1 His Promise.

The dark, misty paths between the shady and creepy trees were letting out silent screams of abhorrence. Her blood covered feet wrapped in a broken strapped slippers, were following the older boy's new canvas shoes. Her small hands were trying their best to hold onto his soft, slender fingers but the cold sweat that was formed, not because they were running against the clock for who knows how long but due to the fear of being caught again, was making it immensely difficult.

"Run f-faster, fas-ster" the boy managed to form out some shaky words regardless of his erratic breathing, as he let go of her hand and leaped behind her, indicating her to lead the way. She didn't understand the motive behind his sudden move but it wasn't a time to think of anything. All her mind could process was that they needed to get out of that loathsome place.So, she kept pacing forward with all her might while he was a few meters behind her , until...

A loud bang halted her steps.

A chill ran down her spine as she heard a body fall down and then...there was silence, a silence so loud, a silence crying out the most horror story.

Too afraid to see what she could never imagine, she tightly closed her eyes..too scared to witness something that could tear her insides apart.

She slowly turned around. A small whimper left her mouth as she opened her eyes to witness the horrifying scene infornt of her, which she was expecting yet not willing to accept.

He was laying on the ground 5 feet ahead of her. She swiftly ran to him and took him in her embrace, completely forgetting about her firm desire to escape. As the fear of being caught was so small and meaningless as compared to the fear of losing him.

"Jin! " she cried out as her tear filled eyes met his own blood-struck eyes. Pain was evident in his enlarged pupils.

Her eyes trailed down to his abdomen from where blood was rushing out , like a waterfall coming out a tall and rigid mountain.

She quickly took off the scarf around her neck and wrapped it tightly around his wound.

"Jin!"

"Minsuh..listen...Minsuh...Go run"

"Nooo" She mumbled between her loud sobs.

"No Jin! Try to get up! We'll get out.. We'll make it!"

"Minsuh..." He took a breath, trying his best to continue.

"Do you trust me? "

The little girl nodded her head as new tears replaced the dried ones on her crimson cheeks.

"Then Run!"

"Not without you"

Bang!

They heard another gunshot along with some faint foot steps coming their way.

They were near...

"Minsuh...Go...One of us need to escape!"

She nodded her head in denial.

He took her small hand and linked their pinkies.

"We need to separate for now...But I promise...I'll return to you"

"Promise..." She forced a smile through the uncontrollable tears.

"Now PLEASE RUN!! And Don't look back!" he half yelled with all the energy left in his body.

And so she did.

She got up on her wriggling legs covered with scrapes, pecked his wrist before unlinking their pinkies. She turned around and began to run again.

And she ran and ran and never looked back.

--------

The yellow sky was adorned with a pearl-like sun, scattering a gold shine over the solid ground. Her feet were taking her down the lonely and dusty road on its own. She had been walking through this same path for so long that her subconscious had memorized each turn, each bump and each sign. It was fortuitous that her body muscles knew where to go as the muscle inside her chest was too indulged in it's own world.

She was indeed in her own macrocosm, letting her body take her to her destination.

Sound of faint footsteps took her out of her thoughts.

She spotted a dark shadow creeping behind her, from the corner of her eyes as she put a strand of her shiny, charcoal hair behind her ear.

She could hear the footsteps approaching near and nearer.

She stretched her arms and neck, ready to defend herself.

'Ready to strike back in 3..2..'

Unexpectedly, the stalker looming behind her, instead of taking out a dragger to cut her open,...hugged her.

"AAAAH WHOO" She shrieked, jumping up.

"BOOM" She turned around to a familiar voice that tried its best to be deep but failed.

"Hahahahaha"

Her laughter echoed through the empty streets, lightening them up with her pleasant presence.

"Omg Lisa!! You almost gave me a heart attack!! "

"Haha! It's soOo easy to scare you" she emphasized on 'so'.

"Come on, Minsuh ! Let's go to school now!" She asserted, linking their arms and ran towards the school, practically dragging the poor soul with her.

-- -- --

*Time Skip*

Its the last period in the deepest and most terrifying part of hell a.k.a their college.

The professor came in and silenced the chattering students.

After gaining the attention from the class, she started speaking " I have a good news for you all!"

'Good news ?Its been a while since she's gotten any good news.

She closed the novel that she thought was too interesting to just leave, to give attention to the professor's announcement.

"We are going for a trip! " She announced.

The whole class cheered over this wonderful news, the jocks roared, while the emo kid sitting on the last desk, just scoffed.

'Its been a while since we've gone on a trip.'

"Where are we going?" A transfer kid sitting in the middle row asked.

"Jeju Island!"

"Ooooo" The class overjoyed as it is one of the most beautiful places In South Korea and no.1 on their class's "trip wish list". And yes, these guys have these silly lists.

Lisa sneaked near Minsuh's desk and muttered : "I have a feeling this trip is going to be unpredictable"

'Unpredictable?' She thought.

