Empty.

Empty, vacant, bare, blank, void.

Void.

That word best sums up how she currently feels.

She stares at the blank canvas in front of her, thinking about how much it has more than her.

Because it is just blank, while she is, well, void. And blanks are more eye catching than voids, because blanks make people want to fill them up, while voids are something people generally avoid.

She sighs, setting down the paintbrush she has been holding for a few minutes now. She would like to say that she doesn't know how long she has been there, sitting in front of the canvas, but that is a lie. She knows that it has been exactly an hour, and adding the other two hours she spent prior, just getting her materials within reach, she knows it isn't healthy anymore.

It's time for her to get out of that empty house.

…

She cannot remember the last time she went to the park.

It is that same park near their house, where her father used to bring her when she was younger. She avoided the place like a plague after her father died, deciding it is still painful for her to go there. But now, two months after, she knows she must try moving on. That is why she decided to bring Aurum for a walk there. Also, she thinks the place may help her with her artist's block. Just watching people pass, wondering what’s going on in their minds and lives, sometimes help making her brain gear into motion.

Once there, she removes Aurum's leash, letting the golden retriever bound here and there. She isn't worried about the dog being out of control. Aurum is not a normal dog; he is well-attuned to his owner, and does not do anything to hurt a human (unless the human is a threat to his master).

She finds an empty bench and sits on it. She watches as Aurum plays with a group of children, and judging by their same colored shirts, she deduces they can be from the same school. She gets lost, watching at how happy the kids looked as they played with her dog. Unconsciously, a small smile makes its way to her lips.

"It's good to see you smiling, Hanmi Won."

She rips her eyes off the scene she had been watching, and looks at the direction of the voice which called out to her. She is greeted with an angelic face: large eyes full of care, a smile filled with gentleness, framed by long brown hair. A face she immediately recognizes.

"Joohyun."

The so-called woman's smile grows wider. Hanmi immediately motions for the empty space beside her, which Joohyun takes up. She then proceeds to look at the scene that had Hanmi smiling. "Is that Aurum? Wow, he plays well with my kids."

Hanmi eyes her clothes, noting that her top has the same color as the children’s. She also makes out the print on the front of the shirt. Still, she asks the obvious. "Your kids?"

"Have I not told you?” Joohyun says, confusion all over her face. “After leaving the hospital, I started working at an orphanage. I thought I'll feel that sense of fulfillment, and so far I haven't been wrong, despite all the problems it also brought."

Embarassment creeps up on Hanmi’s mind, and she feels bad for not paying attention to recent events happening in their society. She plays with the lobe of her right ear, a thing she does when she feels that way. She directs her eyes to her lap, trying to avoid Joohyun’s inquisitive look. "Oh. I'm really sorry, I think I didn't pay attention last time we met at a gathering. I was busy with um...things."

The look on Joohyun's eyes does not go unnoticed by her, however. It is a look of sympathy, and she dislikes it, despite knowing that her former colleague doesn't mean any harm. She decides to steer the conversation from dangerous waters. "Aside from handling really hyper kids, what else does working at an orphanage bother you?"

Judging from Joohyun’s expression, she knows that the woman is just letting the last comment slide in favor of having a more comfortable conversation. "Hyper kids are easier to handle compared to the other problems, you know. Logistics, mostly. Where to put the kids. What to feed them. Where to get money enough to support them, because the government does not give enough. Also, segregating the magick from nonmagick kids. You know it's a critical period in life, childhood. They still don't know how to control their powers, so when there are accidents, I always have to be the one there to erase traces of it."

She hums at her friend’s response, not really minding the first part. Yet she startles when she hears Joohyun's words on magick children. Those seem to wake Hanmi up from the overall mental block she's been having since her father died. Her brains gears up, immediately registering Joohyun's words and makes a plan. A crazy one, most probably because of its impulsiveness, but hey, she has always been the kind of person who tries to live life spontaneously.

"That does sound rough,” she says quietly. She tries to contain her excitement as she faces Irene and asks, “Mind if I lend a helping hand?"

"I would like to think that what you mean is volunteering at the orphanage,"Joohyun replies, side glancing at her and taking in the mischievous glint Hanmi’s eyes holds. She is taken aback by the sudden change in her friend’s aura, but she once again lets it slide because, if anything, she knows that Hanmi needs something to keep her moving in life. She goes back to watching the kids, continuing, "But knowing that you and kids don't really go along well, and knowing that look in your eyes, I know it's otherwise. Explain."

