Please be advice that the story is not mine and I already ASK for permission to post it. Please visit her website at http://wattpad.com/thedispirit - the author of this story is thedispirit.

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Chapter XXI

“You have that power within you. From the very start of your life, you gained that power and you’re just incognizant to that magical glow in you.” Seohyun’s words were deep like the end of the space. She stated each word with certainty as a smile danced along with her joyous aura.

I looked at her golden, shimmering eyes with confusion and unsolved puzzle in me. I could barely perceive what power she is talking about. I know that the power that I’ve been experiencing lately is from Ice. The power that my hands possess is just the bond that Ice casted between us, but I just don’t know what kind of power I have. Invisibility? Mind reading? Power of fire? Power of death? Super strength?

All of these supernatural powers are impossible to gain in reality.

Just by being with mere humans like me, I couldn’t even distinguish who is a superhero and who’s not. I can barely know if the person I am seeing is a real human or maybe a ghost.

I could barely know the little things in life and then this big puzzle comes along in my life which is related to me also. It’s hard to know if Seohyun is saying the truth or maybe she’s just playing around. But I sure do know one thing, the person we know least is yourself.

I don’t know who I fully am so how could I know what power I possess?

Her smile eased my confusion; she nodded as she wrapped her warm hands around mine. She’s certain about something for the window of her soul in her eyes tells me clearly that she’s telling the truth.

I have a power and yet I am unconscious to it.

“It is funny how Sandara still doesn’t know her power.” She chuckled lowly, shaking her head gravely as she let go of my hand.

I couldn’t wait much longer what power I possess, my mind spun wildly as I tried to figure out any supernatural phenomenon happening in my own body.

“You’re power is quite rare. Even Master Ice wants it from you but it seems it’s the only power that the Master Thief couldn’t get. Kwon Jiyong is receiving that power from you and yet he’s letting it go deliberately. It’s such a shame that the one who appreciates that power of yours can’t attain it while the one who’s incurring that power is just recklessly throwing it away.” Seohyun laughed softly with pathos in her voice. My eyes didn’t leave hers even though it’s kind of creeping me out by seeing the veins in her eyes.

“And what is that power? I don’t get it.”

She pushed lightly the book towards me, I grasp it tightly in front of my chest, almost hugging it and not wanting to let go of it. It’s the book where Jiyong and my life will depend.

I’ll be the own author of my life.

“It’s actually a universal power among you human but it’s quite different when it comes individually.” She stopped for a moment, thinking deeply incomprehensible thoughts that a Bum could think of.

“You have love for Jiyong and yet he just wastes it. Master Leeteuk wants it from you but just like the stars, it’s seems like it’s hard to reach even for a superhero. Humans can love anyone—which is stupid.”

“Stupid? You’re telling that a human’s love is stupid? What about you Bums? And those heroes?” I raised my voice to what I heard. I know that humans are unjust to their own kind but still I am a human.

Only a mere human. A voice informed me, making me feel insecure and pain after pain inside me.

“Stupidity is a devoid of good sense. A person is unconscious to a person. But even so, stupidity isn’t an illusion, not like money or power. These two evil things in your world is just an illusion. You try to chase it but it keeps running from you—in the end you’ll soon realize that these are irrelevant and that they are just mere deceptions. But stupidity, that’s a thrill, is it not?”

“But you just said that love is a power.” Confused, I informed Seohyun who’s suddenly became intelligent after her death.

“I know. Love is a power of stupidity. Transversally speaking, these two are contraries of money and power. Love and stupidity are much stronger than money and power for these two just suddenly comes into your life and –poof—you’ll notice you’re a different person. A better or often a worst person.”

“Okay, I get it that you’re suddenly endowed with the capacity of smartness but couldn’t you please simplify it? I don’t want to waste my remaining five days skimming through the dictionary whatever you are saying.” I rolled my eyes as I begged for Seohyun to stop being smart and making me look stupid.

“I’m saying that humans are stupid when it comes to love.” She concluded.

“Okay, look. Anyone can love, got it? You told so earlier that it is a universal power.”

“Ah-ah. Indeed anyone can love but the question is how you love that someone.” Her words of wisdom suddenly made me think on the spot.

How did I love Jiyong? How did he love me?

It doesn’t make sense for no word came into my mind.

Blank.

“Sandara?” his voice echoed in the room. The only voice that roared like melody inside my ear. It’s the only voice that makes my heart cheer wildly like an animal’s party. Jiyong’s voice is the only thing that wakes me up to reality but still he’s making my life a horrible, implausible fairytale.

Just like an animal following its instinct, I followed mine too. My head quickly faced the side to where the voice was coming from.

“Let’s go.” He commanded with those cold eyes of his again. It suddenly lingered to me that probably he has a bipolar sickness or something. Note to self: Make Jiyong go to the doctor after we get home.

Seohyun tapped my shoulder and smiled, nodding her head to Jiyong’s direction.

“Go.” Her lips almost said in a whisper. I subconsciously smiled and pulled her into a tight hug, drawing in me what she said earlier. I guess she’s right. Humans are really stupid and I possess an amazing power that everyone wants.

My feet quickly flew towards Jiyong. It feels like I am flying seeing him there. But despite this happy feeling in me, there’s some barrier that keeps bouncing the happiness back into the darkness.

“Did something happen?” I asked, keeping up with Jiyong who’s walking unbelievably fast. We passed through an old gazebo swarming with weeds and dead berry bushes.

“When do you plan to tell me?” his voice becomes raspy and rough. His gaze turned cold like the wind blowing my hair. His cold hands grabbed my shoulders, sending down numbness and pain all over me.

“Tell you what?” I gazed back at him with fierce and confusion.

“So, you intend to tell me when you’re dead after five days?” for the very first time, Jiyong’s loud voice made my soul hide to every skin in me. His cold eyes showed…pain and almost tears.

“Jiyong…” I lifted my hand, wanting to touch his face but he shoves my hand away and averted his eyes from me.

Seeing his eyes like that, seeing him acting this way makes me wants to kill myself.

“How in the world did you…”

“Just like how you knew about the book of heroes.” As Jiyong mentioned the book that is now lying on the ground, one word came into my mind and my heart denies the fact that my brain is thinking logically.

Seohyun.

“Look, Sandara. I will solve this problem alone. For the time being, keep hiding and let go of that stupid book.” His hands fell to his side weakly. He’s still avoiding eye contact with me as if I am the one who’s wrong.

Maybe I am the one who is wrong but still, he can’t do this alone.

“You’re a jerk.” My fists clenched on my side.

Jiyong quickly looked at me.

“You will solve this problem alone? Are you stupid? I know that it’s the upper league you have to face. They can bring death to life and they can also kill the dead! Are you insane? And the book—” tears started flowing down my face. My throat is blocked again by this invisible apple that Snow White ate, wanting me to die like her too. My hands trembled along with my whole body and the cold wind freezes the insides of me too.

“That book is nothing to you, okay!?” as his voice made the world around us shake, so as my heart turned into a million pieces. Every fragile pieces of porcelain in me turned into ashes.

My burning eyes turned their attention to the ground. My insides feel like it’s been weary all along. “I see. This book is nothing to me—as I am to you. Am I right?”

I looked up at Jiyong. His eyes were hard as steel. From my eyes and in me, I could feel that he suddenly turned into a vampire with a mixture of the ferocious wolf and the mystery of a wizard.

He exhaled, keeping eye contact with me. “That’s right. That book is irrelevant as you are to me.”

I just wish that there is a turn off button in my ear every time it’s Jiyong’s turn to speak. His words are simple and clear and yet they are complicated and indecipherable inside me.

It simply hurts.

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