Week 2 of practice and Seungwan’s got her basic combat skills and her reflexes are more or less honed. Which must be the reason why Yerim thought it was time for her practice sessions to include actual weapons. Thrown at Seungwan by Sooyoung and her impossibly toned arms.

Seungwan barely manages to avoid a knife Sooyoung expressionlessly threw at her, heart in . “I don’t think I like this part,” she mutters, voice breathy and thin.

Sooyoung rolls her eyes and walks over to her, plopping down on the couch against the fence. “Those knives are charmed so if you ever not manage to dodge on time, they’ll dodge for you.”

Makes sense. Doesn’t make her heartbeat normal, though. Seungwan lets out a loud sigh and sits down on the grass, pouting up at Sooyoung. “This is very tiring.”

“It is.” Sooyoung stares right back, something indecipherable in her eyes. “But if you want to learn… survive. I think it’s better that you know these.”

Sure, she wants to survive. But Seungwan’s also tired. She sighs. “It’s week 2 after the full moon,” Seungwan says slowly, gaze snapping from Sooyoung to the trees behind her. “Where’s the new threat?”

Sooyoung leans back on the couch, swinging her feet up so they lay on the arm rest. “Haven’t seen ‘em. Whoever they are, they’re… they have a different approach this time, I suppose.”

Whoever they are, they’re doing something behind the scenes. And no one knows. Like Mark Tuan. “How many years have there been threats?”

“Fifty-two, I think.”

Seungwan frowns. “And how many times did their plans change?”

“Their plans change all the time. The only thing that doesn’t change is that it’s always a man, and they never succeed.” Sooyoung has a soft smile on her lips, but her eyes are glinting with pride.

Seungwan hums, nodding. “But once a month? Why is it always once a month?”

Sooyoung shrugs. “Because there are few resources, I suppose. Most Supers get rescued and they’re staying here. There are few smaller towns who are opposed to the overthrowing of humans and are heavily guarded, too. That’s not to say that only a few are on Yang’s side, because there’s a lot of them. But they know it’s better not to be overconfident.”

“This… Yang. Why does he hate humans so much?”

Sooyoung smiles at Seungwan, like a parent would at an unknowing child. “Because humans have terrorized us for so long. Humans were the reason why Weres and Vampires hated each other for a few centuries.” Sooyoung blinks and her smile turns bitter. “They were the reason why Slayers turned their backs on us, hunted us.”

This makes Seungwan sit up straighter, memories of watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer growing up flooding her head. “I thought Slayers were always against Supers?”

“Slayers are like us, Wan.” Sooyoung sighs, playing with her extra knife. “They have superhuman strength, their wounds close as soon as they open. And they have amazing awareness, feels everything a thousand times more than humans would. They were our… I guess you can call them our police? They took care of rogue Supers.”

Seungwan snorts. “Now, like today’s police, all they do is terrorize the very… people they promised to protect. Is that it?”

Sooyoung laughs sardonically. “On point. That is what’s going on.”

“That’s so sad, though.”

“It is,” Sooyoung agrees, voice weak. She sighs and turns to Seungwan, smiling. “Go get the knife you let into the woods, Wan.”

Seungwan nods, standing up and dusting her pants. “I hope this cold war ends soon.”

“For it to end there has to be an actual war,” Sooyoung answers. “And that, I think,” she looks up at the sky and Seungwan knows it’s more than just a ‘think’. “I think it’s coming soon.”

-

The forest is huge. Seungwan only came in four times, all of those to fetch weapons she dodged.

But it’s pretty, with lots of plants Seungwan never thought even existed, some twinkling insects that Seungwan would think are faeries but since she’s not as ignorant as before, she knows faeries aren’t this small.

And they live across the city, in a flower shop that’s excluded from everyone and everything else, and they’re a reminder of the locals’ childhood, a painful one at that.

There are animals of all kinds, so many of them it almost makes Seungwan feel not-as-bad about the hunting. The forest just is too abundant, and Supers only hunt a few kinds of animals. The forest has all these pretty things, straight out of a fairytale book, with the sunlight filtering through the trees and the leaves a crisp green color.

But there are also dangers.

One of them a girl leaning against a tree, holding the knife Seungwan’s looking for. Her hair’s a bright shade of orange and her eyes are hungry, smirk sinister. “This the one you’re looking for?”

