She hurriedly ran towards at the foot of the grand staircase as she marveled at how huge the mansion was. It was their ancestor’s. They never get to visit there even once since their father would always travel from one country to another, and their mother finds the trip to the secluded mansion too tiring. But now they have planned to celebrate her sixteenth birthday here. Her birthday would also be the mark of her introduction to the society.

 

“Dara!”
 

She turned around and saw her mother glaring at her. She bowed courteously and apologizes. Her mother always reminds her to act accordingly as how a true lady should. It was really tiring following all the thousands of etiquettes.
 

She slowed her pace and quietly walked. Out of nowhere she felt a soft wind blowing her cheeks that somehow triggered memories. Memories that she was quite unsure she could possibly remember.

 

It was her first time visiting the mansion. But she felt she’s been there before. The setting inside that house was awfully familiar, and she couldn’t pin point why.

 

Strange. She thought.
 

Suddenly an urge in her drove her to climb up the grand staircase. She let her feet guide her way, making each step on the tread. Let her hand slide along the marble banister of the staircase. She raised her head and found a huge portrait of their ancestor. She squinted her eyes as she looked at the girl who looked like of the same age as hers.

 

Have I met her somewhere before? That’s creepy since it’s a century old painting.
 

Dara slowly moved to her left and walked towards an intersection. She turned to her right and saw a couple of array of doors. She then found herself in front of the farthest door.

 

She held on the knob and gently turned it to open the door that made a squeaky sound.

 

Pictures begin flashing inside her mind. When she opened the door, she felt frightened as those flashes were the exact picture of what she’s seeing inside: the bed across the window, the table beside the bed, the cabinet opposite the table. Those flashes of pictures showed a newly done room, but what she’s seeing now is like the time warped so fast, that everything inside seemed old.

 

She absentmindedly stepped towards the bed and slowly lay down. She didn’t notice she fell asleep and suddenly a strange dream befell on her.

 

Then, a flash, out of nowhere she saw a figure lying helplessly on the floor with hands stretch out to her. She saw a wood pierced on his chest . . .
 

‘Seung Hyun . . .’

 

She tried walking her way towards him, but he seemed getting farther and farther away. Her chest constricted painfully as tears streamed down her face. She was puzzled why she was crying that hard.

 

‘Seung Hyun . . .’

 

 She tried again to hold his hand, but just as she was close enough to look at his face she was slumped hard on the bed. And his body turned into hundreds of bats.

 

…………………………

She lifted her hand and saw it was stained with blood. She abruptly stood up and looked at her chest where a dagger was buried in it and blood was gushing out. She looked around her in panic and realized she was in that room. Then everything went black.
 

Dara woke up panting so hard trying to breath in air. She felt her forehead with her palm and learned she was sweating. She looked at her chest and found there was no blood gushing out from it. She sighed heavily but she turned her head towards the door startled as it opens.

 

The maids carried in her luggage and started to put her clothes inside the cabinet.
 

“Dara, I see you’ve been settled.” It was her mother who was just outside the door as the maids were leaving. “Be ready by five o’clock . . . sharp.” One of the maids pulled the knob and closed the door after them.

 

She slumped on the bed. She looked straight into the ceiling and tried to forget what she has just dreamt.

 

Awful dreams . . .  They were just awful dreams . . .

 

She stared at the clock on top of the table and notices it’s not moving. She tried to reach for it and straightened out from the bed. She traced the outline of the clock.

 

“It’s broken. What a shame.” She carefully returned the clock on the table.

 

She walked across the bed and straight into the big glass window and opened it. A light wind brushed again on her cheeks and she marveled at the site of the labyrinth garden just at the back of the mansion.

 

………………………………………..

 

DARA’S POV

 

As soon as the maids finished helping me in dressing up this awfully tight dress, I hurriedly walked out of my room as my sister and parents were waiting for me in the living room.

 

I slowed my pace as I reached the grand staircase. I wouldn’t want my mother to lecture me on how a proper lady should walk again. Slowly I clutched on my skirt and carefully walked down the stair, paying every bit of attention as I moved.

 

I looked at them and my Mama was eyeing my every move, as expected.

 

My little sister Nana playfully runs while a couple of maids were racing to get her.
 

My Papa was nowhere in sight.

 

When I reached the foot of the stair, I silently sighed as the ordeal was finished.

 

Mama stood up and reached for my hand which I gladly took. My sister was also escorted by her nanny as we eased our way outside the house. There outside was our Papa waiting beside the carriage.

 

Our family has been invited to a party hosted by the Duke.

 

………………………………………….

 

“Oh my! What a lovely daughter you have!” The older women mused over Dara as she entered the room and made her way beside her parents.

 

Dara’s neck and back grew tired of sitting up straight and smiling all the time. When the band started to play music, she found an excuse and told her mother she’ll be just outside taking fresh air.

 

She found her way at the back of the Lee’s mansion and seated herself on one of the benches. She looked at her surroundings but something, rather someone, caught her attention. She held her gaze to a person walking towards the garden. She finds it odd that he looks very familiar. She straightened up and followed him.
 

She watched him as he touches a rose and played with it with one hand. She accidentally stepped on a twig and made a sound. The man abruptly turned his head and looked at her.

 

They were both staring at each other and Dara who has woken up from the deep trance shyly bowed her head.
 

“By any chance, were you following me?” Dara felt her cheeks heat up as she couldn’t find the words to explain herself.

 

“N-no . . . I was just . . .” She gently shook off her head. He chuckled in return which caused her to look at him once again.
 

He stretched his hand towards her as if inviting her to him.

 

Dara found herself walking closer to him. She felt her heart made a skip as she took every step to him. It was like she was under a spell. Somehow, in the deep recesses of her mind, she was doing what she wanted for so long, too be together with that unknown person, to be near him.
 

We’ll be together . . . The thought keeps on repeating inside her head.
 

 She didn’t feel any hesitation and continued on with every step. She looked deep into the eyes of the stranger.

 

Ani, he’s a stranger alright, but why do I feel like I’ve known him for a very long time?

 

When she held on his hand, a smile broke on his lips that melted her being. And together they roamed around the garden. No words were spoken. It felt right. No, it is right to be next each other.
 

………………………………………..

 

“Impossible! She can’t possibly be alive! I’ve seen her with my very own eyes when she killed herself . . . I won’t let you take him as well!”
 

Red eyes shone through the eerie darkness. With one last hateful look at the couple, the figure slowly turned into hundreds of bats flying to the other direction as she disappeared.
 

……………………………………..
 

“My parents must be worrying now . . . “ Dara hesitated. Seung Jun let go of her and watched her turning her head back against him.

 

“Wait, may I know your name?” Dara looked back and smiled.

“Dara . . .” She took a step back and looked at him again . . . “What about you?”

“Seung Jun . . . “ Seung Hyun . . .

Dara found herself embracing him. And before her sanity reminds her of her stupidity, she quickly took a step back and started on a run.
 

“I’m turning sixteen tomorrow . . . I would be happy if you could come, Seung Jun!” She took one last look and waved him goodbye.

 

Dara . . .

 one chappy down, two or three chappies to go!

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