It was naïve of Ahyeong to think that her father will let her go unharmed after the stunt she pulled in front of him. He was never the kind to forgive as he was a staunch believer of extinguishing the spark before it burnt down the whole kingdom. Her little show was enough for him to smell the spark that was growing inside her so he did what he was best at, ‘Extinguishing the spark’. The burning effect of the red chili paste she was made to eat still lingered and the additional headache and aching stomach made her shout like a livid dragon when she entered a deserted alley. Doesn’t matter how many times she gargled with water, cola, milk or whatever liquid she could find in the Departmental store, the ache in her tongue was still unrelieved.

Sipping on the last carton of strawberry milk she mindlessly roamed around the area only to end up in a pocha (street bar). Plopping herself down in an empty chair, she looked around her; the delicious smell of samgyeopsal and budae jigae filled the air which she might have craved if not for her pathetic condition. She had no idea what a teetotaler like her was doing in a bar. Ahyeong hated the sight of alcohol as well as the people who ingested it but that hate sprouted from her fear that if she drank alcohol she might become just like them- uncontrolled. The sight in front of her was enough to confirm that.

She focused her eyes more on the woman seating in front of her in strange clothing as if she has come out of some kind of fashion gala, her body swaying like she was grooving to whatever incoherent words she was mumbling. She snorted loudly at her antics which she immediately regretted as the woman was now glaring at her in daze.

“What are you looking at?” She mouthed in disgust rendering Ahyeong speechless. Ahyeong knew she was a little rude but she couldn’t understand the disgust she held when she looked at Ahyeong as if she was some dirty beggar.

“N-Nothing” she replied and looked away internally praying for the woman to ignore her but well, when was her prayers ever heard.

“Why are you not drinking?” The strange woman broke the silence making Ahyeong turn towards her.

“Huh?” she looked at her in confusion.

“Why are you not drinking?” She asked again in annoyance with her slurred tone but her words clear as a sunny day. Why is she getting angry? Ahyeong thought.

“I don’t drink.” She replied calmly while looking at the woman with her furrowed brows as the woman sniffed some air around her while scrunching her face as if she smelled something unpleasant. Did she smell that bad? She herself started smelling her body only to find nothing.

“Then what are you doing here?” She questioned still sniffing while scrunching her nose before her eyes widened in some kind of realisation, “Don’t tell me you are the witch who on positive people’s soul.” She accused, in her loud voice which successfully gave Ahyeong goose-bumps.

“I am leaving. Bye” She replied trying to sound unaffected but inside she was trembling. She has encountered enough alcoholics to know that this crazy woman, drunk into oblivion was a trouble she should never get herself into so she got up from her seat grabbing her purse and phone before running away from the bar.

“Yah! I am not done with you. Tell me who are you?” She shouted from behind while Ahyeong increased her pace. She was tired and her legs could give up any moment given how much tired she was for the day and all she wanted was a warm bath and good sleep but this is what she was getting, ‘a mad woman on her tail’.

“Don’t follow me. Go away you mad woman.” Ahyeong cried in desperation when that woman kept running behind her.

“You think I will leave you like that after knowing that you can cause potential danger to the mankind.” She panted behind her.

“What the hell are you saying?” Ahyeong glanced behind one more time and muttered, “Why is she so fast? She is scaring the hell out of me.” She can’t help but feel amazed at how the old woman has quite a good stamina and here she felt like dying even though she was much younger than her chaser. She cursed at the vitamins brand that promised great energy. If the woman wasn’t that scary she would have definitely asked her, what she ate in her breakfast.

“Just wait you witch I will show you what I can do. I haven’t even shown you my power and you are already scared” she laughed like maniac.

Ahyeong glanced one more time to see the woman behind her only for her to stumble on her feet before falling down on her back with a thump. She cursed under her breath in anger only to have it get replaced by dread as the strange woman stood between her legs. She is doomed.

“You thought I won’t recognize you. Well my dear little witch your negative aura is dripping from you and I can smell the vengeance coming from you.” She alleged making Ahyeong look up at her in question. What the hell is this woman’s problem? Why is she so hell-bent in accusing her with something so-?

“Wait what the hell do you mean by ‘little witch’?” Ahyeong questioned as she tried to get up.

“Now playing the pretending games, aren’t we?” She bent down to her eye level. Can’t she just tell her what she means without speaking in loops and she called her witch only if she knew how much she hates that word.

Ahyeong in her whole lifetime successfully tamed her frustration and anger but her limit to it was now at its breaking point and this woman in front of her was asking for her wrath to unleash on her. Without further ado, she grabbed the woman’s already messy light brown hair and shook her head violently.

“You old hag, how many times do I have to tell you that I am not your little witch. Can’t you get that inside you thick skull?” She screamed while the woman struggled to get away from hold.

The woman groaned in pain before pushing Ahyeong off her. Both of them in some air harshly. Ahyeong took a note of her surrounding which she couldn’t recognize as she has never been to this part of the city and it being a deserted place was adding more fear to her already dreading soul.

“You are not her.” The woman spoke in defeat after calming down as she tilted her head to scrutinize Ahyeong, “But why is your aura so dark?”

