>_____<;;

“Screw you!” Victoria hissed as she stomped through the dining room toward the stairs trying with her utmost effort to dry herself with a dry towel.

“No, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry!” Namjoo hurried after her apologetic. “It just…it just…”

“What!?” Victoria stopped and hastily turned around. Namjoo instantly stopped speechless. “You just what?” She barely waited a second before going on, “It just happened because you wanted to kill me?” Then she shook her head, “No, wait, lets rephrase that. It just happened because you wanted me to burn to death!” Victoria hardened her eyes on her younger sister before spinning around.

“Victoria!” Namjoo shouted before helplessly watching her head up the rest of the stairs.

“You know what?” Victoria stopped at the top. “Why don’t you just get lost?”

She glared at Namjoo before stomping the rest of the way into her room. As the door slammed behind her she walked toward her bed and paused with an angry sigh. She couldn’t believe what just happened – that Namjoo had just thought about really hurting her. For a second she really believed she might be able to trust Namjoo as grandma had said, but it turned out Namjoo hadn’t grown up one bit.

Victoria pulled off her shirt and slipped a new one on before she caught something dark moving out of the corner of her eye.

“Who’s there?” she suddenly asked turning around, but saw nothing when she browsed her eyes around her room, her angry breathing spewing out of her nose like a bull.

Maybe she was just getting paranoid with everything going on, she assumed. While there was nothing to do she thought she’d catch up on some sleep, since she’d barely had any last night. Seeing her grandma had been like a soft nightmare and she hadn’t been able to close her eyes completely the whole night. Victoria walked over to the window by her bed and closed the drapes to lock out the light before climbing onto her bed. Her mind calmed before she drowned into sleep.

>_____<;;

Chorong was still lost. It was troubling and hard to accept the fact that Woohyun was standing right in front of her. It wasn’t just anyone, but her best friend who had been dead for 7 years. At least the tears had slowed.

Silence filled the gap between them. Chorong didn’t know what to say to a ghost…to him. She felt stupid, a little silly.

What was she supposed to do in a time like this? She really wished her father was still at home, but right now she didn’t even know where he was. How was she supposed to make sense of this? Her reality had become distorted in one night and it was unfair.

“Chorong,” Woohyun took a step forward.

Chorong stumbled back and shot her arm out. Her voice hardened into a warning, “Don’t.” She stared at him hard, her voice now coarse from her constricting throat. “Don’t touch me.”

Woohyun’s worried expression became gentle and patient. It was one she recognized. He often gave her that look when she got angry and he tried to coax her. It was then when Chorong realized she only wanted her way and things had been her way. Everything had been her way since the night she lost him.

“I can’t,” her voice broke and she tried to cover her face with her hand, “I don’t want this.”

That night from 7 years ago flashed in her mind. They had been laughing, joking about the man from the eatery. The two friends had so amused themselves that they didn’t bother to look out for cars before crossing what they deemed an empty street. It must have been a drunk driver, or someone who hadn’t been watching out for pedestrians as they weren’t for cars. Then it happened so fast. The night had glittered with stars. So many stars were out that Chorong thought she could hear them twinkling.

Tires screeched, a scream bellowed in her ear, and then the bright lights blinded her. She shrieked as Woohyun shoved her into the next empty lane so hard that she suffered a slight concussion before waking up to the bloody friend lying next to her. His eyes were closed, blood was seeping from his head or his body – she couldn’t tell. A crowd was slowly forming around them and voices were snickering, gossiping, but it didn’t matter.

For what felt like an instantaneous long time, Chorong couldn’t move. She tried calling for him, but inaudible sounds of a disabled only escaped her lips. She fought so hard to fight through the barrier that was restraining her, but she was so weak, so weak. Chorong only ended up trembling. Tears dripped down her eyes uselessly before she heard an ambulance roaring in the distance followed by screaming police cars. Chorong couldn’t reach out to him, shake him, or call for him to wake up. She knew he would have woken if he heard her, but she couldn’t even talk. She fought even harder, but only more tears pushed out. Chorong tried fighting so hard, but her body wasn’t responding as her brain wished when the paramedics rolled her over and put her onto the stretcher. A whimper left and her fingers barely moved as she tried reaching out for him. And the helpless tears continued seeping from her eyes as they took her away to the ambulance and she watched some other men surround her friend. Slowly, they were taken further and further apart, and she couldn’t even shout for the men to stop.

The concussion wasn’t difficult to recover from, but Chorong had been unable to speak for a month. She couldn’t bring herself to. She cried so hard, but couldn’t relay her pain and afterward she just locked everything up. And now suddenly, everything was flooding back.

“I’m so sorry,” Chorong sobbed uncontrollably, her face still hidden in her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

Pain congested her whole body rocking her back and forth, back and forth.

>_____<;;

Namjoo was so angry, but more stung by the words Victoria had shot at her that she didn’t even know where she was headed. At first she thought about running off to Chanyeol, but what would he do for her?

