Archive of Our Own

Tenacity.

That was all that remained and all that kept Heejin treading the same water every single day despite her limbs growing tired and her lungs beginning to burn.

Her dream of a future in music, once the only lifesaver pulling her ashore, was now anchors attached to her ankles, a weight she had to struggle against everyday.

But because of all she had pushed through, she couldn't give up now.

Not after the holiday dinners where the fireplace embers seemed to mutate from a warm glow to an angry red after wine glasses were smashed on the floor and a finger pointed to the door.

And not after she'd spent nights knocking, her guitar strapped to her back and her duffel swung over her shoulder as she ventured onto every friendly doorstep she could think of, hoping for a place to sleep. 

The grand plan was overlooking an eager crowd, her lips grazing the mic as she basked in the spotlight, her fingers moving deftly across the strings of her guitar. The plan was never toiling for endless hours each day, bussing tables and washing dishes. Nor was it finding residence in an old friend's guest room, counting coins to pay rent and finding her climb onto the fire escape just to practice in the AM the best part of her day.

Despite it all, she still pushed, dubbing herself tenacious when others had called her stupid or stubborn. Because, truth be told she wouldn't know what to do if she didn't keep going and the mere thought of it terrified her.

There was no other plan.

Falling into the couch post-shower, a towel wrapped around her neck, Heejin pulled open her laptop once again, scrolling down the endless searches, her eyes scanning for a flicker of hope. The television chattered noisily in the background, stuck on some news channel that Hyunjin insisted on keeping up with every night.  

"Any luck today?"  

Heejin turned over to meet her housemate, who was sprawled over the other couch, her arm drooped lacksidacially over her stomach.

"Anyone die today?"

That earned a nose laugh from the girl who forced herself up, heading into the kitchen.

"Nothing too interesting so far. Just a car accident."

"How many dead?" Heejin asked, hearing the fridge open and close behind her.

"A family of four. Three dead and one survivor. The roads were too slippery from the rain or something so they rammed into a tree... Boring!"

"You're fucked up!"

"You're surprised? Anyway, listen, at this rate, you might as well try Craigslist. I'm sure someone desperate for some birthday entertainment might post something." She chuckled, placing a glass onto the counter. "That wouldn't be too bad, right?"

"I mean it's a start."

"Yeah, but you can't really get anywhere without a good jumping point so does it really matter where you start?" Hyunjin sauntered back into the living room and dropped onto her couch. "Just let me know if you see anything interesting, some people on there are absolutely nuts."

Heejin hummed as she opened another tab, her fingers clattered across the keyboard before she tapped enter and watched the new page appear.  

She had just turned off the lights and was climbing into bed two weeks later when her phone rang, the vibrations making it rattle violently against the wooden table. The red digits on her alarm clock read a glaring 3:21AM and she raised a brow at the 'Unknown Caller' on the screen before picking it off the table and swiping it open.

"Hello?" She asked, leaning back against the headboard with her arm resting over her forehead but she was greeted by nothing but quiet breathing. She frowned, trying again. "Hello?" No answer.

Heejin found herself growing irritated, the tiny drop of hope she'd sipped revealed to be nothing but a prank call and she was just about to hang up when a cheery voice suddenly flooded her ears, the girl having to immediately yank her phone away from her face.

"Hi, it's Yerim! This is Heejin, right? You answered my Craigslist ad? I just got your email!"

It took Heejin a few moments to connect the dots before springing upright, sitting up straight as her eyes widened in recognition.

"Ah, hey Yerim! You needed someone to come play music for your family picnic?"

"Yeah! You said you could sing and play the guitar, right? The picnic is this Friday evening but the family is going to spend the weekend while we do tons of other activities so I would love it if you could stay here! I have a guest room waiting for you and we'll pay you very generously if you're in, so just give me the word!"

This was it. The jumping point.

It took every ounce of self control within her to keep from squealing and the wide grin that had begun to overtake her face made it difficult for her to even continue speaking.

"Y-yeah! That sounds great!"

"Yay! Perfect! I'll email you the address right now!" Yerim giggled in excitement and within seconds, Heejin's phone vibrated, announcing the arrival of the email.

"I just got it! Thank you, I'll see you this weekend!"

"No, thank you! I can't wait to meet you, Heejin!"

The moment the call ended with a click, Heejin fell back into her pillow, letting her arms fall open as if she were floating atop a pool, the smile etched so deeply onto her face it looked as if she were born and would be buried with it. 

"This is it."

Despite it being her idea, Hyunjin didn't take to it.

Her fingers drummed anxiously on her mug as she listened to Heejin spew her words as if she'd die if she stopped speaking for even a second. 

"Fine, let me see this place." She offered but her incredulity was all too present. Her eyes squinted in disbelief and the crease between her brows surfaced. The sight made Heejin's heart ache, the girl just wanting her only friend to be happy for her.

"Heejin, this is in the middle of nowhere." Hyunjin finally sighed, pushing her phone towards her and Heejin looked at the red pin surrounded by green before pushing it back.

"She did say they were staying overnight! Maybe it's like a family vacation house or something?"

"Heejin…" A sympathetic hand came reaching across the table to touch her clenching fist. The contact felt like fire, the monster of irritation only clawing in her chest, threatening to explode from her throat. 

She jerked her hand away, exhaling deeply to alleviate the tension, well aware that her anger would only bring pity and she could not bear being looked at like that.

"I'll be fine, trust me. You don't have to coddle me all the time."

Heejin stood up, the chair screeching behind her as she moved away from the table, trying her best to avoid the eyes she knew would be brimming with pity as she headed for her room.

"Hey, I just want you to be okay. I worry for you sometimes, you know?" She heard Hyunjin's voice carried softly into the hall, just mellow and soothing as always. Always so balanced and stable.

It irked her beyond belief.

"Well, don’t."

Heejin didn't stop the door from slamming behind her.

They didn't talk much for the next few days, Heejin merely dodging her as they passed by one another in the halls or retreating to her room every time her housemate would come out.

She just knew she'd have that damn look on her face, her brows furrowed and her lips quirked in a strange smile, the look of sympathy that would be plastered on her face as she tried to make things better.

Hyunjin was always the sensible one, calculating and unbiased as she navigated through life. But as thoughtful and kind as she was, she simply drove Heejin insane.

By not seeing her, Heejin let her delude herself into thinking she was making the right decision.

But it was impossible to avoid her forever and that Friday morning, Hyunjin finally cornered her as she dropped her duffel bag and her guitar case by the door.

"We should talk."

Heejin exhaled deeply in surrender before turning to meet her eyes.

"My Lyft is almost here."

"That's fine, I just wanted to make sure we were okay." Hyunjin smiled, gesturing towards the couch but Heejin stood her ground, just crossing her arms.

"Everything's fine. There’s nothing to talk about."

Though subtle, the light behind Hyunjin's eyes dimmed slightly from the rejection.

"I feel like you're upset at me."

"I'm not." She responded bluntly, hoping her answer would be enough to put an end to this excruciating conversation but Hyunjin was unrelenting.

"Then why won't you talk to me?"

"You haven't tried to talk to me."

Hyunjin's smile was long gone now.

"How could I when you've been hiding from me all week?"

The creature was back, tired of thrashing in her chest. Its long, pointed fingers began to pull itself up her ribcage once again before peeking from her throat.

"I'm going to go wait outside." Heejin muttered and she leaned down to grasp the handle of the bag only to be met by another hand.

"Let me help."

And there was that face again, the face she'd tried so hard to avoid.

"Please don't look at me like that." She couldn't stop herself from breathing out through clenched teeth.

"Like what?"

"Like that. Like I'm going to break. Stop that."

Hyunjin's brows only furrowed further, her hand reaching forward to grasp Heejin's arm in apology.

"Heejin, I'm sorry I-."

And that was it, she was too tired to keep it in any longer.

"Can you just fucking stop? Every time you try to reason with me or talk me through something you make me feel like I'm losing my mind! Just stop acting like you know what's best for me and stop acting like you understand because you don't!"

Though taken aback, Hyunjin quickly retaliated.

