Xu Kai drove his father’s car through the shadowy woods. There was a full moon tonight, with stars as bright as diamonds. Xu Kai had his window open, and Yoo Jung can tell, he was feeling anxious by the tapping of his hands on the window sill. Yoo Jung sat on the passenger side next to him. She can feel sweat drip down the sides of her heads. 

“Would you calm down? All we’re doing is sneaking into the barn to check. In and out.” Xu Kai assured. 

“Uhm, but you are missing a very important piece of information: he’s an animal murderer!” Yoo Jung cried, “I should not be doing this! Can you drop me off?” 

“Fine, you stay in the car. When you see me come out, start the car and be ready to drive.” 

“But- I-” 

Xu Kai turned off the lights and parked the car near tall bushes. He gave Yoo Jung one last look, “Do you have your phone with you?” 

She nodded and took out her phone. 

“Set an alarm on there for 10 minutes. If I’m not out by then, drive yourself to safety and call my dad immediately.” he instructed. 

She nodded in utter freight, Yoo Jung still could not believe this was happening. 

Xu Kai smiled at her reassuringly, “I’ll be back, don’t worry.” he pointed toward the barn, “There’s a door right there and a window east of it. There are plenty of entry and escape routes. I wouldn’t be going in if I didn’t know how to get out.” he said to her. 

She nodded. And before she knew it, she could see Xu Kai sprinting through the tall grass toward the black, run-down barn under the moonlight. Yoo Jung felt grateful for the moonlight, it was her source of comfort as she can see Xu Kai’s shadow getting smaller and smaller. 

/

Three minutes. Five minutes. Eight minutes. Nine minutes. Ten… Eleven... Yoo Jung’s heart was beating faster. Her breath trembled. She felt torn. Should she wait one more minute? What if it’s one minute too late? Is Xu Kai ok? Yoo Jung was shaking as she started the car. She could hardly breathe at this point. If anything happened to Xu Kai, she knew she could never live with herself. 

The passenger door swung open, “Drive!” 

“Xu Kai!” Yoo Jung cried in relief. 

“Hurry!” Xu Kai yelled. 

A loud slam on Yoo Jung’s side of the window made her jump and scream. It was the old man growling at her. He swung a bat at her window again, cracking it this time. 

“Go!” Xu Kai bellowed. 

Yoo Jung pulled on the gear stick and stomped on the gas pedal. The car jerked forward and zoomed past the old, wrinkled man. They can hear his shouts, cursing at them, but that faded quicker than mist. Tears ran down Yoo Jung’s eyes as she tried to focus on where she was taking them. Then she heard a soft whimper. She glanced over at Xu Kai and then down at his lap. A puppy. Smaller than the size of her arm. dropped in disbelief. Yoo Jung wiped her tears away, she couldn’t speak. There really was a victim encaged in that crazy man’s barn. Xu Kai nodded, knowing exactly what she was thinking. The puppy whimpered softly again and Yoo Jung let out an excited, small laugh, “Oh my goodness!” she cried with a big smile as tears swelled up in her eyes once more. 

“Where the hell did you go?!” Seung Hyung shouted at Xu Kai when he and Yoo Jung came out of the car. 

“Yoo Jung!” Leena cried running toward them across the gravel driveway, “What happened? Are you ok?” 

“Why did you steal the car?! I had to track you on my phone. Leena was worried sick for Ms. Kim.” Seung Hyung said. 

“Dad.” Xu Kai spoke, showing the injured puppy to him. Seung Hyung’s eyes widened, “Where did you find him?” 

“Leena, we went back to that house where we called Mr. Song from. That man is dangerous. He hurts animals.” Yoo Jung explained, “We need to call the police and report him.” 

“I have evidence to prove it too.” Xu Kai said, surprising all three of them. He pulled out his phone and showed them a video. It was graphic, it was sorrowful. There were at least half a dozen dogs in cages much too small for them. They all were muzzled and barely moving. Many of them looked heavily injured and malnourished. Yoo Jung could see spots where there were no fur left, and red, bleeding blotches on the dogs’ body. She felt sick to her stomach. 