She does not say anything for a moment, trying to organize her words in a way that Joohyun will be convinced to agree. "Well, even before dad's death, I've already decided to sell the house. It is too big for me anyways."

"No."

She sighs at the clear rejection Irene uttered with her determined tone. She knows that she does not need to finish whatever she planned to say, because her friend is a smart woman and can pick up quickly. She knows what will be Irene's reaction, so she lets the other woman rant out whatever is on her mind before explaining her side further. "Hanmi. Are you insane? That is your clan's ancestral house, it is the seat of Aurum's power. You can't just give it away!"

Hanmi shrugs at this. True, it is an important house, politically. Yet it is just a symbol, anyways. There is no need to be hung up over the fact that it is Aurum’s seat of power; any house owned by the clan can be as much as that. "That's why right now, I'm thinking that it will be better to let the orphanage use it for a while. Like, renting it out to you guys without you paying. Until you guys find a better place, or something."

"That's still insane. Do you think the government will let us get away with that? They're bound to ask. We can't just rent without paying." The exasperation in Joohyun’s voice is so evident it frustrates Hanmi. She rolls her eyes, then sighs. Who would have thought being generous will be difficult. But still, being a quick thinker, she immediately thinks of a solution.

"Then how about this? I establish a foundation, an orphanage that would cater only for magick kids? Joohyun, you know what happened to me. I may not be good with kids, but I know how to empathize with these type of kids. Knowing that there are magick kids out there, not being cared for and taught how to control their powers without having that fear of being found out 24/7, it won't make me sleep well at night. I'm pretty sure dad would be happy with this too. You said it yourself, this is my clan's house. Or rather was, because I'm the only one left. So, along with that house, all the money and other properties Aurum had went to me. I can do whatever I want to do with it, and if I decide to give it out to those who need help, especially people like us, there's nothing that can stop me. So just help me out with this. Manage the foundation for me. Give those children a better home, where they learn about themselves and their powers, without being afraid of themselves."

Joohyun's teary face tells her everything she needs as an answer. She smiles, and the movement of her facial muscles makes her aware of the wet feeling rolling down her cheeks. Not wanting to dampen the air any longer, she hugs her friend, a brief physical contact that is enough for both of them to be comforted.

They stay in silence for a few minutes. Then conversation slowly trickles back, and this time they talk about other topics such as Joohyun's newly formed coven, of which she is the leader of, or the children, especially the magick ones. They never talk about Hanmi.

When it is nearing sunset, they part ways, with the promise of calling each other to organize their plan.

When she gets home, Hanmi stares at the empty foyer of the mansion. She imagines little children running here and there, their laughter filling the halls. Just like what her dad used to tell her when it wasn't just the two of them living there.

The house feels less empty now.

She thinks back on Joohyun and her coven. She has met the other four girls before, when she and Irene used to work at the hospital as nurses. They had just finished their shift, and were walking towards the bus stop, when two girls suddenly jumped on Joohyun, making her jump to a height no normal human can reach. Hanmi fortunately isn't that easily surprised, so she was able to keep calm and not use her own magick. Two other girl scolded the former two, while at the same time physically comforting their elder sister. Hanmi didn't need to be told who they were, even if she was absent at their coven's bonding ceremony, she knew they all were members of Red Velvet.

She actually knew one of them way before she met Joohyun. Seulgi, their coven's center, had been her classmate at one of the elective arts class she took back in college. She actually envies her. Seulgi was able to find all of her members, create a bond strong enough that even if they were only five, they were already granted by the council to do the official bonding ceremony. It will be easier for them to find their respective soulmates, and probably other members of the coven. In half a century or so, they can already be a clan, a respected one at that, judging from the kind hearts of its original founding members.

While she… She's stuck to a clan with only her and her father as part of. Her father already explained it to her. A coven is a group of people with a bond so strong and special. It becomes a clan officially when a coven has at least a hundred members. But their clan, the Aurum clan, originally had near a hundred and fifty, and they had a lot of power. So they cannot be downgraded into a coven, even if it is just the two of them left.

And she knew, they both knew, that the moment her father dies, she doesn't have a clan to belong to any longer. In the first place, she wasn't part of her father's clan at all, a secret only a few knows.

The Aurum clan, once so great and powerful, will now only be part of their races' history.

