Flowers Are Bait

As she shouted for Kwon Chae-woo again, lightning flashed in the distance. She knew that it was a cloudy day but, as rain began to pour, she felt her mouth dry.

Then, at that very moment, she saw a drone flying up in the sky. She waved her arms around and called out. “Here!” she shouted. “I’m here!”

It had been a big landslide. A disaster management team would be moving quickly to deal with the aftermath. Soon, a rescue team would come and save her. Her throat tightened as she imagined being rescued without having found Kwon Chae-woo first.

She needed to find him quickly.

She continued pushing through the mud, sliding and nearly falling as she went forward. Her arms strained as she used them to get through the mud and her clothes, now soaked in mud, only seemed to weigh her down more with every step she took.

Where could Kwon Chae-woo be?

Her lips trembled as she began to hopelessness. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could already feel the tears coming, but she didn’t want to cry yet.

As she opened her eyes to keep going, she saw it: a body caught between the trees.

With all her energy, Lee-yeon started to run, but her body eventually gave in and she had to stop. Crying, she shouted, “Kwon Chae-woo!”

The state he was in was not much different from Lee-yeon’s. His face was covered in mud and she could barely see his face.

She pushed herself towards him and managed to reach him after struggling. She took a rope from her bag and wrapped it around Kwon Chae-woo’s waist. She flipped him over carefully and felt her heart stop when she finally saw that his eyes were closed.

He didn’t move. Kwon Chae-woo was still and Lee-yeon almost believed he was dead. There was blood on his forehead and she thought it must have been ripped by a rock. Lee-yeon trembled as she leaned down and pressed her head against his chest.

“Kwon Chae-woo?” she said quietly. “Can you hear me?”

She was mostly just talking to herself, but she couldn’t stand not talking to him. She reached her hand to his neck and checked his pulse. She let out a sigh, she didn’t know if it was out of relief or resentment.

“Please,” she whispered. “Please stay with me.”

She turned his head and took out what dirt she could from his mouth. She had never had an interest in saving other people’s lives, but, at that moment, she regretted only knowing how to take care of trees.

She clenched her teeth. She wouldn’t stop until he woke up.

As she searched for a blanket to cover him, she saw his eyes flicker open. She rushed over to him and held him. His eyes opened and met hers.

Her eyes filled with tears. At that moment, she felt nothing but gratitude. His decision to save her had scared her and she knew that she didn’t want to be alone like that again.

“I think I know now,” she said softly. “The two trees I wrapped with wire—they may have been strange, but I know now. They just wanted to feel each other’s warmth.”

Kwon Chae-woo frowned. His eyes seemed far away and unfamiliar to her. He seemed different, completely different. Lee-yeon wondered if it was because he was in pain. Maybe it was just because he was uncomfortable.

Then, in a husky voice he asked, “Who are you?”

Lee-yeon’s eyes widened.

Kwon Chae-woo looked around. “Fuck,” he said. “What is going on here?”

Lee-yeon froze as Kwon Chae-woo looked around the forest and swore at everything he saw. His voice was cold and his gaze was focused on everything but Lee-yeon.

He staggered up to his feet then grabbed his arm and hissed.

“Are you hurt?” Lee-yeon asked, standing up beside him. “Are you okay?”

She moved her hand to touch him, but she slapped it away.

“Don’t touch me,” he said.

His eyes were glazed over, almost like he was drugged. He took his shoulder and popped it back in roughly. Lee-yeon shrank into herself as she watched him become the person he was before.

He looked down at her and clicked his tongue, groaning as pain shot through his body.

Lee-yeon was still. She was in shock after everything that happened. Then he grabbed her arm.

“What is all of this?” he demanded. “Who are you? Why am I here?”

Lee-yeon was quiet as he continued to ramble and look around frantically. She refused to face the reality that she knew was there. It hurt more than everything she had gone through during the landslide.

“I’m asking you,” Kwon Chae-woo said harshly. “Who are you?”

Without thinking, Lee-yeon stepped forward and hit Kwon Chae-woo in the head.

He grabbed at the side of his head that she hit and turned to her, glaring. “Do you want to die?”

Panicking, Lee-yeon backed away from him. “No,” she shook her head. “It’s not that.”

“What are you doing?”

Lee-yeon swallowed. “Just faint again.”

“What?” Kwon Chae-woo looked bewildered.

“This isn’t right!” Lee-yeon exclaimed. “This isn’t right.”

Everything was a mess now.