"Seokmin!"

"Seokmin!!"

Byunghan's voice cut through the silence, his hand shaking Seokmin's shoulder with a gentle urgency.

Seokmin's eyes fluttered open, his gaze blurry and disoriented. He sat up with a jolt, his mind foggy from the sudden awakening. As he looked down, he noticed a familiar blanket wrapped around him - the soft, fuzzy one that Areum loved to snuggle up in.

His frown deepened as he looked up at Byunghan, whose face was etched with worry. "I...I can't find Areum anywhere," Byunghan stammered, his voice trembling with concern. "I got a call from the school - she's not there either."

Seokmin's heart skipped a beat as a wave of panic washed over him. He threw off the blanket, his movements swift and urgent.

Seokmin's heart racing, he flung open the door to Areum's room, his eyes scanning the space with a desperate urgency. The bed was empty, the sheets rumpled, and the room seemed to echo with an eerie silence.

"I've already searched the whole house!" Byunghan exclaimed, his voice trembling with worry. "I didn't find her anywhere! Pluto is missing too!"

Seokmin's face set in a grim determination, he quickly dialled Mingyu's number, his fingers flying across the keypad. As he waited for Mingyu to answer, he strode out of the house, his eyes scanning the surrounding area with a growing sense of unease.

"Mingyu, it's Seokmin. Areum's missing," he said, his voice low and urgent.

After a brief conversation with Mingyu, Seokmin ended the call and dialled the school's number, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Hello, this is Lee Seokmin. I'm Lee Areum's father. I've been informed that she's not at school. I'm on my way there now."

Byunghan, meanwhile, had begun searching the area around the house, his eyes scanning the streets and alleys with a growing sense of desperation.

The silence was oppressive, the only sound the soft rustling of leaves and the distant hum of traffic.

As Seokmin waited for the school to respond, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios, he felt a cold dread creeping up his spine.

Where was Areum?

And why had she disappeared without a word?

As he made his way to the school, to his dismay, he was stuck in the traffic, making him more anxious and frustrated.

Areum trudged down the street, her small pink bag slung over her shoulder, her sunglasses perched on the end of her nose. Pluto trotted faithfully by her side, his tail wagging gently as he sniffed at the passing scenery.

But Areum's face was a picture of disappointment and anger, her small brow furrowed in a deep frown. The memory of her father's broken promise still stung, and she couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal.

As she walked, lost in her thoughts, Pluto suddenly darted forward, his ears perked up and his tail wagging wildly.

Areum's grip on his chain faltered, and before she could react, Pluto had slipped free, racing down the street with a joyful bark.

Areum's eyes widened in alarm as she chased after Pluto, her small legs pumping furiously as she tried to keep up. "Pluto! Wait!" she cried, her voice shrill with worry.

As Areum chased after Pluto, her breath came in short, sharp gasps. Her small legs pumped furiously, but she couldn't keep up with the energetic dog.

"Somebody please help!! Somebody catch him!" she exclaimed, her voice shrill with desperation.

She pushed herself to run faster, her heart pounding in her chest. But as she reached a little further, she felt a searing pain in her chest, and her legs began to buckle. She leaned onto the wall, feeling breathless and dizzy.

She knew she shouldn't be jumping or running around, not with her condition. But she couldn't just let Pluto disappear.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, before exhaling loudly and shouting again, "Somebody please catch the dog!!!"

Her voice boomed through the street, echoing off the buildings. Heads turned, and people stopped to stare.

Hwayoung, who was staring at something, noticed the commotion and turned in the direction of the voice.

She saw Pluto running towards her, his tail wagging wildly, and his ears flapping in the wind.

She quickly sprang into action, holding out her arms and trying to calm the dog down. "Hey, hey, it's okay! I've got you!" she cooed, her voice soft and soothing.

Pluto, sensing the friendly presence, slowed down and trotted towards Hwayoung, his tail still wagging excitedly. She kneeled in front of the dog, successfully stopping him.

She quickly walked towards Areum, Pluto still walking in front of her and smiled warmly. "Here you go, little one," she said, handing Pluto over to Areum.