She really wished that everything in her life went smoothly... Unpredictable is the last thing she wanted this trip to be...

"Ahh, Jeju Island.." She sighed.

--------

*Next week*

-At Jeju Island.

The slow-moving and shabby omnibus finally arrived outside their hotel.

"This hotel seems quite expensive and diligent" She mumbled to herself as she stepped out of the bus.

With her feet firmly planted on the pavement, she stared up at the tall, white-walled and exquisite building.

Minsuh wondered how their stingy school managed to book rooms there.

She looked to her left and right to locate her friend who she thought stood beside her.

'I think she already went inside, along half of the class.' She guessed.

She took a deep breath and moved towards the ravishing edifice.

As she walked inside through the main door, her feet froze to the ground, as they usually do, whenever she walks in any unfamiliar environment.

But she gathered her courage and kept going in, observing her surroundings.

The new and strange smells around, were overwhelming her senses.

Her eyes scanned the lobby to spot a familiar figure, but the crowd and loud chattering noises made it quite difficult.

Her brain got fuzzy and she felt a little short of breath, still she tried to smile to a staff approaching her.

"This way." The staff smiled back politely and guided her to a small crowd near the far left counter.

She hurried towards her classmates and tried to merge in the familiar smells.

After a few minutes, she felt a tap on her shoulders and turned around.

"Lisa!" She finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where did you go?"

"When I got out of the bus, I saw our teacher with a file, going towards the reception. So I followed her and managed to convince her to assign us both the same room! " Lisa explained the whole story in one breath.

Minsuh was about to say something back but a very out of breath Lisa spoke again "Let's go to our room now, roommate." She winked and held Minsuh's hands.

Minsuh chuckled and moved towards the elevator in the left corner of the hall, still holding Lisa's hand.

Her fear long vanished into thin air.

-------

"Woaw" Lisa let out a surprised gasp as they both entered their room.

It was a wide room with two beds and a big wall-sized glass window at the side of the ocean.

Minsuh opened the window and moved out in the balcony.

With the cold and fresh breeze kissing her bare shoulders, she stood there enjoying the beautiful scenery.

'This place really is magical!'

------------------------

*Meanwhile*

Ji-Hyuk was running in the corridor trying to match Kim Seojin's giant steps.

"Hyung ?" He asked approaching near. (Hyung= used to address older brother)

"Yeah?" Seojin replied, unconcerned.

"I looked into the 5 girls of that name you told me"

Hearing that Jin left all the work he was doing, putting all of his attention towards Jihyuk.

"..they are not her...they have a valid family background.." He continued, staring down at the ground, not finding any courage to look into his boss's disappointment-filled eyes.

'Again...failed' He sighed.

"Keep working on it" He ordered, now sitting down on a chair and busying himself in the paperwork again.

"Hyung."

Seojin raised his eyebrow, indicating him to go on.

"I-I have checked every girl in Seoul with that name by now...I-I don't think she's in Seoul ...And you know your Appa will get to know if we try to find her outside the city.."

Jihyuk tried to explain nervously.

But he knew Seojin wasn't someone who would give up on any mission, especially this one.

"I SAID do your best...I need to find her at any cost !" Seojin growled.

Even tho Seojin never revealed much about this case, Jihyuk knew this wasn't just any ordinary mission, it was very special to him. He had never seen Seojin get so frustrated over not finding someone as he used to get whenever he was told she was nowhere to be found.

'I can't bear not finding her..I need to find her at any cost'

"Ok hyung" he paused for a moment.

"Hyung can I ask something ?" Jungkook asked...hoping he would get his answer this time.

Seems like he really wanted his death to be near.

"Hm?" Seojin replied continuing to go through the files in his hands.

"Who is she? Why do you want to find her so desperately?"

Seojin promptly stood up and walked towards Jihyuk, ever so slowly, clenching his jaw as his dark orbs bore into Jihyuk's regretful ones, The boy knew he fucked up and he fucked up badly.

Kim Seojin towered over the now trembling boy.

"If you want to live.." He growled in his low husky voice.

"Never. cross. your. line. again! "

"Now Go! and do your work properly! "

He asserted, turning his back on the poor boy.

If only he didn't love and care for Jihyuk as his younger brother, he would've been dead.

"O-ok" The frightened boy obeyed, rushing towards his workroom.

'Who is she?' His mind travelled to Jihyuk's question now that he was alone in his office.

'She's the most important person in my life..'

He stood there remembering her sweet dimple smile and melodious honey-like voice.

Her thoughts also reminded him of that day...The pain...The blood..he closed his eyes.

....

As he was lost in his atrocious memories, he got a phone call.

*After the phone call*

"Baek joon !" He shouted for his right hand.

"Yeah, Jin ?" He queried approaching him.

"Go make my private plane ready and inform Jihyuk to arrive there"

"Why? Are we going somewhere?"

"Yeahh...we are..."

"Where are we going now?"

"Jeju Island."

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To be continued~

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