The morning smelled like rain and it was refreshing. Chaeyoung felt a little bit more comfortable because the room was warm and comfy. The first ray of lights paved the land with gold and the view was breathtaking. The atmosphere was indeed different from the night before and maybe she found some solace despite the unknown.  She took some time before getting dressed and thought, what am I doing here ? Am I really needed ? Because I don’t want to feel worthless, or take the wrong path. It was very hard for Chaeyoung to admit that - indeed, moving away from her family felt like taking a new step in life but what was waiting for her, was too blurry.

Then, she heard whispers coming from behind the door. She recognized Sana’s voice but the other one was still mysterious. Chaeyoung wanted to open the door but it didn’t seemed to be a good idea. She waited, some words reaching her ears but it wasn’t enough to form something coherent. Five minutes later she finally stepped out of her room, got down the marvelous stairs and reached the living room. The sun made it livelier, less old and maybe she could get used to it.

"Oh, already up ?" Sana’s voice rang inside her ears and the power it held, made her smile. Sana was a mood lifter, she could probably make someone smile in the horror of any event. She wondered if the blond ever went to school, if she had the privilege to be popular or had the luck to be loved.

"The sun woke me up, I forgot to close the curtains", Chaeyoung shrugged and sat down on the sofa. There was food, it smelled nice and fresh. At home she used to take care of her own self, there was no good smell of a breakfast, or nice words in the morning and this was different.

"Well, today we have a special guest and this is the start of a beautiful day. I will ask you to stay cordial, it’s the.. owner of this place", Sana was in deep thought but quickly shared a smile before walking around, tidying up the room. She was a little bit nervous, or maybe she was really happy and too excited. It was hard for Chaeyoung to focus on whatever was happening but the bell rang and it made her jolt in surprise. So, if the guest just arrived, she heard Sana whispering with someone else..

"Wait for me, I’m coming back", Sana whispered and walked away like a tornado, leaving a light flowery scent around the room. Chaeyoung breathed in, nervous and at peace at the same time. It was tiring to feel extreme sensations that has no close connection. Deep down she knew she could break down at any moment, but curiousness was holding her into pieces and Sana.. Sana had a motherly side.

While she was eating croissants, steps came nearer but since her back was facing the door, she couldn’t discreetly take a look at the owner. The voice was strong but soft. The whispers weren’t audible but Sana had a merry voice, different from what she heard until now. Were they close ? Chaeyoung thought the blond was the actual owner of this place, it made sense since she was the one welcoming her inside this surreal mansion. But everybody has the right to be wrong. The paintings hanging on the walls gave a sense of responsibility, the Asian men and women on the pictures seemed to have established some important laws or anything close from this field in the world. Wasn’t it weird, that here, in North England, such a place exist ? Chaeyoung had no time to dig in because the supposedly owner made her entrance, smiling.

"Hi, I guess you are Chaeyoung, am I right ?" The woman was about the same height as her, maybe a little taller. She had short hair, a wide smile and a body very well-built. Indeed it wasn’t a kid anymore, she couldn’t say if she was twenty or twenty-five years old.

"Yes, nice to meet you..?"

"Park Jihyo, nice to meet you too. I heard you walked under a storm before Sana caught you staring at the mansion ?" Jihyo laughed, it came from the heart and Chaeyoung was confused. Who are they ? This whole situation seemed familiar and confusing at the same time.

"I wasn’t staring actually I-"

"You heard the whispers, yes, that was me", Jihyo seemed a bit sorry to have intruded her mind ? Chaeyoung frowned and immediately – she should have seen it coming, Sana explained.

"No she can’t infiltrate your mind, but she can travel, sort of, and make you hear things I guess ?" Sana pressed her index against her chin while Jihyo had a cheeky smile. They both looked childish all of a sudden and it made the youngest helpless. Are they human ? Yes, indeed, if she had powers and was human, those two must be too.

"But I’m glad you came, the situation is a bit tough. Those are our last sunny days, be ready to miss the light", Jihyo sighed before walking away from the two woman, standing near the croissants. Sana took a bite, eating without caring and some crumbs fell on the ground. Chaeyoung avoided the dirt and followed them, reaching the table full of antic papyrus, books and different sort of objects. She had some knowledge about history and recognized Egyptian sculptures, paintings, writings, mixed with Latin writing, and then, there was pentacles. Something was going on and if the sun wasn’t shining so brightly, she would have been more scared than ever.

"I tried to reach the “others” but, I think we won’t be able to be nine.." Sana’s voice was low, as if Chaeyoung shouldn’t have caught those words. But it was too late, she stepped too close and invaded the secret.

"The plan won’t work if we are only seven, or even eight", Jihyo’s voice was stern and Sana’s jaw clenched.

"Since she’s already here, it’s making things harder", Sana hissed. Chaeyoung stepped back to leave them alone. This little talk was private, Jihyo and Sana had to talk but strangely, as the venom was being spat, they grew closer and closer, like lovers in a quarrel. Chaeyoung sighed, touching old relics, looking through windows used to conserve fragile objects. She believed there wasn’t two places like this one in this goddamn world.

"Chaeyoung ?" Jihyo’s voice was sweet, but too sweet. She knew the next words coming were going to have an impact.

"Show us what you can do." 

Chaeyoung was right. The night she arrived, she saw a silhouette and it meant that four persons were inside this mansion. Sana, Jihyo, the stranger and herself. Was it another woman ? Or a man ? She tried to recall but the image wasn’t clear inside her mind. They went back to the hall. Each steps they took made them walk further into the manor. Her heart beat went crazy, the atmosphere was heavy and she felt lucky to have a room in the liveliest part of this huge house.

"Sana, I let you handle the situation ?" Jihyo stopped. Sana nodded and Chaeyoung frowned. Sana wanted to pinch her cheeks but it would have offended the latter and Jihyo would have taken it as a personal attack.

"Of course, go back to work", Sana giggled while Jihyo sank into the darkness, reaching another corridor. The two women took another pair of stairs, this time thinner and it had nothing spectacular comparing to the hall. It gave to the fourth floor, the last one, where Chaeyoung saw the dark silhouette under the stormy night. There was almost no light and when they reached a black wooden door, the only of the whole mansion. Sana pushed it open.

"I bring you some company, smile and behave", Sana said loudly. They door finally went wide open and a woman with long and black hair, stood sitting against the window, a Shakespeare book inside her hands. At this moment, Chaeyoung thought that the girl reading : was the coolest woman alive.

"I’m not an animal, you’re such a pain in the Sana", the voice was low but very unstable. When Chaeyoung met her eyes, she read misery and maybe, she wasn’t the coolest person on earth anymore.

A/N : Hello ! I hope you're liking the story so far, I know it takes time to introduce each person and I want to take my time, but I promise it will get intersting !