* * * * * *

There are a few things that Hakyeon hates the most in the world.

Creepy forests.

Being stranded in who knows where.

Being alone.

Being in a cave.

And being in the dark.

That was exactly the situation he was in right now. As Hakyeon opened his eyes, he saw nothing but darkness in front of him. The sky has already turned dark and only a bit of the moonlight came through.

Hakyeon looked around him to see where he has fallen into and realized he was inside a really deep hole. He couldn’t really make out his surroundings but he was scared.

‘I need to get out of here.’ He said.

Just as he tried to get up on his feet, a jabbing pain was felt on his legs. He had sprained his legs falling so far down. Hakyeon tried his best to climb up the hole but with his legs being in such a condition, it was not possible. The hole was too deep and the rocks were too unsteady to climb on. Each time he stood up and accidently put pressure on his injury, it would hurt even more.

‘What do I do?’ Hakyeon was troubled. He sighed and decided it might be best to just rest a bit more before making another attempt. Maybe after a bit of rest he will have recovered a bit more strength enough to help him climb back out.

Hakyeon sat at his spot, bored and tired. As he sat still with nowhere to go, he finally took notice of his surroundings.

He realized that it wasn’t really a hole that he had fallen in, but more like a cave-like structure. The hole was dug a bit further inwards and as Hakyeon approached further into the darkness, he saw something that caught his eyes.

Drawings and scribbles were all over the wall. Drawings that were like a child’s.

Hakyeon scanned the little drawings and suddenly, a chilling thought came to him.

‘Did a child get trapped in here before?’ He shivered just thinking about it.  If a grown man like him was barely able to climb up, what would a lone child do…. Hakyeon looked frantically around him to see if there was traces of a corpse or body. He was scared. It can’t be that little girl from earlier could it??

He gulped.

I’ll be fine. Everything will be fine. There’s no such things as ghosts. There’s no such things as ghosts. He kept repeating to himself.

‘Achoo!’ He sneezed.

The night wind was rather strong and it howled throughout the cave. Hakyeon felt cold and shivered even more. Then he realized something else. There was another breeze that was coming from somewhere within the cave. But from where?

He look at his surroundings and there was really only so little he could see. Just sitting where he was, he could see everything there was about the small cave. He crawled around the walls of the cave and every corner to see where the strange draft was coming from. But there was nothing.

No holes.

No doors.

* * * * * *

‘Did you find him?’ Taekwoon asked in a panic the moment he sets off the chimes of the bakery doors.

Amelia and Haerin both shook their heads.

‘Where could he be?’ Amelia was worried.

‘All his belongings are still here so he couldn’t have left the town.’ Haerin said. ‘What if something bad happened?’

‘Haerin! Don’t say that.’ Amelia scolded her.

‘Sorry. But it’s just so strange that Hakyeon would just disappear out of nowhere and not return even at this hour!’

They all looked at the clock and it was getting closer to midnight. All was worried, even Taekwoon.

‘What did the folks say? Did anyone see him?’ Taekwoon asked.

‘They said Hakyeon was running all over the town by himself earlier. Alone strangely. Something about a little girl losing her parents but when I asked around, there wasn’t anyone looking for their child either.’ Haerin answered.

‘I should’ve went after him earlier!’ Taekwoon blames himself.

During his music class earlier, as he was playing the piano for the children sitting around, Taekwoon noticed a rather sad expression on Hakyeon who was watching quietly. He saw Hakyeon’s tears suddenly and left the classroom. He was worried about the boy but because he was in the middle of the class, he couldn’t go after Hakyeon.

‘It’s all my fault,’ Taekwoon was frustrated.

‘Don’t blame yourself. It isn’t your fault. We’ll find him,’ Amelia patted Taekwoon on the back to comfort him.

The three of them continued asking and looking around the town past midnight but there was still no sign of Hakyeon anywhere. It was late and the streets have already been swept clean and quiet. All the shops have already closed for the day and everyone had returned home for the night.