…

She wakes up to her phone blasting AgustD at its loudest setting. She curses herself for setting it that way, but since she is the type of person to ignore her phone, she had to devise a way to make sure important calls are answered. If it was a generic tune playing, even if it was at its loudest setting, she can easily ignore it.

One hand blindly searches for her phone, while the other switches on the bedside lamp (because despite her grogginess, she can still make out the dark skies outside her window). She can already narrow the list of people who would call her at such an hour. She sits up, propping herself on the headboard of her bed. Letting out a groan when she sees who is calling, she presses answer and turns the phone on loudspeaker.

“Hanmi!” is the excited greeting to her, to which she sassily replies, “Nope, this is Aurum answering my master’s phone.”

“Sarcastic as always, my love. Hey, I guess that means you’re wide awake, because you’re using your brain to be sassy. I know I’m calling really late, so you’re probably sleeping when your phone started belting out that AgustD song. Also, you’ll probably kill me for disturbing your sleep, because we all know how important uninterrupted sleep is to you.”

“Being sarcastic is second nature to me, I don’t need to be fully awake to be one. As my soulmate, you’d know that, just as you know everything else you’ve said.” She glances at the time, and sees that it really is late. 2:17, to be exact. She bristles at this. It is true that sleep is important to her, not because she cares so much about her complexion or physical health, but because she has insomnia. It is difficult to initiate sleep and maintain sleep, and it takes a toll not only on her physical health, but also her mental health and subsequently, her magick. She stopped taking sleeping pills ever since she stopped working at the hospital, opting for more natural options. Though ever since she started her project with Joohyun, she has been sleeping better. Not enough to make her maintain sleep, but at least initiating it is less of a hassle now.

Still, this is her soulmate. If anything, she knows that only something very important can force Yewon Kim to call her in the middle of the night. So instead of giving back another sarcastic retort, she settles for a sigh and a question. “What is it, then?”

“First things first, how have you been?” Trust Yewon to divert the subject to topics Hanmi would rather not talk about if she is given the chance. Trust her too, to pick up something weird from Hanmi’s daily replies to her. “You have been giving me vague answers through messages. What are you up to?”

There is no use lying to her bestfriend, but she still doesn’t want her to know what she’s been doing the past few days. True, she is her platonic soulmate, but that doesn’t mean Yewon would certainly support her plans. So she decides to tell the half truth. “Good, I’ve been busy trying to use Aurum’s assets to good use. It’s been tiring me out but in a good way. It gets me out of this stifling house. Also, at least initiating sleep has been easier for me nowadays, though trying not to wake up in the middle of the night is still a pain in the .”

Thankfully, that explanation is better than her usual, ‘I’m good, I’m just busy’ reply she’s been giving Yewon. It makes her feel bad for giving her bestfriend the cold shoulder, but she needs time for herself; time to pick up the broken pieces of her heart from her father’s death; time to reorganize her life without one of the most important people to her. Yewon knows this, and that is also why, despite having enough space, she does not badger Hanmi into living with her and their other close friends. She did offer, once, though.

“Well, that’s good. If ever you’re planning to sell the house, always know you can come and live with me anytime.” See? Soulmate indeed. “So, now that I know what’s really up with you, I can rest that case now. Moving on. I have good news! No, not good news. Great news! Like, the greatest news in this country, this world, this uni-“

“You’re rambling, Yewon. Get on with it. Just make sure it is as great as you say it is, because if it isn’t, guess who’s coming to Seoul to kill you.”

“Jin found his soulmate!”

That’s it. Soulmate or not, she’s going to kill Yewon.

Before she can say anything more, though, Yewon had continued. “I know, I know. Not really the greatest news, but that means we’re one more person closer to finding all the members of our coven! And do you know? She’s actually someone you already know! Her name’s Soojin Bae, and apparently her mom was one of your dad’s patients. Isn’t that nice? I swear, everyone here is somebody you already know, I won’t be surprised if Hoseok’s platonic soulmate is also someone you’ve met before.”

Silence met her words. Only Yewon’s breathing, which was a bit faster and harsher due to her excitement, can be heard. Then the shuffling of bed sheets, indicating that yes, Hanmi is still on the other end of the line. Finally realizing the impact of her words, Yewon waits with bated breath.

