My brain was almost exploding.

I didn't want to think about anything anymore, so I decided to just lay in bed the whole day and watch some shows.
My worries kind of creeped up too, since Hyungsik had told me to not go outside by any means. If there was one thing I started to believe, it was Hyungsik's advices. Apparently, even the sole fact that I could see him the whole time was dangerous by itself.

I was surprised that Irene hadn't texted back for over a day by now, but I didn't want to bother too much. Today, I was just going to communicate with no one anymore and dive into the world of easy-going series.

I fell asleep quite early and subsequently, woke up around 8:30 am the next morning even though I was on vacation.
And then I remembered that I hadn't even given Seojoon notice about this dinner thing the day before.

Well, there wasn't anything that I'd planned to do for this day. Maybe I should swing by his workplace and ask him what his deal was. Yes, I maybe wanted to go on a dinner date with him - but then, I thought I'd just be disappointed at the outcome anyway. And at some point, I just had to get over him. But with him reentering my life like this, it was more than hard to forget about him. Even though I decided to let him go several times, it never really fully happened.

I was looking at myself in the mirror in the bathroom a short while later. To be honest, I started getting bored with how I looked. Maybe I should go shopping and to a hair dresser to update myself a little bit.

My idea was to take the subway to Hongdae again to go shopping.
It was 10 am when I arrived there, the perfect time to find new clothes in a relaxed environment. The students that flooded Hongdae in the afternoon were still at school and the stores just opened for business.
I didn’t really know what I was looking for, I just wanted to surprise myself with something new. So I went into the first store that looked cool from the outside, directly on the main road in the area.

I was greeted by three cute girls that worked there, while one was wearing clothes that I really liked, so I asked her to be my shopping assistant.
After trying on several whole outfits and buying tons of new items, I figured that I wanted to leave one on and put my old clothes in the big shopping bags. I’d spent almost 2 hours in there.

My next stop was a coiffeur. It was in the second floor of a really modern building.
I was lucky enough that a hair dresser had time for me, so I didn’t need an appointment.

„What kind of look would you like to have?“, he asked as soon as I sat down in front of the mirror.
„I’m not so sure, something more cool. Maybe more unusual than it is right now.“
„Well, I have something in mind, but it’ll be a lot shorter than it is right now.“ I didn’t even think about it. I even smirked at myself in the mirror. But somehow, even the realization that something was going on didn’t come to me anymore. „That’s fine. I’m sure it will look great.“

The hair dresser cut my long hair into a shoulder-length modern bob. I thought it looked really dashing. I examined my new look in the mirror for a while. My reflection looked like a truly new person. My new clothes and the style turned me into someone more daring, definitely edgier and a whole less innocent than I’d looked before. At the same time, I seemed older and more mature.
I loved it.

„If you like, we also offer make-overs. Your look is missing the right make-up“, the guy said.
„Yes, let’s do it.“

My transformation was done after another half hour and I felt refreshed, almost reborn. Of course, my bruised throat was still showing - but at this point it felt like something that had almost become part of me now, even though it hadn’t been so long since it had appeared.

I paid at the counter and then went back to the subway station. I wanted to visit Seojoon.

On my way to the station, I suddenly felt like being watched again. At this hour, a significant larger number of people were around, but it was that feeling again. I turned around and saw him.
Hyungsik, dressed as dark as always, was slowly walking behind me, a few people were in front of him. When I stopped walking, he stopped too.
That was weird. I’d guessed that we were close enough by now that we could say something when we saw each other. But he didn’t come closer.
I turned around and walked in his direction a little bit, as he turned around and walked straight ahead away from me. Hyungsik and his mood swings were about to make me livid.

I headed into the station and got on the subway. Line 2, as always, got me straight to my destination. Seojoon’s office was in Seocho, only five minutes from my own neighborhood Sadang.

I walked for about ten to fifteen minutes to the building he worked in. Typical to an architect’s office, the building was highly modern, only built in the last three years with wide panorama windows that covered the second floor completely. The ground floor had a wooden front with slender, long, rectangle windows. It even had a small front yard. I’d visited him here at least once a week when we were still dating back then. It made memories come back.

I went in. His employees were all still the same and almost everyone greeted me with a delighted smile.
„Sedam, what a surprise! Nice to see you again!“, his secretary chanted as he walked past me with files in his hand as I was standing in the foyer.
Seojoon was quite successful, he had started out with one partner when he first got into this business. Then, he bought the remaining shares from him, who decided to leave the field, and was now supervising 5 employees.
Everyone was at their desks, but waved at me and smiled. It felt almost homely to come back here.
„I’m here to see Seojoon. Is he in the house?“
„Yes, he’s upstairs in his office. Should I tell him you’re here?“, another girl asked.
„No need, it will be brief.“

I went upstairs. Seojoon’s office had no door, it basically started where the staircase ended. It was a wide, open, stylish and cozy space with wooden floors and a lot of sunlight. His solid, draft-flooded desk was in front of the window wall. He was at the drawing table on the left, absorbed in a draft, wearing his bold, black glasses. He didn’t even hear me come in.
Carefully, I knocked on the stair rail to announce my arrival.
A little disturbed, he looked up and pushed his glasses further up. Then, his face lit up in genuine happiness.
And I was a little shocked at how genuine it was. Almost as if I was his girlfriend.

