"Alright, that should be just about everything!" JinE said happily, resting her hands on her hips.

Hyoujung simply nodded, panting very hard. JinE had rushed her around everywhere in order to get all the things they had needed. She was extremely agile and they flitted around from store to store under impressive time. Hyojung couldn't understand why JinE was in such a rush though. They could have gotten all of these without rushing, due to all the time they had.

"JinE?" 

"Mm, what's up?" JinE said, looking over her shoulder.

She was preparing to carry everything again and go someplace else. Hyojung almost felt her legs give out due to fatigue. Before Hyojung could say anything else, JinE swiftly snatched up all the bags she was carrying.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Hyojung," JinE said worriedly. "I must have tired you out. Let me carry these and let's go have a seat somewhere."

JinE held out her hand while the bags slightly slid down lower on her arm. Hyojung took her hand gratefully. JinE held it tightly.

"Are you sure you can carry all those things?" Hyojung asked. "I can carry some."

"Just count on me!" JinE winked.

Hyojung felt relieved. She felt like she could really count on JinE. Hyojung recalled the days that she spent alone working in the moutains. When she got tired she would trudge back to her house alone to drink water before going back to work. Hyojung liked softness and warmth of JinE's hand. It felt so new yet so familiar and Hyojung felt something stir inside of her heart. They reached some sort of park area and sat down on a wooden bench. There were many people there. In fact, if you noticed the number people walking their dogs in the park you'd soon come to realize it was a dog park.

"Oooh, I love dogs!" Hyojung said happily.

A small but loud puppy immediately started yapping it's way towards Hyojung, bouncing up and down, trying to Hyojung's face. Hyojung leaned down to pick it up. JinE crinkled her nose a bit before inching away.

"Isn't it cute, JinE?" Hyojung beamed, holding the dog out towards JinE.

The dog barked happily and left its tongue out hanging. It had its head tilted to one side and its eyes said it was also waiting for JinE's reply.

"I'm not a big fan of dogs," JinE said trying to smile but it just ended up in a grimace.

The puppy's eyes grew bigger and it sort of looked sad. JinE simply turned away and sighed.

"Why don't you like dogs?" Hyojung asked, eyes looking sad as well.

The puppy wriggled itself out of Hyojung's hands and bounced away to play with someone else. JinE watched its tail disappear with blank looking eyes.

"If you call the dog back, it will come. Depending on how you call it and depending on how much it stuck to you in the first place. Go try it," JinE said, eyes closed and leaning back.

Hyojung hesitated for a few seconds. There was something about the way she had changed so easily that bothered Hyojung.

"Are you alright?" Hyojung asked, worry lacing her voice.

Hyojung saw it again. The way JinE changed in just a second. Her eyes gently flew open. Hyojung saw the way JinE's eyes would light back up, the way she'd straighten her back and the way curved back into a beautiful smile.

"I'm alright, Hyojung," she laughed. "I just want to see the puppy again. I think I hurt its feelings."

"I-I see," Hyojung said faintly. She cleared her voice a bit before saying: "C'mere, little puppy! Here, here~~"

To Hyojung's astonishment, the loud little puppy bounded to her out of nowhere. It was happy to see her again. It jumped and Hyojung caught it in her arms.

"He likes you," JinE chuckled.

Reaching her hand out slowly and tentatively, JinE gently brushed the puppy's fur.

"Good boy," she said slowly, sounding slightly unconvinced.

The puppy's wagging tail slowed down and it turned to look at JinE cautiously.

"Ah," JinE thought, "This isn't going to go anywhere."

She removed her hand from the puppy and quietly muttered, "Sorry."

The three of them sat down in silence, watching the other people and dogs do their own business happily. They were all there in the park together yet they felt like they were separated from everyone else like maybe I glass wall was in between them. They stayed like that for a while until JinE spoke up.

"Hyojung?"

"Y-Yes?"

"You lived in the mountains by yourself, right?"

