BEFORE

She became increasingly aware of the hot tears slowly stinging her eyes. Her vision blurred on the boy who had stepped purposely on the drawing of her parents that she'd never met, but now long gone, leaving a trace of dirty shoeprints on it. The rounded-face boy snickered even louder when he saw her small figure began to tremble, slowly closing in on herself, becoming more and more smaller underneath his menacing stare. 

Without meaning to, without being able to stop herself, she imagined him losing what he had, experience the same pain she was going through, and feeling the exact longing she had to endure. She thought about it vividly, like a movie on tape. 

The next morning, the boy lost both of his parents in a car accident. Just like how she imagined. 

AFTER

She should've known. Her dreams were a sign; an ominous indication of the future. She should've known better. But it was too late now. 

Joeun pushed through the crowd surrounding the building, with Kyungsoo calling behind her exasperately, but gained nothing but her ignorance. There was someone inside, trapped, and in the verge of death, if she didn't get there quick enough. She was pulled away from Kyungsoo after mere seconds when students started to push towards the exit; the opposite way of where she was heading. 

The fire was spreading, hot and furious in the old school's gymnasium that was out of use and now blocked off as it waited its new renovation. Thick, black smoke raised to the skyline, creating an overcast of choking air. When she reached there, the dilapidated building was on the edge of collapsing from the fire, with the walls blacken with ash and the embers casting a eerie glow on her face. 

The screams of the students were muted in her ears, every sound emitted was a blurry disturbance except for the faint calling that she heard distinctly. It was soft, and far, but she heard it. A faint and desperate cry of help me... 

Joeun knew time was slipping away the longer she stood there motionless. She knew she had no other options. The guilt from the past still haunted her, so maybe saving a life would equalize it somehow.

Closing with the sleeves of her jacket, she barged into the gym as the thickening smoke engulfed and stung her eyes. 

She would've laughed out of pure insanity, because it was exactly like her dream. 

The flames the walls like monsterous tongues, the thick black smoke billowing and choking her, like fingers curling around and strangling her, the red embers hot and furious. 

Did her dream became a reality? Did she caused all this disaster? It couldn't be true....she never wanted any of this to happen. 

A strangled cry cut her reverie instantaneously. It was difficult to see in the smoke, and her eyes were becoming teary. She decided to call out for the person. 

"HELLO? I'M COMING TO HELP! PLEASE, CAN YOU SHOUT AS LOUD AS YOU CAN SO THAT I'LL KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?" 

There was only the sound of her heavy breaths and the crackling fire that burned down the wooden planks that were left scattered in the gym by the construction workers. The wooden walls that were stripped out of its paint caught fire easily just by a couple of minutes. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the parts of the roof blazing with red embers crashed down only a few feets from where she was standing.

Shrieking, Joeun quickly jumped out of the way as the fear of the whole situation started to jeopardize her conscience. Desperately, she tried calling out again, but there was still no response. She was just about to assume that maybe the person didn't hear her or maybe he/she had passed out, but then it came. 

"I'M....I'M HE-HERE. N-NEAR THE SHOWERS." A faint shout. A weak male voice. 

"I CAN'T....CAN'T MOVE. PLEASE...HURRY." he shouted again, more louder this time. 

Relief washed over her body like a wave. He was still alive. 

"JUST HOLD ON, OKAY?" she yelled back, hoping the person would hear her, or at least stay conscious until she found him. 

Joeun sprinted towards the voice, but it was difficult to locate him specifically because there were too much wooden crates and planks and heavy metals thrown across the area, with subfloor panels and construction appliances. Plus, her vision was clouded with thick smoke which made it harder for her to see. She followed her senses nonetheless as she carefully invaded the fallen benches and dodged burned down structures.

Hot ashes landed on her hands, but her receptors didn't register any pain whatsoever. The smoke was thick and dangerous, and slowly she felt herself losing her strength. Yes, she was indeed immune to pain, but weariness was not included. 

At the back area of the gym that was usually secluded, a silhouette slowly formed in front of her, and soon enough it transformed into a body of a person. He was in an awkward position---his back was leaned against the wall but his legs were not visible. He was attempting to do something. Then he cried out in agony, as tears streaked his crestfallen facade. 

His legs. They were caught under a fallen structure. 

"Jongin," Joeun gasped.

Perhaps he had heard her, as Jongin lifted his face and saw her standing there. Upon seeing Joeun, he had never felt more grateful in his whole seventeen years of life. Joeun was almost in a state of trance by his mesmerizing blue eyes staring at her, but then she quickly snapped out of it and immediately rushed towards him. There was no time. 

After a moment, he seemed to be realizing the absurdity of it all. His eyes were wide in shock. How could a girl like her be brave enough to brave through fire? To save him?

"Are you insane?!" How did you..." his words were cut off by the sudden movement he made, which caused his legs to hurt more. Once again, he cursed at himself angrily. 

Joeun cringed at his string of profanities, but decided to ignore them and analyze the situation instead. She needed to lift the broken structure off of him, and do it fast. She could already sensed the building slowly closing in on them so they'd be burned to death if they stayed here long enough.

"Can you move your legs?" she asked hurriedly. 

Jongin looked surprised by the question. "A little bit." 

"I'm gonna try to pull you, okay?" She crouched in front of him, and saw the uncertainty in his eyes. His hair was disheveled, more rumpled than before, his shirt dirtied and torn. She had never seen Kim Jongin as distressed as he was now. 

