Jeongyeon and Momo sat on the couch. The latter couldn’t look at anything but Jeongyeon. She never knew what missing someone felt like until Jeongyeon was gone for a while. The latter kept talking about her fun adventures in the Philippines until she snapped her fingers “oh, wait. I brought you something” she said rushing to her room and Momo can only smile as Jeongyeon’s existence bring her peace and joy.

Jeongyeon came back holding a plastic bag. She rubbed her nape nervously “I hope you will like it”

Momo couldn’t stop smiling as she looked through the gifts. Popular sweets include Polvoron which is crunchy and crumbly, Choc Nut bars powdery chocolate and a nut candy bar, and pastillas de Leche sweet and soft milk candies.

“I know you are into fashion so I brought you this bag and look inside of it”

Momo compiled and she saw a black jewelry velvet box. She opened it and hung open “Jeongyeon” she couldn’t have any other words to say as she saw a pearl necklace.

“Philippines is known as Pearl of the Orient Sea because of the elegant organic beauty it contained. When I saw this necklace it reminded me of you”

Momo was smiling as she wore it.

“Thank you so much, it means a lot to me” Momo expressed, she looked down sadly and avoided Jeongyeon’s soft stares.

“Are you okay? You seem sad” said the latter and Momo can only nod. “I’ll sleep right now, have a nice day”

Momo hummed and watched Jeongyeon enters her room.

~~

Meanwhile, unlike Jeongyeon’s calm day Chaeyoung was waiting outside the warehouse inside her car. A few men were switching shifts and chatting. It was the right moment for her to enter through the opened window. She jumped in and held her phone. She was filming everything. The drugs, guns, and money stacks. She was terrified of what she is witnessing.

“Hey~” a young voice called from her left. Chaeyoung the flashlight and gasped at what she saw “save us” the girl begged with tears. A cage room with three kids in it. Chaeyoung shook the door to make it open but she failed as it was locked. The room was dark and she can see how hungry and scared the kids were.

“WHO ARE YOU~!” a guy hollered at her. Chaeyoung ran back to the window but this time more than three men followed her. The kids cried for help and prayed that Chaeyoung would help them. The latter got into her car, with shaking hands she started the car and drove off followed by two vans. She held her phone and sent the videos to the drive she and Jeongyeon shared for work afraid that she will lose the videos and her life.

“Come ooon~” she cursed. She gulped as the three cars kept following her and surrounding her on the highway. She dialed Sana’s number “Hello Chaengie” the latter answered in no time.

“I am telling you this because I don’t know if I will be alive in the next few minutes but I like you”

“What? Where are you Chaeyoung?” Sana shivered.

Chaeyoung gritted her teeth as she was on verge of tears “goodbye” she hung up and turned the steering wheel to the right, entering the strange forest. She lost control of the steering wheel as her car wasn’t suitable for these kinds of bumpy roads. The car hit the tree and Chaeyoung’s head bumped into the steering wheel. She groaned as a cut formed on her forehead but it wasn’t the right time for her to whine.

The three vans stopped behind her cars and five men got off. One of them approached Chayeoung who already left her car “you messed with the wrong men little girl”

Meanwhile…

Jeongyeon was in deep sleep when her phone couldn’t stop vibrating. She cursed the caller before answering.

“JEONGYEON HELP ME! CHAEYOUNG IS IN DANGER” Sana whimpered.

“Let me call her”

As much as Jeongyeon tried to call the shorter she wouldn’t pick up “where are you; little cub?”

Chaeyoung, on the other hand, was running from the men. Her little body helped her as she was faster and smarter than them. This case was more important than her life, she wanted to rescue the kids and expose how bad Bohyun is. She tripped on the muddy road next to a long tree. She thanked God that she took climbing classes during her teenage days.

“FIND HER!” one of the men hollered. The men were searching non-stop while Chaeyoung sat on the last branch she reached. She held her phone “~” she cursed as the battery was 2%.

A few minutes passed and the sun almost sat down, Chaeyoung was scared and tired but she needed to climb down and leave as soon as possible.

~~

“LOSERS! BUNCH OF LOSERS!” Bohyun hollered in his office in the warehouse “YOU COULDN’T FIND A STUPID GIRL”

The men had their heads hung down in shame “we will search more sir”

“Find her, I want her alive!” he ordered and they complied.

Chaeyoung was walking on the highway, it was hard for her to run. She was hungry, tired, and in pain. All the passing cars were ignoring her until a red truck pulled over. A guy in his mid-sixties rushed to her “gosh are you okay girl?” he asked.

“Please can you drive me to my house?” she begged “please”

“Sure! Hope in, but you need to go to the hospital first”

Chaeyoung shook her head as a no “take me to my friend first”

The drive wasn’t long. Chaeyoung arrived at Jeongyeon’s house who was doing her best to find Chayeoung by contacting some of her dangerous acquainted. Sana accompanied Jeongyeon, she would cry now and then while Momo was at Bohyun’s house oblivious about everything.

Chaeyoung knocked on the door and Jeongyeon opened the door. She gasped as Chaeyoung was in a pathetic appearance.

The latter pulled out her phone “I have the videos” she said before she collapsed on the floor and Jeongyeon caught her. She placed her on her bed with Sana’s help. They called a doctor to check up on her. He cleaned her bruise and wounds. Sana couldn't stop crying as she sat beside her and held her hand while Jeongyeon was blaming herself for Chaeyoung’s terrible condition.

She charged Chaeyoung’s phone and sat on the couch, she opened the gallery and went through the videos. Her lips parted as she watched the videos more than once.

“You son of a ” she cursed while thinking of Bohyun.

Chaeyoung slowly opened her eyes making Sana smile from ear to ear “you made us worry little cub” she soft-spoken while caressing her cheek. Chaeyoung smiled faintly, simultaneously Jeongyeon walked in.

“You are the craziest girl I’ve known” she stated.

Chaeyoung sat down and smiled “we will expose the out of him and make him rot in jail”

Jeongyeon nodded “I need to keep you safe first”

“No, I-”

“Bohyun is an , he will do anything to find you and I won’t let him hurt you”

“You need to protect Momo too”

“Can I know what you two are talking about?” Sana was confused.

Jeongyeon placed two keys on the vanity “Sana you know how to drive. Go with Chaeyoung to the address I sent to you. Stay there for a while as I take care of everything”

Chaeyoung groaned as she stood “I won’t let you deal with this mess alone”

“And I can’t handle seeing you get hurt because of me” Jeongyeon gulped she held Chaeyoung’s shoulders “I am so proud of you and very thankful. Now rest”

Chaeyoung got teary-eyed and hugged the taller “you need to tell Momo everything”

“This is the hardest part but I’ll deal with it” she sighed “I put some bodyguards around the house. Please take care of yourself,” she said to the two before they left.

Night came and Jeongyeon waited for Momo but the latter didn’t come.

“When are you coming home?” she messaged her.

“Bohyun prepared a surprise for me, we will stay in Busan for a few days. Isn’t he sweet?”

Jeongyeon frowned “enjoy” she sent blankly praying that the younger won’t get hurt in the end.

~~

Two days passed…

Jeongyeon came back home after a long day at work. She is waiting for the right time to expose Bohyun. The article and videos are ready to be sent to the police first. Momo was in her room when Jeongyeon came, she bowed her head to the younger “how are you?”