(IV)

The moon rays make its way through her window, shyly entering past the drawn-out curtains and lightening her once dark room. But Seulgi, the stressed laying figure, doesn’t find the sight of her gleaming ceiling or anything outside calming though.

“It wasn’t real. It’s not real. You’re hallucinating. You need your sleep.”

Seulgi chants as she pulls her bed sheet to cover her whole body, almost reaching the top of her head by the time she breathes out a tired sigh.

She closes her eyes in order to sleep faster or so she tries. Shifting around in the search of comfort, Seulgi can’t hold herself from groaning out loud when that beautiful stranger’s face appears the moment she has her eyelids closed.

She peels the cover out of her face rather harshly.

“Stop appearing inside my head!”

The brunette hisses to no one. Eyes open and nose flares a visible steam of frustration. She glares at the wooden ceiling above her and feels her eyes twitching.

“Did she happen to bewitch me?”

The question rolls strangely off her tongue and she doesn’t like the idea of it. “No such a thing exists, Seulgi.”

“You live in a modern era where everything can be explained scientifically.” She mutters with a passion. “You’re no longer a kid who plays with your imaginary friend.” Sighing to herself, Seulgi rubs her face to get rid of her childhood memories. “You don’t believe in them anymore.”

She closes her vision again and huffs one last sigh, hoping to get a good sleep tonight. Thinking over this matter will not give any benefits at all.

“I sound stupid.” She mumbles audibly, still having her eyes closed tightly.

It’s when she doesn’t know how to explain things.

She is so used to think rationally about everything that happens in her daily life. That stranger’s unlikely presence does throw her into an imbalanced state. It’s as crazy as stating that the pigs are coming from the same ancestor’s as birds thus making them can fly as well.

No, freaking way.

Her head has already pounded in a huge pain from accidentally thinking over all those prior thoughts that scream madness. “Just freaking sleep Kang Seulgi!”

—

“So, this is how you’re going to spend your free day?”

“I’ve already arranged my stuff.” She responds sleepily.

“Get up.”

Seulgi tightens the grip around her blanket when it loosens a bit, all thanks to Seungwan’s stubborn pull. “I only have one day off!”

“Accompany me since you’ll definitely leave me to deal with myself through three months.”

The crouched figure spares a quick glance. “Why are you becoming so whiny? You’re so used to ignore my existence when you begin immersing yourself in your writing.”

Seungwan sits on the edge of her bed, hands still insisting to pull the cover off. “That’s because I’m still off duty.”

“You’re using me.” Seulgi spits as she turns her body around.

She meets her best friend’s undeterred look.

“You’re not any different,” Seungwan points her forefinger on her face. “I get ignored whenever you start talking about birds.”

Seulgi puffs out a tired sigh while pulling herself into a sitting position. “Why are we friends again?”

“I don’t even know why.”

—

“I recalled you saying something about having no energy to go out which was strange.”

The brunette only hums a reply while extending her hand to reach another side dish near her best friend. Seungwan sees the struggle and pushes it closer to her.

“Thanks!”

“So, what’s with the sudden interest in accompanying me?”

Seulgi motions at the served foods in front of them just as fast. “Because it’s a food trip.”

“Your second obsession after birds indeed.” Seungwan nods in acknowledgment. She picks her own chopsticks and starts digging her food as well. “Anyway, at what time did you come home? I didn’t see you coming though.”

Seulgi’s hand stops in midair, eyes blinking confusedly. “Right after midnight. I greeted you when you were in the kitchen.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I must be busy making a tea then.” Her best friend concludes after silently digesting everything. “Anyway, how was your night strolling?”

The weird midnight memory evokes and Seulgi flinches inwardly. She can’t possibly tell Seungwan about her encounter with that mythical creature right?

“Alright,” she ends up mustering it out loud. Leaving the details to herself as she watches Seungwan nod in silence. “The lake was beautiful.”

She tries to occupy her mind with how delicious this food is, but finds her focus straying to hear the ongoing conversation next to their table. They’re just that loud, she can’t help herself.

“I swear I wasn’t lying when I told you about seeing a beautiful woman in that lake months ago.”

Seulgi’s pace in eating has slowed by force. She cranes her head just so she can stealthily get a glimpse of the person talking just behind Seungwan.

A rather young man, she assumes in his mid-twenties is supporting a serious look while talking to his companion. He runs his hand on his raven black hair, making it look slightly disheveled. Seulgi almost scoffs out a disapproving cough as she sees his hair’s messy state.

She stops peering and begins shoving another food, though her ears are still perked up to hear the rest of their conversations.

“So, this is your reason to come here all the way from Seoul? Just for a woman that you’ve only seen for what? Twice?”

“Yeah.”

“Taehyung, you’re crazy.”

“I am.” He states, his deep voice cutting through the composed air of this small shop.

Seulgi can feel his determination from the way he speaks. It somewhat rattles her in a way she doesn’t like and so, she glances over to see him directly looking at her.

She awkwardly tries to divert her gaze somewhere but still catches him smiling in return, much to her surprise.

