"Yes uncle, I already got everything inside my bag." Jisoo rolled her eyes.
Jisoo was with the other students, waiting to board their bus for their school field trip. Her uncle TOP made a last minute call to check up on her neice. He was worried that she might've left something behind. Jisoo ended the call and put away her phone inside her bag.
"Was that your uncle?" Taeyong asked from behind.
Jisoo jumped. She didn't realize Taeyong was behind her. She rolled her eyes for the second time before turning away. She was still pissed at him for ignoring her for the last couple of days and she intended to return that favor to him. It was a living hell not only for her but also for her friends who decided to stand up for her.
"Are you still mad at me?" Taeyong pouted which made some girls squeal. "Come on. I already said sorry."
Jisoo paused, turning around to face him. Taeyong was caught off guard. He swallow when he saw the look on the girl's face. Jisoo was about to open her mouth to scold him, to give him a piece of her mind but remembered that she was supposed to ignore him so she turned around.
Jisoo took the farthest seat on the back. Taeyong followed her, sitting right next to where she was. Jisoo continued to ignore him. She busied herself with her phone while Taeyong remained persistent. He wouldn't stand still knowing someone hates him. He was not sure himself but Jisoo ignoring him made him restless. It was bothering him. Taeyong noticed Jisoo reading a message from her phone. He tried to pry but Jisoo immediately put it away, leaving him with only a name.
"Bobby?" Taeyong quirked an eyebrow. "You know that guy from class 2-C?"
Jisoo gave him a look.
Taeyong paused, remembering something. "Ah! That was the same guy who stood up for you at the girl's washroom. How do you know him?"
Jisoo closed her eyes.
"It doesn't matter." Taeyong shrugged. "That guy's trouble. The Higher Ups won't let him go that easily not after what happened a year ago."
That got Jisoo's attention. "You know what happened to him before?"
Taeyong looked surprised. He blinked. Jisoo also blinked. Realizing her mistake, she bit down her lower lip. She groaned. Way to go Jisoo. Taeyong smiled victoriously. He got her.
.....
"Alright! Listen up everyone!" Teacher Seo called all the students' attention. "We have three different activities here that you can choose from. Fishing, mountain climbing and sketching."
"Stop it."
Bobby turned around when he heard that familiar voice. He immediately spotted Jisoo from the other side of the line where her other fellow class 2-A students were lined up. He saw the popular guy, Lee Taeyong teasing her. Jisoo seemed to be comfortable around him since she was making that kind of faces.
"What do you think of that guy?" Yunhyeong asked beside him.
"What do you mean?" Bobby raised an eyebrow towards his friend.
Yunhyeong rolled his eyes. "I was talking about that guy's intention."
"What about it?"
"Yah, aren't you worried about Jisoo?" Yunhyeong gaped. "She's our friend and your neighbor."
"She's making friends." Bobby said, matter of factly. "Isn't that what's more important?"
Yunhyeong groaned, feeling frustrated. "I wish Jinhwan's here so he can knock some senses into you."
"Seniors can't come to this field trip." Bobby reminded him. "This is only open to all second year students, remember?"
"I know that!" Yunhyeong almost yelled. "It's just a figure of speech."
"Now, each activity has certain quota you need to fulfill in order for you to pass." Teacher Seo continued. "For fishing, each student needs to catch at least five fishes for you to pass. Those who will be taking the mountain trail, you need to arrive before the given amount of time. For sketching, each student is required to draw a picture of an animal, a tree and a human."
The students groaned, showing their protests. Some were torn between mountain climbing and sketching. Only a handful of student picked fishing. Since the weather was cold that day, no one would dare consider plunging themselves into the water surface just to catch a couple of fishes.
"What will you choose?" Yunhyeong asked.
"Fishing." Bobby answered bluntly.
"What?" Yunhyeong's eyes widened. "Are you serious? It's 5 degrees below 0. We'll catch a cold if we get wet."
"You don't have to come with me, Song." Bobby walked and fetched himself a fishing rod from one of the teachers."
Yunhyeong hesitated but soon surrendered. He picked himself a rod and followed Bobby towards the nearest river. "I'm so gonna regret this."
.....
"Yah! Kim Jisoo, wait for me!"
Jisoo chose the mountain trail. Wearing her thick jacket, Jisoo was now on her way to the top where their other teacher was waiting for them. She didn't mind the cold air brushing her face but Taeyong's presence was making it difficult for her to concentrate. He was getting on her nerves and it was showing on her face.
