[CONTENTID1]TWENTY FOUR[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

Yoona strode down the shaded path between the trees inside what seemed to be a dark forest. In front of her, Yuri led the way leisurely, her black hair swaying gracefully in the gentle breeze that occasionally blew from the branches of trees. Her entire body sparkled through the rays of sun that peeked through the trees, making the latter look so unreal.

“Yul, where are we going?” Yoona asked through her heavy breathing. She was holding Yuri’s hand tightly as if she was afraid of getting lost if she loosened it.

“I want to show you the most beautiful place," answered Yuri enthusiastically and by the time, Yoona tripped over a protruding tree root.

“Wait Yul, can we slow down?” Yoona asked again as she managed to catch Yuri’s arm before she land on the ground.

“No we can’t, we have to walk faster. Come on Yoong!”

Yuri started to walk even faster. She seemed to not have any problem with the shrubs and tree roots around them, giving Yoona great trouble keeping up with her.

“But I am tired Yul. Yul, wait…”

“Let’s go Yoong!” urged Yuri.

The path became increasingly difficult to follow with overgrown plants and bushes, and the trees grew closely together as they kept walking into the heart of forest.

“Yul wait,” Yoona whined. Her arms and legs were covered with small cuts and scratches now.

“You’re so slow,” Yuri laughed at a distance now, no longer holding Yoona’s hand.

“Yul, don’t leave me!” Yoona was shaking in fear as she squinted to find a glimpse of Yuri but she saw nothing other than darkness. The only sound she heard was her own breathing and heartbeat as the eerie silence of the forest accompanied her.“Yuri!” she screamed, suddenly feeling the great hole of loss in her heart. “Please don’t leave me! I don’t want to be left alone...”

Yoona jolted up from the bed with a sharp inhale, her face full of cold sweat. She buried her face into her palms, trying to slow down her heartbeat. After losing Yuri in her real life, she didn't want to lose her in her dreams as well. But the horrible nightmare had left a deep hollow inside her that she did not want to feel or examine at all because it was almost unbearable.

“Good morning,” called a girly voice from inside her room that giving Yoona another jump.

She turned toward the source of the sound and found a young girl she’d never met before standing in the middle of her bedroom. The small figure stared at her in interest.

“Who are you? What are you doing in my room?” Yoona asked in panic, feeling embarrassed that someone had just witnessed her little breakdown a moment before.

“My name is Goo Hara. I'm your wedding planner and will also be your makeup artist,” she explained politely as walked toward the dresser opposite the bed. She put down the huge bag she had been holding before turning toward Yoona again, and smiled. “The wedding will start in a few hours, so we better get ready now.”

Yoona stayed still on her bed, seemingly unlikely to move. She glanced toward the window curtains to find sunlight peeking through the thin layer. It was certain that morning had approached, which also meant the marriage was waiting for her.

She just suddenly felt like her body was glued to her bed, but when Hara pulled out a wedding dress from the wardrobe (that Yoona wasn't even aware been there), she knew that the game was on and there was no way to escape.

With a heart as heavy as stone, she got out of bed and let Hara do her duties without saying anything.

She didn't agree, nor express her protest when the younger girl started to put on her wedding dress. She simply responded with a head shake and nod every time Hara asking questions or trying to create conversation. In the end, Hara gave in and chose to focus on her job without attempting to make small talk.

Surprisingly, the time passed quickly now, and she didn't know how long her mother had been standing right behind of her. Her mother was fully dressed up but it couldn't hide the look of her tired face that staring at Yoona from the reflection of the mirror.

Mixed feelings surged in Yoona's chest when she caught her eyes, and they stared at each other for so long time until her mother finally broke the stare and turned to Hara. “Thank you for your help.”

“It's my pleasure Ma’am,” Hara bowed politely as she observed Yoona's appearance once more before starting to pack her makeup tools back into the bag. “I'm going to the church to do the checking now,” she said as she checked her watch. “The wedding car will arrive about an hour from now.”

“Alright,” Mrs. Im answered as Hara excused herself. She waited until Hara was out of view before turned to Yoona again. “You look beautiful,” she complimented awkwardly but Yoona simply shrugged, still sitting in front of the dresser emotionlessly.

Mrs. Im sighed. “Honey, you’re a bride today,” she persuaded but sudden rush of anger leapt inside Yoona without valid reason. She didn't know why the figure of her mother no longer provided the comfort she usually needed. Her presence even bothered her, maybe the presence of her whole family would bother her today. But before she could give her mother impertinent responses, someone entered the room again.

“Good morning,” Krystal stepped in. She looked rather feminine today with a lace tank short dress.

