A big, festival-like party was held for the birthday of the son of the Village Head, who was turning twenty, just like Ri Ah and Jung Kook. He could hear everything. But it was all in the distance, he wasn’t paying attention to it. He was thinking about his and Ri Ah’s promise on Christmas Eve five years ago. Will they ever be able to see each other again? That one question spent the day with him like a companion. In the evening, Jung Kook heard the two guards leave the front of the basement to enjoy the party. He went up the stairs carefully and peeked outside. There really wasn’t anyone anymore. The boy ran, hiding behind walls every meter, to the address Ri Ah had told him. He climbed the rock wall of the house and knocked on the window after checking if she was inside. The girl let him in with shock and fear. “What if someone saw you?! Something bad will happen!” “Don’t worry, it’s alright. I just had to come. I couldn’t stand it anymore not to see you.” She looked at him, from his feet to his face. They hadn’t seen each other in so long. The change was surprising. “You became quite muscular,” she commented. Yes, he was tall and well-built. And, more importantly, he wasn’t injured. There were no wounds and no bruises on his body. “I have to cut your hair. You probably can’t see anything right now.” “On the opposite, you didn’t change, Ri Ah.” He looked down at her and observed her face intently. “Except something in your eyes. There was a bright spark before. Now it’s dim.” “It’s because I’m sad. I miss you a lot.” Dumbfounded, Jung Kook didn’t reply to her confession. “Come here. Sit on this chair. And take the bin that’s on your left.” He obeyed and asked, “Why didn’t you go to the festival?” “I told you before,” she started as she grabbed a pair of scissors on her desk. “I can’t enjoy that kind of thing knowing you’re locked up and suffering. Anyways, I’m now known as the “crazy girl who befriended the devil child” now.” She snorted, “What bull.” “Don’t worry about me. I’m okay. See?” He showed his exposed arms. “I’m not hurt anywhere. I’m strong now. The adults got tired of playing with me. It wasn’t fun anymore.” “Still.” For five years, Ri Ah had stopped living. She was depressed and barely ever coming out. They stayed in silence until she was done cutting his hair. She then put the scissors on the table and went to her bed. With a gesture, she invited him to join her. There, sitting on the soft mattress, the two, once kids, later teenagers, now young adults, talked, laughed and reminisced many things. They remembered the time when they were still children, their meeting, how she had to cut his hair all the time, when they choose him a name, his lesson time to learn the alphabet, to read and to write, how they were anxious when they came out for the first time, when they played in the rain, their picnics. They remembered when they were teenagers, when they lied down in the forest, played cards, read side by side and discussed various matters, how he was ready to fight that boy who had hit her, how his hair continued to grow at a surprising speed, the time when they went in town for Christmas Eve, when they made and hang the wish balls together, their snow battle. And their last game. “That day, right before you fell unconscious, why did you apologize?” “Because it was all my fault. I was the one who suggested we-” “No! It wasn’t your fault, Ri Ah! It was a lack of chance. Plus, I’m the one who couldn’t protect you...” “Even I couldn’t protect myself. But I’m more angry that they were not punished.” She frowned and grumbled, “Just because I was labeled as the crazy girl. Which makes me even more furious. This whole village is crazy. Not me.” Jung Kook wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled Ri Ah close to him. “Thank you, Ri Ah. Now, I’ll be able to do it. I’ll protect you for as long as you allow me to be by your side.” She leaned her head against him. “I hope you’ll be by my side forever.” “I...” He stopped, unsure what to answer. After a moment of silence, Jung Kook noticed Ri Ah had fallen asleep. “I will.” He tightened his embrace. “Aside from you and me, if only everyone could just be gone...” Soon, he followed her. They huddled up, lying in a deep slumber on the bed. Few hours later, a piercing scream woke them up. The two jumped up in shock, but immediately understood the situation, when they saw her parents in the room. “Why is the devil child here?!” shout her dad. The man walked in Jung Kook’s direction aggressively. Ri Ah stood up and did her best to block him. “He’s not a bad person! Don’t hurt him!” she cried out. “I beg you, listen to me!” Her dad seemed to settle down a little. “Wait for me downstairs.” “No.” “There’s nothing to worry about. If he wanted to harm me, he would have done it long ago.” She looked straight into her father’s eyes, “Trust me.” The man stared at his daughter, a deep frown still wrinkling his forehead. “Dad.” “If you don’t come down in a few minutes-” “Alright.” After her parents left the room, Ri Ah turned around to Jung Kook. “I can't believe we fell asleep here,” she mumbled. “That's what's bothering you?” “Yeah. What else could bother me?” “Well... We slept together.” “It's not the first time, you know.” She chuckled and span on her heels to arrange the bed sheets. “But this ti