When I woke up the next morning, Dongwoon was gone. So was his shirt. I quickly jumped up and looked around. He was really gone. Panic began to raise inside me. What if he just left because he was getting tired of my attitude? Maybe he noticed that he was better off without me?

Before I could I freak out even more, Dongwoon suddenly stepped into the grotto.

He glanced at me. “Finally awake?”

I was still shocked from relief, I could only say: “Hm.” Then I quickly pulled myself together. “How's...how's the situation outside?”

“Everything is soaked from the rain yesterday.”

“Ah, crap.” I sighed. “So that means we still can't move on?”

“Well, we could but...” He trailed off and looked at my shoes.
“I could walk barefoot.”

He shook his head. “No, if you get hurt while walking barefoot, it will only hinder us.” He considered. “Well, I could carry you...but then it won't be for long. It 'll get tiring after a while.”

I sighed. To be honest, I really was just a hindrance to him. Without me, he would have been able to move on long ago. He could've left me behind....but strangely, he didn't. Was it because of the truce? Well, maybe I should be nicer to him from now on. He did respect our truce after all.

“Sorry for being a hindrance.”, I said after a while.

He arched an eye brow. “Did you just apologize?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just....surprised.” Then he sighed. “And we have a truce, remember? You help me and I help you. I do stick to my promises, no matter what you think of me.” He paused “So, no. You're not a hindrance.”

”But all the time, you have been helping me. I didn't do anything for you. I feel kinda useless, to be honest. Maybe you should go on without me.”

He walked towards me and put a hand on my forehead. “Are you okay?”

“Uhm, yeah?” I frowned. “Why?”

He put his hand away and stepped back. “Because you keep talking nonsense. Did you forget it already? You were the one nursing me when I got sick. You could've left me behind but you didn't.” He paused. “You really think that I'm a jerk, huh?”

“Well, you called me a crazy and told me that I was ugly. So what do you expect? That I would be crazy about you because you insulted me? I'm not a brainless doll.”

“You threw a drink at me!”, he snapped.

“What? And you think that gave you the right to insult me?”

“You humiliated me in front of everyone!” He frowned. “And by the way, I still want to know the reason why you did that.”

“You really wanna know, huh?”

“I wouldn't be asking if I didn't.”

“Well, then let me ask a question first: What are woman to you?”

He gave me a puzzled look. “What?”

“Just answer my question.”

“I do not see the point of your question.”

“Yeah. And that's the problem. You just don't get it.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Get what exactly? Come on, stop talking in riddles.”

“You treat woman like they're your play things. You keep toying with their feelings!”

“I didn't hear any complaints yet.” He paused. “Well, except from you.”

“Can you really blame a person for liking to get attention from another person? So yeah, we may enjoy the attention....but we want to be special, too, and not just one of many. If you really aren't interested, then don't pretend. I bet you don't even know how many feelings you've hurt.” When he didn't say anything, I continued. “I don't really know why you are so messed up but I can guess. You are probably afraid of commitment, aren't you? That's why you keep going from one person to another. You have fun with them and then, when you get bored or when it starts to become more, you throw them away. You flirt because you enjoy it but not because your heart's into it. That's kinda pathetic, you know.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You know NOTHING about me.”

“But I did hit the truth, didn't I? Or else you wouldn't get so defensive.”, I said and smirked.

“You really think you know me, huh? But you know what? This nice game can be played by two. Why don't we talk about you now?” He smirked. “You were obviously attracted to me or else you wouldn't have such a strong reaction towards me. Don't deny it.”

“Well, that was before I found out that you are a narcissistic jerk.”

“You can't just switch it off whenever you want to. I know that the attraction's still there. I saw it in your eyes when you were staring at my chest.”

I really wanted to punch the smug smirk out of his face.

“Attraction is just a basic instinct. I'm also attracted to some Hollywood actors and that doesn't mean any . You may have a pretty face but inside you're just shallow.”

He glared at me. “Shallow, huh? Well, then we shouldn't let my shallow self bother you anymore.”

