Chapter 12,

“Whoa wait? Hyunmin? Ji Hyunmin?” He grips my wrists and my eyes widen.

I’m suddenly running across a crosswalk, it was weird I was in a much smaller body than I figured I’d be in. I was staring across the street at someone. That’s when I could hear it coming, a box truck flying down the road towards me, towards Sejong.

“Yah!” A small familiar voice calls out and I make eye contact with a younger version of myself. Hyunmin stood a ways behind me his eyes wide. I see my younger self grip onto my hand and the small yank causes me-in Sejong’s body-to fly forward. But the yank wasn’t enough, I’m struck by the box truck anyways.

I come back to reality with a gasp. What was that? That wasn’t Sejong’s death? That was a memory? Well for me it was anyways?

Sejong was the young boy I saved from dying back in fourth grade. Shortly before I started seeing death. I had always wondered how he was doing and here he is standing before me a young man now.

Sejong seems equally shocked. “You’re Ji Hyunmin’s sister?”

I blink confused. “Yeah, did you know him?”

He swallows and stands up running a hand through his hair. “I-uh, I had dreams about him in fourth grade and tried to save him. But I got in that accident and couldn’t.”

The tears from earlier had long since stopped and I freeze. So it was true it was him and we had met before?

He also freezes. “When did you start seeing death?” His hands seemed to be shaking.

“Around a week or so before Hyunmin died. After your accident.” I admit staring at his shaking hands. My hands begun to shake as well.

A pained look crosses his face and he collapses onto the ground. I quickly stand to move towards him but he puts a hand up to stop me.

“What’s going on?” I ask him.

He shakes his head tears spilling out of his eyes. “I think I’m the reason you see death.”

My mouth goes dry. What?

“Because you saved me, my ability passed on to you.” He states biting his lip. “I don’t know how but that has to be what happened?”

I shake my head. “But why is mine through touch if yours is through dreams?”

He shakes his head. “I’m not sure. Maybe since I touched you when you grabbed a hold of me to pull me out of the street it became touch for you?”

I take a step back. This was all too much for me right now. Too much at one time.

“I need some time.” I tell him. “Do you know when my accident takes place?”

He closes his eyes. “According to the date I saw displayed on the bus it’s not until a week and a half from now.”

That gives me some time to work some things out.

“I’m going to head out.” I nod towards him and turn away.

I walk quickly forcing myself not to break down in front of him again. Once I’m streets away I finally let it out. I bend to my knees and lean up against the side of a building. Tears flowing out endlessly. Why me? Was it really true that the reason I see death is because of Sejong? Saving him quite possibly ruined my life?

I can’t even hate him for it. He didn’t ask me to save him. And I wouldn’t go back into time to change the fact that I saved him. He’s still a human being.

What was I going to do? I don't understand why this happened? How could it be passed on? Why does Sejong even have this ability in the first place?

-

I ring Dohwan’s doorbell standing outside his front door I waited for him to answer. After I left Sejong I spent thirty minutes or so collecting myself before coming here.

The door clicks open and I bite my lip at seeing his grandma being the one to open the door.

“Oh hello?” She greets me, her wrinkled face scrunches up in confusion at seeing me behind the door.

“Ah, hello. Is Dohwan here?” I ask sheepishly. I still haven’t met her despite sneaking in and out of his place the past few days. Dohwan had been actively looking for an apartment so we could get her and him both out of this place before Dohwan’s father returned too drunk and beat them up again. Luckily he hadn't been home the past few days so I haven't had a run in with him.

“You-you know my Dohwanie?” She coos almost like she was excited.

I smile a bit. “Yeah, we go to the same school together.” I awkwardly scratch at the back of my neck.

“Yeah he’s here. Come on in sweetie.” She opens the door further for me allowing me entry. As I’m slipping off my shoes she pats me on the back and I freeze. “He’s in his room let me get him.”

As she waddles off I grip onto the wall bracing myself. Only it never came. I never got a vision of her death. The smile that was on my face from earlier was long gone. That older woman that Sejong was talking about in my dream was her wasn’t it?

I don’t even know what to do now? Everything Sejong has said s