“I had thought that there was something different about you. But I thought that all of my - our kind were dead.”

    Minho. Choi Minho who I had been working with for a couple of years now was a shapeshifter - a Restorer. And he and Seulgi were talking to each other like they were old friends. “Okay, you know what? I’m just going to go live the rest of my life in my bed because everything I’ve ever believed in is all a lie. Goodbye.” I was about to walk out when a familiarly gentle hand pulled me back to sit back down. I refused to meet Seulgi’s gaze, however, and I stared at Minho instead.

    “I’d heard of you, of course. You’re pretty famous for your eyes and your powers, and your . . . special relations.”

    I noticed Seulgi tense beside me at the implications of something I didn’t understand, and I glanced over at her to see that her eyes were storm cloud gray, seemingly calm, yet defensive. “Does Taeyeon know about you? Does anyone?” I finally asked.

    Minho looked at me, his naturally gentle gaze and expression contorted. “Of course not. I’m sure you heard what happened to Seulgi when humans found out.”

    I did remember. I remembered Seulgi telling me about her being trapped by people. “Right. Dungeons and things - oh what the hell am I saying?!” I buried my face in my hands, groaning.

    “She’s not taking things too well, is she?” Minho asked.

    “No, she was very good at accepting everything about us until now.”

    “Oh, was I? Ha! I must’ve been insane. This is insane. What was I thinking?”

    “Irene, I know this is overwhelming, but you’re in danger, and we need to help you.”

    I slowly looked up, feeling anger boil up from inside me. Hands clenched into fists, I shot up from my seat on the couch. “I’m in danger? I’m in danger. I’ve been helping her out all this time. I fed her, I clothed her, I gave her a place to stay, and now I’m in danger? Hell of a great repayment isn’t it?” I didn’t know where this bitterness suddenly came from, but I could only glare between Minho and Seulgi; Seulgi looking at me with those sad, green eyes again.

    “Irene - .”

    “No. Just - Just don’t bother me for awhile. I need to go get some fresh air.”

    “Irene, it’s not safe - .”

    “I don’t care Minho, okay?! Just leave me the alone for a bit! Alright?!” With a growl, I walked out of the house, slamming the door behind me. Taking deep breaths, I looked up at the sky that was now darkening, turning it into a mixture of indigo and pink. The fresh scent of the forest behind me helped me to calm down. It always had. I realized that it had been awhile since I had been alone ever since I had met Seulgi; ever since I had been thrown into a wild roller coaster ride I had not been ready for.

    Seulgi.

    To be honest, Seulgi was exactly the sort of person I would have avoided if it hadn’t been for the fact that I ran her over - stunningly gorgeous, naive, and innocent to the point of hilariousness. However, there were things about her that pulled me in - like the way she was so gentle, caring, the way mysteriousness shrouded her like a fog that couldn’t be dispersed. And perhaps, there was also the fact that she brought the first spark of brightness in my life after the pit of darkness that I had been in for the past three years. I realized then that maybe I owed her this - maybe I at least owed her my sanity at a time like this.

The door behind me opened unexpectedly, and I turned to see Seulgi walking towards me, silent steps tentative. She stopped beside me, not looking at me and looking up at the sky instead. I followed suit. A bird flew past, reminding me of that impossible moment just an hour ago.

“I am sorry.”

I looked over at her, Seulgi still looking up at the sky - and due to the colors of the sunset, I couldn’t tell what color her eyes were. “No, you don’t have anything to apologize for. If anything, it’s my fault, right?”

“No, Irene. I understand that you are afraid, and that it is hard for you to accept everything that has been happening to you. Truthfully, I should not have come with you, but - ,” Seulgi paused, her voice suddenly sounding strained. Suddenly, she turned to me, and I found myself looking into depths of fiery orange, filled with something unexplainable. “But I was afraid,” she confessed, voice soft, her eyes dropping from mine and looking down at the wood of my porch. “I was afraid because I had lost my powers. I had felt so and powerless without them. It was a cowardly thing to do, and in doing so I put you in danger. It is my fault.”

I could only blink at her, watching Seulgi’s vulnerable form. I slowly reached out before putting my hand on her shoulder. Seulgi looked up at me, green immediately being burned away by orange. “It’s not your fault. I mean, not having your powers must have been like losing an eye to you. It’s normal to be afraid. I was just a little overwhelmed earlier, that’s all. I just needed to clear my mind. I’m okay now.” I smiled at her, wanting to let her know that I really was okay, that she didn’t need to worry. When did you get so soft, Bae Irene?

Seulgi’s expression shifted, looking serious though her eyes stayed orange and didn’t turn grey. “Irene, I . . . “

I furrowed my brows. “Yeah?”

“I think I - .”

“Seulgi! We have to go. Now!”

Startled by Minho’s booming voice, I spun around to see him running out of the house, rushing right past us and to his car. I felt fear tug at my chest, ripping my eyes away from the car to see Seulgi with the darkest of black eyes, contrasting greatly from