“I was only able to save this one because his cage was accidently left open. Dad, we have to do something about this.” Xu Kai demanded. Seung Hyung nodded worriedly, pulling out his phone. 

/ 

Yoo Jung sat in the lobby area, holding the puppy in her arms and caressing it softly. Its curly, caramel-brown hair ran through Yoo Jung’s fingers. The little puppy rested quietly on her lap, covered cozily in Yoo Jung’s knitted scarf she had packed for the trip. 

Xu Kai set beside her and began petting the puppy softly. 

“Is it a boy or girl?” Yoo Jung asked. 

“It’s a girl.” Xu Kai replied with a gentle voice, “Do you want to name her?” 

She turned to him, “You mean, we can keep her?” 

He nodded, “My dad just spoke to the police and they are investigating Go Eun Cho right now. Apparently he escaped already when they went to his residence. All of the animals are being taken to a nearby veterinary and then to a safehouse. But, we can keep this little one.” 

Yoo Jung smiled, “How about Jayu? Jayu for her name.” 

“Jayu…?” 

“She has freedom. She’s no longer in chains. She is no longer suffering.” Yoo Jung looked up at Xu Kai, “there’s hope for a better life for her now.”   

Xu Kai gazed deeply at Yoo Jung, amazed at her generous empathy. 

“You were courageous tonight.” Yoo Jung said, her voice was soft, but bold. Xu Kai leaned back on the chair, caught off guard by her compliment. She continued with her eyes down, “You didn’t have to go back there… You didn’t have to save Jayu.” she finally looked up at him, “you weren’t just brave because of what you did. You were also brave because…” Yoo Jung curled in her lips before speaking again, “you held on to that single thought that perhaps… Perhaps someone needs saving back there. Someone could be hurt. There was no evidence and even I didn’t believe you, but you went anyway. And you were right.” 

Xu Kai didn’t know what to say. He sat beside her, unsure why he even did what he did. He was never the type to do something so dangerous and unplanned. Xu Kai just did it because he couldn’t just not do it. 

“I wish there were more people like you. People who are courageous.” Yoo Jung said, knowing in her heart, she wasn’t that type of person and knowing how much she tries to be. 

Leena walked over to them and sat beside Yoo Jung, “How are you feeling?” she asked, “I can’t believe you were in that awful man’s house. Promise you will never enter a stranger’s home that way again.” 

Xu Kai scooted over, realizing how close he was beside Yoo Jung. 

“I know Leena. And I won’t.” You Jung promised. 

“Well, you should get some sleep. It’s late.” 

Yoo Jung cuddled Jayu closer, “I don’t know if I can yet. I’m still...shocked about what happened…” she admitted. 

Leena frowned, knowing full well the secrets and trauma of Yoo Jung’s past. 

“What is everyone else doing?” Xu Kai said, looking around at the empty foyer. 

“Some are out by the campfire. Others are in the cafeteria.” Leena answered. 

Xu Kai stood up and turned to Yoo Jung, “Let’s take Jayu to see the campfire. I’ll bring my guitar.” he suggested, hoping to make Yoo Jung feel better. 

The night sky was cloudless, revealing crystal stars. The moon was incredibly bright that Yoo Jung and the others didn’t need flash lights to see the trail. There were a dozen of Yoo Jung’s coworkers and their partners sitting around the campfire with snacks and drinks in their hands, laughing and chatting together. Yoo Jung and Xu Kai sat beside each other on cushioned lawn chairs near the fire. Yoo Jung had a blanket around her with Jayu on her lap, while Xu Kai cradled his guitar. He began picking a melody and hummed a song quietly. Yoo Jung was captivated by his talent. She sat beside him, watching the way his fingers glided across the strings and his body swaying slowly from side to side. The others around them began to listen in delight as well. Yoo Jung couldn't move her eyes away from Xu Kai. His voice and the melody drew her, mind and soul. When he finished playing, the others cheerfully applauded and persuaded him to play another song. Xu Kai looked over at Yoo Jung wondering if she wanted him to or not. He saw, through the red and orange fire’s lights, the corner of her lips rose; it won him over and he began strumming again.