Sohyun was sitting with her current boyfriend, Myungsoo across her in the café. Customers around them had their phone camera towards them to take picture of the two. Well, who doesn’t want to lose the opportunity to take a close picture of their favourite actor and national athlete. Sohyun rolled her eyes in complete annoyance and crossed her arms to her chest.

“Come on, tell me” she jerked her head to Myungsoo’s phone that she managed to snatch and stalk a while ago. The screen displayed a selfie of Myungsoo with a young actress at a club. “Who’s this girl? I mean, I know she’s a newbie but I’m not that stupid to know this picture is taken in a club”

                Myungsoo chuckled. He fixed the shades he had from sliding down the bridge of his nose. “You know who she is”

“Your new girlfriend?” “Yup” “So what does that make me?” “My girlfriend too” “Listen, I know you’re older than me but that does not permit you to do anything you want” “Yes it does” he smiled with his head tilted. And that just add oil to the fire in Sohyun’s heart.

                Sohyun snorted. He really pushed her to the limit. Her palm cracked across his face, snapping his face to the side, his shades fell to the floor. The crowd gasped at the sudden action after witnessing their heated argument. She noticed the crowd but ignored their action. *I don’t care if this went viral on social media! And I don’t care if both of us lose our carrier due to it! This thrash just crossed the line!* She grabbed her things and darted out the door. She slid on her helmet and hopped onto her black motorcycle parked in front of the café. The motorcycle rumble echoed through the street as she rode away.

                Her mind was blank but full of curse word for Myungsoo. *Damn you, Myungsoo! I wish I could kill you now!* She turned to a corner. Brake screech against the road produced. She almost ran into the cars in front of her. “What the-“ she opened the windshield of her helmet. The road was congested. She tried to slit by the cars but apparently had to stop. She was at the roadside. Some passer-byer stopped to watch the accident scene before them.

“Poor that boy” a women voiced. Her friend besides her nodded. “He was just trying to help”

                Sohyun turned to the accident scene again after listening to their conversation. *I hope no one’s hurt* Instead of waiting in the road, she turned to enter a park near there. She took off her helmet. Her phone rang. She answered it as she got off the motorcycle.

“Yah, Yoon Sohyun!” a male snarl forced her to pull her phone away from her ear. “Doojoon oppa” she whined. “Do you wish me to be deaf?”

“Yes! Where the heck did you take my bike to?!” “Oh that” she chuckled and glanced at the bike. “I told mom I’m going to school with it”

“Yah! You think I don’t know you skip school?!”

                Sohyun smiled sheepishly. *Busted!*

“Yes, I skipped school. What’s wrong with it?!” “Yah, this rascal. You meet your boyfriend right? I told you to stop seeing him” “Yes. I broke up with him”

“Really?! Woah! Daebak!” “Are you really that happy that I suffer” “It’s better suffer now than later”

                She was silent. “So you know he was-“

“Yes I know Myungsoo is such a player. That’s why I’m against you two seeing each other from the beginnig. But I know you would never listen to me” “Oppa…”

“Yah, it’s no use crying for some useless . Keep your head up, Sohyun. Don’t let him see you miserable”

                Sohyun swallowed the lump and mustered a smile. “Of course I will, oppa. Thanks”

“Feeling better now?” “Yup” “Great. Now get back home and return my bike!” “Nae nae” Sohyun chuckled.

*                             *                             *

                Pool of blood spilled under an unconscious body on the road. A bicycle with its crooked body laid not far from the body. White liquid spilled under it with a glass bottle of milk shattered beside it.

*                             *                             *

                Sohyun strolled around the park. Her view went to the accident scene. She walked near the scene where a crowd already formed. She tried to get a better look but her small figure won’t let her. All she got to see was a glance of the pool of blood. She exited the crowd after failed the attempt.

*That looks bad. Please don’t let anyone die*

                She decided to continue to stroll. But then when she was about to take another step away, she almost stumbled upon something solid at the ground.