“Yes.” Seungwan freezes on the spot, trying to think of a way to get Sooyoung’s attention without making the stranger do anything drastic. “You’re new here.”

“I’m not,” is all the girl says, pushing herself off the tree and walking towards Seungwan. “I’ve been here longer than you have, honey.”

Seungwan bristles, stepping back instinctively. “Why have I never seen you?”

“This city is bigger than you think, Wannie,” she says, smirk growing.

A memory knocks on her skull, but Seungwan can’t take a hold of it. She takes a deep breath, racking her brain for anything that can save her in her pockets. A swiss knife, maybe, but she left hers in Seulgi’s room. “How do you know my name?”

“You don’t remember me, do you?” the girl asks, head tilting curiously. She slaps the knife against her palm like it’s a pen. “I guess there’s no way for you to remember me. You were so young.” Her smile turns sad for a moment.

Seungwan shakes her head, moving away. “I don’t know who you are, but I know the Demons guard the woods so whatever you’re planning, one scream from me and you’re getting yourself killed."

The girl laughs, loud and as if she doesn’t care if anyone hears. “You can’t have a childhood friend killed, Wannie. You’re better than that.”

“I don’t know you!” Seungwan almost screams, fists clenched by her sides. She doesn’t know her. But something’s tickling her heart, making her doubt her memories.

The stranger smiles, hold out her hand. “Kim Hyuna. But please just call me Hyuna.”

Seungwan glares at her outstretched hand. “Do you think I’m dumb?”

Hyuna takes her hand back slowly, still smirking at Seungwan. “I’d have thought your mum and dad taught you better than that, Wannie. They taught me better than that.”

“I don’t know you.” This time, as she says it, she’s trying to convince herself more than she’s trying to remind Hyuna. “You’re the threat, aren’t you?”

“No.” Hyuna rolls her eyes, annoyed. “We’re trying to figure out who the threat is, too, but it’s hard when you can’t even wander the streets without cats clawing your calves.”

“What?”

Hyuna shrugs. “I think you’ll understand this better if Sunmi talked to you, but she’s hunting for food. That means, of course, she’s trying to steal from the mart because we’re not Wolves, we don’t eat meat uncooked.”

Seungwan flinches. Cold washes over her. “What?” she squeaks out.

“She’ll be here any minute now, of course. But I decided I’d reintroduce myself to you before she gets here and hogs you.” Hyuna’s smirk turns into a smile. “I do, after all, think of you as a little sister. Even though you don’t remember me.”

“How do you know that—that name?”

Hyuna’s smile is playful now, and Seungwan doesn’t think she’s in danger anymore. “Sunmi? She’s my partner, Wannie.”

“But she’s—” she stops as another approaches them, plastic bags in hands and face ashy at the sight of Seungwan.

“Seungwan.”

“No.” She shakes her head feverishly, stepping back as she refuses to look the newcomer in the eyes. “No.”

“Now, that’s not any way to treat your sister, is it?” Hyuna says mockingly, taking the bags from Sunmi. She checks inside as the two sisters continue staring at each other. “Ugh, this is the worst brand of coffee, Sunmi.”

“Seungwan,” Sunmi tries again, taking a step towards her.

Seungwan takes another step back. “Are you the threat?”

For a moment, Sunmi looks too shocked to answer. And Seungwan thinks that’s the only answer she needs. But before she can run away, Sunmi says, “No,” and for some reason, Seungwan stays where she is. “I’m not. I’m here for something else.”

“What something else?” Seungwan cries, her nerves finally getting her. She buries her head in her hands, pulls on her hair. “You made me go here.”

“I didn’t.”

Seungwan stares at Sunmi. “What?”

Sunmi’s eyes are conflicted for a moment. She looks at Hyuna for help, but the girl just shrugs back at her before popping a grape into . When Sunmi turns back to Seungwan, there’s the warmth Seungwan’s so used to seeing. “It’s a long story, and it’s very confusing.”

“I’m dating a Witch, Sunmi.” Her heart feels a little lighter saying that, but she focuses on her sister. “I’m dating a Witch, and my favorite customers are Vampires. The girl who almost got me alcohol poisoning is a Mermaid. I’m… I don’t think it can get any more confusing than that.”