As Areum took Pluto from Hwayoung, she couldn't help but notice how breathless the girl was, her small chest heaving with each panting breath.

Hwayoung's expression softened with concern, and she quickly pulled out a water bottle from her purse.

"Water?" she asked, her voice gentle and soothing. Areum shook her head, her eyes still fixed on Pluto.

"No, thank you," she said, before reaching for her own water bottle from the bag's water bottle socket. "I shouldn't drink outside water. Only warm water," she explained, her voice still slightly winded.

Hwayoung's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she nodded understandingly. "O...kay..." she voiced out, her smile faltering for a moment.

As Areum took a sip of her warm water, Hwayoung carefully closed the cap on her own water bottle, her eyes never leaving Areum's face. She seemed to be studying the girl, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Areum drank her water and Hwayoung gently took the bottle from her and helped her secure it back into the socket. Areum leaned against the wall, her eyes fixed on Hwayoung's as she began to explain.

"I have a condition called 65 roses." she said, her voice matter-of-fact, but her eyes betraying a hint of vulnerability.

Hwayoung's expression remained calm and attentive, but her eyes sparkled with interest. She nodded encouragingly, urging Areum to continue.

"Everyone says it's really serious," Areum said, her voice barely above a whisper. "That it's...fatal." The word hung in the air like a challenge, and Areum's eyes flashed with a mix of fear and defiance.

But then her expression softened, and she looked up at Hwayoung with a hint of determination.

"But Dad says it's all a sham. That nothing will happen to me." Her voice was laced with a desperate hope, and Hwayoung's heart went out to the little girl.

She nodded again, her eyes locked onto Areum's. She could see the fear and uncertainty lurking beneath the surface, but she also saw a spark of resilience and determination.

"Normally, I'm not supposed to run, jump, or even eat that cotton candy," Areum said, pointing at the colorful stall across the street. "But when I'm angry with my Dad, I'll eat!" She declared, a proud and determined expression on her face.

Hwayoung couldn't help but chuckle at Areum's spirit. "You're a feisty one, aren't you?" she said, smiling.

Areum grinned, seeming to enjoy the attention. "Thank you for your help. Bye," she said, waving at Hwayoung before starting to walk to the other side of the street with Pluto by her side.

"Bye..." Hwayoung muttered, still looking a bit bewildered by the sudden encounter.

But just as Areum was about to cross the street, Pluto suddenly stopped in his tracks, his ears perked up and his eyes fixed intently on Hwayoung. Areum tried to pull him along, but Pluto refused to budge.

"Pluto, come!" Areum tried to coax him, but Pluto remained stubbornly still.

Just then, the sound of a honking truck filled the air, and Areum's eyes widened in panic. She tried to pull Pluto again, but he was too strong. The truck was getting closer, and Areum's face was frozen in fear.

Seokmin rushed into the school, his heart racing with every step. He burst into the principal's office, his face etched with worry.

"Have you seen Areum?" he demanded, his voice firm but laced with desperation.

The principal, a middle-aged woman with a kind face, looked up from her desk. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Seokmin. We've searched the entire school, but she's nowhere to be found."

Seokmin's face fell, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for any sign of his daughter. The principal's voice brought him back to reality.

"I think you should go to the police station, Mr. Seokmin. Report her missing. They'll be able to help you find her."

Seokmin sighed, feeling a sense of hopelessness wash over him. Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang, shrill in the silence. He snatched it up, his heart racing.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice tight with anxiety.

"Is this Areum's father?" a soft voice asked from the other end of the line.

Seokmin's grip on the phone tightened. "Yes!" he exclaimed, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Can you quickly come to this location?" The person said. Seokmin agreed and quickly left the school once he got a message with the location.

Hwayoung and Areum sat in a cozy cafe, surrounded by the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft hum of gentle chatter.

Areum sipped on her chocolate milkshake, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she talked about her life.

She listened intently, a warm smile spreading across her face as she gently brushed Areum's hair behind her ear.

The tender gesture was filled with a deep affection, and Areum leaned into the touch, feeling safe and comforted.