“Oh Soojung,” Mrs. Im was distracted by Krystal’s new appearance. “Why are you here? Are you going to church with us?”

“No, I'm going with someone else,” Krystal answered and Yoona noticed the younger’s cheeks tinted a faint shade of pink. “Minho is awaiting me outside.”

In normal circumstances, Yoona would not miss this opportunity to , but right now she had no desire to even utter a single comment. Her mother spoke it out for her instead.

“Who's that? Your boyfriend?”

“No, he is my friend,” Krystal denied quickly as she darted her gaze toward Yoona. She seemed to remember her initial purpose of coming here as she walked towards Yoona and Mrs. Im. “Can I talk to Yoona personally?” she asked and Mrs. Im looked hesitant.

“W-what is it about?”

“I won’t kidnap the bride,” assured Krystal as if she could read Mrs. Im’s mind.

“Alright,” the older woman said after some self debating. “I'll be back in a few minutes,” she added as she walked out of the room and closed the door to give them privacy.

The door shut again, leaving them in silence as Krystal took a step to approach Yoona who was still sitting quietly in front of the mirror. “How do you feel?” she asked.

“Numb,” Yoona answered shortly as she turned around to look at Krystal, her gaze full of urgency as she asked, “Do you have information about her whereabouts?”

Krystal’s eyes met Yoona second later as if she had been anticipating the question, and then she shook her head weakly. “We do not.”

“Alright,” Yoona looked down, sinking into a deep well of despair within her heart. She felt like she was losing Yuri over and over again in losing the last hope she ever had. “Thank you for your efforts though,” her lips curled up into what it seemed to be smile, even though she knew it made her looked more dejected when she mumbled, “She'll be okay as soon as this over.”

“And by the time it ends, you'll officially be Mrs. Lee,” Krystal said disapprovingly, her voice suddenly turned loud and strong.

“Isn't it meant to be like that?”

Krystal scoffed. A sudden rush of anger jolted up inside of her. “Come on, think about this one more time. Do you really give up now? After what happened between the two of you?” She felt her pulse quickening and she couldn’t stop herself.

Yoona remained still.

“Do you think Yuri will be happy to know you married Donghae just to save her life?”

“She won't be happy but she will understand one day,” Yoona said quietly, turning her back to Krystal as she stared determinedly into the mirror again.

“She will understand that you gave up on her!” Krystal accused and Yoona felt white-hot anger bursting inside of her, blazing in terrified emptiness and desperation.

“I didn’t give up on her!” she snapped, jolting up from her seat as she stared at Krystal with range.

“So what is it called?” Krystal shot back. “Throwing her away after the hardship she endured for loving you?”

“You talk as if I have a choice!” Yoona roared, seizing everything on the dresser and flinging it across the room. It shattered into pieces but none of them flinched and Yoona’s heart ached so much she wished she could stop breathing right at the very moment.

“Life always gives us a choice!”

“What do you want me to do then?” Yoona spat. “Go to my dad and said ‘oh daddy I can't marry Donghae because I love Yuri so can you give her back to me right now?' Is that you want me to say?”

“I believe there is the way to stop this wedding. No one has the right to dictate someone else's life, you just need to be brave and refuse this wedding!”

“I’ve done it before!”

“No, you did not!” Krystal persisted. “Donghae did it for you. What you do is sit here, surrendering to the circumstances. You’re a coward! You choose what's easier than fighting for what is the truth!”

It was Yoona’s turned to scoff now. “Funny you say this now when you're the one who pushed me to always use my logic over my heart,” she said sarcastically. She felt savage pleasure in blaming Krystal, in hurting her cousin, just to make Krystal feel some tiny part of pain inside of her. “Didn't you always encourage me to walk away from Yuri? Didn't you always hate Yuri?”

Krystal’s body tensed. “I did,” Krystal confirmed slowly. Her rage had subsided as she looked down at the floor in grief. She felt exhaustion that had no relation with their shouting session.  “That's when I didn't really know her yet. But now my perception about her has changed and I admit that I had been wrong about her.”

“It's too late to admit it,” Yoona mumbled, her lips were cold and numb. “My story with Yuri is over now.”

Krystal looked as if she was about to shout again but she restrained herself at the last minute and briskly made her way out of the room.

Krystal slammed the bedroom door. She was furious, she was so upset with Yoona for not trying harder, for giving their family the satisfaction they did not deserve, and most of all for letting her down again. She had been sticking with them, she had helped them get through all the madness and within a few hours, all of it would remain as history? Why should she help someone who didn't even bother to help herself?

She was preoccupied with her thoughts when she started to walk along the corridor, dashing down the staircases to the front garden but a noise stopped her from walking out.

She could see the silhouette of two guys near the o