Visions Of The Past

She's running. Barefoot. Sweat dripping down her body every second. It's dark. There's no people on the street. She's alone but she's running. 

Why is she running? She doesn't know but she keeps on pushing forward. One foot in front of the other. The cold ground hard on the soles of her feet.

Where is she running to? She doesn't know but she keeps on heading straight as long as she sees a road. The streetlights guiding her as she run aimlessly in this cold dark night.

Who is she running from? She doesn't know but she do not dare turn back afraid that there was really someone after her.

She's running, running fast. Her nightgown sticking to her body because of sweat. The wind blowing against her face.

She stops for a moment, caught her breath but still she doesn't turn back. In front her is a three-way intersection. She paused for a moment to think about what she should do next. Just ahead of her is the road into the city, on her left is a straight path into the woods, on her right is the road out of whatever town she is right now, and behind her, behind her doesn't really matter because all of a sudden a hand out of nowhere grabbed her wrist and and now she's being pulled away into the dark woods.

Pulling her into the woods, is a woman. She doesn't have to see her face to know who it is. She's been in this situation too many times for her to count. Too many times that she already has an idea of what was to come but still she always hope for the best.

"They're near. Don't worry, I got you." The woman said as she drag Jimin along with her into the shade of the woods.

The woman stopped for a moment and look at their surroundings, the light of the moon was the only thing giving them visibility. Turning right, she pulled Jimin into the back of a huge tree as a way of concealment.

"Stay here. I'll take care of the situation okay?" The woman said as she caressed Jimin's face.

"What's happening? Where am I?" Jimin asked the woman.

"That doesn't matter at the moment, Jimin. What matters is the fact that you need to get out of here. Fast."

The moment she heard her name come out of the woman's mouth she knew what would happen in the next few minutes. "It really is her" she thought to herself and the thought that "she's gonna do it again for me" crossed her mind which made her heart hurt.

"How do you know my name?" Jimin asked the woman even though she already knows the answer. Every time she encounters her she still asks this same question just to hear "that" word coming out from .

Just as Jimin expected a chuckle let out from the woman's mouth followed by a smile. The woman poked her nose before answering, "Hi, I'm Minjeong. You're cute Jagiya but right now is not the time for teasing."

Hi, I'm Minjeong.

Jagiya.

Hearing those words made her heart flutter amidst the situation that they're in. Even after hearing it for hundreds of times, it still has that ring into it. Maybe because it came out of , or maybe it's the way she pronounce it, or maybe because it's the way her eyes shine whenever she says those words or maybe it's the combination of all of those.

Suddenly loud barks of dogs can be heard in the distance which made the woman's eyes turn into serious ones.

The woman reached for her pocket and pulled out a paper and put it in Jimin's hand, "Run fast, don't stop. Go to the address that's written in there, they will protect you. You're gonna be safe with them, they already know what to do."

Jimin could only nod grasping what Minjeong was implying. Even knowing how this dream will turn out, Jimin can't help but to still ask her, "How about you? How do I know you'll be okay?"

"I told you already, I'll be fine." she answered but her smile doesn't reach her eyes this time.

Looking behind the tree, Minjeong stood up bringing Jimin along with her. Her hands cupping her face, she tiptoed to give the latter a kiss on the forehead.

"You'll be okay Jagiya." She said to Jimin while looking at her eyes assuring her that all will fall into place.

Jimin could only stare at Minjeong's face, trying to memorize every single detail as to what the light of the moon could give.

Doe eyes, brunette hair, long eyelashes, fair eyebrows...

She wasn't able to finish etching Minjeong's details into her mind when the sound of footsteps and barking of dogs slowly filled the empty night.

"Go. Now." Minjeong urged her but Jimin was hesitant.

"Jagiya, your Minjeong will be fine. Now run." Seeing those pleading eyes look at her, Jimin nodded in understanding. She was about to turn around when Minjeong took a hold of her hand and said in a commanding voice, "Whatever happens, do not turn back."

With that Jimin ran further in the heart of the woods with only the moonlight guiding her. Not even five minutes of running, Jimin already betrayed Minjeong's words when suddenly sounds of gunshots echoed in the night which caused her to stop and automatically turn around.

Seeking for coverage she hid behind a tree and checked her surroundings before sitting. Mustering all of her remaining courage, she took a deep breath before taking a peek.

She was far away already from the city so her vision wasn't great and add to fact that there's no light around, she squinted her eyes just to get a clearer sight of what's happening.

She knew this. She already know what would happen.

Her vision is distorted but she knew her eyes weren't fooling her. Two men were carrying a lifeless body and they just put it inside a carriage.

Minjeong.

This shouldn't hurt anymore, she told herself. You've seen this a hundred times or more before so what's the difference now? 

But despite of knowing of what was bound to happen, a huge sense of loss still filled her heart.

Willing her tired legs to stand up, she wiped her tears away and put one foot in front of the other. She run. Run like she never run before.