Two clocks malfunctioned, one reading 03:05AM whilst the other reads 03:10AM, one circular clock remains. Readings the house' vibe concluded into a silent outcome. The ticking of the small clock remains ongoing and hidden in the little girl's room, now reading 03:50AM.

Two people exhaled their last breath at the time those clocks malfunctioned. Scarlet blood sluggishly ooze out from their sliced stomachs and slit throats. Mother shed her last tear before all of this ended as parts open.

Disliking flowers was a normal thing.

Yet hating flowers, especially lilies posed a question to the individual. Nari disliked, detested lilies ever since she came out of the safety basement. She disliked its existence as it was neatly placed in the space between the bloody corpses of her biological parents - that had happened in the past. Albeit her name meant lily, she'd rather be called Naomi.

Nari was keen on hunting the perpetrator down, even if her parents won't jump out of the coffin buried underground for sixteen years.

Even if it won't bring her parents back, she was eager to find the culprit.

What motives did the killer had against her parents? Were they in deep debt to something? She could not tell otherwise.

She felt grateful to be under the care of her new parents. She had been living with them for almost all her life ever since that incident. They were the next door neighbour and it seemed like her parents were the only victims.

Nari, ever since as a three year old stayed in that safety basement, she didn't come out until she heard the neighbours voice. She made sure to stay in there as long as possible, since the killer might still be waiting. She remembered her back crawling with sheer pain as she agonised sitting there. Her biological parents had taught her so much at such a young age.

They feared something and knew that this was coming. They had accepted their fate and they kept a disturbing secret behind their only child.

She remembered being stained with the blood of her parents. She remembered her own eyelids filled with tears as both parents were unable to move. She recalled how much it ached to lose her one and only parents at such a young age.

Her memories seem muffled, like they weren't in the correct places. Some parts vexed her whilst some lingered up till this day.

She remembered the heavy and scarlet blood drenching the whole carpet. Like a sea of blood, drained from the cuts of her parent's limbs.

Nari watched the ventriloquist miming his puppet around from the stained window. A few pedestrians passed by him, gave a few second glances, threw coins that'll last him for a few days and walked forth.

She studied the behaviours of each person as much as possible before they walked out of her sight. She shifted her reading glasses to the bridge of her nose and focused.

A man, presumably six feet tall wearing a large cloak that can easily conceal a small person. He looked to be rushing from one place to another as he held a black suitcase. She assumed that he is a businessman and that he was swiftly passing through the crowd.

Nari could only gawk for a few seconds before her sight caught another figure.

A woman with a child. The child looked around six years old to be able to hold her Mother's hand, bristling through the busy streets of Seoul. The Mother's grip with her child was strong as the child held on to her tightly. The Mother was cloaked in a long blue pale jacket that almost reached her ankles - it was almost enough to sweep the dirty concrete floor if it weren't for her high heels.

The child did not struggle through walking amongst the busy street, nor did she look tired. It was probably the first day of school for the girl, yet it was home time.

"Naomi?"

Nari picked her glasses away and turned to her Mother. 'Naomi' was a replacement for the name 'Nari'. Her Mother had tried very hard to not call her Nari, for it brought the nineteen year old terrible memories. She wanted her old identity to be kept at the past just like the nightmares during her childhood.

Nari was in the past and Naomi is both present and future. She didn't want to be called Nari ever again. 

Even if that was what she requested to the family bringing her up, her passport remained Nari. 

"Yes, Mother?"

Naomi turned to face her Mother, who held a plastic box filled with lunch's food. Naomi felt that she had to give this to the new neighbour that just moved in next door. She had peeked at their newcomers and noticed only two people in the family.

A Father and a son. Where could the Mother of the boy be?

"Could you please give this to our new neighbour beside? You know, the Park family?" Her Mother slightly grinned and raised both eyebrows, handing the food set towards Naomi. The lass stood up from the couch and accepted the package before nodding. 

"I'll just change my pants first."

Changing from short navy pants to leggings felt better despite the weather and the family she ought to be meeting. Naomi tied her hair into a ponytail and ambled back downstairs. The package was still waiting on the table as her Mother had placed it. 

The house was quiet for now, despite both Father and step brother at their working place. Naomi was on a break for a week before continuing the home school. 

She had to be homeschooled despite her past situation. Keeping the child isolated from the world was better at the moment. They knew it had risks in the development of the child, but Naomi did not mind. She'd rather help out in the house, get out for only a few minutes for fresh air instead of finding trouble. 

The culprit was still yet to be caught. He could be anywhere. He could be closeby or far away. He could've asked someone to watch over for him. He might've passed away and all possibilities could occur. 

Naomi had the feeling that he was still out there somewhere. She did not want to risk that chance, whatsoever. Her only friends that she'd managed to make were the neighbours children. One was a university student in her foundation year whilst the other had just graduated from high school.

They didn't share a lot of common interests, but they were able to mend things steadily. For example, the foundation student had an interest of drawing as well as Naomi. The recent graduated student loved video games as well as the two.

Naomi headed out of the house with the plastic in hand and courage on the inside. She had been practising once in a while on how to converse with others and controlled her panic state as much as possible.

