→ Chapter 020

The repetitive knock on the window glass made Mina roll to the other side of the bed, but it was the loud bang that awakened her at two hours past midnight. She lifted her head from her pillow, eyes fully alert and her hands gripping hard at the sheets underneath.

Mina was already reaching for the baseball bat behind her desk when she caught sight of the hand holding a rock behind her window glass, and it took her a few seconds to recognize Kang Seulgi under the moonlight.

The said girl was dangerously swaying from side to side as she positioned herself on a tree branch, one hand placed at the space between the window and the wall, and the other inches away from breaking the window glass. Her brows shot up when she saw Mina on the other side and she smiled sheepishly at the surprised (and annoyed) young girl. Her expression, however, soon morphed into one of plead as she glanced down at the moving branch under her. Before any awful accident could happen, Mina opened the window and let her friend into the room.

“What the hell brings you here at this hour?” Mina asked, voice agitated and a bit hoarse.

But Seulgi was too preoccupied staring at Mina to listen to her words: her braid was messily tied around a string hanging from her shirt, and the bright pajamas she was wearing did the look more justice than it should have. Seulgi couldn’t help but express her thoughts out loud, “You look different.”

Mina gave her a funny look, “Of course I look different, that’s because you just woke me up.” Shaking her head, she added, “Don’t dodge the question. Tell me why you were just there, hanging on a tree branch, with a rock in your hand, ready to break my window. Do you know how expensive that is? And, couldn’t you just knock on the door like any normal human being?”

Seulgi shrugged, “You forgot something important: I’m not just any normal human being. I am a normal human being who sometimes forgets to fit in and interacts with way too much blood.”

Mina put her hands around Seulgi’s waist and drove her to sit at the edge of the bed, and then sat next to her, “Seul, you need to start making more sense. Why are you here? And don’t try to dodge the question again.”

Seulgi frowned, her body growing rigid by the second. It took Mina a few seconds to understand that it was her way of putting things away, of forgetting about what she had to say next. Mina figured the pattern since it was a bit similar to that of Chanyeol: He always acted overly joyful whenever he had to say something he knew she wasn’t going to take well. The memory of when he had to tell her he forgot her order in the car resurfaced and Mina found herself giggling to herself before she came to a halt. She missed those times when he wasn’t being distant, when he didn’t throw her doubtful looks and when he stood by her no matter what people said. She missed him, but she wasn’t sure if he felt the same.

“You’re right, I’m making no sense.” Seulgi finally spoke, pulling Mina out of her thoughts, “I came here for many reasons actually, and one of them is to apologize.”

Mina furrowed her brows, astonished at her statement. She couldn’t help but notice that a lot of people have apologized to her lately, and the feeling was so foreign it brought a new set of emotions for her to bathe in, including the confusion, “Why would you apologize?”

Seulgi casted her eyes on the ground, “I’m sorry for doubting you. I know you’re having a hard time now, and Chanyeol and I should be by your side instead of being suspicious about what you could’ve done. Just know that Chanyeol and I talked about this today after you left, and we’re here to help you and stand with you as your friends. I’m really sorry because we haven’t done this sooner.”

Mina could almost see her walls tumbling one by one. She had spent last night replaying the looks Chanyeol and Seulgi threw her back at the main hallway, worrying that she could lose her friends –or if she had already lost them already. The words that came out of Seulgi’s mouth were soothing to her raging thoughts, and soon, Mina smiled softly, “I’m not going to say it was okay, but thank you. I genuinely thought you didn’t care about me anymore.”

Seulgi shook her head, “No, don’t ever doubt it. We care about you. Chanyeol even almost cried today because he thought he disappointed you, and he’s planning on apologizing to you tomorrow.”

Mina chuckled, the image of Chanyeol bawling his eyes out coming to her mind. To say she wasn’t looking forward to hearing what he would say tomorrow would be an awful lie.