Then he walked out of the grotto. I immediately regretted what I said but before I could call him back, he was already gone.

After sitting around for hours, I kinda had to accept that I've achieved to scare him off. It was so obvious that he didn't want to put off with my reluctance towards him, so he left me behind and went on on his own. Great, just great. When would I finally learn to stop talking without thinking?

Considering my current situation, I couldn't do anything but move on, too. And after feeling guilty for being such a towards him – even though I had every right to be one - I started to get pissed off. How could he leave me behind? Especially after we kinda agreed on helping each other! Oh, he was totally going to regret it! I can do pretty well on my own, I did not need a narcissistic jerk to get out of this mess.

I grabbed his jacket and left the grotto. Just because I was mad at him, it didn't mean that I couldn't be practical. It was cold, so why not use the jacket? He did leave it behind after all.

What I didn't consider was the wet ground. As soon as I put my feet on it, I immediately began to sink in! Not wanting to be stuck in mud, I walked as fast as I could in those shoes. But it was really difficult to walk fast in heels, especially when my heels keep sinking into the mud.

Okay, so where was this stupid stream again? I just couldn't remember the path we came from when we were running to the grotto, hurriedly looking for shelter from the rain. Which meant that I was kinda lost right now. I was alone, wearing a slightly ripped cocktail dress and shoes covered with mud, and I had no idea where to go. Ah, crap.

Okay, what now? I took deep breaths to calm down. So, how did I managed to find the stream before? Ah, right. I kinda heard the faint sound of water. Let's see if it would work this time. I closed my eyes and focused on the sound of my surroundings. The twittering of the birds, the sound of the wind rushing through the leaves...oh my gosh! There! I could hear the faint sound of the stream! I tried to run as fast as possible towards the direction where that sound came from but it wasn't that easy, considering the fact that my heels wouldn't stop sinking into the mud. So it was inevitable that I tripped over my own foot. I lost my balance and fell down. I closed my eyes and brace myself for the fall. I felt something touching my waist and when I opened my eyes again, I notice that my face was hovering only a few inches above the mud. Okay, that was friggin' close.

Suddenly I was pulled back on my feet. I looked down and noticed hands on my waist. Startled, I stepped away and turned around. Right in front of me stood Dongwoon, his arms crossed. He didn't look very happy...more kinda annoyed

Wait. He had no right to be annoyed! He was the one who just went away and left me behind. So I should be annoyed and not him.

I crossed my arms, too, and glared at him.

“Where, do you think, are you going?”, he asked.

“Why do you even care?”

He arched an eye brow. “What are you talking about? Of course I care.”

“Yeah? It surely didn't seem like that when you went away and left me behind.”

“I didn't leave you behind.”

“You did. You were gone for hours!”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “I just needed some time to let off steam, okay? I walked around for a while and when I returned, you weren't in the grotto anymore.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Like I said, no matter what you think of me, I keep my promises. I didn't leave you behind, you were the one who just walked away.”

I looked at him for a while. Then I sighed. “Okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have judged too quickly. And you just saved me from falling into the mud, so I forgive you for just walking away like that.”

His smirk clearly showed that he wanted to retort something but then he just shook his head. “Okay, now that we're on friendly terms again, let's consider what to do next.”

“Did you see the stream when you were walking around?”

“Yeah, it's right over there.”, he said and pointed towards a direction.

“Well, then I suggest that we continue to walk along the stream, like we did before the rain surprised us.”

“Okay, then let's go before it gets dark.”, he said and started walking.

I tried to keep up with him but my stupid shoes just wouldn't let me. After a while Dongwoon stooped and turned around.

“Can't you walk a bit faster?”, he asked with an annoyed tone.

“Try walking in these shoes, jerk.”

“Why did you even have to wear heels?”

“Oh, okay. The next time I won't forget to wear my hiking boots to a party. I bet they go well with cocktail dresses.”, I snapped.

“Women.”, he muttered.

“Pardon?”

He let out frustrated sigh and went around me. He put his arms on my back and the hollow of my knees, and the next thing I knew was that he was suddenly carrying me.