Just as they were lost in their own little world, the cafe door swung open and Seokmin strode in, his face thunderous with anger. His eyes scanned the room, locking onto the table where Hwayoung and Areum sat.

Areum's eyes widened as she saw her father's angry face, and she shrank back in her seat, her milkshake forgotten. Hwayoung's hand instinctively went to Areum's shoulder, a protective gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Seokmin.

His face was lined with worry and frustration as he looked at Areum. "Areum, are you crazy!?" he exclaimed, his voice raised in concern. "You came without telling anyone!"

Her eyes dropped, her face pale, as she shrank back in her seat. She glanced up at Hwayoung, who was watching Seokmin with a calm expression.

"Do you have any idea what I've gone through?" Seokmin asked, his voice still laced with worry. "I was so scared when I couldn't find you."

The girl leaned towards Hwayoung and whispered, "My dad..." Her voice was barely audible, and Hwayoung's expression softened in response.

Seokmin noticed the exchange and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Areum-" as he was about to say something, Hwayoung interrupted him.

"Hi, Mr. Dad. This is Choi Hwayoung." She stood up and extended her hand, for a handshake, with a bright smile on her lips.

Seokmin looked at her hand for a second, before taking deep breath and shaking her hand. "Lee Seokmin." He introduced himself.

"Seokmin..." she repeated and slowly nodded, as if she heard his name before.

"Do you know what just happened? She almost got into an accident. At the pace which the truck barged at us....I thought this was our last day.." Her voice trailed off, and she took a deep breath, as if collecting her thoughts.

Seokmin's face paled, and he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He should have been there to protect Areum.

Before Hwayoung could continue, Seokmin interrupted her, his voice filled with gratitude.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" he exclaimed, his eyes locking onto Hwayoung's.

Hwayoung's face broke into a sheepish smile, and she shook her head. "Not me. You should thank that truck driver. He stopped it at the right time," she said, her voice laced with a hint of humility.

Seokmin's face was a picture of exasperation as he turned to Areum, who was blissfully slurping her milkshake, oblivious to the storm brewing around her.

"What's this, Areum!? Why did you even come here in the first place!?" he asked, his voice a mix of frustration and concern.

He sat down beside her, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of remorse. But Areum just looked up at Hwayoung, her big brown eyes sparkling with innocence, as if to say "you tell him". Hwayoung nodded slightly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"To eat cotton candy," she said, her voice light and cheerful, as if it was the most reasonable explanation in the world.

Seokmin's eyes darted back to Hwayoung, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Cotton?" he repeated, his voice incredulous, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Hwayoung chuckled, taking her seat, across Seokmin and mimed eating a cotton candy, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Cotton Candy!" she exclaimed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Seokmin's expression turned stern as he leaned towards Areum, his voice low and serious. "Areum, you know you're not supposed to eat cotton candy!" he scolded, his frown deepening.

Areum's eyes darted back to Hwayoung, silently pleading with her to intervene. Hwayoung's expression turned stern as she turned to Seokmin.

"Don't you know you aren't supposed to break your promise?" she asked, her voice firm but laced with a hint of disappointment.

Seokmin's eyes widened in confusion, wondering how Hwayoung knew about the promise he made to Areum. He opened his mouth to ask, but Hwayoung continued, her voice rising in indignation.

"Just so she could hear her mother's story, she studied hard day and night for one month!" Hwayoung exclaimed, her eyebrows shooting up in emphasis. "She even defeated Seunghan by two percent!" She held up two fingers, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Seokmin's face fell, his eyes dropping in shame. He knew he had broken his promise, and now Hwayoung was calling him out on it. He felt a pang of guilt, knowing he had let Areum down.

Hwayoung's voice was laced with disappointment and a hint of sarcasm as she exclaimed, "What did you do!?" Her eyes sparkled with indignation, and she shook her head, as if she couldn't believe Seokmin's actions.

"You can break your promise, but she can't eat cotton candy!?" she asked, her voice rising in incredulity. She threw up her hands, as if to emphasize the absurdity of the situation.

Seokmin's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at Hwayoung incredulously, as if he couldn't believe she was calling him out on his hypocrisy.

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