“What is it you’re so scared of?” he wondered. “I’ve been wondering that the last nine times you tried leaving me. Why do you keep coming back? Are you scared of commitment?”

When he’d said that, why would she go back?

“Because no one else wants you,” a voice whammed her from the back of her head. “Your father left, your mom left, and your grandma left. No one wants you. There’s no home, no friend. You’re alone, alone!”

She gritted her teeth and felt hot, angry tears arise in her eyes. No one wanted her and she didn’t want anyone. She didn’t need anyone! If she had someone, they would only leave her in the end, so what was the point in keeping someone close?

Countless cars drove by and an unmistakable score of people walked by without a care. Namjoo suddenly stopped in her steps overwhelmed. The world moved on selfishly without her opinion.

No one really wanted her.

After half an hour of strolling around mindlessly she walked the rest of the way toward the homey bridge she had once been at some time ago. The water glittered beneath her and from behind she could make out the noise of busy tires grinding against the concrete. Namjoo bent down to grab a rock and dropped it from the bridge. She watched as it plopped against the surface of the water before disappearing underneath. The reflection of the go happy sun broke before it came back together.

Tears drooped from her eyes and she angrily wiped them off. Namjoo wanted to jump. She had a desire to disappear. It became so strong that she really did grab the railing. Her grip on it became so tight that her knuckles turned white and an angry sob escaped her. She hated everything so much that she even hated herself. Sometimes, she wondered if she had been born without a heart. Namjoo found it difficult to have emotions sometimes.

She took a step forward then hesitated. Then the urge came again and she started forward again before her conscience kicked in. More tears dropped from her eyes and before she could make the decision to jump she felt herself fly back. Whether she had been attacked from behind or from the front, she couldn’t be sure. Her body took a roll before the impact dissipated and she was left lying there dazed. Namjoo’s eyes widened and she glanced around confused by what just happened. It didn’t seem like a car had passed by or like anybody had bothered to run toward her, so…what had just happened?   

“Ow…that hurt more than I thought it would,” a voice croaked from behind.

Namjoo twisted her head and realized a boy…or a man had cushioned her fall. A surprised shout left her before she pulled herself up and watched him get up after her. He wiped his pants as if she’d dirtied them before looking at her. A stark frown fell upon her face and she slightly cocked her head shocked. He looked unbelievably young, but stupendously tall for a kid…if he was a kid at all.

“Who…are you?” Namjoo questioned.

He smiled and laughed cutely. “Luhan. I’m Luhan. A guardian angel.”

>_____<;;

The dark beings quietly beckoned at each other debating on who should complete the deed. They moved furiously around in the dim sunlight weakly shining in from the curtains. They couldn’t move in the dark areas; that was where they were useless. Power only existed in the light and they desperately needed the light.

From where they were quietly arguing they could see the gem sparkling from inside sleeping Victoria’s body. If they wanted to become stronger, they needed it. And when the one to do the job had been picked, they watched as he cautiously reached out.

>_____<;;

Victoria’s mind uncomfortably lightened in sleep somehow before she mumbled. Her heart was pounding hard as if she knew something she didn’t really know. It didn’t make sense. Something inside her was warning her about something she didn’t understand. Strange, this was strange. Through her closed lids she could make out the dim light coming from the window beside her. Something dark, though, was reaching out. It was slow in movement and it was coming…

Wake up.

Wake up.

Before it touched her a gasp escaped as she sat up. Her chest heavily bounced while trying trying to catch enough air to fill her greedy lungs. She swung her head toward the window confused, but more paranoid. Victoria was confident that she’d been alone the moment she had gone to sleep. She should have been alone…

>_____<;;

It took a few minutes for Chorong to finally calm down. And during those calm minutes she actually did try to accept what was in front of her.

“You can…sit, right?” Chorong asked.

“Wanna see?” Woohyun said before plopping down onto the couch behind him comfortably. “And I can move around too.” She watched him lay down, shift from place to place before the two of them laughed amused. “Cool, right?”

“I guess,” Chorong bleakly replied. “So…what have you been doing this whole time? I mean…wandering around or laundering off the street stalls?” Woohyun looked surprised before she quickly added, “I’m talking sarcastically.” Then she waved her hand in a circle, “I’ve learned sarcasm.”

“Ah…” he nodded his head before replying sincerely, “I don’t know how to say it…but I’ve been around.”

They quieted and Chorong was finally able to regain control of her thoughts. “How did you know I’d be able to see you? I mean, you might be waiting for 80 years and I still wouldn’t be able to see you.”

Woohyun relaxed where he was sitting and clasped his hands together, “When we die, there are things we see that the living don’t.” He slightly shot his eyes at her before he pointed to his chest, “There’s a special sparkle in you,” then he added, “and your sisters that no one else has. I just had a feeling, or you could say it was instinct, I knew you’d see me someday.” Then added, “I know you, Chorong.”

