“Yuri! Yoona! Stop running and come back here.” Tiffany screamed at the two chodings running around in the field. 

Their photo shoot was almost done and they were having a break by the nearby park, it was late at night with no one roaming around so it considered quite safe for them to be running like this. 

“Fany, let them have their time. They're enjoying themselves.” Taeyeon hugged Tiffany's neck from behind and handed the girl a rose. “Where did you get this, TaeTae?” Tiffany asked and took the rose with blushing cheeks, sniffing it gently. She loved receiving flowers from others, specifically Taeyeon. 

Taeyeon shrugged and flashed her dorky smile at Tiffany, ignoring the multiple slaps she was receiving on her arm for playing a fool with Tiffany. 

“Thank you, it smells wonderful.”

Tiffany tilted her head slightly and pecked Taeyeon's cheek softly. Taeyeon cleared and broke the small embrace, moving to the bench where Tiffany was sitting at. 

The shorter girl lay her head on Tiffany's lap and closed her eyes with a smile, snuggling her face into Tiffany's stomach. The redhead felt her stomach flipping countless times and she took a deep breath. 

Taeyeon sat up and took off her jacket, putting it on Tiffany's shoulders to prevent the younger girl from getting cold. Although Taeyeon was of smaller build, she liked wearing over-sized clothes and it came in handy this time. She lay back down after doing so and resumed her position.

“Yuri!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The two immediately turned to the back and ran towards the source of voice. Yoona's scream was extremely shrill and it sent shivers down their spines. 

“Yoong, are you okay? Where are you?” Yuri was rummaging through the deeper part of the forest. Yoona couldn't have been that far off anymore.

The two of them decided to play hide and seek since they were getting bored with just running around. Yoona was supposed to hide and she had ventured too deep into the forest, not realising the threats lurking around the area. 

“Yul! Hurry!”

Yuri ran forward to the swampy area and realised that there were many roots and trunks poking out of the ground, making it easier for people to trip.

“Guys, where are you? Be careful, please!” Taeyeon held Tiffany's hand as she led the way, making sure the path in front was safe before Tiffany followed behind. 

Yuri the flashlight on her IPhone and spotted Yoona in the gap down below, filled with muddy water and dirt. 

“Yoona-ah!” Yuri shouted.

“Yuri, help me. There's a snake over there.”

Yoona looked to her left to show Yuri and true enough, there was a small snake slithering towards the mud pool and it looked like it was a venomous one. Yuri gasped and quickly inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself down. She sat on the cold ground, using some of the weeds and thick trunks for leverage. Then, she slowly slid down and let her right leg dangle down. 

“Yoong, calm down. Look at me. We'll be okay and we'll get out of here safely. Grab onto my leg.” Yuri instructed and Yoona tried move from her place but she couldn't.

If she moved, she would have to let go of the vine that she had been holding onto and she would sink into the water. The doe-eyed girl looked back up at Yuri with teary eyes and shook her head frantically.

“TAENGOO! FANY-AH!” Yuri screamed one more time. 

The two scrambled over and bent down hurriedly, waiting for instructions. During times like these, Yuri and Taeyeon had to keep a level head and make sure they were calm. 

“Taengoo, I want you to hold onto Fany's legs. Fany-ah, come here and undo my belt. Undo my belt and use it to hold all the vines hanging near us together. It'll make a stronger rope.” Yuri calmly said and Tiffany gulped loudly. 

“Fany, quickly. There's a snake near Yoona, I can't afford to have anything happen to her!”

Tiffany quickly moved and lay on her stomach, letting Taeyeon hold onto her legs while the older girl crouched behind a huge trunk to prevent herself from sliding down. 

When the redhead was done, Taeyeon pulled her up and dusted her front before giving her a tight hug. She was having a panic attack and this wasn't the time right now. 

“Go and get some help, Fany.”

Pressing her lips against Tiffany's to stop the girl from babbling further, Taeyeon then looked down at Yuri and gave her cousin a thumbs up. She was ready for the next move. 

“My belt isn't made of leather so it's easier to tie and twist it. Hurry, go and assemble the vines before I go down.”

Yuri took a deep breath, slowly letting go of the trunks and weeds to lower herself. When she felt her legs touch the water, Yuri let go and landed right beside Yoona. She grabbed onto the same vine that Yoona was holding onto and waited for Taeyeon to finish tying the vines together. 

