As darkness fell, Mrs. Tamagochi gathered everyone together. She assembled each group and instructed them to collect the light sources they would use to search for nocturnal animals—creatures that only come out at night. It was all part of their science subject, aimed at studying the forest's wildlife in the dark. Excitement filled the air as everyone buzzed with energy, eager for the experience ahead. But it was clear that most of them weren't used to being in the dark—especially Megumi.
While everyone was busy preparing for the activity, Megumi was visibly terrified as they walked the dark path toward the heart of the forest. Suddenly, a loud bird call echoed through the trees, and the students screamed in surprise and fear. The panic was short-lived, but the fear in Megumi's eyes lingered. Her older brother, Yoo-chan, quickly walked over to her and held her hand to reassure her.
"What's with this kid?"
He said with a grin.
"Come on, enjoy every moment here — you might just discover what it's like to live alongside the creatures of the forest."
Megumi gave her brother a look that was somewhere between scared and annoyed.
While most of the groups were laughing and having fun, Yoo-chan suddenly found himself in an awkward situation.
"Ahh, this is so annoying! Guys, go on ahead—I can't hold it anymore, my bladder's about to explode!"
he cried out.
-They're both missing-
He entrusted Megumi to Akihiko and asked Hinata to watch over Seoyeon, Megumi's best friend, since it was too dark to see clearly. Yoo-chan then ran off quickly along a different path to relieve himself. The group wasn't having much luck finding any animals, so the remaining three decided to split up to cover more ground.
"W-Wait! Hold on!"
Megumi protested.
"What if we don't find each other again? What if I get lost?"
"You won't get lost—you're with Akihiko,"
(Seoyeon reassured her)
"Don't worry, we'll meet back here in just a bit."
Reluctantly, Megumi agreed to the plan. The group said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. As Seoyeon and Hinata walked off, they burst into laughter at Hinata's cheesy jokes. Meanwhile, Megumi and Akihiko remained serious, focused on spotting nocturnal creatures in the forest.
"Akihiko! Do you hear that?"
(Megumi whispered)
"Shhh! Stay quiet,"
(Akihiko said, eyes focused)
"I'm scared..."
Megumi admitted, her fear clearly reflected in her movements. They heard a loud rustling sound nearby—something was definitely moving toward them. Panic rising, Megumi called out for Seoyeon and Hinata, thinking they were playing a prank.
"Shhh! Be quiet,"
Akihiko said sternly, his face suddenly serious, as though he sensed something unusual.
And then, suddenly...
"Ahhh!"
Megumi screamed in terror at the sight of a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness.
Without hesitation, Akihiko grabbed her hand and pulled her into a run.
"Megumi, run!"
(he shouted)
Megumi responded immediately, clutching his hand tightly as they sprinted through the forest, their flashlights barely lighting the way and their small bags bouncing on their backs—bags that held only notebooks and pens (Megumi).
Back at the main group, no one seemed aware of what had just happened. The noise and excitement drowned out any chance of hearing the commotion, and by the time anyone might have noticed, Akihiko and Megumi had already gotten far away.
Eventually, the two found themselves beside a river. The sound of rushing water was loud and constant, and the dim light from Akihiko's flashlight revealed a small area surrounded by flowers—a secret paradise, beautiful even in the dark.
"Are you okay?"
Akihiko asked Megumi, concern clear in his voice as both of them panted from the sudden escape.
"Yes, I'm okay,"
Megumi replied softly, tears brimming in her eyes from the fear she had just experienced. Akihiko immediately handed her a stronger flashlight.
"Take this. I'm going to check the area and see if it's safe for us to stay here until morning. We've wandered too far from the others,"
(he said, noticing that she was still visibly shaken.)
Suddenly, Megumi stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't leave me here,"
she pleaded, her voice trembling as her tear-filled eyes met his with a desperate, pleading look.
"I won't leave you,"
(Akihiko assured her gently)
"Alright, come with me. We'll look around and find a place where we can rest."
Meanwhile, night had grown deeper. Most of the students had started returning to their campsite, where their tents were already set up. Seoyeon and Hinata had also made it back safely,
but Yoo-chan immediately noticed two people were missing.
"Where are Megumi and Akihiko?"
he asked the two, his tone already filled with concern.
"T-They're not with us!"
Seoyeon replied anxiously.
"We thought they were already with you!"
Hinata nodded, now clearly worried especially for Megumi. Fear and panic began to creep into
Yoo-chan's expression.
