I found myself sitting on the beach with my knees close to my chest. I stared at the sea as waves came and receded. I lost it all. We lost it all. Here I was, moping on the beach, jobless where no one could reach me. Somehow I managed to only have myself fired. Jin needed the job more than I did anyway. Though, I was upset that we were going to be fired over something minuscule.

"There you are!" I heard someone say.

I looked to my right and saw Changhyun rushing over towards me. I turned my attention back to the sea before me.

"Aren't you working?" I mumbled.

"Yes, but finding my best friend was more important. You didn't come home, weren't answering my texts or calls and people saying they last saw you leaving the building yesterday." he said as he held me.

I leaned into him then let myself feel awful about the situation. I liked my job. I was certain she already had someone fill my position. I needed to find another job definitely, but for now, I just wanted to wallow in self pity.

"Let's go home. I'll have a fellow cop bring the car home." said Changhyun as he lifted me to my feet.

I let him take me away as I tried thinking of my next steps. Maybe a part time while I wait for a full time. I then remembered something.

"Can we stop by the forest beforehand? I left something there." I said hoping he'd buy into the lie.

"Alright, I'll give you 20 minutes. Then I'm going in after you." he said as he pulled out of the parking spot.

ㅎ ㅎ

I quietly waited for the flower path to reveal itself. A few minutes became 10. The path never appeared. I grew tired of waiting.

"Fine, act like that. You never benefited me anyway. What a waste of time." I shouted before turning on my heel.

Soon my path was being blocked by a wall of vines. I looked around and saw I had been blocked in. I didn't know what was going on, but it felt dangerous. I tried climbing it, but it simply extended itself and dropped me on my behind. I took out my phone only for it to be snatched and thrown over. I made a mental note to buy a new phone.

"Changhyun!" I shouted. I hoped I didn't travel in too far.

The wall on my left suddenly collapsed and there on the other side stood Kevin with an upset look. Why he was upset was beyond me, but I was grateful that I was freed. I quietly walked out and stood before Kevin. It felt like his eyes were burning into my soul.

"I don't know why you're upset and I'm not keen on finding out either. Just know that I won't be coming back here. Ever." I said sternly before turning on my heel.

I started to hear sobbing from behind me. I turned around, but nothing was there. I picked up my pace as I hurried out. This place was dangerously scary. I felt relief wash over me at the sight of Changhyun. I ran over to him and held him as the sobbing had become as quiet as a whisper.

"Woah. What's going on? Not that I'm against it, but you don't usually get touchy unless..." trailed off Changhyun as he walked us back to the car.

ㅎ ㅎ

"Let me get this straight." said Changhyun as he leaned forward in his seat. "The day we first went and got separated, you met this guy named Kevin who's mute and he doesn't like having his picture taken. Am I right?"

I nodded as I held my pillow close.

"And so you went to see him a second time hoping he'd understand and ease your worries, but you got upset that he only responded with a hug and the word hope." he said then looked at me.

I nodded again. The more I listened, the more ridiculous it sounded.

"And he tried giving you seeds, but you gave them back and left. That's everything, right?" asked Changhyun as he looked at his notebook.

"Yeah." I said quietly.

"If it weren't for the fact that we're best friends and that you're always serious, I wouldn't believe you." he said with a shake of his head.

He surprisingly took it well. I had expected him to laugh or something, but he took me seriously. Then again, he was a police officer, so he was probably used to leading absurd things.

"So, tell me what happened when you went in today." he said then held my hand.

"So I went in and waited for the little flower path. After a while it didn't appear, so I shouted what I wanted to say." I said as I retold what had happened. "And then you know the rest."

He looked at me seriously then shook his head. I knew he was in denial at the possibility of any of it being true, but he knew me best. I wasn't one to make things up.

"I'll talk to the others about it and see if we can do something about it. We know nothing about him and that makes him dangerous." he finally said.

I didn't say anything in response. Changhyun left his seat and headed into the kitchen. I wondered what would happen if they got there and couldn't find the path. How would Changhyun convince them to investigate this anyway?

"Hyun, maybe we should just leave it alone. Only we know about it anyway." I said as I followed after him.

"Are you sure?" he asked as he handed me his special sandwich.

"Positive." I replied as I bit into the strange creation.

I quietly hoped I wouldn't regret my choice.