It felt as if they had been on the run for hours now. Scooped up in his arms and hugged tight to his body, Soon-Yi tightly clasped Chul-Soo's neck as he ran through the forest. Laying her head against his shoulder, Soon-Yi attempted to sort out her feelings. Yet, this close to Chul-Soo, she could only think about the heat radiating off his body, his heavy and labored breaths, and the sound of his feet pounding on the ground.

'Where are you taking me?' she thought as she glanced into his face. Chull-Soo's skin was a darkened brown and his hair grew long and wild matching the look in his fierce eyes. Scared for him, Soon-Yi hid her face in the crook of his heated neck as a tear seeped from her eye. 'Chul-Soo, what have you done?' her mind echoed.

Blood seeping from the bullet wounds and down his body, Chul-Soo knew they needed to find a place to hide so he could recover. He was also worried about the girl he held in his arms. Her heavy breaths alerted him of her need for rest as well.

Barely feeling the sharp rocks of the earth bite into his skin, Chul-Soo deftly made his was deeper into a nearby cave he discovered. Ever so gently, as if she was made of glass, he set Soon-Yi on the ground making sure she was comfortably reclined against the stone wall.

The whole trip, Soon-Yi refrained from moving her head away from Chul-Soo's neck. The emotions and memories of the night were almost too much to bear. She could feel her mind shutting down.

Just on the brink of sleep, she was brought back as she felt Chul-Soo disentangle himself from her embrace. Soon-Yi was taken aback when she looked into the familiar face of her Chul-Soo. No longer were his eyes a wolfish yellow and his nails ferocious claws. His hair was the soft brown she was so fond of. And his eyes were soothing chocolate once more.

Focusing on his eyes, Soon-Yi could read how timid he was. 'Is he afraid of me?' she wondered.

Quietly Chul-Soo softly touched Soon-Yi's swollen and cut lip. Stinging from the stimulation, flashes of memory from the incident reminded Soon-Yi of Ji-Tae beating her. She also remembered the sound of the automatic rifle riddling off. Scoping down Chul-Soo's body she froze when she saw a gaping wound adorn his left thigh.

'Idiot. You could have bled to death!' her mind reprimanded as she took her handkerchief from her coat's pocket. Further inspecting the wound, Soon-Yi altered their positions so that he was the one sitting against the stone wall. Afraid to hurt him any further, Soon-Yi delicately wrapped her handkerchief around the wound to bandage the bleeding.

"Chul-Soo….Are you really a monster?" As the question left her lips, Soon-Yi wondered just who the question was intended for. Was it for him? Or for her own comprehension? Avoiding his eyes, Soon-Yi continues to stare at his wounds.

"Which one is it? Which one is the real you?"

Allowing the question to hang in the air, Soon-Yi focused inwardly on herself. He never spoke so she knew the answer she was seeking could only come from her. Almost like an epiphany, she understood her feelings about him.

"I don't care." She whispered, a slight lightness filled her deflated posture. Looking up into his startled eyes, she slowly inched towards him.

"I don't care if you're a monster." She continued as the proximity of their faces shortened. Soon-Yi had never been this close to him before. Nor had she ever been so bold.

"It's alright." So close to one another there was no longer space for her to talk. Soon-Yi closed her tired eyes and brought her lips to his. Chul-Soo didn't know what to do. Never had he experienced this situation so he stayed still without moving. Gently caressing his lips, Soon-Yi could only determine they were actually touching due to the warmth from Chul-Soo's. Memorizing this moment, Soon-Yi's mind shut down and she lost consciousness.

As Chul-Soo felt Soon-Yi fall away, he swiftly enveloped her in his arms and laid her head to rest on his shoulder. Brushing her hair out of her face, Chul-Soo gazed at the sleeping Soon-Yi. He felt something stirring with in him. But, he couldn't decipher the feeling. It wasn't harsh or raw like his other side when she was in danger. It felt warm and delicate, yet much more protective than before.

After he confirmed Soon-Yi would not be waking up soon, Chul-Soo knew he needed to keep her body warm. Her body, any other human's body, was so much more fragile than his own. Laying her down on the softest bit of earth within the cave, Chul-Soo articulacy covered her in dried bits of grass and leaves. Feeling satisfied it was sufficient enough to get through the freezing night; he lay beside her and wrapped an arm around her frame clutching her to his body. Knowing she was safe, he too drifted to sleep and began to regenerate.

Distant gunfire roused Soon-Yi from her deep sleep. As her mind comprehended the sound, she quickly sat up. Frantically looking around the cave, she couldn't find Chul-Soo anywhere. 'Chul-Soo! Where is he?'

Brushing the leaves from her clothes as she stood, Soon-Yi ran to the mouth of their cave to the stream hoping Chul-Soo was just getting water. Reaching the entrance to the cave, her fear was heightened. He wasn't there. 'Oh No!' her mind screamed as she scrambled her way out of the crater. 'Please don't be caught. Please don't be caught.' Her mind prayed as she ascended the rock wall.

