Stardust vaulted over the wooden fence that surrounded the Kang household’s backyard. She didn’t require any Astral energy to do it; the Representation was strong enough to do so on her own. The wounds at her back and thigh protested such dramatic  movements, but the pain barely registered to her. She jogged up the steps to the porch, stepping easily despite her ungainly footwear, thick heels pounding against the wood. For her, she’d never not worn stiletto boots. She would be less balanced without them.

    Stardust drew back into her host, and Seulgi took over. As they switched places, Seulgi felt the silver tint lifting from her hair, the streaks of liquid black running into the wind, dissipating like fog in dry air. Even the clothes Stardust wore - the provocative, tight outfits that left little to the imagination - were swept away by the wind, revealing Seulgi’s pajamas underneath. Once her bare feet felt the spongy, springy texture of the wood beneath them, she knew the transformation was complete. Seulgi opened the sliding door carefully and crept inside.

She found herself standing two feet in front of her brother. The lanky man stood with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand, dressed in an undershirt and basketball shorts, appraising Seulgi with a curious, perplexed expression.

Damn it.

    “What’s up?” Bogum said casually, glancing past her as if he expected someone else to be there.

    “Uh… nothing. Just went for a midnight stroll,” Seulgi said, internally begging for Stardust to intervene with some support. The Representation barely noticed; she had retreated into some distant, far-off pocket of Seulgi’s mind. “What’re you doing up?”

    Bogum shrugged, sprawled himself out on the living room couch. “Not tired. I slept all day too, remember?”

    Seulgi sank into the couch beside her brother, releasing an explosive sigh. She was tired, but if she went to bed right then, sleep would probably evade her. There were a dozen different thought threads vying for dominance in her head. The situation at Bristol. The fact that she would have to collaborate with Seungwan without Stardust going into a frenzy. Joohyun’s daughters.  

    “That that happened at the party was insane,” Bogum said suddenly, staring into the depths of his mug. “And then all that stuff at your school… it feels like the world’s been going crazy.”

    “The world’s always going crazy,” Seulgi said, hoping to sound more optimistic than dismissive.

    “I looked into the Bristol thing more,” Bogum said. There was an edge of worry in his voice, which surprised Seulgi. Her brother was usually pretty aloof, his biggest concerns being the amount of monthly listens his songs got and whichever random Hollywood girl he was courting. “Like, individual accounts, social media posts and stuff. It doesn’t just seem like some random string of violent attacks, and it’s not restricted to the university. There’s a live thread on Reddit about it. Pictures of students covered in this weird stuff that looks like tar, videos of people - not just students either, old people and professors and stuff - running down the street like they’re cracked out or something. I don’t know… some people are calling it all a hoax, but these are posts by students, and they’re freaking out. Like they’re actually concerned for their lives. Sounds like a goddamn zombie apocalypse.”

    Seulgi shifted in her seat. Her brother’s assumption was eerily close to the truth.

    Bogum looked up. There was no mistaking the frank, open concern on his face. “If this stuff doesn’t clear up by the time Spring Break’s over, you should consider staying here. You know, taking leave from school. Mom’ll be pissed, but she’s not gonna argue about it, if it keeps you safe.”

    Seulgi paused, unable to meet Bogum’s eyes.

    “What’s wrong?” he asked.

    “I… was actually thinking of going back early,” Seulgi said, looking up. The shock painted on her brother’s face bordered on indignation. “I, um, have a lot of schoolwork to catch up on, and I can’t really focus here.”

    Bogum shook his head slowly, muted by disbelief.

    “Plus, I wanna make sure Sooyoung is okay,” Seulgi added quickly. Stardust watched calmly, interested, yet distracted by an idea just beyond Seulgi’s awareness. “She still hasn’t answered my texts. She doesn’t have anyone else to really look after her. I mean, her aunt and uncle, but they don’t-”

    “What the hell are you talking about, Seulgi?” Bogum demanded in a harsh whisper. “There’s libraries around here, you can find a spot to focus if school’s really that important. I know Sooyoung’s a close friend of yours, and that family situation is complicated, but… . You can’t just throw yourself into that mess. What could you even do for her?”

    From the back of her mind came a derisive snort from Stardust, but the Representation still seemed occupied.

    Unable to think of a suitable response, Seulgi stammered, then fell silent.

