The tape was old and the sound wasn’t the best but the voices could still be clearly identified. Either way, more than knowing who was speaking, he wanted to hear about what they were speaking.

“How do you feel?”, a man asked. By the voice, the man was probably around his forties.

“She’s gone.”, a young girl answered. Her voice was smooth and almost menial, but also childlike.

“Who’s gone?”, the man inquired.

“She’s gone.”, the girl again replied with the same tone, the same calm, the same childishness. However, her voice entailed danger as well, fear, distrust… Contained anger.

“What can you tell me about her?”, the man patiently asked. The tape then made a weird noise, as if protesting for being used after so many years sealed in a carton box.

“She’s gone.”, again, the same cryptic answer.

The tape made another noise and threatened to stop, but the man listening to it lightly hit the old cassette recorder.

“Who’s gone? Someone who hurt you? Are you afraid of that person? Tell me, I can help you.”, the man said, hoping for an understandable answer.

However, the girl stayed a long time without answering this time. The only way to know the tape was still playing was by hearing someone’s hasty breathing.

“She’s gone.”, she finally answered, after a while.

“Who?”

Just as the tape was about to reach its end, the girl gave the man a different, yet equally uncanny answer; her voice didn’t have that childishness her other answer seemed to require; an eerie aura crept through her voice as she replied.

“She won’t ever come back.”

***

“Jooyeon, I will return from my vacations next week. Please understand. I’ll call you as soon as I return and then we will talk.”, the recording ended and Jooyeon turned off her cell phone. She was hoping for Dr. Jang to tell her what he wanted to say, but, apparently, he wanted to speak with her in person.

“What’s wrong?”, someone hugged her from behind. She giggled and turned around.

“Jung Byunghee, I don’t think that’s a way to make an appearance.”, she said.

He kissed her. “I don’t think you mind, honestly.”, he smirked and kissed her again.

“So, should we go to classes? It’s getting late.”, she said, smiling.

“Or we can just…”

“No, we can’t skip classes, I have an important exam next week.”, she laughed.

“So, you’re not dating yet eh? You are a big fat liar Lee Jooyeon.”, Gyuri said, pretending to be offended.

“We actually haven’t discussed about our relationship status. Either way, it’s none of your business Park Gyuri.”

“I’m happy for both of you.”, Victoria said sweetly.

“And I’m happy for you Victoria.”, Gyuri slyly added.

“Oh, stop it you evil woman!”, Jooyeon laughed.

“I don’t get it.”, Victoria gave Gyuri a weird look. “Why are you happy for me?”

“She thinks you and Nichkhun are dating.”, Jooyeon smiled.

“It’s not like that.”, Victoria waved her hands, flustered. “We just get along very well, don’t misunderstand.”

“Whatever! I, on the other hand, have no shame in admitting that No Minwoo will be my boyfriend soon.”, Gyuri smiled confidently.

“Why are you like this? It’s so bizarre.”, Jooyeon smiled. “Sometimes, I don’t get how we can be friends.

“Liar! Just admit it: I’m an inspiration for both of you. Feel free to ask me for advices.”, Gyuri smiled, giving off a royal aura. “What are you going to do tonight?”, Gyuri asked.

“Nothing.”, both of them answered, laughing about Gyuri’s former remark.

“Let’s go have dinner in a place near my house.”, she offered, smiling.

“I don’t know…”, Victoria said, but Gyuri didn’t let her finish.

“Let’s have dinner and then a sleepover at my house. It’s a deal. At 6 pm meet me at my apartment and bring clothes for tomorrow. We need to have some fun!”, she said, excited.

“It sound good.”, Jooyeon smiled. “Vic, you’re in as well right?”

“Sure, it will be fun.”, Victoria said, persuaded.

Jooyeon woke up with a strong headache. She opened her eyes and stood still untill she started remembering what had happen and where she was. As far as she could recall, after the dinner, the three friends had decided to go to a club. Jooyeon didn't remember much after that, but she knew they had been drinking, and that wasn't good; Jooyeon couldn't hold her liquor to save herself.

She was lying down on a smooth and warm surface - Guyri's bed, as she found out when she got up. She noticed she had her pajamas on - Victoria probably did that.

Jooyeon then headed for the bathroom - she knew Gyuri's place well enough - and washed her face; her makeup had also been removed. After making sure she didn't look like a ill person - despite her major hangover - she decided to look for her friends, finding, however, nothing but an empty house.

"They left without me?", Jooyeon mumbled to herself, trying to figure out what was happening. "It's probably late.", she concluded, believing her friends had left for classes, leaving her there to recover from her hangover - it wasn't news to anyone that Lee Jooyeon wasn't a good drinker.

Jooyeon then found a note on the kitchen that did nothing to enlighten her. It simply said "I took care of you". It wasn't even signed, so she didn't know what to think. 

"It was probably Victoria.", she just shrugged and decided to take a shower.

***

"I'm afraid.", the girl said, clearly disturbed. She didn't understand what was happening.

"Just calm down, we're safe here.", a bulky boy, same age as the girl, tried to calm her down. 

Unfortunatly, for both of them, nowhere was safe.