I turned back and re-entered the forest with tears still dripping on my face.

As the forest path started to become familiar, I had a glimpse of the rock where Jiyong was staring at when we finally got out of the cave. I looked up to find there was no opening but only big rocks and grass covering the wall.

“I could’ve sworn there was an opening here.” I muttered to herself.

I looked back at the rock and saw that it was a memorial stone.

“To Jiyong,

An adventurer,

Explorer,

Lover of life,

And a Loving Son.

We love and miss you.

-Mom and Dad.”

“I see.” I finally understood why Jiyong was able to find me inside the cave. I heard a faint whisper on my ear. I knew I had to save Jiyong and I needed to do it fast.  

Thunder echoed in the sky. Something odd was happening. I remembered there were no clouds nor was it about to rain the day we trekked. I had to find Jiyong.

I started to trek up the mountain side. It felt like I was in a dream. My body was heavy. It felt as if I was barely making any progress climbing up the mountain. Realizing this, I thought long and hard of familiar things in my memory. I saw a familiar branch that I grabbed hold when we trekked. Retracing my steps until I arrived at the hole where I fell in.

As I have arrived, I peered through the hole but it was dark. I shouted and called Jiyong’s name but heard no echo. I remembered when I was inside the cave and just had woken up; my friends called me and hysterically screamed for me with their echoes reverberated inside the cave. However, when I responded to them, there was none.

“This cave…” I was still not sure. I wiped my face with my shirt, though I really don’t know if it made any difference.

“I’m going to go home and I’m not leaving without him.” I muttered to myself but somehow hoped that it heard me, too.

I took a deep breath and jumped inside the hole and braced myself for impact.

My body plunged into the water. I swam up until my head was above the water. I gasped for air. I tried to tread and swim towards a shallow part of the water but felt nothing. In the darkness I saw a hand stretching out towards me as the light from the hole in the cave illuminated it. I hastily grabbed onto it and it pulled me out of the water into dry land.

“Dara! What the heck!” It was a familiar voice. I tu