"Of course I don't understand! It's not my life so I'll never understand what you're dealing with! But I've been here all this time and I see what you go through and I wish I could take all the bad shit out of your life but I can't, okay? I just hate seeing you like this and feeling so helpless!"

The room fell silent bar the low humming of the refrigerator and Hyunjin's attempt to recover her breath. Heejin's bottom lip quivered as her hands clenched, her knuckles scraping against her other arm. 

"Well, you don't have to see me like this anymore because I'm leaving now and I'll pack the rest of my things when I get back, so you could finally have your peace."

Feeling her eyes begin to sting, Heejin roughly wiped at them with a sleeve, barely catching Hyunjin's mouth falling open as she desperately tried to take back her words.

"That's not what I meant." She took a hesitant step forward, grabbing her gently by the arm. "Heejin…"

Heejin's phone buzzed and she pulled it out, glancing at the screen before slipping it back into her pocket.

"My Lyft is here. I have to go." She said stiffly, throwing the strap of her bag over her shoulder and picking up her guitar case. She pulled the door open, pausing when she heard Hyunjin call out one last time, her voice wavering with an uncertainty Heejin had never heard before.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" There was beat before she spoke again. "I love you."

Heejin pursed her lips, her knuckles turning white with how tightly she gripped the handle of her case.

"I'll see you in three days."

And then she pulled the door shut.

It was a long trip and thankfully her driver wasn't too talkative, Heejin able to pop in her earphones and just watch as the buildings turned into trees and bustle of the city toned down into a pleasant quietness.

She took her phone out, shooting Yerim a quick text.

Heejin: i'm on the way now! should get there in about 2 more hours

And then she waited, staring at her screen and anticipating the three bubbles to appear on the left to relay the same information. But they never did.

Yerim was probably on her way too then.

She'd just returned her phone to her pocket when it buzzed and Heejin immediately whipped it back out, eager for the response.

Hyunjin: hey, i'm really sorry about everything and we could talk about it all when u get back but can u just let me know when u arrive? i just wanna make sure u got there okay

Her sigh of annoyance prompted the driver to glance at her from the rearview mirror as she turned her phone to Do Not Disturb, not wanting more of a damper on something she was already beginning to grow qualms for.

The driver tapped on his steering wheel, humming idly before he spoke. "The mountains are always a nice place get away." He mused and Heejin tugged an earphone out, unsure if he'd actually said anything.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean it's peaceful up here. Makes it easier to take a breath every once in a while."

The leaves on extended branches rustled as they flew by, the air feeling a little more crisp as it leaked in through the gap of the slightly rolled down window. Heejin inhaled as she basked in the sunlight that flashed as it rolled past tall trees, her focus redirecting from the overbearing weight on her chest to the cool air filling her lungs.

"Hm, I guess you're right."

Hours passed before they broke through the woods and the cabin finally came into view, Heejin staring in awe at its size and at how homely it looked sitting atop the hill.

“This is your place? Wow.” The driver remarked as he pulled up next to the entrance and Heejin chuckled as she opened the door, bringing her belongings out of the car.

“No, it’s… a friend’s.”

“Well, your friend has a beautiful home.”

“I’ll let her know you thought so. Thanks for the ride!” She shut the door, waving goodbye before tugging her jacket close as she climbed up the steps to the porch, listening to the gravel crunch as the tires of the car rolled over them and back off the hill.

And then she was alone in the silence, cold and a little creeped out as she looked out into the endless trees.

If Hyunjin was right about one thing, it definitely was that this place was in the middle of nowhere.

“But you’re always right, aren’t you?” Heejin found herself mumbling, relying on the sound of her own voice to ground herself as she shuddered with a sudden gust of wind. Seeing no doorbell surrounding the entrance of the cabin, she rapped her knuckles against the door, once, twice, and then waited. But there was no answer.

Feeling her bag begin to slip from her shoulder, she dropped it onto the porch with her guitar case before approaching the window and peeking inside. Heejin cupped her hands over her face to eliminate the glare and squinted into the cabin, noting the crackling fireplace and the plate of fruits lying on the coffee table. Someone was definitely home.

Her eyes scanned the living room, following the patterned rugs to the stairs and then to the brightly lit kitchen behind it. It was a nice place, cozy and well decorated and she had just felt a quirk tease the corner of her lips when she felt a pair of strong hands grab her by the shoulders.

Heejin’s heart nearly dropped into her stomach as she whipped around, every horrible possibility crossing her mind as she squeezed her eyes shut, yelping. But then she heard giggling and felt the hands gently slip down to her upper arm. She steadily opened her eyes, finding not a murderer but a young and bright face, the girl before her nearly crying from laughter.

“Hey, sorry I scared you.” The girl quickly apologized, bringing a hand to wipe the gleeful tear brimming from her eye. “I couldn’t help myself.” She extended a hand as she watched Heejin slowly recover. “Hi, I’m Yerim.”

“Um, it’s okay.” Heeijn chuckled awkwardly, forcing a smile as she stepped forward to accept it. “I’m Heejin.”

“Well, I’m glad you found the place okay!” Yerim said, picking up her bags from the floor despite her insistence to take care of her own stuff and Heejin watched in surrender, stepping into the house once she’d unlocked the door.

“I was a little worried I had the wrong place for a while.” Heejin admitted, as she closed the door behind her, kicking off her shoes before following Yerim up the stairs. “No one was answering the door.”

Yerim’s laugh echoed through the dark hall as she turned her head to meet Heejin.

“Can you get that for me?” She nodded to the switch and Heejin quickly obliged, flipping it up and watching the bulb flicker before a yellow glow enveloped the hall. “Yeah, sorry about that! I was chopping wood out in the back so I didn’t know you were here until I saw you.”

Heejin furrowed her brows, as she rubbed her hands together, finally feeling the warmth against her skin again. She couldn’t remember hearing anything of the sort but figured she just wasn't paying attention.

“That’s fine. I’m here now, aren’t I?” And Yerim nodded her head happily at that, unlocking the door at the end of the hall and gesturing a hand for her to enter.

“This is your room!”  She announced, dropping the bags by the door and hitting the lights. Heejin blinked curiously as she wandered into the small room, noting the classic wooden bed and the quaint nightstand beside it. A long, brown dresser faced the bed on the other side of the room and between both pieces of furniture, directly across from the door they’d come in through, was a glass sliding door leading out to a small balcony. Immediately drawn to it, Heejin stepped forward, pulled the lock up and tugged at it, only to find that it wouldn’t budge.

“Ah.” She muttered in disappointment and Yerim moved in front of her, pushing aside the curtains to reveal a wooden dowel in its tracks.

“Oh, sorry. The lock doesn’t work so I stuck that thing in there. It should open now.” She picked it up, set it on the dresser, and smiled, inviting Heejin to try again. This time, the door easily slid open and Heejin stepped outside, leaning her elbows onto the wooden railing, whilst ignoring the grime and the chipping green paint.

“Well? What do you think?”

Heejin closed her eyes, feeling the cool breeze brush against her face. “It's nice!”

“I’m glad to hear that!” Yerim exclaimed, backing out of the room. “Feel free to use the dresser or anything that’s in here, okay? I’m going to let you get settled, so just feel free to come down whenever you’re ready!”

“I will! Thank you.” Heejin said without turning around and the door closed with a soft click.

If it wasn’t for the near silence and the absence of honking and city traffic, she would’ve thought she was back home, sitting on her fire escape at 2 in the morning as she always did. The familiarity was soothing in the face of this new situation.

Heejin stepped back into the room, snapping the latches to her case open and pulling her guitar out, before sitting cross legged outside, resting its body on her lap. The phone in her pocket jabbed uncomfortably against her stomach and sighing, she forced herself up again, resting the guitar against the wall.

Feeling the weight of the device as she pulled it out, she reentered the room, her mind hindered once again by the unanswered text on her phone and the shitty note she’d left home on. Deciding she couldn’t deal with it, she just turned it off and shoved it into the empty top drawer of the dresser.

For one weekend, she didn’t want to have to think about anything.

She was here to do what she loved.

