“What did you do to him?” I ask, keeping my field of vision on the unconscious Myungsoo lying on my lap.

My restless hands play with Myungsoo’s hair, twirling and twisting and sometimes pulling the black clumps. After Myungsoo had passed out, the three children took advantage of my weak state and held us captive in a fire-lit cave. They left us alone with their leader.

“Don’t play dumb… Krystal.” He says hoarsely

“It’s been a long time hasn’t it, L.Joe? You used finx didn’t you?”

Finx were semi-poisonous leaves only found in the Frost Lands. The leaves were heavily rubbed on small wooden darts in order to knock out prey. I remember L.Joe having a knack for darting innocent animals… I see he’s passed it down.

“It has been a long time, but I see you’re still attached to your roots. Mind telling me where the almighty ice princess has been for the past 20 years… and who is that?” L.Joe asks. I can feel him scrutinizing Myungsoo.

I place my palm on Myungsoo’s cheek as my other hand twirled with his hair.

“Myungsoo… his name is Myungsoo.” I leave off on that and finally look at him for the first time in a long time.

He notices my shock but doesn’t try to hide his face; instead he bitterly smiles as his fingers roam around the cracks.

“Pretty?” He asks jokingly, but I can only give a lopsided smile.

“I can feel it, I can feel the time slipping away from my grasp. The process has been completed, now I wait until I disappear… Now that I think about it, I wouldn’t want it any other way-“ L.Joe is interrupted by the three children.

The little girl speaks timidly, “Is there anything we can get, L.Joe?”

L.Joe shakes his head and the three leave.