The way he said it was so comforting. Chorong suddenly wished he could come back to life. Her heart began aching again and tears started to rise in her eyes.

“But Chorong,” Woohyun’s voice became coaxing, soothing, but held some guilt. “I’ve come to say goodbye.”

Her lips immediately parted further apart and she became speechless before his head suddenly turned abruptly as if something was going to happen.

Woohyun instantly shot up from where he was sitting and looked around, “Oh no.”

Chorong’s heart raced, “Oh no what?”

“Your sister’s in trouble.”

“What?” she asked unable to believe what was taking place, what was happening, but quickly turned her head toward the stairs and ran toward it on impulse.

She could hear Woohyun running right behind her and it eased her somewhat to know that.

“Victoria!” Chorong shouted when she opened the door to her room.

Victoria was flinging her curtain open and turned to look at her puzzled.

“What?” Victoria asked confused. “What are you doing up here?”

Chorong stared at her older sister baffled before turning to look at Woohyun.

>_____<;;

“Wait, wait, what?” Victoria asked stumped by the amount of information given by Woohyun. She held her hand out to stop him mid-sentence. “Sha…shadows? Like this?” She pointed at her own shadow.

“Yea,” Woohyun nodded before quickly shaking his head. “I mean, no.”

“What?” Chorong asked confounded.

Woohyun sighed before getting up from where he was sitting. “They’re sort of like our – your own shadows, but different. They have their own souls, uh…desires and they move on their own, just…they need light in order to have the ability to move, without the light they’re unable to.”

“So?” Victoria asked. “That makes no sense. I was in no danger or anything.”

“Perhaps,” Woohyun nodded in agreement before turning to follow Victoria who was repeatedly pacing around. “But it doesn’t mean that you or your sisters won’t be in danger.”

Victoria turned to slightly nod her head, “And…”

“You need to get them out of this house.”

“Wait, wait,” Chorong stopped him from where she was sitting, “how do you know all of this?” She shook her head, “So once you’re dead, boom! You know everything?”

“Didn’t I say I’ve been around?” Woohyun reminded. “In the other plane…we see things, hear about things.”

Chorong narrowed her eyes. “That doesn’t explain anything.”

“It does,” Woohyun emphasized his words carefully.

“Ok, ok,” Victoria cut in, “so lets return to what we were talking about, the Shadows, or whatever. So how do we get them out?”

“You can’t do it yourselves.” Woohyun stated.

A perplexed expression crossed Victoria’s face, “But didn’t you just say…”

“Yes,” Woohyun nodded, “you need to chase them out, but you three need to do it. You two aren’t enough.”

Victoria hardened her eyes and turned to look at Chorong before turning to look at Woohyun. “So, how do the three of us do it?”

He shrugged, “Fight them off.”

“How!?” Victoria raised her voice up a notch.

“Don’t get angry at him!” Chorong quickly came to his defense.

She rolled her eyes before Chorong shifted in spot to stare at her. After a long moment of pretending she didn’t notice her stare, Victoria finally gave in, “What?”

“Where’s Namjoo?”

Victoria turned to look away before emotions of guilt overtook her. A second later Chorong was up and about chasing her around in the dining room where they had resorted to.

“How could you say that to her!?” Chorong shouted after her, incapable of handling her emotions as she slammed her hand on the dining room table.

“So what!?” Victoria stopped at the end of the table and turned to look at Chorong. “She set my shirt on fire and I’m supposed to forgive her!?”

“You know Namjoo’s a highly sensitive person!” Chorong spat her words out. “And grandma said we can only tap into our powers when we’re deeply emotional! That means you must have said something to trigger her emotions! What did you say to her before you told her to get lost!?”

“Ugh! Oh my god!” Victoria heaved a loud sigh exasperated.

“Victoria! You’re the oldest!” Chorong let out a baffled sigh and raised her hands into the air as if it would help express her helplessness. “What the heck!?”

“We just had an immature argument and she took it to the next level. So she ran off and what do you want me to do!?”

“Get her back here a.s.a.p.!” Chorong deepened her voice frustrated with her sisters.

“And how!?” Victoria shook her head.

“Call Chanyeol or something!” Chorong shouted. “She always goes to him!” She groaned and mustered a, “I can’t believe you!”

Victoria groaned and waved her hand aside angrily only to swing a chair out. Chorong let out a horrified scream and jumped back from where she was. Victoria spun around surprised.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! Are you hurt?” Victoria was appalled by her own powers and the force it had.

Chorong widened her eyes too overwhelmed by everything and took a deep breath. She grumbled, “Forget me and just get Namjoo back.”

Victoria raised her brows flustered before turning around to walk away. 

***The first story segment belongs to Chorong. It's an emotional one, then I think you'll understand how I'll make my way through the rest of the story.