Chapter Text
OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY
Loud footsteps, heavy breathing, wounded shoulders, panicked minds – all of these was what the three anonymous girls are feeling right now. They’ve been running in circles, trying to escape the forest that was surrounding them.
“SPREAD OUT AND FIND THEM!”
The sound of the bushes hustling, the continuous heavy footsteps they keep hearing, flashlights switched on, preparing for the coming of the night, it didn’t help the escapees’ situation. They basically have nothing with them. Only ragged dirty clothes, chains in their hands and feet, It was slowing them down.
They needed to get away from whoever is chasing them or else they will be sent back to that place, or worse, be killed.
“U-unnie..!” the dark raven-haired girl exclaimed, running away from those people who were chasing them. She was getting tired. The shackles were to heavy and anytime sooner, it would break her. On her other hand was another girl, but blonde, who was also looking exhausted and ragged.
“Cha-”
“Don’t falter kid! We will escape this hell together!” The older one said, strengthening her grip at the girl. “don’t let go of your twin!” She says, enough for the two girls to hear her. The only response they could give was a nod.
As they kept on running in the woods, the unexpected happens as one of the chasers appears out of nowhere, kicking the older girl out of the way, leaving the twins wide open.
“You’ve got a lot of nerves escaping huh?!” The man yells, a grin on his face showing widely. He extends his leg, giving another kick to the older girl. “Well turns out you can’t!”
“U-Unnie!” Cried the blonde twin. “Let her go!” and threw a big rock that landed at their chaser’s head.
“You little fuck—ARGH!” the man lets out an angry groan as he falls to the ground. A stick was dangling at his back, blood starts to flow from the wound.
“Don’t you fucking touch them!”
They heard loud shouts in the distance. It seems like their location has been discovered. The older grabs both the twin’s hands and makes a break for it towards what’s seems to be the deepest part of the forest. It screams danger. But they don’t care. Those men were way more dangerous. They got no time to waste anymore.
They kept running.
Never looked back.
Even if everything hurts, they didn’t stop.
And just as they were about to lose their will, just in their sight, a hole, big enough for a famished dog to pass through. Quickly enough, they rushed to the hole, letting the blonde twin first. The moment blondie got to the other side, all she saw was the asphalt road leading towards the thousand shining lights – the city.
“I could see the city!” Blondie exclaimed. “Hurry up!”
Before the black-haired girl could fully make her way outside the wall, she stops midway, looking back at Jungeun who seems to be having trouble breathing. It seems like the adrenaline rush she felt was finally wearing out and the pain is starting to kick in.
“Unnie.”
“Go..”
“But how about you..??”
“What’s going on back there?? Unnie?? Gowon??” Shouted the baffled blonde at the other side. “We need to hurry!!”
Gowon – her other twin – and Jungeun didn’t move. Then, tears start falling from Gowon’s eyes. “You’re not coming are you..?” But all the twin got was a smile. The one that pierces thru your heart. It hurts.
“I’ll buy you some time.”
“But-”
“We don’t have time! Just... just go.!”
“No!! You’re coming with us!” she couldn’t hold the tears any longer. Even Jungeun was hurting just by seeing the girl cry her heart out. “You said that we would escape this place together!! You promi-!”
She hugs the girl tightly, cherishing every moment because she doesn’t know when they will meet again, nor will they ever meet again. It was a known fact that she didn’t want to believe but must do so. Jungeun can’t afford to let the twin get caught. And for that to happen, she must stay.
She holds on to the girl’s shoulder, gripping both to make her face Jungeun. “Don’t worry. I’ll catch up with you, okay? Be a good girl and listen always to your sister. Don’t fight, don’t leave each other.” It was a lie. Nevertheless, Gowon nods forcefully, wiping down the remains of her tears that was smearing her face. “Good girl. Now go.”
Finally, Gowon crawls towards the other side of the hole, meeting up with her twin sister. The moment she got up, she grabs her twin’s hands and made a run for it.
“W-wait! Gowon! What about unnie??” She didn’t answer her sister and just kept running. blondie looks back to see if their unnie is following them, yet there was no single soul following them. “We should go back! Jungeun-unnie isn’t following us!!” for the second time, Gowon didn’t answer.