It feels so wrong to tune in their private conversations because all Seulgi can think throughout his earlier statement about seeing a beautiful woman and lake in one sentence is that creature.

Apparently, it’s not the case so she decides to drop the act. He might notice her eavesdropping throughout his conversation as well, thus explaining his weird respond towards her earlier.

“Seulgi?”

The quiet woman adjusts her eyes to see Seungwan frowning. “What’s wrong? Why are you smiling like that?”

“Huh?”

“And you’re sweating a lot too.”

Seulgi’s other hands shoot up to feel her temple forming a small bead of sweats. She looks over to Seungwan and realizes that the earlier smiling man is already gone.

“What?”

Her best friend gives her a weird look. “Why are you asking me back?”

The brunette gulps and shakes her head. “It’s just too spicy for my liking.” She says absentmindedly. Her sight drops to stare at her food, but she can’t bring herself to eat anymore. “Seungwan?”

Her best friend stops cutting a meat to give her a proper reply. “What?”

“The two men eating behind you,” she hesitantly bites her lower lip. “They…are already left?”

“What are you talking about?” Seungwan points at the back with her thumb, towards the empty table behind them. Her forehead creases with a frown. “We’re the only one here since it’s still not lunchtime yet.”

Seulgi chews her lower lip harder and nods, reaching for her drink with a calmer demeanor. “Oh.”

“Why?”

“Nothing.”

—

Seulgi sits on the chair and sets her eyes off at the sight of this lake view. A current page about the diversity of bird is open in her tab.

Everything seems normal from where she is sitting on their veranda.

No weird things happen.

But she feels like being watched for some unknown reason.

“Do you want some tea?”

She brings her attention to her left just in time to see Seungwan emerges from the door with a tray filled with small pot and two cups. The latter places it on the small table between them and Seulgi nods. She needs a little break after reading for hours, hopefully, it will also help to distract her from thinking that someone or something might be watching her somewhere.

The sudden presence of that weird man named Taehyung with his unsettling smile at that local restaurant has added another spoonful to her already filled plate.

He is not even a human, to begin with. If what Seungwan has said about them being the only customers even true. But then again, Seungwan does look serious before and that only confirms her assumption about him being not a human.

So, what does he want from her?

Everything falls rather absurd now after her meeting with that swan creature, “Sure.”

Seungwan complies and begins to fill their cups. A cup of steamy tea is served in her direction soon after and she smiles while receiving it. “Thanks.”

Her best friend joins her to sit on the vacant chair beside her, the tea inside her cup is already halfway by the time she speaks. “The weather is quite chilly, don’t you think?”

Seulgi sips on her warm drink once again before placing it on the tray. “Yeah, winter is coming.”

“Are you set on doing your observation in that kind of weather?”     

She dips her head in positivity. “Of course. That’s the whole point of me staying here after all.”

“It would be more comfortable to do that in any weather, but winter.” Seungwan continues to speak up her mind.

“I’ve been in much worse situations before and I’m used to it now.” Seulgi’s lips stretch into a small smile. “Besides, this kind of weather seems pretty normal to me though.”

The blonde woman’s brows rise up. “I’ll never understand that logic of yours.”

Seulgi laughs when her best friend continues to put a scrunched face.

“Where are you going to start? Around the lake?”

“No,” she lays her journal open and points at the drawing she has made. “I’ll save the lake for later. Since it’s pretty huge, I’ll start from the farthest spot which is the forest near the mountain and will go to the other sites, according to this order.” Seulgi explains further. “I’ve made up my mind to only use four areas. Two forests, the coastline and the lake itself. The estimated time for each area is 15 days. I conclude it’s already able to represent the rest of the birds’ population in this area.”

Seungwan studies the drawn map and looks up at her. “Are you going to do the rest of this job all alone?”

“Not really. A local guide will accompany me through my observation time.”

“It still counts as alone, freak.” Her blonde best friend replies and Seulgi only shrugs her shoulder.

“They’re covering the other areas in Goseong-gun, remember?”

“Such a loner,”

“Well, I prefer that way though.”

Seungwan clicks her tongue and borrows her journal, skimming through it while Seulgi resumes in reading her digital book. “That’s why I wonder why we’re friends.” The taller woman comments as she glides over her tab’s screen. “Normal people will still find me weird.”

“I think I’m already accustomed to your weirdness. We’ve practically grown up together since birth.”

Seulgi merely grins. “I’m already accustomed to your nag as well. I thought I had two mothers.”

“I don’t have a daughter like you.” The blonde woman barks a playful respond and sighs after a while of browsing past her journal. “I wish I had a talent like you.”

“Huh?” Seulgi lifts her face to see Seungwan tapping on one of her sketches. To her horror, it’s the particular sketch of that swan from her last night encounter.

“You could be a professional.”

“It’s just a hobby.” Seulgi blankly mutters. “Besides, it’s not much.” She tries hard to tear her gaze off the said drawing, but to her dismay, it only rolls back to stare until Seungwan closes the book for her. Her best friend pushes it back in her direction.

“You’ve what it got. Don’t deny it.”