They may be soulmates, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get on each other’s nerves. And tonight, Yewon crossed the line, probably as revenge for Hanmi trying to keep clamming up on her recent plans. True, she may have not thought of her words well, but that’s Yewon for you. Hanmi tries to live life in spontaneity? Yewon is already there. Still, the underlying message she hid in her words is as clear as crystal to Hanmi, and it hit her bullseye.

Yewon knows that the topic of creating a new coven with Hanmi as the center is something that makes Hanmi’s heart and mind seize up in anxiety.

“I see,” is her cold reply. Yewon still does not release the breath she withheld, so Hanmi chooses the path preventing the confrontation they (especially Yewon) need. “Let’s talk about it next time, I’m tired. I have lots to do, and I need to be rested.”

Without a goodbye, she hangs up on her bestfriend, her soulmate, the only person who can probably understand her at that moment.

It leaves a bitter taste on .

…

"Stop crinkling your forehead, it will have wrinkles even before you turn thirty, you know."

She felt a finger touch her forehead, lightly drag its way down to the tip of her nose. It wasn't ticklish, but she still giggled at the motion. She looked up to see a pale face framed with dark hair, cat eyes crinkling due to the gummy smile those pink thin lips formed. She smiled back, peace washing away the anxiety she had been feeling.

"If that is the case, then I guess you'd also have wrinkles before you even turn twenty-five, your highness. You are grumpier than me. Actually, you may be the grumpiest 10-year old I’ve ever met," she replied. She leaned back, using her left arm to support her weight. Her right hand, which was clutching a pencil and hovering over the sketchbook for several minutes already, was brought to rest on it.

He rolled his eyes at her response. He plopped down next to her, laid down and placed his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes. She smiled at the sight. It was beautiful, he was beautiful, with him lying on the snow, the light breeze playing with his dark hair, the weak sunlight illuminating his pale skin better than before. She'd never get tired of that view.

Silence settled between them. But unlike before, she didn't have to furrow her forehead. Her artist's block was already lifted the moment she heard his voice. She let her hand move on its own, not stopping until he spoke once again.

"You've been weird lately."

She looked at him. His gaze was strong, but it wasn't scary. She had already expected this, though. He would only go and look for her in the middle of the day and skip his etiquette class if he thought there was something wrong. She didn't answer, instead settling for a hum, because she knew he wasn't finished talking yet. She went back to her sketch.

"You called me 'your highness'."

She flinched. Of course that small thing wouldn't go unnoticed by him. He wasn't a prince just by blood; he had the wits to be one. But that was the very reason she was avoiding him and formally addressing him.

"The others were noticing. They didn't like it." She tried to keep her voice level, because she didn’t want to upset him further. It didn’t sit well on her, upsetting her closest friend, probably even her only friend.

"Who?"

She sighed. She didn’t want to answer that question, but she knew she had no choice but to tell. "Seriously? Who else? Everyone was already against me studying at the same school with you. They think I am in no position to be in your circle. I'm only the daughter of-"

"You're a daughter of a high-ranking person in our clan." His voice was cold, steely even. It had that tone of finality in his voice, the type that made anything he said absolute truth. That whoever disagreed would be going against something powerful.

"Am I?"

She didn't plan to let those words slip out, but it did, and she regretted it. It came out as a choked cry, and it mirrored exactly what she was feeling. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone of the suspicions she'd been having the past few weeks. Then again, she could never keep a secret from him. All thoughts keep tumbling out whenever he tried to make her spill.

She saw him freeze, confusion all over his face. So he wasn't hearing the things she was hearing. She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about it, even if she knew he could see through her.

For him she was an open book, just as he was to her.

"They say I'm not my father's daughter. That I was somebody else's. Mother got pregnant before she met father. So father had no choice but to take me in. And that would make sense, because all my siblings have the same powers, and I'm different."

She glanced at him, and saw his eyes harden. She could feel the slight elevation of heat, and it scared her. She wasn't scared of him, she was scared of him hating himself because he lost control. So she quickly grabbed his hand, and despite it being a little too hot to hold, she held it tight.

"They don't have proof." He said through clenched teeth. She smiled at him, a strained one, but she had to attempt to calm him down.

"They don't. So don't worry, I won't let them get to me again. I promise. I won’t leave you just because of them."

Their gazes met. She knew he was looking for commitment to that promise in her eyes, and she hoped that she was able to show him. That whatever they say, she would stay by his side.

...

Her promise was broken that night.