“Whatever you are saying is going above my head. So just say clearly why were you chasing me like I am some kind of thief?” She questioned back.

“I just thought you were a witch, the supernatural creature who does black magic and stuffs.” She answered proudly like she was some kind of science professor telling her students about ‘what an alien is?’ which automatically made Ahyeong to burst into laughter as she fell on her back while clutching on her stomach. The woman glared at her in annoyance.

“I am what? A witch? Like seriously. I think the alcohol has murdered you common sense and you definitely need to see a psychiatrist. Don’t worry I know a very good one and will definitely arrange an appointment for you.” She rambled in between her giggles. There was a no answer for a minute or two before the stranger spoke up.

“Then how about you tell me the little revenge you were planning inside you pretty head, hmm?” This statement halted Ahyeong in her motions because to some extent she was right as she did wanted to piss her parents.

“How do you know?” She straightened up before looking at the woman’s eyes in seriousness looking for any kind of hint that could reveal that whatever she said was just a fluke but she couldn’t find anything.

“I can sense it from your aura.” She replied

“And what more can you sense?” She asked genuinely curious.

“I can sense your broken soul craving for some warmth.” The answer brought a genuine smile on Ahyeong’s face for the first time in the day. She did crave for warmth like the cold blooded animals and it was an undiscovered side people could barely decipher. Even for her friends, it took years to look into her soul only to realise that this perfect stature of her was just a shell when in reality she was lost, confused and broken.

“Who are you?” the nagging question that was present in the back of her head since the moment that odd woman started chasing after her was finally out of .

“My name is Na Jang Mi and I am a shaman.” Jang Mi spoke before adding, “Now don’t blabber that you don’t know what a shaman is.” She rolled her eyes as Ahyeong looked at her as she was speaking some different language. Ahyeong did heard about shamans but seeing one was never in her bucket list hence she didn’t know if she should just act normally or ask for some kind of talisman from her.

“I know. I know what shamans do.” Ahyeong spoke going along with the shaman, “but why did you thought I was a witch.” Am I really a witch? If true why haven’t I felt my powers yet?

“I thought I already answered that but since you are slow witted let me tell you once again. You have a lot of negative energy, like a lot. So much that it can swallow someone’s positive energy if you want. That was why I thought you were a witch, now understood.”

“About this negative energy, don’t you know that even sad and depressed people have it?” Ahyeong questioned after thinking for a while.

“Are you depressed?” the shaman counter questioned making Ahyeong scoff at her.

“I am Shin Ahyeong.” She answered teasingly with hint of sarcasm not even considering her question.

“Agassi, I think you should do something about your negative energy before it becomes the reason for your self destruction.” The shaman spoke with worry lacing her tone ignoring whatever Ahyeong spewed.

“It’s easier said than done, don’t you think so ajumma.” She answered, “And if you are that concerned about me then why don’t you give some kind of talisman to get rid of this negative energy.” The shaman shook her head as she got up before offering her hand to Ahyeong which she took without hesitation and they started walking.

“You never asked why I am sad though.” Ahyeong asked the silent shaman when they reached near the same bar from where they took off.

“I answered that too.” Oh she meant the broken soul one but she said nothing about the reason behind it.

“Well it’s time to leave, I can’t even say see you later because I don’t know anything about you other than your name and profession.” Ahyeong said before adding, “Only if you want me to know.”

The shaman held her hand as she looked into Ahyeong’s eyes before saying, “If you ever come to Gangnam-gu tell my name to anybody they will tell you where I live.” Ahyeong nodded her head in understanding. “For now go home, sleep well and dream about good things. I believe you will wake up with some good energy.” She added as she patted her cheeks with motherly affection. The last statement sounded weird for some reason but Ahyeong chose to ignore it. They smiled at each other but it got broken by the sudden honking of the car.

It was Hyoson.

“My friend is here.” She bowed one last time before leaving the shaman behind.

*

“Who was that?” Hyoson asked as soon as Ahyeong got herself seated inside the car. Ahyeong smiled before answering.

The sunlight peaked through the curtains stirring Ahyeong awake. A smile bloomed on her face as she stretched her limbs. This was the best sleep she has gotten in a long time. Seems like the shaman’s blessings worked. She blinked her eyes letting it adjust to brightness of the room but since when her room was this bright and as far as she remember she always put on the blinds before going to sleep. She opened her eyes only to realise it wasn’t her room.

She sat up and looked around which somehow felt strangely familiar; the wooden furnishing, the ceiling high windows and Japanese styled furniture. She swear, in the name of heavens that she has seen it somewhere but where. Where was she exactly? She stressed her brain to remember any detail about what she was doing in this place. She raked her memories from meeting her parents to getting chased by a lunatic shaman. The last thing she remembered was how she got in Hyoson’s car and then they briefly stopped at a club to pick a wasted Chunghee and after that-and what after it? Is she at Hyoson’s place but it looks too lavish for her taste? Or maybe it belongs to Chunghee but it was too classy for his taste? Did she really drink that much to not remember a thing? She smelled her breath to clear her suspicion and she could only smell mint and strawberries, her toothpaste! She looked down at her body only to find herself in a y maroon lingerie dress. What the hell is happening? She once again looked around to find anything that could answer her curiosity. She was too busy in assessing the surrounding that she didn’t notice when the door of the bathroom creaked open.

