"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..."

Siyeon hustles down the pavement as she tries to calm her racing heart down, clasping her palms together and begins chanting prayers. She doesn't dare to look back thinking that the lady just now is probably still following her behind her back. The path back home from the crossroads that she has parted way with Yoohyeon usually only took fifteen minutes but now, she feels as if she has been walking for a very, very long time --- passing by crops, fields, shophouses and various road signs but just not her house. And her pace quickens with fear as each second passes by, because she knows that as long as she is still outside in the darkness, there will be danger.

Why were there some flying things chasing her just now?

Who the hell was that lady in white?

And that rooster... oh god...

Her head is bursting. Everything that has happened to her just now seems so unreal that she can't find any logical explanations for them.

Just then, she feels a gentle tap on the right side of her shoulders. Her heart stops. Her footsteps halt immediately and her stiff body freezes not daring to move even an inch away from her spot. Her hands shakily find their way to , trying to muffle any voice or scream that she fears might be let out uncontrollably. And her eyes quickly shut, silently braving herself for what is going to happen next.

"Lee Siyeon!" The familiar voice rings in her ears.

Eh...?

"Hey, earth to Lee Siyeon!" A waving palm gradually appears from her peripheral view, followed by the sight of a foolishly grinning Yoohyeon. "Oh my god, look at your face!" Then the girl starts to laugh without a care in the world. "Did you see a ghost or something?"

The fear is in Siyeon's heart instantly dissipates and she is more than relieved, if not grateful by her best friend's appearance, especially at this uncanny hour. She quickly get herself together and put up a straight face, hoping that the other girl won't see through the facade, "What? You suddenly tapped my shoulder in the middle of the night when there's supposed to be nobody, of course I would be a little surprised!"

"Hmm but your face..." Yoohyeon's voice trails off as she leans in a little closer teasingly to observe the other's expression. "Doesn't look like it's just a little though..."

"Come closer if you dare, Kim Yoohyeon," Siyeon challenges the girl as she puckers her lips.

Yoohyeon immediately takes a huge step backwards in disgust, "Oh no, I know you like girls but please control your hormones. I haven't had my first kiss yet."

Siyeon chuckles at the panicking girl who is often too easily triggered. She recalls their teacher telling them about how liking the opposite gender was not acceptable in the past and that her teacher's great-grandmother would often have to date secretly so that their families and friends wouldn't find out. There were also stories about how same gender marriage was illegal and people would rally to fight for their rights. Whereas in times like now, liking girls or boys doesn't matter. Liking the opposite genders has become a very common sight and people are encouraged to love freely which Siyeon is grateful for.

And she wonders what Yoohyeon ual orientation is. As far as she knows, she hasn't heard the girl saying about showing any interest in anyone before since high school till now. Is she perhaps aromantic?

"Oh yah, weren't you going home? Why did you turn back?" Siyeon asks when she suddenly recalls Yoohyeon's coincidental appearance.

A long red string of something that resembles a necklace is lifted out from Yoohyeon's pocket, "Someone left something with me."

Siyeon immediately reaches her hand out to her chest and realises that it is indeed not there.

"Why is my amulet with you?"

No wonder... Now she understands why she encountered so many weird things just now... It was all because she didn't have her amulet with her.

"You dropped it when we were having dinner just now," Yoohyeon explains and lays out the both end of the strings that had broken into two, eliciting a gasp from the other girl. "Luckily I saw and pick it up."

Siyeon immediately snatches the amulet over, "And you didn't think about returning it to me?"

"Well..." Yoohyeon let out a sheepish grin as she eyes the other girl warily. "I wanted to prank you, you see..."

Siyeon scoffs in disbelief, "Wow, you wanted to prank me?" And she ties the two ends into a knot before hooking the amulet onto her neck again. "This amulet is really important to me. If you lose it, you can't pay me back even with money!"

"How important can it be? Isn't it just like a paper origami?"

"You won't understand even if I tell you."

"Tch, whatever."

Seeing that the amulet is safely back onto Siyeon's neck, Yoohyeon turns around and was prepared to head for home when an arm grabs tightly onto her, "What?" A worried frown finds its way onto her face as she senses some troubles ahead. "I've returned you your amulet."

"Let me stay the night at your house."

Yoohyeon is puzzled, "Why so sudden?"

"Ah, I don't feel like going home tonight," Siyeon lies as she carefully eyes the total darkness that is surrounding them. Honestly, she is afraid that the lady will follow her home although what she said is also part of the reasons. There hasn't been a time when she hasn't think about leaving home.  "You live alone anyway."

