Jieun woke up with a shudder. When she opened her eyes, she realized the world had a dark presence. She felt cold and shivered, but the area outside felt like it was burning in an oven. She was about to look for a way to escape, but remembered that she had powers. She kneeled for a minute and closed her eyes, folding her hands, wishing to escape the well.

However, before she could complete the wish, she stopped herself. She looked down at her hands, then up towards the only opening in the well. There was a rope hanging from the edge of the stone. She pulled on it. When she concluded that the rope was steady, she started to climb out of the well using the handy tool.

She rose to the surface and was welcomed by a strong wind. The world looked a lot more eery and red. Instead of the large black skeletal warriors, zombies and ghouls flooded the area. Jieun hitched her breath, remembering how dangerous the flesh-eating monsters were. She looked for a route to escape, but she could only find risky pathways. Miraculously, there was only one path that seemed clear enough for Jieun to run through. The path looked like it was guiding her towards the people she was trying to find.

It must be Taemin's doing, she thought. She took a deep breath and started running towards the forest path.

She continued to run until she realized that she was heading towards a cliff. She stopped herself before she was at the edge and stared down. The ocean was made of blood. She could see creatures jumping down into the ocean, seemingly out of free will. Those who had wings tried to fly away, but they were always shot down by stones from other creatures who envied their capability to fly.

This is horrible, Jieun thought, hearing people's screams over the crashing of the waves. This is truly the end…

"Jieun?"

She looked up. She turned and saw Naeun and Taemin standing a couple of feet away from her. Naeun slowly approached Jieun, her hands shaking.

"Naeun," Jieun whispered. 

Taemin didn't change, but Naeun did. She looked more ghostly, but it felt as if she was starting to belong in this world. She looked tired, exhausted from running around all day, but Jieun knew that only a few hours had gone by in this world.

"Did you change your mind?" Naeun asked. She began to smile. "Did you decide to stay back to help us? To protect us?"

"Naeun, you need to listen to me, okay?" Jieun said. "You need to trust me on this."

Naeun tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"You're not part of this world," Jieun told her. Naeun's smile disappeared. "You're actually from the same world as me and Mino! You see, Mino and I did return to our world, but we also found Myungsoo! Naeun, Myungsoo is alive! We need you to come back with us!" 

Naeun made a deep frown. "What are you trying to get me to do?"

"I don't know if the well trick is going to work for you, but Myungsoo returned to the original world by dying. I think that—I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but I think we need to kill you in this world so that you can return to the original world!" Jieun exclaimed.

Naeun gave her a highly skeptical look. She stared at Jieun, who kept trying to persuade her that she had to die. Then, she looked back at Taemin, who gave her a horrified expression.

"She's gone nuts," Taemin whispered.

Jieun glared at him. "You! We need to talk!"

"Jieun, if you're trying to convince me that death is better than living in the middle of an apocalypse, then I have to disagree with you," Naeun told her. She slowly looked at her. "Myungsoo died for me—for us. I can't just die here!"

"No, look, Naeun. You don't belong in this world—"

"Yes, I do!"

"You don't even remember how you got here!"

"I have amnesia. I still don't remember how I got here."

"Didn't you and Mino think that this world was strange? That Taemin was strange?"

"I did, but at least he didn't leave me in this world like you two," Naeun said bitterly.

"No. You left Myungsoo to be in this world."

"Jieun, stop. I'm seriously going to get mad."

Jieun pressed her lips together. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to convince Naeun, she sighed.

"Fine. Sorry," she murmured. Jieun opened her arms. "Can we hug it out?"

"What?"

"It's a trap," Taemin said. "She's scheming something."

"Please?" Jieun began to tear up. "Mino's gone. I didn't tell you this, but Mino's gone. I don't have anyone but you two. I-I'm ashamed. Really, I am." 

Naeun started soften up. "Jieun…"

She approached Jieun, who was starting to sob. She ran towards Jieun and embraced her in a tight hug.

