“I agree ma’am. I feel like it’s all for the best too for the sake of the case.”

Saetbyeol stood before her bosses desk, hands clasped before her. Since San’s outburst in the car on their way back from the cave it had been decided by Saet and her boss that San be taken off the case. She still didn’t know what had suddenly gotten into San that night. 

“Very well. I know you’ll continue to work hard but just remember to take care of yourself and not overwork yourself.” 

Bidding Saet goodbye her boss shooed her out of the office with a soft smile. Saetbyeol’s boss was always very caring and kind. The two women instantly became friends when Saet was hired. Returning to her desk, she sunk into her chair - an audible sigh escaping her lips. It’s been almost three weeks since she last saw San. Her heart felt heavy and constantly ached. At first she wasn’t sure why she felt the way she did, but it didn’t take long for her to realize the truth. She hasn’t heard from her best friend Mirae since the night she was attacked either. What was going on? Was everyone abandoning her?

Shaking her head - sections of hair brushing her bare shoulders, pieces sticking to the knit fabric, strands falling across her face and eyes - the sensation soft and familiar but at the same time ticklish and foreign. Waiting for her computer to power on Saetbyeol sifted through her notes mentally bookmarking what to add. She didn’t know how she was going to handle all of this herself but she wasn’t going to let anything stop her from solving this mystery! 

-

This case was not making any sense. The more Saetbyeol investigated, the more it seems like something primal and less human. But what could do such a thing? It was time to broaden Saet’s horizons. Making her way back to the office Saetbyeol noticed a familiar figure standing near the picnic tables. 

“Mirae!” Saetbyeol burst into a sprint as she crashed bodies with her best friend - pulling her into a tight embrace. 

“Where have you been?! What happened to you after that night?! I have been trying to reach you ever since! I was starting to worry something really bad happened to you!” 

Mirae held her friends shaking frame tight, gently rubbing her back hoping to calm her.The two sat at a nearby table - Mirae watching Saetbyeol wipe away the tears that soaked her rosy cheeks. Once she sensed Saet calm down enough she proceeded to fill her in.

“I received an emergency phone call from my parents the next morning so I had to rush back home. I ended up leaving all my belongings here and my phone had died so I wasn’t able to contact you. I’m really sorry for worrying you, everything is okay now.”

“When did you get back?” 

“Late last night. I assumed you were sleeping so I decided to wait until today and tell you everything face to face. How is everything going with the case? How is San doing?”

Saetbyeol’s heart dropped at the sound of his name, a frown forming across her face. Mirae noticed the sudden change in her demeanor. “I haven’t seen or heard from him since the two of us got back to the office after we visited the caves. I’m worried Mirae. I know I shouldn’t be it’s just...I’ve gotten used to him being by my side. I miss his teasing, his laughter, the way his eyes formed small crescent shapes when he smiled. I miss it all and I don’t even know why I do.” 

Mirae’s eyes widened at the news. Seeing tears well up in Saet’s eyes once more, anger burst through her body. She didn’t understand how this could happen. He was so nice to her. He protected her. He treated her better than he treated anyone. Mirae knew what was going on but dared not say anything, they needed to figure it out on their own. None of this made sense to her. How could things turn out like this?

“What happened when I was away?”

Lowering her head, Saetbyeol began to recite everything that occurred in the past three weeks - tears flowing freely. But Saetbyeol didn’t care, she missed Choi San so much. It was only now when she realized just how she felt about him. Coming to an end she gently shook her head. 

The night in the car San stared at her so intensely Saetbyeol genuinely felt afraid of San, a feeling she never thought she would experience with him. His eyes were stone cold, like the damp stones in the cave. His words piercing like daggers. He had told her how she was smothering him. She was holding him back. He was constantly embarrassed to be around her. She was always causing him trouble. He wanted nothing to do with her anymore. The two drove back to the office in complete silence. Saetbyeol was in shock. The whole way she stared blankly out the window - tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she willed them not to. The last she saw of him was his car driving away, leaving her standing outside the office in the cold night. Turning her back she walked back to her apartment, allowing the tears to flow down her cheeks.

 “I don’t know how any of this happened. Things were going great between us. San had changed, but he reverted back to his old self maybe even worse.”

Bringing Saetbyeol into her side as to hide her away from onlookers Mirae wanting nothing more than to hunt him down and give him a piece of her mind and then some. Little did she know she was about to get her wish. Hearing the revving of an engine race towards them Mirae glanced up. A yellow sports car whipped into an empty parking spot, just barely missing the car to the right. A young woman about Mirae and Saetbyeol’s age emerged from the driver’s side. 

“Well that explains the poor, careless driving.” Mirae thought.

Then she saw him. The thin, slender figure stepped gracefully from the passenger side. Choi San. A smug smirk smeared across his face. Mirae wanted nothing more than to smack it off. He walked over to the woman as she immediately clung to his arm. The pair walked towards the building laughing and talking as if they had known one another for their entire life. But San once said he didn’t have any friends or family. So just who exactly was this girl? 