"I'm okay with it but won't your dad be angry?" Yoohyeon asks with a softened gaze, feeling rather concerned, knowing that Siyeon's father can be over-controlling.

There was once when the three of them went for an two days and one night trip to an offshore island and Siyeon's father almost beaten her to death when she came home. They never mentioned about that incident in front of Siyeon again as they weren't sure if she wanted to talk about it.

"Come on, Yoohyeon, I'm a college student now, nineteen years old and an adult!" Siyeon gives Yoohyeon an 'are-you-serious' kind of look as she nudges the girl playfully. "I'm no longer a daddy's girl. Why would I still care if he's angry or not? Maybe the past me would but not now. Trust me, it's totally fine. I will just text him later."

Frankly speaking, Yoohyeon doesn't fully believe in Siyeon's words. After knowing the girl for four years since high school and spending so much time together, she is able to tell when the girl is telling the truth or not. Call it intuition or best friend's feelings, or maybe because they have similar personalities, she is able to understand Siyeon easily like an open book. Yubin even called them twins sometimes.

Stubborn, sensitive, guarded and a little egotistic but yet optimistic and always remaining hopeful in times of difficult situations.

Sometimes, it feels like she is seeing her own reflection in Siyeon. The only difference is, Siyeon is more willing to open up and see things from different point of views, which Yoohyeon can't even after all these while.

"Hmm, I thought so!" Yoohyeon says with a cheerful smile as she decides to play along. "Okay, I shall let you stay the night but let me say this first, you sleep on the floor."

"Oh why? Aren't we best friend?" Siyeon whines as she latches herself shamelessly onto Yoohyeon's arms like a kitten yearning for attention. "We can share."

Feeling slightly disturbed, Yoohyeon pulls away from the girl and raises her arms up in defeat, "Arg, fine, fine! But you can't take all the blanket! I will freeze to death."

"Yes, boss. I will listen to you."

"Be grateful, my slave--- Awh! Ouch!" Yoohyeon let out a yelp when she feels a hard slap lands on her arm. "Watch your strength, Lee Siyeon!"

Siyeon pulls her sleeves up like she is ready to fight, "Who are you calling a slave again, Kim Yoohyeon?"

"Of course it's you!"

"Do you want to die?!"

"So do you still want to stay the night or not?" Yoohyeon threatens as she raises a knowing brow at the girl, totally aware that she has the upper hand right now, of course she has to cherish this opportunity.

Siyeon immediately reaches out to Yoohyeon's backpack and carry it on her shoulder before smiling, "I'm sure you can feel my sincerity now."

And Yoohyeon can also see the daggers behind that smile that's waiting to attack her in the morning.

"Not enough," Yoohyeon clears as she speaks. "I think... I feel a little offended just now by your words. Shouldn't you say sorry? Unless---,"

"I'm sorry."

"Pfft," Yoohyeon tries to suppress her laughter but her effort clearly failed when she sees the reluctant look on Siyeon's face, as if she has regretted all her life decisions.

The 'sorry' simply came too fast.

"Very good," Yoohyeon mimicks the voice of an arrogant CEO that she has learnt from the tv. She is having too much fun with the situation. "Don't disobey me, my slave."

She can deal with the consequences later in the morning.

*******

Minji observes the two girls closely as she has hidden herself in the bush and only comes out when they finally decides to leave. She exhales a deep sigh she watches the figures disappear into the darkness. Humans simply like to talk too much.

So their names are Lee Siyeon and Kim Yoohyeon.

But... Lee Siyeon? Human?

There is a lot to wonder about her.

Minji was following so closely behind Siyeon and given the frantic escape of the latter, everything could have turned out right with just a little scare. She could have gotten her answers easily if it wasn't for Kim Yoohyeon, that daring human who had suddenly veered into her course. What a pity. Humans always like to mess up everything, don't they?

"Who are you?"

The fragile voice and the sight of the vulnerable human could not leave Minji's mind. She tries not to think about it but every time she did, more and more questions pop up in her mind. Just who is she? Why can she see her?

The anxiousness is killing her.

*******

"Oh, you've finally woken up..."

"Where..." The figure on the bed sits herself up slowly as she breathes heavily. "Where am I?" 

"You're in the Snow Inn, Heroine."

"What...?" She clutches onto her throbbing head at the sharp pain that suddenly invades. "Urg, my head..."

"Don't move around. You are still very weak."

People always say, in order to find a way out of darkness, one must always hold onto the belief that at the end of every tunnel, there will always be light. The only way out is to look at the bright side and keep on hoping, and to be patient because eventually, time will prove everything and all the answers will fall into place naturally. 