Seulgi spoke again, “The other reason I came to see you at this hellish time is…um…how should I put it? I sensed something, something very urgent and it’s most definitely related to your curse.”

Mina could feel the light atmosphere becoming tenser by the second. The witch’s eyes were serious, even more serious from when she was apologizing to her. Mina couldn’t find it in herself to say anything, so she nodded, motioning Seulgi to continue, “I started having this irking feeling since around a week ago, and I noticed that it grew stronger whenever I was around you. It was uncomfortable at first, which led me to think that it was just your aura. Maybe I was over-thinking it or maybe I wasn’t used to sensing somebody’s aura.

"I was wrong, because the next days that irking feeling rose and rose until I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew it wasn’t just my spirit acting up. Your aura was stronger than ever, it was almost unbelievable. I described the feeling to mother, and she agreed; what I was feeling was more than your aura.

"I spent last night in the garage, trying to figure out what I was sensing. I brought up my grandmother’s books to search and I did. I was sensing a strange mixture between your aura and the future, almost like a sign. You know when you have an instinct that something is going to go terribly wrong? It’s exactly like that. I was sensing the near future, your near future and what I sensed was everything far from positive.

"Now, as I’m sitting next to you, I’m feeling kind of nauseous. I guess it’s because the terrible thing, whatever that may be, is happening soon. I don’t think it’s tomorrow, since I haven’t reached the point of complete dizziness. Mother told me to warn you before I feel worse, even she can tell it’s pretty close. Brace yourself, for the worse is about to come your way.”

Mina listened carefully to Seulgi’s words, her face taking an unusual tint of red. Her hands slightly shook on her lap, and she found it difficult to focus after Seulgi finished talking. It was a hard slap in the face; just when she thought everything was going better, a terrible event was already waiting for her in the near future. Mina truly had no luck at all.

She buried her face in her hands, “So you’re saying…something really bad is going to happen real soon and I can do nothing about it but brace myself. That’s really ing great to hear.”

Seulgi rubbed her back, “I’m sorry, Mina. Warning you is the most I can do right now because I don’t want you to be hurt. I guess you’re going to be a bit more…aware now that I’ve told you, but it’s better than to do nothing. Remember that the future is linked to your aura, so it depends on everything you do. It’s all up to you if you’re going to survive this or not.”

Seulgi gave Mina a pat on the back before taking her leave. Mina had to stop her from jumping out the window and instead led her out the house through the front door. The night stretched longer until it disappeared, making way for the blaring sun to cover the scenery and Mina yet couldn’t close her eyes because of frustration and fear.

Brace yourself, for the worst is about to come your way.

The words resonated inside Mina’s mind again and again, leaving no room for any other thought. It was almost as if each and every worry that was taking over her mind came crashing down at her at once, no matter how much time she spent pushing them away. She had her own share of anxiety regarding next week, and Seulgi only confirmed it.

There was one day left until her last and most important trip to Kodak.

She had planned for weeks, made sure she had everything she needed including the newly made keys she’ll use to break into the shop, a map of all the possible cameras she could find inside, a black mask to hide her face and a pocket knife just in case.

She had planned for everything but she still wasn’t sure. But who was she kidding? The whole trip was based on something unsure of: a tape that could be nonexistent. The police found no trace of the video files concerning the night of the murder, and it could only be that somebody had stolen them and put them somewhere else. Whoever did it is the culprit, and they did it to erase any possible proof that could indicate it.

Mina was certain that Jung Ilhoon was the man who killed her father, almost too certain, so she spent most of her days wondering where he could hide the video files. He couldn’t hide them in his apartment, since the police could easily find it. He couldn’t hide them at a friend’s because the police was observing him even before the crime since he had a heavy criminal record. He could only hide them in the form of a plain DVD in his closed shop where nobody suspected it. Between the large pools of DVDs in Kodak, the video tapes were placed and marked.