"I get it," Naeun said in a hoarse voice. She began to cry. "I get it. W-When I lost Myungsoo, I felt like that. I get it. I under—" She felt something sharp pierce through her back. Her eyes widened. She hitched her breath. "—stand."

The honed object continued to dig itself in her back. Naeun was having a hard time breathing. She didn't dare to move. Jieun slowly pushed her away, then wiped away her fake tears from her eyes.

"Sorry, Naeun," Jieun whispered. "But it's for the best."

Naeun glared at Jieun. She tried to pull out her sword, but Jieun continued to stab Naeun, preventing her from wielding out her own weapon. She stared at Jieun with a look of anger, of betrayal. Before Naeun had the chance to do anything else, Jieun stabbed her at her heart. Naeun hitched her breath and widened her eyes from the pain. Then, Jieun leaned closer to the edge of the cliff. With one last strike, Jieun threw Naeun over the mountains, hoping that her fall would be the final strike for her impending death.

Taemin rushed towards the edge of the cliff, screaming Naeun's name. He looked down with eyes of horror, his hands reaching down, trying to grab ahold of Naeun's shrinking body.

"Naeun!" Taemin yelled. He looked horrified, shocked.

Jieun didn't buy it.

"Cut the act, Taemin. I don't have a lot of time." She narrowed her eyes. "Or should I call you the Creator?"

She stared at Taemin's back for a few seconds. Then, he slowly got up from the ground and turned to face Jieun. His eyes were cold, empty, maybe even lost.

"You're right," he said. "You don't have a lot of time." Jieun cautiously looked around her. "Don't worry. The monsters won't come here. They're given a new path to walk in." He wore his gloves. "I'm not going to hurt you either."

Jieun continued to look at him. He shifted his weight to one side and stared at her, waiting for her to talk. Jieun took a deep shaky breath before gathering the courage to speak.

"Why were you trying to trap all of us in this world?" Jieun asked. "No, actually, speak from the beginning. Explain everything."

"That's a lot of things to do. I can't explain everything within the limited timeframe that you have," Taemin said cautiously.

"Fine. Then explain what this world is," Jieun said.

Taemin crossed his arms. "This world? It's something like heaven and hell."

"Taemin. Explain."

"It's as simple as that. It's a world that you can come in, but if you want to stay, then you must give up on returning to the real world. It's a world where you can have power to do whatever you want. I consider it as a heaven. Others say that it's a hell." Taemin glanced at her. "I think when you first came here, you considered as a 'beautiful hell,' right?"

"So you could read my thoughts?" Jieun asked.

"Not exactly. I saw it in your eyes. You looked at this world as if it was full of monsters, but capable of beauty," Taemin said. "Since you're my kind—a human—I can only interact with you normally. I can't change your fate or anything else for that matter."

"What about my powers?"

"I gave you a share of what I was capable of so that you might prefer this world than the real world. I gave everyone a share of their powers: Myungsoo a Dimensional powers in disguise of electricity, Naeun a Elemental power of wind, Mino a Dark power in form of a curse, and you with the Galaxy powers that enable you to be as unique as me."

"What were your powers?"

"I had everything, but I only showed you my Elemental power of fire to blend in with you all," Taemin explained.

"The books even said something about the gems—"

"The books were just hints for you guys to understand the world better. Red, yellow, orange, green, blue and purple. Black gems were for those who were cursed. No one would have white gems, though."

"But you did," Jieun said, "and that was another hint, wasn't it? The other creatures never questioned it because they either didn't know about it or let is slide pass their minds, right?"

"Precisely," Taemin said, smiling. 

"The ghost boy in the real world. Is he you?" Jieun asked after a moment of silence.

Taemin sat down at the edge of the cliff. "Maybe. He's the only thing I have to see what happens in the real world."

"That's how you saw me, right? Jongsuk said that you knew of me before I came into this world," she said.