"The Princess," The heroine panicks when she realises the loss of a company by her side and grabs onto the owner's arms anxiously. "Did you see the Princess? Where is she?"

"The Princess---,"

"I'm here," Another figure strolls into the inn with a small bowl in her hand. She approaches the heroine with a warm smile and sits onto the bed beside her. "The Physician told me that this medicine is good for your recovery," Then, she scoops a mouthful of the herbal medicine and blows onto the hot soup before sending it into the heroine's mouth. "I brew this for hour. You must finish it."

"I will listen to everything you say, my Princess," The heroine smiles, relieved as she grasps onto the other's hand and gives it an assuring squeeze. 

To move forward is to hope, Minji once thought so too. But there will be a breaking point where the once infinite-time will run out, and so will hope. Just like the many other souls who are still roaming around the living world, they continue to co-exist with their loved ones, some wanting to protect them, some unable to let go of them and some don't want to be left behind... But nobody can defeat nature. As time moves forward and people move on, their time only stop at the day they left the living world. Soon, their existence will be wiped off from the living world and forgotten, along with the memories that they had in their past life. And after a thousand year of wandering aimlessly around the living world without an answer, their souls will ultimately vanish entirely from the universe.  

"Will you stay with me forever?" The princess asks one day.

"What do you think?" The heroine pulls the oblivious princess onto the bed with her and places a kiss onto her hand. "Don't ever doubt my love for you, my Princess."

"But what if there's no forever here?"

"Hmm... then we will leave and go to a place far, far away from here where no one can find us." The heroine says and circles her arms around the princess's waist, the nice fruity scent sends a smile onto her lips. "And we won't need to hide. I can show you all my love whenever I want."

The princess giggles and put out a pinky finger, "It's a promise? After you recover?"

"Yes, it is a promise."

"Let's build a house together and we can live there peacefully. I want to turn the backyard into a garden of flowers like my favourite lilies and sunflowers and....."

.

".....We can also open a small eatery in the town. You know how to cook the best dumplings...."

.

"I love you....live happily forever....."

.

".....I'm in a lot of pain, Minji."

.

"Help me please....."

.

"ARGHH!!! HELP ME!!!"

Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Tick Tock. TIck. Tock.

A series of heavy breaths echo in the thin air.

Snow Inn, injuries, herbal soup, princess, forever, promise, whatever they are... All of them, everything, they've disappeared. They are gone. There is nothing. What's left are the sounds of the ticking clock and a sea of darkness that is clouding around her.

And a mysterious face and voice.

Minji only sighs as she evens out her breathings.

Hope... how cruel and dangerous is that? How can you understand how losing someone feels like when you don't even remember experiencing it before?

*******

The next morning arrives so quickly that Siyeon doesn't think that she actually manages to catch any glimpse of sleep at all. She stretches her lazy arm out to silent the annoying alarm. Her head hurts badly. What's worse is the lack of sunlight into the room as the windows are all protected firmly by curtains, making the dimly-lit room a good condition to fall back into sleep. (Siyeon asked Yoohyeon once and the latter said that she like her room dark.) They shouldn't have stayed up so late to play games.

"Kim Yoohyeon, wake up!" Siyeon let out a yawn and slaps the sleeping girl's multiple time. How can she be sleeping so peacefully like a log after cursing so much in the matches yesterday? Unbelievable. "We need to go to school today. We promised Yubin."

Yoohyeon stirs, subconsciously wrapping her body with the blanket as she groans, "Urg, screw Lee Yubin. She is so annoying."

Siyeon giggles as she cuddles against the girl, "Yeah, yeah, make sure I hear you telling her that later."

The journey to school is laborious especially when they are walking under the merciless scorching sun. Birds are chirping away freely and their flight around the area seems to have painted merriness across the gloomy morning sky. And Siyeon's heart instantly brightens at the sight.

Whenever there are birds, there will be eggs. Wherever there are eggs, there will be money.

"Here I come!!"

Spotting a crowd of birds gathered at a tree, Siyeon picks up a stone and throws it onto the tree which then hits the branch with a loud thud and instantly scares the birds away. This always works. She then swiftly climbs onto the tree and steals the unprotected eggs on the nest.

"Hey, be careful," Yoohyeon warns as she watches her friend slides down, not that this is their first time but she always get anxious whenever Siyeon pulls such a dangerous stunt like this.

