“You can have this. “ Onew took out the last packet of vegetable biscuit and passed to her. “Is this the last one?” She said and looked at Onew. Onew nodded slightly. His eyes showed despair as he looked down at the empty food packaging. “Let’s share.” She said and smiled. If Onew knew that they will be trapped in some forest, he would have bought more food. Water was not a problem as they found a stream in the forest.

She was wearing Onew’s suit jacket as clothes and a worn out shorts they found in the forest. It has been days since they changed out. Every day they merely washed up and wore back their old clothes. “Do you think they found out that I am missing? Will they find us?” She asked worriedly and put down the hand she held the biscuit with. “Probably. After all, it has been days. They will find their way here eventually. Should we try our luck out there?” Onew asked with his mouth full of biscuit crumbs.

“I guess that is our only option. We have no more food already. There is not much food in the forest too. We also don’t know whether it is poisonous. I guess we should set off soon.” She replied and looked up at Onew. “Hahaha…” She burst into laughter when she saw Onew’s dirty mouth. “Look at you.” She said and swept the crumbs off Onew’s mouth. Onew looked back at her. Their eyes met and there was an awkward moment when she froze too. “Ahem..” Onew choked onto his biscuit and broke the awkwardness.

Both of their hearts were pounding rapidly. “ Shall we… go?” Onew asked. She nodded her head and started packing up. After some time, the two set off for the beach where they escaped from. The forest was really big and all the trees looked the same. They were lost for the umpteenth times already. There seemed to be no way out. No matter how they walked, they ended up at the same place. The sun was setting and it was soon be night.

“I think we should go somewhere open and set up fire. It is dangerous when it gets darker later.” Onew said in a serious tone. “I think so too.” She replied. Onew supported her as they tried a different way. Hopefully, this will lead them to somewhere different. They made their way slowly and carefully up the track with the torch illuminating their way. “Yes. We finally got out of the damn forest!” Onew exclaimed.

A smile finally broke out on the two’s faces. Onew placed the bad on the soft grass and settled her down. He then sat down beside her. “Wow. A hill in a forest. This is my first time on a hill though. The stars look bigger from here.” Onew said and pointed to the stars above them. She smiled broadly and said,” They look the same as the ones we saw from our island when I was young. Still so pretty.” Suddenly, Onew felt vibration. His phone was ringing! “Look! My phone is ringing. There is reception here!!” Onew shouted.

He excitedly picked up the phone call. However, his face changed at the instant he picked it up. His face became serious, solemn and sad. After the person on the other end hang up, the phone slipped out of Onew’s right hand and fell to the grass. “What is wrong?” She asked in a worried tone. “My.. My mother… passed…passed away.” Onew stuttered as a tear escaped his eye. Instinctively, she placed her hands on top of .

She was taken aback and didn’t know how to react. Onew couldn’t hold back his tears anymore. He was devastated. His world was crashing down on him mercilessly. “Why?! Why is it like this… She has been safe all the while… But why must she be picked by the robber? Why?! God damn it!” Onew shouted as tears continued trickling down his cheeks. “Cry. Let it all out.” She said to him gently and hugged him. That was the only comfort she could give him.

“Why! Why must it be her?” Onew looked up at her and questioned. “Because… One star left the sky?” She pointed to the sky above and said. “Left?” Onew asked in a puzzled manner. “My dad once told me… When people die they turn into stars and watch over their loved ones. Everyday some stars leave the skies when their souls are released. Therefore, there will be empty spaces in the sky where people leave their loved ones on Earth to fill up the night sky. The brightest one will be your loved one. Everyone’s brightest star is different. “ She explained.

“So… She is up there?” Onew pointed to one of the stars above. “ Probably? She is only brightest to you but not to others. Therefore only you can recognize it is her. You must always remember she has never left you for she lives in here and there.” She said as she pointed to the sky and back at Onew’s heart. Onew nodded his head and wiped away his tears. His mother wouldn’t want him to cry. She always told him that man should not cry because they are man.

“Thank you.” Onew said and lied on his back on the grassy field. He looked at that brightest star and slowly he fell asleep. She fell asleep too, beside him. The next day when she woke up, Onew was missing. She panicked. “Is he taken away? Did he do something foolish? Did he got lost?” All the different possibilities came to her. “Oh. I see that you are awake. Here I got us some fruits. I checked them, they are safe to consume.” Onew said with a smile.

“Are you ok?” She asked in a questioning tone. Onew nodded his head and said,” Yea. I know that she likes to see me smile. She told me before that a man should be strong. I will live well, for her.” Onew felt tears in his eyes but he held it back. “Shall we go?” Onew looked away and said. “Okay. Let’s go.” She replied him. The two then departed from the grassy fields and headed to the beach. “ I think I see the sea!” She shouted and pointed forward. Onew held onto her and the made their way fast to the front.

“Yes! We are finally here!” Onew said in relief. “But there is no way we can go back. There is no transport…” She said after looking around the shore. “I guess we will probably have to wait here and try our luck with passing ships.” Onew deduced. The two then hung their heads low. The probability of a passing ship was approximately close to zero.

Unknown to them, the call that Onew picked up was tapped by the ‘higher authorities’. They have found out their location through complex computer programming. They were on their way to the island already, together with Professor Lee and Min Ho. No one knows whether the next passing ship will be the one sent to capture the two…

Author's Note:
This chapter has not much details. Hope you all like it still. :) Thanks~