“It can,” Sunmi says, shrugging. She’s smiling a little at Seungwan though, like she did so many times before whenever Seungwan talked about her friends. “I’ll tell you when the time comes. But for now, can we just hang out like we did before I came to this town and left you in Canada?”

“How can I trust you?”

Sunmi’s expression turns pained for a moment, but she manages to force a smile. “Have I ever gotten you in danger?”

Seungwan in a breath. The answer is simple and easy: no. Sunmi has always been her hero, always the one who picked Seungwan over herself in a heartbeat. While there was always jealousy because Sunmi was the daughter Seungwan knew she can never be, Sunmi never left Seungwan, except when she left for this town.

“No,” she answers begrudgingly.

“Everyone thinks we’re the threat, Seungwan,” Sunmi explains, finally getting enough courage to take Seungwan’s hand. She squeezes them tight and her eyes are flooded with emotions. “But I’m only here to protect you. I came here for you, and I’m staying for you.”

“Why would they think you’re the threat?”

“Because we’re not from here. Because when I came here, the real threat didn’t appear.”

Seungwan frowns, squeezes Sunmi’s hands back. “You were framed?”

“I was only here for you, that’s all you have to know.” Sunmi stares at Seungwan, so much love and longing in her eyes. Then she pulls Seungwan closer and hugs her tight, cradling her head like they’re 14 and 12 and Seungwan just got home with a gash on her knee from tripping during PE.

“I missed you so much,” Seungwan cries to her sister’s shoulder as she pulls her as tightly. “I was so scared.”

“This city does that to you.” Sunmi pats her head before planting a kiss against it. She hugs her even tighter, sways a little.

“I was scared because they said who ever leaves this city will die without a potion. I was so scared because I thought I’d never see you again.”

Sunmi chuckles against Seungwan’s hair, then she pulls away with a watery smile. “If it weren’t for my partner, I probably would’ve left without knowing you came here.”

“That partner is I,” Hyuna says, waving a hand. “Sorry about your friend, by the way.”

Seungwan quirks a brow. “What friend?”

“That Cat outside your window. We thought she had bad intentions, but she was only guarding you. She thought we had bad intentions, but we were only trying to look after you.” Hyuna smiles sheepishly, shrugging. “You can see how that misunderstanding made me shoot her.”

“You shot—”

“But then you arrive, and it grazed your skin. That ‘watch out’ was me, by the way.”

Seungwan steps away from Hyuna. “You shot—”

“We brought her to Déjà Vu to get her treated,” Sunmi quickly adds like that makes things better.

“She’s gone.”

Sunmi turns to Seungwan. “Gone?”

“When I woke up they were arguing because no one knew where she was. It seems she left after getting herself treated.”

Sunmi shares a look with Hyuna. “That can’t mean anything good.”

“It really doesn’t mean anything good, that one Siren was in hysterics when she found out I didn’t remember anything else about… Sooyeon, that was her name, right?”

“We’ll try to look for her,” Sunmi says and Hyuna nods her agreement. “But she can be anywhere. This place is so much bigger than you think.”

“Will you leave?” Seungwan asks, voice soft like a child’s. “Won’t we see each other again?”

Sunmi’s expression softens. She pouts a little as she lets out a little ‘aw’ and hugs Seungwan again. “Every sundown come here and Hyuna and I will be here. You have to tell me about this Witch of yours, too.”

“I’ll be here every sundown, I promise.” She smiles up at her sister, warmth overwhelming her.

Hyuna clears . “Sorry to interrupt but I’m pretty sure your friends are worried you haven’t come back.” She hands the knife to Seungwan. “Go, before they come here and find us. We have a place somewhere in the woods that the Demons can’t check so I’ll meet you here tomorrow and bring you there.”

Seungwan nods, squeezing her sister one more time before walking away. “I’ll try to remember who you are,” she tells Hyuna.

Hyuna laughs. “That will be very hard, Wannie, but I appreciate the effort.” She pauses, then adds, “Try to bring coffee and cake tomorrow?”

Seungwan chuckles, nodding. “I will.” Then she turns around and runs to the fence, holding the knife tightly in her hand and her heart feeling a whole lot lighter.

Sooyoung screams her name as soon as she emerges, worried expression on her face. “You , what took you so long?”

“Animals. Flowers. The woods is pretty.” She smiles, handing Sooyoung her knife. “Can I wander around the woods every sundown? That means the Demons will be there to make sure I don’t get into dangerous situations while I admire the woods.”

