Baekhyun stood in shock in the middle of the forest, thinking about what direction Alice might have gone, and at this point he was so confused, wondering if he had hurt her by any means or not.

 

Where could she have gone? Her cave? Could it be her cave?

 

Baekhyun quickly headed towards the direction of her cave and in no time he was standing in front of the beautiful cave, but there was no sign of Alice anywhere. Baekhyun ruffles his hair as he feels panic taking over him.

 

"Alice where are you? Please come out, it's me Baekhyun, your friend." Baekhyun seems to be scared and he calls out to Alice while looking around for her.

 

"Please go away, I don't want to see you now," Alice replied from inside the cave and Baekhyun could also hear a soft whimper.

 

On hearing her soft whimpers, Baekhyun lost it. He couldn't think straight at the moment. He moved closer to the cave and there he heard her sobbing softly.

 

"Alice, are you hurt? Did I hurt you?" Baekhyun asked, his voice filled with sadness.

 

"No you didn't hurt me, but it hurt. Please go away."

 

"Why should I go away? I can help you, so please let me in." Baekhyun said softly, "please." He pleads.

 

"Okay, come in." Alice said and Baekhyun rushed into the cave on hearing the word, but inside the cave was so dark that he couldn't see a thing but he could still hear her whimpers and he followed the sound.

 

Finally he got to her and sat down beside her and gently caressed her head.

"Please tell me what's going on." Baekhyun asked in a soft tone while caressing her cheeks this time around.

 

"I don't know." She replied calmly before holding Baekhyun's hand that is gently caressing her cheeks and she rests her head on it, seeking warmth in his touch.

 

"Can I take off the leave from the window so that it will be a little bit bright here?" Baekhyun asked. He wants to be able to see Alice clearly and find out if she's injured, but she simply shook her in response and Baekhyun was able to feel it against his hand.

 

"Then how can I help you if I can't see you properly? I mean I need to see you and know what's going on." Baekhyun tried to explain but Alice was silent. She couldn't resist Baekhyun at all so she nodded.

 

"Okay, take them off."

 

"Thank you." Baekhyun said, and without wasting any time, he opened the window and quickly looked at Alice, but she was lying on the spread out left on the ground curled into a ball.

 

What's going on?

 

Baekhyun sat beside her and held her hands. "Where are you feeling hurt? Tell me, I can help you, please."

 

"Here." Alice placed her hand on her abdomen, and when Baekhyun averted his gaze from her face to her abdomen, he saw the stain of blood on the short he gave to her. He was quiet for a while before turning over to look at her face and stared at her. For the first time in his life, he felt his heart beating super fast as if he just ran a marathon race. 

 

He fell deeply in love with her innocence. He fell in love with her. He felt the urgent need to protect her. He felt the need to keep her safe at all cost.

 

"Oh dear Alice." That was all Baekhyun said before he bent down and caressed her hair. Not that he doesn't know what to do at the moment, he knows perfectly well, but he wants to be closer to her and make sure she's safe from any harm lingering around the wicked world.

 

Alice blinked her eyes closed as she let a soft whimper fall from her red little lips. She was familiar with such painful cramps whenever she's in her period, but she honestly has no clue about what it is or what it means.

 

"Alice I need to go get you the necessary things. I will be back very soon so please don't leave this place okay?"

 

She looked at him and nodded. "Okay."

 

Baekhyun got up and quickly put the leaves down and covered the window.

"I will be back very soon, but please don't leave here." Without waiting to hear her response, Baekhyun ran out of the cave and went back to his tent. He picked his wallet and phone and quickly ran off to the main road, but on getting there, he noticed that the whole area was as quiet and lonely as a graveyard.

 

Was this place this lonely? Why can't I find a single person passing by?

Baekhyun thought over the issue while he walked on foot and at the same time trying to call someone on the phone till he got to the main station where he can get a bus to the city.

 

__________________

 

"I can't believe this." Mina. Baekhyun's mother said while smiling happily, tagging on her husband's clothing to get his attention.

 

"I know you're happy honey, but we have to behave ourselves when we get to this Lee's mansion to avoid any suspicions." Byun made it clear to his wife since they were going over Mr. Lee's mansion to welcome their soon to be daughter-in-law.

 

"Yes, yes you're right. We have to keep our shoulders high and act proud, besides we shouldn't forget our motives for setting this marriage in the first place." Mina said and fixed her necklace properly around her neck.

 

"Exactly," Mr. Byun replied.

 

They were about to leave their house when Miss Sonia, Baekhyun's best friend, walked into the living room always with her innocent smile plastered on her face.

 

"Good evening uncle and aunt, it's been a while since I visited you, so I came to say hello before going home."

 

"Sonia dear, how have you been? It's really been a while since you stopped by. How are your parents?" Mina asked while caressing her hair. Mr. Byun was about greeting her when his phone rang out.

 

Sonia, on the other hand, has always been a really close member of the Byun family and their families have always been in a good relationship, mostly Baekhyun and Sonia.

 

"They are a fine aunt." Sonia smiled. "But where is Baekhyun? I can't see him anywhere."

 

"He's away to that so-called abandoned forest, you know how he is, don't you?"

 

"I do know Baekhyun so well, but that particular place is really not an abandoned forest, it's an island, an abandoned island."

 

"What?" Mina asked, not able to believe her ears. "That means my son's life could be in danger?"

 

"Danger?" Sonia laughed. It sounded quite funny to her on hearing the word danger. "No aunt, he's not in danger. Research made it clear that an island is a safe place except some pirates decide to explore the island and claim it as their property."

 

"Oh, if that's the case, then it's okay. Anyways, we are off to Baekhyun's betrothed wife's mansion, so please make yourself home."

 

"Oh no aunt, that won't be necessary because I'm heading home now. Take care and extend my greetings to uncle when he's done with his call." She bowed and left, leaving a smiling Mina behind.