Chapter 2: Who Are You?

"It's a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Min. I'm sure this product will be loved by all consumers," Sooyoung offered her hand for a shake after he did a final check on the product and got a big thumbs up from the man himself. She waited for his hand to shake hers but all she got was a sad, disappointed smile.

"You don't have to force your smile in front of me, Park Joy," Mr. Min said in a tone so soft and gentle.

Mr. Min was an elderly in his sixties who has worked with Sooyoung for quite a while. He was scary to others but once she knew who he really is, she found him to be a charming, warm hearted and wise man.

Sooyoung was surprised at what he said. "What do you mean, Mr. Min?"

Mr. Min took his cane and used it to stabilise himself when he stood up. "Stop pretending you are enjoying everything. Isn't it tiring?"

A smile that was once on her face vanished. "It is tiring," she replied. "How did you know?"

He limped to the door alone. With a mysterious smile, he said "Your face may be glowing but your eyes are not. Be careful of the blizzard."

Sooyoung was drained. No, that was an understatement. She was tired and in pain, maybe a bit of fever too two hours after she was injected back at the laboratory with whatever they gave. Typing a single sentence to Irene was difficult. Her vision was blurry and her head was spinning but it was necessary.

Wendy barged in to Sooyoung's office, not looking very happy, and threw a white envelop to her desk. "What does this mean?"

Sooyoung knew what it was. Of course she did. It was something she had written herself just before she a few days ago; her resignation letter. 

"It's exactly what it means," she answered.

"And you didn't tell me?" Wendy was getting furious.

"It's none of your business," Sooyoung's cold voice sent shivers through Wendy's spine. She turned to a completely different person from the last time she saw her boss which was only a few hours prior, smiling and excited for the day ahead. She wondered what happened?

Wendy looked at her, observed her and what she found saddened her. "You are back to the old you." 

"What do you mean?" 

"That look."

Sooyoung raised a brow, "Which look?"

Wendy hesitated but Sooyoung glare urged her to speak her mind. "When I first met you, you looked very down and sick of this world. You wouldn't smile, you wouldn't talk unless being asked... We thought you were simply rude.

"But one day, we saw a different side of you. You were very kind, warm and cheerful. Ever since then, work was more enjoyable because of the change in atmosphere. Simply because of you."

"Just get to the point already, Wendy," Sooyoung impatiently said. 

Just then, Wendy's eyes started to water. "If you are going through difficulties, you can tell me. Don't keep it in yourself."

Sooyoung rolled her eyes. She did bet Wendy would cry during her 'speech'. She was sensitive and emotional after all.

Sooyoung tidied her things and was going to leave without a word but Wendy's words stopped her. "We're friends, aren't we?"

All her life, Sooyoung never made any friends. She never got too close to anybody either because sooner they would leave her and break her heart. Countless of times she had gotten closer and loved people. She stayed with them but after a while they go away. Often times she was pushed away because of her unageing face. Because of that, she learnt her lesson to the punishment she had no idea she committed.

It was strange when everybody around her started wrinkling yet she stayed the same. Women around her were envious but deep inside Sooyoung knew there was something wrong.

A plague washed down the country and countless of people were killed. Anybody who was in contact or lived in the village with the plague, they died a painful death. Except for her. Even when she held the sick, lived in a village full of victims, she was fine. 

When she could've been in her nineties, she looked the same. It scared everybody. She was looked down upon and cursed and was proclaimed a witch by the locals. The loneliness gnawed her soul piece by piece until everything was eaten away. Killing herself was the only way to live in paradise.

But she couldn't. Her skin would close up and heal. She feared her own body and started tracing back to who she really was. If only she could remember.

"I got offered a position in Canada." With that she walked away and left Wendy alone in her office, in tears.

"I underestimated the rate of change here. I must've looked like a fool," said the man who once wore the strange dark orange clothing but was now wearing something more appropriate for the time; fitted pants, a turtle-neck sweater and a long trench coat. 

The man with him was laughing by the couch. 

"It's not funny, Changsub."

Changsub calmed down immediately when he saw his companion's face. 

"It isn't indeed, Sol."

"You shouldn't call me that now that we're here," he fixed his newly cut hair into place and was satisfied with his look in the mirror.

Changsub, being Sol's right hand, was proud of his master's change. It took a while for him to convince Sol to take a break from what seemed to be an unending workload. Sol had no interest whatsoever of visiting other places. After non-stop begging from Changsub, he finally agreed for a short trip somewhere other than his workplace.

"So where are we off today, Yook Sungjae," Changsub asked as he wore his coat and finally calling his higher up Sol with a name appropriate for the place they were in.

