you were not supposed to be here.

people were always told not to go near the edge of the city at night, it was dangerous.

but you were restless, and if city police saw you wandering the streets past curfew, you'd be in trouble.
 

besides, no one had gone missing in months. those rumors were probably exaggerated anyway.

there couldn't be a phantom caravan snatching people up in the middle of the night.

the city officials have gone senile.
 

there were so many crazy stories going around, now that korea had divided into city-states.

some people say it was all supposed to happen this way, small governments, local markets, that kin of stuff.

others say it's all wrong, that there was something bigger and darker at work, something that wanted the power divided, small provinces separated by these new, thick forests, in a grand scheme to one day take over themselves and control all of the land and resources.

it was all fantastical babbling to you, though.
 

you didn't see anything big happening around you, it had been this way since you were young. nothing scary or terrifying happened. you were bored.

that's why you started taking walks at night.

first, just to see if you could get away with it, but now it had become part of your routine.
 

you found a few paths leading into the forest they planted around the city leading into the woods.

a few bigger roads used for travel and trade, and a few beaten paths that seemed to lead nowhere.

you were never quite brave enough to take these paths, but maybe tonight you'd take a peek.
 

the moon was full and bright and the sky was clear, but once you were in the forest you could barely see three feet in front of you.

it didn't matter. you were young, curious, and armed with a flashlight. you were smart enough not to use it while you were close to town, though, or you might be seen.
 

you started making your way through the initial underbrush of one of the paths.

you'd tried wandering around here as a child, but your parents quickly found you and scared you with all the horror stories the citizens told about people going into the woods and getting eaten or taken away.
 

you never questioned them or their warnings... until they started becoming heavily affiliated with the city police.

they became less and less compassionate, and more and more argumentative.

when they kicked you out on your 18th birthday, you were fed up with them and their indoctrination.

you still cared about them, but you certainly didn't mind not living with them anymore.

since then you had set up in a small inn on the quieter side of the city.
 

your family were still considered foreigners even though you had lived there for two generations, and that status made it harder for you to get lodging in the busier parts of the city. not that you minded. it was easier to take your walks at night here. there were less people, less police. it suited you.
 

by now you felt you were far enough into the woods to use your flashlight without getting caught.

you were fairly confident you'd be able to find your way back, since the city lights were still visible through the trees.

you would keep going for maybe another ten or so minutes and head back.
 

you noticed the brush thinning out around you, and were surprised to come upon a lake after a few minutes.

the banks dipped low enough that you might be able to take a swim without worrying about anyone seeing. not that anyone would be out here at this time of night.
 

you had just slipped off your shoes when you heard voices in the distance.

of course you were wrong. it was only a matter of time before you encountered someone on one of these night ventures.

you hastily grabbed your shoes and dove behind the nearest group of bushes.
 

you waited quietly and before long, two men came walking down the bank on your left.

one was carrying a bag and scanning the far banks, and the other was patting his shoulder and chuckling.

"jong, you need to stop worrying so much. we've gotten away with this before, we're going to again. it's fine. you did well!"

"i don't know, hyung. i have a feeling like we're being watched. i don't like it."

the taller one shrugged and walked ahead of him, following the waterline like you had been.
 

the other sighed and followed after him. at least they were walking away from you, you just prayed they didn't notice your--

"hyung look! there are footprints!" he stopped the other in his tracks and looked around again, more earnestly.

"jonghyun calm down, those are probably just taemin's from when he passed through before, stop being like this. let's go."
 

the shorter man huffed and looked around again, his gaze passing over your hiding place. you tried to make youself as small and unseen as possible.

"fine. but hyung i SWEAR TO GOD if we get caught i am blaming this all on you guys."

he trugged after the other down the bank and then behind a large rocky outcropping.

when they were finally out of sight, you in a deep breath and slipped your shoes back on. your mind was racing.

what the HELL could they have been talking about? did they steal something? in that bag?

and they said they've done it before.

this was all getting too dangerous, time to head home!

you got up and started slowly making your way back toward the side of the lake closest to the city.

unfortunately, you had to pass the same rocky outcropping they had just passed, and you prayed they were far enough away that they wouldn't see you when you crossed, because taking the long way around would have cost you a good hour, and you were ready to book it home as fast as possible.

as you neared the area, you took another deep breath, said a silent prayer, and gingerly peaked around the edge to see if it was safe to cross.
 

you were met with a big pair of burning brown eyes and suddenly a hand sprang out to grasp your arm, pulling you around and slamming your back against the stone with a dull thud.

"HYUNG WHAT DID I SAY! THIS LITTLE SNEAK'S PROBABLY GOT ENOUGH TO RUN OFF TO THE POLICE NOW!" jonghyun fumed.

you tried to catch your breath after having the wind knocked out of you. you were about to scream when jonghyun noticed and his free hand sprang up to muffle you.
 

you struggled under his grasp. it was clear he was much stronger than you.

the taller man came close and looked you over. he leaned in and studied your features. you whined into jonghyun's hand.
he was quiet for a moment and sighed,
 

"i guess you were right this time." before sticking his hands in his pockets and looking at the sky. 
"well, what do you suggest we do with our spy?" he asked, but it seemed like he already knew the answer.

"we do what we always do hyung... we take them." jonghyun replied with a smirk.