"Hyung!"

Taeyeon almost jumped upon hearing the voice. She turned around and saw a guy -a different guy, obviously. Someone she's never met. Suddenly, felt like it was constricting again, making it difficult to breathe or react. 

The guy, younger than the other buff man, she noticed, made his way towards her. Slowly, inching his way, his eyes piercingly glaring at her though his face had no expression. Taeyeon didn't know what was going on his mind. It definitely didn't reassure her that he was holding a sharp knife on one hand and a sack on the other.

"HYUNG!"

He yelled and Taeyeon visibly winced. The guy had prettier, softer features than the other but his voice was manly and strong. He may have looked more refined and less brutal but Taeyeon kept thinking that one wrong move from her would make him impall his knife on .

A few seconds later, though it seeemed like eternity for Taeyeon, the more masculine one went down the steps. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him and remove her gaze from the other. She just felt frozen.

"Oh, you're back. What did you get?" The older asked nonchalantly.

"Hyung, what are you thinking?!" The man with the knife said, his tone accusing.

"Did you se--"

"HYUNG! WHY DID YOU BRING HER HERE?!!" he yelled, pointing at Taeyeon with the hand that held the knife. She knew she wasn't welcome there but does he really have to point the sharp end of the knife towards her? She felt like all the air in her lungs had disappeared.

"Oh... that." The older said, as if it didn't bother him. "I saw her almost falling off a cliff so I helped--"

"Helped?" The younger's eyebrows furrowed, as if he didn't recognize the word. He laughed without humor, "Since when did you start helping people?"

"She's harmless. Look at--"

"Yeah, sure. Harmless. She already saw us."

"She doesn't know who we are! Even the guy upstairs..."

Taeyeon felt like she was choking for the nth time. Guy upstairs. Could it be...

"He also doesn't recognize me..." 

Was she just imagining it? Taeyeon felt like his voice dripped with disappointment. As if the guy upstairs -whoever he was- was a long lost friend who's already forgotten him.

The younger sighed and to Taeyeon's slightest relief, he put down his knife. "So... what shall we do with him?" and then he glanced at her, "...Them?"

The older shrugged, "She's got nothing to do with this. I will lead her out to the woods again and then it's up to her if her companions find her. But him..." he sighed, "we'll go as planned."

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"Hyo... Hyoyeon..."

She turned to him, her eyes still tensed from the encounter with the guy. Eunhyuk knew this was not the perfect timing... but he doubted if later is any better. Besides, he might lose the courage again.

"Hyoyeon... by... by any chance..."

She stared at him, unblinking.

"Did you have..."

"I think it's close."

Kyuhyun's determined voice cut him. Eunhyuk tried not to feel annoyed as he glanced at Hyoyeon and gave her a "later" look. 

"What?" Sungmin asked, and Eunhyuk noticed how his brother's hand still laced with Sunny's. A part of him felt envious of his brother's smoothness when it comes to girls.

"Their house. Tribe, community, whatever." Kyuhyun answered. "He turned round that acacia. It must be just around that area, not much farther than the lake."

Sungmin nodded, processing the information. "If that it so... then perhaps... Yesung-sshi and Taeyeon-sshi have been brought there."

"If he really was the one who took them, then yes, I think so."

Sunny faced Sungmin, her eyes wide with worry and concern. "Will we go there?"

Sungmin bit his lip, the way he does when trying to decide on something. He glanced at Kyuhyun, who kept glancing behind them. Sungmin breathed deeply, "What if wait for the others?"

Kyuhyun immediately perked up, "Yes. We should."

Sunny looked like she was trying to swallow rocks, "But... what if we're too late? I mean... Yesung-sshi..."

Eunhyuk could still barely process the details when they heard thunder rumble in the sky.

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"Every time you hear the thunder, just think that... it's me... saying I love you"

Yoona clenched her chest as thunder and lightning rumbled and flashed above them. Her lungs still felt like they were being squeezed every time she inhales but she tried to drown the pain, for the sake of the group. They had decided to keep going when the first strikes of lightning showed, knowing that they had to find the source of the smoke before rain wipes it away. 

