Another morning in the quiet land of Gillamoor, the birds hum as the trees listen to the gentle breeze of the wind. The town lies idley like how it always was, even more now knowing I don't have that much company. 

   "Park Shin Chul!" a familar voice shouted.
   "What's taking you so long? You're already late for the first day!" I realized it was my uncle.
   "I'm coming!" I replied.

    I walked down the staircase as it pierces my ears with it's horrible squeek sounds. My uniform's collar is so tight I can barely breath.

 

   "You look so good Chul... If only you're brother was here to see you." My uncle cried out.

   "Yeah, if only." 

    

    The doorbell rang, it was my friend, Ahn Jae Un. I'm glad she came just in time, I didn't want to sob again with my uncle, I already spent whole summer doing just that. Jae Un smiled, she knew by looking at my eyes what my uncle must've talked to me about. Without a word, she grabbed my arm towards her car.

 

   "Was it one of those mornings again?" Jae Un asked as she smirks.

   "Yeah, I feel like I'm getting reminded of my brother's death everyday. I'm starting to get used to it by now. It's tiring, he's dead, can we let it all go?" I scoffed.

   "Don't say that Chul! It's like you don't care." She claimed.

   "It's better that way." I lied, I'm still shattered inside with my brother's death... but at this point, it seems better to pretend and not worry anyone. I may look cruel, but I think it's for the best.

 

   Jae Un started the engine, we were off to school. We were taking the same roads we've been taking since we became friends, through the tunnel, the old church and the park. For some reason, I really like these moments. I get some time to think about what's going on with my life recently, it feels refreshing in a way.

 

   "Do you think there's going to be any decent freshmen this year? I'm sick of hanging out with you." She exasperated.

   "Ha ha, very funny. It's not like they're going to befriend you either, I'm only your friend because I pity you." I replied.

   "This is my car you know, I can drop you off any time I wan-" She stopped for a second and stared at the road. I looked at where she was staring and what a stressful view it was.

   "A car accident?" I asked as she nodded. We drove around the crowded area slowly, the driver was getting treated. The driver was a girl who looked rather young, black hair and eye-catching looks. She was full of blood and wounds mostly around her arms but her head was also bleeding. Our eyes met, yet she didn't look hurt at all. In fact, she even... smirked?

 

   Jae Un suddenly sped off away from the scene, she must've gotten disgusted, she hates blood. I can see her shaking out of disgust right now, it's hilarious, to be blunt.

   

   "Oh, don't look at me like that. There was blood everywhere and like- just, I don't want to talk about it." She was flustered, I couldn't stop giggling.

 

   We finally made it to school, she parked her car so harshly I hit my head. She did it on purpose, it was obvious. I stepped outside the car and looked at the school, another year of stressful days await me. Jae Un gave an unpleasant look, she didn't like the idea of school either. We walked up to the door and finally enter the hallway. We we're already a few minutes late but it looks like some freshmen lost their way to their respected rooms. 

 

   "It looks like we're in different classrooms again, how nice. We're already late, so I'll get going Chul. See you at lunch!" Jae Un shouted as she runs to her classroom. 

 

   I knocked on my class door, but it seems that the teacher still wasn't there. The class was already noisy, most of my old classmates we're already in their circle of friends. The only seats left were the ones at the back near the back door. I helped myself to one of the seats and sat down patiently waiting for the homeroom teacher. Most of my classmates smiled and waved at me, some asked how I was doing with my brother gone, but nonetheless nothing special. I expected it all to be honest.

 

   The teacher entered and he brought a new student with him. A rather small girl, black hair and eye-catching looks, but I felt like I've seen her somewhere before. The teacher placed his notebooks and books on his table, he was the same teacher who held this classroom last year, Mr. Lee Gook Jeong.

 

   "Okay class, I'll be your homeroom teacher for this school year. I'm sorry I'm late, I had to pick up this new student. Why don't you introduce yourself our transferee?" Mr. Lee asked.

   "Hello, my name is Kim Je Ni. Please take care of me." The new student said with her soft voice as the class yelled out their greetings.

   "You can sit right there next to Mr. Park, the one nearest the back door." Mr. Lee insisted.

 

   She slowly approached the seat next to me and sat down, she laid her bag down and looked at me. I got a close look to her face and then I realized why she was familiar, she was the girl in the car accident earlier.

   

   "Excuse me for the weird question but, may I ask where were you earlier?" I asked.