“I SAID WAIT!!” shouted the blondie as she pulls her hand away from Gowon, both stopping in their tracks. “What are you doing..? Why is unnie not following us..?” the girl just kept mum. It was irritating the blonde. She grabs her twin’s shoulder, forcing Gowon to face her. “Why won’t you ans–”
Right in front of her was Gowon who was letting herself drown in her own tears, sobbing hard, trying not to let out a sound. At that moment, she understood. She understood what those cries of hers meant. She understood that Chaewon and Jungeun made a choice. How heavy the decision may be, it was all for the best.
‘don’t break down right now, Chaewon.’
She grabs a hold of her twin’s wrist and started running towards the city. Chaewon wanted to go back and get her unnie out too. She wanted to shout and cry too like her sister. She wants to bawl her eyes out and let the tears flow down her cheeks. She just wants to let everything out.
But she can’t.
Atleast for now, don’t break.
Be strong.
They don’t care if they’re running barefooted, they don’t care if the weariness is starting to rub on them, they don’t care if they starve tonight; they want out of that damned place.
Her legs were starting to hurt from all the running and escaping they’ve done earlier. Her eyes threatening to close any time sooner. She did expect this to happen, but she didn’t expect it to happen now. The distance between the twins and the city was not closing and they don’t want to spend the night at the silent roads.
‘Just a little more…’ Chaewon thought to herself. She looks back at her twin to check on her. She wasn’t crying anymore. She wasn’t looking ahead but down the road. She guessed that she already let it all out. That’s good for her. “Hang in there, Gowon. We’re almost the-”
Gowon suddenly felt her sister’s hands slowly slipping away, followed by a ‘thud’ sound. She looks to her front only to see her sister lying on the floor. “U-unnie..!” She rushes to her side and checks on her. She was breathing heavy, her face evidently shouting in pain. She tries placing her palm at Chaewon’s forehead and what she feared the most happened at the most unexpected place at the most unprecedented time. Having no other choices left to choose, she was forced to carry her sister, giving her a piggyback ride.
“G-Gowon…”
“J-Just stay put…” Gowon, with a stern shaky voice, was able to carry her sister on her back. “L-let me d-do my part..!” And started running again.
The breezy wind wasn’t helping at all. As it hits Gowon’s body, it felt like she was drenched in ice water and it was making her legs numb. She almost lost her strength from her arms and that would have resulted into letting her twin sister fall on the floor.
The heavy inhalation and exhalation of air, the violent pounding of her heart, the quivering of her whole body – all of that could be felt by her sick sister.
“We’re a-almost there..” Gowon shivering was able to utter.
Chaewon was mad. Not at her sister but at herself. She’s mad because she’s becoming a deadweight for her twin sister. Mad because she caught a fever at a time like this. Mad because all she could do was cry silently, gripping at the ragged shirt that Gowon was wearing.
Mad because she was weak.
“I-I’m sorry…” Chaewon croaks out. “I’m being a b-burden right now when I should b-be the one in y-your place…”
Then suddenly, Chaewon felt that they stopped moving. “Why did we stop moving..?” Her sister asked. Gowon gave no response. Instead, she hastened the pace, alerting her feverish sister. “G-Gowon..? What’s w-wrong..?”
“Will you sing me a song?”
Suddenly? Then she noticed that the girl wasn’t looking straight ahead. Instead, she was looking up. Mesmerized by the thousands of stars that seems to have its own free will to roam the vast sky.
It was a fascinating sight.
For Gowon who has never seen daylight and nighttime, she was never allowed to go outside of the lab, nor was she allowed to even step out of her room. To think she was outside right now – It was a new feeling.
“What song would you like to hear?”
“A beautiful song..”
Chaewon chuckles softly. “That’s a rather vague one.”
~*~
“WE’RE ALREADY DOWN THE HALF A MINUTE OF THE LAST QUARTER AND ITS BECOMING MORE INTENSE AS #12 FROM BBC HIGH, SON HYEJOO, MARKS ONE OF THE POINT GUARD FROM JYP HIGH, #2 SHIN RYUJIN!” – ANNOUNCER 1.
Son Hyejoo looks at the remaining time. It was already down to the shot clock. It was ticking faster than she had expected. Her breathing gets heavier and faster as the game gets longer and longer. Eyes going back and forth towards the enemy and the ball dribbling in the enemy’s hand – she thinks of a way on how to steal the ball from the holder.