Sungjae glanced at him and raised a brow. "You are my tour guide for the duration of my stay, are you not?"

"Yes I am but I was thinking you may have places you want to visit."

"I haven't been here for a very long time, Changsub. I don't know this place quite well as you do."

"Very well," Changsub wore his fedora and escorted the master to their first destination.

The blizzard got worse as the day passed. Sungjae and Changsub could only stare at the sky as they were trap in their accomodation, a vintage style mansion located in the most quiet area of the city. "With this weather, I can't show you around, your highness," Changsub sighed at the sight. "Can't you make it stop?"

Sungjae gave him a questionnable look. "Are you serious right now?"

He nearly nodded in response but remembered a crucial rule before he could do so; to never bring work outside the workplace. Changsub gave his apologies.

"So what shall we do now?" Sungjae boredly asked, walking back to the comfy sofa chair and sat down.

After minutes of rummaging through his mind, Changsub remembered something and said, "I asked my friend recently to make me a playground and I believe it should be ready to use."

Sungjae scoffed, "Are you a child? Why do you need a playground?"

Changsub rolled his eyes and dragged the bored- looking Sungjae to a door in the basement. "Behind this door is my most treasured playground," he pointed.

"It's not some sort of weird you have like what I have been hearing from here, is it?" Sungjae asked and ever so slowly covered his chest area with his arms. 

This time, it was Changsub's turn to scoff. "You think so lowly of me, your highness. Do you think I would do that?" Sungjae answered with a nod without any hesitation.

That blow hit right where it should. "Don't blame my good looks, Yook Sungjae." He opened the door and showed him the interior of his so-called 'playground'.

Sungjae followed behind and commented at his statement. "It's an alien charm."

Changsub's eyes turned into slits. He wanted to retort back but chose not to deal with Sungjae's teasing mode. He reached out a small pouch from his packet and threw it to Sungae who caught it impressively without even looking at it and it gave out a clinking sound. Sounds of coins.

"It's not the same as what we have but I guaratee you this is much more fun," Changsub gestured at the many arcade games he had. From basketball, Dance Dance Revolution, air hockey to claw machines of different types. There even was a coin karaoke. He then pointed to a glass door at the corner. "Over there is an even better place. Not for minors though so if you are bringing some friends over, make sure they are over a certain age."

Sungjae went over and caefully looked at each machine with curiosity. He had never seen these before. He was more familiar with games that weren't as high tech as these.

Changsub stared at the interested Sungjae and with a smirk he suggested, "Want to play? The loser will do everything the winner says."

All of a sudden, fire lit up (metaphorically) in Sungjae eye's and accepted his challenge. He wasn't planning on losing even with such a disadvantage. Compared to Changsub, he has never played games like these. Most of the time, he was cooped up in his gigantic office playing 'shoot' with crumpled papers. But Sungjae couldn't bear to lose. It wasn't him if he gave up right away.

"You're on!"

Irene could only rub her nosebridge and taking in deep breaths after seeing Sooyoung's condition when she arrived at the lab. Not only she was having chills and fever but it seemed like her consiousness was in and out. And she drove all the way in the cold and snow all by herself. She knew if there was an accident to happen, Sooyoung would be fine but if her secret leaks out, it would be too chaotic. Not only that, the specimen injected could spread and may cause an outbreak.

"Do you know the consequences of what might happen if got into an accident?" First Wendy, now Irene? There must be something wrong with the world.

"You can lecture me later. Right now, your voice alone is making it pound even more," Sooyoung covered her light sensitive eyes with her arm over it.

Irene rolled her eyes. "You're not the first one that flirted with me so that won't work."

Sooyoung looked at her confusedly and when she realized what she meant, it turned to irritation and she didn't know why she was feeling this way. "I mean my head, not my heart... But my heart did beat faster today."

"I noticed and nearly called you. This never happened before." She looked through her notes, flicking from one page to the next, looking through the trends.

Despite the aching pain, she forced herself to get up. This was nothing to her compared to seeing that stranger. 

"Let me tell you Irene, I have never seen such a man that makes me feel this way. I felt happy, sad, angry and perplexed all at the same time," Soyoung explained. "I've had a few experiences with intimate relationships but this feeling exceeds that."

"Have you ever thought that it could be love at first sight?"

Sooyoung shook her head with definite. "With my age? Love at first sight is no longer possible. I have seen too many by now and I won't be fooled."

With an annoyed face, Irene pushed Sooyoung to lie back down and tucked her in like a child ready to sleep. "Would you relax, please? You are making the symptoms worse."

She gladly complied. Her body was ready to break and a nap could make everything better. Until sleep took over, that man never left her mind. She tried pushing him away but he kept coming back.

'Who are you?'