Kevin runs as fast as he can. His heart beats faster and his mind is worried sick. The scene of his mansion and his mother kept flashing through his mind.

+”She should be safe! ”+ Kevin assures himself again and again.

As he ran toward the mansion, he could see a flock of people at one place. He recognized them immediately and went straight to them. His eyes now are busy searching for a figure. He is searching for Jihye.

“Jihye!” Kevin walks through the kids while turning his head to every direction.

“Jihye! Did anyone see her?” He started asking around.

The house is already engulfed in a big fire. Kevin is still trying to figure out whether Jihye is there or not.

“I didn’t see her in there, last time I saw her going to the market. I think she didn’t get back yet.” A girl answered.

Kevin’s eyes widen in surprise. He turned quickly toward the house. He is sure that Jihye is still in there somewhere. His body trembles badly as he remembers the night his mother was killed… And it’s about to happen again?

 

He advances toward the house but before he could go any further, he was stopped by a man from the firefighter.

“Stay away boy, it’s too dangerous here!” the man said.

“There’s still a girl in there sir!” Kevin replied.

The man turns his face toward the house… and slowly facing Kevin back.

“We… We’ll do everything we could son, just wait over there.” the man pushed him to the kids direction.

 

Kevin could sense that the firefighters are giving up since the fire is too strong for them to risk more life to save just one girl…

+”You must do something Kevin!”+ He told himself.

He’s not going to let another tragedy occur to the one he cares ever again. And now it’s happening all over again if he doesn’t act or do something!

Kevin examines the place around him and locks his eye on a motorbike near the block. He quickly dashes toward it and grabs the helmet. He also found a raincoat on the bike which he quickly put over his body. He wears the helmet and went straight to a water pipe and sprayed himself with water.

+”Hang in there Jihye…”+

 

He is dripping wet now… He slowly approaches the firefighter truck and crawl under it to get to the entrance because there’re people guarding the front and back of the truck.

The fire was already too big for anyone to survive. But it didn’t lower his determination to save Jihye. Either he died or she is saved, he decided.

He glances to the firefighters who are now busy controlling the fire from spreading to another building beside it.

Now is the time…

He runs with all his might crashing through the front door.

“Oi!!! Come back here boy!” a firefighter tried to follow him, but the man threw himself back because of the heat. Everyone gasped with what Kevin just did. They can’t see Kevin anymore through the front door.

Kevin now is in front of madam Nara’s office. It’s too hot that he can’t open his eyes wide enough to examine the room.

Seeing the room is empty, he quickly walks into the corridor. Ceilings and the wall started collapsing bit by bit but he continues pushing through.

“Jihye!!! If you hear me, just shout out loud!” Kevin shouted.

He’s now beside the dining room. He can’t enter it at all because the door is blocked by the ceiling that collapsed and the fire was too big as if the fire started there. He quickly went through the corridor again to the dormitories which located at the back of the house. He arrived at the girls’ dormitory only to find no one in there. The fire didn’t reach that area yet, but will soon be.

+“Did she run away from the house like I did earlier?”+ Kevin guessed.

But his heart tells otherwise. He somehow is certain that she’s still in there. He looks under the bed and inside the closet. No one seems to be there. Disappointed, he dashed out of the dorm toward the boys’ dormitory.

 

“Cough~”

Kevin stops dead. He heard a coughing sound from the bathroom. He spun around before charging through the bathroom door.

“Jihye! Are you there?!” Kevin shouted.

 

“Cough~”

He heard it again. Without further delay, he walks in and search for her. His eyes locked on a figure lying on the floor not moving. He ran to her and kneels down.

“Jihye! Can you hear me?” He slaps her cheek. She seems to have fainted for inhaling too much smoke.

Her eyes slowly open. Somehow is shocked with Kevin’s appearance in front of her now.

Kevin heaved a sigh before hugging her while kneeling down.

“Thank god you’re safe Jihye!” Kevin rejoiced.

”Oh, how I’m glad to see you again Jihye. Don’t you dare leave me!”

 

 

 

---Jihye POV---

 

Jihye’s face went blank, still trying to understand the situation. She didn’t understand why Kevin’s there, moreover with him wearing a helmet and a raincoat.

She only remembers herself crying in the bathroom before she couldn’t breathe normally and everything went black. And now he’s here?

+”What is this? What the hell happen? Why is he here like this?”+

She stays quiet, still overwhelmed by what happened earlier. She already scolded herself not to put any hope toward Kevin. She looks away trying not to look at him directly. But to her surprise, Kevin pulls her chin making her facing him again. Then he smiles warmly…

+”What are you trying to do now Kevin? Why the sudden change? Are you trying to confuse me again Kevin?!+

But she couldn’t help not to feel relieved and calmed that Kevin is finally looking at her and moreover with a warm smile.

Suddenly, Kevin opens his hemlmet and strips from his rain coat.

“Now is the time...” Kevin said.

 

Jihye widen her eyes and her heart beats crazily.

“Ti... time for wuh… what Kevin-sshi?” She is still lying on the floor. Her hand clutches the end of her shirt tightly.

+”What are you trying to do to me Kevin?!! Kyaaaa!!!”+ Jihye started to feel nervous.