It wasn’t a lie that she was getting anxious. Even her team looks like constipated rocks, gritting on those hard teeth that could possibly break anytime sooner. The noise that was coming from the crowd wasn’t helping her at all. Rather, she felt like throwing up.
She was placed under heavy pressure.
“AS OF THIS MOMENT, THEY ARE IN A DEADLOCK OF 82-82. IT IS TO SAY THAT IF JYP SCORES RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD END THE GAME!”
“BUT DOES THE GODDESS OF LUCK HAVE ANY PLANS IN BLESSING BBC HIGH?!”
As the enemy attempts to push her way, she couldn’t do so as the girl in front of her was strong enough to not get blown away by the force. It didn’t help that the girl has a long widespan, and those dark eyes that feels like dagger when being stared by it.
It intimidated the enemy, like a fool, she starts staggering back.
And that was all she needed.
She swipes the ball away from the enemy and starts breaking for a run towards the other side of the court.
“OH MY! IT SEEMS LIKE JYP HIGH’S ACE MADE AN ERROR AT THIS MOMENT!! AND NOW SON HYEJOO IS MAKING A BREAK FOR IT!!”
It took a while for the ace to recover and without hesitation, she switched gears and she was able to catch up with Hyejoo. Her momentum halted as their roles earlier were now reversed. She was on offense while Ryujin is on defense.
Hyejoo glances back at the timer and it was already down to five seconds.
She’s got no other choice.
It’s a do or die situation.
“God, I hope my luck won’t betray me...” Hyejoo whispers which made the other girl wonder what the hell she was muttering. And there #12 goes, making a jump shot from the inner circle of their court. Her hands placed beautifully as she pushes her dominant hand aiming right for the ring.
Shin Ryujin couldn’t react on time and only managed to jump a foot away from the ground. All she could do was stare at the ball that was flying its way to the ring.
All eyes were darted at the ball. As it hits the ring, it starts spinning around the rim as if it was dancing gracefully, deciding whether to fall inside or to the outside. As the moment of truth arrives, the entire gym has gone silent.
Half hoping that it would fall outside.
The other half hoping it would fall inside.
Hyejoo wanted the latter to happen. Her team wanted that to happen. As her feet meets the ground, she felt like all the strength she had mustered earlier was being sapped by the floor.
She fell.
And so did the ball.
To the inside.
As the timer blows up, its horn sounds went along with the heavy cheering and loud shouting that was coming from the bleacher. It was deafening. But it was oddly satisfying.
“IT SEEMS LIKE THE GODDESS OF LUCK HAS MADE HER CHOICE!!”
“AND THIS YEAR’S BASKETBALL FINALS GAME, THE CHAMPION IS BBC HIGH!!”
Hyejoo, who was still on the floor, looked like she doesn’t have any plans on moving from her position. Ryujin, who was standing next to her, out of courtesy, offered the other a hand – which Hyejoo gladly accepts.
Just as she was about to stand up, the next thing she knew, she was already back in the cold floor again. On top of her is another girl wearing the same uniform with a different number on her back. Following her were a group of girls that was also glowing in delight as they also want to congratulate Hyejoo for taking the win for the team.
“What the hell..?!” Hyejoo winced in pain, glaring directly at the girl who just pounced at her. “Get of me, Sooyoung!!”
Sooyoung wasn’t budging an inch from her hold. “Oh come on!! My baby sister just did the winning shot and you expect me not to react this way??” And she planted lots of kiss all over her face. “I know you love it when I do things like this!”
She tried squishing her way out of her sister’s hold, but Sooyoung, despite her fit build, was stronger than her little sister. In the end, she just lets her sister do what she wants. “I hate you..”
“I think that’s enough, Sooyoung.” said the girl with blonde locks, pulling the older sister away from the Hyejoo. “because I also want to shower her with my love~” she added cheerfully and gave her a big hug. “You did well~”
“Thank you, Jinsoul-unnie..” Hyejoo murmurs, puffing her cheeks making her look adorable in Jinsoul’s eyes. It was too much for the older girl to handle her cuteness. It was filling her up.
“Why can’t you be this cute adorable little sister to me..”
“You ain’t my Jinsoul unnie.” Hyejoo replied followed by her cute tongue sticking out of her triangle mouth.
“Alright! Just for today, food is on me!!”