"Yeah. Through him, I can see who approaches the well. I can also hear people's thoughts through him as well," Taemin said. 

"And you pushed me, right?" Jieun asked. "Or, at least the little boy did. Mino didn't seem like he saw him."

"Mino wasn't supposed to be invited, but the portal was open. He slipped in when he wasn't supposed to," Taemin explained. "I was only going to bring you into this world. When I found out that Mino was in here, I knew that I had to change my course of plans. I just didn't think that he'd want to go back home so soon. I was hoping that he would be thinking about home after the Apocalypse. After the Apocalypse, he would've been freed from his curse."

"What was his curse, anyway?" she inquired.

"He was the trigger to the Apocalypse. He had to mark five creatures or humans with the Mark of the Rhododendrons." Taemin paused. "He shouldn't have been able to remember anything in the real world. That curse has an effect in the real world. Anyone with the flower mark will not be able to remember anything that happened here. They'll regain their memories back with their loved one is gone or disappearing back into this world." Taemin looked up at the sky. "If I remember correctly, he marked Myungsoo, Naeun, and three other creatures. They were supposed to gather and create a quick end to this world, but because Myungsoo was gone, the ritual wasn't properly executed."

Jieun slowly nodded. It was true. Mino and Myungsoo seemed to have no recollection of Taemin's world. In fact, Mino only started remembering when Jieun was about to fall back into the well. She figured that once she returned, Mino wouldn't remember at all and they would have to return to being classmates again.

"I'm not a bad guy, Jieun," Taemin suddenly told her. "I'm just lonely here."

Jieun stared at him. "How? You could make people who love you—"

"And that's boring," Taemin said tiredly. "I've been doing that for years and years. I've been a king, a god, a peasant—I've been everything I wanted to be. People around me bend to my will. I don't even have to think twice. They'll just create pleasant situations around me and I'm tired of that." He looked at her. "I wanted a real friend. Not someone who could up to me."

"Why didn't you tell us all this sooner?" Jieun asked.

Taemin scoffed. "What? Tell you guys that you'd be stuck here forever if you guys continued to stay? I've already tried that with other people, but they always found a way to escape in less than three days."

"Oh, so you picked other girls to be your bride?" Jieun asked bitterly.

"I've been bringing people here against their will," Taemin said, "you're the only one I brought because you asked for it. You were special."

Jieun felt her heart skip a beat. No, Jieun. Don't. This is a trap.

"Can't I just come back here any time I want to?" Jieun asked him.

"You can try, but I don't think you want to risk it. I've had a few people come back frequently and every return they make, it's harder to get out of this world. Eventually, they were so scared of not being able to return, they never came back again," Taemin explained.

He got up from the ground and began to walk. Jieun silently followed him. He remained quiet as she tried to think of other questions to think about.

"How…How did you end up here?" Jieun asked him.

"Me? I died next to the well in a forest fire," Taemin told her. She turned pale. "I'm just kidding. I don't remember how I got here. I just know that when I came here, I found out that I had all these magical powers and wanted to stay."

"Like Naeun? She didn't remember how she got here," Jieun said.

"Well, with Naeun, I altered her memories a bit. I placed a spell on her so that she wouldn't be able to remember much of the real world," Taemin said.

"What about Myungsoo?"

"Him, too, but he had a lot of magical resistance. It was like his body was crying out to return, but he wouldn't because Naeun was here."

Jieun was starting to realize where they were heading to. The forest trees started to clear up and she saw the familiar graveyard gates. It was clear that he was leading her back to the well.

I'm running out of time, she thought.

"Was everything a lie? A plan?" Jieun whispered.

"I still love you," he confessed softly. Jieun stopped walking. He stopped as well. "I've always had my eyes on you. At first, I thought, 'Oh, if it's her, then she might stay.' Later I realized that maybe it was just me wanting you to stay."