“Yoong, don't cry... I'm here now. You trust me, right?” Yoona nodded and looked back at Yuri who had the charming smile she always displayed no matter what the circumstances were. 

“Then, listen to me carefully. I want you to wrap your legs around my waist and your arms around my neck. Since we're in the water, it should be easier to move.”

Yuri guided the younger girl's legs around her waist and balled her fist where she was holding the vine, this particular mud pool was very much deeper than the others were. 

“Put your arms around my neck and let go of the vine, one arm at a time. I'll hold onto the vine with both hands. So you'll have to do this by yourself, Yoongie. You can do it, c'mon.”

Yoona let her right arm encircle Yuri's neck and Yuri's left arm immediately went up, grabbing onto the vine before both of Yoona's hands left the vine. “That wasn't so bad, right?” Yuri wished she could take away the fear that Yoona was feeling right now but she couldn't, not when there was a slight fear building in her as well. 

“TAEYEON!!” Yuri shouted once more, both girls looking at Taeyeon who was sweating bullets. The vines were very slippery and it was difficult to tie all of them together without them slipping out of her hands. “Just a minute.” Taeyeon mumbled and she felt her fingers getting number by the second. The air was chilly and she was only wearing a t-shirt made of cotton.

Yoona started to sob when she saw Yuri's body struggling to stay afloat. She didn't want to lose Yuri in such an environment or circumstance. “Yoong, listen to me. When the vines are let down, grab onto them and let Taeyeon pull you up first.” Yuri instructed and Yoona wanted to object almost immediately. 

“B-But, Y-Yuri.... No...” Yoona sobbed and buried her head into Yuri's neck, she wasn't ready to leave Yuri behind to die when she was getting saved. 

Yuri wanted to spill tears of her own when she changed her mind, she moved and Yoona moved back as well. Their faces were now facing each other and their eyes met, both getting watery. 

Yoona closed the gap without hesitation, she needed to let Yuri know her feelings now. If not in the form of words, then in the form of actions would be best.

“Yul!” Taeyeon shouted and pulled the top of the vines, letting it hang down just before Yoona's head.

Yuri broke the kiss and looked up, straining her neck. Yuri kicked upwards as hard as she could to give Yoona a boost so she could grab hold of the vines hanging down from above. Yoona looked at Yuri with tears rolling down her face.

“I love you so much...” Yuri whispered. 

“TAEYEON, PULL UP!” Yuri screamed before Yoona jumped upwards, just in time to hold onto the vines.

Taeyeon let go of the vines with restrain, making sure Yoona was making her way up slowly and safely. If she were to let go, Yoona would probably fly up together with the vines hanging from the tree. Yuri hung on until she saw that Yoona was safely on upper land before trying to make her way up the vine she was still trying to hold on to. 

Throughout all the chaos, Yuri had forgotten about the snake that were slithering towards Yoona a while ago. Unbeknownst to her, the snake was on the same rock as the vine she was holding on to. 

“Taeyeon! These people had a rope in their car and some locks as well as clips, they're professional hikers.” Tiffany came running back with 3 men following closely behind. “Please save my cousin down there.” Taeyeon was so close to breaking down, her emotions were failing her with every passing minute that Yuri was down in the mud pool.

The tallest out of the 3, Jack threw the rope around his waist and tied it securely before clipping it to the two other men standing behind him. The strongest one, Peter was right at the back to anchor. He too, had the rope around his waist. 

“It'll be good if all of you can help.” The average one, Andy said with a sheepish smile and took a step forward, allowing the 3 girls to stand in between Peter and him. “Ready. Lower down.” Jack commanded and descended downwards into the mud pool, even his heart was breaking at the sight of Yuri struggling so much to stay alive.

A faint scream was heard from Yuri before a small splash was made. Everyone panicked and Yoona screamed, she would have run forward if Tiffany and Peter hadn't held her back.

“Stay calm, I'm getting nearer to her. We'll get her out safely.” Jack commanded from below and beckoned Andy to continue lowering him until half his body was in the water.

Jack felt around for the girl's body and felt a hand just below his stomach. Grabbing it tightly, he pulled the unconscious Yuri with all his strength and lifted her into his arms. 

“Up!”

The group imm