   "I've been in the principal's office since around an hour ago, why do you ask?" She replied.

   "Oh, I'm sorry. I mistook you for someone else." I apologized, yet deep inside it seemed off. She looks almost identical to the girl. But then again, the girl was mostly covered in blood and wounds. This transfer student must've just looked like her.

 

 The teacher started finally started the lesson, but I ended up having a hard time listening. The class was quiet, but my mind was having it's own lesson. I was laying on the desk, my eyes were starting to shut down and I didn't notice I was pushing my tumblr with my elbow. I felt the tumblr fall and I opened my eyes because I knew it was going to make a sound and attract the class' attention to me... but the tumblr didn't make a sound. I stood up and saw it on the floor, yet it didn't make a sound? It's impossible that it actually did and I just didn't hear it because my classmates as well didn't notice.

 

   "Mr. Shin, why don't you take a seat?" Mr. Lee sighed. Most of the students laughed, but I was too busy confused on what happened. I thought maybe I was just overthinking things, a lot of things have happened today maybe I'm just flustered. I decided to calm myself down, I was just overcomplicating things that shouldn't. 

 

   "Mr. Park Shin of Class B-1, please come to the principal's office immediately. I repeat, Mr. Park Shin of Class B-1, please come to the principal's office." The loud speaker shuttered.

   "You heard it kid, go." Mr. Lee said.

    "Yes sir." I replied as I grabbed my bag. I wondered what would the principal want to talk about but then I realized it's probably about what happened to my brother again.

 

    I entered the principal's office and Ms. Yi Ji Hee, the principal was waiting for me. She gestured for me to take a seat and let down a big sigh.

 

   "Okay. Shin , I heard the news about your brother. I'm sorry for your lost." She consoled.

   "Yeah... Thank you for your condolence. It's very much appreciated." I replied.

   "I suggest you take the rest of the day at home, it hasn't been that long since your brother died and I very much know how it feels to lose someone as close." She insisted.

    "I don't think it's really necessary Miss."

    "No, please. I insist."

 

    I finally accepted her offer, a day off school? Why not. It's just the first day, most of the teachers probably won't teach much. I headed off school to the cemetery to visit my brother, I lied down and started to think about him.

 

   "I wish you didn't have to go Dae Won. We still had dreams that we wanted to accomplish.." I cried out.

   "You know he can't hear you right?" A familiar voice asked. I looked back and it was Kim Je Ni, the transfer student earlier.

   "Why are you here..? School doesn't end in more than 5 hours?" I asked.

   "School? What do you mean?" She asked.

 

   I got confused, what did she mean by her question? Wasn't she at the same school I was earlier? Was she excused too?

 

   "Oh yeah right, school. I was let off by the principal, I'm guessing same goes for you Chul?" She asked. 

   "Ah yes, the principal pitied me. Why are you here in the cemetery?" I asked, it's such a coincidence how she's here.

   "I'm paying my respect to an old relative, are you doing the same? Or are you just an emo kid who likes to hang out in cemeteries?" She asked.

 

   I was shocked, she seemed so different compared to how she acted in the classroom earlier during her introduction and when I asked her. She seems like a whole new different person, even they way she speaks and her tone.

 

   "Uh, I'm sorry, that sounded rude, didn't it? You're here for your brother, I just wanted to lighten the mood." She apologized.

   "How did you know about my brother..?" I asked.

   "Oh come on Chul, it's like town news by now. You're family is really known here, how can someone not know." She protested, in which she was true. Almost everyone in this small town knew, I kept hearing apologies and condolences from everyone left and right during summer.

   "I'll get going now Chul, I need to run some errands." She added.

   

   She slowly walked away from me and she dropped something, I picked it up and it was a wallet. I tried to give it back but she disappeared. I opened up the wallet and it was Jae Un's, not hers. I was confused, why does she have Jae Un's wallet? Did she picked it up and planned to return it? Or did she steal it? I placed the wallet inside my back pocket, I should give it back to Jae Un and ask Je Ni why she had it.

 

    I came back to school and it was already their lunch time, I told the guard I was only there to return something to a friend and he allowed me to go back in. I finally found Jae Un in one of the hallways, she looked like she didn't even know her wallet was missing.

 

   "Hey, Jae Un, is your wallet missing?" I suddenly asked.

   "Huh? What do you mean? No, It's right here in my pocket." She answered all confused looking. She then pulled out her wallet from her bag, it was there. 

