“Come on. It’s ok. You can come in.”

Eun-Mi beckoned, but the red-headed girl stood just inside the bedroom doorway with her head tucked to her chest.

“Aigoo, she doesn’t smell very good.”  Eun-Mi’s grandmother had followed them and now stood in the doorway, her expression sour. She leaned towards the girl’s shoulder, took a whiff, and then waved her hand in front of her nose.  “Don’t foreigners know how to shower?”

“Halmeoni, don’t say that!  You’ll hurt her feelings!”  Eun-Mi exclaimed.

“Eh?  She can understand Korean?”

“Yes, I think so. Halmeoni, she’s probably hungry. Is dinner ready?”

“Hmmff,” the old woman patted her apron. “Almost. Soon. Soon.” She disappeared into the kitchen, and Eun-Mi closed the bedroom door.

“It’s alright. You know you’re safe here … right? There’s no one here but me and my grandmother. My parents aren’t even here. They went on a business trip to Hong Kong and won’t be back for three more weeks.”

The girl raised her head. When she straightened, Eun-Mi was startled by how much taller she was.

“No men are here?” The girl’s voice was barely a whisper.

“No.” Eun-Mi shook her head. “No men. Just us ...” She grinned. “And them.”

The girl whirled around in a panic, searching.

“Right here.” Eun-Mi skipped across the bedroom and leapt onto her bed. The wall behind her headboard had been papered with dozens of posters and magazine clippings of androgynously handsome young men. She spread her arms out against the colorful surface and lovingly every picture within her reach.

“This is my idol collection. And this,” she leaned her cheek against an exceptionally large poster bordered with sparkly, pink hearts and “Kiss me!” stickers, “is Jae-Wook.  Isn’t he beautiful? He’s my backup.” 

The high-gloss finish had been worn thin around the young pop-star’s head. Eun-Mi demonstrated why by placing both hands flat against the wall on either side of the poster and leaning in to plant a noisy smack on the boy’s face.

The red-headed girl took a step closer.

“Back ... up?”

Eun-Mi dropped to her knees and reached over to the bedside table where a half-eaten chocolate bar lay with its foil wrapping spread open like a napkin. She broke off a piece and popped it into .

“That’s right.  Backup in case Park Min-Jae dies in a horribly tragic accident and I can’t marry him, like a car crash, or a deadly tropical disease ... you know? A girl should always have a backup, don’t you think? This is really yummy, you want some?”

The girl didn’t answer. Her eyes had locked onto the wide floor-length window. Beyond stretched a north-facing view of Seoul’s city lights flickering on against the evening sky. Below lay the dark expanse of the Han River. She took a step closer. Her eyes widened, and slackened.

“Aren’t you afraid?” she breathed.

“Afraid?’Eun-Mi ran her tongue over her lips and reached to break off another piece of chocolate. “Afraid of what?”

The girl stepped forward again until she was an arm’s length away from the glass. “Are … are we flying?”

“What? Haven’t you been in a high rise before? Look … “ Eun-Mi pushed off the bed and moved to the window. She rapped her knuckles against the glass. “It’s solid … see?”

            The red-headed girl reached out and touched the glass. She stepped closer until her breath began to make a foggy patch against the window. “The sky is empty,” she whispered, “and the earth is filled with stars? Which part of all of this is the city called Seoul?”

            “Hey … “ Eun-Mi blew a round circle of condensation onto the glass. With the tip of her finger, she drew the letters P.M.J. and enclosed them inside the outline of a heart. “Haven’t you seen a big city before? All of that is the city. Everything you can see from here is part of Seoul.”

            The girl’s breath caught, and she paused before responding. “It is so big. I did not imagine … this is not what he showed me.” Her hand dropped to her side. “How can I find her in all of this?”

            “Oh?” Eun-Mi turned. “You’re looking for someone? Is that what Seung-Bae oppa was talking about? Is that why you need help?”

            The girl turned. Her expression was anxious. “Yes. I must find someone.” She cradled her pendant in her palm and lifted it towards Eun-Mi. “A woman named So-Yeon. This belongs to her. That is why I have come here. To return this to her.”

            “This necklace? Wow,” Eun-Mi touched the mother-of-pearl center with her fingertip. “This is really pretty. Oh, it has a design cut on it. Do you know where she lives?”

