"R-Rain? What is the meaning of this?!" I demand, narrowing my eyes at him.
Rain scoffs and brushes the sleeve of his black suit. I look at him from head to foot. Formal attire suits him well but that blank facial expression has stunned me.
"Really lady? Look closer," Rain says. He walks toward me and crouches down so that we are at eye level with each other.
Boss Wung enters the door, followed by the other three whom he soon ushered out before slamming the door in their faces.
"Big Boss," Wung guy says, looking serious.
Rain ignores him. His eyes travel from my face to my chest. I brace my chest self consciously. Rain draws his eyes back on mine again.
"Look closer lady," Rain repeats.
I spat at him, "I have a name you asshole! Let me out of here!"
He gives me a cold smile and stands up. He looks at his wristwatch with calculated movement before turning to me once again, "Call me Big Boss. If you need anything, ask."
"Then let me free!" I yell.
"But being free is not what you need," he counters before turning his back on me.
I give him a look full of spite. What happened to him? Why does he sound different? The way he walks and carries himself with such authority, even the way he speaks and the tone of his voice, are different.
"Wung. We're moving out. You know what to do," Rain says. Boss Wung nods. He waits until Rain is out of the door before turning his eyes on me.
He reaches for his pocket and withdraws a syringe. My eyes widen. The colorless liquid doesn't look reassuring at all.
No...
"What are you doing to me?! No! Please!" I plead. I try to remove his hand from pinning me on the bed but my struggle is futile.
"Quiet!"
Suddenly, I feel a sharp, stinging sensation in my arm. My vision becomes blurry, my struggles weak. I can barely move my body. There's a light buzz in my ears.
He puts a piece of cloth over my eyes. I can feel him tying the scrap beneath my head. Boss Wung scoops me up and transfers me to what appears like a wheelchair. It is taking all my energy to keep my head upright.
He opens the door and then pushes the wheelchair. As we go, we pass through piles of plywood and rusty old machines. The ceiling is black with soot and the floor has accumulated an inch of dust. They brought me to an old warehouse. I think vaguely.
I wonder where they are going to bring me next.
I WAKE UP TO a comfortable feeling of warmth and softness. I open my eyes blearily to find myself in another unfamiliar room. It looks cozy and welcoming. Was I rescued?
"You're awake. I'm relieved," says a man I have never seen before. He looks like he's in his 50's, with graying hair and a fatherly smile on his face.
"Who are you?" I blurt out before I can help it. I have been meeting random people lately.
He smiles before answering, "Call me Father Jung. I'm the father of Storm. I'm sure you've met him a while ago. And Rain, whom you've met even earlier."
Who? I frown. I want to ask a lot of things but I feel like all the energy has been sucked out of me.
"I had the maids prepare food for you. Storm told me you didn't eat your food in the warehouse."
I decide not to open my mouth to speak. Just listen.
"I am so sorry of how they treated you earlier. Don't worry. Those people already got what they asked for. I told them to handle you carefully. After all, it was a rescue mission," he says genially.
My frown deepens. I was rescued? Again?
So everyone wants to play superhero, huh? Why can't they just let me be?! I keep my mum and just continue staring at Father Jung. Judging by his appearance, he looks like a family guy with a lovely wife and adorable children. He gives off an aura of a dad whom you can go to when things go wrong in your life and he will offer you words of wisdom. But then again, maybe I'm just not looking close enough.
It's too early to trust these people. Right now, I don't know who the bad and good guys are.
But then again, maybe they are all bad.
The door opens and we both turn to look at the intruder. He is holding a tray of food.
"Ah, son. Perfect timing. I'm just about to leave. I have a meeting with the board scheduled in ten minutes. I should go," Father Jung says.
He stands up and with a fatherly smile, says, "Hye Kyo this is Storm. Storm, take care of our guest Hye Kyo here. Make her feel at home."
"Sure thing, dad," Storm replies with a dazzling smile, setting the tray at the foot of the bed. He reaches for my hand and kisses it. I wince internally, and a feeling of deja vu washes over me. I don't trust my mouth to speak so I decide that it's better to keep it closed. He looks so handsome when he smiles.
After Father Jung left, I turn to Rain, thinking that it's finally safe to speak, "Why did he call you Storm, Rain? And where is this place? What happened to Joong Ki?"
But I was taken aback for he is suddenly back to his impassive expression, "Don't call me Rain again, lady. I am Storm. Subordinates call me Big Boss. Joong Ki's dead. Finish your food in fifteen minutes and I will tour you around the estate."
He turns to leave but I call out, feeling that I can no longer contain all the information I have been given.
"I don't understand, Rain. Explain to me, please."
"Rain... He's a twin brother I have forgotten a long time ago. It's best if you forget someone who's dead, too."
Stunned with what I heard, I fail to make another response.
"Fifteen minutes," Storm says before getting out of the door.
So much for feeling at home.
"Hye Kyo..."
I can hear a voice calling me, growing fainter and fainter, echoing in the distance.
"Hye Kyo..."
The voice becomes more insistent, louder against my right ear. My breathing quickens. I try to call back but my body feels weak.
"No matter what happens, don't remove your necklace!"
What do you mean? Why would I remove my necklace?
"Don't let them take it!"
Take my what, again?
"THIS IS PROBABLY the easiest 1 million Won I ever made, Jong," a squeaky voice says before laughing maniacally.
Smack. The laughing stops, followed by a groan of pain.
"Don't count your chicks before the eggs are hatched, you idiot!" another voice counters.
"Those youngsters thought that they can actually outrun us, didn't they Jeong Wung In?" I hear a wheezy voice brag. He laughs loudly before clicking his tongue.
Those words light the bulb in my head. People are talking behind me. People I don't know! I open my eyes and I find myself staring in a blank wall. Trying to make sense of what is happening, I roam my eyes around. I have enough consciousness in me to be careful not to move my head. Where am I? What happened to me? I try to move my hands slowly, but they are bound. Ugh. Again?
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that? Call me Boss Wung! And keep your mouth shut! The only reason why I agreed to work with you is because the big boss is getting impatient and you're the only ones who agreed on 1 million Won."
"What do you mean?" the man I think is called Jong asks.
"It means that you're the cheapest morons I have found," Boss Wung announced without hesitation.
A growl.
"Why? Got a problem with that? Or would you rather go back to that dump you call headquarters?"