“What’s this?” she picked up the thing that almost made her fall. It was a sport shoe. But only the right pair. She looked around. *Why would someone walk around with only one shoe?* Her sight once again landed at the accident scene then to the shoe again. She turned the shoe around to see blood stain on it.

                Her leg suddenly lose strength. She flopped down on the grass, sobbed. *Poor this person. This must belong to that person. Please don’t let that person hurt badly*

*                             *                             *

The motorbike stopped inside the house compound. Sohyun got off the bike and took off the helmet. A small Savanah cat approached her with only its three legs. “Hey” she bent down to it and pet it. “How’s your day, Jerry? You must be hungry, right? Come let’s eat” she held it in her arm and helped filled the bowl. Sohyun watched as Jerry ate his dinner. “I’m going in. See you tomorrow, Jerry” After closed the gate, she entered the house. “I’m home” she put the helmet aside. Sohyun turned around to meet her mother. Mrs. Yoon had her arms crossed to her chest. Her face had no smile on it. Her brother stood behind Mrs. Yoon.

“Omma, I can explain-“

                Sohyun was about to proceed her explanation but Mrs. Yoon already hugged her.

“Omma…” Sohyun called. “I heard what Myungsoo did to you. Your oppa told me. Stay strong, Sohyun” Mrs. Yoon caressed her head. Sohyun smiled and met eyes with her brother. They exchanged smiles. She nodded with tears welled in her eyes. She chocks out a ‘yes’.

                Mrs. Yoon broke the hug. “Now go have a rest. But you know, as penalty for skipping school, you are not allowed to use the bike for 2 weeks”

                Sohyun smiled. “Nae, omma”

                Sohyun pushed open the door in front of the staircase on the second floor to reveal her room. Her room was painted with navy blue with the right wall coloured rose quartz. A drawer was placed beside the window and beside it was a single mattress on the floor. The wall beside the mattress was decorated with fairy light. Her study table was placed at the right wall. Notes and sticky notes hung on the wires at the wall. Next to the door was a ceiling height shelves packed with books and medals. Her white wooden closet was built in on her left with a dresser in front of it.

                Sohyun closed the door behind her and exhaled. She went to her study table and took out a marker. She added another mark at the tally on the small whiteboard hung on the wall. “Really? I’m just a high school senior yet being cheated for the 20^th time?” She snorted as she threw her bag on the floor. A muffled thud could be heard. Her eyes followed the sound. And saw the shoe.

“Aigo” she sighed and sat in front of the shoe. “Why am I even taking this with me? What if the person who own this shoe not survive? The ghost might come and get me” she shuddered as the image of Valak came into her mind. She threw the shoe into the bin before entered the shower.

*                             *                             *

                It was morning again. Sohyun clumsily and quickly packed her school bag.

“Sohyun” Mrs. Yoon voice could be heard from the first floor. “Nae, omma” she replied. “You want me to send you to school?” “No thanks, omma. I know you’re busy with the company today” “You sure?” “Nae” “Alright then”

                Sohyun wore her bag. She rushed downstairs.

“Opps!” she skidded to a stop. She almost ran into Doojoon as she was running around the house. “Yah, be careful” Doojoon snarled back as he busied tying the neck tie.

“Omma, you sure you don’t want me to accompany you to meet the vice chairman of YK Food today?” he asked. “No it’s okay. I’ll see you later at the office” Mrs. Yoon replied but her voice was muffled as she was at another room.

                Sohyun entered the garage. A dusty blue Mini Cooper was at the middle of the garage. She went to the wall and looked up. There was a few skateboard hung on the wall. Her eyes then went to the hover board near her. “Nah, I’ll just take this” she grabbed the skateboard with fiery graffiti on it. She stopped in front of the Mini Cooper. She sighed but with a smile. “I’m going to school, appa. Bye”

“Yah, Cetus” Doojoon called her. “Want me to send you to school?”

