Hyun Joong

I dodged quickly behind two conjoined tree, dragging Jinx Girl along. The gunshots had rung from behind and I was pretty sure that it was the two men without seeing their physical forms. What puzzled me was their unexpected early return. 

I held on tightly to Jinx Girl, who was leaning her head on my chest. She was desperately gasping for breath and her body was trembling uncontrollably. I looked down at her face, needing to know if she was fine.

Panic was written all over her face and she was biting her lips. Her nails dug deep into my arms as she tried to hold back her tears. Seeing her shaking with such terror, I mentally cursed myself again for causing the whole ruckus, for making her go through this. If there was anyone who deserved this suffering, it should be me, not her!  

I needed to get her out of here! I needed to let her live through this!

I closed my eyes tightly, forcing myself to think… and fast!

So Min

After the shots resounded in the air, I heard two men approaching our hiding place while shouting vulgarities in mandarin. I felt my body lose control of myself as I convulsed in fear. I did not know what else to do, other than holding Sunbae tightly.

Suddenly, Sunbae pushed me away and he started taking off his black coat, revealing his white shirt beneath. He swung his coat over me.

“So Min, as soon as you hear the men disappear after me, run this direction and don’t turn back!”

I gawked at him, confused of what his plan was at firsst. Then, it dawned on me that he wanted to distract the men to follow him in another direction, while I ran to safety. And he gave me his black coat to camouflage me into the darkness, while he exposed himself to them with his bright shirt.

“No, no. Don’t do this! You could get killed! You said you won’t leave me. You promised!” I wailed at him in a hushed whisper.

Choked between my sobs, I looked deep into his eyes, “If it’s me that they want, I’ll go with them.” I intertwined my hands with his, unwilling to let him make unnecessary sacrifice.

He gathered me in his strong arms and spoke in comfortingly. “Shh..It’s not the time to cry. I promised you I’ll be safe. I’ll be fine.  I’ll meet you back at the hotel in no time.”

Deep down inside, I knew he was lying. This was not as easy as he described. He could lose his life and I did not want to lose him. But I knew he would not back out of his plan and there was nothing I could do to change his mind, except to follow according to his plan and to pray that he would escape this unscathed.  

Taking my silence as consent, he pushed me away from his body, “Good girl. Promise me that you will not turn back no matter what you hear.”

I nodded reluctantly.

“That’s my girl. Let’s go!”

Hyun Joong

I was all prepared to head off in the opposite direction. This was it! I was going to run a race, not knowing if I would be alive at the finishing line. I was willing to do this, for reasons I could not explained. It could be guilt, or my chauvinistic pride playing the hero who saved a damsel in distress.

All of a sudden, Jinx Girl jerked me back from my sprint. Before I could regain my posture from her pull, I felt her lips pressed onto mine.

I could only stared wide-eyed as her soft lips embracing mine. Weird as it sounded, I responded to her kiss eventually. It felt surprisingly good.

Just as sudden as it started, she broke away, leaving me in a daze. She looked at me with her puffy eyes and mouthed ‘Be careful’.

I had not realized how beautiful was her eyes until now.

As soon as I recovered, I dashed off quickly into the darkness. Immediately, I felt gunshots throbbing into the dead calm of the forest as the men tried to get a hit on me. As expected, footsteps subsequently were heard in hot pursuit from behind.

GREAT! My plan was working well!

I wished that So Min had by now ran in the other direction.

I kept ducking into trees after trees as I ran aimlessly in all directions. I had no idea if I could be actually circumambulating a few trees over and over again.

I did not plan to escape from them. I only planned for So Min’s escape. I know at any minute, a bullet would pierce through me. It could be my heart, my brain or any parts of my body. I might not survive this. But I would not regret it

So Min, promise me that you will be safe!

So Min

As soon as I heard three pairs of feet scurrying away, I moved out from my hiding and started sprinting towards a light at a distance. The light could be my line to safety. I needed to reach help quickly, before it was too late. I needed to save Sunbae.

I felt my cheeks blushed at the thought of him, of the kiss that we shared just now. I could not explain why I had taken that initiative. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I feared that if I did not do it then, I would never be able to in the future. It could be our farewell kiss.

In the death of the night, a chain of gunshots echoed through the forest.

I stopped dead in my tracks. Flocks of birds took off from where the shots were last heard and flew frantically over me.

And then silence.

It was an omen!

NO!

I thought I could keep my promise that I would continue running no matter what happened.

But I could not.

I’m sorry, Sunbae. Even it meant I might be caught again, I could not allow you to face the terror alone.

I’m coming back for you…