Hyunjung's POV

Autumn is coming, and we still couldn't find the last apple. The girls were panicking and I kept thinking of Eunseo who's still struggling to find the last apple. After some time, I decided to help her.

"Eunseo, should we keep finding them? I think eleven people are enough to get water." I said, trying to be responsible.

"Eonni, if this is your decision, you do it alone. I'm going to help with the water supply. I'm not taking the risk." Eunseo said before dashing off.

"It's okay, eonni. I'll help you find the last apple." Someone said, as she patted my shoulder.

It's Chengxiao coming to me with an angelic smile of hers. I felt bad for her to abandon her main task to get water, but at the same time I feel more determined to find the last apple together with her.

"Xiao… You don't actually need to, but I'll appreciate it." I said while blushing, and promised her that I'll try my best to find the last apple and finish the second mission together.

We start searching with all our might. Seconds by seconds passed by, our hopes became smaller and smaller every time we failed to see an apple despite our efforts. It's winter soon and still, no apples that we can find. At this moment I turned to Chengxiao, who is on the verge of crying because she isn't able to help me.

"Hey, it's okay." I said, trying to wipe her rolling tears, then I reached my bag. I happened to get an apple from my earlier search with Eunseo. I took a very last look at the apple I gained, and took it off, knowing that this moment might lead to the end of my life.

"Here, you can take my apple as my token of gratitude. I'll try to find the last apple myself since I signed up for this." I said as I handed my apple to Chengxiao. On the other hand, Chengxiao was torn between the choices she got ahead of her, to survive, or to sacrifice herself.

"Don't worry too much, I'll be fine and get out of here when the next spring comes." I tried to console Chengxiao as she took the apple I gave her. As soon as the apple was in her hands, I just left her alone and hoped for her to find the exit of the dome herself.

"Winter is calling~"

The time is up. One by one, my friends are walking towards the exit with an apple in their hands. At least I'm happy for them, for being able to continue striving to escape from this demonic tower. The last moment I remember is when Luda walks past me…

"Eonni, you still can't find one?"

I guess she's too young to understand my way of thinking. Me neither, it's even harder to understand when the freezing cold air started to take my soul away slowly. I tried to get as close as possible to the peripheral part of the dome, taking the last look at my twelve lovely friends just before I'm resting here forever.

Sticking my palms on the dome, I shivered uncontrollably, trying to warm myself up as the temperature went downhill. And when I used all my energy up, I started to feel drowsy and I just closed my eyes and dropped myself on the ground. Hoping that the next spring comes early enough for me to still be breathing. The last thing I heard was Eunseo, screaming at the top of her lungs, crying for my name.

I'm sorry, girls. We can't escape as thirteen because of me, and this is my only way to make amends for my mistake.

I have no regrets.

-o-

Eunseo's POV

Winter is calling. One by one, the girls started to walk outside the dome. I, together with Chengxiao, are the last ones to put my feet outside the garden. I counted the girls, hoping that we found the last apple and everybody's safe. Well, twelve of us are, we're left with one more person.

It's Hyunjung eonni.

Not the person I just abandoned the last five minutes. Feeling guilty, I looked back at the dome and saw Hyunjung eonni shivering inside.

"No! Eonni!" I screamed, as I tried to go back to the dome and save Hyunjung eonni.

I couldn't. Someone is holding my hand.

Why was she holding my hand? Couldn't she see that Hyunjung eonni was still inside?

Couldn't she see that the door is starting to close?

"Eonni stop! You'll get yourself killed if you go back inside!" Yeoreum said, as she held my hand.

"No! Hyunjung eonni!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping that Yeoreum would let go of my hand and let me save Hyunjung eonni.

"Eonni, don't. She can't get away without an apple anyways. Also, there are armed men everywhere, guarding the outskirts of the dome. We can't risk losing more members." Yeoreum insisted.

I had no choice but to watch Hyunjung eonni slowly deteriorate and no longer be alive. I cried even harder when I saw