Heejin pulled the door closed this time when she stepped back outside and finally let her voice be swallowed by the trees the moment her fingers met the well worn strings, the bliss she was feeling becoming something she never wanted to die.

She unpacked a few of her things, dropping her folded clothes into the dresser and propping the little alarm clock she'd brought from home onto the nightstand by the bed and decided to take a short nap, basking in the warmth of the cabin which she found a pleasant juxtaposition to the chill outside.

By the time she'd woken, the red digits read 4:21PM and Heejin sat up, yawning as she stretched before ambling on downstairs. Yerim was peeling a potato when Heejin peeked into the kitchen, the girl singing quietly along to the small radio on the counter. Heejin cleared her throat, announcing her arrival as not to frighten her and a beam overtook Yerim's face when she saw her.

"Hey, I hope you had a good rest. I made us some tea if you want some!" Yerim said, motioning to the pot on the stove. “The cups are in the dishwasher.”

"Oh, cool thanks!" Heejin answered, shuffling over to pour herself a mug. She stood there, sipping quickly for a while as she watched Yerim continue to work. "Do you need help with anything?" Yerim hummed in thought, tapping her knife against the counter for a moment as she looked around the kitchen before snapping back to Heejin.

"Can you set the table actually? I think we're all set with the food."

"Yeah, no problem." Heejin said and she walked to the long dining table, picking up the stack of plates and placing each one in front of a chair.

"So, you really took to the room, huh?" Yerim commented, rinsing the potato in her hand before picking up another one. "Especially the balcony."

"Ah, it just reminded me of home."

"Wow! You have something like that in your home? Your family must be pretty well off!"

Heejin paused, coming back around the table to pick up the utensils.

"Oh no, just a fire escape." She chuckled softly and she paused for a moment, debating on whether or not she should address all her words. Yerim seemed understanding enough. "And uh, I don't really talk to my family anymore."

"Oh." Yerim's mouth surrounded the words and Heejin steeled herself, waiting for that look of pity everyone would give her when Yerim just laughed, swatting her hand. "Sorry, I brought it up. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want."

That was a very pleasant surprise. Heejin feeling a little giddy at this transaction.

"Yeah, that'd be pretty cool if we don't actually." Heejin found herself smiling and the other girl just jumped right on to the next topic.

"So the fire escape, huh? How romantic. Very Breakfast at Tiffany's-esque" She said, swaying playfully with the potato and the knife in her hands. Heejin couldn't help but burst into laughter at her ridiculousness.

"Oh, trust me. There is nothing romantic about that janky thing. It's right above the dumpster!"

She might just find a friend in this strange, new girl.

An hour passed, then two, and by then the food had been laid out and grill had been set up, Yerim pacing in the kitchen in anticipation as Heejin tuned her guitar in the living room.

"Hey, I'm sure they'll be here soon." Heejin called out, the passing shadows making her grow a little uneasy and Yerim stopped, grabbing her phone on the counter.

"I think I'm going to just call them. I'll be right back." She said, sliding the back door open and stepping out onto the porch and then Heejin was left alone in the house.

She shrugged, strumming on her guitar for a bit, listening to the crackle of the fireplace in front of her. She followed the bricked frame up to the mantle and the various trinkets caught her eye. Heejin turned to the glass door, seeing Yerim deep in conversation before setting her guitar down and walking up to the fireplace.

There were old family photos, one of a small girl scout with a toothy grin wrapped into the arms of an older woman and another with a whole group of them, standing in front of a lake, the man in the middle proudly holding up a large crossbow. Heejin's fingers danced along the shelf, studying each photograph before her eyes landed on a framed certificate.

"Choi Yerim. Pro-Marksman Award." She read to herself, tracing the lettering through the glass. "Wow."

And after a few more frames and old glass figurines, she reached the end of the mantle. Heejin backed up, noted the hunting rifle displayed a mount above the mantel, and was just about to return to her seat when she looked outside.

Yerim was hunched over, her head buried in her arms. Curious as to what went wrong, she left the living room and opened the door cautiously inching quietly towards the girl and sitting down beside her on the porch.

"Is everything okay?"

There was a sniffle before she answered.

"They're not coming." Having never been very good at comforting people, Heejin felt awkward as she watched her lift her head and look at her with bloodshot eyes. "It's supposed to rain pretty badly this weekend and they're scared the roads might be too slippery to drive back home on."

"Oh." Heejin lifted a hesitant hand, patting her on the back. "I'm sorry."

She didn't expect the girl to take that as an invitation to dive into her arms, clinging onto her tightly. She felt Yerim bury her face into the crook of her neck, sniffling softly.

"Don't be. I'm sorry for making you come all the way out here." Feeling her shake a little with each breath, Heejin finally just reciprocated, ignoring the fact that they'd barely met and wrapping her arms around the girl. "I'd understand if you wanted to leave. I'll still pay you like I'd promised and I wouldn't be upset about it or anything."

She sounded so pitiful and Heejin's heart ached for her, understanding all too well how disappointing family could be. After a little bit of consideration, she made a decision.

"Hey, I'm not going to take your money if I haven't even done anything and I'm not going to leave you here by yourself. Plus, if it's going to rain like crazy, I probably shouldn't even leave too." She assured her, patting her back with a greater confidence now and Yerim giggled quietly, Heejin feeling her warm breath against her neck.

"Really?" She asked, pulling away to meet Heejin's eyes.

"Yeah, you're stuck here with me."

Yerim just giggled again.

"I guess that wouldn't be too bad at all."

Heejin had just opened her mouth to respond when she felt something tickle her hand and she looked down to see an insect making its way up her arm. It was as if she had tunnel vision as she took in its spindly legs and its beady eyes, watching as the creature seemed to dig into her skin. Screaming, she jumped up, waving her limbs desperately until it flew up.

Her heart was still racing as she sat back down to see Yerim was now doubled over in laughter, the tears in her eyes becoming something completely different.

"Heejin, please don't tell me you're scared of a little firefly."

"You're telling me you're not?" She fired back, growing a little embarrassed at her little freak out and Yerim just stood up, shaking her head as she went back into the house.

Heejin watched her over her shoulder, hearing her open and shut cabinets until she finally came back outside with a glass jar in hand, her feet pattering against the wooden porch as she returned to Heejin. She uncapped the container, putting it into Heejin's hand.

"My mom used to tell me that the more you expose yourself to something, the less scary it'll seem."

"Your mom seems like a wise woman."

"She is." Yerim beamed, extending a hand and Heejin accepted it, letting the girl lead her onto the yard.

The dew drops that had settled on the evening grass licked at her bare feet, Heejin shuddered a little as she adjusted to the new feeling.

"So, what are we doing?"

"This!" Yerim announced, suddenly clapping her two cupped hands with one another in the air. She gestured for Heejin to come closer before slowly opening her own hands over the mouth of the jar. She smiled warmly, meeting Heejin's eyes as she grabbed her free hand and placed it on top of her own, Heejin feeling the softness of her skin for just a moment before she slipped it out.

"Look at it."

She watched in awe as the creature flew around, its light filling the jar as it flitted around, tapping against the insides.

"We don't have these where I live." Heejin muttered.

"See, they're not so bad, right? Look at you."

It took Heejin a moment to realize she was now the one covering the jar. Her breath hitched in her throat as she desperately shoved the container back towards Yerim, the girl unable to move quickly enough to cap it before the firefly escaped.

They watched as it joined its friends dotting the black sky with yellow. Though they disgusted her, she couldn’t deny that the image was almost dreamlike.

"Sorry." Heejin eventually breathed sheepishly. "Bugs just really freak me out."

"It's fine. We should go in now anyway." Yerim threw an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close. "You hungry?"

Whilst sitting out on the little balcony once again and looking out at the stars she'd could never dream of seeing back home, Heejin decided to deem the trip a success. No, she wasn't getting paid nor was she gaining an audience but she just felt so much lighter than she had in years. And she'd also made a friend.

Though new and a little peculiar, she'd been nothing but kind and welcoming to her and for once, Heejin didn't feel so helpless. She was doing a good thing by staying by her side, making a difference.

