Retrouvaille

She ran fast, as fast as her legs could take her. Grabbing someone's hand, her voice shouted out of control,

"RUN!"

She dashed through the streets filled with old architecture, weaving through the crowds. The people stared as she ran past, but she didn't dare stop to look at them. Buildings poured ahead her as she ran past an old-fashioned beauty boutique and hid in the alleyway next to it.

She gasped for air as she let go of the hand she had held onto so desperately. As she looked up, she could finally take in the scene before her.

Old buildings stood tall, but there were almost no signs of damage. The clothing style and the streets filled with early-designed cars told her right away that it wasn't 2022. Even without knowing much, she knew that these buildings were well over 100 years old.

But yet, they looked new, as if they had been freshly built.

As Jae-Hwa's breathing calmed down, she realized she was in old garments for men: trousers, a vest, and a pocket watch. Her hands reached out of control, pulling the brown cap off her head to reveal short, dark hair.

Then, suddenly, she began to laugh. The voice behind her joined her. She turned around, but his face was blurry.

"Maybe next time," Her voice began uncontrollably. "Let's try not to upset the Japanese soldiers."

The man began to walk towards her. She desperately wanted to see his face, the blurry face jarring in the detail of the rest of the dream. He laughed, grabbed her arm, and dashed out of the alleyway onto a side street. They ran down the street until he stopped by a small booth.

The booth was filled with different necklaces and jewellery. The man let go of her hand to grasp a necklace that caught his eye.

"How much for this?" He asked in his warm voice.

The man finished paying while she looked around the street, keeping watch for more soldiers.

"Here, put it on," He said. "I know you like daffodils."

The necklace was gorgeous, a silver circle filled with maze-like lines adorned with little daffodils around the edge. It indeed was beautiful. She looked up at the man who gave her the pretty necklace. That's when she noticed the glint of metal just behind him. A look of horror flashed across her face.

"Min-Hyun, duck!" she shouted as loudly as possible.

Bang!

The sound rang through their ears as the man, Min-Hyun tackled her to the floor. She reached up to her face, feeling something warm and pulling her hand away to her horror.

Blood.

Her body began to shake at the sight until she regained her senses, ears still ringing and called out to Min-Hyun.

"Are you alright?!" she said, terrified.

Min-Hyun lifted his head groggily, nodding. The effects of the blast hadn't worn off yet.

She quickly got up, stumbling over herself while pulling Min-Hyun up as well. She could hear the footsteps, and they were far too close. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him along down the street, trying to run.

As they turned into the alleyway they had come from, she looked back, seeing the soldiers gaining. The body of the shopkeeper on the ground next to them. She swallowed the bile that had built up in her throat and ran as fast as she could.

"Jae-Hwa, are you okay?" A voice asked.

She jumped awake at the expense of Duan, who was right in front of her. He grabbed his nose, writhing in pain.

She rubbed her eyes groggily, sweat trickling down her neck. She panted as if the sprint she had just done in her dream had happened. Her heart raced, and she calmed her breathing down. She then realized she was in the library, and Song Duan was beside her.

"You know, whacking someone concerned about you in the nose is not a good way to thank them." He whined, holding his nose. Jae-Hwa turned to him.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Well, I was trying to find my way to the cafeteria, but someone didn't tell me where it was, so I got lost.

"I ended up here and found you sleeping, but it seemed like you were having a nightmare, so I tried to wake you up."

"And I proceeded to headbutt you when I woke up." She finished.

He nodded in agreement. She gathered her things and stood up. "Follow me," She commanded him. He trailed behind her as she exited the library, checking the time they had left before the next class.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"To make sure you can remember where the cafeteria is, so next time, I won't need to be bothered."

As they reached the cafeteria, an acrid taste filled her mouth. She calmed herself and tried to let it settle down. "Here, the cafeteria," she pointed to the edge of the cafeteria area. Those are where the bathrooms are. Come."

On the way to the bathroom, she could tell something was wrong. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

"Jae-Hwa, you look pale," Duan commented.

"I-I'm gonna be right back, stay here!" She said quickly as she ran into the bathroom. She shoved her way into one of the cubicles just in time. The acrid taste of vomit filled her mouth as she coughed. She wheezed until she could catch her breath. As her breathing calmed, she flushed the toilet and exited. Sadly, it wouldn't be that easy.

Chin-Sun and Haruhi blocked the exit.

"Wow, you sure look like crap," Chin-Sun began. "Did Duan reject you that quickly?" She taunted.

Haruhi laughed. "Not that Duan would even give her a chance."

Jae-Hwa joined in on the laughs. The girls looked at her like she was insane.

"Funny, I had no thoughts of seducing that weird man, but it looks like you guys have already found your mister impossible." Jae-Hwa laughed.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get him off my back." She said, trying to get out of the bathroom.

