Things are different yet still the same.

After our early morning ‘dalliance’, Ms Pink insisted on sending me to class, and sped all the way so that I made it just in time. Yoona picked me up after class and sent me to PINK. She refused to answer any of my questions about the role she’s playing in this whole thing and left me with Ms Pink after receiving another 10 cc of my blood. After which, Ms Pink kept me in her office with her where I spent the rest of the day completing assignments like an ordinary college girl. Whatever Erika I possessed that morning had upped and gone.

And has yet to return by the next morning.

It is breakfast time in Ms Pink’s castle. I steal a glance at Ms Pink as she sits across the rectangular table for eight, chewing on a disgusting cube of blood. On mahogany surface sits a plate of two bloody-looking pudding-like things. I have to try my best not to blanch at the sight. This is not my idea of a sumptuous breakfast. Unfortunately, I don’t have classes today so I don’t have an excuse to gobble my breakfast and make a quick exit. Instead, I have to sit right here and ignore the squishy sounds of blood chewed and swallowed.

“Would you like to try one?” Ms Pink holds up a cube of blood on a stick.

“No, thank you.”

“It’s edible even for humans.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

Ms Pink takes a bite the blood cube. “You don’t know what you’re missing, stupid human.” The question of where the blood comes from sends a shudder up and down my spine. If being a stupid human means I get to miss out on knowing what it is, I’m more than happy to be a stupid human.

Eventually, breakfast is done and I’m enjoying a cup of tea while Ms Pink sips a drink from a pink tumbler with the word PINK emblazoned around it. Talk about overkill. I know very well the type of liquid Ms Pink is sipping but I manage not to blanch, aided by the fact that I can’t see the actual colour drink. We sit in silence, listening to the chirps of birds in the trees outside. But a question remains unanswered and the burn is slowly eating me up from the inside.

“Will you please explain what you meant yesterday?” I ask at last, unable to hold it in any longer. “And what exactly has Yoona got to do with all of this?”

Ms Pink puts down her tumbler, her lips—which has an undesired effect on me—and frowns.

“Watch your tone. Erika or not, you are my claim.”

I can only sigh internally. This thing about claims with Ms Pink is getting on my nerves. Why can’t we go for something more like a 60/40 relationship at least? “I’m sorry, Ms Pink. But it’s been bothering me for a past twenty four hours that I still don’t understand what happened to me yesterday. I don’t understand how my Erika showed.”

“You did not black out during your .”

I wait for Ms Pink to say more but she doesn’t. “Is that it?”

“It is indicative of your control over your power.”

“But I don’t know how to control my power. I don’t even understand what my power is exactly.”

Ms Pink is on the verge of rolling her eyes. I can feel it. “Stupid human.” She takes another sip from her tumbler. “According to the books, the iron in your blood can be summoned to form force shield.”

“Books? You mean the ancient book that Seo brought into the bathroom last week?” Saying it shocks me a little. I can’t believe it’s only been a week since I first learnt about the Erika-ness that I allegedly possess. And not even a month since I first met Ms Pink for the interview. “Is it your only source of information?”

“The Shubbenyiddi is a wealth of knowledge written by the most respected researcher of the dark world. Your insinuation that another source is required is rude.”

“I-I’m not trying to say that the book isn’t reliable enough. I just wish I knew more about this force that I have.” I pause. “And how you’re going to use me for revenge.”

Ms Pink smiles. “So that is your true concern.”

“You said I’ll be able to be immune to dark energy. But what good can it do other than giving me immunity from influences like Helene’s? I mean, sure, she won’t be able to control me but that’s not gonna stop her or anybody else from sending some other vanguard or patagon after me.”

Ms Pink leans forward, eyes locking mine down like they usually do. “You asked about yesterday. Do you remember what happened after you came?”

I scrunch my nose up and frown as my mind pulls up the memories from yesterday. “I heard some kind of crash. I think you fell off the bed or something. Then you untied me and we . . .” I falter in my recount, blushing as the passionate moments that followed come to mind.

“I didn’t fall off the bed, Taeyeon. You pushed me off.”

My jaw falls open. “I didn’t do that.”

“You may not be aware of the fact but it was you.”

“But how did I—”

“You released energy when you came and it hit me.”

My eye widen in shock. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry, Ms Pink.”

Ms Pink smiles, deepening my confusion. “I was not expecting to be hit by your energy. I did not expect it to be manifested this way. It is not your fault.”

“You didn’t expect it?” Ms Pink’s apparent lack of knowledge in this area is surprising me.

Shaking her head, Ms Pink says, “You are the first Erika I’ve met. All that I know about the Erika is from the book.”

“So you don’t really know how powerful I might be or not.”

“The book describes the Erika as powerful, but yes, it is a half-gamble.”

“W-What if you lose the gamble? What if the Erika in me doesn’t come through for you?”

“Nothing changes. I will kill as planned.”

“Vampire or . . .”

Ms Pink holds my gaze for a moment. “Vampire.”

“You’re going to have to tell me who it is eventually.”

“You will be informed when I choose to.”

Ms Pink’s phone lights up with a message as I heave another internal sigh. She looks at it and frowns. By now, I’m pretty used to Ms Pink frowning but it alarms me when she stands in a hurry and sweeps past the length of the table, disappearing into the corridor without a word. I look around the empty room and empty plates and cups.

What am I to do now?

Finish up your tea.

X

Quiet settles in. Ms Pink seems to have left the castle. I have nothing left to do but wait. I decide to explore the castle a little. If I’m going to spend time here, I might as well get acquainted with the place. Two or three corridors later, I come to the conclusion that I am lost. The stairs don’t lead to where I think they should and I’m stuck somewhere on the third or fourth floor. On the bright side, I stumble upon a really nice room while searching for the stairs that lead me back down. And when I say nice, I mean, not pink.

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