The thought was comforting.

It rained that night, hard, but after a long day, the steady pitter patter on the roof just lulled her right to sleep.

Heejin wasn't sure how long she'd slept when she woke to the droplets landing on her face. Not wanting to open her eyes, she just grumbled, wiping them off and turning to lie on the other side but she just felt more and more hitting her cheek.

"Don't tell me there's a fucking leak."

Finally forcing herself up, Heejin sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes when she saw dozens of fireflies swarming the air. She screamed, swatting them away as she jumped off of her bed and out of the room. Once in the hall, she shut the door quickly behind her, rubbing desperately at her arms and her face, hoping to get them all off but despite there being absolutely nothing left, her skin just kept crawling.

The door to the left of hers was thrown open, Yerim ambling out with a yawn.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, the drowsiness quickly fading from her eyes once she saw her distress.

"There's so many of them." Heejin was barely able to utter and with a raised brow, Yerim gently moved her aside before opening her door.

"Ah."

Heejin watched from the hall as Yerim retreated to her own room for a few seconds before returning with a flashlight in hand. She flipped the switch, watching the light flicker and slapping it in her palm a few times until there was a steady beam and pointed it directly at the fireflies, using the light to scare them out through the ajar door. After a few minutes of waving the light around, they were gone, the room once again pest free and Yerim slid the door shut before exiting the room to meet Heejin.

"Problem solved!" She announced, gesturing towards the empty room but Heejin didn't budge, still shocked at what had happened.

"I could've sworn I closed it when I came in." She muttered, trying hard to remember, but Yerim just patted her on the back.

"It's okay, mistakes happen. You should go get some sleep." At this, Heejin froze, the mere idea of returning to that bed being utterly nightmarish. It didn't go unnoticed by Yerim who studied her carefully with a quirked brow. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, but I don't think I could sleep in there tonight."

Yerim hummed in thought for a moment before her eyes lit up and she walked back into Heejin's room, grabbing her pillow and blanket and dropping it into her arms before disappearing into her own room and returning with her own full arms.

"Let's just have a little slumber party in the living room then!"

"Yerim, you really don't have to do that… I could sleep there on my own." Heejin said, immediately feeling guilty at imposing upon the girl's rest but Yerim insisted, starting down the stairs.

"Hey, it's not a big deal! I just want you to be okay."

Heejin found her lips stretching into a wide grin and she suddenly became way too grateful that the mountain of blanket in her arms did a decent job at concealing her face.

"Thank you for everything. I really appreciate you."

They spent the rest of the night in front of the fireplace, both curled up on separate couches as they drifted asleep to the sound of each others soft breathing.

Heejin woke to the sound of the grill sizzling and the smell of meat and she slowly pulled herself upright on the couch, sleepily watching Yerim bumble around in the kitchen. The cat clock in the kitchen read 11:42AM and the fireplace was still lit, Heejin basking in its warmth and she felt elated once again as she remembered where she was. Through the glass door, she could see the rain was starting to let up outside, the heavy pour now replaced by cloudy skies. But it wasn’t like it mattered at all, especially since Heejin had long decided she wasn’t in any rush to leave. The place was too good to be true.

Yerim slid the bacon off the skillet and onto a plate and had turned to drop the pan into the sink when she finally noticed Heejin was up.

“Hey, sorry! I hope I didn’t wake you.” She said apologetically, opting to bring the plates over to the coffee table instead of the dining table. It was a full meal, Heejin nearly speechless as she set down toast, eggs, bacon, and a pair of mugs.

“Oh no, but you should’ve!” Heejin smiled. “Thank you for all this, I wish I could’ve gotten up earlier to help.”

“It really wasn’t that big of a deal. Eat up!” Yerim picked a cup off the tray and passed it to her, Heejin immediately accepting it and taking a sip gratefully.

She didn’t need to be told twice and the two spent the next few minutes eating in silence before Yerim spoke up.

“It looks like the rain stopped.” She stated simply, gazing out into the yard and Heejin nodded.

“I was expecting more to be quite honest. Based on what your family said and all.” She sliced her toast with the side of her fork before wiping the egg yolk with it. The yellow smeared circles across the white plate and once the toast met her mouth, she looked up at Yerim, surprised to see her so serious for once.  

“It’ll probably pick back up later.” She responded, her eyes quickly widened and she set her fork down, the grin back on her face as she clapped her hands together in excitement. “I want to show you something! Are you done eating?”

Heejin blinked, trying to recover from her flicker in emotion before eyeing the remaining contents of her plate. “I guess I’m done.” She said, crumpling her napkin and dropping it onto her plate. “What is it?”

“Just dress warmly and put on some comfortable shoes! We’ll meet out here when you’re done.” And without offering any further explanation, Yerim shooed her upstairs so she could clean up, Heejin leaving in utter confusion as she listened to the dishes clatter against one another downstairs.

Heejin was hesitant as she reentered her room, poking around cautiously to make sure none of the bugs remained as she shifted through her things. And thankfully, it was clear. Yerim had done a good job removing them from the room.

Still, the place now looked strange and disorienting and unwelcoming and Heejin frowned as she approached the glass door, studying it carefully as she opened and closed it.

“Did I really forget to close it?”

Feeling dread creeping in, Heejin immediately shook those thoughts away, heading to the second drawer of her dresser to throw on a sweater and a windbreaker. She slipped on a pair of jeans, yawning as she looked herself over in the mirror before pushing the drawer shut. Her hand lingered on the wood for a moment, running up to meet the handle of the first drawer.

She’d forgotten about Hyunjin, about how the girl was probably still waiting for a text back, anxious to hear from her. She shouldn’t have let her worry that long. Heejin gripped the handle, ready to tug it towards her when she heard Yerim’s voice carried up into the room.

“Hey! Are you almost done? Let’s go!”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there!”

A few more hours wouldn’t hurt.

Heejin grabbed her shoes from the balcony, making sure to lock it carefully before heading back downstairs.

Yerim was waiting for her in the backyard, sitting on the porch steps with a canvas satchel over her shoulder and her chin cupped in her hands.

The sound of the opening glass door signaling her arrival, Yerim pushed herself up, welcoming Heejin into the yard.

“God, you took forever.” She teased, looking her up and down. “And that’s it?”

Heejin’s mouth fell open, lingering at the door. “Should I go back in to change? I didn’t really bring that many clothes.”

Yerim grabbed her by the wrist, laughing as she tugged her forward, Heejin barely closing the door on time.

“I’m kidding, that’s perfect! Let’s go.”

They hopped off the steps and into the yard and for the first time, Heejin was actually able to take in the backyard in the daytime.

She noted the multiple piles of logs in the crawl space beneath the porch and the axe that leaned against one of the bars of the railing. And that the yard was a lot bigger than she had remembered, the amount of open space here a far away dream back in the city.

Tall trees bordered the property and Heejin found herself hesitating as Yerim led them towards the woods.

“Where are going?”

Yerim met her anxiety with a pleasant smile, her hand sliding down from her wrist to intertwine with Heejin’s fingers instead. She squeezed it gently, Heejin feeling herself melt a little in the warmth.

“It’s not very far, I promise. You’ll like this.”

“Okay, I trust you.” 

The trees seemed to bend in towards them, crowding them as they navigated through the woods, the leaves still slippery and the dirt path spongy from the night's rain. Heejin moved quickly, frightened for some reason, that if she stopped for even a moment, the ground would swallow her whole.

The bright ferns shifted in the breeze and the animals chirped loudly in the distance. Unsure of what to expect, Heejin  began to grow a little panicked. She clutched tightly onto Yerim’s arm, prompting the girl to look over at her in concern.

“Hey, are you okay? You look flushed.”

She swallowed, her mouth feeling a little dry as she exhaled.

“Um, yeah. I’m fine.”  She laughed, breathlessly. Desperate for a distraction, she cleared her throat, squeezing her eyes shut and letting Yerim blindly lead her through. “So, tell me about this place.”

