I was not sure of the time or date.  I was unaware of how long I had been here for, all I knew was that I needed to get out.  I slowly became aware of my surroundings.  Each sense returning to me one after another.  Smell hit me first.  I could smell dampness in the air around me.  Then taste came.  I was so thirsty, my tongue felt swollen against the dry roof of my mouth and I realised I'd do anything for a drink of water.  Touch came next.  I could feel an uncomfortable tingling sensation taking over my fingertips and toes.  I realised then that I could not move.  My hands and ankles were tied and the blood rushing into my numb limbs was causing a pins-and-needles sensation that I would rather not welcome upon me.  Sounds slowly came into recognition.  I could hear a faint tapping sound like water droplets falling into a small puddle.  And then I could see.

Everything was dark at first.  Slightly fragments of shadows blurred before my eyes and then the room became brighter and brighter until I could see almost everything around me.  The walls were not too high in the small room.  There was one small window near the roof however and a staircase leading up to a door letting me know that I was most likely in a basement of some sort.  The only light I could see came from the window which meant it was daytime.  I twisted my head with much effort and tried to take in more of my surroundings.  I seemed to be tied to a chair which was further tied to a pillar in the middle of the room.  I felt very claustrophobic in the enclosed space.

"Let them know the girl's awake."

The gruff voice reverberated through the room.  I tried to locate the direction in which it came from but the echo made that impossible.  Suddenly, the source of the voice came into view and my head was covered once again before something was forced into my mouth, stopping my protests.

Something was pressed against the side of my face and then I heard it.  "Let her go!  She better be alright!  When I find you I swear I will ing kill you!"  A sob tried to escape me but not much more than a muffled cry came out from the gag.  "Hyojin?  Hyojin, is that you?  God, Hyojin...  I'm sorry...  I'm so sorry, okay?  Are you hurt?  Did they hurt you?  Where are you Hyojin?"

When I felt the phone disappear I would've done anything for them to let me hear his voice again.  Jungsu sounded so desperate, so distraught.  I didn't know what to do.  I struggled against my restraints and made worthless attempts to reason with my captors despite knowing they would hear nothing but mumbled sounds.  I heard the phone click and then a voice I knew I didn't want to hear.  "He's going to regret choosing you.  And you're going to regret stealing him from me.  If I can't have him, no-one can, get it?"

My body stilled as the gag was removed as well as the material covering my face.  Miyoung stood in front of me.  Her hands were on her hips, her long hair cascading down her back.  She appeared beautiful and with a style I was sure I lacked in my pajamas and messy hair.  Miyoung rounded the chair, her eyes taking in everything about me and making me feel analysed and afraid.  "Were you hurt when they took you?"

I shook my head despite the apparent bruises covering me.  Miyoung kicked one of the legs of the chair and I yelped when the ropes bit into my ankle from the movement, "Too bad, we'll need to try harder then."

* * *

Another mug of coffee was drifted in my direction.  I could hear their mutters, "Will he be okay?", "Who knew he'd get so upset?", "Look at him.  He needs help."  Did they think I was deaf or something?  They were talking about me right in front of me?  I declined their coffee and rose to pace the room.  My cellphone in hand, I awaited any news at all - from the police, from Hyojin, from her captors, I had no idea who I was waiting for I just needed to hear some news from anyone.

"Why is no-one doing anything?  I could be out there finding her!  So could you!"

My parents approached me.  They offered me coffee once again before asking me to sit down, "Hyojin needs you here.  We have the authorities out looking for her, if she returns home you need to be here waiting for her," my dad protested.

"If they want a ransom why hasn't anyone calle-" the phone in my hand vibrated and I had it to my ears and was talking down the line before I even noticed it was ringing, "Hello?  Hyojin?  Hyojin!?  Are you there!?"

"What would you do to save her?"  The distorted voice concealed in my ear.  The voice was morphed using a recognition device which pretty much nullified my ability to pin-point anything about the caller.  It was like this earlier also, until Hyojin spoke.  Suddenly, there were no static sounds and they did not change her voice.  They let me hear the struggled breaths and the quiet sobs.

My heart tightened before I whispered, "Anything."

A laugh struck me and left me trembling.  If the slightest hair on Hyojin's body was damaged I would kill them.

That's when I heard the bang and the scream.

Everything started to falter.  The ground impacted with my body and I could hardly breathe through my rage.  It blinded me and left me shaken and bewildered.

"We want you to come to the lake.  No authorities.  No security.  Just you.  Alone.  Understand?"

I nodded silently before another scream jerked me to shout, "Yes!  I understand!"  It took a second, or what felt like hours, for Jungsu to collect himself before questioning, "Will she be there?  Will you take Hyojin?  Will I see her?  Will you keep her safe if I agree with your conditions?  Will she be alright now that I've agreed to meet you?  Can I talk to her!?"

The beeping told me the call had ended abruptly, just like last time.  My heart sank and I leaped to grab my coat.  Sungmin rose and Henry entered the room like a bullet.  Henry and Hyojin's family were currently occupied in my dining room, calling relatives and friends and neighbours and asking for clues.  I shook my head at the two boys, "I'm driving on my own, you stay here in case Hyojin arrives - she'll be glad to see you two."

I knew Hyojin felt close with Henry and I knew she was beginning to feel equally close with Sungmin.  I wasn't sure why, but I was glad they returned her friendly smiles and was surprised to see their concern at her disappearance.  They all cared for each other.

Grabbing my coat and the car keys already handed out from Sungmin, I whisked myself out of the house and down the pathway towards the car.  I would give anything to get my wife back.  These people would regret taking her. They'd regret harming her.

I would make sure they would.

--

[A/N:  Annyeong-haseyo~ (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡ ✧*。

Wahh, for anyone who would like to know, I was really drinking coffee while writing this chapter, keke.  I'm not sure why I added the coffee into it, I guess I just thought it was a little relevant? （♥￫ｏ￩♥）

It's almost Christmas!  I apologise if there are any readers who do not celebrate Christmas, I myself am not Christian/Catholic, I'm a Spiritualist, but my family are all Catholic and so we celebrate this time in our house.  So I'd like to take this time to wish everyone of any religion and culture a beautiful day of happiness and love.  I hope you all smile brightly. ( ๑ ❛ ڡ ❛ ๑ )❤

Fufu I feel quite happy today and I'm not very sure why, but I'm not complaining either.  I hope you all feel happy also. (人´ω｀*)♡

Blessed love and light,

-Kang Hyekyo~ ꒰⁎˃ ॢꇴ ॢ˂⁎꒱➴ෆ⃛ ]