She was a shadow. Few were able to spot her, but when they did, they automatically assumed it was a figment of their imagination.

“A trick of the light” they’d mutter under their breath and continue towards their campsite or hiking trail.

But Suhyun was real. As real as the sunlight trickling through the tree giants of the dense forest, as real as the river rushing in the middle of the vast park, as real as the cold stinging their face as they drove through the mountain.

She longed to be seen and yet she was too shy to truly reveal herself to the constant visitors: she had to be content with those that got a glimpse of her dancing or running amongst the pines, or dashing across the road. She would know what they were thinking by the whirling of their heads in the direction where she had been and the confused looks on their faces as she hid behind a tree trunk. It was usually the passengers in the cars that went through the forest who thought they saw her.

“We’re shadows,” her brother Chanhyuk would scoff every so often, “We’re not supposed to be seen, appreciated. That’s reserved for things bathed in light.”

She didn’t give up hope though, continuing to peek at their guests from the comfort of her trees and dancing with the rustling leaves when she felt like it.

At night, she was allowed to roam more freely, since the darkness would hide her shadowy form and there were less people around. Those that stayed were always near light sources, fires or light bulbs, so she could observe them without hiding, choosing to be courageous in those moments and stand where someone could see her. Since she blended in with the dark surroundings however, it never happened.

Until it almost did.

It was late, probably near or past midnight when Suhyun spotted a young man sitting by a blazing fire in his campsit