Yujin’s POV

This is weird. Like Hyewon said, Sakura was just with them minutes ago, coughing out blood and now she's missing? Also why would Sakura cough out blood in the first place? Hitomi did told Hyewon that she suspect Sakura might get poisoned but how and who did it? Many questions regarding this mystery filled my mind.

“We have to find Sakura.”, Hyewon suggested in a rush.

Minju and I agreed immediately. We decided to split up. Hyewon said she would search near the cliff area while Minju would search within the deep forest. As for me, the first thing that came to my mind is Chaewon.

Instead of looking for Sakura, I was worried about Wonyoung. Wonyoung is supposed to guard Chaewon with Yena. What if Chaewon sneaked out from there or she did something to them to escape? My pace turned faster with those thoughts running wild in my brain. It’s became like fuel for me to run faster without a moment to waste. This can’t be it. No. Wonyoung can’t be in danger. I can’t let anything happen to her.

By the time I reached there, Wonyoung is still sitting there with Yena and Yuri. They were playing boringly with the pebbles in front of them. I made my way to them.

I was panting when I reached them. I try to catch my breath for a while after running miles to arrive here. Wonyoung stood up from her seat. She approached me with a worried face along with Yuri and Yena.

"What’s wrong, Yujin?",Wonyoung hold my shoulders.

Yena and Yuri were seemingly worried as well.

“Are you okay, Yujin?”, Yena asked while she gently my back.

I focus on controlling my breathing first before I speak,"Chae-Chaewon…she didn't escape right?"

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Minju’s POV

I look around my surrounding. There were trees that look almost identical everywhere. For a moment there, I thought I was lost in the forest. But I shouldn’t give up. No matter how much I dislike Sakura, I shouldn’t do the same like the rest. I’m different. I’m not like them. At this point, I don’t even trust any of them. Who knows if few of them might be involved in carrying out these crimes.

I continued searching around the forest.

“Minju…”, someone whimpered weakly.

Wait, this sounds familiar. Is this Sakura’s voice? I quickly turned around to find the source of that voice. Near the corner of my eye, I found the person behind a tree. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. There lies an important person in my life, almost at the peak of dying.

It was Nako lying on the nearby tree with her forehead covered in blood. I rushed to her side. She was breathing heavily. It’s as if she couldn’t hold it anymore. I quickly held her in my arms. My body was shaking upon witnessing Nako’s condition. Who did this? Who?!

“No, Nako! No!”, I started to panic.

“Minju….”, Nako stretched her hand to cup my cheeks.

There was blood on her hand. My face got stained with the blood on her hand but I didn’t gave a damn about it since all that matters at that moment was Nako. Just then I remembered the flare gun that was given to us for emergency uses was in my pocket. I immediately pull it out and shoot it towards the sky. Red flare came out from the gun launching upwards into the dark sky. It exploded when it reaches it’s very limit.

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Hyewon’s POV

“Sakura! Where are you, Sakura? Please answer me if you’re here!”, I shouted and shouted again and again, hoping she’s somewhere here.

I ran around the cliff area, analyzing every corner carefully and precisely.

Where could she be?

At the same time, a loud noise caught my attention. A bright red flare was launched into the sky. I recalled back to the moment when the ranger explained about the flare gun’s function to us.

No way, someone is in danger? Could it be one of us? Without thinking further, I immediately sprint to the direction that the red flare had been set off.

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Yujin’s POV

Right after I finished my question, a red flare exploded in the middle of the sky. It caught the attention of all of us.

“This is from the emergency flare gun.”, Yena stated as she points at the flare.

“Let’s go and check it out! It might be Minju or Hyewon in trouble, they were searching for Sakura.”, I called out to them.

Three of them nodded. Yuri opened the storeroom door, revealing Chaewon crouching on the floor with the handcuff still on. Chaewon squinted her eyes at the light illuminating through the room. Yena helped Yuri to get Chaewon out from the storeroom. Chaewon was trying to break free but they were stronger to hold her still.

“Where are we going?!”,Chaewon is trying to resist.

“Shut up, someone might be in trouble.”, Yena shushed her.

We make our way towards that place without slowing down. Good thing the flare turned into smoke and stayed there for very long before vanishing. We were able to follow the direction without any problem.

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Minju’s POV

I can’t stop sobbing while holding Nako close to me. She is trying her best to stay alive. She seems like she wanted to tell me something.

“I-I can’t resist it anymore, Minju”, Nako said. “The k-killer is not Chaewon, t-take this.”

Nako took out something from her pocket. She placed it onto my palm and closes my hand into a fist. She was signaling that it is a crucial hint, I have protect it no matter what. My sight shifted from my hand to her. Nako was smiling at me. It was the most peaceful smile I had ever seen in my life. Right when her limbs fell on the ground lifelessly, her heavy breathing stopped. I could no longer feel the warmth of her body. I grip her body tightly. Tears start to form in my eyes, dripping one by one onto Nako’s body.

Nako doesn’t deserve this. She is the reason why I would still be here. Why do the killer have to take Nako away instead of those monsters?

I will seek revenge. I will get to the bottom of the person that is behind this. Whoever did this will pay for what they did. I squeezed tightly on the keychain in my hand. It hurts but I was too numb to feel the pain at this point.

Moments later, I heard footsteps approaching. I hid the keychain in my pocket then got up on my feet. I decided to keep the keychain with myself. At times like this, no one could be trust.

I waved my hand as high as I could to signal them.

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Yujin’s POV

We were late. By the time we arrived, there were rangers carrying a body bag. In front of me stood Minju covered in a blanket with Hyewon beside