Listen to 오늘밤은 어둠이 무서워요by 10cm : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF4V8jF53_4

When Yunho asked me the meaning of my name, I replied with, “Shadow. Why?”

He just shrugged. “Curious. So Saya what kind of houses do you like?” I tugged at my earphones, realizing that this conversation wouldn’t end and sighed.

“Anything, as long as it protects me from heat, wind, rain and snow.”

Yunho pressed his lips together and nodded, seemingly impressed. “Quite a rationalist, huh?”

“No,” I smiled. “Just not fond of excess.”

Yunho grinned and shook his head. “So what were you listening to?”

I looked down at my i-Pod and murmured, “Ellegarden.”

Yunho furrowed his eyebrows. “Whose garden?”

I blinked at his reflection and said, “They’re a japanese rock band…”

“Oh,” Yunho said, nodding in understanding. “That’s why I… No one listens to rock in Verdelann.”

For the first, Yunho’s words achieved a reaction from me. I waited for a ‘just kidding’ but he continued to drive, until he finally pulled over and turned to face me.

“Close your mouth,” he chuckled. “We’ve reached.” I nodded in a foolish manner and followed him as he removed my luggage from the trunk.

It was as if I had stepped inside a fairytale. White cemented walls, a brown roof that looked like melted chocolate, cute French windows and a small wooden door, I wondered if Snow White had hypnotized my new firend and brought me here.

Which was why the appearance of my Godmother shocked me.

Stepping out of the door was a woman a head shorter than me, with hair that dared me to look away. The big blonde coiffe, smoky eyeliner, dark blue eyeshadow and sharp features alerted me. I recognized the printed khaki pants from Westwood and the denim vest from Betsey Johnson and wondered if this was a dream. Could this woman, the image of a rebel teenager’s memories, happen to be my guardian?

A smile broke out on her face and the woman stretched out her hand. “I’m Boa,” she said. I gave her a polite smile and meekly shook her hand.

“Saya,” she said, pointing at me. “Right?” I nodded and she smiled even more. “Well, at least you’re here in one piece. My nephew tends to get a little…” She then made the motion of yapping next to her ear, causing Yunho to complain.

“Noona!” he cried and Boa slapped him on his back.

“Aegyo fail,” she muttered and lead me inside the cottage. The interiors were small, suiting Boa’s petite figure. I turned to look at Yunho to get a hint of how I looked and blushed when I saw him bending to enter. My more than medium height was bound to be a complex within these walls.

“Upstairs,” Boa pointed and Yunho gave a curt nod, carrying my rucksack and suitcase with extreme swiftness. I awed at his agility and strength, but was brought back to earth by Boa’s words.

“This will be our kitchen,” she said, taking hold of my wrist and showing me the small room to the left, a white-washed table with a wooden counter serving as the dining spot. After a while, I realized that that piece of furniture was actually a Victorian clothes drawer. Boa noticed my gaze and shrugged.

“I was getting this baby for 15 bucks at Key’s. Couldn’t just use it for my underwears, now could I?”

I made a note of the shop’s name, when suddenly Boa grabbed my wrist and led me out of the culinary corner.

“This will be our recreation room!” she introduced with pomp. I noticed how Boa was using the future tense, almost as if the two of us had shifted in together, as if she had never seen the house before.

The bright floral curtains and the couch were comfortable to my eyes but what caught my attention was the orange box with two short spiky antennas, sitting atop a mahogany shelf.

“Is this a …?” Boa laughed when she saw me slowly moving towards the television set with an extended finger, as if I was inspecting ET.

“Yup, but mind you, none of us will have enough time to plonk ourselves on this couch unless we’re reading some Dostoevsky.” She waved her hand towards the wide spaces underneath the square coffee table, chock-a-block with books. “They’re all from the library, at least now I have someone to remind me to return them.”

Boa then pointed towards the vinyl CDs sitting in the corner and said, “Play whatever you want, Zico will give you a discount if you want to buy something at a good rate. The trick is to say my name. But don’t be too friendly with him, that kid has a bad history. Just buy stuff and get out of the store, at least for the first one month.”

Another shop, I mentally noted down, ignoring the extra advice. Bad history or not, at least most of them would have a family intact instead of in a box. Key and Zico, what eccentric names. I wondered if they had been chosen by the individuals. This act of wonderment made me realize how fast the fear of being new had been replaced by anticipation.