            “She is in Seoul.”

            “Yes, but where in Seoul?”

            “I do not know.”

            Eun-Mi thought for a moment. “What’s her family name?”

            “Family name?”

            “You know. Like, my name is Kim Eun-Mi, and Seung-Bae is Kim Seung-Bae. We aren’t related, by the way. Kim is just a common family name. Foreigners always get confused about that.”

            The girl pulled the pendant back and let it drop against her chest. She began to wring her hands. “I see. I cannot remember, but I will think on it.”

            Eun-Mi leaned against the glass and studied the girl’s face. “What about you? What’s your name?”

            “My name?”

            “What are you called?”

“I am called sixth.”

“Sixth? Sixth what?”

The girl blinked slowly. Her head tilted to one side as if suddenly recalling something she’d forgotten. “Sixth … the sixth … sister.”

“Sixth Sister?  That’s a funny name. I mean, I would understand if your parents had named you Sixth Daughter.” Eun-Mi raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly. “That would be logical, right?”

“Parents?”

“You know – your mother and father.”

The girl’s brow furrowed. “I do not know. I do not remember a mother or a father. It was just us. Just seven, but  ... they are gone now.”

“Why? What happened?” Eun-Mi whispered.

The girl didn’t answer, and Eun-Mi saw a darkness begin to grow behind her blue eyes.

            “Hey …” Eun-Mi turned back to the window and watched the girl’s face in the reflection. “All that stuff you told Seung-Bae … is that true? Are you really a mermaid?”

            “Is that the name for what I am? I do not know. We are … I am … what I have always been. I told no lies.”

            “What he said about your voice though, I mean, it does sound kind of weird, but I don’t feel crazy or anything when I hear it.”

            “I can speak with human females; my voice does not affect you. But if a man were to hear my voice, it would drive him to madness.”

“But Seung-Bae …”

“Seung-Bae is my bond-mate. Because he holds a part of me, my voice does not damage him.”

“Bond-mate? What does that mean?”

The girl turned and moved to sit on Eun-Mi’s bed. Suddenly, she looked very tired.“It means that I need him. I need to mate with him so that I can continue to survive.”

Eun-Mi’s eyes grew wide. She blinked. “You mean … you need to spend the night with him?”

“He is so different from all the others.” The girl’s head dropped to her chest. “He leaves me.”

            Eun-Mi’s heart was breaking for the strange girl. She looked miserable and lost and suddenly, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Eun-Mi believed. The red-head was different – special – and Eun-Mi wondered if, for the first time in her life, she might be faced with an opportunity to be part of something extraordinary.

“Do …” Eun-Mi cleared . “Do you want me to take you to him?”

            The girl looked up. Her eyes brightened. “Can you do that?”

            “For an excuse to see Park Min-Jae,” Eun-Mi grinned wickedly, “I can do anything. Although,” she grimaced, “we probably should find you something else to wear. And maybe some perfume too.”

.  .  .  .  .  .

The Ruby Rabbit Club was packed by the time they finished setting up.  The lights were dimmed and the tables aglow with red candles encased in glass cylinders that cast each of the jubilant gatherings in a warm, buttery light.  The room was wide, with a low ceiling that encouraged a close, friendly atmosphere, especially after a few rounds and, by the looks of things, most of the customers were off to a good start.

For the most part, Hyun-Woo liked this kind of crowd. It wasn’t difficult to compete with the drudgery of the office class’s daily grind, and they were the majority in their ed suits and slackened ties, letting loose with goofy, boisterous chatter.  

At a table near the bar, a group of kids he knew from university whistled to get his attention. He smiled and winked. The girls at the table danced in their seats and waggled their fingertips at him while the guys dropped shots of soju into beer glasses and crowed to each other, faces red with pleasure, shouting “One shot!”

But it was the sleek coldness of the city’s rich and fashionable youth that left Hyun-Woo feeling edgy.  A table full of them, guzzling imported beer and preening like couture-clad peacocks, lay right in front of the stage.  A particularly stunning girl in tight designer jeans sat facing him.  Her long legs were perched on impossible platform stilettos.  She crossed them and leaned back into her chair, eyeing the stage imperiously as she sipped at her wine glass.

