She was running, running, and running. She could feel her heart racing, her pulse was beating in her head, and sweat dripped down her face. The forest was dark and to Aera, it felt like it was closing in on her. Everywhere she ran there just seemed to be trees and darkness, like a never ending abyss. She could hear the four legs running behind her and its furious breath heaving.

          As if the world hated her she could feel it falling from beneath her as she fell into the cold, damp earth. It was too late. She turned and had no time to react to the red eyes and laminating fangs heading towards her with great speed.

          “Aah!” Aera let out a weak scream as she was pulled out of her sleep. She could feel her heart pounding in his chest and sweat sticking to her forehead. “Again.” She sighed in disappointment.

          These nightmares happen every once in a while but recently it has been too frequent.

          She put her face in her hands and slowed her breathing. How could she try to forget and move on if she kept being reminded?

          Aera sighed and looked at the clock on her bed side table. It read ‘5:30a.m.’. Two more hours until she actually had to wake up and go to school. Since she was wide awake she decided to do what she normally did if the nightmares occurred. She got up and put on a pair of shorts and a tank top.

          In the house there were five rooms; two bedrooms, a study, a game room, and an indoor gym. The bedrooms were upstairs as the other rooms were downstairs along with the living room and kitchen. Aera headed for the gym and got on the treadmill.

          She would run, just like she would in her dream. It occupied her mind when she was awake. An hour passed and Aera glanced down at the treadmill screen. She was running faster than anyone in her school and had run 20 miles. All she felt was a bit out of breath and slightly warm.

          “Better go shower and wake up TaoTao.” She spoke to herself.

          After a long, warm shower she put on sweat pants and a t-shirt and snuck down the hall to her brothers’ bedroom. She walked in and saw his walls covered in wushu and girl group posters. On the lone queen sized bed was Tao sprawled all over with messy blankets.

          “TaoTao.” She whispered and shook him. “Zi Tao.” She spoke a bit louder.

          “Hmmmm.” He groaned deeply.

          “School today.” She shook him harder.

          “No.” he groaned.

          “Huang Zi Tao.” She whined.

          “Jiejie (elder sister).” He pouted and scratched his bed head.

          “Didi (younger brother). Get up now.” She spoke in Chinese and tugged his shirt.

          Huang Zi Tao and Huang Aera were siblings with a weird relationship. Sometimes Tao acted his part as the younger brother while Aera would use her girl cuteness and act like the younger one. Two or three years ago Tao had shot up and grown up and sometimes she’d mistake him as older. But he still had his maknae charm.

          “I’ll make you breakfast.” She tempted.

          “Tell the teacher I am sick so I don’t have to go to school.”

          “Get up and shower so we can have breakfast.” She rolled her eyes and left the room. “If you’re not up in ten minutes I will kick your !”

          “Like you could!”

          True, Tao knew martial arts, but Aera was secretly stronger than most humans. She kept it hidden and would lose on purpose whenever she and Tao wrestled.

          She cooked jian bing (an egg filled crepe), rice, and Kimchi pancakes. Ever since the two moved to Korea they could not get enough Kimchi. Tao came down in his basketball shorts and tank top while drying his wet hair.

          “Forty-five minutes until we leave so hurry. You take just as long getting ready as I do.” Aera said while munching on her jian bing.

          “Smells good Jiejie.” He complimented.

          “Are you excited for school?”

          “Only to see my friends. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them since we’ve been in China most of summer break.”

          Tao had three other friends in school. Weird boy Sehun, nice boy D.O and charming boy Xiumin. The thought of him made Aera blush. The two were in the same grade and he was always hanging around her and Tao. The two would always subtly flirt but never went any further.

          As for Aera she had plenty of friendly acquaintances but only one best friend. Her name was Yu Soomi and she was bubbly with short blonde hair. People called her weird but Aera loved her regardless and no one bothered her because of Aera.

          “We’ll do dishes when we get home. I’m going to get ready.” Aera placed her dishes in the sink and jogged up the stairs.

          The uniform, an old, bittersweet friend. School was not exactly fun but friends made it better. After she had her uniform on she brushed her hair and fixed it into simple waves. Make-up wasn’t a big thing. Foundation, a bit of eye liner, mascara, and lip balm. Now she was ready and slung her back pack over her shoulder. She had packed it the night before.

          “Jiejie! I can’t find my notebooks!” Tao yelled from his bedroom.

          “Under your night stand!”

          “Thanks!”

          She looked at herself in the mirror. “You’re ok. You’re normal and going to school.” She pepped herself.

          Aera went downstairs and slipped on her white socks and black flats. Tao came rushing down in his black pants, white shirt, plaid tie matching her skirt, and black blazer. His black hair was done neatly but his tie was crooked. She her teeth and went over to fix it.

          “Jiejie.” He whined.

          “Girls don’t like messy boys.” She chided. “Now let’s go.”

         She led him out to the driveway where their car was. They both shared it (even though they could both afford their own cars) but it wasn’t anything special.

          Aera was the only one who could drive and taught Tao, who was about to get his license. He music as she drove to school and they could see other teenagers walking to school.

          “Oh, there’s Xiumin! Hyung!” Tao waved out the window. Aera laughed and stopped next to the boy.

          “Whoa, long time no see.” He fist bumped the boy and looked past him right at Aera. “Why good morning miss.” He was just as charming as he was a few months ago.

          “Good morning.” She smiled, her hands still on the steering wheel. “Want a ride?”

          “Wait for meee!” another voice rang. It was Sehun all the way down the street, running with a goofy smile on his face.

          “Sehun-ah! Good morning!” she waved, her mood a lot brighter.

          “Noona, good morning.” Sehun bent down in front of her window and smiled.

          “Stop making goo goo eyes at my sister and get in the car.” Tao glared.

          The two boys hopped in the backseat and she s