The ride home was a quiet affair. After letting the car cool down (“Mister Choi! A Toyota Vios is definitely NOT a race car!” Nayeon exclaimed while Siwon was checking the close-to-burning tires), they slowly drove away from Han River.

Sana sits on the front row while Nayeon sleeps at the back, her face etched in exhaustion. The junior sighs in empathy before looking out the window in boredom.

“Young master.” Siwon breaks the silence with his quiet voice to avoid waking the tired girl behind them. “May I ask a question.”

“Of course,” Sana turns to her chauffeur with a smile, “only if you stop with the ‘young master’ thing. I’ve been telling you so many times, it’s weird.”

“And you know I can’t do that. It’s a dishonor to you as an heir.” Sana sighs in exasperation.

“Am I still an heir, Mister Choi? I have no clan to lead, I am in hiding, do I still deserve the title?”

The car stops at a red light. With that, Siwon turns to look at his charge. Sana had a smile on her face, but her eyes convey so much sadness. He sometimes finds himself forgetting the tragedy this girl had experienced, with the latter always being cheery and bubbly like a typical teenager. At times like this would Siwon be reminded of the reality; that Sana, despite being a 17-year-old teenager, still has a big responsibility on her shoulders, especially after what happened. He has come to love Sana, which hurts him so much when Sana is being like this.

“You deserve the heir title more than you think you do.” He responds after a while. “I’m pretty sure your clan is so proud of you right now. You’re a strong kid, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” He offers up the warmest smile he can muster. Sana chuckles in response, her previous gloomy mood lifted a bit.

“Thank you, Mister Choi.”

“How about this then? I call you Miss Sana instead if it makes you comfortable, except when in front of your parents of course.” Sana’s smile gets bigger.

“I like that. It’s better.” The traffic light goes green and Siwon turns, mentally checking for dangers lurking on the streets. He glances at his rear mirror, checking if Nayeon has, in any form, woken up.

“Now Miss Sana, why are you pretending that you know not what Miss Nayeon’s gold eyes mean?”

Sana drops her smile. Trust Mister Choi to ask questions tactlessly.

“I don’t know what you mean, Mister Choi,” Sana says, full of aegyo, in hopes of avoiding the topic at hand.

“You cannot fool me.” And Sana sighs, looking away from him and towards the window, her chin propped up on her hand. 

There were a few moments of silence, and just when Siwon thought he wouldn't get anything from Sana, she suddenly speaks.

“I knew Nayeon is a powerful medium, Mister Choi. But I didn’t think it would be to this extent.” Sana says without looking away from the window. “I thought it’s because she’s an Im since the Ims are the most powerful here in Korea. But now,” she sighs raggedly, “now she’s mixed up into this mess.

“She’s not ready to know, Mister Choi. She’s just adjusting to the fact that she’s become a medium and everything her family does is true after harshly dismissing them for so long. Now is not the time to drop the bomb that she–” she quickly looks back at Nayeon, relieved when she sees the girl still sleeping deeply, not moving an inch. 

“She has exhausted herself so much.” Siwon comments.

“It’s understandable. She used her power for the first time, and to that extent too.” Sana gently slams her back at the chair in exasperation. “I don’t even know, Mister Choi. Wind, she used wind when she’s supposed to use something else. I’m so confused.”

“Aren’t we all?”

“If only we knew who the new seer was.” Sana grabs a biscuit to ease her hungry tummy.

“You say Miss Nayeon is not ready to know. Is that the sole reason why you acted cluelessly?” Sana doesn’t answer, her eyes focused on the view outside the window. “You–”

“Nayeon is the sun, Mister Choi. I don’t–It’s–I don’t want to think about the implications of who the moon is.” Sana’s voice was monotone and void of emotion.

“Miss Sana,” Siwon gently places his hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Not all mediums are good, and not all berserkers are evil.”