"Argh!"
Taeyong's scream made Jisoo stop on her tracks. She froze and turned around. She saw Taeyong on the ground, clasping his ankle. Jisoo immediately ran to his side, looking horrified.
"What's wrong?" Jisoo sounded worried. "What happened to your ankle?"
Taeyong continued pretending to get hurt. He took a peek and couldn't hide his smile when he saw the concern on Jisoo's face. Jisoo checked his ankle, her hands slightly shaking. She was partly blaming herself for Taeyong's misfortune. She should've waited. Just then, she heard him laugh.
Jisoo gaped. "YAH!"
Taeyong wiped off the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"That wasn't funny."
Taeyong stopped laughing. "Well, you just wouldn't listen to me." He paused. "I admitted my mistake and said my sorry. What else do I have to do for you to forgive me?"
Jisoo contemplated. Somehow, she felt guilty. Taeyong was actually blameless. What happened to her and her friends wasn't his fault. Taeyong didn't spread those lies. He just chose to ignore her. Why wouldn't he when he knew it would affect his popularity at school? Jisoo was just upset and it just so happened that she blamed Taeyong for all of it.
Jisoo stood up and turned around. She couldn't handle the guilt growing inside and just chose to leave. Taeyong jumped by the abrupt movement.
"Yah, Kim Jisoo!" Taeyong called after her. He rose to his feet and followed the girl.
Jisoo was so out of it that she didn't realize the cliff she was heading into. She slid down, screaming. Taeyong saw it and rushed to get to her on time. He managed to grab a hold of her hand.
"Hold on." Taeyong grunted. He tried to pull her up but the ground was too soft. He couldn't seem to find the right footing.
"Please, don't let go!" Jisoo shouted desperately, crying.
"I won't." Taeyong replied. "Just hold on."
Taeyong tried pulling her up again but the ground beneath him suddenly collapsed. The two of them fell down. Luckily, the fall wasn't long. They landed on a grassy plain with Jisoo on top of Taeyong. The boy managed to cushion their fall. Jisoo groaned and when she opened her eyes, she saw the unconscious Taeyong beneath her. Her eyes widened.
"Yah, Lee Taeyong!" Jisoo got off of him and tried to shake the boy awake. "Yah!"
Jisoo panicked. She stood up to find some help but winced when she tried to walk. It seemed like she hurt her right ankle on the fall. She then heard Taeyong groaning. She crouched back down beside him.
"Thank god!" Jisoo sighed, relieved. "Are you okay? How's your head?"
Taeyong tried to smile but winced instead. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Jisoo looked doubtful. She held out her three fingers. "How many fingers am i holding right now?"
Taeyong laughed out loud. "Seriously, I'm fine." He paused and checked Jisoo for any injuries. "What about you?"
Jisoo sagged, all her energy drained from all that rush. "I'm okay."
Taeyong smiled. He tried to look around and noticed the spot they've fallen into. He doubted someone would be able to find them sooner. Not only that they've strayed from the trail but they also fell into a cliff. Taeyong stood up.
"That was a nasty fall." Taeyong commented. "Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself?"
Taeyong looked back and saw Jisoo limping. He frowned. "You're hurt."
Jisoo rolled her eyes. "I'm fine and besides, we need to find some shelter. It's going to rain soon."
True enough, Taeyong could see those dark clouds forming above them. He closed his eyes for a moment before walking towards the limping girl. He crouched down in front of her and Jisoo was surprised with his sudden gesture.
"What are you doing?"
"Get on." Taeyong told her. "We won't make it on time with your foot like that."
Jisoo bit down her lip but decided to accept the boy's offer. The sooner they get out from there, the better. Jisoo climbed on Taeyong's back and he could feel her weight against him. Jisoo flushed red. She suddenly felt guilty.
"Forget it. I'll just walk on my own." Jisoo tried to get down but Taeyong won't let her. "I'm too heavy."
"No. It's okay." Taeyong argued. "Your weight assures me you're there."
Jisoo fell into silence. The two of them set out to look for a shelter against the incoming rain. Luckily, they were able to find a rundown waiting shed. The rain began to pour down heavily and Jisoo couldn't help but shiver. It was kind of odd actually since she felt hot. She was light headed like she was about to faint any moment now.
"We're lucky we found this place before the rain could've poured down on us." Taeyong grinned, looking up to the dark sky. "I wish we were allowed to bring our cellphones with us then we could call someone for help, don't you agree?"