‘We’ll continue the search once the sun is up. It’s getting too dark and the weather doesn’t look that great either. If Hakyeon still doesn’t return by the morning, we’ll ask everyone in town to help with the search okay?’ Amelia suggested. ‘Let’s get some rest for the night. It’s been a long day.’

Taekwoon nodded and both Amelia and Haerin went back to the bakery. But he couldn’t stop his worries nor his search. He was too worried about Hakyeon to just go home and sleep. Just the thought of anything happening to Hakyeon scared him.

Where are you Cha Hakyeon? Please God don’t let anything happen to him.

Taekwoon doesn’t know why but his heart has been beating curiously since the first time he met Hakyeon. Although he didn’t talk much with the boy, Taekwoon felt a strange familiarity with him. He felt comfortable just at the sight of Hakyeon but he was too shy to let up a conversation. He’s never felt this comfortable with anyone before but why Hakyeon only?

He still remembered it like it was yesterday when he woke up without a single memory of who he was or where he was. When he first opened his eyes back at the orphanage, he panicked and screamed wanting to escape but no where to escape to. He doesn’t remember where his home was nor who he was. Even the name ‘Taekwoon’ was given to him by the Father back at the orphanage. It took the Father and the staffs several weeks to persuade Taekwoon that it was all right to come out and that no one would hurt him.

Though he has now grown fond of the town and its people, Taekwoon constantly thinks back and tries to recollect his memories. He tried everything to remember who he was yet nothing worked. Nothing until he met Hakyeon. Something about his meeting with Hakyeon triggered a strange pain within him.

Something about Cha Hakyeon felt familiar to him. Something about just seeing Hakyeon made Taekwoon feel strangely happy and sad all at once. He couldn’t explain why but it was obvious to him that as the two got to know each other, he realized that Hakyeon was trying to avoid him. But why? What did Taekwoon do to Hakyeon to make him be avoided? Does Hakyeon know…?

* * * * * *

Taekwoon walked around the empty and quiet streets of Pinewoods over and over again. Yet there was not a single sign of life nor Hakyeon. Just when he really thought about giving up, he heard a call.

‘Psst. Over here.’ A little girl’s voice came from around the corner.

‘Who…? Why are you out so late?’ Taekwoon worried.

‘Are you looking for someone mister?’ She asked.

‘How do you know?’ He was surprised.

‘Are you looking for that other mister who is a little shorter and a bit tanner?’

‘Wait- how do you- Did you see him? Did you see Hakyeon?’ He panicked.

The little girl nodded and then, pointed her fingers towards the other side of town.

‘I know where he is. Follow this road outside and you will come across a large forest there. He’s there,’ she smiled.

Taekwoon looked towards the direction in which the little girl pointed him towards but how does she know? Something wasn’t right.

‘Wait how do you- she’s gone!’ Taekwoon looked all around him but the little girl was nowhere to be seen. But something told him to go towards the direction the girl pointed at. He decided to take his chances and went towards the forest.

He wanted so badly to find Hakyeon that he was willing to do anything.

* * * * * *

Hakyeon laid there, still on the ground, within the cave. He was tired and hungry. It was cold and damp. Dark and creepy. He turned his head once again to look at the drawings to spare some time. There wasn’t much to do anyways until his legs felt a bit better. He sighed. Am I just going to die here?

He realized he was becoming too negative and shook his head frantically to stop.

The drawings on the cave was strange but Hakyeon couldn’t stop looking at them. He was trying to make sense of all the drawings. He was most curious at why the child in the drawing was talking to a rectangle or a box.

As he examined the drawings, he saw music notes coming from the box as if the box could sing. There was a cake with a candle and many other moments drawn. Then, the drawings stopped at the boy hunched over and crying, while scribbles were all over the rectangle itself. Was the boy hurt by the box-like figure?

Something must have happened to the boy … then he realized at the far end of the wall, hidden in a small corner was another drawing. There was a puppy, three children on the side and in the middle, was two other children who was holding hands. Maybe it was a happy ending after all?

But why would such drawings be in this cave?