From the tone of his voice and the way he talks, I can tell that this Boss Wung is a jackass level 999. A sense of pity for his subordinates touches my heart.
"Keep your eyes always on this girl. Remove the cuff and give her food. We will move out as soon as big boss gives us the signal," Jackass Wung instructs.
I hear the door open and close. Locks click. I wait with bated breath, my heartbeat feels like I've been running for hours.
"Oy you! Wake up!" I can feel someone untying the ropes. Another pair of hands is shaking me awake. I act as if his shaking has woken me up. I blink several times before gasping, "Who are you?! Where am I?"
My eyes automatically scan their faces and then the door, which is on my left.
There are three of them. All look strong and well built. Their faces have a shadow of anger I think is attributed to their recent conflict with Boss Wung.
"Don't even think about escaping, young lady. Your two bodyguards are probably floating bloated in the river right now. What makes you think you stand a chance against us?"
My eyes widen. I cannot process what they just told me.
"W-what do you mean? Y-you k-killed them?" I force myself to ask. Impossible!
The guy is only too eager to tell me the story. "Oh yes! We sure did! They put up quite a fight, didn't they? Those stupid alarms had them running towards us like crazy they forgot to get their guns. Two bullets each and they were goners, right Sok?"
"Nah Bo. The other one took five more bullets, I think, before he fell to the river," the guy named Sok recounts, looking at his fingers.
I tremble from head to foot. Those two... Joong Ki and Rain. They're dead? I refuse to believe it! Joong Ki looked so brave and tough. Rain was calm and sharp.
"Enough of the story-telling, boys. Leave her the food and let her cry herself to sleep. Makes our job easier," Jong smirks and leaves. The other two put a tray of food at the side of the bed and follow their leader, locking the door behind them. Bolts of locks click into place before a ringing silence encompasses me.
I don't know why I'm so affected. I have only known those two for two days and yet I'm here, crying my heart out at the news that they are dead. And this entire situation feels so hopeless. The door is impossible to open and there's not a single chance that I will be able to get out of the window when it is sealed with steel bars. Even the tray of food, the glass of water, and the utensils are made of plastic. I don't even have anything I can stab them with.
What is going to happen to me now? I have been crying for what seems like hours. Even the sun is hiding behind a thick layer of dark clouds.
I'm so tired! I want an out! I curl up in fetal position on the bed.
If I can't kill them, maybe I should just kill myself? Maybe I should just hang myself? There's nothing to lose, is there?
I have no parents.
No boyfriend.
No friend.
No one else left to keep me fighting for this life.
I unconsciously feel my neck and I find the strap of my necklace. My heart skips a beat.
"Don't let them take it!"
Something flashes in my memory. My pulse quickens. I feel for the pendant of my necklace, tracing my fingers along the familiar circular shape.
"Hye Kyo! Hye Kyo! No matter what happens, don't remove your necklace!"
Whose voice was it? Now that I think about it, at that moment, it seemed like someone was whispering against my ear.
But why..?
I cough up to relieve the tightness in my chest.
...why not?
Numb with hopelessness, I remove the necklace from around my neck just as the first droplets of rain beat the roof above me.
And as though watching a movie in fast forward, my eyes widen as flashes after flashes of blood, echoes of gunshot, screams of panic, and feelings of terror envelope me. I lay frozen in swirls of visions I don't know how to stop.
Make it stop! Make it stop!
I close my eyes but I can still hear the screams of people pleading for their lives, their cries of pain, very vivid as though they're real. Are they?
"Hye Kyo! Hye Kyo! No matter what happens, don't remove your necklace!"
I hear that voice again. Louder now. It's Joong Ki's voice. I recognize it as Joong Ki's voice. With great effort, I put the necklace back around my neck and as abruptly as they started, the visions stop.
I lay paralyzed on the bed, beads of sweat are cold against my skin. My right hand is clutching the bed sheet so tightly that deep creases have formed.
The door opens and with blurry vision, I open my eyes. I cannot believe what I am seeing.
"R-Rain?"
I twist and turn on my bed, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position. Ever since I have laid down, sleep hasn't paid me a visit. I feel so awake. The incident with Song Joong Ki has made me so confused. Wild stuffs keep on popping into my head.
Growling in frustration, I cover my face with the soft pillow, intending to shut the voices inside my head so that I can finally sleep. Just then, a loud alarm goes off. Red beams of light are flickering fast. My reflexes make me throw the pillow away, but instead of landing on the floor, it hit something else.
Someone else.
Paralyzed in shock, I stare wide-eyed at the silhouettes of two large guys. My eyes trail on the glass door leading to the balcony. It's open and the flimsy white curtain is dancing with the breeze. I open my mouth to scream as I scramble out of the bed.
"Oh Lord! Help! Help!"
But before I can even reach the doorknob, a hand seizes me and stuffs something over my head. All sources of light blacked out. I struggle against my captors. My hands are pinned roughly against my back. My arms hurt. My head feels dizzy. A hand covers my mouth. I can't breathe properly. I'm going to die! I give another brave struggle but suddenly, I feel weak. And then, blackness.
My head feels heavy. There's a slight ringing in my ears. I am lying on something that smells nice and feels comfortably warm. I don't want to get up. Ever. I try to get back to sleep when I vaguely hear a hushed voice saying, "Yes. Things are going as planned..."
Rustle.
"There's nothing to worry about."
Three light footsteps.
"No. We lost them."
Pause. I feel my heartbeat quicken.
"I'll let you know."
A soft beep and everything is quiet.
The ringing in my ears is completely gone now. I keep my eyes closed and pretend to be asleep. Inhaling deeply, I shift to a side-lying position facing my right, dragging the blanket with me.
A door opens and I hear Joongki's voice, "Anything new?"
A bored voice I recognize as Rain's reply, "Nothing. Still asleep. You can take over the shift now."
A door opens and closes again. And then, silence. Keeping my feigned sleeping state, my memory quickly reminds me of the reason why I'm lying in this bed. And I feel even worse. After fainting in front of Joongki, I don't know how I will ever face him again. That is the most embarrassing thing that has every happened to me. He might think I did it on purpose!
Now, how will I get out of here?
I open one eye bleakly and close it back again. I am forced to swallow my own saliva when I feel the right side of the bed dip lower. Suddenly the nice scent I have been inhaling is doubled. I involuntarily take a deep breath.
