None of them is a trained marathon runner, and they made all the mistake to sprint and went all out, leaving them breathless and weak. They all knew but secretly hold the hopes to lose their persecutor.

"Hide!" Hoya says in an urgent voice. They barely had taken another turn when he stopped them. "Press your bodies into the bushes. I will distract him. No worries, I am much faster than you girls, and I have quite a bit of stamina left."

"No wait that’s a terrible idea!" Chorong coughs, between gasping of air. "No splitting up."

But none of them has a better idea, and the monster is just around the corner. They have no other choice. "Be careful and safe." Chorong finally whispers as she has to let go of Hoya's wrist before curling down, too. Laying beneath the branches beside the other girls to get some coverage.

What they see run past them is absolutely horrifying. It’s one thing to see a minotaur from afar but it’s completely different up close. His hooves are massive, his legs incredibly muscular, and they don’t dare to try to peek at what lies above out of fear to be seen. Because once one of his hoof has landed closely where the girls were laying it becomes pretty clear to each of them that it doesn’t takes a lot of effort to make a puree out of them.

For a moment all hold their loud rattling breaths as it seems confused over the lack of human targets in front of him. But after minutes that felt like years, it starts to move again. Almost more thoughtfully, as the ground is less shaking. Probably just their imagination, since it’s less dangerous to know that the beast actually moves away, but something that just feels wrong before it actually moves. But he does pass by, something Sohee hasn't even dared to hope. Which puts them all at the same time in euphoria as well as in worry as this means that Hoya is still in danger.

Surprisingly, it’s Chorong that is the first one to move, getting out of the hideout. "We need to get to him. We need to help him." She speaks more calmly now while helping the two others up on their own feet.

"No are you serious? Haven't you heard him? He said not to worry, he will manage," Sulli answers, completely ungallant, not even trying to pretend to care about him. It’s not that she doesn’t, it just that he is a lost cause to her. "Rather we should search for the spring. The spring of youth and then get the hell out of here,” she continues to speak while brushing off the sand from her clothes. A spring? Sohee thinks to question her but doesn't get the chance when Chorong speaks up. 

"We should do the latter and only the latter. No searching or whatsoever. We have already lost two people, and we aren’t just going to sacrifice Hoya!" Chorong has folded her arms in front of her chest and sounds just as unwavering in her decision.

"But isn't that kind of too late anyway?" Sulli shrugs. "I mean if he has to die anyway, isn't it better if we listen to his wish and at least try to survive? I call it honoring his sacrifice."

Now both of them look at Sohee, as now her veto would decide what to do. The problem with Sulli’s explanation was, apart from being absolutely cruel, that it has a tiny bit of truth in it. At least to Sohee. Would it really be worth running after them just to end in the same cruel some way? Because what could they really do against a Minotaur? Let alone, without weapons. Yes, there is a saying that even earthworms fight when stepped on. But honestly has anyone ever been bitten by a worm?! They wriggle and that’s it. So yes, the scared part in her wants nothing else but to search for another exit. Preferable another direction then the two have run off towards, nor the one they have come from.

But another part of her, the one that isn't currently busy feeling nauseous, is a tiny bit more brave - or just more suicidal and dumb. Though honestly, it's more that she feels obligated to and she doesn’t want to let down Chorong, not after all they went through together. “How about we follow them for now, because we know neither the spring you want nor the exits lay in the direction we came from, right? It currently only leaves us with the option to follow. So let's do that for now. Maybe find the exits or Hoya does before us and doesn’t need our help anymore, or maybe we find something we could use to help him instead.”

She tries to sound reassuring, and to her surprise, neither of the two women complains about her statement. No both even seem to agree with it. Which is honestly frustrating because what did they fight over then? But she does keep those thoughts for herself. Just like she is pretty sure that they must have had missed the exit already. Without an exit, however, there is not much left to hope, neither for them but especially not for Hoya.

They still hear and occasionally see the horns of the beast and it's truly admirable that they haven't come across a dead body yet. Every step