I still couldn’t believe it. It had to just be my imagination. Why would Luhan and Kris talk to each other in Prague? But-but… What did happen those days I stayed with Kris? Why were those days a blur? Just then my phone beeped again. It was a call this time.

• Babysitter: I was trying to get a hold of you for the longest time. I even tried calling you! Eun Soo-ah… Eun Soo-ah…
• Me: What happened? Is anything wrong? I just got the call.
• Babysitter: She’s missing. I went to get her some milk and when I returned she was gone! I called the police, but they have no lead. There was no evidence left behind. I don’t know what to do. All the windows were looked and when we checked the security cameras there was nothing. However, there was a glitch the last few seconds before she disappeared.

My stomach just dropped. Eun Soo! Where are you? My head was feeling dizzy again, I heard the babysitter yell on the phone. I got back to my senses and ran as fast I can to her house. The police were there.  They questioned me and told me what happened.

I started to cry and ran out of her house. “Eun Soo, where are you?” I screamed. I decided that I wasn’t going to wait for the police to find her. I didn’t care how long it took, but I was going to find her. I searched all over the neighborhood. I even asked the people passing by. 

It was getting dark and fast. There was a guy walking his dog. He was good-looking, but he looked like a bad boy. I came up to him and asked if he had seen my baby. He looked at the picture and said, “Yeah I did. I saw her with a man. They were walking towards that house by the forest. But I wouldn’t go there now; it tends to get spooky at night.” I looked in the direction of the forest and sure enough there it was. It was a dark mansion that was owned by the decedents of the founders of our town. When I turned back to thank the guy he was gone.

I didn’t care what this stranger said, my baby was in trouble and I wasn’t going to be a scaredy-cat. I ran to the end of the street towards the house. The guy was right; the house does get spooky at night. None of the lights were at the mansion. I approached the gates, but then I heard a strange noise from the forest. It sounded like a baby crying! Eun Soo!

I ran into the forest following the crying. I should have brought my phone; there was hardly any light in the forest. I didn’t even know where I was going, but I didn’t care. The crying sound was fading! I started to run again, I heard some men talking in a distance. “Eun Soo!?!?” I screamed, but then the men stopped talking. I heard hurried footsteps in the distance. I kept running trying to catch up, but then I heard something hard hit my head. I tried to see who hit me, but then I lost my footing…

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(Present)

I awoke smelling a familiar fragrance. Where was I? I tried to get up, but there was a throbbing pain in my head. I looked around and tried to remember what happened and how I got here. The room looked expensive.

“Here, in case you were hungry” a familiar voice said. I turned and saw Kris holding a tray of food. What was I doing here, and with Kris of all people? Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he came closer and shoved the tray into my lap. He then placed his hand on my forehead; my heart was pounding again, “Your fever seems to have gone down. What were you doing in the forest anyways to be out cold for 3 days? If I wasn’t out that night looking for some herbs I wouldn’t have found you.”

I looked at him confused, what was he talking about? A forest, why would I go there? I looked at him dumbfounded, but then my heart dropped. Eun Soo, what happened to Eun Soo? I put the tray to the side and tried to climb out of bed, but Kris stopped me, “Why do I always have to meet you that way. You’re not going anywhere until you eat your breakfast. Do you know the trouble I had to go through to take care of you these days?” I looked at him, annoyed at why he was making me stay, “I didn’t ask you for help. I was looking for Eun Soo, a man at the park said that he saw her with a man heading to the mansion by the forest. I know there are rumors about that place, but I don’t care, I have to find her!”

Kris looked annoyed and said, “Well you can’t go out in that shape. I mean, look at yourself in the mirror. You look like you the bride of Frankenstein in that clothing! Plus, you just got back to your senses; you have to eat before you leave. I promise you that once you eat you can leave here, ok?”

To see if what Kris said was true I got out of bed and headed to the mirror. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My hair was a mess, my clothes were ripped, and there were blood stains! Kris started to laugh, “I told you so. You can borrow some of my clothes before you leave if you like. I’m heading down to class; I haven’t gone in a while thanks to someone. Here catch!” he threw some keys into my hands and left.

I washed up in Kris’s bathroom and changed into some clothes he had left for me on the bed. I ate the food he had given me and decided to look around the house. As I wandered through the halls I couldn’t help but notice how clean it was. Everything also looked very expensive. There was a locked room on the top floor, it looked like all the other rooms, but something wasn’t right.

I continued my tour and I found myself in his room. His room was neat and bright.  There was a nice view of the town through the window. I was looking through the bookshelves and I picked up an old looking book.

As I pulled it out, a picture fell. It looked old crumpled. I picked it up and I turned it around. I was shocked at what I saw. It looked like Luhan and Kris, but the quality of the picture was too old. Their clothes looked old too. Maybe it was their great grandfathers or something, who cares!

I just remembered what Kris had told me. I was unconscious for 3 days! I ran out of the room and returned to the room I was sleeping in. When I went inside frantically looked for my phone! Dang! I left it back home.

I went outside and it looked like it was late afternoon.  I looked around to see where I was and I was surprised that it was my neighborhood. Why did Kris move here and why didn’t I notice? I didn’t waste my time think of the issue about Kris’s house, because my baby was in danger!

I finally reached that mansion. Getting a closer look through the gates I was not surprised to see that the yard was not taken care of.  The grass was almost as tall as me, but at least there was a broken up walkway to the front door. I wanted to knock and see if anyone was there, but I remembered that the mansion was gated. I put my hand on the gates, and to my surprise the gates opened. I slowly crept inside; I didn’t want to catch anyone’s attention. As I approached the front door I heard some ruffling in the grass behind me. There was no doorbell on the door. I raised my hand to knock on the door, but to my surprise as soon as my hand touched the door it opened. I looked down at the knob and saw that it was rusted.