"Show's over. I know you're awake," I hear Joongki's voice, loud and clear.
I open my eyes and find myself looking at Joongki's smirking face. His eyes are twinkling with amusement. He is also lying on his left side, looking at me. I open my eyes to spout who-knows-what but he beats me to it. With warmer eyes, he asks, "How are you feeling?"
Taken aback by the tone of his voice, I say automatically, "Fine." What's up with this guy? He has a dozen faces I dunno which one is the real him.
"Just fine?" he repeats. Before I can react, he pulls me closer to him and asks, "Is this better?"
My face pressed against his chest, I'm not sure if it's my own heartbeat I'm hearing or his. But one thing is for sure. It's freaking fast and loud against my ears. Thank goodness he has his shirt on because I can swear his hard chest is bigger than mine. I don't know what to say or how to react. This new treatment has caught me off guard. What am I supposed to do now?
Pull away! You idiot. Pull away! Run for your life! My brain is screaming at me but the beating of my heart is louder, drowning it, although I dunno what it's trying to say.
"What are you doing?" I ask, finally unsticking my tongue from the floor of my mouth.
He sighs. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he says casually, "Trying to make you sleep." He starts to massage the muscles of my arm, "Does this help?"
I will probably say yes to a free massage if the situation isn't this confusing and complicated. How can I sleep when all I can hear are the sounds of a loud bass drum? When all I can smell is this intoxicating scent coming from him? I will sleep in my room, thank you. My brain says haughtily.
Before I lose all sense of logic, scramble out of his touch. I eye him apprehensively.
"Are you afraid of me?" he asks, a slight crease forming on his forehead. He looks so handsome with the rays of moonlight from the window illuminating his features. Yes, I'm afraid of you. I cannot have this... whatever this is... towards you when I don't even know what role you play in all of this.
"What are you playing at? One moment you're this narcissistic, arrogant jerk and then next you're an... whatever you are right now. What exactly are you trying to pull?" I demand. I am so exhausted with all the ordeals I've been through for the past 48 hours. I don't need another puzzle to solve.
I walk around the edge of the bed away from him. He follows my movement with his gaze never leaving my eyes.
"I'm only trying to help. But if I'm making you feel uncomfortable..." he shrugs, holding both hands up.
"Thanks for clarifying. I'm capable of taking care of myself," I say, trying to put as much conviction as I can in my words. Without so much as a backward glance, I walk out of his bed and head over to my room downstairs as fast as I can.
Closing the door behind me, and lean against it, clutching my racing heart. Calm the heck down! Oh my goodness what is happening to me? I know he's attractive with those piercing brown eyes, strong jaw, perfect teeth, silky black hair, and Adonis body. Things are already hard to bear as they are without adding his strong, mysterious personality to the equation. Why does he have to show me that side of his personality? Is he playing with my emotions?
What exactly are the reasons why he wants to save me, anyway? Who am I to him? What does it matter to him if I die?
I remain in my seat, trying to digest everything Song Joong Ki and Rain are saying. Until now, no matter how hard I think about this whole thing, it still sounds like a freaking fairy tale!
"You know what, just read the book. If you have further questions, ask Rain," Song Joong Ki tells me.
He hands me the book and leaves. I watch him walk up the stairs to the second floor. Maybe he's going to sleep. Judging by his appearance, he looks tired.
Rain stands up too. "If you need me, I'll be in my room. First door on the left in the second floor. Joong Ki's room is next to mine."
He turns to leave but I call out his name.
"Rain, wait," I say, getting to my feet. "Who else know about this place?"
Rain shrugs. "For now, no one else. But they'll catch up." He stretches his arms. "Eventually."
He turns his back on me and makes his way to his room. What made them think that I will stay in this house? They trust me to stay put? Really? I can just easily walk out of the door.
For some stupid reason, I decide to stay. Curiosity keeps me from running away.
I stare at the book in my hands. It's very old and looks battered. Several pages at the back have been burned badly. The cover is slightly singed.
I flip open the cover. It looks like a short story to me. Foresight, it reads. Those two are idiots. I still can't believe how absurd everything is.
I sit down and begin to read.
The dingy house in darkest part of the town was home to a loving couple who does fortune-telling to make a living.
They had many who supported them--people who could be considered gullible to believe in something that another human being just like themselves foretells. However, in the couple's perspective, these people were blessed with trusting hearts. If it weren't for these trusting people, they would have been in the streets, living off scraps. It wasn't because they were lazy to do hard labor, nor because they hated working for other people.
It was for the pitiful fact that they were blind.
"Wait, my parents were blind?" I mutter. No one told me about this, assuming of course that this is true -- real -- whatever.
The Song couple had never considered themselves unlucky because of their incapacity to see the world. That was, until their little angel was born.
How they wished they could see her and witness for themselves the beautiful angel that people had been commenting on. People had been telling them how pretty their baby girl is.
I roll my eyes. So this isn't me. For one thing: I'm nowhere near pretty and even farther from beautiful angel. Those two got the wrong girl.
They wanted to see her for themselves. But beauty for those who cannot see can only be measured by what the heart can feel.
They named her Hye Kyo.
A cold chill runs down my spine and I shiver. I look around consciously, half expecting to see a pair of eyes staring at me but I don't see anyone. I turn my attention back to the book.
Life had never been the same for the Song couple. It changed for the better. People would visit them, this time not only to ask for guidance but to get a glimpse of their child.
One fateful night, while the couple were enjoying a rest after a long day, a shadow of a man crept up behind them. Two heavy, decisive blows were enough to take the life off them.
It was a chilly night for the people in the darkest part of the town. Some were sympathetic while others went as far as commenting on the couple being frauds. "How come they failed to foresee their own death?" they asked.
The issue went on and on for quite some time. Not a single person witnessed the entire incident but gossipers' speculations were very imaginative.
Little Hye Kyo was taken by a local orphanage. She grew up to be a very pretty young girl but without the warmth that having a family could provide.
She knew only a few things and didn't know even less.
She knew that she had no parents but she didn't know that they were murdered. She knew that she was miserable but didn't know that life would get better, only to get much worse, much sooner.
She knew that she was nobody but didn't know that she had in her something so special.
After spending years in the orphanage, Hye Kyo decided that she didn't want to spend anymore time following strict rules and routines. She left the orphanage with nothing but the dirty shoes under her feet, the ragged clothes that failed to shelter her from the cold, and the necklace with round-shaped pendant filled with curious inscriptions around her neck. With nothing but hope that the way forward would be better than the way back, she walked into the night.