Jae-Hwa was hit hard in the gut. Her legs buckled as she grasped her stomach in pain. It became harder to breathe as if knives were stuck in her lungs. Haruhi laughed at her writhing in pain, the weapon, the handle of a broom, in her hand. The broom had been sitting towards the entrance; how Haruhi had gotten it and either hidden it or grabbed it was a mystery.

Chin-Sun grabbed the handle from Haruhi's hands and took her swing at Jae-Hwa. Jae-Hwa raised her arms to defend, but the broom smashed into her right arm. She yelped, hearing a crack. She clutched her arm to her chest, tears rolling down her face in pain.

"C'mon," Jae-Hwa taunted through tears. "Keep hitting me; that's all you can do anyway.

"Riding your dad's coattails, right?"

Jae-Hwa's back was to the wall, and Chin-Sun stepped over her. Chin-Sun's face was red with anger.

"Shut the fuck up." She whisper-yelled as she punched Jae-Hwa in the face.

New tears formed in her eyes, and she could feel the blood trickling down her nose. The pain began to overwhelm her. Her eyes drooped.

The final blow hurt the most. Right to the jaw. Jae-Hwa's body fell to the floor, limp.

She tried to keep her eyes open as Chin-Sun and Haruhi left, but her eyes began to close, and she could feel herself losing consciousness.

Just before her eyes closed, she saw a glimpse of a face and then passed out.

Her body ached all over. It felt like her stomach was on fire. Her arm wasn't faring much better. As she tried to open her eyes, her face also began to throb. Her eyes opened to bright lights shining directly into her face. She quickly closed them again. After a few attempts, her eyes opened fully, and she could see her surroundings.

It was the petite nurse's office, the white walls matching the cabinets stacked over the table in the corner. The bed she lay on was one of three that took up most of the space in the room. The wall on the other side of the beds was a giant cabinet filled with medications and first aid supplies. A curtain was drawn halfway around her bed, and voices came from the other side.

Jae-Hwa sat up, groaning with pain. She tried to stand up but tripped over her own feet. She would have fallen face-first if not for Duan grabbing her. He gently held her and sat Jae-Hwa back on the bed. The realization hit as she looked up, staring at Duan's face and the nurse standing just behind him.

"You shouldn't stand up yet, Jae-Hwa; I had a hard enough time bandaging you up with our supplies here." The nurse scolded.

"What are you doing here?" Jae-Hwa demanded, looking right at Duan. He sighed, sitting on the stool next to her bed.

"I was waiting for you outside the bathroom when those girls entered. When they came out, I thought I saw a bit of blood, ah, and not to mention the broken broom." He began. "I thought something might have happened, so I ran inside, only to see you passed out on the floor with your nose bleeding."

"So, how did I end up here then?" She asked.

"He carried you here, Jae-Hwa; thank him." The nurse said.

She stared at Duan. Why would he carry her to the nurse's office? He didn't even know his way to the cafeteria; how would he have gotten there? She had many questions but decided now was not a good time. She looked to find her watch, only to realize her wrist was bandaged, and the watch wasn't there.

"What time is it?" She quickly asked.

"Around eight now," Duan answered, looking at his watch. Horror spread over Jae-Hwa's face.

She stood up as fast as she could in her state and put on her shoes. Duan grabbed her healthy arm, stopping her. "Where are you going?" He demanded. She pulled her arm free.

"Home, I'm late." She said.

"Not like that, you can't. At least give some explanation!" He said.

She scowled. This man was starting to get on her nerves.

"Listen, Duan, thanks for carrying me here, but," she began. "I don't owe you an explanation, and as you can see, I'm very capable of going home." She said, walking to her bag. The nurse sighed and handed her a small bag.

"It has some painkillers and a change of bandages; make sure to change them frequently," the nurse said. Jae-Hwa smiled at her and walked out the door.

She tossed in her sleep, sweating in pain. It felt like her side was being shredded apart, the pain becoming unbearable. She winced through half-lidded eyes at the clock.

4:27 am.

She sighed, grasping her side in pain as she stood up carefully. Jae-Hwa grabbed some painkillers from the bag at her bedside and quietly made her way down the stairs.

She grasped in the dark, found the sink, and filled a glass of water for herself. One, no two pills, she thought to herself, not even realizing the person sneaking up behind her.

The lights suddenly turned on, making Jae-Hwa jump. The empty cup clattered into the sink.

"What are you doing?" Hyuk-Jae asked, half asleep.

She moved the bottle of painkillers behind her, hiding them. "N-nothing was just thirsty,"

Hyuk-Jae gave her a look she knew all too well. He knew.

"What's wrong?" He asked, this time fully awake.

She sighed, not wanting to deal with his worries now. She was exhausted, and it felt like the pills were finally kicking in. She moved to try to get past him to the stairs. Hyuk-Jae stood in front, not letting her pass. Without warning, he grabbed the bottle from behind her hand.