Sooyoung blinks, curious. Then she shrugs. “You’re a grown woman and your combat skills and reflexes are getting better. Do whatever you want to do.”

Seungwan beams up at her. “Thanks!” Then, she practically skips to the coffee shop. Heart light and happier than she ever was before. Maybe even with the threat, there is time for love. And maybe even with the threat, her sister’s here to protect her.

That plucks out a few thorns of fear from Seungwan’s heart.

-

Joohyun stares rather amusedly at Seungwan, who has a cut on her cheek. She runs a thumb across the cut, examining it closely. “It looks like it’s closing already.”

“I just got it. It still stings.”

Joohyun rolls her eyes. “What a baby.”

Seungwan pouts, obviously proving Joohyun’s ‘baby’ teasing. “It still stings.”

After a soft laugh, Joohyun smears some kind of gel against the cut, and Seungwan feels her cheek turning cold, and her skin twitching. Then Joohyun plants a kiss on Seungwan’s cheek. “There, it’s gone.” She turns Seungwan and makes her face the mirror.

Just as Joohyun said, the cut is gone. And so are some blemishes Seungwan knows was there before. “Hey, can I add that to my skincare routine?”

She receives a push against her shoulder and Joohyun laughing against her back. “I’d love to give you this but too much Were-Aloe can give you frostbite.”

“Were-Aloe?”

“It’s Aloe Vera with a pinch of Were blood. Doesn’t matter if a wolf or a cat, but since we’re… short Were Cats these days, these are Junmyeon’s.”

She nods eyeing the jar of green cream on Joohyun’s bathroom sink. “Why will I get frostbite? Aren’t Weres warm?”

“They are, but the Aloe is cold, and the brewing of these two together, it requires it being brewed in below 0 temperature.”

Seungwan tilts her head to stare at Joohyun, who’s leaning against her shoulder. They’re so close and Seungwan’s breath catches on at the sight. “Where do you brew them?”

“Same place where The All Nighter brews their alcohol. The cave behind their store.” Joohyun’s lips quirks a little as she stares up at Seungwan.

Seungwan doesn’t know the rules between them. She doesn’t exactly know where they stand. Sure, they do say they’re dating but with the cold war, they also don’t have time for that. So, even though she’s so tempted to, she turns away instead of kissing Joohyun.

Joohyun meets her gaze through the mirror like she’s both disappointed and thankful. But she lets her arms circle Seungwan, hugs her tight from behind. “How’s practice?”

“Tiring,” Seungwan answers truthfully, taking Joohyun’s hands in her own, fingers interlacing. “But worth it.”

“You gave Sooyoung quite the scare earlier?”

“Oh, yeah.” Seungwan laughs as she remembers her sister, strange happiness filling her knowing that her sister’s here, she’s close friends with a bunch of Witches, some Vampires, and maybe some Sirens. “Can I, uh, go wander around the woods each sundown?”

Instantly, Joohyun gets this look in her eyes that Seungwan knows means she’ll say no.

“When the Demons are patrolling, so I’m not in danger,” she quickly adds, squeezing Joohyun’s hands and turning to look at Joohyun directly. Joohyun’s body stiffens. “Please? There’s so much I haven’t seen in the woods and I’m… it’s beautiful there.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“I can do it on my own. I’ll bring a whistle, so you immediately know when there’s trouble.” She squeezes Joohyun’s hands once more, feels Joohyun hugging her tighter. “Please?”

Joohyun sighs, rolling her eyes. “Fine. But you bring a dog whistle, and it’s the Weres who’ll go running immediately.”

“Of course.” Seungwan grins, pulling Joohyun’s hands so they hug her tighter. After some thought, she kisses the side of Joohyun’s head. “Thank you.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Thank you.”

Joohyun shrugs. “Not like I can say no to you, anyway. Not when you smile at me like that when I say yes.”

Seungwan laughs. “You don’t have to say yes for me to smile at you like this. Just… be there and this smile is permanent.”

Intense brown eyes flick to stare at Seungwan’s, doubt in them but a hint of gratitude swimming in the doubt. “I sure hope so.”

-

(

“Wendy!”

Little Wendy looked up from the pit she was pushed into, tears in her eyes and her nose runny. “They called me a monster.”