I feel my hands trembling, my vision blurring. Crystal tears fall from my eyes into the fragile pages of the book I am reading.
I can still remember that night, when I left the orphanage. I didn't know where to go, nor did I know what would happen next. I just plucked up the courage to find my fate elsewhere. I slept on cold sidewalks for two nights and plead for food for three days. I continued to walk until I found the abandoned apartment near a gasoline station in a place that I would soon call my hometown.
I tried to find work but no one wanted me. They were repulsed by me. It was a blessing that the owner of the gasoline station took pity on me. I started working there and managed to scrape a living. I was admitted to school after a social worker found out about me and arranged for my education.
The heart of the heavens bled for her and caressed fate to allow her to survive and gain a friend. Hyun Bin was a good man. He was charming, generous and kind. He befriended her and before she knew it, Hye Kyo finally had something, someone who kept her smiling, kept her living.
I barely had enough to live by, not having any friends and hearing harsh derogatory comments whenever I went. That was until I met Hyun Bin. I hear a sob escape me... "I miss him."
Years passed and she was a lot better than she was ten years ago. Hye Kyo learned how to smile, how to be happy, how to dream. But her bright dreams during the day were the complete opposite of the dark ones she had every night. Visions of murder, screams of terror, and feelings of dread dominated her nightmares. She couldn't escape.
Her 18th birthday came and she was feeling terrible about something she wasn't sure of. Unbeknownst to her, Hyun Bin was already planning to confess his love. For years, he had been with her. He had been supporting her and helping her. He wanted to be something more, wanted what was between them to be something more.
At midnight, as Hye Kyo heard his confession, her heart filled with joy. She was ready to accept him. She needed him. But a terrible headache began to consume her, growing ever more painful, stealing her breath. Before she could even begin to describe, to think of ways to relieve the pain, she slipped into oblivion.
Not knowing what to do, Hyun Bin tried to bring her back to consciousness. Unsuccessful in doing so, he carried her in his arms to her apartment, whispering words of reassurance as he went. He cried for help but no help came.
Just then, a black car stopped before them. He smiled widely, hopeful, thinking that help finally arrived. But when the man opened the door, Hyun Bin found himself paralyzed.
The last thing he saw, before falling lifelessly to the ground, was the shiny muzzle of a gun pointing straight between his eyes.
Unconscious to everything around her, Hye Kyo was taken inside a car, her fate now resides in the hands of the man who is hungry for power.
No. Hyun Bin is not dead. Is he? I turn another leaf only to find a badly burned page. I can't make out anything out of it. No. I refuse to believe it. He's not dead!
I rush towards the next floor as fast as my feet can carry me. Passing the first door on the left that is Rain's room, I stop right outside Joong Ki's bedroom door and pummel it with my fists, screaming, "Hey you! Open this door! Open it now!"
My voice cracking, my sobs echoing across the hall, I continue to shout. I need to know what happened to Hyun Bin after they took me.
After screaming myself hoarse for one full minute, the bedroom door opens, revealing a red-eyed Song Joong Ki. "What are you screaming for?" he asks me, rubbing his eyes. He must have been sleeping. He roams his gaze at me, from my disheveled hair, to my puffy eyes, and finally to the book I'm clutching tightly in my hand.
"Ah. You're finished?" he asks.
"Yes. And I need you to tell me exactly what happened to Hyun Bin. My boyfriend," I demand.
Joong Ki cricks his neck before looking back at me, "Boyfriend huh? Well, your boyfriend is alive. Thanks to me and Rain. I asked Rain to make sure your sorry excuse of a boyfriend was safe before he followed us to the hotel. You're welcome," he says. Before I can react, he turns on his heels and nudges the door close with his hand.
"Wait! How can I be sure that you're telling the truth? I don't trust you," I say, putting my foot forward to stop the door from closing.
He looks back at me and shrugs lazily, "You don't have to trust me. I'm not asking you to. It's a question of what you love more. Your boyfriend or your life. If you love him, you can go back to him. But that's counterproductive because if you're with him, he will die. And where will you be?" he stops dramatically.
I inhale sharply, trying to calm my nerves. I don't know what to say. He's such a narcissistic, spoiled, evil... Song Joong Ki turns and before I know it, his face is inches away from mine. I can smell the mint in his breath as he says softly and slowly, "I can only save you once, brat. I don't go around saving people who don't want to be saved."
I close my eyes when I feel a sharp pain inside my head. I let the book fall to the floor with a dull thud as I clutch my head in both hands. Everything is spinning. Joong Ki rushes forward, his face etched with an emotion I have never seen in it before. I fell in his arms and in a split second, darkness encompasses me.
"Hey. Wake up."
I open my eyes and find myself in a hotel. The modern design looks sleek and intimidating. The aura is stifling. I turn to my right and see Rain and Song Joong Ki playing a game of chess.
The room is a hue of black, gray, and white. A widescreen television is placed strategically overhead. A window with white, flimsy curtain is on my left. I catch a scent of bacon and eggs and my stomach answers in a growl.
The slanting ray of the sun passing through the open window tells me that it's nearly dusk.
"Checkmate," I hear Song Joong Ki mutter.
Rain makes a dismayed sound. Song Joong Ki smirks then turns to my direction.
"You're awake. About time," he says. He stands up and walks toward the door. Rain follows.
"Get up and eat. You can take a bath later."
Without much of a debate with my conscience, I follow suit. The moment I reach the door, I realize that this isn't a hotel room. It's a house. I roam my eyes. An elegant house. A modern, well-furnished, gorgeous house. It looks like it has been shipped from the future.
Black, white, and gray colors fill my eyes. Stairs that look like glass lead to the second floor. Crystal chandeliers hang in the very center of the spacious living room. Ornamental plants are in every corner. The kitchen doesn't look like one at all. All the appliances look like they are part of the white wall. Only a single green plant breaks the monochromatic vibe in the dining room.
I look at my dirty clothes and faded jeans and feel utterly out of place. I feel like a taint in a white canvass.
"Hey, food's getting cold," Rain says. He moves toward me and ushers me to a seat beside him, facing Song Joong Ki.
I cannot look at my kidnapper in the eyes. I feel self conscious.
"This is your favorite, isn't it?" Rain says.