In times like these when real food are scarce and people in the city are starting to produce artificial food due to exhaustion of resources, these eggs straight from a bird's womb can definitely fetch a good price. Stealing is wrong, of course, teachers had taught them that since elementary school but everyone is doing it, resulting in the already scarce resources getting lesser and lesser each day. Local authorities were alerted to catch the thieves but they were too, overwhelmed by their own sympathies for the thieves' same state of poverty and chose let them go.

In the end, stealing is not wrong because everyone is doing it. What's wrong is being poor.

"Mmm," Siyeon grins satisfactorily at the return on her cap while holding them close to her chest, afraid that someone would suddenly jump out and steal the loot from them. "Not bad, we got five eggs today."

"Come on, let's sell them to the merchant first."

The morning route takes a detour and the two girls come out of the merchant's shop, smiling from eye to eye at the cash notes in their hand which is enough to provide them a week worth of food. And the teasings yesterday are finally revenged and repaid when Yoohyeon is now the one carrying Siyeon's backpack.

An eye for an eye.

"Argh! My chicken!" The howl of the farmhouse's ahjumma shakes the neighbourhood.

"Omo!" A series of gasps of horror follows after as the neighbours gather around the ahjumma's house. "Who would be so heartless to have done this?"

"This is so sick!"

"Have you offended anyone recently?"

The memories of yesterday's incident strikes. Siyeon quickly lowers her cap and quickens her pace as she passes by the farmhouse, her gaze fixated onto the ground below her. She just wants to leave and avoid the farmhouse as far as possible. What if someone else actually saw what happened yesterday and manages to recognise her? The whole thing makes her nauseous.

"Poor chicken," Yoohyeon comments as she actively nudges for Siyeon to look at the commotion. "Ew, look at the mess, there's so much blood over the fence... Why would someone do this?"

"Mmm..."

"But then again... it's actually not that bad, at least that ahjumma has food tonight."

They are close to passing by the slaughtered rooster and Siyeon manages to keep her gaze onto the ground for all these while but the continuous nudges from the other girl makes it impossible, forcing her to turn her head towards the crime scene. Squinting her eyes, Siyeon tries not to look too much and when she was about to avert her gaze away, she catches a glimpse of a long-haired woman clad in a white robe staring at her with a smirk.

It is the same woman that she saw yesterday!

She freezes on the spot and her eyes widen, feeling the same chill running down her spine with the stare so deep.

"Right, Siyeon?" Yoohyeon's voice breaks her train of thoughts, momentarily bringing her attention back onto her best friend again.

Siyeon quickly get herself together, "Hmm? What?"

"You're not listening to me again, Lee Siyeon!" Yoohyeon laments at the easily distracted girl. "I was saying that at least the slaughtered chicken will serve that ahjumma a sumptuous meal tonight."

"Oh," Siyeon forces a smile. "Yeah, I thought so too."

"Maybe we should get a chicken too..."

And when Siyeon turns and look again, the woman is no longer there anymore.

There is a moment of relief.

Yes, she must be seeing things.

Fortunately, Yoohyeon doesn't pursue further and her curious peeks only last for a moment but Siyeon's paranoidism has only just begun as they continue their journey to school.

*******

The first weird incident that Siyeon encounters happens in the school's restroom.

"Quick, Kim Yoohyeon, accompany me to the toilet! My pee is coming out!" Siyeon hurries her steps as she forcefully drags Yoohyeon along with her, leaving behind Yubin who is wondering just what kind of trick are they pulling now to avoid attending the next lecture.

"That's why I asked you to come with me before the lecture started but you refused!" Yoohyeon laments.

"How would I know that the lecture will run over time?"

A trip to the toilet should be simple and straightforward like what their high school teacher had told them --- get your business done and get out. The sound of gushing water fills the restroom as Yubin helps Yoohyeon with washing of the stain on the shirt that the latter had accidentally spilled her kimchi soup onto just now.  And the door slams shut behind them as Siyeon rushes into an empty cubicle, and she exhales a deep breath of satisfaction when she finally releases herself.

Lesson learnt --- never ever trust professor who says that the lecture will end on time.

"Bye, we're leaving, Lee Siyeon!"

"Wai-wait for me! I'm going to be done soon!" Siyeon reaches her arm out to the side wall and fumbles for the toilet paper, only to realise that there isn't any. "."

Just then, a hand appears from below with a full roll of toilet paper. Just in time when she needs it.

"Ah, thanks, neighbour."

"Are you done, Lee Siyeon? We are really leaving!" A voice full of irritation comes rushing her again and Siyeon can hear footsteps closing in before the repetitive violent banging onto her cubicle's door. It must be Yoohyeon.