“I see you are awake, my sleeping beauty.” A sweet voice brought her attention towards the man who was looking at her with affection lingering in his eyes. Ahyeong stared at him internally praying that what she was thinking wasn’t true. Did she really end up in some kind of one night stand? For god sake she didn’t even sip a drop of alcohol. What was she thinking at that moment? Of course he is gorgeous but was she so lust driven that she couldn’t comprehend what was right or wrong for her but how will she know if she hadn’t tried it. Regret was something that was nowhere near her instead she felt giddy to be at the receiving end of his affection and for the first time she wasn’t afraid of her parent’s reprimanding lectures if the words ever get to them. She didn’t know she was gaping at him for so long before he made her aware of it.

“Looks like ‘my love’ haven’t got enough of me.” He teased but kept standing there for Ahyeong to capture in every inch of his body. His jet black hair was wet and ruffled, his slightly slanted almond eyes dark, dripping in honey ‘Sweet’; the slope of his nose ending into a cute round button which she could just and bite, his luscious pink lips caged between his teeth trying to suppress either a smirk or smile; he was handsome, a fact she couldn’t deny. She dragged her eyes down to his body that was only covered in a towel, the water dripping down his lean but slightly muscular body making it shimmer like stars from the sunlight and it made her gulp down the saliva collected in just looking at his half form ‘Just how she likes it’. His collarbone was now her favourite piece of bone which instantly had a competition when her eyes lowered to his pelvis. She gulped another lump of saliva that was formed inside . Her heartbeat fastened at the specimen of the rarest beauty who was slowly moving towards her which made her look at his face in question about what he was going to do only to get captured in his eyes which was drinking her bit by bit. He looked like the tiger ready to pounce at his prey but only after playing his little game.

“What are you doing?” Her faint voice came out innocently like she was unaware about what was happening around her but the butterflies fluttering in her stomach and her dizzy head spoke differently. As much as she anticipated him to do some kind of action, she also dreaded it at same time ‘The outcome it will bring’.

“Playing innocent, huh?” He asked seductively his voice a mere whisper. He lowered himself on the bed with his palms on each side of her crossed legs and his face few centimetres apart. Now that he is so close she can’t help but look at his features taking in more details but his lips was the centre of attraction and her thoughts for it were not so innocent. The palpitations were unbearable so she inhaled deeply. He smells musky and-

“You were such a wild cat last night you naughty girl. Look at what you have done.” He started showing the hickeys and scratches that apparently she gave to him in places she couldn’t even bear to look. “I am the living art about how you showcase your love.” He added with a smirk. She looked at him with wide eyes not really believing what she has done to his flawless skin. What was she thinking? Guilt consumed her as she lowered her head in embarrassment only to find a purple mark in her cleavage which she failed to notice earlier. She snapped her head at him only to find him looking down at her in pure amusement.

“I will forgive you if you agree for a round three.” He whispered mischievously .Round three? It’s not true right. Wasn’t she too exhausted last night that she can’t even run so how can she indulge in such an activity without fainting in the midst of it and doing it twice was most unbelievable part. This is a joke, right? Ahyeong lost every bit of composure in her and before she could comprehend what she was doing, she grabbed the nearest pillow behind her and started hitting him.

“You ert, what the hell are you upto? You think you look cool if you play such dirty pranks.” She panted harshly without halting in her action.

“Stop! My Love, just stop hitting me. It really hurts; I swear I will not tease you anymore.” He raised both of his hands in surrender his eyes still closed but Ahyeong kept hitting him without any mercy. “Please, just stop hitting me.” This time he whined while giving her his puppy eyes and his lips adorning a pout. He looked so cute that Ahyeong couldn’t help but stop in her actions but kept glaring at him accusation. This has to be a prank because no part of her body is sore but what about the hickey.

The stranger in front of her was yet to calm down. She has no idea how did she end up in his room and that too in his bed. Ahyeong had enough control on her emotions to not sway at any distractions even if he was someone as gorgeous as the guy before her who was panting like a puppy.

The said guy looked at her with hazy eyes that were alluring her to agree to whatever he requested. Since when she was this weak or maybe she never met someone like him to know the answers.

“Are you done reading me, my love?” What’s with his cheesy lines? She glared at him before asking.

“What am I doing here?” His eyebrows furrowed at her question before sweetly smiling at her.

“Obviously to make love with me.” He replied before crawling towards her while Ahyeong stilled in her place not understanding how to react. He gently pushed her on the bed and then hovered over her before kissing her jaw earning gasps from her. He slowly trailed his kisses to her nape while biting and , making her moan in pleasure.

He looked down at her with his intense eyes piercing through her soul before pulling down the straps of her dress and she shivered when his knuckles came in contact with her bare arms.

“I Love you.” He said before diving in for a passionate kiss rendering Ahyeong motionless. He what?