“I guess it’s better if you close your eyes anyway. It’ll make for a better grand reveal.” She heard Yerim chuckle, the girl having obviously noticed. She felt herself being tugged closer, feeling a little more stable and a little less lost as they continued down the path. “My family and I would come to this house every summer and we’d spend a week just hanging out and fishing and camping in the yard. It was a lot of fun.”

“Camping… you were a scout, right?” Heejin asked, suddenly remembering the pictures above her mantle.

“Oh, yeah. My parents actually got this place for that! They wanted to help me earn my badges and whatever and thought it’d be fun if we turned it into a family thing…”

“They sound very supportive.” Heejin commented, feeling her heart begin to calm a little with the casual conversation. “I saw your certificate, too. Pro-Marksman, huh? That’s pretty cool.” Yerim fell silent for a moment, probably reminiscing.  

“Right, yeah!” Heejin waited for a further elaboration only to feel them suddenly slow down before completely stopping. “Heejin?”

Her breath hitched, growing a little frightened once again.

“What is it?”

Yerim just giggled, letting go of her hand and Heejin waved around for it desperately, not knowing where she’d gone.

“Heejin, just open your eyes. We’re here.”

She took a second, steeling her nerves before forcing her eyes open and her mouth fell open in awe at the sight.

Beneath the hill they stood on, they overlooked a small, clear lake that was backdropped by a rocky waterfall. The boulders and rocks that bordered it were covered in moss, seeming to surround the gray in a vibrant green and Heejin hesitantly stepped down, looking back at Yerim to confirm her doubts.

“Is this real?”

The girl burst into laughter, readjusting the strap of her satchel.

“Of course, it’s real! What kind of question is that?” She answered, shaking her head and Heejin just blinked at the sight once more, ‘wow’-ing silently to herself. She had just taken another step down the slope when she slipped, a sudden, sharp pain shooting through her ankle.

Heejin yelped as she fell forward, her eyes fixating on the boulder before her and her arms waving desperately, hoping to grab onto something to stop herself but only managing to catch a fern which seemed to wrap around her arm, melting into her skin. Seeing as there was no way to avoid it, Heejin squeezed her eyes shut once again, bracing herself for the impact when she felt a strong hand grab her by the upper arm.

“It’s not time for that yet.” 

Her eyes flew open to the boulder a mere foot from her face and turned back around to see Yerim behind her, slowly helping her upright.

“What?” Heejin breathed, leaning against the rock, taken aback by her statement.

Yerim raised a brow, pointing down to her ankle. “I asked if your foot was okay.” Heejin blinked, confused for a few moments before just shaking it off. The roar of the waterfall was making it difficult for her to hear things.

She tried to step back onto the ground slowly only to wince in pain and Yerim immediately squatted down to look at it.

“I think you sprained it.” She said, gently rolling up her jeans. “It’s swelling up.”

Heejin wanted to cry and she could only look down helplessly as Yerim unbuckled her satchel, pulling out an elastic wrap and taking off her shoe. She unrolled it around her ankle, wrapping it tightly and watching Heejin to see if she was uncomfortable with it at all.

“You’re prepared.” Heejin could only smile emptily, hoping her wavering voice wouldn’t betray her emotions. “A true girl scout.”

“It’s always good to be prepared. You never know what might happen out here.” Yerim just laughed and finally satisfied with her work, she stood up, patting the dirt off her pants. The victory was short lived when a low rumble was heard in the sky and they both looked up, seeing the clouds had grown much darker. “I think it’s going to start raining again. We should get back.”

Heejin tried once again to step back onto her foot only to groan in frustration at the pain and Yerim picked her shoe off from the ground, knotting it around the strap of her bag. She turned around, facing her back to Heejin.

“Get on.”

“Huh?”

She kneeled a little before gesturing towards Heejin. “Just get on. I’ll carry you back. You shouldn’t be walking on that foot anyway.”

“Yerim…” Another low rumble rolled through the air.

“Come on! Once it starts raining, it gets hard to see and then we’ll really be stuck here.” Yerim urged and not wanting to waste anymore time, Heejin climbed onto her back.

She wrapped her arms around her neck as Yerim stood up straight, shifting her upwards before navigating her way back up the slope.        

"You okay up there?" Yerim asked and Heejin nodded, bouncing with every step Yerim took.

They started down the dirt path once again, everything seeming a little less intimidating now that Heejin was higher up. She was able to appreciate the sights, staring in amazement at how green the leaves were and at how the grooves between the bark just kept running and running up its trunk.

A cool drop of water hit her nose and she tilted her head back to look at the sky, at how the canopies of the trees intertwined with one another above them almost like a roof. And then she saw more droplets sprinkling across the sky, smiling as they continued to splash against her face.

It felt incredible.

Finally noticing, Yerim readjusted her grip on Heejin's legs.

"Hey! We're going to have to move quick, so hold on tight!" Not needing to be told again, Heejin hugged her tightly, humming as Yerim began to race against the rain.

They were drenched by the time they arrived home, Yerim immediately heading towards the fireplace to toss in wood from the basket nearby. Heejin sat shivering the kitchen, not watching water to drip all over the floor.

Once the fire was started, Yerim looked at her and then her foot before turning to head upstairs.

"I'll bring your stuff down for you. I don't think you should be coming up and down the stairs like that."

Heejin nodded, watching her start up the steps.

"Your clothes are in the dresser, right?" She called from the room.

“Second drawer!” Heejin confirmed, before listening to her footsteps as she came back down the stairs. She dropped her things in the living room and then went back into the kitchen to hand Heejin a towel and a hiking stick.

"What's this?" She asked, taking the stick and Yerim smiled, leading her into the hall.

"You probably don't want me to follow you into the restroom to change so this might help you get around!"

Heejin accepted it gratefully, following Yerim’s finger and reaching for a doorknob when Yerim suddenly exclaimed “Ah! Not that door, that’s my dad’s office. It’s the next one!” And gestured for her to move further on.

Heejin immediately stepped back, muttering a sheepish apology before disappearing into the next door and shutting it.

They spent the evening bundled up in the living room once again; both girls now warm and dry as they munched on the leftovers from the night before. Heejin’s foot rested on a pillow beneath the table, her wrap changed and now accompanied with a bag of ice.

“How’s it feeling?” Yerim asked, refilling Heejin’s cup with tea and watching as she beamed with her mouth closed and raised a thumbs up. “I assume that’s a good thing!” She laughed and Heejin finished chewing her food and swallowing before she finally answered.

“I think it’s getting better!”

“You should still probably stay off it for a few weeks though so it could heal right.” Yerim reminded her and Heejin nodded in understanding, setting down her chopsticks to take a sip from her mug.

“I’m lucky you know a lot about this stuff. You learned it from scouts, right?”

Yerim paused, turning to Heejin with a strange look on her face.

“You keep asking me about scouts. Why are you so interested?” 

Heejin chuckled, setting down her drink.

“It’s just interesting to me. Almost culty, I think.” She admitted, leaning her chin onto her cupped hands.

This prompted Yerim to crack up, Heejin noting her twinkling eyes and feeling herself grow a little warm.

“How is it culty?”

“It’s just the uniforms and the rules and the codes! It’s ridiculous!” Heejin declared, moving her arms as she spoke and Yerim even laughed harder, watching her speak.

“Heejin! That’s just like school then!”

Heejin paused for a second, pondering over this before continuing on.

“Then schools are cults!” Feeling her heart begin to race, she slowed down, suddenly needing to lie down so she lowered herself, sprawling onto the rug.

“Heejin?” She heard echoed above her and she swallowed, feeling her mouth grow incredibly dry before patting the table blindly in search of her drink. Heejin lifted her head slightly, taking a few sips, the cup growing heavier and heavier in her hand before she set it aside and let her head hit the floor again. 

It was nice, almost as if she were melting into the ground. She felt pleasant, giggling as Yerim’s concerned face appeared above hers before she pulled her down, the girl yelping in surprise as she fell down next to Heejin. They laid in silence for a moment, Yerim eventually bringing her arms to cross over her chest as they stared up at the exposed, wooden ceiling.

“Yerim?”

“Yeah?”

