She rolled over the bed and stretched out her limbs. In a muffled groan, she sat up on the bed and looked at her environment. The sun peaked through the light, white curtains. The walls looked brighter than ever, a reminder that she was stuck in the heavenly prison. She looked at the bedside table and saw a new glass of water with two pills next to it. Instinctively, her eyes roamed to the sliding doors.  The lock that was wrapped around the handles from outside was gone. Opened ajar, Mani suspected that Pim must have forgotten to lock it back when she brought in her daily dosages. Checking to see if the door was locked, Mani quietly hopped off the bed. Without making a sound, she opened the sliding door and stepped outside. The single footstep on the cemented patio brought her warmth: another chance. Gently to not step on her wound, Mani limped towards the fence. Suddenly, a splash of water hit her back making her gasp. She turned around to meet her culprit.

“Thought you could get away?” Yongguk lifted himself out of the pool and wrapped the towel around his waist.

“No.” Mani looked away, “I just wanted to feel the breeze.”

He ruffled his wet hair and walked towards her. She stepped back until her back was pressed against the glass of the door. Yongguk smirked, “You should really go brush your teeth.” He walked away from her and into the room. “It’s been days now. I wouldn’t want you to have smelly breath and develop gum disease.”

“Hey!” she shouted, offended by his words.

Dramatically, he coughed. He turned around to face her with his hand cupping the lower half of his face. “Oh my gosh, that was so strong!” He pointed to the bathroom, “Listen, I had Pim put toothpaste, a toothbrush, and other necessities in the bathroom. Please,” he begged sarcastically, “the other workers and islanders don’t deserve this cruel and unusual punishment.”

In frustration, she limped in the room and pushed his wet chest. “My breath does not stink! You’re just being mean.”

“Oh!” He squeezed his eyes shut and coughed in his cupped hand. “Please don’t talk so close to me. It’s really pungent from this close distance.”

“You!” She lightly hit him on his arms until he backed up towards the bedroom door. Mani unlocked the door and pushed him out. She locked the door behind him and scowled at the door. “Jerk,” she said to herself.

“Oh thank heavens,” he said in relief. She knocked on the door loudly. Yongguk smirked and laughed to himself. “Idiot girl.”

Your call has been sent to the voice mailbox of – Song Jieun. Please leave a message after the sound. [beep]

“Hey, you need to pick up the phone and stop sending me to voicemail. It didn’t even ring this time so whatever you’re doing needs to end. Call me; it’s about Mani.” Daehyun hung up the phone and impatiently paced around in his yard. Mindlessly, he scrolled through Mani’s Instagram, waiting for an update. Whether it was a new photo, new Instastory, hell, even a random like on a photo. Since her disappearance, Mani’s social media has been all he’s been checking up on. Facebook, Instagram, Kakao; all have been untouched even before she went missing. She was never active nevertheless she would have at least liked a comment or something. His suspicion for Yongguk grew by the minute. He looked like a guilty man. It didn’t help that their past together was an extremely strong motive.

“I,” a voice loudly called from the back of him, “was driving, you inconsiderate bastard.” Jieun folded her arms over her chest. “What do you need to tell me so freaking bad that you just had to spam me while with customers?”

“You were at work?”

“Yes, like regular people do. It must be nice to be rich enough to choose when and when not to work.”

“You know Mani held her businesses here, right?” Jieun nodded at his statement. “I’m saying that my home is open to your business as well.”

“Thanks for the offer.” She tiredly sat down on the lawn chair. “But no. I’m in the process of trying to find a new shop.” 

“Why don’t you work over here then? Carry your business here.”

Jieun looked at him with a raised brow. Her grin grew into a smirk then a toothy smile. She broke out into laughter and covered . “Why would I be so desperate to move in here?”

“Don’t you want to find Mani? I think it’ll be faster if we were closer in distance.”

“Absolutely not,” Jieun disapproved. “I like my distance from you. If I hang out with you too much, I’ll start to get all Criminal Minds like you right now.”

“Well, you should be able to separate work and home.” Daehyun sat next to Jieun.

“True,” she admitted. Jieun let out a frustrated sigh. “Since that psycho Bang Yongguk took our shop away, I’ve been having to bring some customers over and now that Mani–”

“He did what?” Daehyun cut her off. “Bang Yongguk was the reason you guys were kicked out?” Jieun nodded as a matter of fact, almost as if she was surprised he didn’t know. “Why didn’t Mani tell me this?”

“Wait, Mani didn’t tell you?” Jieun shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “My goodness, this girl is more secretive than she looks.”

Daehyun scoffed in disbelief. “Bang Yongguk, the person who is going to marry my sister, is much eviler than I knew he was. Never did I think he would be this insane.” He looked at Jieun, “I will provide you guys a new space. Something better, more elegant, and chic. This place will bring you guys more customers! I will repay for all the things he has inflicted on you two.”

Jieun’s eyes widened. “No,  I cannot accept that! Mani would not like that.”

“No, you will accept it. I will not let him force you both out of business.”

Knowing he wouldn’t listen to any of her protests, Jieun crossed her arms in defeat. “I don’t know how I could ever repay you.”

“You can start by telling me everything you know about Mani and that bastard.”

She lowered her voice, “Anything I tell you cannot go anywhere.” Jieun cleared . “Well, let’s see. I remember Mani telling me that she and her family worked for his family while she was growing up. They were so in love with each other. Then, I think she said, during her first year of college, her younger brother needed surgery. Yongguk’s mother provided that surgery with the condition that she would leave his life.” Jieun furrowed her eyebrows trying to recollect the memory of that conversation. “Mani said her education was paid for and so is her brother’s.” She looked at Daehyun, fear residing in her eyes. “I think she might still be financially providing for her family today so you must not tell her anything. No matter how upset you may get. I know she is your sister’s mother-in-law but you must wait until we have everything figured