If it was possible for Yesung to be even more terrified at that moment, he became. Every single hair in his body stood up at the mention of his name. Sure, the mere utterance of his name by a total stranger was enough for Yesung to go all wide-eyed and catching for breath. But what's more spine-chilling was the way the man said his name. It was as if he's always said that name, as if he'd known Yesung all along.

"Th-that.. How'd you..." Yesung mumbled.

"How did I know? How did I know your name?" The man's eyes glittered as if he enjoyed some inside joke Yesung wasn't aware of. "Or were you asking how I knew your real name?"

Yesung gulped and nodded. His throat was getting really dry. A hundred different thoughts ran through his head but mostly they centered on how this man knew his real name. He's been introducing himself as Yesung ever since and only he and Mrs. Shin knew his real name. Ah, was it that slip of the tongue he had during their first night? Does that mean this man here had been keeping an eye on them ever since?

"Had you been keeping your identity secret? Huh? Going by another name?" the man asked.

"How did you know my name?!" Yesung managed, his voice trembling.

"You seem a little too afraid. But I can't believe you keep asking that question. I was kind of expecting a different reaction..."

The man's voice was filled with disappointment, Yesung almost worried he was wrong. But of course that would be his question! He'd never seen this man. Not even in his nightmares.

"But anyway," the man glanced at the stairs, as if his attention was distracted by something from below. "I hope you figure it out. Here, eat." he bowed to place a bowl of soup with a metal spoon beside Yesung. He scooted away, as if scared of a ceramic bowl and an innocent utensil.

The man's face was stiff and still emotionless. Yesung desparately rummaged his memories for any sight of him but he knew it was hopeless. This man must be real crazy, he decided.

He gave him one last gaze -Yesung couldn't decide if it was pain or anger in his eyes. "I never thought we'd meet like this, hy--" he stopped himself, as if he almost said something dangerous.

Yesung watched him disappear down the stairs. Of course that man could just be pretending or something. The food might have some weird potion in it. However, he was too confused over the turn of events that it almost gotten above his fear.

Was it coincidence? That the man knew him? Yesung stared at the bowl of soup quite wishing it would answer his questions.

Figure it out, huh? he thought. No hints, whatsoever? And the way he said his name...

Kim Jongwoon. Yes, he is Kim Jongwoon.

And he freaking hates that name.

How funny that this man had to remind him of such a thing. As if all his troubles and sufferings weren't enough yet. Yesung glanced around him, almost suspecting this was some sort of a hidden camera prank.

It seemed like a joke, anyway. How such a poor and lowly boatman as him would turn out to be a member of South Korea's most powerful Kim clan.

---------------------------------------

Jessica got heavier since the last time, Donghae thought. Why of course, last time has been so many years ago. But what's weird was that Donghae still remembered it so well as if it happened last week.

And he also remembered that day so well... as if it happened yesterday.

That day when he caught her kissing Jonghyun.

He tried to shake the memory away but the pain in his heart is so strong. Why, Sica? Why'd you have to do that? he wanted to ask but knew now is not the time. He's got to admit though that his heart was never in the search; he never really took this missing people case too seriously. But can you blame me? he wanted to say, when I have just almost moved on, here she is... the woman who broke my heart... now peacefully riding my back.

He was not sure why he had insisted to carry Jessica. He could've just let Heechul act all mighty. Instict?

Yes, instinct, perhaps, he figured.

But then...

Yoona.

They'd spent so many hours together in this island and he is more than thankful to have her. She's so cheerful, as if no problems ever get to her...

Suddenly, he heard a familiarly unusual coughing. Jessica shifted in his back and the both glanced back to see Yoona cluching her chest.

"Y-yoona-ssi..." there were traces of worry in Jessica's voice.

The other girl closed her eyes and breathed, "I'm fine. Let's keep--" she hadn't even finished her sentence when the coughing attacked once more. Donghae could feel panic grow inside him. The last time Yoona had attacks like this she fainted and he almost thought she was going to die.

"Yoona-ssi. It seems like you're not." he said though he couldn't assist her with Jessica in his back.

Yoona was turning paler by the second, having labored breaths, her eyes shut tightly. Donghae could tell she's in extreme pain. "Heechul-ssi, I think her back needs to be rubbed or something. I think that's what they do for asthma attacks..."