Heejin struggled as she shifted herself to her side, propping her head up with her elbow as she studied Yerim’s face.

“Do you not like it when we talk about scouts?”

She didn’t miss the way her breath hitched, the room seeming to fall still the instant she stopped moving. Heejin traced her profile, following the plateau of her pursed lips to the peak of her nose to the eyes that blinked slowly before meeting her own. It all felt fuzzy, really, like she was watching her through a cloud.

“There was an accident back in scouts. Someone got hurt so they stopped letting me go.”

“Whoa.”

Yerim exhaled, turning her head so she was facing Heejin steadily.

“What is it?”

“I just realized something.” Heejin lifted a hand, placing it gently against her cheek. Yerim froze under her touch, staring wide eyed as she waited for her to speak. “You’re like really pretty.”

“Ah!” Yerim slapped her hand away as Heejin burst into giggles and fell back onto her back. “You’re ridiculous!” But Yerim couldn’t hide the grin that had stretched across her face. “I’m going to clean up so you just stay put.” She stood up, picking the plates from the table, Heejin closing her eyes at the spoons and chopsticks clinking against the ceramic.

The next time she opened her eyes, Yerim was kneeled over her, Heejin doing a double take until she realized the girl was just pulling a blanket over her.  

“Sorry, I didn’t want to move you while you were sleeping. Did you want to get onto the couch?” She asked quietly and Heejin blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings before sitting up. It was pouring outside again, the cat clock in the kitchen now reading 9:23PM. The flames in the fireplace popped beside her and she turned to see that Yerim had set her own things onto the floor, ready to sleep beside her. Feeling so comfortable and taken care of, Heejin couldn’t stop herself from shaking and burying her face into her hands. 

“Wha- Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Heejin sniffled. “I’m really happy. I don’t know why I’m crying.”

Yerim pulled her into her arms, rubbing her back soothingly.

“Is it because you’re leaving after tomorrow?” She nodded into her sweater.

“I really like it here, Yerim. I don’t want to leave.”

“Then don’t. I like having you here.”

Heejin shook her head, pulling away. Too embarrassed to look at Yerim’s face, she fidgeted with her sleeves.

“I wish I could but I need to get back home and back to real life and back to finding a job and figuring my shit out. I can’t mess around anymore.”

Yerim put her hands over hers, enveloping them in her own.

“Hey, slow down. Look at me.” Heejin forced her head up to meet her warm eyes. “These things take time. It’s okay, you don’t have to rush yourself.” Yerim lifted a hand, brushing a tear away with her thumb. “If nothing is waiting for you back home, you should take this time to enjoy yourself until you can’t anymore.”

She sniffled, smiling weakly. “I really should get ready to go home, though. I’ll probably schedule a Lyft tomorrow.”

Yerim hummed in understanding, watching as her breathing began to settle.

“Or I could drive you back if you want. I have my car parked in the garage.”

Heejin immediately waved away the offer. “No, you really don’t have to do that. I’ve imposed enough by staying here for free and eating all your food.”

“You’re a guest, not a customer! Why would you say that, huh? Also, I should be the one paying you for coming all the way out here!” She violently assured her with wide eyes, removing her hand from Heejin’s face to slap at her arm. Finding her assertion comforting, Heejin felt a little stable again, even going as far as to giggling a bit.

“I think it’s kind of funny how things turned out.” She admitted, pulling her hand into her sleeve to finally wipe the wetness from her eyes. “I never would’ve expected to find a friend here.”

Yerim wasn’t there when she woke early the next day, Heejin finding herself pouting at the empty spot beside her. She laid there for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of her blanket, before finally forcing herself up, figuring she might as well start packing in case Yerim had something planned for the day.

She pushed herself up with one hand on the couch, limping forward until she reached the hiking stick Yerim had leaned against the wall. Heejin wrapped her fingers around the handle, using it to help herself hobble around and shove her things back into her duffle bag and when all was zipped and done, she sighed, trying to remember what she had to do next.

Heejin wandered into the kitchen, seeing the cat clock displaying a 6:12AM. There was no note, nothing, and she pondered for a second about where Yerim could’ve gone when she opened to the fridge to find there was nothing inside but a few water bottles and a jug of that tea she’d been drinking everyday. She must’ve gone to get breakfast.  

Heejin eyed the jug for a moment before just opting to grab a water bottle, uncapping it and taking a long sip. Feeling refreshed, she shut the door before suddenly remembering what she’d forgotten.

Her phone. 

Heejin shuffled to the foot of the stairs, staring up into the dark hall and inhaling deeply as she stepped forward. It was a daunting task but determined and tenacious as she always was, she went for it, each step a journey of its own as she leaned from her hiking stick to the railing.

She was out of breath by the time she reached the top, stopping by the light switch to recover before she finally entered her room. Feeling accomplished, Heejin smiled once she’d made her way to the dresser and tugged the drawer open.

And there it was. Her phone. 

She took it into her right hand, swiping it open and turning it off of Do Not Disturb when she saw the little 1 icon on her message app.

“Shit. Hyunjin.”

Heejin exhaled, rereading the last message she’d sent her before tapping the call icon. Pressing her phone against her ear, she waited for it to ring only to be met by two tones.

“What?”

Call Failed

She frowned at the error message, accepting it before trying again.

Call Failed

And again.

Call Failed

And again.

Call Failed

"What the fuck is going on here?" She muttered to herself, tapping at the screen desperately again only to be met by the same error on her screen over and over and over again. And then she looked at the top of her notification bar, reading the little words where the bars should've been.

No Signal

Heejin felt herself begin to spiral as she stared down at her phone, suddenly remembering her first night there.

Something wasn't right.

Her head whipped up at the sound of the door creaking open and she looked to see Yerim standing there, her expression unreadable for a moment as it was caught in the shadows of the door frame.

"Yerim." Heejin barely breathed out, watching as the girl stepped curiously into the room. "There's no signal." She held up her phone, pointing to the symbol as if the evidence would further nail her point across. "There's no signal up here, Yerim. How the hell did you call your family?"

Yerim moved closer, her confusion growing even more evident across her face.

"What are you talking about? I never called my family. I texted you saying the trip was canceled and I think you missed it or something so you ended up coming anyway."

Heejin froze, remembering the text she'd sent Yerim and the lack of response she'd gotten before she just put her phone on Do Not Disturb.

It was possible.  

But then she shook those thoughts away, remembering their night on the porch, the way Yerim had cried into her shoulder and the way the lightening bugs littered the sky. For once, she was certain.

"No, I'm not crazy. I know what I saw!" Her eyes flitted to the dowel on the dresser and then to the balcony door, mumbling to herself as she came to another realization. “Hold on… You said the lock didn’t work.”

“Excuse me?”

Heejin stepped forward, grabbing the lock between her fingers and flipping it up and down, pulling the door open with no problem either way. “I knew I closed the door...” She looked up, frowning at Yerim. “Wait, it was you. You broke into my room. You made me think I was crazy!”

Yerim only looked even more skeptical, the girl coming closer as she studied Heejin carefully.

"Hey, you look really flushed right now. Are you okay?" Yerim tugged the hiking stick from her fingers and placed the back of her own hand against Heejin's forehead. "Let’s go back downstairs. We’ll have some tea and-"

Heejin slapped her hand away, backing up.

"No! No more fucking tea!" She insisted, her voice coming out hoarsely. "You need to tell me what's going on. Now!" 

Yerim looked stunned from the outburst, her mouth open in shock for a moment before she pursed her lips, sighing in disappointment.

"Heejin, we were having so much fun."

"What-"

The last thing Heejin felt was her skull searing in pain as the stick whacked across the side of her head. 

She watched the room tilt as she hit the floor, her ears ringing and her vision fading as Yerim knelt before her. A sympathetic look had taken over her face, Heejin only able to make out a mouthed 'sorry' before everything went black.

Her head was throbbing when her eyes flew open to the unfamiliar room and Heejin found herself bound to a locked wheelchair before noticing the proper brace that was now wrapped around her ankle and the restraints that were done tightly around her wrists.

Yerim was nowhere in sight.