Her parent's perpetrator could be disguising as the next door's neighbour or even a mail-man. She knew too much and felt so paranoid about her surroundings, despite having to watch tons of movies suggested from her step brother.

It was actually a good thing to know about a critical situation. She knew on what to do if she were to be involved in one. 

Naomi fixed her slippers and closed the door shut. She treaded down the five stairs with ease, listening to her subtle footsteps against the crowded street. She could not hear it properly and Naomi didn't mind. 

Walking on the streets felt unusual for the girl, regardless of walking alone. She was always accompanied by her step brother, but now that she was nineteen, Naomi felt the responsibility of taking her own life ahead. She knew she could not depend on her new family for support anymore. She had to pull on her own two feet and let the past be.

The opposite sidewalk was filled with several pedestrians. On where Naomi was walking only had a few people compared to the other side. She felt safe and sound. Naomi felt brave to be able to walk out alone and to deliver this pack. 

She noticed the empty boxes still lying in front of the house of the new neighbour. It was only for a day since they've moved here and they've already unpacked so much. 

It was probably efficient since a family of a Father and a son didn't require much furnitures.

Naomi walked towards the door and hesitantly rang the doorbell. She reprimanded herself from getting a panic attack and wafting the thoughts away of her killer behind the door. 

They are your new neighbours. Treat them right. 

She waited for a good five seconds before the lock opened. Naomi expected the Father to open the door, but noticed someone a bit taller than her height. 

He had orange hair with dirty brown. His eyes were alluring as they were coloured baby blue. She wondered if those were eye contacts because it felt rare to see someone with blue eyes. 

Maybe, his Father or Mother had baby blue eyes. 

"Can I help you?"

Tearing her gaze below, she handed the boy the package as she stuttered, despite his overwhelming handsomeness and sluggish voice. 

"W-welcome to the neighbourhood. H-here's some lunch m-my Mother made. It's still warm-!"

Noticing her stammers, the boy smiled and genuinely accepted the plastic filled with the food pack. Naomi wanted to slap herself for making an idiot out of herself, but it has been a while since she spoke to someone, especially when it's a boy.

She felt their fingers brush slightly against each other. 

"Thank you. I'd be happy to eat this aromatic food with my Father. And, if you don't mind me asking, can we be friends?"

A bold question directed towards an isolated child posed another question. 

She lifted her gaze up and met his warm expression. For someone with a bright appearance like him, his heart must've been kindhearted and welcoming as well. 

Naomi briskly nodded and shoved her hand towards him for a handshake.

He reciprocated the gesture with another smile; it was possibly enough to send her heart fluttering all over the place.

Later that night, the scene did not leave Naomi's mind for a while. With both step parents and step brother sat around the table, she quietly chewed onto the mashed potato set for dinner. There were other dishes that her Mother had prepared, but Naomi was already full.

Albeit she only ate mashed potatoes and a salad. 

"Naomi, here. Take some chicken. I've only seen you eat those mashed potatoes and salad. Fill yourself up." Her Father suggested as he placed the drumstick chicken on her plate. 

Naomi thanked him with a smile. She was almost full despite drinking two contents of orange juice. She loved orange juice and it wasn't because it reminded her of the new boy. 

Speaking of the new boy, she didn't get the chance to ask his name and neither did she tell him hers. She just dashed off after their handshake in bashfulness. 

She began to eat small pieces of the cooked chicken's flesh, bit by bit.  

Both step parents exchanged concerned glances. They even nudged each other's shoulders that caught their son's attention. 

Her step Mother coughed once. 

"Naomi, there are some things that your Father and I have discussed last night concerning your future. We were wondering if you'd like to try pursuing a part time job around here or even attend a high school. GCSE's for two years from Grade 10 to 11." Her Mother spoke after dabbing the napkin on her lips.

Naomi carefully placed the fork upside down on the plate and finished chewing. 

"If that's all right with you, I don't mind going."

Her bold yet simple answer overwhelmed them both. They had actually expected for extensions of time and isolating herself in the house. They thought she wasn't ready, but Naomi wanted to try. 

Naomi knew that staying in the house for more than its worth will drive her future downwards. If both step parents weren't here anymore, she knew she could not rely on her step brother for everything. She wanted to try something new and useful instead of lingering inside the house all the time. 

"Money wise, I meant. I mean, I don't mind going." 

"But, are you sure? Are you ready for this? We were just suggesting some things ..." Her Father questioned after drinking the apple juice. He didn't want Naomi to risk her own life going outside, but they had to think about her future as well. 

It was a conflict between saving her future and providing a future. 

Naomi nodded again with no hesitation, yet clearly on the inside she was trembling. 

That night before she headed to slumber, Naomi glanced at the view from her window. Her room was covered with the night's umbra. She felt the ataraxia crawl around her body. Draped with the emerald blanket around her shoulders, she glanced at the window opposite of her. 

The light was on and a shadow sat there facing the wall. It was like a silhouette painting. The figure sat still and faced sideways. She barely made out his face features without her glasses.  

190217 - first chapter done! how was it? :3