the luckiest • han jisung ✓

eight

Ae Ra boredly listened to their teacher's first love story, eyes half-closed. She pinched her lap for the umpteenth time, trying to fight the sleepiness that kicked in.

For the last activity of day two, they had to walk through a shortcut in the forest to get to the campsite. She couldn't understand the purpose of this activity where they could just walk back to the campsite without going through the forest.

It was already late, yet her turn hadn't come. Seemed like she would go last.

After waiting for a few more minutes, the teacher called her name alongside her partner. At least, they didn't make them go one by one. It would be scary, walking alone in the forest late at night.

"Let's make it quick." Ha Jun nodded. Well, she was glad her partner was someone close to her.

Holding on to the candle that was being given, they began to enter the forest. Make sure to follow all the signs provided.

The sound of dried leaves being stepped on, weird sounds from behind the bushes, and the humming of the insects made the atmosphere become even eerier. However, their sound of chatter drowned it all.

"Don't you think it's unfair?" She spoke out the thoughts that she had been holding since the rules were announced. "The one who finishes first can go to bed early and the teacher is the one who decides the order."

He only responded with a smile. He was annoyed at first, but the fact that he went together with the girl made the other things do not really matter to him.

"Wait." She stopped in her tracks, looking around. "Where is the sign?"

There, they realized.

"Are we lost?" He glanced everywhere to find the sign, but there was none. They were too immersed in their talk and didn't pay attention to their surroundings.

Ae Ra sighed at her candle that had completely melted down. She noticed that his candle was in the same situation as hers.

"Should we just wait for the next pair?" Ha Jun suggested.

"We are the last one."

"How about we just wait here? The teacher will definitely look for us. If we continue, we might get lost any further."

She agreed. They stood there in silence, hoping someone would come soon.

They will look for us, right?

Her attention averted to the source of lights far behind Ha Jun. Ae Ra blinked twice, a bit hesitant if what she saw was real or just her imagination. "What is that?" She pointed in the direction.

His eyes trailed to where she pointed at. He squinted his eyes. "A treehouse?"

They walked closer to what they assumed as a treehouse. It was oddly clean, not to mention the lamps that decorated it.

"Someone was here before?"

Ae Ra shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe this is where our teacher stays during this activity? To make sure no one gets lost."

"Yet we are."

They climbed up the stairs and sat there, making themselves comfortable. There was nothing to do there, so they decided to exchange stories of their lives. The boy kept telling stories about his life, but the girl only talked about Jisung. Even when she started telling him about herself, she kept mentioning Jisung and ended up talking about him.

As if her life is full of him.

"You know." Ha Jun said, a bitter smile curling his lips. "I want to hear more about you."

They fell into an awkward silence.

Ae Ra cleared her throat. "Why did you move on your senior year?" She tried to change the subject.

He sighed but answered nonetheless. "My parents' business. Actually, I insisted to stay there but-"

"Let's head to the treehouse first. I forgot to turn off the lamp." They snapped their heads to the directions where the voice came from. They could hear the sound of footsteps coming near.

"How come they get lost? There are signs to follow." The other one spoke. She recognized the voice and rushed down to meet the owner of the voice.

"Hey, be careful!" Ha Jun yelled worriedly, seeing her in a rush.

As her foot already stepped on the ground, the footsteps from before could be heard more clearly.

Two men walked approaching the treehouse with flashlights in their hands while looking around.

"Jisung!" She cried out.

Said boy directed his flashlight towards the girl.

She ran up to Jisung and hugged him. He was shocked by the sudden contact but managed to keep his composure. Jisung hugged her back, pulling her body closer to his. "How come you get lost?"

"And you are just staying here?" Jisung asked while eyeing Ha Jun and the treehouse behind him.

"Our candles melted down, besides we're afraid if we get lost any further." She looked up at him. "Say, you will do the same, right?"

Jisung giggled.

"Let's head back to the campsite. It's already dark." Their teacher who was also searching for them spoke.

The four of them walked back to the campsite. Jisung and Ae Ra didn't realize they walked hand in hand as they talked. Ha Jun, on the other side, couldn't help but keep glancing at their intertwined hands. He started to doubt if he had the chance to be with the girl.