Eun-Ae gulped anxiously as she pulled her sleeping bag up to her chin, biting down on her lip as she squirmed uncomfortably. Her eyes flicked back and forth in the dark, and she was unnerved by the shadows dancing just beyond the walls of her tent. Those stupid scary stories are getting to me, she thought with a slight groan, shivering in mild fright as a cold wind blew through the clearing and angrily ruffled the fabric of her tent. Though she had not been alarmed earlier, once she had settled into her tent for bed, she had become extremely aware of the gloom and the shadows. Every time something seemed to move outside the tent, her heart would stop and she would hold her breath until she managed to convince herself that she was overreacting.

“Come on, Eun-Ae, just go to sleep,” she muttered as she rolled onto her side. Frowning deeply, she squeezed her eyes shut and attempted to block out the creepy atmosphere. Her hearing was instantly heightened, and she could hear the breeze whistling outside, causing her the tent walls to shudder lightly as if someone where running their fingers over the fabric. The tale of the hook-handed man flashed into her mind, and her eyes immediately snapped open, her breathing growing ragged with fear. Outside, the shadows were dancing fancifully, and her imagination went wild. Phantasms lurked outside of her tent, waiting to strike the unwary girl. Whimpering, she buried herself into her sleeping bag.

It's just your imagination… There's nothing out there…! She told herself weakly, peering over the edge of the sleeping bag with wide eyes. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she could feel her head throbbing, and her chest felt tight. She was teetering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack. She trembled as she sat up, her gaze sweeping across the empty, dark tent. I can't stay in here…! She thought in panic as she wriggled out of the sleeping bag. Her hand shook violently as she fumbled with the zipper, but after a minute of struggling she managed to grip the small metal attachment and the front of the tent. Hesitantly, she poked her head out, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the soft moonlight.

The wind had picked up considerably as the night had deepened, wailing as it ripped over the tents and caused the tents to flap and buck wildly. Eun-Ae gasped as it tore across the campground, ducking her head as it ripped at her hair with invisible claws. It tore the brunette strands from her bun as it attacked her, and she hastily retreated back into the safety of the tent until the gust died down. Using a hand to sweep the limp strands from her face, she peered back out, gulping. The leaves on the trees surrounding the camp side were shaking, and the sound echoed through the small space. To the frightened Eun-Ae, it sounded like unseen monsters scrambling around in the treetops, waiting to pounce on the camping teenagers. Eun-Ae crouched in the entrance of her tent, measuring her courage and attempting to explain away her fear with sound logic. She was unsuccessful.

Swallowing deeply and summoning what little bravery she had, she reached behind her to grab the handle of her oxygen tank and then crawled out of the tent and across the grass, shivering as the wind swept over her and snatched at her hair and nightgown. It was slow going, as the heavy medical equipment bumped over the uneven ground and even got stuck in a few places, forcing Eun-Ae to pause and wrench it free before hastily continuing her harrowing journey. The entire time, the wind whirled around her, carrying strange sounds that made the scared girl's blood run cold. Distorted growls, faint whispers, deadly snarls and other terrifying noises danced on the shifting air, and Eun-Ae's heart rate skyrocketed. Before the shadowy assailants could catch her, she scurried across the campsite and sat up on her knees to the tent belonging to her boyfriend. She hurriedly climbed inside and zipped the tent up behind her, her heart hammering in her chest from what felt like a near-brush with death. She jumped violently when she heard something in the tent shuffling around.

“Key?” she whispered, unable to see him in the sparse light. She held up a hand to shield her eyes as the glaring light of a cellphone suddenly bloomed in the darkness, and she blinked repeatedly and avoiding looking at the sheer white light as Key groaned and sat up sleepily.

“Eun-Ae? What are you doing here?” he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes sleepily and lowered the brightness on the phone screen to a comfortable level. Eun-Ae suddenly felt incredibly silly, and she blushed in embarrassment that she had snuck into her boyfriend's tent simply on the account on some foolish scary stories and an overactive imagination. Key stared at her for a minute, his mind whirling as he struggled into full consciousness, and then he smirked slightly. “Oh, I get it. Let me guess- those stories got to you?” he mused. She blushed darker, but merely nodded meekly, still frightened enough to not care to venture outside.

“I know… It's pathetic,” she sighed as she slumped her shoulders miserably and stared at her lap. I can't believe I got spooked like that… I’m worse than Taemin, she thought with slightly pursed lips. She looked up slightly as Key chuckled softly and beckoned her over, and, still pouting, she crawled closer to him, sitting on her knees beside him as he reached up to gently tuck her stray hairs behind her ear.