„Sedam, I didn’t expect you to come here!“ He got up and offered me a seat in his lounge area on the right.
I sat down hesitantly. He went to the coffee machine and made a strong, black coffee for me, how I’d been drinking it ever since.
He got himself a water and sat in front of me.
„You didn’t text yesterday“, he picked up the conversation.
„Yeah, sorry about that. It was a weird day and I wasn’t feeling well from the night before.“ He didn’t acknowledge what I said too much, for the next moment, he leaned over and quite fascinated, softly touched my hair tips.
„You cut your hair.“ I looked at his gorgeous face. His lips were bent upwards into a slight smile, his eyes somehow sparkling. „I truly like your new style. …This new vibe.“
 And then, he looked at my throat, losing his smile.
„This still looks so bad… Are you sure you’re ok? Who did this to you?“
„It’s fine, it’s getting better. I don’t even notice people staring at it anymore“, I threw in and reached for my coffee cup.
„What brings you here?“, he then asked, still looking at me endearingly.
„Your invitation from last night. Honestly, I don’t know if we should go have dinner together. To be blunt, it’s hard for me to know what your intentions are. And I don’t think it’s fair for your girlfriend, either. The other day, in my bathroom…“
„My girlfriend?“
„Yes.“
„Sedam, I don’t think you understand-“ Seojoon paused when he looked over my head to the staircase.
I turned around, too, and looked straight into Hyungsik even more perfect face. This guy was the death of me. Quite literally, to add to that.
„What brings you here?“, Seojoon repeated his question from earlier. I was surprised at how defensive he sounded. Yesterday, he didn’t seem to have so much of a problem with Hungsik’s presence. But then again, this was his workplace after all.

„Sedam, I was looking for you! Did you forget our appointment?“, Hyungsik said neutrally.
„Appointment…?“ I was confused.
„Yes.“
I just stared at him. I didn’t catch on. But then, almost invisibly, he tilted his head to the staircase sharply once, to indicate I should go with him. Was something going on? His eyes almost pleaded.
Wait. Was this…? All of a sudden, I sensed some kind of rivalry between the men.
I decided it would be best to go with him. I knew how dangerous this man could be. And I also kind of liked that he came here to seek me out.

I guess I was head over heels for him.

I grabbed my purse and got up, while Seojoon met me with disbelief.
„I’m so sorry, I must have forgotten. Seojoon, sorry to interrupt this so suddenly, but I should go. See you soon!“

When I walked over to Hyungsik, he spread his arm in a welcoming manner and shortly put his arm around my shoulder. My heart jumped. Silmutaneously, I felt bad for just leaving Seojoon like this, so I turned around to him once again.
„Really, I apologize. I will text you later.“
Seojoon first nodded understandingly, then his face turned into an utterly confused grimace.
„Where did your friend go?“
I turned around and looked at Hyungsik, then chuckled. „He’s right here!“, I said and pointed at him.
„Sedam, what are you talking about?“
„Why? He’s right here“, I repeated and turned to Hyungsik once again. And then I realized again, it was not really him. It was his other half.

Next second, with an unbelievable force, one-handed, Hyungsik pushed me backwards by my shoulder, all the way down the staircase.

When I came back to my senses, Seojoon and Hyungsik were both beside the couch at the office that I’d apparently been moved to.
Their worried faces showed relief when I opened my eyes, looking around the room and the ceiling.
„Are you hurt anywhere?“, Seojoon asked, his voice very strained. It was not often that he spoke like this, he must be worried sick.
„I don’t think so…“, I said and slowly sat up. I had bruises and a cut on my arms, my right leg hurt at the shin, but nothing else seemed injured.

And then, something came to my mind. I looked down on my chest and moved the fabric of my sweater to the side.

I’d been right. On my right shoulder, right where I was pushed, another black bruise, a literal hand was marked into my skin.

I started laughing.
An almost insane, lunatic laughter. I turned my head to the side and looked directly into Hyungsik’s guilty, black eyes.
„We need to talk“, I said.

And that was when I knew that I was indeed not normal anymore. The dark force was stronger than ever, more prominent than ever - and I started to feel unusually comfortable with it.