Sunmi’s breath was caught in as she stared down at her sister, so tiny and in need of love and protecting. “You’re not, Wannie, you’re not.”

“I didn’t mean to push him so hard! I didn’t like the way he was looking at Brian, is all.” After a pause, she added, “They called him a freak.”

“But you know he’s not a freak, right?” Sunmi asked, trying to get Wendy to calm down as she slowly climbed down the sides of the pit.

Wendy shook her head angrily. “Maybe he only talks to a few people and he’s always threatening to bite people, but he’s a good kid.”

“So, you pushed this bully?”

“Just to get him to get off Brian,” Wendy answered sheepishly, not even noticing her sister’s already beside her. “He was pushing Brian, and Brian was crying. But he got really hurt from my push and his friends threw me here.”

Sunmi stood in front of her sister, finally getting her to notice her presence inside the pit. She smiled proudly. “That’s what you’re supposed to do. Protect people like Brian when you can. It’s how everyone should be.” She pulled Wendy into a hug. “You’re a hero.”

“Did you come here to take me out?”

“Of course.”

Wendy grinned at her sister. “Then you’re my hero.”

“Always was, always will be,” Sunmi answered softly before pressing a kiss to her sister’s head. Then she pulls away and crouches down in front of her. “Get on my back, we’re getting out of here.”

)

-

“Why don’t you hate humans?” Seungwan asks Seulgi, all five of them on the rooftop and sharing drinks.

Seulgi shrugs. “I do hate humans. But I don’t think they deserve to perish.”

“In movies, I always sided with the humans. That is, of course, because I relate to them better. And Supers were always made to be the villains.”

“Humans made us into monsters in all their stories because they think that would make other humans like their own horrible selves whatever happens. They demonized us,” Joohyun speaks, eyes scathing but not at Seungwan. “But even Demons like Heechul and the others aren’t as heartless as the humans we’ve met.”

Sooyoung sighs, then nods. “Witches were burned at the stake, Vampires were killed with a stake through the heart, Sirens and Mermaids hunted. Those didn’t just happen in movies.”

“But if humans can accept each other, why can’t they accept you?”

Yerim laughs loudly. “Humans accept each other? Humans don’t. Humans are some of the greediest, most selfish, evilest creatures I known. If humans can’t help themselves from having prejudices against other humans of different upbringings, beliefs, races, or ualities, what makes you think they can accept other creatures?”

Seungwan shrinks. “Not all humans are like that.”

“Of course not,” Seulgi answers. “But the humans we’ve met did so many unspeakable things to other creatures we know that sometimes it doesn’t surprise me that there are creatures like Yang who’d like to live in a world where there are no humans.”

“Yang is doing this out of fear,” Sooyoung adds. She pops open another can before shrugging comically, lips pouting. “That is, of course, not to say it’s justified. But he… he’s protective, I guess, over his town. But centuries ago, his town was burned to ashes by humans. Only five of his Demons survived and they had to build everything from scratch, get new recruits to be called a town again.”

“That’s awful,” Seungwan exclaims, heart aching for Yang oddly. “No one deserves that.”

Joohyun sighs. “That’s why he wants to do the same to humans. He wants to burn them to the ground. But Supers are against that. From young, we knew what humans were. We knew we were different but not so much. We know it’s wrong to burn them. Humans don’t know about us so they’re naturally scared.”

Yerim claps her hands loudly, surprising Joohyun. She sends Joohyun an amused smirk. “Can we stop talking about burning and horrible pasts?” She kicks Seungwan’s socked foot softly. “What was your childhood like? No fires, I hope?”

“There was a fire once, I think,” Seungwan answers. The Witches turn to stare at her. “Our house caught on fire once, but I was too young to remember.”

“How young?” Joohyun whispers, leaning closer.

Seungwan shrugs. “Six? Seven? And I was asleep when it happened. My sister saved me.”

“If it weren’t for your sister?” Seulgi exclaims, hand to .

Seungwan nods, holding her thumb out and using it to pretend-slice her own neck. “She’s my hero,” she answers proudly.

-

“They’re teaching you combat skills?” Hyuna asks, a laugh in her tone. They’re in a small cabin in the middle of the woods, something done to it so it’s not visible to Demons, something about what Hyuna claims are rosaries but Sunmi said are just bright lights.