He stared at it for a moment, confusion covering his face.

"Why are you taking this?" he asked, his face a mixture of surprise and upset. You can't get these unless you get them from a doctor or nurse," he said again, shaking the bottle before her. These are strong pills, Jae-Hwa." Jae-Hwa snatched the bottle back.

"It's nothing, Hyuk-Jae; go to bed now," she said quietly, going up to her bed. Hyuk-Jae didn't follow her.

Jae-Hwa woke up the next day feeling horrible. Every cell in her body burned with pain, and she could feel herself burning up. She groggily tried to stand up but, in the process, fell face first. She cried out in pain, feeling the shock through her wounds. She lay there for a minute, catching her breath and glancing at the time.

6:14 am.

Jae-Hwa stood up as fast as her body would allow. She was late. Blinking her eyes hard, she tried to get the blurriness out of them as her door flew open.

Hyuk-Jae ran into her room. "Jae-Hwa!" he shouted, worry seeping through his eyes. He quickly ran to her, holding her gently and placing her back on the bed.

Jae-Hwa fought against him. "What are you doing? We are going to be late!" she exclaimed.

"For the love of God, Jae-Hwa, you look like you're going to collapse any second!" He yelled back. "You aren't going to school today; I'll ask for the lecture notes from your professor, so stay here!"

He grabbed the blanket and tossed it over him as he grabbed the painkillers off the shelf and ran downstairs.

Jae-Hwa tried to get up again but was stopped by a worried Hyuk-Jae, who returned with a cup of water.

He made her sit up and take the painkillers and made sure she stayed still until he saw them go down her throat. As he laid her back, he began the questions.

"How did you get so sick?"

"Nothing," Jae-Hwa replied. "Just didn't feel well."

"Why do you want to go to school so bad? Just stay home!" He shouted.

"Maybe because I don't want to fail?" She said with a snort.

"Fair," Hyuk-Jae responded. He kept quiet for a minute, the silence setting down.

"Nothing serious is going on, right, Jae-Hwa?" he said quietly.

Jae-Hwa laughed. "What could be going on, Hyuk-Jae?" she responded.

"Really?" he said, looking back at her, not lowering his gaze. His face was filled with emotions that broke Jae-Hwa's heart, but she would never let him know, never let him possibly suffer the same fate.

"Really," Jae-Hwa replied, a sad tone to her voice. Hyuk-Jae must have picked it up as he quietly stood and went downstairs. Jae-Hwa sighed. She guessed the lecture would have to wait. She curled up in bed, beads of sweat trickling down her neck as she fell into a deep sleep.

She woke up in a daze. The pain had set in, and she felt damp yet shivered under the covers. Her phone buzzed as she checked the time.

The sun had begun to set, and Hyuk-Jae would have been home soon. She stepped carefully, getting out of bed, making sure not to fall on her face. Grabbing the blanket, she wrapped it around herself and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. She grabbed a cup and poured some water, watching her hands shake as the water went in.

She drank quickly, feeling colder and tossed the empty cup into the sink. The unsettling feeling lingering in the back of her mind, almost forgotten, came back. This time, it was much worse. She spun to the window, seeing a wisp disappear out of view.

Terror began to set in. Was she being stalked? Has she had someone follow her home? Could it possibly be Chin-Sun waiting to get Jae-Hwa again? Thoughts raced in her head as her hands slowly moved to the knife on the kitchen table. She grabbed the knife in view, clutching it as tight as possible. She could hear her breaths against the air as she made her way to the stairs, slowly creeping up.

Jae-Hwa slipped into her room, closing the door with a slight click. She fell under her covers, holding the knife tight in her grip. Holding her breath, she listened for any sounds coming from below.

Hyuk-Jae shook her awake. She sat quickly, then regretted it as she felt dizzy and almost fell out of bed. She noticed the knife on her bed at the same time as Hyuk-Jae did. He grabbed it quickly, looking right at Jae-Hwa.

"Why do you have a knife with you?!" He almost yelled. She quickly told him what had happened earlier before he got more upset.

"I guess I ended up falling asleep while hiding." She glanced up at Hyuk-Jae. On his face was a look of pure anger she hadn't seen in years.

"I'll report it to the cops," he said quietly. "One of my friends is a cop, and I'll ask him for a favour and make sure this guy is caught."

"But you! Don't do something this stupid again!" Hyuk-Jae yelled at her. "Next time, call me; you know how worried I was because you didn't pick up your phone?!"

Jae-Hwa stared at the floor. A smile danced on her lips. Hyuk-Jae could be so sweet it would be hard to think they were twins.

"Yes, sir." She said teasingly.

He smiled and sat next to her on the bed. He was a giant bear, tall and well-built.

"Hey, Jae-Hwa," He said. "If something is happening, promise me you will tell me when you're ready?"

Jae-Hwa kept her head down.

"Yeah," She said quietly. "I will."