It wasn't easy, hiking on the woods with her bratty lungs... plus her phobia of thunder. However, she found the will and strength to go on.

Donghae's words while  they were on the boat a few minutes before it capsized kept replaying themselves on her head.

"Every time you hear the thunder, just think that... it's me... saying I love you"

And suddenly, the thunder wasn't as scary.

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Sunny kept telling herself that once she's got home, she could finally take a bath even if it takes her a whole day in the bathtub, submerging herself in milk and rose petals. Then she'll go to the salon and have a total make-over. She had to keep those thoughts, if only to survive this woods. The soil got muddier at the first few drops of rain and kept soaking her feet. 

She couldn't bring herself to complain because she knew everyone's going through a hard time as well. 

They'd decided to stop and wait for the others under a huge tree but somehow, it only made her feel more miserable. Countless times, it had entered her mind that she shouldn't have escaped the safety and luxury of their home. Then she wouldn't have to be capsized. She wouldn't have to be wandering and unknown island that who-knows-who-and-what may be living in. She wouldn't have to be lost with a dozen other people all having different personalities and complicated lives.

But then again, she wouldn't have met Sungmin.

If asked if anything good has ever happened on this tragedy, Sunny would've gladly answered that it was definitely, being stranded here with Sungmin. She has already lost count of how many times he'd saved her during the time they've been here, not to mention how much calmer and more securedshe fet every time Sungmin's hands would wrap around hers. She doesn't know why he does that and she doesn't want to assume. 

But one thing she's certain of, is that Sungmin is unlike all the other men she's met. He wasn't hitting on her because she's rich and came from a popular, powerful clan. He is just naturally protective and gentlemanly and sweet and caring and...

Sunny finally glanced around her looking for him.

Kyuhyun sat, looking distressed while Hyoyeon had curled up, sleeping. But both Sungmin and his brother were nowhere to be found. Sunny felt a lump growing on .

Sunny wasn't sure if night was already settling or if the dark clouds had just covered the sun. But she stood up and started looking around for Sungmin, trying to force down negative thoughts as the rain started pouring harder.

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"Oh, !" Heechul grumbled as the heavy rain fell. "As if our lives aren't already miserable. Sure, it HAD to rain!"

"We should find cover. Hard to get sick here." Donghae yelled as the rain overwhelmed all noise.

Jessica shook her head, "And what? Lose the smoke. Look the fire must've died by now. We should run to that direction or we'll lose it."

Yoona noticed the awkwardness still lingering. After what had happened, Jessica and Donghae became more distanced from each other than ever. Yoona tried not to feel bad but she knew she had something to do with it. 

Heechul must have felt it too. Despite his unwavering love for himself, Yoona gotta admit the guy is sensible. He simply grumbled, "Ugh, come on! Let's get to that smoking whatever."

They started running. There was still constant lightning and thunder as the rain poured harder. Too soon, Yoona felt her chest constricting. Even while just walking, it took her immense effort to breathe and now the pain was unbearable. She panted but the others kept running and she found it difficult to keep pace. She drifted farther and farther behind.

Lighting flashed overhead and she winced, anticipating the rumbling that follows.

"Every time you hear the thunder, just think that... it's me... saying I love you"...

And then the world turned black.

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Hi guys. I'm back. =) terribly sorry for not updating this sooner but yep, I couldn't find the time, with so much school works and all. D:

Anyway, here's a (long overdue) update! I hope you still remembered the previous chapters kk.

By the way... Is any of you going to SS5 MANILA this thursday??? OMG HAHA GUYS SEE YOU THERE! :D HEHEHE I AM SO EXCITED I'LL BE SEEING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! <3

but well, yeah. comments please!! and really really thank you for subscribing (despite my slow updates hehe) 

>:D<