I nod. Exactly how they know about it, I don't care anymore. It seems like they know me personally without even asking information about me. Perhaps they're agents?
I eat three helpings of my food in silence. I am extremely hungry I can eat a cow. When I finally feel full, I excuse myself and head to the room I was in earlier. I need to take a bath. I feel sticky and filthy and disgusting!
I enter the bathroom and try not to look too impressed. But I can't help it. The bathroom alone is the size of my entire apartment. There's a bathtub in the corner. Shower heads are in the middle. A stack of towels are neatly piled in a cabinet near the door. Bottles of perfumes and soaps are neatly arranged in the sink, where a huge circular mirror is placed above it.
I strip, intending to take a long, warm shower. I'm not ready to use the bathtub just yet. I need to wash myself clean first.
I gasp. There's something red and swollen in my right foot. I never noticed it until now. I guess the broken door in the hotel room did this to me. I squat down and rub the wound clean.
Same time yesterday, I was walking to the gasoline station with Hyun Bin for our usual shift. It feels like a lifetime ago. Now, I don't even know where Hyun Bin is.
I let the warm water relax my tensed muscles. I need to think. I cannot think properly. I need an escape plan.
After what seems like an hour in the shower, I feel so much better already. I walk toward the stack of towels and start to wipe myself dry. And then it hit me. I have no spare clothes! My eyes widen in horror as I look at my filthy clothes. It will take some time for them to dry. I can't walk around this house in a towel. I'm alone with two guys for goodness' sake! I need to lock the door!
I reach for the door handle when it swings open. What the hell?
"Oh my God you pervert! What are you doing here? Get the hell out!" I shout at the intruder. Song Joong Ki stares at me. My right hand automatically swings forward, ready to slap him but he catches it and twists it in my back. I cry out in pain. He lets go of my hand and wraps his arms around my waist, pressing me close to him.
"Three things, brat. First, I'm not a pervert. Second, you didn't lock the door. Third, you're not my type so stop assuming," he whispers in my ear. I shiver.
He lets go of me. He pushes the clothes to my chest and says, "When you're done, go to the living room. We need to talk."
He strides out of the bathroom, not even bothering to close the door.
Fuming, I close the door with a bang and change into my new clothes as fast as I can. That pervert! I swear he gave me a light kiss in my neck before he let me go. Oh I really want to knock all of his perfect front teeth. Let's see if he can still flash his annoying smirk at me.
I walk to the living room wearing the knee-length dress that Song Joong Ki has given me. I find him and Rain sitting in front of each other. I choose to sit in a separate couch. Crossing my arms in front of me, I shoot them an annoyed, inquiring look.
"Go ahead," Song Joong Ki tells Rain. He leans back in his chair and drinks from a cup of what appears like coffee.
Rain raises his eyebrows at him and then turns to me, "Sorry about him. He doesn't know how to act properly around pretty girls."
I narrow my eyes at him. This one's a charmer. I have had enough encounters with a mirror to know that I'm nowhere near pretty.
"We are in a safe house. He owns several safe houses throughout the country," Rain says, gesturing his thumb toward a bored-looking Song Joong Ki. Now that I look at them, they don't look like they're related at all. They do have the same muscly body but one has fairer looks that the other.
Now, I don't want to drift that far. Shut up, brain!
"Joong Ki and I are cousins," he says. "These all started with our great, great grandfather. He wrote books that became real people. Our parents discovered about it when he died. It wasn't a big deal, until after we read about you." He takes a deep breath. He glimpses at Song Joong Ki before continuing.
"The thing is, our family decided to burn the books. Either burn the books or kill the living counterpart. Of all the stories he wrote, you are his only attempt at something supernatural. You have an ability to... to see. To see future events," Rain says.
Fine, let's say this is true and let's say that these two are not insane.
"What happened when they burned the books?" I ask.
"When they burned the entire book, the living counterpart dies."
"Why do they do that? Why can't they just let them live?"
So they are a family of killers. I must run for my life!
"Well, Hye Kyo, let's just say that it's to prevent another Hitler from rising to power.
"How many books did he write? And where are they now?"
"He wrote five books. Four of them were burned to ashes. Yours, is the only one left."
"They let me live?" I mutter. I dunno what to feel about that. Should I be thankful?
Rain hesitates, then looks at Song Joong Ki.
"They didn't." Song Joong Ki says.
I look at him.
"When I was a kid, I saw them burning the books. I didn't understand it then. I got curious and grabbed one. They didn't know that you survived."
"But why do they want to kill me? I'm not going to turn into a Hitler or something, right?" I ask them. That's ridiculous! Me? A dictator. That's mad!
Song Joong Ki leans toward me.
"The ones hunting you this morning are not my family. They want to capture you alive. They also found out about you and decided that they can use you for their own interests."
"And your family?"
"You were a threat to them. I'm here to help you survive," he says.
He smiles at me, his eyes twinkling, "Like what I said, I'm your savior."
I look around wildly. The stench of burning rubber is heavy in the air. I cannot make out anything because of the thick, black smoke coming from the burning car. Rain is driving even faster than before.
"Stop! Stop the car!" I shout at him frantically. "We have to go back. Song Joong Ki. He's..."
But before I can finish my sentence, a familiar black car appears from behind the thick smoke, speeding towards us.
"That answers your question," Rain says, chuckling. "You two seem to have gotten close. You worry about him."
I make a face at him, "Whatever."
I'm such a fool. The burning car isn't Song Joong Ki's. It's of the enemy's. And why am I even worried about him? Shouldn't I be happy if my kidnapper dies?
I feel so stupid. How can I be so sure that the guys who were after us are the bad ones? What if it's the other way around?
Rain slows down and lets the black car go ahead of us.
"Why did you let him get ahead?" I ask.
"He decides where we go next," Rain says.
Is Song Joong Ki his boss or something?
"Can I make a suggestion?" I ask.
"No."
I groan. I'm positively starving! I think they're gonna let me die of starvation.
Something soft hits my head. Rain gave me a burger. Well, more like chucked me a burger. With my state, he could shove one in my mouth and I would still be thankful. I grab the burger immediately, tear the wrapper, and start to eat. I swear burger never tasted this heavenly before.
"There's a bottle of water in the cooler."
I just notice the cooler now. I get the bottle from it. It's not sealed.
"You drank from this before?" I ask.