“What the -”

“Just shut up and try not to fall down.”, he interrupted.

I wanted to argue but I was kinda distracted by his closeness. Afraid that I would slip down, I quickly put my arms around his neck, which brought my face nearer to his chest. Hm...his scent was intoxicating. He must have washed himself at the stream whenever he went off to collect wood and food. Which reminded me that I should clean myself at the stream, too.

“Uhm...could we stop at the stream for a while? I want to clean off the mud on me.”, I said.

“Hm.”

I took it as a 'yes'.

When we arrived at the stream, he gently let me down. I walked towards the water and sat down next to it. Then I took off my shoes and put my feet into the water. Ah, it was so refreshing! After taking off the jacket, I folded it together and put it into my lap, so it wouldn't get dirty. Then I slowly washed my legs and my legs.

Behind me, Dongwoon cleared his throat. I turned around and arched an eye brow at him.

“I'm gonna look for a place to rest for tonight. I'll be back, so don't walk away.”, he said.

I smirked. “Okay.” Then I continued washing myself. I heard his retreating steps and when I turned around again, he was gone.

When I finished washing myself, he still didn't return. I got bored and decided to collect wood while waiting for him. Remembering him telling me to not walk away, I stayed near my original spot at the stream. After what felt like an eternity, he finally returned. Without saying anything, he came towards me and lifted me into his arms. I put my hands around his neck and he carried me towards the resting place for tonight. When we arrived, I noticed that he had already prepared a campfire. He put me down next to a tree and sat down on the opposite side. We were both sitting on a rock, so that we didn't had to sit down on the mud.

After eating, Dongwoon leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. I wasn't really tired. So I just leaned back and let my mind get lost in thoughts.

This morning we both had been arguing and I had called him shallow. But here he was, carrying me around without complaining. He kept his promise, even though I had been such a to him. This gave him brownie points. So once again I was caught with the question: Who was the real Dongwoon?

“What?”, he suddenly asked.

Startled, I looked at him. His eyes were open and he gave me a puzzled look. Oh my gosh, did I just say my thoughts out loud?

“Uh, nothing.”, I said.

“Didn't you just ask me something?” He considered. “Something with 'real Dongwoon'.”

I sighed. “Okay, I was just talking to myself.”

“About me?”, he asked. I could see the humor in his eyes.

“No...yes....ah, crap. I was just wondering who the real you is.”

He arched an eye brow. “The real me?”

“Yeah, well....initially I was sure that you are a narcissistic jerk, you know, and now....uhm...lately you have been acting different.”

“Different...how?”

I was embarrassed by now. Ah, why couldn't I just shut up?

“Well....you're...I don't know....nicer...? At least a bit nicer than you have been at the party.”

“I told you why I was acting like this at the party.”

“And I told you why I did what I did at the party.”

We both just stared at each other, none of us willing to back down. Then Dongwoon leaned back and closed his eyes again. “To answer your question...I am who I am.”

Okay, that wasn't the answer I expected. When he didn't say anything else, I guessed that he didn't want to talk about this anymore. So I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. Right before falling asleep, I heard him say: “It's up to you to find out who the real me is.”

The next days we kept on walking along the stream. I noticed that Dongwoon didn't really talk much during the whole time. He kept on carrying me until the ground was dry again. I had to admit that I kinda missed being carried by him.

One day, when we were sitting at the campfire, I was craving for fast food.

“Ah, I would give anything to have a cheeseburger right now.”, I said. “Or pasta, even a German Bratwurst would make me happy.”

“What's a 'German Bratwurst'?

“Oh, it's grilled sausage. So yummy!”

“Ah, right. You're from Germany, I forgot. I was there once.”

I widened my eyes. “You were?”

“Yeah, we had a concert in Berlin.”

“And? What do you think? It's a nice country, isn't it?”

“Yes, it is. Even though it was really cold when we were there. But it was a nice experience.”

“The next time you're in Germany, tell me. I can you show you around.”

“Yeah, some day, when I go to Germany again, I'll tell you.”, he said and smirked. Then he leaned back. “Do you miss your family?”

