[Jieun]

Do you realise that what you did was very dangerous? You even got your friend involved; you almost, could have, gotten her killed! What were you thinking, Oh Sera?

Hmm... What's going on?

… and you drank alcohol. Do you know how....

The noise, the commotion, my throbbing head. I tried to prop myself up on my elbows but my vision swum and my head spun, bringing me back down again.

I-I'm sorry o-oppa…

Sera?

The rays from the sun hit my eyes as I slowly registered my surroundings. Seconds became minutes and I realized that I was not in my room. Panicking, I lifted up the comforter and found myself still dressed in the outfit from last night, or the night before, or some other night if I’ve slept for days. I heaved a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness. I'm alright.

Oh Sera, you really need to reflect on what you've done.

I keep hearing her name. Glancing around the room for the last time, I shrugged upon realising that perhaps I was in her house. Carefully stepping onto the carpeted floor, I made my way, albeit haphazardly, to the adjoining bathroom and only God knows what happened to me.

Facing the mirror in the bathroom, my hands flew up to my mouth to muffle a scream that was threatening to escape my lips.

I looked like I’ve been dumped in mud and left to dry out in the open.  

Taking deep breaths to calm myself down (wouldn’t want to have the urges to scream each time I see myself in the mirror), I hurriedly washed away the grime on myself, and with my eyes shut from the water, I d around blindly until my hands touched something soft. Wiping myself down, I pursed my lips at the fact that I hadn’t checked for a clean outfit before stepping into the shower. Guh, Kim Jieun… Yet, my eyes caught a lone set of clothes placed on one of the numerous shelves in the bathroom. Snatching it off, I hastily changed into the outfit and making sure that I was decent enough, I set off to look for my friend.

This hallway is… so… long… If I had a watch, I’d reckon I’ve been walking for minutes. The moment I opened the door of the room I was in, I looked left and right and the endless hallway on both ends made my jaw drop. They were endless, I swear. I could see no end at all.

Hoping to find Sera soon (the silent and endless hallway lined with exquisite artwork frightened me, honestly), I sped down it as quietly as possible. While brisk walking past the numerous doors that lined both sides of the corridor, I realized that each door had a single symbol carved on it. I mentally counted about six as I turned left after exiting my room.

I didn’t know if I had chosen the correct direction to journey down the seemingly endless path, but I took the chance anyway. And the symbols that my eyes have caught intrigued me, particularly the third one that I’ve noticed.

Pausing, I stood in front of the wooden door. Eyes fixated on the symbol as though I’m in a trance, my fingers reached up to it on their own and they gingerly traced the carving. Feeling the sunken lines carved on the door, my eyes followed my digits as they made their way all over, as though they were touching to remember what it looked like.

Eerily shaped like a scorpion, its tail had an arrow pointing outwards as well as four legs and two pincers. The tail vaguely reminded me of something that I used to be afraid of, but now, I’ve kind of grown to love…

What was it…  

Tilting my head, I gazed at the symbol in a new perspective. Staring hard at the scorpion’s tail, my mind whirred as I focused on the way it had been carved — down, right, down.

And it hit me. The thing that young Jieun used to cry about whenever it came when the rains came; the thing that the now-Jieun revelled in as its split-second flash of brightness lit up the otherwise dark skies.

Lightning.

The tail resembled the way lightning is drawn. My fingers followed the lines and a chill ran down my spine as my index rested just before it branched out into the right leg of the scorpion.

Insane. Why would I be drawn to this carving… Why?

....think before you act. What if something happened to you and we are unable to reach you in time? Sera, we can't implicate Jieun too. You know we really can’t afford to.

I snapped out of my trance upon hearing my name. Slapping my cheeks lightly in a bid to shake off an unknown attraction that clouded me the moment my eyes saw the scorpion, I continued down the hallway and pumped a fist in the air when the floor dived down to reveal a flight of stairs. I gingerly made my way down as my ears picked up on the now-loud voices that came from a large room at the landing of the stairs.

Hiding behind a wall adjacent to the room, I inhaled and exhaled before peeking into the room. My eyes snapped on the figure standing in the middle of the room, with numerous others either standing around or sitting on the luxurious couches situated in the room which I’ve come to realise as a living room; and boy was the living room enormous.

Ignoring the decorations in the space, I kept my eyes on the lonely figure. Her head was hung low, her eyes seemingly fixated on something on the floor as they glistened. Oh dear, she’s tearing.

I have to do something.

Mustering up my courage, I stepped out of the shadows and was faintly miffed to find that the boys didn’t seem shocked to see me. Nonetheless, I walked towards her and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Looking up at Sehun-oppa, I let my eyes flash and the boy’s brow rose as amusement flickered in his orbs.

“Sehun-oppa, do stop scolding Sera. It wasn’t her fault. All she wanted was to cheer me up. I don’t think it is wrong for her to show concern to a friend and yes, I admit that the way she wanted to cheer me up was kind of inappropriate,” I paused as Luhan-oppa’s are-you-sure expression popped up in my field of vision, and I glared in his direction before continuing. “Was very inappropriate, but all she wanted was to put a smile on my face.”

I felt Sera’s own arm snaking around my waist and the corners of my lips tugged upwards.

“I do apologise if I seem to come off as being rude but your sister is just doing what she thinks she needs to do.” I tightened my grip on her shoulder and she did the same to my waist (I had to control the strong urge to burst out into ticklish laughter). “And I am blessed to have a friend like her.”