Hyojung was caught off guard by the question. She wondered what JinE could be up to. What was she thinking? Instead of pursuing those thoughts, she decided to think of the mountains.

"I did. It was nice. It was quiet and peaceful," Hyojung smiled, closing her eyes.

"Did you ever feel... lonely?" JinE asked.

"Mm, I don't think so," Hyojung said, petting the puppy.

"If you went back to the mountains by yourself, do you think you'd feel lonely?"

Hyojung thought about it. She thought about her home and how she missed the cool breeze and the smell of the dirt. She missed it. But she also recalled the faces of their team mates. Their smiles, their frowns, their laughter and their shouting. Hyojung figured she would miss that too. If she had never known those people, she would have never have to think of what it would be like without them. Hyojung did not wish for them to not have met though.

"I would feel lonely," Hyojung concluded.

"Yeah, you probably would," JinE laughed. "But Hyojung," JinE said seriously, "I'd very much rather to be lonely when I'm alone rather than being lonely when I'm with others."

Hyojung suddenly felt numb.

"To feel alone when you aren't... It's a terrible feeling," JinE laughed, closing her eyes tightly.

Hyojung's heart suddenly ached. JinE had laughed but there was something about it that made Hyojung think that if she ever opened her eyes, all she would see was pain and sadness. Hyojung was surprised when the puppy jumped out of her hands and jumped into JinE's lap, her arms.

"W-What is this?" JinE stammered, surprised by the sudden attack.

"I think he's trying to comfort you," Hyojung smiled, the ache in her heart slowly beating away.

JinE looked at the puppy intently. She then looked at Hyojung who was smiling warmly at her. JinE felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Ah, what have I done?" JinE thought embarrassed.

Out loud she merely stammered: "T-Thank you."

It was getting late so they decided to walk back into the mall. The puppy had onnce again scampered off and both Hyojung and JinE knew they would miss it. A few minutes in, the lights went out. The whole mall became pitch black as something covered all the windows and glass doors. Hyojung heard some hurried scuffling and the sound of metal. Hyojung began to feel uneasy. She felt fear grip her suddenly as the sound of people screaming delivered chills down her spine. She turned around blindly, trying to find someone, anyone. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice in the dark.

"Hyojung!" JinE's urgent voice, echoed in Hyojung's ears.

"JinE!? Where are you?" Hyojung cried out.

She felt her legs grow weaker but she willed them to stand firm. She tried to recognize the direction from where JinE's voice  came from. Her eyes roamed the darkness in vain.

"Hyojung, listen. Can you see me with your eyes closed?"

"What? Of course not!" Hyojung said, exasperated.

What was JinE up to now? It was simply ridiculous. Hyojung couldn't wrap her head around anything. She heard JinE's voice again. It was firm and solid. It wasn't a request, it was an order.

"See me with your eyes closed."

Hyojung closed her eyes tightly and breathed in deeply, slowing her heart down. She tried to focus on everything around her. The different sounds and smells surrounded her. Trying to filter the unimportant things out, she felt someone deliberately approaching her. It wasn't JinE, she knew that. The footsteps were trying to be quiet. They were heavy and firm, full of purpose. That person could see her. It was a person with malicious intent.

"HYOJUNG, MOVE!"

The sound of a knife getting unsheathed. The sound of clothes being ripped, a grunt of pain. A gasp and now, the sound of dripping.

Drip, drip, drip...

Hyojung didn't want to wait for the lights to turn back on. She wanted to know now. 

"JINE! JINE, WHERE ARE Y-"

She couldn't speak as a hand clamped hard over and she was dragged away from the sound of the dripping.

Farther and farther away.

Drip, drip, drip...

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

First of all, I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATING HGJFSDHGJKFDH

I have just been really busy ;;

Thank you all so much again for staying with this story. I'll do my best to deliver and not disappoint you all!

Also, let's all support Oh My Girl and their new comeback!!

Author, out ;)