“Hyeong,” Hawk nudged him. “Isn’t that your brother over at the bar?”

Hyun-Woo tore his eyes off the girl and searched the length of the back wall bar until his eyes found Hyun-Sung. His older brother lifted his glass in salute.

Hyun-Woo stepped off the stage and, cutting through the thick maze of tables, strode across the room.

“You made it?” He reached down and grasped his older brother’s outstretched hand. Seo Hyun-Sung looked sharp in his tailored, pin-striped suit. His short, black hair was neatly styled, and a pair of black-framed glasses gave him a softened, intellectual look.

“I thought I’d stop by. I don’t get many chances to see my baby brother perform.” Hyun-Sung smiled at him, and Hyun-Woo’s chest swelled. Even now, his older brother’s acknowledgement meant more to him than the praise of an entire room full of people.

“Thanks for coming.”

Hyun-Sung nodded and clasped Hyun-Woo’s shoulder. “Mother asked me to tell you to stop by the house. She misses you, and you know how she worries.”

Hyun-Woo lowered his head to hide a guilty grin. “I’ll stop by soon. Things have been busy.”

“We need to talk, little brother. But I know now isn’t a good time. Do you think you could meet me for an early lunch Thursday morning? Will the flower business let you off the hook for an hour or so?”

“Sure, hyeong. Is everything alright?”

“We’ll talk later. Go on. Your fans are waiting.”

“If you’re still around after the show, I’ll buy you a beer.”

“I can’t stay. I have a date later.”

“A date? Really?” Hyun-Woo snickered. “How long has it been?”

“Hey now, don’t tease your hyeong. Go on. I want to see my little brother perform.”

Hyun-Woo hurried back towards the stage, but the club’s manager caught his arm. “The party from CHS Entertainment is over there,” the manager nodded towards a large group on the far side of the room. They stood crowded around a white cream cake lit up with candles and had begun singing a birthday song to a young woman in a blue suit. Blushing, the woman hid her face behind her hands.

“Their Director hasn’t arrived yet. He’s the one you guys need to impress. But go on and get started.”

Hyun-Woo nodded. He climbed onto the low stage and reached for his guitar.

 “Ready to make some rain?” he called to his friends.  Behind him, on the drums, an eager Min-Jae bounced on his stool.  “Got my magic sticks ready to go!” he grinned, twirling one between the fingers of his right hand. 

To Hyun-Woo’s far left, behind the keyboard, Hawk was making some last minute equipment adjustments to the keyboards. His hands moved like a boxer’s, darting lightening quick over the cables. As with everything he did, Hawk focused on the task in front of him with the intensity and speed that had earned him his childhood nickname.  Pausing to run his fingers through his hair, he resituated his red, knit beanie before signaling to Hyun-Woo that he was ready. 

Front and center, Seung-Bae stood with his back to the crowd, gripping the neck of his guitar.  The flesh over his knuckles whitened from the strain. “Breathe,” Hyun-Woo told him.  Seung-Bae nodded and rolled back his shoulders.

Hyun-Woo waited for the signal. When Seung-Bae shook out his hair, sniffed, and then turned to the crowd, Hyun-Woo reached for the microphone.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” Hyun-Woo’s deep growl echoed through the sound system.

The club answered with an explosion of wild cheers and whistles.

On bass, Hyun-Woo kicked them off with a simple, low melody.  Min-Jae came in after the second repetition with a drum beat, followed by Hawk with the rich filling of keyboard chords.

Hyun-Woo turned to watch as Seung-Bae leaned into his microphone.  Like a caress, their lead singer’s haunting falsetto rose then soared over the supporting blend of the instrumentals.  In that moment, the gangly and shy college student became a different person.  The insecurities that bound and restrained him slipped away to reveal a glimpse of an inner, private joy that was spellbinding; Hyun-Woo had made the discovery years ago, and, someday, it was going to become their secret weapon – if  they could only get a chance to show the right person what they could do.

When his own gritty baritone joined in for the chorus’s harmony, Hyun-Woo smirked. An inevitable change had fallen over the face of the stilleto heeled, blue-jeaned beauty.  Her eyes were glued to the stage.

He chuckled to himself. She was seeing him in a whole new light. 

It was always nice to have dessert plans.