Help me out here, Seulgi conveyed to her alter ego. Stardust remained quiet, fixated on whatever task she was doing. From a brief look, Seulgi could feel that the Representation was searching for something. Rifling through a distant collection of thoughts, connected not to the Astral Plane but to her own memories. Specifically childhood memories of her and Bogum. Instances where they had cared for one another, from sharing lunch in elementary school to making excuses for each other when sneaking out in high school.

Fine. Stardust said.

Seulgi inhaled sharply as Stardust jumped to take over, foreign presence rushing forward, crashing into Seulgi and completely stifling her own. Stardust’s control wasn’t simply a domination of her personality and mentality; the Representation took the change as far as it could go.

With a measure of horror, Seulgi felt herself gaining the characteristically magical appearance of Stardust. Unlike her previous transformations, this one came instantaneously, with a burst of Astral energy that sparked and tingled at the surface of her skin, giving the impression that she exuded a sort of internal glow.

Bogum flinched back, covering his eyes from the increased brilliance. When he was able to look at his sister again, she stood before him, transparent blade in her right hand, conjured dress of black velvet hanging from her well-muscled build. Stardust’s hard, unwavering glare - framed by the silver and green hair that drifted around her by an intangible wind - fell on Bogum.

He fainted.

    Stardust was stunned into inactivity, allowing Seulgi a modicum of autonomy. She seized it, hurled herself back into the driver’s seat of her body. Still possessing the strength of a Representation, Seulgi easily dragged her brother back atop the couch. When he was flat, she pressed her clenched fist to his sternum and rubbed hard.

    Bogum winced and grabbed at Seulgi’s wrist with a weak grip. His eyes shot open, grip becoming tight, and she relented. The fabric of Bogum’s shirt had been torn open, and his chest was marked by a reddish-pink wound, droplets of blood welling at its raw edges.

    “,” Seulgi muttered, using her sleeve to dab away the blood. “Sorry.”

    Bogum sat up and scooted himself away from Seulgi. His face was pale, beads of newly-formed sweat at his forehead glistening in the wan living room light.

    “What the , Seulgi?” Bogum demanded breathlessly, looking her up and down. “What the was that?”

    Seulgi started, realizing that she still wore the costume of Stardust. She grinned awkwardly, then allowed the Representation’s cast to lift from her and dissipate. Bogum paled further, causing Seulgi to worry about whether he would pass out again. Thankfully, he didn’t, but he still maintained the air of a man whose entire world had been its head. Which, in a way, it had been.

    “Well,” she said, running a hand through her now-black hair. “I didn’t really mean to do that, actually. It was the woman who lives in my head.”

    Why the did you do that? Seulgi spat at Stardust.

    I looked through the memories of your childhood, saw how you two interacted with each other, and figured you were close enough for him to keep the secret. Stardust said casually.

    Bogum dug a trembling hand into his pocket, began fumbling around, never looking away from his sister. Seulgi felt her heart sink as she pictured him calling the police on her. She was about to lunge forward to stop him, but he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, dropped one into his hand, and stuck it into the corner of his mouth.

    “Don’t smoke that inside,” Seulgi said, finding it ridiculous that this was part of the same conversation in which she was going to have to explain her superpowers to him.

    Bogum gave a terse nod, then swung his legs over the side of the couch and marched outside, heedlessly slamming the back door behind him. After listening in order to ensure that their parents hadn’t woken up, Seulgi followed.

    She found Bogum pacing back and forth on the deck, smoking a cigarette with such fervor that Seulgi was surprised he didn’t suffocate within thirty seconds.

    “You were responsible for that… that… whatever the happened Saturday night,” Bogum said, enunciating at her with his cigarette.

    “Yes. But that wasn’t my-”

    “You shattered a window without getting hurt, destroyed the interior of a house, and then flew away

Seulgi’s attempt at whispering a response was overrun by a rapid stream of words from Bogum. His breaths came harshly, gestures jerky with a mania that was the polar opposite of his previously bleary state.

Seulgi guessed it was an improvement.

    “I did some of that, yeah, but-”

    Bogum stopped again, gesturing accusingly with his cigarette. Ash floated around him with each jab of his finger. 

“And you wanna go back to Bristol because there’s some weird supernatural going on over there that you’re involved with?”

    “Yes, actually-”

    “Then what-”

    “Bogum!” Seulgi yelled, grabbing her brother by the shoulders and shaking him hard. “Listen to me.”

    In the farthest corner of Seulgi’s brain, Stardust gave a nod of approval.

