"Uhm.. Sanggyun, what are you doing?" Aelena said as the only person who's not laughing.

"Dude even if you do that, you look obvious and they can just take that away from you," Yooncheol laughed out loud.

"What! I'm just trying to be cautious! I'm trying to protect us you know!" the youngest defended.

"Well it looks like your trying to pick a fight!"

Sanggyun frowned. He couldn't see what was funny. He was just holding his dagger in front of him and had his body crouched down in attack mode.

"Don't worry, Sanggyun-ah. I think we can handle any surprise attack," Hansol said laughing, too.

Since it was only the four of them left, Sanggyun couldn't help but be alert. There could be more enemies who would come out than it did before. They have been walking for three hours since everyone separated.

They were getting closer to their destination. The flower was going to bloom that night. They were getting closer, and they're getting anxious at whatever's going to be there. Was it going to be ferocious beasts or giants who're guarding the flower? Would they be able to handle it?

Everyone was tensing up, so they took a break to eat lunch. No one said a thing. They were all in their own thoughts of what was going to happen next. Hansol finished eating first. Feeling antsy, he threw himself to Sanggyun and wrapping his arms around. Even if Hansol didn't say anything, Sanggyun knew he was worried.

After they all finished eating, they continued walking in silence. To get himself relaxed again, Sanggyun took a deep breath and started to walk like he did before; walking like a tourist and seeing everything on a positive way. That seemed to relax him and without noticing it, he began to hum their song '(Cute Girl)'. Hansol joined in holding onto the young one's arm. And in no time, Yooncheol began to hum as well. Seeing how they were, Aelena eased up a bit.

Aelena smiled and said, "you are all in a happy mood humming away. May I know what tune you are humming?"

"It's our song called 'Cute Girl'." Hansol explained.

"Charming name and what lovely tune it has."

The three smiled proudly.

They walked for three hours, took a break for half an hour, walked for another three, took a break, and walked for another hour when they finally reached the top of the mountain. The final stop.

"Uhm Aelena-noona, are we at the right place?" Sanggyun asked.

"Yeah, is it the right place? It's rather dark and scary," Hansol said.

"I think it looks about right. This is the kind of place huge monsters live," Yooncheol grinned.

"Yes. This is the right place. Inside lies the flower," Aelena said coolly.

They all reached the top of the mountain. Everyone was looking at an entrance of a cave. They were hoping that when they reach the top, the flower would be in plain sight ready to be picked, but it looked like it was hidden deep inside the cave. A cave that looked like it could collapse any moment. The entrance was well hidden among the overgrown thorny plants. Inside it was pitched black, not helping that it was already nighttime.

The three members gulped.

Sanggyun let out a nervous chuckle and said, "maybe Aelena-noona should go in first. You know, just to see if the coast is clear. And see if.. uh.. there aren't any man-eating monsters waiting."

No one complained. The three friends were all for the idea of waiting outside, not really wanting to go in such frightening place.

Aelena didn't complain either. She took long branches from the side and made a torch for her and a torch for them. "I shall be right back." All eyes were on her as she began walking in the dark cave without hesitation.

Half an hour has passed since Aelena went in.

"She's taking her time, huh?" Yooncheol said.

"She must have like us a lot to spend her time clearing the way," Sanggyun smiled.

"No, someone must have gotten her!" Hansol said nervously. "Shouldn't we go in, too?"

"Noona told us she'll be right back, let's just wait till she returns."

"Are you sure she will be returning anytime now?" an unfamiliar voice said.

Everyone turned around surprised by the unexpected response. To their another surprise, the voice came from a small man. A man that was about half their size. They were all thinking the same thing; They just saw what looked like an elf. Sanggyun grinned excitedly. Yooncheol and Hansol did the same as they couldn’t hide their glee seeing a mythical creature. They have seeing other mythical creatures the past journey, but the small man was the first who didn’t try to kill them as soon as he saw them.

The man gave them a confused look. "Ahem," he cleared his throat to awake them from their current state and continued, "how can you be sure that your female friend would ever come back?"

"What do you mean if she would ever come back? Of course, she will," Sanggyun said.

"I would not be so sure about that."

This time everyone wore a confused looked.

"Afterall, she keeps a very dangerous secret."

"What secret?" Yooncheol asked.

"I am sure your young friend knows about it," the man looked at Sanggyun. The other two turned to him as well.

"What secret?" the young one asked back. He was confused. Secret? Has Aelena-noona ever told me a secret? The only thing I know that others don’t, is her sickness. Then he suddenly froze when he remembered. "Wait.. could you be talking about.."

The man smiled.

"What is he talking about, Sanggyun-ah?" Hansol asked.

"She did not tell you, did she? Her dark illness."

Sanggyun’s eye’s widened. He wondered how’d he knew about it. Did he know her personally? "How did you know about that?"

"I know everything," he smirked. "Did you know her condition is getting worse? Did you even wonder why you could not heal her wounds," he turned to Hansol this time. "She knows she is running out of time before her sickness takes over her."

"I believe it is the same illness your other guide explained to you about."

"Why are you telling us this? How do we know you aren’t just telling us a lie?" Yooncheol narrowed.

"As I already told you before, I know everything," he said with a smug look. "I know the King has asked for your help to find the flower, ‘Lily of Valley’. The same flower she is seeking. And the only remedy that can cure her."

Everyone’s eyes widened. "She couldn’t be planning on.." Hansol’s voice trailed at the thought that Aelena could be betraying them. Everyone thought the same. She couldn’t have just used them and planned to take the flower to herself. However, that could be it. Not only did she not complain a single time on the way, but she also willingly volunteered to come with them. They all started to wonder, was all the time they’ve been together a pretend?

"Then why didn’t she tell us this before? About her sickness?" Hansol said hoping that Aelena wasn’t planning on betraying them.

"I think everybody already knows the answer to that. However just to state it out loud, she intends to acquire the flower for her own benefit."

Couldn’t just sit back, Sanggyun tried to see the light in Aelena, "I don’t think Aelena-noona wouldn’t do such a thing. She’s loyal to the King and the whole Kingdom. I don’t believe she would do anything that isn’t in the interest of this Kingdom."

"And how can you be so sure about that?" the man questioned the young one’s faith in Aelena.

"I just do. She wouldn’t betray us. I have faith in her," Sanggyun said firmly.

The man smirked.

"Well, now I’m in doubt of her. I don’t want to believe it, but this man is making a bit of sense," Yooncheol said. "Why would she keep all this? She told you, but she didn’t tell us?" he turned to Sanggyun.

"It wasn’t like that! It was an accident when I walked in while she bathe."

"Oh, so it was an accident? If you didn’t see it, if that accident didn't occur, would any of us even know what’s she’s hiding?" Yooncheol scoffed.

"I.. don’t know.."

Yooncheol shook his head.

"But Hansol-hyung, you believe in Aelena-noona, right?" he turned to Hansol this time for support hoping that there was still someone who have trust in Aelena. But, Sanggyun was disappointed by his friend’s response.

Hansol looked away from Sanggyun’s gaze and said, "I want to believe her. I really do, but if she wants us to have faith in her, wouldn’t it be fair for her to have faith and to trust us in return, too?"

"What are you two saying! I can’t believe you’re just going to listen to this man!" he pointed to the man, but he wasn’t there anymore.

And just at the same time, Aelena suddenly emerged from the cave panting with freshly new wounds on her face.