"Where did you all split up?"
he demanded.
The three of them quickly led the way back to the spot where they had last seen Megumi and Akihiko, hoping to find any sign of them.
"Where could you be?!"
Yoo-chan called out desperately
His voice trembling with fear. His eyes were brimming with tears as he searched for his younger sister, knowing how terrified she was of the dark—and the forest.
"I-I'm sorry, Yoo-chan. This is my fault,"
Seoyeon said, her voice shaking and her own tears falling, the guilt weighing heavily on her chest.
"I'm sorry too, Big Brother!"
(Hinata added)
"I agreed when they decided to split up while you were gone. We thought they were still nearby…"
"Let's look for them—maybe they're just somewhere close,"
Seoyeon said as tears finally streamed down her cheeks.
"I'll never forgive myself if something bad happens to Megumi,"
Yoo-chan whispered, lowering his head and covering his face with his hands, unable to stop the tears.
The three began shouting the names of their missing friend and Yoo-chan"s sister into the forest, circling back to where they had last seen them earlier that night. Hinata quickly excused himself and ran to inform their teacher about what had happened. While the rest of the class was still enjoying their evening. Hinata arrived breathlessly, immediately alerting their teacher and classmates about Megumi and Akihiko's disappearance. Panic began to ripple through the crowd.
"Did anyone see where they went?"
their teacher asked urgently.
"Last we saw them, they were still with us,"
(someone replied, clearly just as confused)
"Maybe they just went on a date and are enjoying the night together!"
one of the boys joked with a smirk, earning a few nervous laughs. But before he could say more, Hinata stormed up to him and grabbed him by the collar, filled with anger.
"That's not funny!"
he shouted as the teacher and a few classmates rushed in to pull him back.
"Bad joke, man!"
one of the boy's friends muttered, scolding him.
The teacher immediately called for the rescue team stationed nearby in case of emergencies. Thankfully, they were already on-site and responded quickly. Hinata led them to the area where they had last seen Megumi and Akihiko.
"Have you seen them?"
one of the rescuers asked Seoyeon and Yoo-chan.
Seoyeon shook her head, tears still falling. Hinata walked over to her and gently comforted her, trying to calm her down as any friend would.
"Go back to the site. We'll search for the kids,"
one of the rescuers said firmly.
"I'm coming with you!"
Yoo-chan declared without hesitation. Hinata also insisted on joining the search team.
"Take the young lady back to the site,"
one of the rescuers instructed him, pointing to Seoyeon.
The three rescue teams, along with Yoo-chan, began scouring the forest. Their voices echoed through the trees—calling, shouting, searching.
Hours passed, but there was still no sign of Megumi or Akihiko. Yoo-chan's worry deepened with every passing minute. His heart ached with fear—not just for Megumi, but also for Akihiko, who was with her.
Eventually, the group returned to the site, empty-handed. Their teacher, along with Seoyeon and Hinata, rushed to meet them, hopeful that the two had been found. But when they saw that Megumi and Akihiko were not with them, they immediately ran toward Yoo-chan, the older brother whose heart was breaking with worry. Seoyeon immediately handed Yoo-chan a bottle of water and sat beside him, with Hinata doing the same. The three of them sat there in silence, their worry for Megumi and Akihiko growing heavier by the minute. Tears continued to stream down Yoo-chan's face as fear overwhelmed him—wondering what might have happened to the two. Blaming himself, he remembered how their parents had specifically asked him to watch over his sister—that's the very reason they let him join the trip in the first place.
-The cold night seemed to melt away, replaced by warm and gentle smiles-
While Megumi and Akihiko were walking around, They stumbled upon a small cave-like space, just enough to fit two people. It wasn't much, but it offered shelter and a place to rest. While catching their breath, hunger began to creep in. Megumi instinctively reached for her bag, hoping she had packed some bread to ease the ache in their stomachs. She searched through it carefully—but found nothing. Akihiko checked his own bag. To his surprise, he found a few pieces of biscuits—originally meant to be shared among the five of them.
"I actually brought some bread,"
Akihiko said, pulling out the pack.
"It's not much, but it should help with our hunger. Good thing I brought my tumbler too."
He offered it to Megumi, who gratefully accepted it.
"You know…"
Megumi said softly, her voice almost trembling,
"this is the first time I've ever experienced something like this."
(Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued.)
"I grew up used to being alone, My parents were rarely around, so I learned to always be prepared… because I wanted them to be proud of me."
"I see... That explains a lot."