“Nah it’s okay. I’m going on my own” she replied as she walked pass him. “And can you just stop calling me Cetus? Like I don’t know you mean to call me monster”

“Good that you know” he smiled sheepishly to . “Oppa, Cetus is not a monster. It’s a whale” “Yea an ancient whale must be look hideous like monster. Well, must I say, like you?” he laughed.

                She snorted and ignored him. “I’m going, omma”

                Mrs. Yoon went to her. Sohyun bowed before left.

*                             *                             *

                The skateboard glided through the street. Sohyun turned into corners. She made one final jump and arrived in the school compound. She bent down to pick up her skateboard before walked into the school hallway. The hallway was crowded with students hanging out but the noise doesn’t disturb Sohyun as she was listening to her earphone. She took off her earphone and entered the homeroom.

“Yah, Jieun” she tapped the person sat in front of her. The plump girl turned to Sohyun with a smile. “Morning. You okay?”

“Yea. Why won’t I?” Sohyun smiled and put her bag aside. “Because the story about you and Myungsoo is the second trending story” “Oh that” Sohyun smiled. “It’s not a big deal. I start to hate him so much after all” She noticed the students were busy talking about a topic with phones in their hands. Some of them even shed tears.

“What’s going on? Something bad happen?” she asked Jieun. “Don’t you know?” Jieun turned her chair and showed her phone to Sohyun. It was a news about an accident.

“Yesterday, one of the member from a band involved in an accident. He was in coma”

                Sohyun gasped. She took the phone and continued to read the news. She looked away and swallowed the lump. Sohyun returned the phone.

“One of the member is a student here in our school” “Really? I never see him” “Yah, he’s in that group that sang ‘Goodbye’. It’s your fav song. How can you not know?” “Really? I never know about the singer” Sohyun looked down to her earphone. “And I just listened to that song just now”

                Sohyun’s mind suddenly went to the shoe she had picked up yesterday. *That must belong to him* She gasped. “Jieun-ah, help me look for that person’s image in the internet”

“Why?” “Just do it” “Nae nae” Jieun quickly immersed in her phone. “Here”

                Sohyun took the phone and added the word shoe beside the name. “So his name is Jung Daehyun”

“Yup. But why do you suddenly want to look for his image” “Wait. I’ll tell you in a bit”

                Sohyun scrolled through the images. There was an image on him and the other band members in the practise room. She zoomed at the photo. Gasped escaped from her lips that she had covered with her hands.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Jieun asked. Sohyun showed her the picture of the shoes he was wearing. “I was at accident scene yesterday. I came across a lost shoe but it got blood stain on it. And I don’t know why I kept the shoe” “Don’t tell me it’s this shoe” “Unfortunately, yes”

                This time it was Jieun to gasp. “What to do?!”

“Maybe I’ll just keep the shoe for the time being” “Yah, you need to return it fast” “Of course I will return it. Maybe not for the time being. His close relative and friends must be want to visit him. I don’t think I should go just yet”

                Jieun was silent for a while to think. She nodded after a few moments. “You got a point there”

*                             *                             *

                Sohyun and Jieun was walking to the gym after changed into their sports outfit. They were chatting and laughing. A group of girls bump into Jieun. One of them turned to them. “Opps, sorry” she smirked.

“Yah, Handong!” Sohyun gave her a good glare. Handong snickered. “You think I’m scared of you, Sohyun?”

                Sohyun was about to take a step closer but Jieun held her. Her hand was already clenched into a tight fist.

“Why?” Handong approached Sohyun. “You afraid to punch me? Go on”

“No, Sohyun” Jieun voiced. “You know you don’t want to be suspend from school again”

-Flashback (3 years back)-

                Sohyun stormed up the staircase of her house.

“Stop there, young lady!” Mrs. Yoon snarled that made her daughter stopped. Sohyun turned to her with an annoyed face. “I told you I’m innocence!”