Saetbyeol lowered her head even more, freeing her hair from behind her ears as a way to shield her eyes and face entirely from his view. He couldn’t let him see her tears. He can’t know the effect this had on her. Watching the two walk past without a glance her way through the black curtain her heart shattered. He has completely forgotten all about her, about everything they’ve been through. Fate really did enjoy playing games with Saetbyeol. 

“Just who the hell does she think she is?!” 

Mirae cursed audibly as she stood up to go run after him and demand answers but was halted by a gentle tug on her sleeve. Looking down, Saet’s trembling hand clung to her, refusing to look up. Sighing, Mirae hoisted her friend up and ushered her to the car. “Come on, let’s go home.” 

Saetbyeol buried herself deep within her sheets. Blocking all sunlight out. She felt numb. No sense of hurt, cold or heartache could touch her. She sunk so far into herself nothing mattered. Mirae fed her - Saet’s eyes hollow, her stare blank. All light and warmth from her eyes. Tears no longer fell, she was emotionless. Just a hollow shell of who she once was. Her entire being taken from her. Mirae couldn’t watch her best friend go on like this. 

Grabbing her jacket and key’s she stormed out to her car and raced to Saetbyeol’s job. Saet knew what she was about to do but she no longer cared. Screeching to a stop, Mirae instantly locked on to her target. San sat alone at the furthest picnic table. Picking at his food, staring blankly ahead, he only snapped out of his trance at the sound of Mirae’s fist slamming onto the table right next to him. 

“Choi San you have a lot of explaining to do. And it better be good.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” San continued to stare straight ahead, his eyes still glazed over. His eyes were puffy but she wasn’t sure if it was from lack of sleep, staring at the computer screen or something else entirely. 

Mirae’s blood boiled hot within her veins. Without second thought her hands darted forward grabbing San by the front of his shirt, forcing him to look at her. Her gaze was so intense San couldn’t look away, he had never seen this usual gentle girl this angry. But he wasn’t sure as to why she was mad at him. What had he done? He tried to shake her off but her grip only tightened like a rattlesnake waiting for its prey to accept defeat. 

“You know damn well what I’m talking about! Saetbyeol! Or have you forgotten about her? Your partner at work, your friend, the girl you love, every cruel thing you said to her that night.”

Confusion danced across his face. The look in his eyes flickered at the sound of her name, as if he was trying to fight to remember something important that was slowly drifting away. His eyes started to become clear as realization set in. Mirae could see a battle raging in his eyes as he fought to hold onto the memories. 

“What are you doing?! Get off my boyfriend!” 

Mirae whipped her head in the direction of the voice only to see the girl that was attached to San at the office. Her long blonde hair draped over her shoulders, bangs swept off to one side covering her left eye slightly. The girl was dressed in a rather short and skin tight dress, not really the appropriate attire for a cold winter afternoon, a fur jacket draped over her small frame. The clattering of her heels got louder as she got closer to the two.

“This is none of your business!” Mirae snapped at the girl, returning her head back to San just to see his eyes completely glaze back over the closer she got. Just who was this girl and what power did she hold over him?

“It is my business when you’re harassing my boyfriend.”

Mirae had to admit the girl before her was very charming, but too charming. Her voice was like the sound of soft chimes that sent shivers down your spine and goosebumps to form all across your body. Her eyes were soft and around but the gaze that radiated from them was so intense it would make any man cower before her, even San. 

“My name is Solmi. I am San’s girlfriend. I am also working here now and San’s new partner.” 

Mirae couldn’t take much more of her. Releasing San, she turned to face Solmi. “I could care less who you say you are. I know who you really are, you can’t fool me and you’ll never replace Saetbyeol.” 

Solmi scoffed, raising her head she glared at Mirae “I don’t care, it’s not going to change anything. You and I both know this. Oh by the way, I know who you are as well.” 

Solmi reached down grabbing San’s arm helping him to his feet. Turning their backs to Mirae the two made their way inside. “Damn siren.”

Mirae spun on her heels making her way back to her car and home to Saet. She wasn’t going to allow San to be manipulated by that woman. And she certainly wasn’t going to allow her best friend to give up. 

-

Saetbyeol sat at her desk, her focus fully on the screen of her computer as she typed diligently about the new findings and theories to what really is responsible for all the killings. There was another attack a couple nights ago. Saetbyeol received a call in the middle of the night from her boss with the news. She immediately raced to the address her boss had texted her. The scene was the same as in the cave, bodies of animals piled skillfully on top of one another, the kill site was clean, the livers of each carcass was missing. 

Thinking back to that night at the cave Saetbyeol paused as the memories flooded her mind. The smell, the bodies, the way she cut her ankle, how San...San. Saetbyeol was successfully able to bury her feelings deep within her enough so she could return to work. She was still numb to everything but she pulled herself together with the help of Mirae. No. She won’t allow herself to think of him. He made things quite clear that night and then when he returned back to work with her. 

Hearing the sound of an all familiar laugh, Saetbyeol raised her head just enough to be able to glance out of the corner of her eye. Across the room she saw San and his new partner, Solmi she thinks Mirae told her, standing close to one another as they discussed a project they were working on. They were all everyone talked about, while Saetbyeol was once again left in the shadows - no longer aware of her existence. 