Megumi looked at him with quiet understanding. Then, after a brief silence, he asked with a playful glance,
"By the way, why were you in such a hurry the other day?"
(Akihiko asked Megumi)
"Huh? A-ah… that?"
Megumi stammered, caught off guard.
"It was nothing… I was just really in a rush. Sorry about that,"
she added with an awkward smile, avoiding his gaze.
The darkness around them deepened, and the sounds of birds and distant creatures echoed in the air. Suddenly, they heard a rustling noise approaching from the bushes. Instinctively, Megumi clung tightly to the boy. Akihiko, now alert, held a stick in front of them—just in case.
But from the shadows emerged a small, pure white rabbit. Its fur glowed faintly under their flashlight, its long ears tinted pink, and its eyes reflecting the light like tiny gems. Megumi stayed frozen for a moment, still wrapped around Akihiko.
"Uh… ahem…"
he cleared his throat and glanced to the side.
(Megumi realizing she was still hugging him tightly)
"S-sorry!"
She exclaimed, pulling away and bowing her head in embarrassment. Akihiko gave her a teasing smile.
"It's fine… if you want to hug me,"
he said with a playful tone.
"What?! Hey! I was just scared, that's all!"
She shot back, cheeks burning with embarrassment as she pouted, clearly flustered.
As the night wore on, rain began to fall—light at first, then suddenly strong and relentless. The air grew colder by the minute. Megumi shivered. Without hesitation, Akihiko took off the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing over his tank top and gently wrapped it around her shoulders.
"W-what about you?"
Megumi asked, looking at him with concern.
"I'll be fine. I'm a guy—I can handle it,"
he said, smiling reassuringly.
Her heart skipped a beat. Even though the rain continued to fall and the cold lingered, Megumi couldn't ignore the warmth blooming quietly inside her chest.
"Why did you join our team?"
Megumi asked curiously, glancing at the boy beside her. Akihiko looked ahead for a moment before answering,
"Because I didn't want to be with the others. I wanted to get to know your group better... especially you."
His voice was soft but sincere.
Megumi turned to him, eyes wide in surprise.
"Me?"
she asked, pointing to herself as her cheeks instantly flushed. A strange warmth spread through her chest, and she couldn't quite explain why.
"Yes,"
Akihiko replied, his gaze dropping to the ground.
"I want to get to know you more."
He spoke quietly, almost shyly, unable to meet her eyes. Megumi stared at him, stunned. The world around her seemed to fade. The sound of the rain dulled, and all she could focus on was Akihiko's face—his hesitant smile, his flushed cheeks, and the way his presence suddenly felt... different. Her heart pounded so loudly, it drowned out everything else.
Akihiko, feeling the pressure of the moment, gave a small, awkward smile and looked away, pretending to be interested in anything else. His ears had turned red, and his heart thudded in his chest like a drum.
"What did I just say?! Why did I say that out loud?"
he scolded himself in silence, biting his lower lip in embarrassment.
He sneaked a glance at Megumi, who was now looking down, clearly flustered too,
her expression a mix of confusion, embarrassment… and something else. When Megumi finally dared to look up, Akihiko quickly turned his head to avoid her eyes and when Akihiko looked again, it was Megumi's turn to look away. It was like an invisible game—an exchange of glances, dodged eye contact, and quiet smiles. Neither of them could explain what they were feeling, but they both knew something had shifted.
Then, for a brief second, their eyes met—just like that moment days ago, when they had accidentally bumped into each other. In that simple glance, something sparked again.
An awkward silence settled between them, but it wasn't empty. It was filled with tension, laughter left unsaid, and a feeling that maybe, just maybe… something special had begun.
"Get some sleep. I'll keep watch around the area"
Akihiko said to the girl.
Megumi gave a small bow and a grateful smile in response, then slowly closed her eyes.
— 2:00 AM —
Megumi woke up, shivering from the cold wind brought on by the rain. As she slowly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Akihiko's face peacefully asleep. He looked almost angelic. His skin was smooth, flawless, without a single imperfection. There was nothing ordinary about him. If anything, he looked like a celebrity—too handsome to be real. Broad shoulders, a strong build that made you feel like he could protect anyone without even trying.
("Eun Woo")
she whispered with a smile, her mind perfectly matching Akihiko's face with that of the famous Korean actor. Her cheeks flushed slightly, a shy grin spreading across her lips.