“I think it's kinda cute,” he smirked in amusement, his hand trailing down to cup her cheek. She leaned into it, comforted by the simple gesture.

“Are you gonna make me go back to my tent?” she asked him quietly, feeling guilty that she had woken him up in the dark of night on account of some foolishness.

“Of course not!” he laughed and leaned forward to gently kiss her nose. “What kind of guy kicks out a girl who sneaks into his tent at night? He'd have to be nuts,” he smirked as his eyes sparkled with mischievousness. Eun-Ae went pink, embarrassed by the implications, and looked down as Key pulled open his sleeping bag and scooched to the side to make enough room for the petite girl. Still red-faced, she slipped into the small sleeping bag beside him, snuggling close as he re-zipped the sleeping bag and settled himself in beside her. “Feel better?” he murmured as he rhythmically ran his fingers through her loosened strands of hair. Eun-Ae had to admit that she did feel more at ease now that she was in the presence of another human being, especially her boyfriend.

“Yeah,” she sighed as she pressed closer to him, resting her hands against his chest. She bit down on her lip slightly when she realized that Key was shirtless, feeling her face grow warm. I may have gotten myself into an even worse situation, she thought in slight mortification. She gasped slightly when his hand abruptly slid under her chin, raising her face so that their eyes met. Immediately it felt like she was electrified by his gaze, that familiar gaze filled with passion and desire that took her breath away and made her heart palpitate furiously.

“You know… This is the first time we've been really alone since the mountain trail,” he remarked. There was a strange huskiness to his voice, low and sensual, that made every hair on her body stand on end as shivers went up her spine. All she could do was gaze up at him as his hand slowly traveled down from her face, down her arm and side to settle securely on the small of her back. She gasped as he pulled her up against him with one jerking motion, their bodies pressed together so tightly that she could feel every breath and hear his heartbeat. His was slow and calm compared to hers, pounding against her ribcage. She swallowed as his other hand found its way to her chest, slipping into her nightgown to rest over the area where her heart lie in the thrall of passion. “Your heart is racing,” he remarked smugly, quite proud of the effect he was having on the young woman. She became acutely aware of how close his face was, their lips mere centimeters apart. She could feel his gentle breathing on her face, and each one sent a fresh jolt of electricity through her body.

“My heart can't help but race when I’m with you,” she murmured, and that answer made his smirk dissolve into a smile.

“Good answer,” he chuckled before he angled his head and kissed her softly. Eun-Ae closed her eyes, savoring that familiar feeling of his lips moving slowly against hers. Eun-Ae's hands traveled across his chest around to his back, and she held onto him tightly as he kissed her faster and harder. Her mind began to swim, unable to focus on anything but the man kissing her- the heat radiating from his body, his hand pressed against the small of her back, his lips smothering her own. She pulled back slightly to breathe, but he instantly jumped forward and claimed again, intent on holding it captive. She could not help but part her lips to release a small sigh, and when she did his tongue invaded, tangling with her own with a fever. The feeling of his tongue swirling in made her dizzy, and she couldn’t think straight. She shuddered as his hand traveled from her lower back to her thigh, gripping it tightly to pull her leg over his own. As he gently rubbed the soft skin of her thigh, his fingers slipped beneath the soft fabric of her nightgown, making her tremble. All the sensory information barraging her mind was overwhelming, and she was helpless to the onslaught. She wasn’t sure how long it lasted before they finally broke apart. Both of them were breathing hard, their faces flushed with exertion. She was weak, so powerful had the feelings been that had overcome her, and she was still shaking as she pressed every inch of her body as she could against him. “You're so beautiful, you know that?” Key mused quietly as he brushed her sweat hair out of her face.

Eun-Ae wasn’t sure that she was the exact picture of beauty- her hair was a mess from sleep and the wind, not to mention that her illness left her with a drawn, hollow look. Still, as she lay in the arms of the man she cared so deeply for, she felt like nothing short of a radiant goddess. Key leaned down to kiss her once more, gently, lightly. “You asked me on the mountain trail what I was going to tell you,” he whispered against her lips. “I was going to tell you that I loved you, Eun-Ae. I love you with everything I have...” he murmured. Eun-Ae smiled, so overwhelmed by emotion that tears rose to the corners of her eyes.

“I love you too, Key,” she whispered, her voice breaking from the sheer strength of the love she felt for the man lying with her. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she choked up, unable to force out the words. Perhaps she didn’t need to say it at all. He kissed her once again, and she felt like all the words left unsaid traveled between them with those soft, sensual movements of their lips, locked together in the undeniable bind of pure love.

Eun-Ae was no longer afraid. With Key beside her, holding her tightly in the dark, she was safe, secure, immortal…