“Hyo, I’m really sorry. Fany is having a really bad day and I couldn’t leave her.” Yuri said on the phone. I have packed everything on my new camping car. A month ago, the girls (Yuri, Sooyoung, and Seohyun) and I decided to go on a camping trip on my birthday. It has been set for a month and now these losers are ditching me.

Two hours ago, Sooyoung called me in order to tell me that she cannot go with me because of a work thing. Sooyoung is a model. Her schedule was supposed to be free today but her manager happened to set a shoot out of nowhere. She apologized and said that she will make it up to me the next time we meet. An hour later, Seohyun called in to inform me that her father, the CEO of a huge telecommunication company, called her in for a very important meeting. Their company is in the middle of a very controversial issue because of her father’s involvement to gambling scheme. I told her I understand and that it is fine.

Yuri is supposed to go with me, until right this very moment. I was already on my way to pick her up. Yuri was supposed to be the last person to be picked up since her house was the last on the way to this mountain that she has been talking about. I have always loved camping. There are days where Yuri and I will drag each other’s out just to go camping at different sites. Sometimes, we hike with Sooyoung. Seohyun rarely joins our outdoor activities but when she does, it is always the most fun. The four of us have been friends for as long as I can remember. Even now, that we have our own careers, we still see each other from time to time.

Yuri called me today, told me that her girlfriend, Tiffany, is having a bad day. They have been dating for a while, and it has been great. Yuri changed, from a player who couldn’t keep a girl for a week to this committed person who have been dating for 4 years now.

“It’s okay, Yul! I hope Tiffany feels better.”

“I hope so too.” Yuri sighed at the other end, “are you still going? I can hear you driving.”

“Yeah, I already packed everything on my camping car, so I think I’m good to go.”

“You sure?”

“Positive. I can handle myself, Yul.”

“Okay, turn on your location, will you?” Yuri said, always a mother to me. I said yes, and she replied with, “If it gets weird, go home, will you? Don’t talk to anyone. People said that there are elemental beings that walks around at night.”

I laughed at her, “Seriously, Yul? You believe on those kinds of things?”

“No, but it’s always better to prepared and knowledgeable about those stuff.”

Kwon Yuri, tsk. “Yeah, sure”

“Anyway, keep safe, Hyoyeonniee~ happy birthday!! Oh- Fany said happy birthday.”

I smiled, “Thanks, Yul. And tell Fany thank you!”

I dropped the call and focused on driving. I connected my phone to the Bluetooth of the car and played. The first song that played was Sleep on the Floor by the Lumineers. I remembered what Yuri said about the elemental beings at night. Funny.

After a good 2 hours, I arrived at my destination. I left my car so I can go further. I don’t have the girls with me so I just grabbed my camping bag, and another bag that contains some snacks and the tent. I took a glance at my phone, it’s almost sundown so I have to hurry. I am quite experienced in setting up a tent hence I am confident that I can do it fast. I kept walking and walking, until I arrived at this location. It has a river beside it, and a flat surface. I put down my things and rest for a while before putting up my tent. After finishing up, I took out my phone and walked back so I can capture the entire thing, with my tent set up. I sent the girls my location, and some few pictures.

Archive 1. Texts.

I took out a lighter, and made a small fire to keep me warm. I then leaned back on one of the rocks, and watch the sky before me. This has always been my favorite. True that I would rather have the girls with me, but this right here is heaven. The only noise that I can hear are raging waters, the sweet melody of the birds, and the whispers of the winds. As a DJ, I am so used to the noise of the club. The deafening boom of the speakers mixed with the screams of the people is tiring. But I would always, always choose the deafening silence of nature. I could stay right here forever. I closed my eyes for a while, taking a nap.

~

“Taeyeon!” Goddess of beauty, Yoong, called out to her sister, “Are you really sure about this?”

Goddess Taeyeon has always been the guardian of the Majestic Covert. It is one of her responsibilities as a daughter of the king. But they never cross the portal. They never cross the door to the human world unless they need to. For humans, the goddess Taeyeon is an enigma, a beautiful creature that sometimes show herself at the rivers of the town’s forest. Little did they know, it was the goddess playing. None of the are allowed to cross the barriers, but Taeyeon, the stubborn child that she is, always do. She never intended to show herself, but it gives her a different feeling whenever she does.

Yoona was the daughter next to her. Extremely obedient, always calls out her sister whenever she does something stupid yet always covers for her.

“Yes, Yoong. Cover for me. I’m bored, and I don’t want to spend my time reading some rules I know I am bound to break sooner or later. Besides I’m just gonna look if the humans are doing their part on taking care of the forest.” Taeyeon reasoned out.

“Fine, but come back before sunrise. Okay?” Yoona sighed in defeat. She knows she cannot stop her sister.

Taeyeon hurriedly put on a cloak and covered her head. She headed to the gate to the human world, opened it, and passed. Only the noble can open the gates. It was sundown on the human world. The path was dark. She walked and walked, observing the forest. She was making her way towards her favorite spot, the river.

As she was walking towards the river, she saw a small fire at the other side. A camper, she thought. Looks like nobody was there yet, so the stubborn that she is, crossed the river and made her way towards the fire. She saw the tent, a few things, but no signs of human. She continued to walk around the fire until she heard a noise.

It wasn’t the river, nor the animals. The sound was coming from the rock beside the fire. She should be running, she should be walking away, she should not be risking the tendency to be seen by a human. But she couldn’t bring herself to walk away. She saw a blonde head., stirring up, and almost waking up. She hasn’t seen her face but she already knows she’s a good one.