Jieun bit her bottom lip. Her heart raced when he slowly turned and walked up to her. He grabbed her hands and intertwined his fingers with hers. He leaned close to her, but he didn't kiss her.

"I still want you to stay with me, Jieun," Taemin whispered. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. "Please?"

She felt her heart sink. She knew he was being sincere. It wasn't because he was lonely, but because he truly loved her from the bottom of his heart. He wanted her to stay, to be right next to him when he was seeking comfort. She wanted to stay as well, to avoid the people who despised her in real life, but…

I still don't belong her, she told herself. "I can't. Taemin, I can't."

"Are you sure? Think about it. You have a few minutes," he urged.

She slowly backed away and glanced at the well, which wasn't too far from them.

"I'm sorry, Taemin. I have a place to go," she said. Taemin closed his lips, then nodded. He was about to pull away until she grabbed his sleeves. "W-Why don't you come with me?"

"Huh?"

"Come back with us," Jieun repeated softly. "To the real world!"

"I can't," Taemin said. His face grew dark.

"Taemin, all you have to do is die and then—"

"I can't," he repeated. He gave her a stern look. "I literally can't."

She frowned. "What do you mean…?"

"Jieun, by the time I realized that I could go back to my world by falling back into the well or dying, it was too late. My body is long gone. I don't know what happened to me in the real world, but frankly, I think it's safe to assume that I'm dead or missing," Taemin explained. "I know this because I have full control of this place. When I was here, I only had a little control, but the more I resided here, the more power I gained, and eventually I became the Creator."

Jieun was stunned. 

"I…I can't believe it," she whispered.

"I'm sorry. I'd do anything to go back, but I can't," Taemin said bitterly. "When I fall into that well, I wake up and find myself here. When I try to kill myself, I regenerate."

There was a long pause. The two didn't dare to look at each other. They could both feel each other's disappointment.

"You must've been lonely," Jieun said quietly.

"That's why I'm asking you to stay," Taemin said. He looked at her again. "Please?"

Jieun stared at him. He extended his hand, asking her to be a part of the world—to be a part of his world. As much as she loved him, as much as she wanted to stay and be besides him…

She couldn't. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. She made a fist with her hands at the side.

"I'm sorry," Jieun whispered. "But I can't."

Taemin gaped at her for a few seconds. Then, he withdrew his hand and nodded.

"Thought so," he said. He laughed a little. "It hurts, you know?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I'm so, so sorry."

He didn't say anything else. Jieun looked around her, noticing that everything was nearly gone.

Time was running out.

"I-I need to go back," she said. She began to walk past him.

As she marched towards the well, Taemin turned and raised his voice, using what he thought would keep her to be a part of his world: "Didn't you want to die?" 

His voice echoed in her ears. Jieun stopped. She was only a few inches away from the well. She recalled her first wish, her desire to disappear from the real world, to not be a part of the real world anymore. Slowly turning, she gazed at him. His eyes were filled with upmost loneliness and hurt. 

"You heard?" she asked him in a soft voice. 

"Of course." He took a deep breath, as another explosion from the background erupted. "I heard your heart cry that out from the well."

Jieun turned away. She made two more steps, then suddenly turned. She ran towards him, diving into his arms. On her toes, she kissed him. He exchanged the kiss—passionately, delicately. Her fingers traced over his jaw lines while he had one hand behind her neck and his other hand brushing away the tears from his eyes.

The two kissed once more before Jieun pulled back. With tears streaming down her face, she gave him a bittersweet smile before turning to run.

"I'm so sorry," she said again, wiping the tears from her eyes. Then, she started running.

She didn't look back even once.

“Goodbye, my bride,” Taemin whispers. Jieun's hair swung side to side, revealing the back of her neck. He stared at the mark of the rhododendrons he left on the back of her neck.

She hopped over the stone and jumped into the well. She was gone.

Slowly, he walked towards the well. He looked over it, making sure that Jieun was long gone. He leaned against the stone, watching his world fall apart—again.