Taeyong turned around. His grin vanished, replaced by a frown. Jisoo looked odd. She was just sitting there, looking lost. Her cheeks were red and Taeyong couldn't help but think it was kind of adorable. She looked like a drunk with her, swaying like that. Wait. Taeyong's frown deepened.
"Jisoo?"
Jisoo looked up and met Taeyong's gaze. She blinked a couple of times before collapsing.
.....
"Did you find them?" Teacher Seo asked one of the cabin staff.
The staff shook his head. Bobby frowned. He didn't like the sound of the teacher's voice. Majority of the students were now gathered inside the cabin's main lobby. Due to the sudden storm, their school activities got cancelled. The remaining students who took the mountain trail got held back at the top of the mountain with the other teachers but only two of them weren't able to make there on time.
"What are the students' names again?" Teacher Go asked her fellow teacher.
"Lee Taeyong from the basketball club and the new girl, Kim Jisoo."
Bobby's ears perked up. His friend was in trouble. He hurriedly put his jacket on and tried to sneak out from the cabin but Yunhyeong stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"Where are you going?"
"Jisoo's in trouble." Bobby answered.
Yunhyeong bit down his lip before letting go of his arm. "Just be careful out there."
Bobby nodded. He was about to leave but the guy from the class next to them approached him, making him stop.
"Are you going to help look for them?" he asked.
"Yeah, why? Are you going to stop me?" Bobby squared his shoulders.
"Actually, no." The guy got something out from his backpack and handed it to Bobby. It was a communication radio. "Take it. Our Teachers still have our phones. Contact us immediately if you manage to find them."
"Cool." Yunhyeong mumbled.
"You got it." Bobby nodded towards the guy. "Thanks uh – "
"Taehyung." The guy introduced himself. "It's Kim Taehyung."
"Right. Kim Taehyung." Bobby held out the radio. "Thanks for this."
.....
Jisoo could hear Taeyong's voice. He was grunting and groaning. She tried opening her eyes and saw him trying to climb back to where they fell earlier. Taeyong was desperately trying to reach for the vine dangling from the tree above but the ground was too slippery due to the rain. Heck, the rain hadn't even stop from pouring.
"Yah, Lee Taeyong!" Jisoo shouted but her voice came out weak.
Jisoo moved and something fell out from her shoulder. It was another jacket and it belonged to Taeyong. She stood up and walked over to the edge of the waiting shed, careful not to get wet. Unlike before, she felt better now. The fever was still there but it was bearable.
"Yah!" Jisoo shouted and at that time, Taeyong was able to hear it.
Taeyong returned to the waiting shed. Jisoo couldn't help but grimace at sight of the boy standing in front of her. Taeyong was drenched, his clothes soiled with mud. She immediately returned the jacket and tried to wrap it around Taeyong but the boy refused.
"No." Taeyong shook his head. "It'll be a waste on me anyway. I'm already wet."
"But – "
"You, take it. I'm alright." Taeyong beamed like a little boy.
Jisoo's lips drew into a thin line. She crumpled the boy's jacket and threw at his face. Taeyong gasped, surprised. He gaped towards Jisoo who was glaring at him with her arms crossed. He made her mad. Again.
"Wear it. Now." Jisoo deadpanned.
"Yes ma'am." Taeyong saluted.
The two of them waited for the rain to stop. It was already dark when it happened. The two were now standing below the cliff where they fell, thinking how they would climb back up. The night was getting chillier and Jisoo tried to stay warm by rubbing her arms. Taeyong grimaced. He took his jacket off and handed it to her.
"What about you?" Jisoo asked.
"I'm good." Taeyong smiled. "I'll have to take it off anyway. I can't climb up there with this on."
Jisoo contemplated but took his offer. "Thanks."
Just then, something long fell down from above them. They screamed, thinking it was a snake but a certain voice calmed them down. That person might have been the one who threw it to them. They also saw the guy carrying a flashlight.
"You alright?"
Jisoo couldn't clearly see his face but she definitely had heard that voice before. She squinted her eyes until her eyes have finally adjusted to the light. She couldn't hide the relief from her voice when she called his name.
"Bobby!"
Bobby smirked. "You called for help?"
.....
Taehyung, Jimin and Yunhyeong were patiently waiting for any news regarding their missing friend. The students were all gathered inside the mess hall for their dinner. Everyone seemed to be eating comfortably except for these three. Instead of eating their food, they were just staring at the radio placed on top of their table.
