Daisy

Necklace

"In every rule there is an exception. "

Seulgi crosses another day on her calendar, a sign of nearing the day of the last full moon of the spring.

"What does that mean?"

She turned around and lightly smiled at Irene 

"Us"

"Will you spend this year's spring with me?"

"I am... Have I not been beside you since day 1?"

"You are... always been"

----------

When, Seulgi was packing for her stuff before she left their house, there she found a daisy-like necklace.  She flipped it and behind was an engraved name, probably the owner of the necklace, Bae Ahreum. There, she remembered jersey #43 softball player, her id theif, dropped it the time when the first big commotion happened at the campus because of his bother's doing.

The closest she can get to see her again is Lisa. She tried to contact her but even her is nowhere to be found. 

Seulgi dropped by each of her friend's house to ask them for Lisa's address or if they are aware of Ahreum's place too.

But none of these questions were answered.

She stopped by province to province until one train stop. A familiar face caught her eye.

It will be five minutes til the train runs again. She knew she could've mistaken the woman but she cannot risk. Of all the certainties, Seulgi trusted the uncertainty, her feelings. She carried her bag with her and followed the woman to where she was going.

The closer she gets, the higher the possibility it was her, Ahreum.

She followed the girl to the market. Bought the same fruits, the same, bread, the same milk and the same meat.

One vendor was eyeing her. Seulgi knew the vendor might be suspicious of her actions. She is new to the village and may be this is where Ahreum was raised.

"You are new here aren't you?"

"Not really, I was just checking by the market. I haven't been here for such a long time since I have been studying in other city for years."

"If so, then why don't you just ask to be toured by her around our village town. You should know her"

"Uhm no need, I can go by my side plus I dont want to bother other people."

"You sure you're not bothering every vendor here for obviously following her?"

"Am I?"

The vendor lifted her axe-like sized knife and chopped the meat hardly as if threatening her.

"LEAVE OR WE WILL CUT YOU OFF ALIVE"

Seulgi shivers in fear, arm linked her arms suddenly.

"Hello, madame, can we not raise our voice to our dear visitor. She is my friend. Please be polite so we can attract more tourists in our town."

"Oh, I'm sorry dear."

The vendor packed the meat Seulgi bought and caressed her hand as an apology.

Seulgi have a disappointed smile.

"Let's go" says the girl.

They walked far enough from the market, so they could finally talk.

"Seulgi, what are you doing here?"

"Lisa..."

"How are you these days?"

"You were here all this time, why can't I reach you. No one in our squad knew which province you came from..."

"You're not even answering any of my questions."

"It's Ahreum...I came here for her"

"Do you have your phone with you? Check the signal."

Seulgi checked.

"See, that's the reason you can't reach me, there is no signal here"

"Why do you sound mad?"

"I am not, I was just explaining."

"How long will you stay here? When will the two of you go back to the city? It will be another semester soon. The national sports league is also happening soon. Does Ahreum know this?"

"You know Seulgi...that"

"That?"

"Nevermind."

Lisa turned her back.

"I shall go. Please leave. There are reasons we chose to be silent."

Seulgi kneeled down and held Lisa's hand. She cried for help.

"Please, please, let me just see her."

Lisa forcefully removed Seulgi's hand from her.

" me"

Lisa took her near the hospital.

"Why are we here?"

"Ahreum is..."

"What?"

"She got" Lisa can't even continue talking. Her sadness overpowered her will to tell Seulgi the truth.

"She told me not to tell you, she told me you could probably blame yourself for this. She doesn't want you to breakdown again and cover your trauma with flowers you used to talk about since we were young."

"Whatever it is, she's carried her problem heavier than I will after hearing it from you, and I hope even after doing so, I can overcome the news just like how she is smiling now."

"When your brother bullied her, his g**g hit her right hand. There is no way it can be restored for her to play softball again. You might have not notice it but she had internal bleeding, must be why his g**g didn't just end torturing her that time thinking she's not hurt. She refused to talk about you and told them not to come after you. It's been months and she's currently having a rehabilitation now. She may look well recovered now but other than her injury, there will be no greater pain than not being able to play again."

After Lisa has talked...she noticed no person was around anymore, she sighed. It was the last time she saw Seulgi. 

Lisa didn't tell Ahreum about it, she thought it will be better for both of them.

-----------

At present

"Irene!!!!"

"Yes?" Irene answered back at the other side of the river.

"Come home, I will show you something."

"Okayyyy!!!" She yelled back.

Irene got back at their camp.

"Look, I have stocked enough clays."

"What are these for?"

"Aren't you the one who started making these last night?"

"Yeah, I was but. I have no idea what I was doing. I was observing the rain droplets the days you are not talking to me. They were one by one dropping at a small mountain of soil. As time passes by, the soild softened. I went back to the place I noticed that. The sun was striking hard at it and the softened soil hardened again. It got me curious that's why I piled up many softened soil when I got back here."

Seulgi tapped Irene's head 

"Look at this smart kid. The softened soil is called mud or clay by the way. This is my expertise in the city..." Seulgi paused...

"I mean used to be my eexpertise"

"What happened?"

"Just, nothing. You will learn about it in time. For now, let me teach you how to do it?".

"Okayyyy!!" Irene excitedly replied.

Seulgi started with a ball of clay. She constructed a circular table as a molding board.

She taught irene how to turn the board while holding the clay to mold it while it softens through their application of water around it.

Irene finished her vase.

"Woah, seems like you're gonna plant a flower there."

"No, I won't. I will be your only flower. "

Irene pointed at her cheeks.

"Aigoo, when did you learn to be this cute." Seulgi approached and pinched both of Irene's cheeks.

"Aaawwwwh"

"Oh" Seulgi's eyes widened, she noticed a mark on Irene's vase.

"Why?"

"What flower is this? A sunflower? A daisy?"

"It's this flower. " Irene pulled out something grom her pocket. 

It was Ahreum's necklace.

"Ahh" Seulgi fell on the ground while pressing her head. Pain is evident in her eyes. 

"What's going on?"

Seulgi took the necklace from Irene and looked at it closer.d

"Where did you find this? What is this?" she tries to ask Irene.

"I found it in your bag"

Irene noticed how Seulgi was tearing up while looking at the necklace which made her grab and throw it away.

She tried to calm Seulgi down.

She hugged her and tapped her back. They stayed like that for awhile until Seulgi can calm down.

Seulgi carefully removed Irene's arms around her. 

"I am fine now. Where did you find this?"

"Your bag"

Seulgi went up their tree house. She searched for her father's belongings. The easiest answer for this is to ask her father about the jungle's mystery but at this very time, how?

She had an idea and that is to look for her father's journal.

"In every rule, there is an exception."

Seulgi finally has answer to her questions.

There can't exists two IRENEs in her mind. The two IRENEs came from different worlds, the real one and this jungle. This jungle is another world for itself. 

She can now understand why her father refused to plant another seed again. He might be afraid her mother's image appear in another spring.

She cam now understand why she can't recognize the familiar face of Ahreum in Irene... And the familiar face of Joohyun, the name she used to call Irene, in Ahreum when they met at school.

With this rule, what is the exception?

"What does that mean?" Irene asks.

"Us, this time is the exception, us being aware of the truth."

The two may not be aware of what the future holds but they are certain they will be together to overcome it.

"Will you spend this year's spring with me?"

"I am... Have I not been beside you since day 1?"

"You are... always been"

-----------