When Jieun opened her eyes, she was once again welcomed by the plain white walls and the scent of the hospital. She lifted her eyelids open, noticing that Mino was watching her. When he saw her grow conscious, he called for the nurse.

"She's awake!" Mino shouted. "This idiot is awake!"

Confused, Jieun looked around. A nurse rushed to her side, yelling at her for being "reckless" and "immature" for her age. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she felt an urge to get up and to run, to check on something.

And she did. She fought against the one nurse who was trying to pin her down. She pulled out all the plugs from her skin and ran out of the room. The nurse yelled and called for the other nurses to help. The other nurses tried to grab her, but Jieun swiftly dodged them. When was she so…agile? Jieun couldn't remember.

She ran until she arrived at the room that felt…right. She stared at noticed a beautiful young girl awake, smiling wonderfully at a handsome man.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay, Naeun?" the boy asked.

"I'm fine, Myungsoo," Naeun said, giggling. The couple held hands for a few minutes before realizing that they were being watched. Naeun smiled and tilted her head at Jieun. "May we help you?"

Jieun sighed in relief. She didn't know why, but it was relieving to see the two together, awake, happy. She didn't even know the couple, but it just felt…right.

"Young lady!" A nurse finally caught up to Jieun and grabbed her arm. "You can't get out of bed like that! Come back and rest!"

"A-Ah, right. S-Sorry," Jieun stammered. She looked at the couple one last time before walking back to her room with the nurse. 

As she was forced to lay down on the bed, Mino watched and scoffed at her.

"You're so stupid," he said.

"What happened?" Jieun asked.

"You fell into a well," Mino said. "Again."

Jieun frowned. "Did I?"

"Yeah. Good thing I was there when you fell. Otherwise, you would've been dead," Mino said. He rolled his eyes. "Well, you would've been better off dead."

"Huh," Jieun muttered. "I don't remember that…"

"Well, later," Mino said. He was about to turn, but stopped himself. Then, he scoffed and smirked. "What do I mean by 'later?' I'm not going to talk to you again."

He walked out of the hospital room, leaving Jieun alone. After he was gone, Jieun sighed in relief. Her eyes followed the light, landing on a beautiful vase full of pink flowers.

“Miss, what are those flowers called?” Jieun asked out of curiosity.

“Rhododendrons.” Jieun’s blood went cold. Another nurse turned and smiled. “They are rhododendrons, miss. Remember? The doctor explained this to you before.”

Jieun smiled a little herself. “I… I guess?”

Something about the flowers caused her heart to throb in pain, but she wasn't sure why.

THE END

Author's Note: And with this, Remember the Rhododendrons has come to an end! This was probably one of my poorly planned fanfics that I have ever created. OTL I swear, I had a plot idea, but I got a writer's block around Chapter 15 and from there I was trying to write something in hopes that the plot would move. I'm so sure that there are, like, a gazillion unanswered questions that I wasn't even keeping track of lol. Fantasy stories are hard to write. I'm not going to lie—I give props to those who write excellent fantasy fics. 

Thank you all my readers, subscribers, commenters and upvoters for supporting this fanfic! I know it took a long time for me to finish, but I'm grateful that you guys stuck with me through the end!

While I have no plans for a TAEMINxIU fanfic, I do have an upcoming JUNGKOOKxIU fanfic that I promised people I would write like a year ago? I'm stuck between three plots and have been stuck between these three plots for a few months now. It's either I go for Plot A (mythological/fantasy—a genre that I'm weak at but am invested in the multiple characters involved in this story and character development), Plot B (slice-of-life/school—a genre I'm comfortable writing but not too invested in the plot), or Plot C (supernatural—another genre that I'm weak at but it's more planned out plot-wise than Plot A). I don't know, maybe Plot D will pop out randomly. I'm not sure when I'm going to have that KookU fanfic posted, but hopefully soon! I hope you all have a great day! Thank you so much!