“But you punch a kid!” “Omma, she’s the one who start it. I’m just trying to protect my friend! Can’t you believe your daughter?” “You record is all stain” “Stain?” Sohyun rolled her eyes. “You mean me trying to protect someone will stain my record as an athlete” “Yes” “Omma” she sighed. “I’m just protecting my friend! Believe me!”

“Omma” Dongjoon came behind her mother and caressed her shoulder. He met eyes with Sohyun. He jerked his head upstairs, directing her to go. Sohyun snorted and left.

“Omma, I don’t think it’s time to shout at her yet” he voiced. “Then when will I reprimand her?! She’s a grown up and have a big name! People will talk bad about her for a long time just because of one mistake. I can’t let that thing happen” Mrs. Yoon replied.

                Doojoon sighed. He looked upstairs.

                A series of knock invaded the once quiet surrounding of Sohyun’s room. Sohyun was on his bed, legs brought up to her embrace.

“It’s oppa”

“I didn’t lock the door” she wiped her tears away.

                Doojoon came and sat across her. Sohyun looked to the side, avoiding his eyes, hoping he wouldn’t see her tears. They were silent for a few moments.

“Aigo” Doojoon reached out to her right hand. It was bruised. “This need to be treat quickly” he took out the cold pack he had brought. Sohyun winched.

“Sorry” he tried to treat her gently. “That person face must be hard as rock. Look at this” he played with her lump hand. He smiled to her. Sohyun smiled a little. “You should try to punch her yourself to know how hard as wall her jaw is”

                Doojoon smiled as he managed to make her talk again.

“Sohyun-ah” he called. She looked at him. “I know you’re telling the truth”

“You mean?” “I talked to Yeonwoo just now. She called to explain everything” “It’s no use. We don’t have anything to prove my innocence. But it’s okay. This problem won’t affects her since she’s transferring” she looked away.

“But I want you to know that I believe in you”

                Sohyun turned to Doojoon again but he didn’t meet her eyes.

“I know my sister wouldn’t do such horrible thing to others. You’re an honourable person. You’ve mature enough to know that people know your name. People judge your life based on your action. And you know that you need to take care of your action, not to stain our family name. And most importantly your career as a national athlete”

                Her lips quivered again. She looked away as tears slid down her face once again. He saw her tears but pretended not to see as she continued to treat her. A few minutes later,

“There” he put her hand aside. “Don’t worry. I’ll try to explain to omma. She’s just so worried of you. I hope you understand her worries because she’s the only that have to take care of both of us. Anyway” Doojoon stood and ruffled her head. “You’ve done a great job, Cetus”

                He walked towards the door but stopped. He turned to her again. This time the two met eyes. “Don’t forget to pack your bag later”

“What for?” “I’ll take you to vacation in two days” “Woah! Where to? Just the of us? Daebak!” “Not really far. And just the two of us. You don’t have anything to do for the next 2 months right?” he smirked. “You’re jeering for being suspended from school right?” “It’s a great thing after all” he shrugged. “You get to rest, go to training and do everything you want to do for the time being”

“Yea you’re right. And most importantly I’m going to reflect on everything that happen. That’s what I really wanted to do calmly”

“That’s great” he gave her a thumb up. “Look, I told ya you’re mature” he smirked.

-End of Flashback-

*Reflect. That’s right. There is no point venting my anger on this witch* Sohyun put her fist away. She plastered a smile. “Handong-ah, let’s not be bad es and forget about picking fight with each other, okay?”

“Yah” Handong rolled her eyes. “What did you call me?!”

“Let’s go, Jieun” Sohyun pulled Jieun to walk again.

The gym was used by some class too. An archery practise was being held there along with basketball. Sohyun’s class played the dodge ball at a corner of the gym.