Heejin let herself exhale shakily before studying her surroundings. Bookshelves of old VHS tapes lined the walls, each labeled with a person's name and she shuddered to think of what that might have meant until she saw the large monitor on the desk.

The screen was split into nine different boxes and Heejin squinted at them, trying to figure out what they were when she felt the dread sink into her stomach. They were camera streams.

There was her room, a full view that spanned from the bed to the dresser, and right below it, the living room, where her packed bag just sat on the couch, almost as if it were mocking her. Seeing movement in the kitchen, Heejin found Yerim, following her through the room and down the hall until she realized the girl was heading right for her.

She tried her best to relax in the chair, feigning a confidence she couldn't find anywhere in herself and preparing to attack right as the girl entered the room.

She'd just opened her mouth when Yerim spoke.

"Are you hungry? You slept through breakfast but I have lunch ready."

Heejin was baffled. Yerim sounded as nonchalant as always and it was almost as if she hadn't knocked her out and tied her up mere hours before.

"I'm fine."

Yerim pursed her lips, lingering in the doorway. "I really think you should eat! It's important that you get all your meals of the day because it keeps your energy up."

Ignoring her words, Heejin just stared her right into the eyes before speaking. "Why have you been watching me?"

Yerim's attention flitted to the monitor before she laughed, reaching over to shut it off.

"Oh, you saw? That's kind of embarrassing." She fell into her computer chair, spinning on it until she faced Heejin.

"Yerim, what the hell is going on?" Heejin couldn't hide the waver in her voice any longer as she felt the fear growing inside her stomach. "What is all this?"

"Welcome to my dad's office!" She announced, opening her arms to point out the expanse of the room before leaning back into her seat as her legs swung playfully. "God rest his soul."

Heejin's eyes widened.

"You killed him?" She asked in disbelief only for the other girl to burst out laughing.

"Heejin, that's my dad! Why would I do that?" Yerim shook her head, wiping the laughter from her eyes. "They just got into a car accident a few weeks back, swerved a little too much on the narrow road and drove us straight into a tree. So, my dad, mom, brother, gone!" Her expression turned somber for a moment before returning to her regular, cheerful self. "I'm serious when I say these streets get dangerous after it rains. You really need to be careful!" 

The news only shocked Heejin even more.

"How are you so okay with all this?"

Yerim pulled herself upright, propping her elbows on her knees as she leaned towards her.

"People die all the time, Heejin. The living have to move on!" She gave a big grin, Heejin finally realizing how manic she looked with her wide eyes.

"You're insane."

"It's the truth! It makes doing what I do so much more fun and easy without the stupid guilt and all the useless feelings after."

Heejin exhaled unsteadily, feeling her anxiety begin to suffocate her.

"What do you mean 'what I do'?"

As if it were even possible, Yerim's grin grew even wider and she stood up, unlocking the wheelchair with a click on both sides.

"Oh, just wait until I tell you about the Summer Picnic."

At the very least, Yerim hadn't lied about the family picnic, the girl wheeling Heejin into the living room to look through old family pictures. It was a weekly event through the month of August each year, the family taking turns bringing a guest home to befriend and care for until the end of the weekend. They would play games and hike and tell stories until the sun would begin to peek from the sky once more and Yerim focused on this, seeming to grow a little nostalgic.

"The point is, you have to get them to trust you or else they'll leave. It doesn't matter what you have to do. And the longer it takes and the harder you work for it, the more rewarding it'll all be in the end. I'm sure you could agree with me there!"

Heejin didn't say anything to that, barely starting to connect the pieces.

"So you made me think I was crazy so I'd come running to you."

Yerim smiled. 

"You're smart! I've learned that much." She flipped the album to the next page, flattening the book out before pointing to the familiar pitcher on the picnic spread. "But the tea helped a lot."  

"Wait, you drugged me?" Heejin breathed and Yerim nodded in affirmation before just moving on.

"Now, if we were on schedule, today we would've probably hung out around the house and had a few more heart to hearts but since you decided to throw us off course, we have to speed things up a little bit."

Yerim turned to the next page, Heejin recognizing the picture as the same as the one displayed on the mantle. She fixated on the man with the crossbow, before lowering her eyes to take in what the framed one had cropped off. Heejin's breath hitched when she finally realized what was going on. 

There beneath his feet lie a body.

Yerim met her eyes before slamming the album shut.

"On the morning of the fourth day, we hunt."  

Despite the stew and grilled meat displayed appetizingly in front of her and her hands freed, Heejin refused to even pick up a utensil, just staring Yerim down from across the table as the girl pouted.

"Heejin, please eat something. You need to be strong when we start."

"I'm not hungry." But a grumble from her stomach betrayed her, Yerim quirking a brow at the sound.

"Eat." She demanded again, pushing her bowl towards her and Heejin just smacked it off the table this time, flinching at the ceramic shattering against the floor.

"No."

Yerim stood up, the chair screeching behind her as she rounded the table and suddenly Heejin grew frightened, not knowing what the girl was thinking until she just squatted onto the floor, cleaning up the shards.

"You made a mess!" She grumbled, placing the large pieces cautiously into her free palm. Heejin took this opportunity to eye her closest exit: the glass door.

The rain was just starting to ease into a drizzle and she thought hard, trying to figure out a decent plan when Yerim's voice cut through her thoughts.

"So, the woods are a little trickier to navigate through but there are more places to hide. Not that that matters at all because I've been through those woods hundreds of times so I will find you eventually." She walked over to the trashcan to dump the pieces, Heejin watching her carefully as she slipped her fork under the table. "On the other hand, if you take the road down the hill, you'll get much further but you'll be right out in the open, so I'll see you from a mile away."

"So, there's no escape."

Yerim laughed, pulling on her dish gloves to pick up the remaining pieces.

"Heejin, you're here to be hunted! It's just a matter of how long you last."

She clenched the handle on her lap, waiting for Yerim to squat back down.

"I'll figure something out." And once her back faced her again, she struck.

Heejin lunged forward, jabbing the fork into her upper arm and Yerim yelped in pain as she stumbled away. Barely able to keep her balance and forgetting the inconvenience that was her sprained ankle, Heejin hobbled towards the door, knocking the dining chairs down behind her and hoping they would at least slow Yerim down. But the girl seemed to be no rush to come after her and Heejin turned around as she slid the door open, catching her wince before she yanked the fork out from her skin and let it clatter onto the floor.

"Now we're talking!"

Heejin burst out the back door, limping onto the porch and whipping her head desperately to scan her surroundings. The skies were cloudy from the dying rain and it was growing dark, the woods looking far from being an option.

But she couldn't just stand there.

She grabbed the rail, swinging herself off the steps only to land hard on her injured foot, the sharp pain making her grimace as she fell onto all fours.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" She muttered, pushing herself off the wet grass and she looked out into the trees, the distance just seeming so monumental now. She steadily pressed a little weight onto her foot to test it out and was quickly met with a searing pain that shot up her calf so she abandoned all hope of that, growling in frustration. "Fuck!"

Yerim was nowhere to be seen now and Heejin found that even more terrifying, feeling on edge as she looked back into the empty kitchen. The girl could be anywhere and Heejin still couldn't figure out what she was going to do. And then her eyes flitted down to the logs beneath the porch.

The crawlspace. 

If she couldn't run, then she'd have to hide.

A new determination was set aflame within her as she dragged herself forward desperately, feeling the dirt and grass scratch at her elbows. The rain was starting to come down a little heavier again, the droplets pounding against her throbbing head and splattering across her back, drenching her clothes. And then after what felt like an eternity, she made it, breathing heavily as she pushed the logs in front of herself, hoping they'd suffice in covering her.

Heejin lied shaking as she tried to steady her breathing, focusing hard to hear Yerim.

But there were no footsteps across the wooden porch, no giggle from the house, nothing.

All had fallen still as if it were bedtime once again with the cat clock reading 12:32AM and Yerim sprawled lazily across the living room floor as the flames crackled quietly in the background. She'd probably be pouring her heart out to her as Yerim poured her another mug of tea.

