phone and put the messenger as a suggested application? Was he really that great in hacking? Was he Smarter than seven so Seven couldn't find him yet?

No. Seven Zero Seven was the smartest person I could ever meet. I'd known him for only two days but I had already sure about it. He would find that Unknown person before I could spell "tsutaerarenakatta" clearly.

I remembered leaning my body to the window's pane. I let my eyes wander directionless because my temple was throbbing hard.

What in the world was going on? How did I let myself trapped in this situation?

I had an urge to pull my own long brown locks due to my anger towards myself but then thought about the headache I might get, so I watched people walked along the street instead.

Suddenly, I spotted him.

There, across the street, in the hallway of the apartment that stood facing this apartment, I saw a familiar white hair.

Yes, I couldn't be mistaken. It was the same man as before. The man I met back there in front of the park. He stared right at me, waving his phone at me.

I couldn't see his face due to his mask, but I would never forget those white hair and those eyes which were staring at me with a mischievous gleam. He looked down to his phone and typed something.

I nearly jumped when my phone vibrate.

A message from unknown.

Enjoying your time?

My head shot up and I stared back at him. Realization dawned at me. I had only one explanation for the question why Unknown could guess what I'd been doing. Unconsciously my grip on my phone tightened. Right there Unknown pulled down his mask only to reveal that he was smiling. Not the warm or comforting smile, but the one which made my heart sank and my blood turned cold.

Why are you doing this? I replied his message and watched him as he read it. I couldn't see his expression.

To use you as an invitation, he answered.

I replied hurriedly.

What invitation?

He glared at me and typed his answer fast.

Invitation to paradise.

I tilted my head in confusion.

"I should tell seven," I muttered to myself, but before I could hit his number, a message came again.

Tell him about me, and I will kill you all.

My hands froze. I looked at him once again and saw his furrowed brow. He was angry.

Why me? I asked him again.

This time, the answer I expected didn't come. He read my message, but he didn't reply. He just simply looked at me for the last time, turned his body and walked away.

"No!" I shouted at him and stormed towards the front door after snatching my coat and scarf. I ran along the hallway and down the stairs, trying to catch him.

When my feet stomped on the last staircase, my phone rang. At first I wanted to ignore it, but a glimpse at it told me that it was Seven, so I pick it up.

"Where are you going?" Seven's voice sounded a little bit worried, "I saw you in the camera. You are storming out of Rika's apartment."

I looked around me while my right hand clutched my phone next to my ear.

"I saw him," I answered before I started running towards the front door of the apartment where unknown stood some minutes ago, "Unknown. He was there just now, standing across the street."

I could hear Seven's yell from the speaker.

"Then you go after him?"

"Of course."

Where was him? I thought as I kept on searching. I walked fast along the street. I didn't care if people started to watch me. I just had to find him.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Seven practically barked at me, "Go back to the apartment now! Only God knows what he can do to you!"

I held my phone a little further from my ear. Seven's scream surprised me.

"But, Seven…"

Greppp!

I shrieked in surprise because someone suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me. I almost lost my balance but could manage it in the last second so I didn't fall.

"Chiharu? Chiharu?!" I heard Seven's voice in the phone. He sounded so panicked, "What happened, Chiharu?"

I knew I should answer him but I couldn't. I was forced to look at the person in front of me. My eyes widened. The white haired man I knew as unknown was standing in front of me with eyes full of hatred. His grip in my wrist felt so cold like an iron. He looked down upon me with a deadly stare.

And suddenly, I was afraid.

"Are you talking to that person?" he asked me with a sweet smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Clearly there was something wrong with him. I was sure no sane person would look at me in this kind of way.

"Which person?" I asked a little bit louder so Seven could hear me.

"That.." Unknown made a quick movement and took my phone before I realized what he was doing, "…filthy traitor."

He pressed the sign and the call was ended. I gulped and averted my eyes from him.

"He's the one who is in charge to protect you, right?" Unknown asked again. The smile didn't left his lips yet but never touched his eyes. He casually put my phone back to my pocket as if he was my close friend or something like that.

"How do you know?" I tried to free my hand from his grip but I failed. He was just too strong, "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I just know," his smile widened. It sent ice along my veins, "Do you think you are safe in that apartment?"

He leaned closer and I tried to back away. He didn't let me. He pulled my hand so I was forced to get closer to him and he could whisper into my ear.

"Do you think I wasn't watching over you?"

Again, my body froze. My heart raced as if it was going to explode inside my chest. My hand that been held by him felt numb due to his strong grip. It felt like the tip of my fingers became cold.

I used to live under a threat that someone might come to hurt me, or use me, or kidnap me, but I'd always had my family to protect me. This time, no one knew where I was except Seven and somehow I got a hunch that he wasn't nearby.

I was practically alone, standing face to face with the person who clearly said he was using me. This person even threated to kill me.

Well, it was normal if I started to feel scared, wasn't it?

"I know who you are," he continued. His words once again stunned me, "The real you. Not the girl you use as your persona."

He showed me a crooked smile that made his face became more evil.

"Miss Takamiya Chiharu."

Before I realize, I'd already pull my hand as hard as I could. This time it did work. My hand was free and I could run away.

I ran towards Rika's apartment, hoping that he wasn't following me. Unfortunately, I could hear a footstep behind me. It seemed like he wasn't done with me. His footsteps was so loud and made me really nervous. My breath hitched and my legs hurt, but I didn't stop, at least not before I reached the door of Rika's apartment. Then I stopped and turned to face him.

