RESTART

A Nice Change of Scenery

The moonlight shone through the trees and lit the forest. The fallen leaves rustled beneath Moonbyul, crumbling in her hands. As her senses returned, so did the pain that was spreading throughout her body. She placed her hand on a wooden debris that had pierced the left side of her stomach. Shit, she groaned before examining it. It doesn't feel too deep. I think I can remove it.

Moonbyul crawled to a nearby tree and leaned her back against it. She took off her sweater before unbuttoning her shirt. After folding her shirt to act as a bandage, she placed it in her mouth and took a deep breath. Sweats dripped from her forehead as she gripped the wooden debris. She carefully removed it, groaning under her breath. Once that was taken care of, she wrapped the shirt tightly around her wound and leaned back against the tree. That should keep for a while.

She looked up at the dark mountain and wondered how far down she was. Maybe it wasn't the best idea. It's fortunate that I didn't break anything, she sighed and leaned her head against the tree. Guess Kang-Dae didn't pay them enough to come after me, she scoffed. Good thing too. I wouldn't have been able to hold them off in this condition. She sighed again; relieved that her gamble had worked without too much complication.

At that moment, her stomach growled. "Damn, I knew I forgot something," she chuckled, holding her injury. "Shit, laughing hurts." I should get out of here and find someone to look at this wound. I think there's a small town in this area. Her stomach grumbled again, something to eat would also be nice.

Moonbyul put her jacket on and navigated the forest, her hand pressed against her wound. The longer she walked, the more she hesitated. Each step felt as if she had chosen the wrong direction. She stopped to catch her breath once more, losing count of how many times it had happened. The pain was getting worse and her dry lips longed for the taste of water.

The insects' cacophony echoed loudly, piercing through the forest. In its background, soft waves were washing onto the shore. She listened carefully and followed the sound of water to its source. The sparkling sea was vast and empty, but it still brought her joy. She dropped to her knees and scooped up some water, fortunately she stopped herself before she ingested any. Her wound was also spared from being touched by it.

Moonbyul continued on her way, leaving her heavy footprints in the sand. It was a while longer before she spotted a house in the distance. Her small fragment of hope grew larger. She wanted to pick up her pace but her body was at its limit. Each step felt harder; each breath heavier. However, even when she fell, she kept crawling until exhaustion overtook her. In the moments before her consciousness faded, she heard noises as a silhouette drew closer. Who is it...?

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"What are you thinking about?" Solar smiled, wrapping her arms around Moonbyul's waist and placing her head against Moonbyul's back.

She held Solar's hands, "that it's nice to be here with you. Watching the stars, the sea. It's peaceful."

"It is beautiful."

She gazed into Solar's eyes and said, "mesmerizing."

"I'm talking about the scenery."

"And I'm talking about the person in front of me," she said as she embraced Solar.

"Keep teasing me and you'll get it," Solar pouted.

She kissed Solar, "I don't mind getting in trouble if it's with you. And I meant what I said."

"I know," she kissed Moonbyul. "Let's stay here for a while longer."

Moonbyul nodded, "we'll stay for as long as you want."