Seungwan nods at Hyuna, lips lifting as Hyuna takes another sip of her third cup of coffee. “To help me protect myself from the threats.”

“Smart move,” Sunmi admits. She takes another bite of the slice of cake Seungwan brought. “I should’ve taught you when you were younger, huh?”

“Yeah, to put your martial arts knowledge to good use.” Seungwan feigns a disappointed look, shaking her head at her sister. “But, to be fair, I thought you were always going to be there to protect me, so I didn’t think of learning how to protect myself.”

Sunmi squares her shoulders proudly. “Well, I’m still here to protect you.”

“But I want to be able to protect you, too,” Seungwan counters with a giddy smile.

Sunmi stares at her in awe, eyes misty as she chuckles to herself. “You’ve grown so much.”

-

Joohyun sighs as Seungwan returns with a huge bruise on her thigh. “What happened?”

“I didn’t dodge a kick from Seulgi,” Seungwan answers, pouting. She carefully sits on Joohyun’s bed, staring at the huge yellow bruise. “It hurts like hell, I gotta admit.”

Joohyun kneels down in front of the bed, studying the bruise with a frown. “Seulgi has a pretty good kick.” She takes the green jar again. “This works on everything.” A proud smirk, then she massages a generous amount on the bruise.

Seungwan winces, hand shooting up to stop Joohyun’s massage, but Joohyun takes that hand and intertwines their fingers. “It hurts. And too cold.”

“I know.” Joohyun blows against the bruise, brows knitted in concentration. “Squeeze my hand if it hurts too much."

Without another thought, Seungwan squeezes Joohyun’s hand.

Joohyun laughs before pulling Seungwan’s hand to her lips and kissing it. “I’ll be gentler this time.” She smears more cream, finger lighter now.

“It still hurts,” Seungwan mutters, but she’s not paying much attention to the pain anymore. She stares at Joohyun, feels herself smile. “Do that thing with my hand again.”

A quirk of a brow, a laugh. Then a kiss against Seungwan’s hand. “You’re taking advantage of this, aren’t you?”

“But it hurts,” Seungwan whines, making sure to add sulking in her tone.

Joohyun sighs, shaking her head. “You’re a baby.” But then she smiles again and kisses Seungwan’s hand again.

Seungwan smiles back, proud.

-

Taeyeon catches up to Seulgi and Seungwan as they leave their class with a yell of “Kang!” She runs to them, face pale. “I hate running. It that you land creatures have to use your legs so much.”

“What is it, Taeyeon?” Seulgi asks politely, pulling Seungwan closer instinctively, protectively.

“I’m here to apologize to Seungwan.” She takes a deep breath and smiles genuinely at Seungwan. “I know it’s not your fault Sooyeon wandered off. But I was scared.”

“I am, too,” Seungwan replies truthfully. “I don’t know her well, but I wouldn’t want anyone who was only trying to protect me to get in a dangerous situation.”

Taeyeon nods. Her eyes quiver. “Everyone’s scared. We’re not sure what her condition is, actually, and Soojung’s asking about her.”

“Soojung talks to you?” Seulgi asks, half-hopefully and half-amusedly.

Taeyeon shakes her head. “She only talks to Sunyoung and Amber. Amber and Sunyoung told me.”

“How are you going to explain this to her?” Seulgi queries, following Taeyeon as she starts walking.

“I don’t—” Taeyeon lets out a strangled sob. “I don’t even know how to explain this to the other girls.”

“The others don’t know?”

“I have no idea how to tell them.” Taeyeon’s shoulders slump and she almost looks like she’s about to cry again.

Seulgi pats her shoulder encouragingly. “Hopefully we see her before you get too many questions.”

This makes Seungwan looks around the campus, as if Sooyeon will ever show up in campus, in plain sight, when she’s been missing for two weeks.

But she does. Show up. There she is, standing under a waiting shed not far from them, clothes dirty and torn, bandages visible from under. Her face is dirty and there’s fear in her eyes as she looks around.

“Isn’t that her?” Seungwan asks, pointing.

Taeyeon and Seulgi look up, both hopeful. But Taeyeon doesn’t immediately scream Sooyeon’s name as soon as she recognizes her, just stares like she’s both terrified and relieved. But mostly terrified.

“What if she’s—?”

Seulgi pushes her forward. “You won’t know if you don’t ask.”