"How do you know?" I exclaimed and made a gesture to protect myself. Mitsuki had ever taught me some martial arts but I was rarely been in a circumstance where I had to use it, "Are you one of my family enemies?"

Unknown stopped couples steps before me. He chuckled.

"How much work do you think I have to do to keep them away? Those people who is searching you like some mother cat lost their kitten," He stepped forward and his face darkened, "Their precious kitten."

I backed away and my back hit the door.

"I have nothing to do with Takamiya Family, but if they are going in my way, I clearly have to do something," he continued with the same dark expression in his face. His eyes gleamed with some madness I had never seen before, "I blocked the tracer's signal so your protectors couldn't follow you to this apartment. Do you think I'm stupid? What kind of ordinary people have a tracer put in their body and followed by a group of bodyguard?."

I couldn't deny that he was right.

"So, you are also the one who mess with my phone's location detector," my tone lowered, "Why are you doing this?"

He stepped closer.

"Stay where you are!" I yelled.

"Or what?" he questioned. One of his brows shot upright, "You are going to call that traitor?"

I bit my lips and realized that he once again was right. Nothing I could do to protect myself.

But why he kept calling Seven as a traitor?

"Lucky you," Unknown spoke again, "I have no plan to kill you today nor to take you with me. You are still useful there. I'll come for you when the time is right."

He moved closer till now I was trapped between his body and the door.

"Until then," he whispered as he looked down at my eyes, "Enjoy your time with them. Be his dearest one so when I take you away, it will break him to the point where nothing can mend his heart again. Only then he will understand what he did to me."

His voice reached me as hazy sounds. My body was so stiff and my mind went blank.

I was so scared.

"You can tell him about this," Unknown whispered again. I could hear an insane joy in his voice, "But I've told you what will happen if you do that, right? It's not just about you, Princess. I'm sure your brothers will not be happy if they find your dead body. Maybe they'll start an investigation about RFA? But of course it will be too late since the people in that organization are all dead. Hahaha!"

Shivers ran along my body from my head to the tip of my toe. My coat didn't help because suddenly it felt like the temperature there was dropped significantly.

"But maybe your grandfather will be glad? You aren't an apple in his eyes right?" he laughed in an evil way, "Ah, maybe I'm just too kind to use that term."

He stooped forward so he could whisper right into my ear.

"He hates you, doesn't he?"

He laughed again as he straightened his body. I felt wetness in my cheeks.

"Tsk! Tsk! You know what?" he raised his hand and touched my cheek with the tip of his finger, "I've learned in a hard way, that tears won't bring you anywhere."

I turned my face away immediately, didn't want him to touch me.

"But I kinda like you when you are crying."

He laughed for the last time before turned his body and started to walk away. He gave the camera one last glimpse and cursed under his breath. Next second, he'd already unseen, leaving me all trembled and scared.

Once I was sure he really was gone, I fell to the floor. My legs finally gave up and I just sat there, looking at the sky.

What was that? I thought as I wept the remaining tears from my eyes and cheeks.

Why did he do this to me? If he wasn't my family's enemy, he must be RFA's enemy.

But I had nothing to do with the RFA before he dragged me in. He was the one who connected me to the RFA. Why me? What was his real purpose?

It took some seconds for me to realize that my phone was ringing. I took it from my pocket and picked up.

"I'm on my way there," I heard seven said, "Wait there."

"He'd already gone," I told him. My voice was trembled even my tears had stopped flowing. I really wanted to tell him everything, but I remembered Unknown's threat so I just swallowed back the words I was nearly said. Instead, I told him, "But I'm all right. He didn't hurt me."

Seven exhaled loudly in relief and that sound hit me, followed with some strange affection towards him, knowing that he really was worried about me.

"Thank God," he murmured, "I was really worried he hurt you or did something worse to you. I'm glad you are okay."

"Yes," I tried to smile and wept the tears away, "Just go back home. You said you have works to do, right?"

"Yes, but.. are you sure you really are okay?"

"Yes," I assured him, "I'm sure."

"Okay then I'll go back. Vanderwood must be mad at me right now. Just pray that she won't torture me."

"Vanderwood?" I furrowed my brows, "Your maid? Why's she mad at you?"

"Errr…." Seven stumbled, "I left my house in a mess and she has an OCD."

I had my brows raised high. Was he lying to me?

"Really?" I asked him unsure, "Your maid is going to torture you because you left your house in a mess? Isn't she a little bit evil?"

"You think so too?" he whined, "I've told him multiple times!"

"Him?" My brows rose higher.

"I mean HER," Seven blurted out, "Her. Yes, I mean that."

I tilted my head even though I knew he couldn't see that.

"Aaa.. I have to go now. Hope you are safe now."

It seemed like he was running away from the conversation but I just shrugged it off.

"I'm okay. Just drive safely. Hope your works could be finished soon so you can rest."

"I don't think so," he sighed, "But thank you for saying so. I'll retreat for now. Gooooodbyeeee."

I took my phone down and got up. A conversation with Seven always made my mood lighter. I smiled a little, starring at the camera. For some reason, I wasn't mad even I know he was watching me through the lens. I waved to it and walked inside.

I might be in a weird and dangerous circumstance, but I was a little bit glad that Unknown brought me to this apartment. At least I got a chance to know the RFA.

With that thought, I felt my heart once more become lighter.