“Everyday passes by

Even when the season changes.”

By the time Da Young opened her eyes, she felt discomfort immediately and tried to shift herself to be more comfortable but she had no energy to do that. She was too tired… too weak to do anything. All she could see was darkness all around her… and oddly weird grunts coming somewhere near her.

She lifted her head up at the emptiness to locate the noises, twisting her head around a few times before she heard tiny mummers.

“Don’t you remember me, Ji Hoon?” She could barely made out of the inaudible voice. But she realized whom the stranger was talking to.

“Do I have to?” She heard another voice, this time, a familiar one. And she immediately whimpered. His voice sounded so frail that it broke Da Young’s heart.

Unfortunately, someone else heard Da Young. “Oh look, the girl’s awake!” The voice squeaked. It was a different person and Da Young felt anxious immediately when she heard his footsteps stepping forward towards the chair-bounded girl.

Da Young inhaled sharply as the footsteps of one of the kidnappers became louder and louder.

“Hey there Da Young,” the cold voice said. Da Young flinched. It was as if she could sense his icy cold wicked smile. It was almost too sickening.

“Who are you?” she said quietly, trying to sound calm even though she was shaking.

“Don’t you remember me, Da Young?” The kidnapper asked before walking away. He quietly retrieved something from a nearby basket Da Young could not see before walking back to her. He stood in front of her and flashed the thing in front of her.

It was an old article from one of a newspaper. Da Young never managed to take a glance because the other man snatched it away from the first man.

“What’s the use of showing it to her, Han?” The second man grunted, rolling his eyes. “She’s useless, always running into our plans to ruin them, and I wouldn’t be surprise if she doesn’t remember us.

“Come on, Nam In! Don’t be such a bad sport!” Han, the tiny man, chuckled, snatching his article back.

“Who are you?” Da Young asked again. Her voice was barely audible now. She could feel the sharp stabs of her injuries now. They were all coming back to her now since she was fully conscious.

“Didn’t you hear us?” Han whipped his head towards the bounded girl. “I told you-“

“Don’t mess with her!” Da Young heard a snarl from her right side and she knew it was Ji Hoon. “She has nothing to do with this!”

“Oh, why, you boy over there, you’re a feisty one aren’t you?” Han changed his target immediately and started walking towards Ji Hoon before landing a punch straight to the boy’s face.

Everything went into frenzy immediately. Da Young screamed. Ji Hoon fell down the chair and remained motionless. Nam In grabbed Han just in time to prevent him from causing another blow onto the unconscious boy.

“What did you do to him?” Da Young screeched. Tears streaming down her face as she rocked forth and back, trying to escape from the ropes to help Ji Hoon. But it was impossible, even though Da Young knew that. She was too weak, both from her exhaustion and from her injuries. “Please… please don’t hurt him anymore…” She begged, her voice turning from loud screams into weak sobs.

“Han… it’s not safe here now,” Nam In was saying, completely ignoring Da Young’s pleads and cries. He glanced briefly at the commotion his partner had created and rolled his eyes. “It’s not safe now since we’ve stayed here for too long. You’ve literally knock our possession out of conscious while his girlie there is crying her heart out. We’re sure to get located.”

“Then where do you suggest?” Han asked, refusing to look at the large man. “We have no where else to go.”

“Yes, we do. Have you not forgot him?” Nam In replied just before Han raised his eyebrows.  “What are you waiting for now? We have to move!”

✩✩✩

Da Young stayed quiet the entire trip in the van she was tossed into with the unconscious Ji Hoon. Her hands were tied together behind her back but she managed to place his head onto her lap.

Da Young had no more energy to protest. She just really badly wanted to escape this horrible mess with Ji Hoon but it was impossible. This was the conclusion to the oil she had added to fire.

“Don’t worry Ji Hoon, I’m here,” she whispered to the boy just as the van stopped abruptly.

Da Young slid up and hit the wall of the van with her injured arm and gasped immediately.

“Rise and shine!” The back door of the van opened widely, revealing the bulky Nam In and the thin yet sinister-looking Han.

“Can you not?” Nam In rolled his eyes before pulling Ji Hoon wordlessly out of Da Young’s lap and Han followed him by carrying Da Young as well.

Han growled at the latter before rolling his eyes and he quickly tossed Da Young across his shoulders, following the big man.

Da Young could not see where they were going as her head was down. But she knew that the sun was blazing on top of her as the sunlight was literally frying her skin. As Han walked, her eyes were planted on the sandy and rough-looking pathway. The pathway was surrounded by dried and orange grass and there was nothing else to be seen. The skinny, scowling man walked in silence for a couple of minutes, with a few grunts and coughs as he shifted Da Young uncomfortably on his shoulder.

But alas, they have arrived their destination. The man tossed Da