    “Just give me a chance to explain everything. I know it’s overwhelming, and I honestly didn’t mean to spring it all on you like that,” Seulgi paused to shoot Stardust a mental glare, “But now that you know, I can lay it all out for you. You just have to try to calm down… we should probably sit somewhere though. It’s a long story.”

    Bogum was quiet for a few seconds before giving a nod. He shrugged Seulgi’s hands away, grabbed a pair of patio chairs and set them side-by-side, facing the backyard. He took a seat, popped out two fresh cigarettes, passed one over to Seulgi. She accepted it, dropped into her chair and allowed him to light it for her.

    “Okay,” she said, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. She wasn’t drunk enough to crave a cigarette, but found that the harsh flavor and nicotine buzz were exactly what she needed just then. “I guess I’ll start from the beginning.”

***

    Seulgi finished her fifth beer, tamped out her fourth cigarette, and leaned back in her chair. The cool, pre-day air gave the world a stillness, a sense of misplaced yet welcome serenity. It was the type of morning that - in her childhood - preceded a Sunday of lounging, eating Swiss Rolls, and drinking tea. Dawnlight kissed the San Gabriel mountains, filtered through a sheen of lingering rainclouds. A fine mist meandered above the field adjacent to their backyard, drifting with the eastbound breeze, a breeze that carried with it the fresh smell of mud and wet grass.

    “And that,” Seulgi said, swirling the thin foam at the bottom of her bottle, “Is how your dumb younger sister got superpowers.”

    Bogum nodded slowly, head tilted back, unfocused gaze lost in the sky. His face was haggard, posture slumped as if he’d just spent the past few hours doing hard manual labor. Seulgi attributed that partially to the seven beers he’d drank, but it was impossible to deny the effect that her story had.

    She’d been sparing with the details of her relationship with Joohyun; Bogum didn’t particularly care for romance, and she assumed that he wouldn’t have wanted to hear about her life. Besides, he was (understandably) more interested with the fantastical aspects of Seulgi’s double life, such as the workings of the Astral Plane, the “magic” that she was able to perform using her ring, the existence of her alter ego, Seulgi Stardust. And, of course, the end of the world.

    It was that bit of information that seemed to hit Bogum hardest. He asked the most questions about it, anxiety visibly evolving as Seulgi described Geulim Ja and his assault on the planet. As she explained the scenario, and its many intricacies, Seulgi found herself wondering why the pressure of a coming apocalypse hadn’t been weighing more on her mind. Yes, she’d been distracted by events in her life, such as Bogum’s parties and her… “escapades” with Joohyun, but shouldn’t the prospect of her planet’s destruction have caused her at least some grief? Had she just been in denial? Blissfully unaware of the threat hanging over her head like a guillotine while her best friend fought for her life five-thousand miles away? And here she sat, drunk and comfortable on the porch of her home as Sooyoung and Joohyun marched headfirst into what could very well be their end?

    Seulgi felt troubled, a growl of nerves blooming achingly in her stomach. It was a sensation that she hadn’t felt in several days. She had nearly forgotten the feeling, despite its constant presence through all of her life.

    After a time, Bogum reopened his pack of cigarettes, saw that it was empty, then crumpled it in his hand. He leaned forward in his seat, hands folded and pressed to the bridge of his nose as if he were praying. That probably wasn’t the case; he was agnostic, as neutrally religious as anyone Seulgi had ever met. Though, finding out that magic and pseudo-goddesses were real could shake a man’s faith.

    “So that’s how it is,” Bogum said, straightening. “Either all this is real, or I dropped acid one time too many this year.”

    Seulgi laughed humorlessly. “I guess.”

    “You really do have to go back, right?” he asked, turning to her. The openness about his expression took Seulgi aback. She had never seen her brother so vulnerable.

    “I do,” Seulgi said, “I’ve been kind of avoiding a lot of my responsibilities in this, but I can’t do it anymore.”

    Bogum checked his phone. “It’s almost six. Dad’s not working today, so he’ll probably sleep late, but mom will be up soon.”

    Seulgi cocked an eyebrow.

    “I’ll cover for you,” Bogum said, gathering the cardboard beer container and tossing empty bottles into it.

    Seulgi snorted. “Good luck explaining this all properly to mom and dad. They’re gonna freak out, and no excuse will be remotely good enough to explain me running directly into danger.”

    Bogum stopped in his cleaning of the area around them, looked at his sister incredulously. “Does it matter?”