Heechul quickly got on his knees, to Donghae's surprise, and followed what he said, though he looked uncertain. "You can't breathe?" he asked and Yoona nodded. Heechul looked worried as well. Yoona looks terrible and none of them knew how to cure her.

Finally Heechul turned to Donghae, "Dude, I think..."

"S-sica..." Donghae glanced at Jessica behind him as he figured what Heechul was trying to say. Maybe it was unfair to Jessica and all but he's closer to Yoona than Heechul was and maybe he could handle her better. "Uh..."

Jessica seemed to get it, fortunately for Donghae but her eyes were unreadable he hadn't known how she felt. "Sure, uh Heechul-ssi, I think my foot's better. Mind if you..."

"Sure." Heechul said, assisting Jessica off Donghae's back. He then rushed to Yoona's side.

"Look here, Yoona-ssi, follow me..." he said in his most assuring tone, "Inhale... Exhale..."

He watched as Yoona followed him with much difficulty. They repeated the "Inhale... Exhale..." over and over until he noticed how Yoona's breathing eventually turned normal.

"Better?" he asked and she nodded once. She still doesn't look too well, he noted. "Maybe we should stop for a while, yeah?" he asked, turning to Jessica and Heechul. "I don't think Yoona could..."

And then Donghae realized it was the first time he looked at the two. The past minutes -he wasn't sure how long it's been- he was too focused on Yoona. He had not noticed until now that he has been holding Yoona's hands the whole time. As he looked at Jessica, for some reason, he immediately removed his hands and awkwardly rubbed it along his tattered jeans.

Jessica's foot seemed better. Heechul was glaring lightly at him and he didn't know why. But then he realized he's always been glaring at him.

"Wa-wait..." Jessica's surprised tone surprised Donghae. He was expecting a cold, emotionless voice but...

She pointed behind Donghae, "What's that?" she asked.

They looked at where she's pointing, even Yoona who was still white as a sheet.

"Smoke? Pillar of smoke?" Heechul said as if the scene was absurd. "Why would there be..."

"Isn't it a... what did they call it? Smoke signal?" Jessica said.

Smoke signal?

"We didn't see it earlier 'cause it's against the direction we were heading." Jessica said thoughtfully, "Maybe that's where we should be going to. We've been wrong all along."

Heechul snorted, "All those efforts for nothing?"

Jessica fixed her gaze on the smoke in the distance, "Well, if it really is a smoke signal -which I think it is... It means something. We should go there before it disappears or we'll lose the destination again. I think our companions are trying to call us or something..."

Donghae was starting to nod when he realized what she was implying. They cannot stop at this moment.

"Yoona-ssi, can you go on now?" Jessica asked and as expected, Yoona answered yes.

"But Yoona-ssi gotta rest..." Donghae said. "And... And you... Your foot..." he added, for some reason, feeling guilty towards his ex-girlfriend.

"It's fine." she snapped.

"Uh... But Yoona..."

"You guys go. I'll be fine." Yoona started to say. "Go on... I'll just rest for a while... I..."

"We're not leaving you." Donghae stated firmly. "I can piggyback you or--"

He was cut when he noticed a sound that resembled a hiccup... Or was it a muffled sob?

They all glanced at Jessica who immediately turned away.

"S-sica..."

"Jessica-ssi..." Heechul said, uncertain.

"Don't mind me." she said and Donghae knew he'd upset her. But why? He was simply caring for a friend, he thought.

"Sica, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" she said and Donghae immediately felt the anger (or pain) in her words. "Hae, everything's wrong."

He was speechless. "Uh..." he mumbled, "Wh-why... Suddenly..."

Heechul placed a hand on Jessica's shoulder but he said nothing. It was like he totally understood her and Donghae felt almost jealous. He wanted to understand Jessica as well but right now, he's only confused.

He noticed how Yoona was about to say something but soon decided against it. Heechul looked at him meaningfully. And that's when he realized that maybe everyone's actually waiting for him to speak. The problem is, he had no idea what to say.

So he managed something as stupid as "What's the problem, Sica?"

Jessica turned around and faced him. She stared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Problem?" she scoffed, "You want to know the problem, Lee Donghae?" 