“Of course. I miss them every single day.”

“Do you regret coming to Korea?”

“Hmm...no, not really. I love Korea, too. The food's delicious and I met a lot of nice people.”

He smirked. “Am I one of these nice people you've met?”

“Hm...no, not yet.”

He chuckled. “I'm curious. Is there someone waiting for you in Germany?”

Wait...did he just asked if I have a boyfriend?

I blushed. “Uhm...no.”

“Then...in Korea?”

My mind drifted towards Taec. Sadness filled my voice. “No.”

He must have noticed it. “Uh oh. Trouble? A bad guy broke your heart?”

“That's none of your business.”, I said and glared at him.

“Hey, calm down. I was just curious. And your expression already told me everything.”

“Yeah? What, for example?”

“Well...seems like you fell in love with someone in Korea. But it didn't work out and he broke your heart. And now you have an aversion to men because of him. Am I right?”

“You're not even close, jerk.”

“That kinda explains why you despise me so much. Do I remind you of this guy?”

“You remind me of a narcissistic jerk and that is reason enough to despise you.”

“Was that guy a narcissistic jerk, too?”

I was getting annoyed with his questions. “No, he was sweet and kind, okay? Now stop pestering me with questions.”

“If he was so sweet and kind, then why do I see pain in your eyes whenever you talk about him?”, he asked softly.

I was taken aback by the softness in his voice. “Because I'm sad for what we don't have anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

I sighed. “As time goes by, people change. Feelings change. We kinda drifted apart, I guess.”

“Do you still love him?”

“I care for him....but just as a friend. My love for him has faded a long time ago. And here I thought that true love would last forever.”

“Nothing lasts forever. Not even love.”, he said. This time I could hear sadness in his voice.

“Who broke your heart?”, I asked softly.

He stared at the campfire. “Let's just say that I wasn't always like this. A very long time ago, I was a young and naive boy who gave away his heart, thinking that love would last forever.” He snorted. “What a fool I've been.”

“Being in love isn't foolish.”

“No? If it isn't foolish to fall in love, then tell me why you're here with a broken heart. Why did you lose your trust in love, and in men, if it isn't foolish?”

“Being in love doesn't mean that you're safe from getting hurt. There's always as much happiness as there is pain.”

“And that's exactly why I want to avoid it. No love means no pain.”

“But are you happy?”

He hesitated. “Yes, I am.”

“But only for a short period of time, right?”

He didn't answer.

“I take this as a 'yes'.”, I said.

“But what is with you? Don't you wish to not have fallen in love with this guy, so that you wouldn't have to suffer from this pain now? Don't you think that it would have been better to not give away your heart like this?”

“No. I'll never regret to have fallen in love. This pain is haunting me now but I won't give up hope that someday, I'll fall in love again, so that this pain will be balanced out by happiness.”

“Why don't you learn from your mistakes? Love doesn't last forever. By falling in love, you risk being hurt again. How can your heart bear to be broken again? How can you endure so much pain?”

“I just don't give up hope that maybe someday, I'll find the one who fills my heart with much love and happiness and keeps it from being broken.”

“You're as naive and young as I have been a long time ago.”

“Then let me make my own mistakes. Maybe in the future, I'll understand your point of view but right now, nothing you say or do will change my opinion on this matter.”

“Stubborn, aren't we​?”

I snorted. “That's like the pot calling the kettle black.”

After that we both leaned back and closed our eyes. I tried to sleep but his words just wouldn't leave my mind.

“Hey.”, I said softly after a while.

“Hm?”

“I really wish I could turn back time?”

“Why?”

“Because then I could kick the person who hurt you so much to make you despise love so much.”

I didn't know why I said it. Maybe because I felt so sad for his broken soul.

He totally surprised me by saying: “Yeah, maybe things would have turned out the other way if you have been there to do it.”

He didn't say anything else. But what he said made me think. If this person had not broken his heart, would he have really turned out to be a man who could believe in love? Or was this person just a trigger for his real personality?

Only he could answer these questions for me.