    “What?” Seulgi asked, brow furrowed.

    “There’s a woman living in your head giving you powers, there’s a dimension next to ours where stars and planets exist as people, and a sentient black hole is about to kill us all. They may be mad now, but I’m sure they’ll understand once this is all over.”

    Even Stardust, who had been mute for the latter part of the night, expressed a sliver of surprise at Bogum’s directness.

    Though surprised, Seulgi felt herself grinning. “When you put it that way, it makes more sense.”

    Bogum nodded seriously. “I’d still hurry up and leave before they wake up, though. Leaving with them around will make this a hundred times harder.”

    Seulgi’s heart sank at the prospect of running from her parents, imagining the distraught, confused looks they would give her as she fled. Yes, it was definitely better to leave now.

    “Alright. I’ll go pack then,” Seulgi said, standing and stretching herself out. It felt like she’d been sitting for days, not hours. “I’ll probably just bring the stuff I really need.”

    “You can ignore their calls, if that makes it easier for you,” Bogum said, walking up to her. “But try to keep in contact if you can. A couple texts. Just let us know you’re still...”

    “Alive?” Seulgi asked, looking away.

    Bogum nodded. Then, unexpectedly, he pulled Seulgi into a tight hug. It was restrained in comparison to the embrace she’d received from her mother, but the underlying sentiment was the same. He was worried, bordering on distraught.

    “For the love of God, be careful,” he said, releasing her. “And if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

    Briefly, Seulgi imagined her brother fighting by her side, armed with a Charm of his own, courtesy of Seungwan. She dismissed the idea as quickly as it came. The danger was too great. Their parents didn’t need to lose both children to mysterious, nonsensical circumstances.

    “Make sure you keep me updated on what’s going on here,” Seulgi said. “If the eternal night starts to pop up here, let me know immediately, and I’ll be back. You remember how I described Eodum’s minions?”

    Having no experience of her own with the ghouls, Seulgi had drawn upon Sooyoung’s account of them, but she figured that would be enough.

    “I do.”

    “I’ll probably jump straight into the Astral Plane from my room,” Seulgi said, confirming with Stardust. “There’s a Touchpoint in the Galactic Lounge in Brunswick. Stardust knows where it is. If I do have to come back to California, I’ll have you meet me at Newport Beach. That’s the nearest Touchpoint to here.”

    Bogum gave a grunt of assent. “When this is over, if the world hasn’t been swallowed by darkness, you’re gonna show me some more of those ing awesome powers.”

    Seulgi smiled as she saw that sliver of Bogum’s true personality.

    With one final goodbye, Seulgi stealthily made her way inside and to her room, where she tried to decide on what to carry with her. There were plenty of clothes at her dorm; she wouldn’t need to bring much of those. In order to hide the haste in which she was leaving, however, she folded her clothes neatly, stashed them at the back of her closet along with her backpack and suitcase.

    In the end, she slung her guitar case over her shoulder, the sole item she chose to bring into this potential battlefield with her. It seemed silly to have the instrument with her, but it was a memento, a piece of her pre-Joohyun life, dating back to her early youth. It had been with her through many rough times, the trials of everyday life, and would be with her during what was certainly the most harrowing of them all.

    She was surprised when Stardust made no comment regarding the extra weight.

    You know how to handle traveling through the Astral Plane, Seulgi said, addressing the Representation. It would probably be easier for you to take over for now.

    Stardust responded by drawing herself forward. Unlike her revealing outburst the night prior, she hovered just behind Seulgi’s consciousness, waiting to be invited in. Seulgi considered confronting her alter ego about what she’d done, but she decided not to. They needed to work together. Now was not the time to start an argument with Stardust.

    As if in agreement, Stardust fully drew herself into Seulgi’s body, switching their places and becoming the primary controller of their shared vessel.

    Seconds later, she vanished in a flash of brilliant light, torn reality resealing itself behind her.

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

And with that, Seulgi finally returns to Bristol to join Seungwan, Moonbyul, and Solar in the fight! Took her long enough, but at least she realizes that now.

Next chapter will be another Seulgi POV, (well, technically Stardust). It'll be the first chapter I'm writing from Stardust's perspective, which will be interesting, to say the least. It'll be called "Dark Fantasy (The Rise of Seulgi Stardust". Hope you're looking forward to it (:

Thanks for reading, and remember to upvote and comment if you enjoy the content!