"You're so dead when I come out, Kim Yoohyeon!"

The door opens and Siyeon was about to pounce onto Yoohyeon when the sight of Yubin greets her with that usual pair of non-chalant eyes staring at her with a stern gaze, and her target is cautiously peeping her head out from behind the girl.

"Hi, Yubin!" Siyeon grins foolishly and feigns ignorance before retrieving her arm that is awkwardly hanging in the air. "I'm going to wash my hands."

Yubin crosses her arms and sighs, seriously contemplating whether she should still remain friends with these two childish person as Siyeon brushes past her. Given her outstanding ability, she can definitely find better friends. "We'll wait for you outside."

The water flows from the tap and Siyeon uses this opportunity to drench her face to keep herself awake for the next lecture. Then, from the mirror, she sees something out of the ordinary --- all the cubicle's doors are open.

Wait, no one was here?

Siyeon swallows a mouthful of bewilderment.

.....Who had passed her the toilet roll then?

*******

"You really, really saw no one else in the toilet?" Siyeon whispers to the girl beside her as she spins the pen in her hand anxiously.

"For the nth time, Lee Siyeon," Yoohyeon exhales a deep breath. "I said no. The toilet was empty. The three of us were the only one in there just now!"

The frown on Siyeon's forehead deepens as she inches closer to her, "And... neither of you passed me that roll of toilet paper too?"

"No, I---,"

"Shhh..." Yubin looks over and shushes the two girls. "I know the two of you are not interested in studying but doesn't mean it's the same for others as well."

"Okay," Siyeon keeps mum as she retreats back into her seat. "The nerd wins today."

The whole lecture has been nothing but a torture for both Siyeon and Yoohyeon. Algorithm is hard but staying focus is even harder. The equations on the screen seem unsolvable and the professor's dull voice sounds like a perfect lullaby for an afternoon nap. Siyeon has become so restless that she starts to doodle on her notes.

And that is when the second incident happens.

The lesson continues on as her eyelid is drooping lower and she almost falls asleep until she suddenly feels a sharp pain on her arm that is supporting her head. Her world is instantly shaken awake and the arm gives way, causing her chin to fall and land hard on the moveable desk while the pen in her hand tumbles down onto the carpet floor. 

"," Siyeon curses under her breath, totally wide awake now and she brings her gaze to her usual partner in crime who has somehow betrayed her today.

She was about to take her revenge when the other girl beside Yoohyeon averts her gaze from her lecture note to her again. Oh no, another round of inevitable scolding is coming. Just how lucky Kim Yoohyeon is to have Yubin protecting her every time.

"I told you guys, if you don't want to study, get out," Yubin whispers as she looks straight into Siyeon's eyes, in which the latter feels maligned because she wasn't even the one who started it. "This is a lecture hall, not a playground."

"I---,"

"Yeah, Lee Siyeon," Yoohyeon giggles with a grin of victory. "Stop disturbing the others who's actually trying to study."

Just you wait, Kim Yoohyeon.

Siyeon scans the carpet floor for her missing pen which she finds is two seats away from her. Too bad, no one is sitting beside her today if not, she could have asked them to take it for her. Gliding her body down the seat, she reaches her leg out and tries to roll the target back to her side but it is too far. Then, just when she has forgotten about the toilet roll's incident, she sees the pen rolling towards her on its own.

What...? How...?

The pen stops right in front of her shoes and Siyeon only continues to stare at it in shock. She thinks that she might really be seeing ghosts.

*******

A smirk shows up on the face of the figure in the corner of the hall, like a predator chasing after its prey.

Except that this time, there will be no more chasing ---

Because the prey has fallen right into her trap.

How easy and..... interesting.

"I got you, Lee Siyeon," Minji whispers as she fixes a piercing gaze onto her panicking target. "Don't ever try to escape from me." And she grits her teeth together, fearful enough to scare away other souls. "Because... you can't."

A/N:

Hi people,

That's it for Chapter 2! I'm not sure if it's too confusing for y'all because I have this problem where my story often veers off from my main plot as I write. And I might end up writing dialogues / scenes that may not be necessary / relevant. Which is why Minji's and Siyeon's interactions haven't started yet but it will happen in the next chapter XD

Also, although the pairing in this story is Singji, as I like to give my characters some room for development, so time to time, I will also include their interactions with other side characters. The story might go abit slow instead of being straight to the point.

Do let me know if you have any questions!
P.S. English is not my first language too so let me apologise first if it's hard to understand what I've written or any other grammatical and expression errors.

Thanks for reading! 
Cheers and ciao~! :D