"I sure did," Rain replies.
I roll my eyes at him but drinks from the bottle nonetheless. This isn't the time to be picky. Not when it's a life and death situation.
I finish eating in about a minute. I'm still starving but at least my stomach tenants are not going to eat my stomach lining anymore. I burp.
Rain chuckles again, "You're hardly lady-like. Very bookish."
I scowl at him. I cannot make the connection.
"I know I'm not prim and proper but despite having good grades, I'm not bookish."
He smirks, "I'm not talking about your intellect. I'm talking about you being exactly what the book says about you."
What the hell is he talking about? I don't recall writing an autobiography since grade school.
I look outside the car window and realize that we are going away from the City. The trees are starting to thicken. I can make out an outline of mountains overhead.
Sometimes, it's better not to get involved in things you don't understand. I remember Hyun Bin telling me this once. I wonder where he is now. Did he report what happened last night to the cops? I hope he's okay.
"Who are those people? The ones chasing after us?" I ask Rain, changing the topic.
He looks at me through the mirror, looking amused but didn't object with the change of subject.
"They are enemies."
"Would you care to elaborate?" I say, putting emphasis on the last word. It's exasperating, being dragged into this mess and not being told anything!
He chuckles again. I grit my teeth. I don't find anything amusing in this entire situation.
"They want you. Not dead but alive. They will use you to get what they want," he explains.
I still don't get it.
"And what exactly do they want?"
"They want what you can offer."
"I don't have a single buck in me, if that's what you mean. I can go to them and negotiate."
Rain laughs this time. He shakes his head, clearly having a good time.
"They don't want your money, not that you have any. They want something more than that."
"Like what?"
"Your ability."
"If they want a piece of my cursed life, they can have it all, if that's even considered an ability. I'm willing to give them all the broken strings of luck that come with my name. That's the only ability I have," I say.
What a life.
"Now don't go all drama queen on me. I don't have a hanky to offer you," he jokes out.
I keep my mouth shut. The black car is still ahead of us. The sun is scorching hot. I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand. My shirt is also drenched. I am positive that the unpleasant smell is coming from me. I tug my shirt closer to my nose to make sure.
"Look, just rest okay?" Rain says after that gloomy pause. "I'll wake you up when we arrive."
Fine. I'm too tired and too hungry anyway.
I remove my seatbelt and close my eyes. Lying down on the seats, I say, "Shoot me in my sleep if you want. Just make it painless."
My eyelids feel heavy. I can feel sleep consuming me fast. In my half-conscious state, I hear Rain talking over his phone.
"She's okay. She's eaten but I know she's still hungry... Don't worry bro. I won't lay a finger on her."
Rain drops the phone. Sweet darkness envelopes me.
In an undertone, he adds, "Well, unless you do."
A loud bang and the door is blasted off its hinges. I gasp. Dust erupts in the air. My hands automatically fly to my face, shielding my eyes. No sound escapes from me. Heart beating frantically, I duck on the side of the bed.
Suddenly, I realize this might be my one and only chance to escape.
No. I'm not gonna die on my birthday. I'm not going to allow it!
With a renewed sense of determination, I make a mad dash for the door but before I can reach it, I stumble at the sharp edge of broken woods. I'm going to fall on my face! My stomach is hit by something hard, knocking air out of my lungs.
"Easy love. You're heading straight towards them," a man I have never seen before whispers in my ear. He eases me to my feet before removing his arms from around my waist.
Coughing, I force myself to ask, "Who are you?!"
"No time," he says and he shoves me toward the window that Song Joong Ki has opened.
Before I know it, I am hanging from my kidnapper's firm hold. His right arm is around me while his other hand is holding the rope they anchored on the balcony of our hotel room.
I look at my right and I see the new guy rappelling down silently next to us.
I am pressed against Joong Ki's chest, holding his waist for dear life. We are still five floors up!
"Take a deep breath and close your eyes," my kidnapper instructs.
"And then what? You'll drop me? Hell no. I'm not going to die without a fight," I say, gritting my teeth. I tighten my hold around his middle.
"No. We will drop. But if you want to fight me now, be my guest. You will end up fighting for your death and not for your life," he says, his voice strangled. I must be holding unto him way too tight.
"Close your eyes. I will not repeat anymore," he seethes.
For the love of my life, I do what he asks. After a second, I can feel the wind sweeping my hair from my face. I feel like I am in a rollercoaster ride! We are falling. Fast! I cannot scream. My stomach feels queasy. If I open my mouth, I'm going to throw up!
Dammit. Did someone cut the rope?!
And then it's all over. We land smoothly on the ground. Well, the two guys did. As soon as my feet reach the ground, I drop on all fours, trying to puke my guts out. No vomit comes out. It occurs to me that we still haven't eaten anything since last night. I'm not so sure with the two guys, though. I'm the one who was tied up in bed after all.
And it's like noon time already!
"Get up. They will catch us," Song Joong Ki tells me. I wipe the tears from my eyes and try to get up but my knees feel weak.
"Hurry up!" the other guy says.
I look up and see several men in black suits following our trail using the same rope we used. I groan. I cannot run, let alone stand straight.
"I... I can't," I gasp. My stomach heaves again but no vomit comes out. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
"I'll carry you," the other guy offers.
I am only too glad to agree but Song Joong Ki shoves his backpack to the other guy and without another word, grabs my middle and flips me over so that I'm dangling from his right shoulder, my face facing his lower back. He runs toward a small alley leading to the opposite Street.
If anything, I feel even more sick of the sudden move but with the current situation, I am in no place to argue. I close my eyes tightly, trying to shut off the dizziness in my head.
"Rain! Get the car, quick," I hear Song Joong Ki say.
What rain? I wonder vaguely.
After a few more dizzy seconds, he shoves me inside a car. It isn't the same black car he used last night. It was a sedan. This is a modified pick-up.
The driver is the new guy. I look for my kidnapper but he isn't inside the car.
"Where's Song Joong Ki?" I ask. My voice sounds so soft like it isn't my own.
"Right behind us. Seatbelt," he says. I look behind me and sure enough, the black sedan is on our trail. I put the seatbelt on.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Rain," he says, looking grimly at the rear-view mirror.
What kind of name is that?
Several gunshots echo in the air but misses us. I gasp.
"Drop. Crouch down" Rain says. I do as he says. He takes a great swerve, narrowly missing a six wheeler. The queasy feeling in my stomach comes back.