Hakyeon couldn’t really understand and trying to come up with the scenario only made him sleepier. I shouldn’t fall asleep here… it’s cold and deep, what if I die in my sleep…

He couldn’t help it though and fell fast asleep.

As he closed his eyes and his mind had forgotten about the fear, he heard laughter coming from nearby. Children was laughing and playing happily nearby. He opened his eyes to see where those voices were coming from but as he did, he saw a playground in front of him.

That’s strange, I swear I was just in a cave… is this another dream?

Slowly as Hakyeon approached the playground, he saw children appearing one by one, happily playing amongst themselves. All except for one particular child.

‘Go away! You’re not welcome here!’ One of the boys from the group of children was shouting.

The child didn’t say anything back.

‘Yeah! Go away loser!’ Another child said.

But still, the child did not fight back. Instead, he turned away and walked towards a bench along with his puppy. The boy climbed onto the bench and took out a book to read.

Hakyeon felt sorry for the poor lonely child. Why wasn’t he accepted by the other children? Why were they so mean to this poor child? Hakyeon approached the boy who sat alone on the bench.

‘Are you okay?’ Hakyeon tried to ask but the boy did not respond.

Can you not hear me? Hakyeon though.

This must be another one of those dreams Hakyeon always have. Unexplainable and mysterious. But it’s been awhile since he’s had one of these dreams. Why is he having them again though? It didn’t seem like Hakyeon was going to wake up from the dream at any time so he took a seat next to the boy who was absorbed in his book.

But Hakyeon noticed that the boy was sneaking peaks at the other children on the playground from time to time.

Does he want to join them? Why doesn’t he just ask? What’s wrong? Hakyeon questioned.

The boy looked so alone despite being accompanied by his puppy. It was like he wanted to play with the others but couldn’t. Hakyeon couldn’t help but feel sorry for the child and patted the child on the head. Just then, the boy looked up.

‘Hakyeon-ah!’ The lonely child’s sad expression suddenly changed. Can he see me? Why’s he calling my name?

It wasn’t Hakyeon that he was calling towards but someone else. Hakyeon could see another boy running happily towards the lone child. The boy next to him got off his bench and looked so happy all of a sudden as if he had forgotten about being outcasted by the other children in the playground.

Hakyeon stood up to see who the other child was to make such a sad child look so happy all of a sudden and just as he was about to make out the face of the other child, he heard someone else calling his name. A familiar voice.

‘Hakyeon! Cha Hakyeon! Are you here? Where are you?!’ Someone called out to him. It was Taekwoon’s voice.

Hakyeon woke up from his dreams and realized once again where he was. He sat up to make sure he wasn’t still in a dream and that he wasn’t just hearing things.

‘Hakyeon-ah! Cha Hakyeon!’ Taekwoon called out again.

‘I’m here!!’ Hakyeon shouted with all his might.

Taekwoon heard Hakyeon’s voice immediately and rushed to search for it. He ran throughout the forest and came upon a hole that was so buried underneath the ground in the middle of nowhere. It was so well hidden that if he didn’t pay a little more attention, he would surely fall inside as well.

‘Hakyeon-ah! Are you in there?’ Taekwoon called out again.

‘I am!’ Hakyeon limped out into the opening so that Taekwoon could see him. ‘I fell in and hurt my legs so I can’t really get out. Help me please!’

‘Just wait right there and don’t move! I’ll find something to get you out.’

Taekwoon rushed to find something, anything, in order to help Hakyeon get out. Strangely enough, there was a wooden ladder hidden within the bushes nearby. Why would this be here? Whatever.

Taekwoon dropped the ladder down which was strangely the perfect height to reach down into the cave. As soon as he landed on the ground and saw Hakyeon, he couldn’t help but hold Hakyeon close to him and make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

‘Are you okay?’ Taekwoon asked.

‘I am…’ Hakyeon’s heart was beating furiously at Taekwoon’s sudden hug.

‘I was so worried.’ Taekwoon’s voice was as if he wanted to cry.