Mina only had to search and find them, and then expose Jung Ilhoon for the filthy scumbag that he is. She wasn’t too sure of her plan before; Jung Ilhoon, after he came out of jail, could take the video tapes and hide them somewhere else. But he was monitored, watched and he couldn’t do so. Mina finally settled on breaking in Kodak to achieve what she wanted the most: avenge her dead father and bring justice to the world.

That was the terrible thing coming along her way, and she couldn’t avoid it. No, not after she had spent most of her savings and her time preparing for it. All she could do was to brace herself, and hopefully she’ll get out of Kodak alive and well, with the video tapes in her hand.

Mina yawned, rubbing her eyes lazily as she sat on her bed. She gazed at the clock beside her and cursed silently before hurrying to the bathroom to take a quick shower. The morning had a déjà vu sense to it that Mina couldn’t figure out just yet. Grabbing her toothpick, she dashed out of the house with her braid tucked inside her blazer pocket.

As Mina entered the classroom, Miss Nam gave her a soft smile as a greeting. It felt kind of familiar to Mina who wasn’t used to her English teacher treating her the same way as before. It took the class by surprise too since the blabbering had stopped, replaced by a fleeting moment of astonished silence. Mina could almost hear the question on their lips: since when did Miss Nam and Mina reconcile?

Mina returned the greeting with a small wave before heading to her seat. Just as her bottom touched the chair, Mina turned around with a surprised expression; Irene was nowhere to be found. She turned her head to the blackboard with an understanding nod, but something was bothering her. The feeling of being watched, of being scrutinized sent her over the edge and she found herself turning around to see who could be causing her discomfort.

Baekhyun put his chin on his palm as his eyes drawn into a judging stare as he burned a hole into Mina’s head. He didn’t even act fazed when he was caught red-handed and instead kept on staring at her blushing face. His bangs almost covered his eyes in the position of his tilted head and his lips were forming his usual frown. Mina wanted to know what was going on inside his mind, but she couldn’t read his eyes.

“You’re staring.” Mina raised her brows, mouthing the words to the boy three seats away from her.

It took Baekhyun five or six seconds to make out her words, but as soon as he did, his frown deepened even more. She used his own magic against him, and he sure looked like he hated it. Mina giggled and turned away from the said boy, finally focusing on Miss Nam who was standing right in front of her desk. The English teacher had a sly smile on her lips, and Mina was suddenly reminded of Miss Nam’s remark. But Mina wasn’t looking at Baekhyun, he was looking at her. She hoped she could voice out her thoughts but the teacher had already begun her lesson.

Mina kept thinking about the looks Baekhyun had thrown her even when she was seated next to Seulgi and Chanyeol in the school cafeteria, wondering what it could mean but to no avail. Chanyeol dragged her as soon as the lunch bell rung and apologized to her, tears and all and she had no choice but to buy him his favorite biscuits so he would shut up.

“Seulgi, did the cat eat your tongue or something?” Chanyeol chuckled, his cheeks still stained with tears, “This is the first time you eat without saying a word, not that I’m complaining.”

Seulgi looked up from her spoon with a glare, “ off, I’m sick you head.”

Mina muffled her laughter as she watched the two bicker. It was funny how the tables turned, and it was Chanyeol who was annoying Seulgi, not the other way around. The latter couldn’t keep up with the banter and Mina felt sorry for her, patting her back and warning Chanyeol with a scowl.

Chanyeol opened his mouth, eyes drooping low, before closing it at the sound of quietude filling the lunch room. Seulgi kept her head on the table, not the slightest bit fazed by the change of the atmosphere. Mina’s hand dropped from the witch’s back as she fixed her eyes on the entry of the cafeteria.

At the doorway stood Baekhyun, hands tucked in brand new black skinny jeans and his smile stretched just enough for Mina to notice from far away. They haven’t had any early morning classes this day, making it the first time Mina had seen him since their last meeting. He strutted in with a bounce in his steps and she could almost understa