“Berserkers murdered my clan. You weren’t there.” Sensing that the girl’s tone was final and that she won’t relent. Siwon drops his hand with a sigh.

“Sooner or later, the prophecy will be fulfilled, and you’ll have to come to terms that you’ll be involved with berserkers. Deny all you want, but you’ve got to let go soon.”

Momo sighs as she slams her locker shut. Club sessions just finished so many students were walking everywhere, but the people she’s looking for aren't anywhere to be found. She simply stares at her locker door after a while, an unreadable expression plastered on her face.

“You’re here, Hirai. I thought you were busy with softball?” Ten, their senior and president, asks when he sees Momo enter the dance room in full gym clothes.

“A change of pace, I guess. Where’s Sana?” She puts her bag on the floor, taking her towel out.

“Sana? She told me she was going home with Nayeon-ssi. Didn’t she tell you anything?”

“Oh my gosh, what are they doing?” She unintentionally slams her locker door, startling the other students around her.

Maybe it’s what she deserves, Momo thinks to herself, after pushing the senior away instead of approaching her and talking everything out. But, thinking about it, circumstances weren’t kind to her either. Whenever she’s about to talk to Nayeon, something always comes up. Not to mention that time in the field where Nayeon suddenly ran away. It makes Momo exasperated.

What now?

“Momo-ssi?” A quiet voice speaks up from beside her. “Are you okay? You seem upset.”

Mina simply stands arms-length away from Momo, a concerned look on her face. Funny, Momo thinks, how they went from total strangers to buddies in just a few days. It saddens her that it took Chaeyoung’s disappearance for them to reach this point.

Despite her troubled heart, she musters up a small smile towards the younger Japanese.

“It’s fine, Mina-ssi. To be honest, it’s none of your concern,” she says slowly to avoid offending Mina, sighing in relief when the latter doesn’t show any signs of offense, “but thank you for asking. Do you want to go out to the fountain?” She offers to compensate.

“Okay.” Mina nods and lets Momo lead the way out into the school fountain. 

Their walk was a quiet one, as it always was between them. Both were comfortable walking with each other, but not enough to start a proper conversation.

Somebody should adjust, they both think.

“I understand if you wouldn’t tell me anything. We’re practically strangers, still, anyway.” Mina says, trying to break the ice.

“Thank you, Mina-ssi.” Momo smiles, and that’s it. They both groan internally, both awkwardly trying to interact carefully.

Damn, I’ve never thought I became this kind of socially awkward. Mina thinks.

“But–” “I–” Momo and Mina speak at the same time. They both blush in embarrassment. 

Oh my gosh.

“You first, Momo-ssi,” Mina says after a few seconds, her eyes looking everywhere but her companion. Momo finds it cute and she lets herself chuckle despite the awkwardness.

“Well, what I wanted to say is,” she stops walking for a while, with Mina following her suit, “we can be not strangers, I mean, you know? We should get to know each other?” She awkwardly smiles. “I mean, if – uhh – if you want to, of course!” Mina chuckles in response, cutting Momo’s ramble off. Momo stares at her companion cutely, her face filled with confusion as to why she’s suddenly laughing. “What?”

“Funny, because I was thinking the same thing,” Mina says, her gummy smile flashed for the first time in Momo’s memory. She’s never seen a smile like that, in fact, she’s never seen Mina smile before.

Mina, noticing Momo’s eyes on her, shies away from the attention. Momo feels her squirm and sees her companion’s uncomfortable face, and she realizes that she’s been staring.

“I’m sorry, it’s the first time I’ve seen you smile like that.” The older girl says. “You should seriously smile more.” Mina gives a small, shy smile. Smooth, Hirai.

“I’m sorry, I’m really not used to…interacting with people.” They go silent again, this time it’s a mutual silence. They reached the school fountain afterward, there weren’t many students around.

“I assume you’re waiting for Jeongyeon?” Mina absentmindedly nods in response to Momo. “And, have you thought about my question?”

“How did you realize that you liked