("H-Hey! What's wrong with me?")
she muttered to herself, quickly shaking her head and squeezing her eyes shut, as if trying to snap out of her own thoughts. But it was hard—Akihiko really did look like Cha Eun Woo. Like someone too perfect to exist. Like an angel dropped from the sky.
[at least in the eyes of the writer, and yes! dear readers, this writer is absolutely biased, He's the one who comes to mind in this story, okay? Now, back to the story!]
Without thinking, Megumi gently pulled the shirt tighter around Akihiko's body to keep him warm. But in an unexpected moment, Akihiko suddenly turned in his sleep right toward her—and wrapped his arms tightly around her. The cold had made him instinctively seek warmth. Their faces were now just inches apart. Megumi froze, wide-eyed, as she felt his arms around her waist, one resting across her stomach, while her arms partially shielding her chest.
She wanted to move, to push his arms away, but they were too heavy. Akihiko was completely unaware, fast asleep. Megumi's eyes lingered on his face—his straight nose, his soft lips, the way his lashes rested gently against his cheeks. She couldn't look away. A quiet awe filled her chest, and all she could do was smile, sweetly, silently.
She stayed like that, motionless, heart full, until sleep eventually pulled her back—wrapped in Akihiko's arms, beneath the shirt that shielded them both from the cold.
-Help Has Arrived!-
4:00 a.m. The loud screams of two men and a woman startled Megumi and Akihiko awake. The voices sounded worried, prompting the two still blinking sleep from their eyes—to quickly get up to see what was happening.
"Megumi! Akihiko!"
the voices called, and the two immediately rushed out of the small cave that had served as their shelter for the night.
"Yoo-chan!"
Megumi exclaimed upon seeing her older brother, Yoo-chan.
"Meg!"
he called back, running toward his younger sister.
"What happened? Huh? Are you hurt? Why did you end up here?"
Yoo-chan asked, clearly alarmed.
He scanned Megumi from head to toe, circling her to check for any wounds or scratches.
"Brother, I'm okay,"
Megumi replied, hugging her brother tightly.
"Akihiko! What happened to you two? Your clothes are filthy! Where did you spend the night?" asked Seoyeon, her face filled with confusion, and Hinata looked just as puzzled.
"We saw something with glowing yellow eyes last night while we were inspecting the area, It looked like a wild animal, so Megumi and I got scared and ran. We ended up here and spent the night in that small cave and the rain was really heavy too."
"We searched the forest last night, but we couldn't find you,"
Yoo-chan said.
"I was with the rescue team, but it got too dark, so we returned to the site."
Akihiko lowered his head in gratitude.
(Krrrrook!)
Suddenly, the five of them looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"Brother! I'm starving!"
Megumi cried.
"Bread was the only thing we had for dinner last night—thankfully, Akihiko brought some."
They all laughed again, and without wasting any more time, they began walking back to the site.
"This place is so beautiful!"
Seoyeon said in awe, clearly mesmerized by the scenery.
As they were walking, Yoo-chan suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, Akihiko! Look at me! You didn't do anything to my sister, huh?"
he said, half-joking but with a serious tone.
"Huh?! Hey, Clumsy big boy! What are you talking about?!"
Megumi snapped, clearly annoyed by her brother's question.
"Ah—nothing,"
(Akihiko replied)
"Maybe Megumi was the one who did something to me while I was fast asleep,"
he added in a quiet voice.
The four of them immediately turned to look at him, and Megumi quickly reacted to what she heard.
"M-Me? Hey! I fell asleep before you did!"
she exclaimed, clearly irritated, as she threw words at the boy in defense. The four of them burst into laughter as they continued walking along the path toward the site.
Eventually, their classmates and Mrs. Tamagochi came into view.
"Akihiko! Megumi! What happened to you two? Are you alright? Do you have any injuries? What happened?"
their teacher asked in a rush, visibly worried about her two students.
"We're okay, Ma'am. We don't have any injuries,"
Megumi answered with a reassuring smile. Akihiko then proceeded to explain everything that had happened to their teacher.
As everyone walked back to the site, Megumi and Akihiko found themselves remembering the events of the previous night. An awkward silence settled between them, and when their eyes met, they simply smiled—each clearly feeling a little shy. When they arrived at the site, their teacher, Mrs. Tamagochi, called everyone's attention and began to speak.
"Alright, everyone, please listen to this announcement,"
Mrs. Tamagochi said, her voice filled with excitement.
"Later, we'll be doing something I'm sure you'll all enjoy.
I've prepared some food and drinks for us to share, as a small celebration and as a way of showing my gratitude that Megumi and Akihiko have returned to us safely."
