Losing Sight Of You ❦ Seonghwa

22 | Nobody Left Behind

Ali didn't even need to consider it. Leaving San behind would never be an option, no matter the circumstances.

When she had first arrived at the institute, he had been the one who had helped her settle in. He had been her confidant, her saviour, and her friend. She wouldn't have survived in this place if it weren't for him.

San had sacrificed himself so many times, not just for her, but for the other residents as well. Now it was time for her to do the same for him.

She rushed at one warden and kicked him in the shin. Then she grabbed his beefy arms and dug her nails deep. Without a weapon, this was the only thing she could do.

Fortunately, it was enough to make the warden let go, and San fell to the floor.

Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed Ali's hand and raced to the exit. The wardens gave chase and tried several times to grab the pair of runaways, but they were too fast for them.

They made it to the entrance of the tunnel, and they squinted in the bright sun. It was almost blinding, and they fought to keep their eyes open.

San shoved Ali and urged her to go in the opposite direction to him. They split up and hid amongst the trees that surrounded Mistlyn.

Trying to catch her breath, Ali leaned against one trunk and held her hand to her chest. Through her palm, she could feel her pulsating heart. Which only grew stronger when someone tapped her on the arm.

Swivelling her head to the side, she exclaimed, "what are you doing here?!"

The mossy floor beneath his feet was more interesting at that moment than the burning gaze of Ali's before him. It scorched the back of his skull, and he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat.

"Wooyoung, answer me!" Realising her voice was a bit too loud, she clamped her mouth shut and pulled him next to her. It wasn't enough to hide them both from the wardens, but there wasn't much else she could do.

"I-I did something..." he began to say.

"Did what?" she said, peering around their surroundings. She felt relieved when she saw they were alone. Had the wardens given up?

"I can't tell you, but it's something bad." He began to shake more, and Ali wrapped her arms around him to stop the tremors.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure everything will be fine." Her voice was soft in an attempt to calm him down. "Tell me when you're ready to, ok?"

He nodded in response and then buried his head in her shoulder.

"How did you even know I was here? I'm sure Jae didn't tell anyone where she had sent me to." Ali released him and looked up at him, in a confused manner.

Wooyoung noticeably flinched at the mention of Ali's sister, and to mask the awkwardness, he fired his own question at her, "how do you know it was her who sent you here?"

"Well, I mean, who else could it be?" She shrugged and said, "Jae hated me enough and is evil enough to do such a thing. Y'know, my head still aches from where she hit me."

"She did that?"

"Yeah," Ali replied. "It was lucky I didn't die from my injuries and instead woke up here. If you can even call this being lucky."

"Ali, who are you talking to? We should get away from here, not hold some kind of party." A sarcastic voice halted Ali and Wooyoung's conversation.

Then San stepped out from behind a tree that was further back, and his eyes widened when he took in the sight of his friend.

"Wooyoung!" He forgot himself for a moment and rushed at the dazed male before flinging his arms around him.

"San? You were here too?" Wooyoung returned the hug and then pulled away from him a moment later. "So this is where you disappeared to. Hongjoong and the others have been worried about you."

"And you haven't?"

"Of course I did worry." Wooyoung defended himself.

"Ok, ok, enough of the joyful reunion. We need to find a way out of here. Now!" Ali patted the two men on their backs.

"Wooyoung, did you drive here?"

"Yep," he replied and held his keys up for her to see.

"Good." Ali's gaze hardened, and she pulled the two guys behind her. "Let's go before the wardens catch up."

"Yes, ma'am." The guys chorused.

"And on the way back, you can tell me how you knew I was here, and why you had to see me." She glanced pointedly in Wooyoung's direction, who gulped and slowly nodded his head.