PROTECTION

As the man continued to drive the car, the twins held each other's hands so tight while their eyes fixed on the road as they entered the grove that lay ahead in the mountains.

Jae's attention shifted to his sister as she tightened her grip on his hand, her voice was trembling as she called out to him.

"Bro...brother."

she whispered in a soft, shaky voice.

"I'm scared."

Observing her trembling form, Jae concealed his own fear while his left hand tremble in secret.

'I am too....'

He smiled with a trembling lip as his knees rattled from fear.

"D-don't worry Soo-ah, brother is here to protect you."

When an hour ride turn into four, the mysterious man pressed a button inside the car where out of nowhere a thick white fog billowed out from the ventilator that alarmed them both, especially Jae who's head immediately turned to the man.

"Soo-ah!"

He shouted as he saw her cough continously.

*THUMP!!!*

His heart starts beating fast as he felt a mix of fear and curiosity making him feel like his throat was closing that he cant let any word came out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry kids, but this will be the end of the trip."

The man calmly stated, leaving them both coughing and gasping for air as the fog filled the car. Their bodies grew light, and their vision starts to blurr, and that all happen before they both left unconsious.

When Jae finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the man who causes his fear, wearing a black mask with a beak of a crow pointing a pistol on his head, and just as he was about to pull the trigger...*CLICK*.....Jae jolted awake, bathing in his own sweat as he clutches his chest.

"So-Soo-ah?...Soo-ah!"

Panic surged through him immediately as he realised he was alone in a crampled room where his twin sister was nowhere to be found.

"Soo-ah!"

He shouted for a third time, his voice filled with desperation, but as soon as he heard a muffled sound behind the nearby curtain, Jae began to grip his fist as he summoned the courage to approach the window wearing a facade on his face as he make a fake smile on his lips even when his entire body trembled.

"Soo ah, yahhhhhh...."

He called out, catching his sister's attention who's sitting on the cold dusty floor with her knees drawn to her chest.

Just as she heard him, Soo-ah threw herself into his arms bawling his eyes with tears.

"Brother! What will happen to us now?!-

She question in distress crampling her brother's shirt.

-Can we go home now?! *HICK!.... I want to see Mom! I want to go home!

She cried out loud making her face covered in snot.

-I'm scared, brother. I'm so scared!"

Seeing her cried uncontrollably Jae tried to hold back his own breath, biting his lip to stop his tears from falling.

'I am so scared too!'

He thought to himself tightly embracing her on his arms.

...*DRIP...*

"U-UWAHH!...Ma-mom is gone now Soo-Ah!-

As Jae couldn't held back his tears anymore, he let out a loud cry, screaming on the top of his lung as tears filled his eyes.

-We have no one now!"

Just then, Soo-ah loosen her grip, still leaning on his brother's chest while a following question she asks strike him with reality.

*SNIFF!*

"What do we do now....? We're only kids brother!-

He couldn't answer but just stood there frozen, with his feet glued to the floor.

-I want my Mom! I miss her!"

Jae then wrapped his arms around his sister, trying to comfort her.

"You still have me, Soo-Ah. I'll protect you."

He assured her, forcing to make a wide smile despite his trembling body because he knew that he had to stay strong for his sister, when all of a sudden....

*BANG!*

...the door swung open, revealing three children dressed in white uniforms. One appeared timid, clutching a teddy bear on her arms; another had heavy bags under their eyes; and the third was small but seemed tough.

"Hey, cry baby; I can hear your bawling through the hallway!"

Soo Ah tightened her grip when a boy with a gorilla like feature shouted on their face.

They both watches how he threw the teddy bear towards them, after taking it into the other kids arms without notice.

"Take this, loser!"

As the teddy bear flew through the air, Jae felt something was off.

As he covered his sister with his own body, the teady bear struck him hard, but there was a feeling that he does not supposed to feel...a sudden searing pain in his head.

...*DRIP*

"Ahhh! Blood! Brother, there's blood!"

Soo-ah exclaimed, finding herself kneeling on the floor.

Even though the room was filled with noise of a mix voices, Jae could only heard was ringing on his head, his vision was blurr, and his head throb in immrnse pain.

"NOOO!-

Despite feeling all those pain he knew that he was never mistaken when he heard Soo-ah's voice, crying for help.

"Get away from me!...Brother! help!-

-HELP ME!"

As he heard her sister's desperate plea. Memories of their mother's words flashed through his mind—the times when Soo-Ah would be in bed ridden with a fever.

"Jae, Soo Ah is not as healthy and strong as you, right?"

He nodded.

"So your sister needs your protection. You must protect her. Can you do that?"

His mother's mellifluous voice echoed in his thoughts.

As Jae looked at his sister flushed face and feverish, a clear answer came into his mind.

"I will, Mom! Because Soo Ah is my one and only twin sister!"

He declared wearing a determined smile on his face as he remembered how his mother pats his head.

"That's my boy."

He heard her state before he suddenly snapped back to reality, finding himself in a room with Soo-Ah shouting for his help.

"Brother!- No, don't touch me!"

As the man grabbed her by the hair. Jae's anger flared, and without hesitation, he lunged forward, slapping the man's hand away. However, the man, being larger and stronger than him, Jae who was smaller like ant made the boy remained unfazed, as he stares at him before releasing Soo Ah's hair, blocking his path.

"Do-don't...

Jae mumbled, his voice was shaking.

"What are you mumbling, you idiot?"

He sneer.

"He must have lost his mind."

The girl state, while the two of them laughed.

*PFFTTT-

-Losers."

Their laughter echoed in the room for a second before the boy reached out to grab Jae, but without their noticing ..... He had already grabbed a pen from the table and stabbed it straight into his neck without hesitation, leaving them all with their jaw left wide open.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Soo-ah screamed, while her eyes widened in fear, mirroring his brother own shock.