“If you put it that way,” Seulgi pockets her journal back in her small bag. “I don’t like to flaunt what I have.”

—

“Why are you doing this again?”

Seulgi murmurs lowly as she finds herself sauntering outside, reciting the same path yet again and leading her to this one particular place with its way too peaceful surroundings in the midnight.

No crickets sound, just nothing.

Her walking’s pace has slowed down into a stop when her peripheral eyes catch the sight of a big stone she comes to familiar with. There’s no sign of anyone or anything or that woman either. It’s the right time to redeem her wrongdoing, her poor chosen decision of wanting to ask the said creature about something.

“Are you finally afraid of me?”

A clear velvety voice echoes from the direction of that stone, when she’s about to retreat back and goes home.

“Why would I?” Seulgi asks back, mustering a firmer tone when the woman in white pops out of nowhere. Even though her body stays planted in place and her expression remains blank on the surface, deep inside she is still not accustomed to this rapid supernatural experience that has started since yesterday night.

An airy giggle emerges, breaking the silence surrounding them and Seulgi doesn’t feel like joining her. Being teased by a mythical creature isn’t something she looks forward to happen.

“Come and sit with me then.”

“I don’t take any request from you.”

“It’s not a request.”

Her black hair reflects the light coming from the moon above them, it gleams under the exposure and so her eyes that now intensely looking back at her. “It’s an order.”

“Are you in the middle of bewitching me?” Seulgi queries in return, feeling the same reaction that has occurred within her whenever their eyes meet for a moment.

“Do you want me to?”

Seulgi’s eyes twitch slightly when her companion has her right brow raised. The one with the scar on.

“I don’t believe in it.”

The appearance of her pearly white teeth is quick, flashing in a split of second before her magenta colored lips cover it fully by forming a wide smile. “But you’re curious.”

“Whatever.” The brunette says with a shrug. “One thing for sure, I’m not afraid of you.”

“That’s good to hear because I enjoy your companion.”

Seulgi can’t hide her surprised look. This creature manages to make her muted for a good minute for saying baseless things like that. “I don’t recall being a companion to you.”

“But I do.” The woman smiles as she swings one leg over from above the stone, her long dress nearly reaching down the ground.

“Suit yourself.” Seulgi declares indifferently though it doesn’t seem to affect the woman across her in the slightest.

“Despite it, you’re still coming over here.”

“Wait.”

Seulgi feels the need to correct her. She folds her hands against her chest rather defensively. “I’m not coming for you.”

“I didn’t say that you were coming here for me though.” The mischievous tone comes back with a force and Seulgi runs her hand around her ponytail with exasperation. “Do any other mythical creatures behaving like you?”

“Mythical creatures?”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m whatever you want me to interpret, though.”

“You’re still a mythical creature.” Seulgi deadpans. “And you’re not answering my earlier question.”

“I’ll answer yours and in exchange, you should answer mine. How is that?”

The brunette rubs her temple in frustration. This is going way too ridiculous for her liking. Why is she putting up with this conversation in the first place?

Her mind and body might as well be separated in a different place. She’s not done contemplating yet has the ability to mumble an answer without a chance to withdraw her thrown our word. “Fine.”

“Great.” The woman beams back. “And the answer to your question is no. Not really.”

Seulgi’s jaw hangs open. It’s nowhere near answering her curiosity. “That’s it?”

“Yup, your former question was a yes and no type and it didn’t require any further explanation. So, now it’s my turn.” She replies in a nonchalant tone, supporting a glee expression much to her mild irritation.

“What’s your name?”

Seulgi is so tempted to troll her, by saying a weird and difficult name out loud just so she can get her revenge back. A scientific name sounds just right to her ear. But when she’s about to name it out yet the warning coming from that creature quickly makes her rethink of doing so.

“Don’t try to be despicable. I might or might not read your thoughts.”

The brunette stares in disbelief, finding it hard to accept that she’s the one being in the unfortunate side. “Do you know that it’s against someone’s privacy? I can sue you to the police!”

“What’s police?”

Seulgi studies her genuinely confused look and exhales a big amount of an air. She’s not going to waste any of her time by giving a lecture to this creature. “Nothing.”

“Oh, okay. So, what’s your name?”

“Seulgi.” She brings her gaze to meet her. She doesn’t have a choice but to comply with her earlier request. “My name is Seulgi.”

“Just Seulgi?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, my name is Irene.” The grinning woman states from her place. “Nice meeting you, Seulgi.”

“It’s not nice meeting you and I’m not asking for your name.” Seulgi snappily mutters as she turns on her feet, ready to go back. “Bye.”

“Good night, Seulgi!”

“It’s already morning.” The lanky woman retorts before she leaves Irene by herself, pulling the hood of her jacket when the night breezes blow past her. She fastens the pace of her stepping as the rustling sound forming in the background makes it presence and audible to her ears.

She doesn’t want to look back though.

“Oh, right. Good morning Seulgi!”

Seulgi hears Irene exclaim happily and shakes her head. She quickly makes her way towards her cottage, all the while fighting the urge to smile back.