   "But how is that possible..? I have it right here in my back po-" I cupped my back pocket and the wallet wasn't there, I reached in and there was only a thick small notepad.

   "What are you on about Chul.." She asked, she was weirded out.

   "Nevermind, I-I have to go." I got flustered, and rushed out. Things aren't making any sense today, I was pretty sure I had the wallet, It even had Jae Un's driving license. And while I was having my mental crisis, look who was in the hallway, none other than Kim Je Ni herself.

 

   "Okay, I don't what happened but why did you have Jae Un's wallet at the cemetery earlier? I was pretty sure it was her wallet." I confronted her.

   "What are you talking about? I was here at this school the whole time." She claimed, but it doesn't add up.

   "What do you mean you were here...?" I asked, things aren't making any sense anymore. I walked away and didn't wait for her response, today has been an absolute mess. It feels like everything happening is so unreal and supernatural, I can't explain what's happening.

 

   I ran home, so many weird things have happened today. First, the transfer student looked like the injured girl from the car accident. Second, my tumblr fell but it didn't make any sound. Third, I went to the cemetery and Je Ni was there and dropped Jae Un's wallet. Fourth, Jae Un's wallet was with her all along and I've been carrying a thick notepad in my back pocket and lastly Je Ni said she never left school. What is happening? Am I overthinking things? Was I seeing things I wasn't really seeing? 

 

   I spent the rest of the day sleeping, I didn't want to think about the things that happened. Yet I received a text from Jae Un.

 

    "Chul, you seemed off earlier. Party @ the park, meet me maybe it'll refresh you." She texted. Maybe she was right, maybe a party and some beer can help me clear my mind. I took my jacket and ran downstairs, I left without saying goodbye and walked to the park. It wasn't really that far, it was less than a mile. Gillamoor is a small town.

 

   "Hey, Chul! Glad you got my text, come on let's go get some beer." As expected, Jae Un was waiting for me infront of the entrace of the Park. We started walking down the path until I saw, what a surprise, Je Ni.

 

   "You head on, I'll talk to someone first." I said as I pushed Jae Un's shoulder.

 

   I walked to Je Ni as she drank beer. She was wearing a leather jacket with a cool biker feel, she let down a large sigh and said, "Oh, not you again Chul".

 

   "Yeah, it's me. Didn't know you'd be joining the party." I said.

   "There's a party? I'm just here to drink beer." She replied with such a sarcastic tone.

   "You know, I'm still confused with what you said earlier. You said you weren't at the cemetery even though you were, were you just playing with me?" I asked.

   "I said that? Huh." She dodged my question, who is this girl really? The duality of this person confuses me.

   "To be honest, this day has been quite weird, you including in it. I mean, now that I think about it, I never even told you my full name yet you call me Chul." I realized.

    "Uh-huh, yeah. Can we not talk about that? Someone is here to destroy the party." Je Ni said as she pointed at someone approaching us.

  

   I squinted my eyes and it I was shocked with what I saw,

   "The girl approaching... looks exactly, like.. you." I murmurred.

   "Yeah, about that." She said as she gave me her beer.

   I looked back at her and she looks completely different, it was like black magic. She didn't look like Je Ni anymore, she had her own different facial features.

   "W-what is happening.." I said as I opened my phone to call the cops. I was dialing the number until the one approaching us, the one that looks like Je Ni, took my phone.

 

   "You were almost 10 feet away from me, how did you-" I was shaking, everything's unexplainable.

   "Ji Su, why were you using my face? Were you the one at the cemetery?" The girl that looks like Je Ni asked the girl beside me, it looks like her name is actually Ji Su.

   "I wanted to trouble your 'human high-school life' Je Ni, can I be any more obvious?" Ji Su answered.

 

   I was slowly stepping back, these girls aren't normal. I have a hunch they're the reason for all the supernatural unexplainable things that have been happening to me today. I was about to run, until I got pulled, by thin air.

 

   "What happened?!" I panicked, I was pulled without any sort of rope I just felt my body levitate and move near them.

   "It's rude to run you know." Ji Su said.

   "I'm sorry, this is my sister Ji Su. We've met before right? I'm Je Ni, the transfer student. I'd really appreciate it if you keep quiet about all... all this." Je Ni pleaded.

   "What is.. all this..?" I was so confused and didn't know what to do, I couldn't run either.

    "Long story short, we're here for you Chul. We're witches, the Kims at your service." Ji Su said as she bowed.

    "W-witches?" 

     "Can I have my beer back?" She added.