‘Sorry. I’m fine. Achoo!’ Hakyeon sneezed, interrupting their moment.

‘Here, take this.’ Taekwoon took off his coat and put it over Hakyeon’s narrow shoulders. ‘I was worried. You disappeared suddenly and we couldn’t find you anywhere in town. How did you get all the way down here by yourself? And so far too.’

‘I was helping a little girl and… nevermind.’ Hakyeon shivered with the thought that the little girl might not even exist in the first place. A prank from a ghost.

‘…’ Taekwoon knew immediately who Hakyeon was talking about but decided not to scare the boy any further. ‘Com’on, let’s get you back outside.’

As soon as both of them climbed out of the cave, Taekwoon knelt down in front of Hakyeon with his back towards the boy.

‘Get on. You’re hurt right?’ Taekwoon said.

‘What? No, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it!’ Hakyeon was flustered at Taekwoon wanting to give him a piggyback.

‘Just get on.’ Taekwoon said again.

Hakyeon wanted to refuse but it was obvious that he’d be hindering Taekwoon more if he was too stubborn. So he obeyed and climbed on. But Hakyeon was having a difficult time trying to hide his heart beat from Taekwoon.

‘How did you manage to find me? I was so far out from town.’ Hakyeon asked as the two were making back to Pinewoods.

‘A coincidence…’ Taekwoon said hesitantly,’ anyways, I’m just glad I found you. I thought something bad might have happened to you…’

‘Taekwoon-ah...’ Hakyeon was moved. ‘Thanks.’

‘Hakyeon-ah.’

‘Hmm?’

‘Why were you crying?’

‘Huh?’

‘During the afternoon, I saw you walk out of the classroom with tears.’

‘You saw?’

Taekwoon nodded.

‘It’s, it’s nothing. Sorry.’

‘You sure?’

‘I was just being… nostalgic. It’s really nothing.’

Hakyeon wanted to tell Taekwoon how much he missed the latter as Jung Leo. Just watching Taekwoon play the piano so beautifully in front of him reminded him so much of Leo, and how much he loved the boy. Hakyeon was hoping that Taekwoon never recovers his memories as it would trigger the traumatic experiences that Leo went through during the war but as Hakyeon watched Taekwoon becoming more and more like Leo again, Hakyeon couldn’t help but wish Taekwoon could remember.

Hakyeon was relieved when he realized Leo was alive but Leo was no longer the same person he once knew of. Instead, it was now Taekwoon that was carrying him back to Pinewoods.

* * * * * *

Deep within these woods is a door. A door that could only be opened with a special key.

It was a door of meeting and beginnings. It was a door that brought happiness and chaos.

But it was a door where two people of different world and lives was able to meet and reunite.

It was a place that connected their stories and their worlds to one another.

Although the door no longer remains, the memories are still there.

Over the many centuries that had past since their first meeting, the landscape have changed and the cave was swallowed by nature itself. No one would dare to go near the forest as its guardians would keep it safe from outsiders. A guardian who secretly watches over the door for so long.

She decided to look after the two people’s fate and protect the place they cherish the most in order to make up for her sins.

She was once loved by all those back in her hometown but she was greedy for more affection, especially from one particular person. Yet, she didn’t realize that her greed and her obsession would eventually drive her insane. She became weak and was willing to do anything to obtain what she desired the most.

Soon, she was brought into the world of darkness and evil. That darkness swallowed her whole and her life.

Her vengeance had blinded her. And it was already too late for regrets.

She thought that no one would care for her, but she was wrong. There was still one person who cried for her when she came to her final breath and saved her from her salvation.

Though her love was never returned, she wanted to repay that kindness to the person who shed a tear for her. She wanted to make sure that she corrected her sins and watch over him.

No matter who he became, where he was, and how many time has past, she wanted to make sure that the kind boy was able to find the happiness he deserved.

‘I’m glad the two of you reunited again, Hakyeonie.’

* * * * * * A/N * * * * * *

A chapter with a lot of contents ~ Hope you guys enjoyed it :)