                The ball landed in Handong hands. Eveyone had their eyes on her. Handong had only one target. She looked up to see Sohyun in front of her. She smirked. The ball flew. Sohyun turned to dodge it but the ball flew straight to her shoulder. She could only blink before the weigh smacked her shoulder hard enough that made her legs gave up.  Sohyun fell onto the floor.

“Handong, you know you should only target the lower part of body” the teacher told Handong. “Oppss, sorry, sir. My mistake”

“Sohyun-ah, you okay?” Jieun quickly went to her. Sohyun held her hand up, forbidding Jieun to touch her. She was groaning in pain but bit her lips so hard. She looked up with a smile, to hide her pain. “I’m okay” she smiled to her friends who surrounded her. 

                Sohyun raised her hand. “I’m out” she walked out from their play area and sat at one of the seat. Her hand held her shoulder. *Man, that really have a death wish! I swear the ball really kill me. If I can’t draw my bow properly after this, I’ll hunt that witch till she die!*

                The class dismissed with everyone leaving the gym. Jieun and Sohyun walked side by side, eyes on Handong in front of her. Handong glanced to the back and saw them. She stopped and turned to them, arm crossed to her chest in selfish manner.

“Yah, Sohyun. You really are shameless, are you?”

“Excuse me?” Sohyun had to reply to her.

“How can you slap a top star?”

“Yah, Handong. I suggest you to shut your mouth” Jieun warned. She glanced at Sohyun. Handong really tried her patience today.

“Shut up, fatass” Handong replied to Jieun. Sohyun chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I see you have death wish today, Handong. I’m okay that you talk thrash about me. But don’t you dare body shame my friend”

“Why do you even care to protect others?” she snickered. “What’s your point of pointing out another person well-being and make it into something bad?! I don’t get your mentality! Can’t you just respect other people for who they are?! You think you are so perfect just because of your slim figure and rich family?!”

“Yea. At least I don’t go around slap people publicly” “You don’t understand my situation so just shut the up! Don’t just protect the one who looks guilty and punish the one who is innocence” “But that’s how the public see you” Handong looked around.

                Small crowd formed around them, and Sohyun just realised that. Most of them had their phone on them. She chuckled.

“Is this how low you can get, Handong? Woah! I’m impressed. Trying to use the media to brainwash people that I’m the bad one” “Why? It’s easy to take people down that way” “If you really hate me that much, just don’t talk to me or even look at me. Isn’t that easy? Why would you go through all trouble and testing my patient?” “Because I know you have none of them?” Handong shrugged with a smile and walked away.

“Sohyun-ah” Jieun tried to grab Sohyun’s hand but Sohyun already stormed out from the crowd, following Handong.

“Excuse me. Let me borrow this for a while” Sohyun took the bow and quiver from a student who was about to go keep the things after the archery practise.

                Gasped could be heard.

“Yah, Handong!” Sohyun called. Handong turned around. An arrow slid pass her face, close enough that she felt like it pierced through her head. Her heart almost stopped beating at the sudden attack. Her eyes went to the front again. There stood Sohyun with the bow and arrow in her hand. Her right arm already pulling the bow, ready to let the arrow propel. “Just so you know, you throw the ball at my right shoulder really hard. And it still hurt. Let’s see if you just make me lose my accuracy in archery”

                Handong shut her eyes again as another bow went straight towards her. She was panting in extreme fear. Her eyes trailed to the side. The bow perfectly pierced the arrow from the earlier. Handong’s legs grew weaker and she flopped down onto the floor. “Handong-ah, just remember this one thing. Your words could kill someone” she voiced. Sohyun glanced at the crowd. “You guys dare to post about this in social media or ready to face something worse than this” her eyes then went to another group of girls. It was Handong’s friends who were busy recording the whole situation. “I know you plan this to stain my name but I won’t let it be easy. Try harder next time”

                Sohyun returned the bow to the student before walked away.

-----------------------------------

Cameo appearance

Handong of DreamCatcher