Adaline and Donggun suite, 10:10 pm.

Donggun couldn’t sleep. He was sitting on the balcony to avoid waking Adaline up. He kept drawing Camellia’s face in different directions from the moment they got back from the restaurant. Adaline didn’t wait for him to sleep; she knew Donggun wouldn’t lay his body until he finished drawing whatever was stuck in his head.

As he began drawing Camellia’s face; he felt like he was solving a puzzle. With each piece he finished; nostalgia took over his mind and heart. He had a strong feeling that he had seen her before, but Liam never showed him a picture of her. He sighed, then left the balcony after he finished drawing the last one and went inside to take a long shower to calm his busy mind.

Later.

Donggun was drying his hair with a white cotton towel when suddenly he heard someone screaming in the room next to him; it was Liam’s voice screaming in pain. He immediately recognized his son’s voice and went running to his door, knocking, and shouting his name to open. Liam didn’t reply. He kept screaming in pain. Donggun’s loud voice woke Adaline. She went running outside to see what was going on. “What’s wrong?!” she shouted.

“Liam…!” Donggun pointed at Liam’s door. Adaline put her ears to the door and heard Liam’s screams. She put her hand above her heart; Liam’s screams scared her. Donggun went downstairs as fast as he could to get another key to Liam’s suite. He got back with two workers, and they immediately opened the door.

Liam was lying on the bed, soaked in his sweat. Adaline put her hand on his head; his whole body was boiling. He was unconscious, yet he was screaming in pain. Adaline checked his body, trying to understand why he was screaming, but every inch she touched made him scream even more.

Donggun asked the hotel employer to get him an ambulance, while Adaline went to change her clothes. Donggun held Liam’s hand in fear; he never heard his son in such pain. Liam held Donggun’s hand back and tears came out running from his closed eyes. Donggun looked at Liam and his reaction went from worrying to terrifying.

Words in Hangul appeared on Liam’s forearm. Donggun’s eyes were wide open; everything around him moved in slow motion. He wasn’t hearing anything or anyone. “Donggun!!!” Adaline tapped hard on his shoulder. He looked at her, shocked. “don’t freeze like this move!” the room filled with the EMS crew.

Donggun was still in shock. He looked at Liam’s forearm again. The words disappeared. “Did you see that!?” Donggun said to Adaline. “His forearm…!”

Adaline checked his forearm and said, “There is nothing wrong with it!”

“I saw words appear and disappear!!” the EMS moved Liam to get him out of the room.

“You’re hallucinating!”

“But…” Adaline followed the EMS, leaving Donggun alone in the room. He kept staring at the door where they went through to the hall.

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In the blink of an eye, a sudden red light appeared across his scared eyes, making him jump. The bright light looked like a silhouette of a human. It got closer to his face. Donggun froze in his place, not understanding what was right in front of him.

The bright light went through him swiftly, leaving him shaking and out of balance. He held onto the bed to regain his balance again. “Son!” he said and left running. The bright red silhouette followed him outside.

As the voices got far, Rayan’s body appeared from the shadows and Liam appeared next to him.

“They didn’t see us?!” Liam said.

“It’s been so long, they already lost their true identities, they become more stupid than humans,” Rayan said.

December 17, 2009, 11:45 am.

The sleeping pills took a bit of a long time to dash him into a deep long sleep. His eyes were slowly drifting off. He was one step away from falling deeply into dreaming land when a gentle yet loud knock on the suite door disturbed him.

It was followed by seconds of silence, then heavy breathing sounds. Another knock came in, this time it was louder and faster.

Sounded like a scared little kid knocking harshly, trying to escape some monster. “Room service,” a man said with a broken English accent. Donggun opened his eyes repeatedly; his eyes were begging him not to open. The bills were fully active in his blood. He couldn’t answer. He felt like he was dreaming.

Another loud knock cracked what was left in Donggun’s energy. “Room service.” the man sounded like a machine repeating the two words with no feeling.

Somehow, Donggun got out of bed. Dizziness took over his tired body, hazing his unclear vision. He took a sip of water beside his bed and lit up the golden-colored lamp. The light hit his eyes, making him cringe.

The man behind the door knocked one more time. “Yes…” Donggun answered weakly and walked toward the door.

He opened the door, and a powerful light hit his eyes, making him cringe even harder. He covered his eyes with his right hand. The light slowly disappeared. Donggun moved his hand to see who was knocking. “What?” he said before opening his eyes.

“It’s time, Donggun,” the same man said, his voice echoing strongly.

“What do you—” Donggun stopped and looked around in complete shock. On the other side of the door was a white void with no end. Ten steps away was a man standing. He was a white-collar worker with the hotel tag on the front pocket of his blazer. He had an angelic face, yet very masculine with his full black beard and bald head. Muscled, yet slim. “— I’m dreaming,” Donggun said, rubbing his eyes.

“You are wide awake.” Donggun looked again at the man, he seemed further away. Without hesitation, Donggun walked toward him. The moment he landed his foot on that white place, all the effects of the sleeping pill disappeared, and he felt completely awake and energetic.

“Who are you?... What is this place?” Donggun said, looking around.

“It doesn’t matter, you have little time left,” the man said.

“Am I dying?! Are you… the angel of death?” Donggun said nervously.

“I’m here to warn you… save your son,” the man said and walked away.

Donggun walked behind the man to stop him. He was about to hold the man’s arm, yet he moved and faced Donggun, looking directly into his eyes. “Addaya,” the man said and walked away again.

Donggun followed him; something dark and tall appeared in front of the man. When Donggun got closer; it turned out to be a huge acacia tree; a beautiful green one. The man stopped suddenly and gazed into Donggun’s eyes made him agitated.

The man suddenly faded; Donggun walked to the tree looking for the man, but the appearance of it stopped him. He saw it before. This tree specifically had its own magical and scary vibe. It had green, violet, and blue leaves that shined in every angel.

Donggun touched the colorful leaves, and a strange feeling of rushed memories took over his head. His pupils enlarged as his mind was organizing all the memories it was getting back. “Addaya…,” Donggun said sadly after remembering what happened.