Hyomin's POV

"Damn, this old thing is getting crankier every day," said Dad as the engine sputtered unhealthily on the road down to Jongamno. He changed gear, deafening us both with the noise.

"You need a new one," I said, as he pressed his foot down on the accelerator. The truck swerved unhelpfully towards the side of the road and then swung out again.

"Dad?" I said, alarmed. "This feels dangerous."

"It's fine." I wasn't assured. "It's the cold weather lately. She's telling me she's had enough." We were coming to the bottom of the hill. Dad tried to get a station on the radio but it crackled unhelpfully and he gave up. I put my feet up on the dashboard and leaned back.

As I looked through my window, I saw the sky turning rapidly from bright to overcast. A huge black cloud appeared from nowhere and the light dimmed to near-darkness.

"Great." Dad reached into the glove compartment for his glasses. "Can't see a thing. Hyomin, can you ...?"

But a shape coming out of the patch of trees to the right diverted my attention. An animal, the biggest dog I had ever seen, hurtled powerfully into the road in front of us. As the animal sped past, it leaped.

A snarling head, teeth bared, the red of its angry gums visible. I saw its eyes, black as night, hateful. I dropped my feet from the dashboard.

"Appa!" I heard myself scream. "Stop!"

"Jesus!" I turned to see my father's face ashen and frightened. "I can't .... " With enormous effort he gripped the steering wheel and turned it to swerve out of the creature's way, and the truck seemed to gain momentum, careering towards the wire fence holding back the mountain trees. Panicking, I put my hands to my eyes. All I could hear was the buzzing of the engine and then the massive jolt as it drove into the fence and the low stone wall behind it. I kepy my hands over my eyes, waiting for it to be over.

We had stopped moving, but the engine was going mad, humming maniacally like the most powerful chainsaw you've ever heard.

My heart still thumping , I took my my hands from my eyes and turned to my father. He lay slumped over the wheel, his forehead streaked with blood. Not moving.

"Appa?" I gasped, moving cautiously in my seat. I didn't seem to be hurt. Snapping out of my seatbelt, I scooched over to him, leaning forward to see if his eyes were open.

They weren't.

I swallowed, feeling frightened tears coming.

Don't panic, Hyomin, I told myself. But I had no idea what to do. I didn't even own a mobile phone because I had no one to ring -- but Dad did. I frantically dug around in the pockets of his coat -- but nothing, he must have left it behind today. I closed my eyes, willing another car to come past and see us, but there was only silence. I knew very well that this stretch of road had no drive-throughs. It led up to our house and nothing else. Nobody would come this far.

I let out a small moan and sat back, trying to think. I'd left the Girl Guides the week I'd joined, typically antisocial. If I'd stayed, I might have some clue about what to do in this kind of emergency.

Selfish idiot.

I wound down the window and let the freezing air calm me. I had a feeling, Girl Guides or not, that you were supposed to keep warm if you were in shock -- but it felt like the right thing. Above me the dark clouds dispersed, revealing a full moon.

I stared at it, perfect and round up there in the sky, as though it would provide some vital inspiration. Then, knowing that I was wasting time, I shut my eyes, wlling myself to be strong, to think.

Think, Hyomin.

And then there was just stillness, and I emptied my head of every other thought but what I wanted, really wanted.

Help him. Help him. I chanted it in my mind, over and over.

In my head I saw my father on a trolley in the A&E, rushing through the corridors to where a doctor and two nurses were standing. And then the fantic sounds of the machines beeping, someone shouting out orders, and a hand on my arm, rubbing it, a soft female voice speaking to me.

Narrator's POV

"Is he going to be okay?"

Hyomin opened a her eyes, startling herself with the sound of her voice.

A woman in srubs, with small, birdlke features, was smiling at her.

"He's going to be okay." She studied Hyomin. "Are you sure you weren't hurt? I think we need to check you out."

"I thought he was ..." Hyomin stopped, relief making her shake.

"He's concussed and lost consciousness for a while and he's got nast head and neck injuries," said the nurse. "But you got him here quickly."

"How did I ...?" She began. How had we got here? It didn't make sense.

"Never seen anything like it," she said, shining a thin torch into Hyomin's eyes. "Your friend just walking in, carrying your dad in his arms. Quite the hero." She clicked off the light. "And you seem in good shape. You're very lucky."

"My friend?" Could this day get any more surreal?

"He's back in the visitors' room," she said, picking up a clipboard and writing something down. "And he's causing quite a stir." She winked at her. "Lucky girl."

Hyomin smiled weakly. "I'll be right back. If you could just tell me where the visitors' room is?"

She pointed down the corridor. "Keep walking and first left."

She walked slowly, unable to catch her breath. Who was she going to find in that room?

Hyomin knew only two boys, and one of them was technically a figment of her imagination.

As she rounded the corner, Hyomin looked down at herself. Her poncho, her jeans, her blouse were perfectly intact, even her green converse were without a mark. She hadn't got a scratch.

A large sign saying VISITORS' ROOM sat above a glass door with a Venetian blind hanging behind it. She took hold of the handle and held her breath. Slowly she turned it and the door opened to reveal an almost-empty room. Empty but for a figure in a familiar dark coat. hunched in a seat. His long legs resting on a low table in front of him. His face looked paler than ever, but the sight of it, and his soft brown eyes regarding her where she stood, made Hyomin curiously calm again.

"You helped us ...." she whispered, tears coming quietly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He gave her a weak smile, keeping his arms wrapped around him, his hands lost in the folds of his coat.  Hyomin moved to sit next to him, but he shook his head.

"No ... Hyomin,' he said, his voice strained. "Now is not the time. I will explain this to you. I promise." She noticed he was trembling.

"What's the matter with you?" She looked down, noticing the whole of his body seemed to be in spasm.

"I ... I'll explain that, too ..." Jaejoong's voice juddered. "But you have to leave now, you understand. Go back to your father."

"But I ...." She took another step closer, reluctant to leave him like this.

"Please leave," he said. And his tone was hard now, his eyes growing wide and aggresive. Hyomin stepped back, shocked and Jaejoong swallowed, speaking again with effort. "Believe me, this will be too much for you. Go."

She nodded, turning back -- and then she heard it. A sound, low and hoarse, behind her. Hyomin swallowed and ran through the door, shutting it firmly. Then, not wanting to hear what was happening inside, she walked quickly back to where she needed to be.