The rain fell heavily as darkness draped its thick canopy over the world. A deserted building, at one point a printer's shop, stood starkly against the lonely gray clouds quickly billowing their smoky wisps throughout the bleak countryside. Though normally deserted, the torn frays of yellow "do not enter" tape flapping against the wooden door spoke of recent visitors.

Caught in the drizzle, a stray tomcat hoisted itself through the small triangle space where the corner of the door had rotted away long ago, escaping into the warm interior, the cat leaped up and out of sight of the two men inside, moving its lithe body among the rafters of the old building while somewhere high up a pigeon cooed to its nesting neighbor. To the creatures sheltering from the storm, the cozy dwelling was an idyllic haven, but these comforts were lost to the drunken crumpled figure of a man slouched among the debris scattered across the floor. Ignoring the birds above his head, the cat stared unblinkingly at the occupants below with nothing but the slight flick of its tail for company.

"I swear I don't know, I've told you everything," the intoxicated man withered away from the tall black shadow standing in front of him, fear dripping with his words at the nightmare he had found himself in.

"Well then I'll just have to find someone who does," the dark shrouded figure smiled evilly, patting the poor drunk's head.

In a flurry of feathers the pigeons vacated their warm nests as a shot echoed through the eaves, off the raindrops, and into the night that was no longer still. The unfortunate man who had answered incorrectly to his interrogator's questions slumped forward as the murderer kicked the body aside in contempt and sat down to stare at the bare wall opposite him on which was taped a single picture now splattered in red. The man's cool façade crumbled as his angry shout rent the air. Where the hell was she?

Outside dirty water swished from puddles to mar the worn grey bricks as an old tractor rustled by, the sound of its creaky wheels shaking the man inside from his revere. A smirk lit up his face as he scratched his jaw with the gun still in his hand, guess he'd just have to take care of some more business, couldn't have some poor old farmer telling tale tales now.


The darkness had left long ago, but Ga Eul wasn't sure she liked the gray images it was replaced with any better. Her mind tormented her like a never-ending record, replaying over and over again the same scenes till at times she felt she could almost feel the blistering heat burning her skin once more. As if to taunt her further, the man she had grown to love was also there, in her dreams, swimming before her almost within reach, but always, always right before he could save her, the image vanished like smoke in the wind leaving Ga Eul with the emptiness of her mind again.

Love. Yes, she could now identify that was what she had felt for him, the man who had wound his way into her life and taken her breath away, the man that had fought to save her from her deepest fears and insecurities. Friendship, that's what she had convinced herself she felt, the lie she had fed her fearful heart that had been broken one too many times to trust in love again. How cruel this realization was, now that she was powerless to have it, trapped in her own mind, tied down to this semi-state of unconsciousness, not knowing what was real and what was not, not knowing what was true or just the vague figments of her imagination. If she could just see him again, the man who had saved her from the stale life she had convinced herself was fulfilling. She would give anything to tell him all the things she had bottled up inside, but life was unfair. It had always been unkind to her. Why would now be any different?

She had protected herself so long, shielded her heart from anyone and everyone. Not wanting to give a soul the ability to crush her heart as it had been crushed so many years ago. Telling herself she was ok, happy even, with shallow friendships and surface relationships that didn't mean much at the end of the day, it was better than dealing with a bleeding heart when those people would be ripped away, as they always were…at least until Yi Jeong had shown up. He had awakened something within her that scared her, something she thought died long ago. She didn't want to care about someone like that, but here she was, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't help but love the man. And now, now that the light had come so close, she was terrified of leaving without seeing him.

Her troubled mind teased her once more, replaying the scene that had etched itself into her soul. She could almost see him, fighting his way through the blaze of orange flames, hefting boards out of his way like a madman desperate to clear a path. Yet, again, the image faded before he could even reach her, a piercing white light taking its place. Straining her bleary eyes against the onslaught, Ga Eul saw the man again, only this time it was not the fearless hero of a man that met her gaze, but that of a man who looked utterly crushed, head in his hands, elbows on the side of her bed. She half expected him to disappear back into the light he had come from like the phantoms from her dreams, yet minutes had passed, and he was still there. She could make out the buttons on his sleeve, the pitch-black strands of his hair.

He looked up.

"Ga Eul"

She could only stare, her name sounded garbled to her ears, everything felt fuzzy. Wires hindered her movements and Ga Eul felt panic burn her throat as recollection and pain dawned on her.

"Shhh don't try to talk, it's alright, your safe." Yi Jeong saw her panicked confusion and struggled to be calm and reassuring, but his own heart was about to leap out of his chest at the sight of her wide-awake eyes, eyes he thought might never open again.

"the fire," came the hoarse whisper as Ga Eul struggled to fight the droplets staining her cheeks while Yi Jeong settled in beside her folding her up in his arms. For the first time feeling like she was safe, she burst into tears and clung to him, fearing this was another dream and she would be snatched from his arms back into unconsciousness. Yi Jeong seemed to know her thoughts and whispered reassurances into her hair, voice shaking despite himself as he felt her trembling form shaking with sobs,

"It's ok, you're ok sweetheart. Nothings going to hurt you." and as Yi Jeong's grip tightened around her, he vowed he would never let anyone hurt her again, he'd die first.