Her heart ached still, she wouldn’t deny that and she knew when she went home tonight the pain and misery would swallow her whole once again. But she never let it show. She couldn’t. Not that he remembered what happened anyway, or cared. Signing off her computer she made her way outside to head back to the woods to search for more clues. Reaching the door she could feel eyes on her but she didn’t dare stop to see who’s eyes it was. Exiting into the cold air helped clear her mind and bring her back to focus on the task at hand. 

The site, now void of reporters and police officers, was quiet and eerie.The air was thick and damp, her hair becoming slightly damp as it clung to her face from the dewy fog that lingered. Digging her camera out of her bag Saetbyeol made her way around the area snapping pictures to examine more closely later on. The sun started to dip lower in the sky as Saetbyeol finished taking pictures and taking notes. Turning to head back Saetbyeol stumbled in a nearby hole that had been covered up by the fresh fallen snow. Cursing as Saetbyeol tumbled to the moist soil she felt the sharp edge of what felt like a stick sliced across the delicate flesh of her ankle and palms of her hands.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Not this again.” 

Groaning, Saet stood up examining her injuries. They were bad but not as bad as the first time. Wiping her hands on a clean spot on her pants she bit her lower lip at the pain shooting through her ankle and palms. Hobbling to her car she made her way back to the office to get cleaned up. Putting on a brave face Saetbyeol made her way through the buildings door to the bathroom, fully aware of the stares and snickers coming from the other side of the building. She knew she looked terrible but she didn’t care. Locking the door behind her Saetbyeol began removing various leaves and grass from her hair and dirt from her clothes before moving on to patch up her wounds. 

Satisfied, ignoring the lingering pain in her body and the fresh blood that flowed leaving visible red blotches on the bandages, Saetbyeol made her way back to her desk. Passing Solmi and San, feeling their eyes on her, she heard San softly gasped and stand up as if to make his way to her but was stopped by his new partner. “Saet?” 

The sound of her name coming from his mouth after so long made her heart jump but she dare not react. Sinking into her chair she extended her injured ankle as she carefully removed the camera and notebook from her bag before placing them on her desk. It was just like last time, San could smell her blood. She was hurt again, but this time on more than just her ankle. San yearned to run to her and tend to her and he wasn’t sure why he felt this way. He had a girlfriend already. And he and Saetbyeol had never been close. They worked together for years but never got to know one another. So why was he feeling this way? 

Confused San remained in his trance. The scent of her blood was luring him more and more to her. Scenes flashed in his mind which only added to his confusion because she was there, laughing and smiling with him. What was going on? Why is he remembering such things? It felt like there was a thick veil before him blocking out important things he was fighting to remember. His heart ached in his chest and he didn’t understand why. What was he forgetting? Why was he fighting so hard to rip down the veil? He had everything. Who was Saetbyeol? 

Grabbing his face, Solmi turned San to face her. Locking eyes with her San could feel the veil getting thicker and the images started to fade away. Everything inside of him was screaming to hold on and not give in but the urge was too strong. San’s eyes glazed back over as his confused and conflicted expression was switched with the now typical cocky and smug one. 

“Babe you okay? You had me worried for a while.”

Solmi pressed her body against his as she gripped his arms feigning concern. Snaking his arms around her waist San glanced down at her smiling back at her. “Yeah I’m okay, just got distracted for a moment there. No need to worry, you’re the only one for me.” 

Making her way through the door of her apartment Saetbyeol wandered off to her room, tossing her belongings on the floor near her bed. She usually was more tidy but right now she didn’t care, she was in pain both physically and emotionally. She was tired. Changing into her pajama’s Saet made her way back downstairs to the living room. Mirae sat on the couch fully consumed by the drama she was watching. It wasn’t until she saw Saet limping to the couch that she snapped out of her trance. “What happened to you?” 

Mirae was used to her best friend getting hurt so she was never really surprised and was always prepared for such moments. Fetching the first aid kit Mirae sat down beside Saetbyeol and began properly tending to her wounds. Saet began to fill Mirae of everything that happened today, from her falling in the hole and getting hurt to San’s strange behavior after she got hurt. Cleaning up, Mirae sighed and reached her Saetbyeol’s hands. A look of seriousness set on her face. This wasn’t like Mirae, Saetbyeol was worried.

“Saet there’s some things you need to know. And I need you to promise me you’ll keep a very open mind.” Mirae was terrified. She was about to tell her only friend and family about Solmi, about San, about her. 

Saetbyeol was confused but nodded, promising to keep an open mind. Mirae was her best friend, her family, nothing would ever change that. 

“Saet everything you know about this world is a lie. There’s a lot more going on than you or anyone know. But you’re starting to realize that even if you’re not ready to admit it to yourself. Me, San and Solmi are...special. Even you are special.”

Taking a deep breath Mirae raised her head, looking right into Saet’s eyes. “Saet I’m the mythical creature Samjokgu. I’m the three legged dog of our folklore.”

Saetbyeol gasped, her eyes growing wide at the sudden news. “What?”