Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Kim Yeri's Apartment

2020

 

Yeri has always been ashamed of the birthmark grazing her neck. It was huge, it had an odd thin shape and most of all, it was ugly. Sighing, she took a quick look at herself in the mirror and another at the clock beside her.

 

9:52 PM

 

Yeri decided it was time to turn in for the day. She grabbed the book beside her--uglies and settled in her bed. 

 

The book was interesting, really. The people were sorted into 'The pretties' and 'The uglies'. The uglies, however, were surgically enhanced to look beautiful when they reach a certain age and then moved to the land where the pretties live. Yeri once again questioned, do people really go to extremes to be what is defined socially acceptable? To be what society considers beautiful?

 

Her thoughts were brought to a halt when the ground beneath her started to shake. Panic arose from her chest as she exited her room and ran for cover below the dinner table. She watched as several ornaments fell from the shelves. Realizing that she forgot to take her phone, she hugged her knees and waited for the shaking to stop. How long has it been? 2 minutes? 5? Yeri looked around as the shaking stopped. She got up from under the table and saw her whole apartment was in a mess. 

 

Not to worry, as long as she was safe.

 

Yeri was on her was way back to her room when a tall, looming figure greeted her. He wore traditional robes and his hair was in a small bun. She grabbed the nearest thing she could use as a weapon and mustered up the courage to yell at the figure.

 

"Who the hell are you?!"

 

The figure turned around abruptly and reached out for her. He was hesitant and his eyes were filled with sorrow. He took a step forward and attempted to speak.

 

"Excuse me? If you don't get out of my damn apartment, I'm calling 911!"

 

"Yerim, please."

 

Yeri screamed in horror as she stepped back.

 

"What the ! How do you know me?!"

 

She started shaking and swung around the vase she grabbed earlier. She cursed herself for not having her phone and tried to think of a way to escape. She could make a run for it but her phone was inside her room. The man took a few steps towards her and placed his hands around her arms.Yeri screamed and squirmed around to break free from his grasp.

 

"Let go of me!"

 

"I'm sorry, Yerim. I was too late."

 

The man leaned down and closed the gap between them. Yeri wept and when she could no longer take it, she shut her eyes closed.This isn't happening, she thought. Is this finally the end for her? Will her parents find her dead body when they visit?

 

She just hopes she could make it out alive.