Jessica's gaze was unwavering. "The problem is that I'm still stupidly, madly in love with you. Get that?"

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Kyuhyun kept glancing back every few steps. As if he was hoping Seohyun would suddenly come running after us. But they had covered about a couple of meters and no such thing happened.

Eunhyuk's eyes, however, were fixed on only one sight -Hyoyeon's hair. He was staring at it intently which was why he hadn't noticed an uprooted vine despite the bright noontime sunlight and tripped upon it, landing face first to the ground.

"Omo!" Sungmin cried, helping his brother up. He helped him wipe his face. Beside him, Sunny desperately tried to conceal her giggles.

Hyoyeon was indifferent, surprisingly for Sungmin. He had expected her to be her usual hyper self, might even overreact a little over that tiny bruise on Hyukjae's forehead but she didn't.

Perhaps, she was really affected by Eunhyuk's name change.

"I'm okay, hyung. Let's go..." Eunhyuk murmured, a little dazed.

They were about to proceed when Kyuhyun suddenly grabbed Sungmin's arm.

"Wh-why..?"

"Listen." he whispered and Sungmin did so. He swallowed a gasp upon hearing something. Something like... whistling.

He glanced around and sure enough, none of them were whistling. Sungmin gave Kyuhyun a glance like What is it?

"Someone's over th-- Duck!" he said in a loud whisper.

"Duck? Where--?" Eunhyuk was asking, still half-mindedly when Sungmin pulled him down.

They were all crounching, hoping the plants in front of them concealed them well. Sunny looked like she wanted to complain that the leaves are thorny and itchy but she kept shut. And Sungmin found that cute but he knew now is not the time for it.

He was too busy holding his breath, too afraid that a single exhale could make the man notice them.

Because just a few yards away from them was a man... He was so close that Sungmin could see his boyish features too well. His dark hair slightly covers his eyes, his mouth was shaped into a pout as he whistled cooly and immediately, Sungmin could tell he is good-looking. His body was the right fit for a guy his age -about early 20s.

But despite his almost flower-boy, poster-guy looks, Sungmin knew this guy must be something. To think that he survived in this island...

He walked right in front them and the sharp, glinting blade of his knife caught Sungmin's eye. In his other hand was a sack, perhaps containing a dead rabbit or deer... or... Sungmin shook the thought away. There is no way Taeyeon or Yesung could have fit in there, right?

One second.

Two seconds.

Three...

Sungmin barely breathed. Every muscle in his body stiffened. One wrong move and their cover will blow up. Who knows how many back-ups that guy has? What if a whole tribe lives in there?!

It was then that he felt Sunny grab his right hand. Her eyes were fixed ahead, her body as stiff as his. But her hands knowingly wrapped around his own and he held it like he'd always knew how.

It felt like forever before the guy disappeared 'round the corner past a huge acacia. Kyuhyun finally heaved a "Phew!" and slumped down; Eunhyuk evened his breathing- inhale... exhale;  Hyoyeon closed her eyes and fanned herself with her hands. They were all trying to calm down... They knew they could now relax...

But Sungmin's grip on Sunny's hand only grew tighter. He was not planning to let go. And with the way she's acting, it seemed like she doesn't mind it either.

And finally, despite the tension of finally seeing the island's apparent tenants... Sungmin found himself smiling.

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Okay HaeSica shippers don't throw bricks at me please omg but I told you it's a love triangle (or square for that matter). kkk~

Tiny bit of SunSun because it's been long since they appeared. But, spoiler alert!! Something's gonna blow up that cute couple's happy bubble. Bwahaha *cackles*

Oh and yes, by the way, do you guys still remember the previous chapters? Haha I know I took so long to update before so maybe you'd already forgotten but there are actually hints (sort of) in the previous chapters.

But I'd say it anyway.

The Kim clan is, as Yesung said, the most powerful clan in South Korea. What's up with that? In a previous chapter, Leeteuk said that Taeyeon even gave up being a Kim. And Yesung left home at 7y/o, changing his name from Kim Jongwoon to Yesung. And in chapter one, the Kim clan was also mentioned (quite implied).

What's the connection and why does the man know his real name?

Haha. Maybe you guys get it already? Oh it's tooooo long but hey, the perks of reading author's notes lmao /:)))