Upon reaching even ground she heard her mother's voice, "Soon-Yi!" Looking in the direction of the calling she could see flashlights in the distance. 'No!' her mind yelled. Continuing her search for Chul-Soo, Soon-Yi looked in opposite directions of her search party. 'Where are you?' she thought.

The barely auditable crunch of leaves beside her alerted Soon-Yi of another's presence. Quickly turning to her left she was shocked and relieved to see Chul-Soo inspecting her search party as they made their way closer.

"You need to hide." Soon-Yi ushered towards Chul-Soo with concern. Taking in her wide eyes and racing heartbeat, Chul-Soo could tell that the proximity of her search party was upsetting Soon-Yi. Slowly making his way towards her, he couldn't understand why she kept backing away.

"Hurry! They're coming this way." She urged again. Anxiously glancing in the search party's direction Soon-Yi continues, "I'll tell them you ran away. Don't follow me."

Understanding that Soon-Yi was trying to put distance between them, Chul-Soo quickened his steps to stay near. "Go away, you idiot!" she enforced. As her voice inflection increased, Chul-Soo stopped walking, confusion marring his innocent face.

"If you come with me they will kill you." Tears cascaded down her face. 'Why don't you understand!' she silently questioned. "We can't be together now," she further explained. At the mention of being separated once again from her, Chul-Soo urged forward again.

As he persisted further, Soon-Yi knew she had to hurt him in order for him to leave her. The hurtful words stuck in her throat, a new wave of tears assaulted her while she gasped for air. "Go!" she yelled. As she yelled, Chul-Soo stopped. 'Good, now he understands.'

"Piss off! I hate you!" As Soon-Yi yelled every hurtful thing she could think of, the words tore through her like a knife. Trying to calm his hysterical companion, Chul-Soo brought his hand up to pet her head as she had always done for him.

Slapping hid hand away, Soon-Yi pushed on, "Get your dirty hands off me!"

'Why aren't you getting it!' she screamed mentally. Leaning his head to her instead, hoping it would calm her, Soon-Yi was further torn apart. "Go, you damn fool!" she screamed at him while pushing him away. Blinded by fear for his life and her tears Soon-Yi couldn't control her frustration. As she screamed, she painfully slapped him.

Both stunned by the hit, it felt as if she had slapped herself. Now crying for hurting him, she tentatively reaches out her own arm as if hoping to sooth the blow. Lightly brushing his cheek she cries, "Oh God, I'm sorry Chul-Soo."

Trembling Soon-Yi backs away from Chul-Soo once again. "I'm so sorry," she cried. She was sorry for more than just the slap. She was sorry how they found him. She was sorry how she couldn't protect him from Jae-Ti. She was mostly sorry that they were in this situation.

"I am going now. Don't follow me!" Soon-Yi continued. Once again Chul-Soo took a step towards her. "Don't you follow me!" she screamed. Out of breath, they both stood there panting. As tears slowly slid down his own face, Chul-Soo struggled for what he needed to do.

"W..w. ..wait," Chul-Soo forced out from his inexperienced vocal cords. Hearing his voice for the first time, Soon-Yi lost all resolve. Biting her jacket sleeve to keep from screaming, sobs raked her body.

As he watched her slowly break down, Chul-Soo took determined steps towards her. Reaching her petite frame, Chul-Soo wrapped his iron like embrace around her pulling Soon-Yi to his chest. Weakly beating against his chest, Soon-Yi still struggled. "Wait," he rasped once more.

No longer able to fight, Soon-Yi just stood in his embrace and cried. Steeled with resolve, Chul-Soo knew he could no longer could stand to be separated from her. "Wait!" he demanded with strength in his voice. Without hesitation he crashed his lips into Soon-Yi's with a harsh kiss.

Despite her mind's confusion, Soon-Yi returned the kiss in haste. Both raw from emotion the kiss was vicious and feral compared to the sweet moment shared in the cave. It was of need and desperation.

"Soon-Yi!" "Soon-Yi!" "Noona!"

The shouts from her family and searchers broke the couples from their heated exchange. Pinning Soon-Yi to his chest, a deep throated growl ripped from his throat in a sign of dominance. 'If they want her, they'll have to take her from me,' he challenged.

No longer sure of what the right decision was, Soon-Yi pulled herself as close to Chul-Soo as she could. She no longer had the strength or mental stability to choose.

Feeling Chul-Soo hide deeper against his chest, Chul-Soo understood her decision had been made, even if she herself was unaware. Hoisting her light frame upon his back, Chul-Soo turned from the search party and began running once more.

As the two ran away from their pursuers, Soon-Yi briefly glanced over her shoulder to see where they had been standing. In that moment her eyes took in the sight of her mother and younger sister. Holding onto that brief second, Soon-Yi tried to convey all the love she had for her family and the sorrow she felt for leaving them.

All too soon the moment was gone as her family disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Looking forward once more, Soon-Yi laid her forehead against Chul-Soo's shoulder. She didn't know where they were going or how they would live. But, she had made her choice and as terrifying as it was, she held no regret.