He merely nodded, knowing they didn't have much choice. Joeun wrapped her arms tightly around his torso and summoned all her strength to pull him. The first try was fruitless---he didn't manage to move an inch. The air was getting hotter, and the fire was spreading towards them a lot more faster. 

Joeun tried again, and this time Jongin tried to push himself out. With one final pull, she managed to pull him entirely, and they both fell on the ground with a dull thud. 

"Come on," She quickly stood up and looped his arm around her shoulder. Jongin could barely speak, could barely walked. He let himself be guided by her---both of them half jogged, half walked to find the nearest exit. Joeun saw a door up ahead. She quickly dragged Jongin, who was a lot more heavier than she was. His breaths were ragged, and he couldn't stop coughing. He almost tripped on a piece of wood that fell off, and Joeun had to pick him up back again. 

She could see red lights outside from the windows up ahead, including the wail of sirens. Upon seeing the exit, she was too relieved to even notice that her arm was slowly bleeding. However, the door couldn't be opened easily.

Joeun felt a rush of panic when the door wouldn't budge. With Jongin hanging over her like she was his only lifeline, it was much harder to use all her strength that was slowly thinning to slam down the door. The air was becoming heavier, more hotter, like they were trapped inside a man-sized microwave. 

"What's wrong?" Jongin breathed out, half-conscious in his state of mind. He was getting more and more dizzy from inhaling too much smoke. 

"I cant...I can't open this door. W-we need to slam it down." Joeun coughed straightly after, barely managing to get the words out. 

It took him a few seconds for the words to slowly seeped into his mind. He felt her slowly losing her grip on him as she kept coughing into her sleeves. His leg hurt like crazy, but he tried to traipse to the door nevertheless. 

Joeun, with her eyes teary from the stinging smoke, followed his steps. They shared a look before positioning themselves with their shoulder touching the surface of the door. 

"On three," she breathed.

One..

Two...

Simultaneously, their bodies slammed on the door with all the remnants of strength that was left. There was a crack, and again, they tried. They pushed themselves on the wood, desperately, trying to escape. More bigger cracks appeared at the edges. With one final push of power, Jongin and Joeun threw themselves towards the door, and they finally rolled across the pebbled ground with scatters of wood and broken hinges. 

The sun blinded them instantly. Gasping, the fresh of air that was finally into their lungs felt like heaven. A group of men in firefighter suit came rushing towards them, and they were suddenly carried away safely from the building. Another group of firefighters were seen trying to put out the raging fire, and all around them were pandemonium. 

"Hey, your arm. . ." Jongin breathed out when he saw she was wounded beside him. His eyes were in concern, despite his own injuries. She was bleeding terribly, her arm, and he knew she needed treatment more than him. His hand almost reached to hold her, but she turned away. 

"No, no, I'm fine. Really, it's nothing." she retrieved her hand away and placed it behind her. 

"What are you talking about? You need to--", Jongin argued, but then he lost his words the moment he saw her shifted. The wound was...gone. Her arm was unscathed. He blinked a few times, and started to doubt his judgements. 

Was he dreaming? He must've lost his mind. How could the cut disappear?

He didn't get the chance to ask, as he was pulled away by paramedics, leaving Joeun behind. 

Jongin opened his eyes, and the white lights immediately blinded him. He already knew he was in a hospital; the smell of strong antiseptic, followed by the constant beeping of the machine beside him.

Suddenly, the memory came. It crashed upon him like a wave, as the dark past he tried hard to erase came knocking in his mind. Jongin buried his face in his hands and tried to breathe normally due to his chest that was slowly becoming constricted.

Stop it, you idiot. Stop it. 

Breathe Jongin breathe

The door creaked open slowly. The sound startled him, like a crash in the dead silence. When he saw it was Sehun poking his head from the outside, Jongin felt his insides calmed. 

"Oh thank God. You're finally awaken from the dead." Sehun grinned like an idiot before storming in and hugged Jongin so tightly that all the air left his lungs. 

"Can't. Breathe." he muttered in difficulty. 

"Oh, sorry, man. Just sharing some love." Sehun finally released him, and Jongin managed to catch his breath. 

"Thanks, I feel it." he glared at his long-time roommate, the only person who didn't see him as a bad thug. 

Sehun took a sit on the chair beside the bed, his facade now solemn. "What happened? I heard the police said the fire was probably caused by a cigarette they found at the scene. Don't tell me. . ."

Jongin sighed in defeat. He ran his fingers nervously through his hair, making the strands haywire. "Yeah...well, I might've..decided..to.." 

"You've got to be joking," Sehun shook his head in disappointment, and finally slumped in his chair, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

"I accidentally fell asleep after I smoked," Jongin blurted out in a hurry, trying to explain himself. "I didn't know why I was so stupid. I didn't realize there was even a fire until I saw it." He buried his face in his hands afterwards in an attempt to calm himself. 

"You're seriously in a big, ty, trouble---" 

Jongin looked up suddenly, his eyes alarmed. "Where's Joeun?" he asked, cutting Sehun off.

Sehun frowned by his sudden interruption. "Who?"

"Joeun." Her name slipped out of his mouth naturally, like something he had always memorized in the back of his mind. 

"You mean the girl who saved you? How would I know, man? She's not even here. But yeah, it's kind of weird since she got out of a bloody building-on-fire alive, with you, mostly covered in burns and scars, and she's not even admitted to the hospital." 

"Do you know where she could be?"

"Why're you asking?"

Jongin paused for quite some time before answering. "Because I've got to find her."