I crept inside. The only light in the mansion came from the setting sun through the windows. The mansion looked abandoned, which was no surprise, but why would someone take Eun Soo here? Was it those people that attacked Luhan and I? Did they think that she was Luhan’s daughter?

Just then I heard some voices. Since I was an intruder in this house I decided to hide in the corner. Two men walked in front of where I was hiding. One looked familiar. He was the man with the dog! He turned to the man next to him, “yeah I told her that we brought the kid here, I don’t know what happened. She should have been here already. I’m so tired or taking care of that kid. The boss seems to like her, but if it’s the boss’s enemy’s kid we have no choice. Why did she have his child? What a waste! She looked pretty too. If we get her onto our side we might finally have some eye candy here!” The other man picked something up from the floor, “Boss is probably worried about her, and you know he has feelings for her right? But not the kid if it’s his child! The boss hates him you know? So do we, I mean who is he anyways?” Just then I heard crying. The men started to run and I quietly followed them.

They were running towards a room that was well lit. I followed them and hid next to a statue outside the room.  Good thing the door was open. As I peeked through the open part of the statue I saw a man by the fireplace. He was holding something in his hands, “Did you find her? I can’t believe that I might be taking care of his kid! But since I’m not truly sure we have to wait until he comes. Are you sure you told her it’s this house? I’ve been waiting for over 3 days now! She’s not the kind of person to forget her kid! But remember, you grab her and pull her to that chair over there and tie her up ok? I need to find out whose child this is. If it is his child, then I have no choice but to do what I did to the other girl.” The man that was closest to the door said, “But Boss, what about the kid’s mother? Will you do the same?” The man by the fireplace laughed, “I should that right? I want to take everything away from him like he did to me. But I like her; she was the only one that made my heart beat for a long time- Wait, what is this? I think she finally came. Hurry go find her now, knowing her she will be easy to find.” With saying that the man by the fireplace walked away toward a door in the front and the men hurried out. The man that was standing by the fireplace was holding a baby! Was that Eun Soo!

I tried my best trying to hide. I didn’t want to get caught.  I’m not sure if they talked about me or not, but I was worried. As soon as the men were out of site I hurried into the room. I didn’t care what happened to me; I just wanted Eun Soo to be safe. Just then I heard a man walk in, “It’s her, get her guys!” I turned and saw a man running towards me. I didn’t know what to do, but luckily there was another door nearby. I opened it and ran through an empty hallway. I was out of breath, but I knew I needed to hide. As I was running someone grabbed me by my waist and covered my mouth. He pushed a picture and to my surprise it opened and he pushed me in. I fell to the ground and when I got up I saw that he had locked the door. He turned and I was shocked to see who it was. It was Kris, “What are you doing here?” I asked. He looked worried, “What did I tell you! Forget it, I might have forgotten. But you should never come here! Especially at night! I told you not to trust him!” I looked at him dumbfounded, “What are you talking about? Luhan? Are you talking about Luhan? What? Why? I’m more suspicious of you than him! What are you doing here?”

He seemed angry, “You need to find Eun Soo right? Why didn’t you ask me for help, if you did we wouldn’t be in this mess? Forget it! I need to get you out of here first! You don’t know these people. You don’t know what they have done. They are not to be trusted!” I didn’t even have time to speak; he grabbed my hand and opened the door again. He looked at both directions of the hall and dragged me. I tried to resist, but he had an iron grip.

I heard voices in the distance again. There were men the room we were about to enter. I saw the back of the man who had Eun Soo. I wanted to run up to him, but Kris held onto my hand. The man who held Eun Soo looked familiar, but he seemed angry and said, “He’s here too. Find them you fools!” The men bowed and ran through the other hallways. I didn’t know this before, but the house was a maze. There were so many hallways that if I had to look for Eun Soo on my own I would have surely have gotten lost.

Kris looked me in the eyes again, “I’ll take you to the front door, leave Eun Soo to me. You can’t handle these guys. Just meet me back at your house, I promise you that I’ll bring her back.” I pushed him to the wall, “How about no! I can’t leave here without her, do you know how long it has been? Almost 4 days to be exact. She’s probably lonely and scared!” I could see Kris getting angry. He pulled something out of his pocket. It was a cloth. He also pulled something else out of his pocket. He took out a bottle and poured some of the liquid onto it. Before I could ask him what he was doing, he grabbed me by waist and pushed me against the wall. I covered my mouth with that cloth. I couldn’t breathe, I was getting dizzy…

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(A Couple Hours Later)

I awoke in my bed. There was a throbbing pain in my head again. Wait! Why was I at home? Wasn’t I at the mansion? I ran downstairs. Just then I heard a knock on the door. I ran to open it. It was Kris. He barged inside before I could say anything and closed the door behind him. He turned around, “This must be Eun Soo.” He said as he handed me my child, “Sorry about before, you wouldn’t listen and you would get in my way.”

I didn’t know what to say, was what he was saying the truth? Why did those men want Eun Soo? Seeming to know what I was thinking Kris said, “I told you not to trust him. Why don’t you ever trust me? He’s not a good guy; he wanted to hurt Eun Soo. Why didn’t you know that? Weren’t you suspicious as to why he left in the first place?”

I put Eun Soo in her crib and turned to Kris. “Trust you? You?!?! The guy that drugged me and slept with me? The guy that left me right after? Trust you Kris? Please, I’d rather trust that man that was holding Eun Soo!” I was about to storm out of the room, but Kris grabbed my hand, “Listen, let’s forget the past. I- … um… uh…. I love you!”

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《Too be continued. ..》