He opens his window and fires his own gun. Thrice. He has a gun! What the hell did I get myself into?!
I chance a look behind me. I can't see Song Joong Ki's car. Is he dead? But I didn't hear a crash. Another bang makes me crouch down again.
Why the freak am I being hunted? I honestly want to go back to my poor and boring life. Please, please someone tell me that this is just another weird dream. I'm going to wake up soon.
I hear several gunshots behind me. Tires screech against the pavement. A crash. An explosion. Stench.
I look behind me, eyes wide in horror. The black car is turned upside down. It's burning.
Oh my God! My kidnapper is dead?
"You're a character in his story. You're the main character."
I blink again and unable to stop myself, I snort in laughter at his absurdity.
"Dude, you okay? You must be really high. Don't play that trick on me. What is he, God?"
I can't help it. I explode in a fit of giggles. That's basically the best joke I've heard in a while. My sides hurt from laughing so hard.
"Are you done?" He asks when I tune down a bit.
I glare at him although he appears blurry through my glazed eyes.
"Yes! I am so done! I don't have time for this, you jackass! It's my birthday today and look what I have for a celebration? I'm stuck in this room with a psycho! Cut me some slack, will you? Go play a trick on someone else!"
He sighs, stands up, and gets something from a black backpack.
"I know this isn't easy to understand or to believe," he says as he settles down the chair again.
He looks down at a very old book in his hands. The cover is peeling on the sides and the binding looks like it's about to come off.
"This," he begins, gesturing at the book. "This was my great, great grandfather's. He wrote a story in this book. Your story. You want me to read it?"
I roll my eyes at him. "You're gonna read me a bedtime story now?"
He ignores my insults and sets the book down.
"Fine. You can read it yourself later."
He stands up, sets the book on his empty chair and walks towards me. I watch him apprehensively, wondering what he's planning to do.
Dammit. I should've just let him get on with that stupid book. Is he gonna rape me now?!
My brain starts to think wild stuffs. I close my eyes as he comes nearer.
"You're an orphan. Your parents died on your first birthday. You grew up in an orphanage and escaped from there at the age of 12. You entered high school, taking three jobs to stay alive."
I open my eyes and look deep into his black ones, wondering where he got the information. I am aware that there's barely a foot between us but his words has gotten all my attention.
"Have you been stalking me?" I ask him, determined not to be the first to break eye contact.
He smirks, revealing a perfect set of white teeth. I struggle to bring my eyes back to his.
He has beautiful eyes. I think absentmindedly.
"I also know that you have a necklace. Your parents gave them to you before they died. And, yes, they didn't commit suicide. They were murdered."
I stare at him in disbelief. "Where did you get that from?"
He smiles a cold smile. He looks like he is enjoying himself.
I want to punch him so bad!
"I also know that you have been having weird dreams lately, of people dying and being murdered. You have been having headaches at the most unexpected moments and they are starting to scare you."
My eyes narrow at him. Is this some sort of a prank? How come he knows about my dreams? I never breathed a word about it to anyone!
"You want answers," he says.
I want answers, yes, but I'm not getting them from you.
A doctor would be a whole lot nicer. You could use one too!
I decide to keep silent.
"I can give them to you. But only if you cooperate with me."
I glare at him, "What makes you think I will do that?"
To my surprise, he unties the rope tying me to the bed post. I massage my wrists and pull myself in a sitting position.
"Because, brat..." he says, throwing the book inside his backpack before zipping it.
He calls me a brat?!
"You don't have much of a choice," he says, with relish. And to my disgust.
There is a knock on the door.
"...You are being... hunted."
A loud bang and the door is blasted off its hinges.
"I can't let you out. I'm your savior. I want you."
A chill run down my spine.
"Are you a maniac or a killer or both?" I ask. I might as well know something about who I'm dealing with.
He smirks, pressing his foot hard on the gas pedal before turning a sharp curve, throwing me off balance. My arms scramble for anything to support my weight.
He's a maniac! A psychopath! He doesn't look like a rapist. Maybe he will harvest my organs and sell them to the black market?
I search my pockets for my phone.
Who am I going to call? What will I tell them? This psycho might catch me if I talk over the phone. I'll just send a message to Hyun Bin.
I open my phone but my kidnapper snatch it from me and throws it out of the window. I blink about a hundred times before exploding.
"You're crazy! What the hell do you think you're doing? Let me out!" I scream at the top of my voice, pummeling him with my fist.
He steps on the break so suddenly that I find my face flattened against the back of his chair. My cheek and neck hurt so bad. I think I broke my neck.
He faces me and snaps, "I'm not a killer but if you don't stop you will get us killed by accident. So just shut up and sleep. You will get knocked out anyway when the headache returns."
Before I can process what he said, a sharp pain strikes my head, making me feel dizzy and blind. My breathing comes in gasps of pain. My hands clutch my head and I can hear my own scream amidst the buzzing in my ears. Before I can utter another word, everything fades away.
A LIGHT PRESSURE is against my eyes. I can hear Hyun Bin's voice whispering to me, "Careful. We're getting there." His voice soothes the anxiety I am feeling in an instant.
Hyun Bin is with me. It's going to be okay.
"I am not used to surprises," I say to him. "Just tell me what it is already," I demand.
Hyun Bin chuckles, "It's your birthday. I don't want to spoil it for you."
Oh yes. It's my birthday. My 18th birthday.
"Is this my present?"
He doesn't answer.
"Here we are," he says as he removes his hands from my eyes.
"Happy birthday Hye Kyo. Open your eyes," he coaxes.
I open my eyes.
I am in a house. A house unlike my own. It's neat, sleek, and spells money in every corner. A crystal chandelier is hanging over the elaborate living room. No one is around.
A painting of a cheerful family gives the otherwise plain living room a colorful touch.
"Hello?" I call out. I don't know what urged me to do so.
I walk towards the door on the right. It is slightly ajar.
"Hello?" I call out again. My voice echoes faintly in the background.
My feet suddenly becomes heavy. I push myself to get to the door. Something is pushing me to get to the door.
I struggle to drag my feet towards it. Pushing the wooden door slightly with my right hand, a scene is revealed before me.
I try to scream but I can't find my voice.
The floral chair is tainted with a swirl of red and black. Blood is splattered everywhere. Five people are on the floor with their eyes wide open, bathing in their own blood.