She looked warmly at the two, her face glowing with relief and joy.
The group broke into applause, cheerful and welcoming. But among the crowd, some of the girls couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy toward Megumi—after all, she had just spent the night alone with Akihiko.
-The sun was beginning to set-
The group was about to begin a new activity: a gathering where each student would introduce themselves and share what they had discovered in the forest. Drinks and food were also prepared for everyone to enjoy together. Everyone gathered around, and Mrs. Tamagochi was the first to speak, introducing herself to the group. One by one, their classmates followed.
"Okay, guys! Who's next?"
asked one girl, glancing playfully at Akihiko as if suggesting that it was now his turn. Her eyes sparkled with interest, something Megumi and Seoyeon both immediately noticed. The two girls exchanged knowing glances, almost like they were having a silent conversation with just their eyes.
"You go first, Megumi,"
Akihiko said suddenly, giving her a small but sincere smile.
Megumi and Seoyeon were both surprised by his words, while the girl who had just called on Akihiko looked visibly disappointed. Her face fell, and she shot Megumi a sharp glance, eyes narrowing in a silent scoff.
Megumi stood up, a little flustered, while Akihiko remained standing and kept his eyes on her. Cheers erupted from the group, catching Yoo-chan off guard. He looked at the two of them, suspiciously observing their behavior, his expression full of teasing curiosity. Meanwhile, Hinata quietly lowered his head, clearly feeling awkward about everything that was going on.
As Megumi stood in front of everyone, she began introducing herself. The boys immediately erupted into cheers, clearly captivated by her beauty — not just her lovely face but also her graceful figure. At once, her older brother Yoo-chan shouted,
"Hey!"
with a mix of irritation and protectiveness in his voice, feeling that the boys were being disrespectful toward his sister. The group quickly fell silent.
Megumi continued, sharing what they had discovered in the forest.
"There are many creatures and events we can discover if we open our eyes — and our minds. Everything can turn out beautifully… or terrifying, depending on how we choose to feel. Life is the same. There are moments when we think we've reached the end, only to realize something better is still waiting. Sometimes, we're made to go through pain and darkness first so that when the good finally comes, we'll know how to hold on to it and not give up, no matter what challenges we face."
As she spoke, she glanced at Akihiko, her expression thoughtful. Her words reflected the personal things he had shared with her about his own life, and it was clear from his face that he was deeply moved by what she said.
The crowd burst into applause, clearly touched by Megumi's angelic voice and the wisdom in her words. Her brother Yoo-chan, watching her, felt something stir in his heart. He was moved, but instead of showing it, he looked up and trying to stop the tears from falling.
"This kid's trying to make me cry,"
Yoo-chan muttered to himself, thinking back to everything that had happened that night.
He stared off into space, lost in thought about his sister and about Akihiko too. A small, bittersweet smile tugged at his lips, touched by Megumi's words in a way he didn't expect.
At that moment, Megumi ended her heartfelt message and called Akihiko up to speak.
"I'm Akihiko,"
he began, his voice calm yet sincere.
"I may not be close to most of you… I've never really been good at making friends or being part of a group. But I'm here in front of you now to say Thank you."
The crowd immediately broke into applause — the girls especially, while a few boys looked slightly intimidated by his striking appearance.
"In those nights we spent in the forest,"
he continued,
"I discovered many different sounds — animals calling in the dark, unfamiliar and wild. We saw strange creatures too… one of them had glowing eyes like a cat's in the night.
But those eyes were fierce, like a person full of anger. It gave us chills just looking at it."
(He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in.)
"We can compare them to people. Some are cheerful, always surrounded by friends, happy wherever they go. Others, though, choose to be alone not because they want to, but because people fear them based on how they act or look. Even when all they truly want is a friend, everyone sees them as something dangerous. And then there are those who look beautiful on the outside… but their hearts are full of darkness."
As he finished, Akihiko bowed in respect. The audience clapped again, this time with more emotion in their faces — touched, thoughtful, perhaps even a little changed.
"That's my boy!"
Yoo-chan shouted with a wide grin, cupping his hands around his mouth as he cheered with pride. Akihiko responded to Yoo-chan with a respectful smile and a small bow. Megumi immediately clapped for him, and Seoyeon followed suit. The two friends exchanged a look, both clearly proud. Hinata seemed hesitant as he clapped, his eyes fixed on Megumi with a conflicted expression.
-Where Happiness Danced in the Moonlight-
To be continued...