As a noble, Taeyeon has the capability to feel whether a person is good or bad, she can sense it. It is one of her gifts. And the person stirring up in front of her exudes this enormous positive aura. Hence, she’s not running away. And it’s a girl. So she stood there, waiting for her to wake up.

According to the rules, they are not allowed to communicate with a human. But Taeyeon always bends the rules.

Hyoyeon was waking up from her quick slumber when she felt a presence above her. She glanced at her side, and saw a figure standing before her. At first, she felt scared because she couldn’t see anything but when the light of the fire illuminated the face, she felt nothing but awe. The girl in front of her is nothing but ethereal. None of them uttered a single word until Hyoyeon was done ogling her.

“Are you lost too?”

Taeyeon looked around to make sure that she was taking to her. The human’s voice was slightly raspy. It was different from Yoona and Sunny. She shook her head no and stared at the fire.

“Do you want to sit?” Hyoyeon pointed at the chair near Taeyeon. Taeyeon has not uttered a single word since the girl woke up. She was astonished with the girl’s beautiful and enticing smile that she forgot that she’s not like her.

“Are you hungry?” Hyoyeon asked, standing up and making her way towards the inside of her tent to get some snacks. She offered some to the girl who sat before her.

“I’m sorry, but can’t you talk?” Hyoyeon asked while looking at her. The goddess has not said a single word not make a sound, but after hearing her question, she chuckled. That small sound made Hyoyeon smile. Ah she’s not, the latter thought.

“I’m Hyoyeon, by the way,” Hyoyeon said while eating her prepared snacks.

“Taeyeon,” the goddess whispered, but Hyoyeon was way too attentive to not hear those words.

“Ahh, so you can talk,” she teased, “anyway, I am shivering, my tent has heater on it, you want to stay there? The campfire is not doing it for me anymore.”

Taeyeon does not feel such, she is able to adapt to any temperature immediately, hence she is comfortable in whatever conditions she is subjected to. But here she is, nodding. They both entered the tent, Hyoyeon closed it the moment Taeyeon entered.

“You know, it’s my birthday today,” Hyoyeon shared.

Taeyeon looked at her with furrowed her eyebrows at her, “birthday?”

“Yeah, you know… the day I was born,” Hyoyeon explained, slightly weirded out with the person in front of her.

“Ah, the celebration of arrival,” Taeyeon said.

Hyoyeon almost laughed, “Yeah, from where I’m from we just say happy birthday”

Taeyeon nodded and parroted the latter’s words, “Happy Birthday”

Hyoyeon smiled, “Thank you, Taeyeon”

“You can call me Taeng,” my friends call me Taeng. Friends. That made Hyoyeon smile.

“Okay, Taengoo. Then you can call me Hyo,” she replied, “It’s what my friends call me.”

“I said, Taeng!”

“To me, you are Taengoo.”

The two exchanged stories that night, but it was mostly Hyoyeon talking because from what she observed, Taeyeon has an enormous wall. Taeyeon is a beautiful mystery. Every time she asks, Taeyeon responds with ‘I cannot tell you’.

“Do you have a camp nearby?” Hyoyeon asked, grabbing her phone to check the time, “It’s almost 1am. You can stay here if you want.”

Before Taeyeon can answer, she noticed the rectangular thing on Hyoyeon’s hand.

“Hyo, what is that?”

“It’s..uhm.. are you serious?” Hyoyeon wants to laugh loudly, but she is thinking of Taeyeon’s sake so she tried not to laugh, “it’s a phone. It tells me the time, or if I have messages, or if someone’s wants to talk to me, and many more.”

“So, this thing tells you what to do?”

Hyoyeon chuckled, “Taengoo, you are so cute! And yes, sorta.”

Taeyeon nodded, “Sounds like someone I know.”

Hyoyeon smiled at her and asked her once again, “So? Are you gonna stay here?”

Taeyeon nodded enthusiastically. But she has to remember that she needs to be back before sunrise. The two exchanged more stories, getting to know and being comfortable with one another. When Hyoyeon cannot fight the sleepiness anymore, she closed her eyes and sleep. Taeyeon pretended to be asleep when Hyoyeon is, and snuck out of the tent, running as fast as she could towards the gate. She made her first human friend, and she wants to get to know her more. She wants to spend her time with her. But before that, she has to go back or the humans will face the wrath of her father.

She almost fails to make it in time. She ran as fast she could, back to the palace, and climbed to the window of her room. Inside her room was her sister, Yoona, with a clearly annoyed expression.

“You almost didn’t make it. What is wrong with you?”

Taeyeon couldn’t answer her sister because of the enormous grin painted on her face, “I made a friend, Yoong!”

“WHAT?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” Yoona asked, clearly not amused with her sister’s behavior.

“Calm down,” Taeyeon said, making her way towards her sister and hugging her, “thanks for the cover.”

Yoona shook her head and clasp away from her sister’s embrace. She walked out of Taeyeon’s room.

Taeyeon still has a grin on her face. Clearly, way too happy. Hyoyeon was the first human of her age that she talked to. Hyoyeon was so pretty. Hyoyeon felt warm, I never got scared of her. I want to see her again. I want to keep being friends with her.

~

Hyoyeon woke up, with the light hitting her face directly. She feels the side of her empty, no sign of the girl she was talking to last night.

“Was I dreaming?” Hyoyeon asked herself. She went out of the tent, with hopes of finding the beautiful woman last night but what greeted her was the silence.

“Was it a dream?” she asked once more before packing up her things, making her way back down the forest, and back to her car. She has early appointment with her doctor for her annual checkup, so she has to attend. Driving back to the city, she kept on asking whether last night’s event was real or not. Maybe she was too tired, she wasn’t able to do anything last night except sleep. But she felt fulfilled, and happy.

Was it real?

Her thoughts the entire day.