Sundays in Goyang were ordinary and quiet. However, Sundays during June in Goyang could never equate to a normal Sunday. When Sayu looked over at the parking meter to her side, the time read 12:05, right in the middle of the day when the sun was at its highest. The trees were lime green, the air was comfortably warm, birds were out, people were out, and the sun encompassed everything it could touch - but the cool breeze was the real show stopper,  for it never failed to cool you down. She got off her pale blue bicycle and secured it, looking back once to note its location before opening the door to the little pharmacy. It was a small place, with five short aisles of colourful snacks, basic necessities, beauty products, and magazines. At the back was an old man wearing a white lab coat reading a prescription from behind the counter.

Sayu pulled out her earbuds and smiled at the man. “Hi, can I get this filled please?”

Greeting her back, the man took the prescription and told her to wait just a moment. The young girl took this time to wander around, browsing through the many wonderful snacks. Sayu reasoned with herself once she saw the distinct green coloured bag of her favourite candies. You’re allowed just one snack because you have been pretty healthy this week. Do not overdo it. As she turned the corner to the other aisle, a magazine - which had been left hanging carelessly on the top shelf - caught her shoulder and fell loudly on the floor. Sayu cringed and looked over at the pharmacist whose concentration was interrupted from his careful calculations.

“Sorry.” She winced and bends down to pick up the fallen magazine. Who puts a magazine up here anyways?

Instantly Sayu feels herself go cold. In the front cover, blown to fit the whole page, was the familiar pop group in all their glory. It was the picture of the man she’s been trying to avoid.  She could feel her heart drop to her stomach as she allowed herself to admire him closely. His hair was red now, she observed; his eyes were still round and big - his smile, still the same. The feeling still the same. The tightness in and numbness in her face still, unfortunately, the same. One second Sayu is shocked, confused, yearning, and then angry. Why was she still reacting this way to this man, or even worse, to this … idol? Since their successful comeback last year, they have soared in popularity. It’s ridiculous. They are everywhere; on the streets, on billboards, on variety shows, radios, and even here, about as far away from the central city as you can get. It’s been becoming increasingly harder for Sayu to go about her everyday life without hearing or seeing anything that has to do with EXO.

The following weeks after she saw his face for the first time were the worst nights she’s ever had. She dreaded sleeping. In fact she feared it. All those emotions will never leave her, and if they never leave her she will have no choice but to eventually accept her emotions for him. The greatest fears lies within the deepest consequences; if she stops fighting it, she has accepted that Kyung Soo of popular boy group EXO is the man she has been dreaming of. How absurd is that sentence!  But even if she somehow convinced herself that it was not Kyung Soo, it did not erase the fact that there is a man out there - a man she knew. If she slept, she would see that man die again and again and again. Unbearable was the only way to describe it. For a whole week Sayu never slept at night, instead opting to take short naps during the day. With a dull pale face, Sayu never left the house without dark circles under her eyes. Her grades dropped. She began sleeping in class. It was a miracle her mom noticed before her teacher did. She frantically brought her to the doctor, who then prescribed her medication to help sleep.

It wasn’t fair; she was doing everything she could - some things her mom made her do - to control her night terrors and remain sane; she’s been taking sleep medication, going to stupid meditation classes, and for her last year of highschool she signed up for several extracurriculars, attended hagwon schools, and studied every moment where she did not have something else to do. All this just to keep her mind from wandering to dangerous topics.

However, the drastic lifestyle change seemed to have worked. Other than magazines and billboards, she hasn’t seen the man’s face again. The killings stopped after the first couple days of medication. Never once did she see the strange hotel nor hear the sound of piano keys. She was left with muted images of bright lights and dark skies, and whatever else she dreams about but cannot remember. Her sleep has definitely gotten better, and with her four years of  high school tucked under her belt, and a beautiful summer, she was as stress free as possible. Except...

Sayu eyes the magazine wearily; with EXO’s new raise in popularity, she was not sure her ‘peaceful’ life would last. Deep down, Sayu knew he was bound to make an appearance again.

“Excuse me Ms.?”

Sayu tore her focus away from the magazine and almost screamed. For a brief moment, she was face to face with the terrible red mask looking down at her. The same red mask that killed him; the red masks she never saw for a year. The confused pharmacist seemed just as startled.

“I-I’m sorry. I think I zoned out.” Sayu mumbled almost incoherently. The pharmacist must have been calling her before deciding to hand her the meds himself. He had the same concentrated look as when she walked in, the only thing different was that he adorned a slightly pink mask to cover his mouth. Her brain must have somehow linked the two images together to bring her nightmare to life.

“I’m sorry, I called you but you didn’t hear me.”

When Sayu did not respond he noted her eyes focused on his pink mask.

“I’m sick.” He says, which seemed to snap Sayu out of thought. “That’s why I’m wearing it.”

“Ah yes, yes of course.” Sayu catches herself just in time and makes an effort to regain composure. The pharmacist looks at her worriedly, “Are you alright?” He begins to inspect her face for signs of illness.

“Yes, yes sir I’m alright. I’m just a bit sick as well.” She offered him a smile to ease the tension, but the damage was already done. Not wanting to be there any longer for fear of further humiliating herself, she grabs the medicine handed to her and quickly thanks the poor pharmacist before running out the door and getting on her bike.

It was not until she reached the front of her house where she remembered she forgot to buy her favourite green coloured candies.