“Okay,” Taeyeon nods, shaking her shoulders like she’s cheering herself up. Then she leaves the two and walks over to Sooyeon.

Except another girl makes it there before Taeyeon even takes three steps.

“Jess! Where the have you been?”

“That’s Soojung,” Seulgi informs Seungwan as they watch the two girls and Taeyeon watches a few steps ahead.

Sooyeon flinches, moves back. Her eyes turn fiery and her fists are raised, ready. “Who are you?”

Soojung stops. Taeyeon stops. Seulgi gasps beside Seungwan.

Don’t forget.

“That’s not a funny joke, Jess.”

Sooyeon’s brows crash together. “Who’s Jess?”

Soojung in a breath. “No,” she mutters, desperate. She takes a step forward but jerks back as Sooyeon takes another step back. “I’m your sister!” Soojung screams, scaring Sooyeon even more.

Just then, Heechul runs past them and towards Soojung and Sooyeon. He mutters something to Sooyeon, does something weird with his fingers that makes Sooyeon’s eyes turn drowsy. And then he’s apologizing to Soojung and taking Sooyeon away.

“What the fu—” she turns around and finds Taeyeon. Her teary eyes turn just as fiery as Sooyeon’s were as she walks over to Taeyeon, jabbing a finger against Taeyeon’s shoulder blade. “What the happened to my sister, Taeyeon?”

“I don’t know,” Taeyeon answers weakly.

Soojung jabs her more. “You were supposed to take care of her. When you brought her along to your stupid dream of exploring the world, you promised me you’d take care of my sister.”

“I know.” Taeyeon’s voice is even weaker now, barely a whisper.

“But you let her get thrown off board.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And now she can’t remember me.” Soojung pulls back like she’s burned, face turns ashy and lips quivering. “She can’t remember me…” she mutters like she’s only realizing it now.

Taeyeon lets out a sob, burying her head in her hands. “I know. She—”

“She’s like Jinri.”

Seulgi flinches beside Seungwan and Seungwan hears her taking a shaky breath.

Soojung’s gaze lands on them. “You.”

Seulgi pulls Seungwan and makes her stand behind her. “It’s not her fault.”

“The task involved her. I had to stay up all night making sure she was safe as she terrorized us with her cucumber candle.” Soojung laughs, deafening and heart shattering. “That task took my sister’s memories.”

“It’s not her fault,” Seulgi repeats, this time firmer. Her hold on Seungwan’s hand tightens.

“Do you know what it’s like to look at someone you’ve known your whole life, feel so much love for them, and for them to stare right back, wondering who the you are?” Soojung asks.

Seulgi nods. “Jinri.”

“No.” Soojung takes a deep breath and a tear escape. “Jinri is ours. Jinri is ours and your heartbreak over her losing her memories is nothing compared to the nightmares I get. She still doesn’t remember us.”

“Soojung…”

“We were never a family, Seulgi. Just… it’s just my family getting the short end of the stick and losing memories. Victoria as of this moment is risking her own memories.” Soojung lets the tears fall, her shoulders shaking as she hugs herself, stance defensive and closed off. “We’re the bait.”

“Kangta lost all his family, Yunho lost three. You’re not the only one,” Seulgi counters, albeit weakly. Seungwan can feel her shaking. “We lost so many—”

Soojung laughs once more. “You’re losing us,” she says in a way that makes Seulgi loosen her hold on Seungwan. “I’d rather lose my memories than only remember everyone else who lost theirs.”

“Soojung—”

Soojung runs away towards where Heechul took Sooyeon before Seulgi can finish. Even from afar, even as she runs, her shoulders shake and Seungwan’s tears fall.

Taeyeon turns around slowly, face wet and red. “She lost her memories,” she says, mostly to herself. Dejectedly, she looks around the campus at everyone who obviously still have their memories, jealous.

We won’t.

But sometimes, they do.

A/N:

Hi! I know it’s been so long but I had a rough few months. Anyway, here’s the next chapter :)

I already planned to make Sunmi the sister when I was first writing the outline but suddenly Seulgi went on Secret Unnie with Sunmi and it seemed weird to make Sunmi Wendy’s sister here. But I also already have a few characters centered around Sunmi (like Hyuna) so I decided to keep her as the sister.

Leave a comment if you can! Thank you so much for the support, really!!

Also, title from Things That I Miss by awfultune.

thepurplewan