If she could just manage to get herself out of this-

The sound of a yell pierced the silent air, Heejin's breath immediately hitching when she heard the sing songy voice that soon followed it.

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Yerim strode slowly across the porch, her boots landing with a loud thud and Heejin flinching with every step.

"Heejin!"

Then something blunt thumped against the ground beside her and Heejin grew more and more anxious as it was dragged, hopping up every time it ran over a crevice in the wood planks. But hearing Yerim call out to the woods, Heejin was certain she'd be fine and completely overlooked. There was no way she'd check beneath the porch.

It was right before she reached the steps that Heejin felt her stomach begin to toss and she cursed silently to herself at her helplessness.

She really should've eaten when she was told. 

At a loud grumble, Yerim abruptly stopped in her steps and Heejin pressed her hands over her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut tightly, just praying she'd ignore it.

There was a beat of silence and then another, the rain doing little to drown the deafening thud of her heart.

And then there was a crash of splintering wood, Heejin yelping at the axe that had appeared mere centimeters from her face.

"Found you!"

The blade was jerked back out of the porch as Heejin began to crawl backwards urgently, wriggling in the mud. And the boots above her quickly thumped down the remaining steps before splashing into the grass.

Breathing heavily, she turned around, moving as fast as she could when she heard a giggle behind her.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

A pair of strong hands wrapped around her ankles, tugging her forward aggressively and Heejin kicked and screamed, her hands thrashing desperately around for something to grab onto only to find she was completely on her own.

She was pulled out into the open, feeling the rain once more as Yerim sighed in disappointment before letting her go and watching her flip onto her back.

Heejin stared up fearfully at Yerim, watching the way she swung her axe around so precariously.

"Heejin, you made this way too easy!" Upon seeing Heejin prop herself up on her elbows, Yerim just pressed a boot against her chest, knocking her back down. "It's not fun when it's easy, I've told you this." There was a flash of light soon followed by a rumble as Yerim adjusted her grip around the handle, closing one eye as she dangled the axe up and down above Heejin's head playfully. "I expected much more from you to be quite honest."

And then she swung it down with all her might.

Heejin gasped as she leaned her body to the right, well knowing she'd barely made it on time as she felt the breeze brush against her face. And Yerim was clearly stunned, a surprised smile coming across her face.

But before she could pull the axe back up to strike again, Heejin grabbed her by the wrists, refusing to let go. Yerim wrenched and pulled against her, struggling to regain control over her arm only feel Heejin’s nails pierce her skin as she clenched her fingers around her even tighter.

Heejin clung to her with every ounce of strength she had, letting herself rise and fall against the ground every time Yerim tried to jerk away until she finally just let go, Yerim stumbling backwards with the sudden loss of resistance and slipping on the wet grass, landing on her back. Seeing the axe slip away once her hands fell open, Heejin pulled herself up and pushed off on her good foot, diving towards Yerim.

She flailed at her face with her fists, straddling her as she threw punches across her head and at her mouth, feeling a small sense of victory at the satisfying thwacks.

Until Yerim started to laugh.

Heejin felt the creature suddenly present in her chest once again as the fury and contempt began to bubble within her. 

“Why are you laughing?” Heejin demanded, grabbing her roughly by the chin. Yerim wiped at her bloodied mouth with a sleeve before just laughing even harder, revealing her teeth that stained red. “Why the fuck are you laughing?”

“Now, we’re starting to have some fun!” Her voice rang loud with the enthusiasm of a five year old child at their birthday party and finally Heejin exploded.

“You’re fucking crazy!” She threw Yerim’s head back at the ground, slamming her fist into her face over and over and over again in a blind rage before just pushing off of her, watching the girl cough weakly as she laid on the grass.

Heejin breathed heavily as she backed away, her chest tight and suffocated. She wiped the rain off her face with a shaky hand, starting to feel the bruises forming on her knuckles before she turned around, swooping the axe off the ground and using it to help her limp back towards the cabin.

Everything felt so strange now.

Wrong.

The once quaint kitchen looked like a war zone with chairs scattered haphazardly across the floor and drops of red left dripping from a tainted fork.

Heejin navigated her way through the mess, stepping into the living room and taking in the room one last time, feeling utterly foreign in a place she’d spent the past few days in. The once warm glow from the fireplace now felt angry and threatening. The family pictures on the mantle that she’d found sweet and nice now feeling absolutely disgusting with the knowledge she had gained. And the rifle on the wall-

Heejin’s eyes widened at the empty mount. 

The gun was gone.

She prayed desperately as she whipped her head to the glass door, hoping for the first time that night to see Yerim, only to be met by a clear yard.

“Shit.”

Panic encompassing her once again, Heejin stumbled forward, using everything from the stair railing to the wall to propel her forward.

She needed to get out of that place.

But she just couldn’t run anywhere with that ankle. 

Heejin exhaled shakily, forcing herself to look forward as she passed the front door. The next room was the office, then the bathroom, and finally she arrived to the door at the end of the hall, noticing the little key rack that hung right beside the door frame.

Bingo.

She snatched the car keys and the garage opener and entered the garage cautiously, shuffling towards the car as her eyes adjusted to the black room. Thankfully, the door was unlocked and she quickly slipped inside before pulling it shut and locking it.

She was almost there.

Heejin fumbled with the key in her hand for a moment, struggling in the dark before finally inserting it into the ignition. And now came the part she’d worried about. The noise. 

Deciding to get it all over with, she inhaled deeply, steeling her nerves before hitting the garage open button and immediately turning the key after. The door creaked and groaned as it opened and the engine whirred to a start, Heejin grimacing at the sound the whole time and as soon as the gap was big enough for her to go, she yanked on the gear shift and slammed onto the gas pedal, screeching out of the driveway.

Heejin sped down the hill, the rain beating against her window until she turned the windshield wipers on as she rounded the corner. She didn’t even look back, just knowing that once she was surrounded by nothing but trees again, the nightmare would be left far behind her.

She was finally going home.  

Heejin cheered as she poked a button, turning the radio on and an oldies channel sounded through the speakers, the girl nodding along to the familiar words as she tapped on the steering wheel. Eventually, the roads started to slope down a bit, signaling the start of her descent from the mountain and Heejin squinted as she leaned forward, struggling to see through the rain it grew harder.

“Maybe you should turn the wiper settings on higher.”

The voice made her blood run cold and sure enough, there Yerim was, sitting in the backseat with a rifle across her lap. Her face was swollen and bloodied but somehow the girl looked content where she was.  

"If you've been here all this time, why didn't you just kill me already?"

Yerim just gave her trademark grin, gesturing to the front of the car.

"Well, obviously you're driving and I'd rather not get into another accident." She said casually. "And I needed to pick up some supplies so I figured I might as well hitch a ride while I can."

Heejin understood the implication, hearing the other girl's nails drum against the gun on her lap.

"Where's this store?"

Yerim hummed for a moment, looking out the window. "Just a few more miles from here! We should be there soon and then this will all be over."

Heejin couldn't let it be over, not after she'd fought this hard. Despite all, she still clung proudly to her tenacity.

Heejin took a deep breath, pulling her seatbelt on over her chest.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Yerim stared wide eyed in disbelief. "That's it?"

Heejin just pressed the pedal harder, meeting her eyes in the rearview mirror.

"I'm tired of losing, Yerim."

"So, what? You give up?"

Heejin couldn't help but to chuckle a little at this, certain that the fear and the adrenaline had something to do with this laughter that had suddenly bubbled out of her.

There was no other plan.

"No." The pedal was flat against the floor of the car now. "I win."

Yerim wasn't even allowed a second to think about her words before Heejin wretched the steering wheel to the left, Yerim being thrown to the other side of the car as it skidded down the slick streets and spun off the road.

Heejin braced herself, her head running with a thousand thoughts as they throttled towards a tree and seeing it speed towards her, she decided to just squeeze her eyes shut, preparing for impact.  

It was incredibly bright and deafening and jarring then absolutely silent except for the pouring rain and the music that drifted from wrecked car, the station continuing on and on and on as smoke billowed from the vehicle. And a few moments passed like this before a door creaked open.