Not knowing what to do, I grasp the door handle with my hand, intending to close it, only to realize that my hands aren't empty.
I let the gun fall to the ground.
Horrified, I scream.
I can't understand what is happening. Am I a murderer? How can I murder those people? I don't even know them! I try to move, to flee, but a pair of strong arms grab my shoulders, pinning me to a bed. My body aches.
"Wake up!" I heard a man's voice say.
I gasp for air, fighting the hands that are keeping me hostage.
"I said wake up!" I hear the voice again, more clearly now. Someone is shaking me.
I open my eyes to find myself face to face with a man. He's vaguely familiar. I'm panting heavily like I have been running for my life. I try to swat his arms away and that's when I realize that my wrists are tied to the bedposts.
When he finally lets go of me, scenes from last night flashes on my memory. Last night's ordeal and my recent dream mix in an unpleasant twist inside my head.
"How did I get here?" I ask, my voice hoarse. I swallow the lump in my throat. "And who are you?" I ask, roaming my eyes around the place. We are in what looks like a hotel room. I look at the window and all I can see is gray clouds. We must be several floors up. My eyes travel to the bedside table, where a phone is sitting in its cradle.
Before I can even begin to form a plan inside my head, my kidnapper says, "Don't bother. Line's broken."
My hope at an escape deflates.
He sits on a chair beside me and looks at me. His expression unreadable.
"I'm Song Joong Ki. You don't know me but I know you," he says.
If anything, what he said only opened the flood gates to more questions.
"What do you mean? And will you please remove these ropes? They're cutting my wrists."
I try to move my hands. I hiss when the rope burns my skin.
"After I'm done explaining and when I'm sure you're not going to run away."
"Depends on what you're going to tell me," I narrow my eyes at him.
He takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders.
"I'm the great great grandson of Song Joong Young."
So?
I look at him blankly, waiting for him to continue.
"He's the one who created you."
I blink. Either I'm a time traveler for having a really old dude for a father or he's on drugs.
"What I mean is, you're a character in his story. The main character."
I wipe the sweat from my face with a towel. The gasoline station has always been packed during this time of night. I can only hope that my dinner can last until my shift ends.
I walk over to where Hyun Bin is talking to another guy in a black car. It is the car I saw earlier this day. Hyun Bin is frowning at the guy, muttering something. The guy looks at my direction and a shiver run down my spine.
He was the same guy in the cafeteria.
He makes me feel uncomfortable, like those eyes are X-ray machines, scanning me.
He must have noticed that his stare makes me uncomfortable because he nods at Hyun Bin and drives off.
"What was that about?" I ask Hyun Bin when the car is out of sight.
Hyun Bin looks at me, his frown hasn't left his face, "A customer."
"Did he say something? He kind of gives me the creeps."
"Nah. He's alright. It just shocked me that he gave me such a generous tip."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Oh I feel bad now for judging him," I say.
"Oh come on it's fine. Three more hours and shift's over," he says, ruffling my hair.
He has the brightest smile I have grown accustomed to.
"Three more hours and I will be 18 years old," I counter.
I feel so old.
"You talk about it like it's a bad thing," Hyun Bin says.
I smile a small smile and look down at the peeling corners of my sneakers. I feel more self conscious now.
"It's a little scary, you know? I dunno why. I must be feeling liberated now that I will be a legal adult but it is also making me feel..." I trail off.
I dunno what or how to say it. The truth is, I have been experiencing some changes in me that I am pretty sure none of the others have. I cannot tell Hyun Bin about it. It might scare him off and I can't allow it. He's the only one I have closest to a family.
I can't lose him.
Hyun Bin wraps his arms around me and hugs me tight. His voice soft and sincere as he whispers, "I'm here for you. Don't worry. I will never abandon you."
His trust and care for me frightens me more. I smile at him, "Buy me a drink."
When our shift ends, we walk together back to our neighborhood. He has his arms around me all the time, as if trying to protect me.
What he doesn't know is I don't need protection. Still, I continue to allow him to act as my savior.
It feels wonderful to let your guard down once in a while.
I will always be indebted to his kindness.
"Hye Kyo?"
"Hm?"
"We have been friends for a while now," he says, his voice tensed.
I can feel his arms tightening around me.
"Yeah. Almost 12 years huh?"
His breathing picks up. "Yeah. And I have always been there for you--" he says.
"I truly appreciate it, Hyun--"
"--and you for me."
I fall silent. I don't know where this is going. I stare at him but he is looking straight ahead, not meeting my eyes.
A dull ache is starting to build inside my head.
"Hye Kyo, I really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"
That question throws me off guard. I have always known that Hyun Bin has this unexplained compulsion of protecting me. But this?
I fall silent, not knowing what to say.
Hyun Bin is kind... and strong, and... don't deny it. He is handsome too. A voice speaks inside my head.
Why not, right?
The ache inside my head grows. I push it away not letting it ruin this moment for me.
I have known him for years. He has always been there for me. It wouldn't hurt to take our relationship to the next level.
Right?
"Yes, Hyun Bin," I smile. "I'm your girlfriend now."
I try to look happy because he looks nothing short of ecstatic but the pain inside my head has magnified ten fold. I try to keep a straight face, resisting the natural urge to close my eyes.
The pain is blinding.
Hyun Bin sweeps me off my feet and hugs me tight. I bite my lip to stop myself from screaming. Beads of sweat start to trickle down the side of my face. Breathing becomes hard.
What's going on?!
And just like that, the pain stops. My eyes wide, trying to comprehend what happened, I notice a black car parked just a few meters from my apartment.
Hyun Bin sets me to my feet and looks into my eyes. Pushing my bangs away from my eyes, he says, "Happy birthday Hye Kyo. I love you."
He leans forward, looking tenderly at my lips.
I'm seriously not in a mood for something romantic right now.
Not wanting to hurt him, I close my eyes, waiting for his lips but it never came.
A loud screech, a blinding light and before I know what is happening, I am being hauled inside the black car. Hyun Bin is on the ground, clutching his stomach.
Before I can reach for the door, the locks click.
I wheel around, looking at my kidnapper with murderous eyes.
"Let me out! Who are you?! What do you want? I have no money. I'm no use to you," I scream frantically.
He looks over his shoulders from the driver's seat, black eyes boring into mine.
"I can't let you out. I'm your savior. I want you."
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