"Jimin-ah." Taehyung frowned. "Are you sure this thing still works?"
Jimin rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Of course it does. Why would I even bother bringing this with me if it doesn't?"
"Why would you even bring these with you?" Yunhyeong got curious. "You know that using gadgets is not allowed in this trip."
The two exchanged nervous looks at one another. Taehyung especially. The boy could only swallow.
"Pfft. These aren't gadgets." Taehyung reasoned. "These are equipment."
Yunhyeong blinked, contemplating. He didn't really get what was the difference between this two so he just let it go. What was more important right now was Jisoo's whereabouts. Finally, they heard some buzzing coming from the radio. The three of them leaned closerand tried to listen. There were static at came after and finally, Bobby's voice was finally heard.
"I found them!"
The three boys widened their eyes by the good news. They were finally able to breathe again. Jisoo was safe.
"I'll go and tell the teacher." Yunhyeong stood up and ran to the nearest teacher he could find.
Jimin picked up the radio and pressed the speak button. "Where are you right now?"
"Somewhere near the cliff." Bobby answered. "They fell in."
Taehyung's eyes widened. He snatched the radio from Jimin. "What about Jisoo? Are they hurt? What happened to them?"
There was a pause before Bobby gave them an answer. "They seemed fine to me. Just dehydrated."
The two heaved a sigh of relief.
"We already alerted the teachers." Jimin informed. "They'll come for you so just stay put."
.....
"Copy that." Bobby replied.
He put away the radio and turned his attention back to the two person sitting beside him. Bobby had somehow pulled the two of them out of the cliff with the help of a rope he found inside their school bus. The three of them exchanged glances at one another as they tried to catch their breaths. They looked like a mess with their muddy clothes and dirty faces. Pulling Jisoo up was the hardest part of the rescue seeing that she already got injured even before the fall could've happened.
"I just left you for a while and you already got yourself into trouble." Bobby teased Jisoo who immediately gave him a glare. "TOP's right. You really are a klutz."
Jisoo's eyebrows creased. "Yah, how come you're only calling my uncle by name? He's still older than you, stupid."
Bobby laughed. "TOP doesn't mind."
"Aishh." Jisoo was about to punch him but Taeyong stopped her.
"Careful. You're still hurt, remember?" Taeyong grimaced before facing Bobby. "I appreciate your help but please refrain from making Jisoo angry."
Bobby raised an eyebrow before giving Jisoo a questioning look. Jisoo just shrugged.
"Whatever." Bobby rose and squinted his already small eyes towards the dark forest. "You two should stay here while I'll go and scout the area."
Bobby left the two. Jisoo suddenly felt awkward now that there were alone. She suddenly remembered when and where it all started. She grimaced, realizing that it was her fault. She looked over where Taeyong was currently hovered. He had scratches all over his beautiful face. Jisoo stilled. She suddenly shook her head. What was wrong with her? Did she just call him beautiful? Omo!
"What's wrong?" Taeyong noticed her. "Does your head hurt?"
Jisoo shook her head. "No, I'm fine. You should be worrying about yourself."
Taeyong blinked. He studied his self. "Nuh. I'm alright."
Jisoo bit down her lip. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Taeyong shook his head. "It was an accident."
"I'm not talking about the fall." Jisoo took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the look on Taeyong's face. "I shouldn't have put all the blame on you. I was too naïve and selfish. I'm sorry."
Taeyong was having a hard time containing his smile. Jisoo saw him and couldn't help but get embarrassed. It gotten worse when Taeyong didn't say anything back. He just kept staring at her. Jisoo cleared her throat before standing up in hopes of escaping from the boy's intimidating gaze. Jisoo suddenly yelped in pain. She forgot that she hurt her ankle earlier. Thanks to Taeyong's fast reflexes that he was able to catch her.
"You, okay?" Taeyong asked, worry plastered all over his face.
Jisoo raised her head and immediately regretted it after realizing how close their faces were with each other. Jisoo swallowed while Taeyong could only stare at her eyes. He got mesmerized by them with its orbs reflecting the moonlight.
"Am I interrupting something?"
The two immediately separated when they heard Bobby's voice. Jisoo hopped away on her left foot while Taeyong could only rub the back of his head, looking away.
"I can go back if you want." Bobby raised an eyebrow, eyeing the two simultaneously. "Just call me if you're done."
"Yah!" Jisoo shouted, her eyes widening.
Bobby smirked, crossing his arms. "Come on. I spotted some lights just a few meters below this mountain road."