Under the Veil of Night

Mike looked at Misae's expression as she stood in front of the group of men and ordered them. He knew that she was merely using her father's status, but the sight of her standing proudly somehow made his heart thumped faster and louder. It was a weird feeling for him, but he liked it.

Upon hearing the sentence 'He's my boyfriend', he had the feeling that his heart was taken away immediately. He thought that she wouldn't be able to bear to see him directly again after knowing that he came from the clan. However, hearing she admitted that he is her boyfriend (they never break up in the first place), he felt extremely elated.

Was he waited for her to say those words? He didn't know, but he decided to follow along what she wanted.

"Yes, Misae?" Mike called in his gentle voice as usual.

Misae looked back at him and smiled. "Let's go inside."

Kano looked at the back of the two of them as he sighed. He could guess that they were trying to clear up the matter about their relationship in this place…. Well, he didn't mind it at all since he would definitely support his daughter, but the place they picked was quite something.

Turning his body away, he chucked to himself. She was truly similar to her mother. They would unconsciously pick the most dangerous man even when they have the chance not to.

Inside the separated room, the two of them were looking towards each other. Neither side knew what they should talk after a long time not meeting with each other. Even their purpose for coming here seemed to disappear into thin air because of their chance encounter.

"I'm going to leave this city," Misae suddenly spoke up. She didn't know what to say, so she just said the first thing that appeared in her mind, which was her decision to go from this city.

"I see," Mike nodded his head slowly. "I wish you for the best there."

From before, he already knew that Misae was unsuitable for this city. She was always acting as if everything was safe, unaware of the hidden danger beneath the calm surface. Her fragile heart and body were unable to cope up with what had happened in this city so far.

Misae looked back towards Mike. "You're not angry?"

"Why should I be angry? It's for your own good that you leave this city," Mike smiled back warmly. "This place can be extremely dangerous, so it's good that you can leave."

"No, not that, but because of how I act," Misae lowered her head. She was feeling ashamed for what she did because it just meant that she never truly recovered and accepted the clans.

"I will not be angry," Mike replied calmly. "I already know about what happened to you in the past, and my own action of hiding my background is not really praiseworthy, especially because I try to get close to you. I should have been more honest with you."

He himself knew better than anyone that it was him who tried to make contact more with this little girl. She just intrigued him, and he continued to try staying with her, making her fond of him. All the time, he never tried to tell her the truth, hoping that when he did, it would be at the right time.

But fate gave him other answer.

"No, if you do that, I will never have those memories," if she knew about his background from way before, she would never get close to him. Without that, she would never experience a lot of emotions she didn't know she could have.

Mike looked back deeply to the woman in front of him. "Is it possible for us to be friends again since you can't accept someone from the underworld? I know it's a hard decision because it means that your life will be in constant worry and danger, but if it's friends, can you accept it?"

Misae looked at Mike blankly. She felt as if she lost her voice from his question. "What are you saying?"

"I mean… don't you hate me for being in a clan?"

"No, I don't hate you," Misae immediately shook her head.

Mike's eyes glimmer with hope. "Then, does it mean you can accept me as friends again?"

"No, that's impossible."

"I…I see," Mike's voice sounded rather down. Did he hurt her too badly with the fact that he came from the underworld? He couldn't fully understand her pain from what she experienced in the past, but he knew that he wanted to try to understand.

Misae looked back, tears were welling up in her eyes. "I can't see you as friends anymore. I can only see you as my boyfriend."

What?

A hammer was hit directly to Mike's head, making him looked towards Misae with open mouth. Did he just hear it right?

"Can you repeat it again?" he wanted to confirm whether this was a dream or reality.

Misae shook her head lightly. Her face reddened as she felt embarrassed. "Can we start again? I can't forget you."

Mike gulped down. He felt that he had received the biggest present today. When he saw how she lived her ordinary life without him again, the thought that she should have a normal life without him emerged. He knew, staying with him would only bring danger to her life. It was something he didn't want to happen.

"Do you truly mean it? I mean, you don't mind having a boyfriend from underworld?" even if it meant that your life will be filled with worry about my safety and danger roamed your entire life?

 He couldn't bring himself to ask the second question forward because he knew that it would be a hard decision. One has to think hard for their choice because what they pick determined how their life later on.

Misae nodded. "If it's you, I don't mind. I… just hope you can give me more time so that I can stand by your side and not being protected behind you."

She didn't want to be always being protected. Her friends, her parents, they were all trying to protect her so much that she didn't know what to say anymore. She wanted to have the strength to stand by her own and not relying on them.

"I have all the time for you," Mike chuckled. "I can wait for you."

Hearing his answer, Misae smiled brightly. Her innocent and beautiful smile made Mike unable to hold down. He pulled the girl tightly into his embrace as he wanted to feel her presence. After this, he wouldn't be able to see her for a long time anymore.

'I wish time can stop right now.'

Staying inside his embrace, Misae secretly wished. She felt safe with him around. Even though she merely standing, that was what she felt just by his presence.

Suddenly, the alarm rang.

"What's that?" Misae asked worriedly.

Mike's face hardened. "Stay close to me."

He was pretty familiar with that alarm because it meant there was a power failure. Neo always warned him that the most dangerous situation in the prison would be power failure because it would be followed by the prison outbreak.

In the next moment, he could sense several people coming. Holding Misae tightly with one of his arm, he moved straight towards them.

Bam!

With his other arm, he quickly sent them unconscious. Mike frowned. Right now, the one who got out were people who didn't have much fighting prowess, so it was easy for him to fight them. However, it would be a different case when those from the underground came out. This place would be a total blood bath.

"Misae, hold on to me tightly."

"Yes."

He moved to the other farther room. This place was quite secluded, so there will be less people who came here. He could only hope that there was no one who could match him appeared.

Inside his embrace, he used his hand to block Misae's ear. The girl couldn't hear anything while her vision was blocked by Mike's body. However, she didn't struggle at all because she could guess that something dangerous must have happened.. Right now, the safest place for her was inside his arm.