Just outside of the city, there is always that one dining place that is a go-to for them. One that they go to everytime something good is worth celebrating for. Parking the car at the space allotted for cars, one by one they came out of it, Jinsoul and Sooyoung being the first one to leave the car, leaving Hyejoo to be the last.
Being the clingy yet not her real sister, Jinsoul launches herself at her not so real little sister and drags her towards the diner, leaving the real older sister behind.
“Are we getting the usual food, Hye?” Asked Jinsoul.
Hyejoo nods. “Also, lets add some take-outs.”
“Buy me some take-outs too~” Sooyoung, who has been sulking behind the two finally has been noticed. Snaking her arms to her sister’s body, a pout escapes from her face. “I want some too~”
“U-Unnie. Your arms.”
“Atleast let me hug my emo sister~”
Seeing that Sooyoung’s not going to let go anytime sooner, she lets her sister do what she wants.
“Such a kid…”
The ordered food finally came to their table and the famished girl finally got to eat her fill. They stayed for a little while, waiting for the takeout food that they bought for their landlord – Jinsoul’s aunt. The apartment wasn’t that far from where they are now. Just a few blocks and they will finally reach the building.
Arriving at their destination aka home, standing under the light of the building’s entrance is none other than Jinsoul’s aunt… huh?
“Is Auntie alright?” Hyejoo asks, breaking the slience in the car.
Jinsoul the worrywart was the first to react to her question. She sees the girl pointing at the entrance where her aunt is standing, both arms crossed, and… “Is she sulking?”
Sooyoung darts from the backseat. “She is!” and starts laughing. “But why tho?”
“Let’s find out.”
Hyejoo stops the car at her parking space. As always, Jinsoul and Sooyoung were the first ones to leave the car, leaving Hyejoo to turn off the engine of her car.
Before approaching the aunt, Hyejoo doesn’t forget the food that they bought just for Jinsoul’s aunt.
“Sooyoung-unnie! Where’s the takeout??”
“At the back covered with the tarp!”
Hyejoo shrugs. “Why put it at the back when you can put it inside…”
Pulling the tarp over, she sees the plastic bag with the takeout food. It was a good idea that it was placed outside instead of putting it inside the car. The smell could’ve stayed inside.
And Hyejoo hates it when her car smells food.
As she was about to pull the plastic bag, she was expecting it to be slightly heavy. But the moment she pulled the bag out, it was oddly light. Weird.
Suddenly, the tarp covering the rest of the space starts to move. Hyejoo stoned in her place didn’t missed that. Is there something down there?
For the second time, the tarp moves again.
Yep. Something is indeed down there. And she does not know what it is, nor does she want to know what’s underneath it.
“Hyejoo?” Walking back to her is her older sister, curious of why she’s still here. “Get down from the–”
“U-Unnie.” Just from that, Sooyoung picks up on the distressed voice coming from her little sister. “S-Something’s underneath this tarp.” Hyejoo raises the plastic bag, now empty, only what left of it are empty boxes with its content gone. “The food is also gone.”
“Don’t move. Just… help me raise the tarp very slowly incase something is really down there. Don’t want to startle it.” Hyejoo nods.
“Good. Now hold on to the other end of the tarp. and slowly lift it up.”
Hyejoo did as what she was told. She grabs ahold of the end and slowly, just like what her sister said, she lifts it up with utmost care to not alert whatever’s down there hiding. As the tarp slowly goes up, she could now see what’s finally down there.
And girl was she stunned by what was underneath it.
“So? Is something down there?”
Hyejoo shook her head, her attention never thwarted from it. Right infront of her, laying unconscious are two girls, both bore different hair color – one being blonde while the other had raven – ragged clothes covering their whole body. Hyejoo noticed that the raven-haired cuddled the other girl close to her.
Hyejoo did not hesitate to go closer. Placing her hand on the blonde’s, she could feel her hand burning just from the slight contact with her forehead.
“Its not something.” Hyejoo removes the tarp that was covering the girls. Sooyoung who seem to have caught on to her distraught, she comes closer to the frantic girl who now is carrying in her arm an unconscious girl. “It’s someone. Carry the other one with her.”
“Shit. Sol! A little help!” Shouted Sooyoung while trying to carry the other unconscious girl in her arms.
“What’s going o – Oh my God.. w-what happ–”
“Ask questions later! Help me carry this girl!”