 

“We need to go now!” Kevin answered with serious face.

He wrapped Jihye’s body with the raincoat and put the helmet on Jihye’s head. He then splash her with bucket of water before doing the same thing to himself.

“Let’s go. Just keep your head down arasso.” Kevin instructed.

Jihye still confused by the situation but just nodded. Then suddenly Kevin lifts her body up, carrying her bridal style. Jihye was taken aback again.

“Kevin-sshi what are you do-“

Jihye stopped when they entered the corridor. Now she realizes that the house is on fire.

 

“Remember Jihye, just keep your head down and hold on tight to me!” Kevin half shouted because of the cracking sound of the fire.

The corridor was already like an oven having fire from all direction except the cement floor. They need to go through it to get to the front door.

Jihye just hold him tight. It was so hot she couldn’t completely open her eyes.

Kevin evaded couple of collapsed ceiling and went through it. It was too hot when they go through the corridor in front of the dining room. Jihye almost curled her body for she can’t take it anymore.

But she suddenly realized something. Kevin only wears a sleeveless shirt. It must have burnt his body badly.

Jihye opens her eyes and watches Kevin whose face bent down toward her. Jihye started to tear up. He must be suffering a great deal now. And it’s all because of her.

“Just a little bit Jihye! We’ll get out of this soon I promise.” Kevin said as he throws a simple smile toward her.

 

+”God, why is this boy trying so hard for me who bring despair to him… Why?!”+ Jihye continued crying.

Then suddenly she can see a little bit of sunlight. They are in front of the entrance now. The fire is really fierce that she can’t think how a person can get through it and make it out without being burnt. But then she feels Kevin hand pulling the raincoat to wrap her body even more.

“Hold on tight!” he told.

Then he started running with all his might…

Whooosh~

She can feel a light breeze of cold air blown to her face…

 

 

---Kevin POV---

 

+“Damn its freaking toasted my skin!”+

But still, Kevin just carried her with all his might pushing through the flaming entrance. He saw how Jihye cried because of the heat and he wanted to get her out of there as soon as possible.

Screeech~

 

His feet landed on the pavement outside the house. He carried her some more before a firefighter helped him to carry jihye to the ambulance. Madam Nara and the kids were flocking around them crying and just thankful that they both made it out safely.

“We are safe now Jihye…” Kevin said looking at her.

Jihye was still sobbing holding on Kevin who brought her to the paramedic. He puts her on the wheel bed. They opened Jihye’s raincoat and helmet and started to check for injuries.

“She fainted in the bathroom when I found her.” Kevin informed.

The paramedics measured her heart beat and put on her the oxygen mask. He also got treated as he got second degree burnt on both of his hand and the back of his body. Luckily he used the water earlier or else, he would be toasted to the bone.

The paramedic left Jihye to attend to other people. It seems that the fire has advanced to the other building beside it.

He watches Jihye slowly breathing through the mask.

+”Thank God she’s safe now.”+

 

Kevin approaches her bed with his hand wrapped with bandages.

He reaches for Jihye’s face and start wiping it clean from dust and comb her hair to the side. His heart started beating furiously again watching her up close. He lost into his own thought, admiring her beauty. Not until he realizes that Jihye is looking away from him.

...

“Jihye, do you feel pain somewhere?” he asked.

Jihye did not answer. She closes her eyes as if Kevin isn’t there beside her. Kevin heart aches.

“Umm, are you okay Jihye?” Kevin asked but to receive the same silence treatment from her.

It’s so painful to see her avoiding him again. Isn’t she the one who told him things back then, how she wanted him to face her and talk to her? Now she’s the one avoiding him?

Kevin snapped.

 

“Damn it Jihye! Why are you doing this to me?” Kevin now holds her shoulder and forces her to look at him.

“Am I really that despicable that you don’t want to face me?”

“……………….”

 

Receiving another silence, Kevin let out a heavy sigh and drops his hand from her. 

“I… I’m really sorry Jihye for what I did back then…”

“I’m too… confused about the feeling I have toward you.”

“It is almost the same with the feeling that I had toward my mom, but it kept growing more and more inside my heart. I tried to conceal it from growing more but I couldn’t comprehend it anymore.”

“I too, tried so hard not to look at you… not to talk to you… not even to have you in my sight… because I’m afraid that I won’t be able to control my feeling when you’re around…”

“I’m too afraid that if I keep this feeling, I would be hurt once again. I’m afraid that you might leave me after this like my mother did.”

“But…” Kevin stuttered. Tears start to flow down from his eyes for he couldn’t control his emotion anymore.

“But I was wrong… I can’t throw away this feeling toward you, the more I try, the more it hurts me...”

 

“I think… Jihye…” He cleared his throat.

“I think I’m in love with you…”

 

He saw how Jihye reacted to his word. She seems surprised by his word and turned to look at him. Her eyes were watery.

She reaches her mask to open it and let herself speak to Kevin. But before she could mutter anything, the paramedics came back and push the wheel bed into the ambulance.

“We need a thorough check up at the hospital now.” The paramedic told him and directed him to another ambulance.

He advanced forward to hear what Jihye has to say. The door is about to close when Jihye open her mask and started moving…

“I…”