Once again, a different place greeted her upon entering her self-made door. But this one struck her as the one which is “really other-world-y”.  It was completely black, but she felt something hard under her feet. She can see herself, but when she d around, she didn’t feel anything. It was like empty air.

“Hello?”

Her voice made a curious sound. It wasn’t like one you’d expect to hear in a hollow place like a wardrobe; instead, it was more of an open-air sound.

“Hello?!” Yunjae called once again.

This time, a voice answered her. “Hi.”

It sounded silky, placid. Soon she saw from who it came from. Another boy dressed in white walked toward her. One defining features of his are his lips: they were plump and he looked like he was always pouting. Another are his eyes: they were cat-like and rather sly. He had longer hair than those of Changjo’s and Ricky’s, but it was an anime-boy sort of long. He was lanky, like Changjo.

“I guess you’re my next guide,” said Yunjae.

The boy smirked. “You’re used to it already, aren’t you? Did Changjo or Ricky give you a hard time?”

“Not so much. What’s your name?” asked Yunjae.

“Ahn Daniel, or just Niel,” said the boy.

“Oh, hello, Niel. I see that you’re not one who’s afraid of the dark,” said Yunjae while casting a quick glance around.

“It’s ok. As long as we both see each other, I’m good. That’s what matters,” replied Niel smoothly.

It was true: despite the fact that it was pitch-black, she could take in the tiniest details about Niel.

“Where are we, exactly?”

“Didn’t you ask Changjo about that? It was too complex to explain. This particular place, however, is specifically my station.”

Yunjae looked at him skeptically. “Yes I can see that. Anyway, what have you got for me?”

“Eager, aren’t you?” said Niel with an amused glint in his feline eyes.

“Well, I wanna get my brother back,” snapped Yunjae. She was getting annoyed and impatient with this dude.

“Ok, ok, easy. Here’s my riddle for you.”

Niel let in a dramatic pause before spouting up his riddle.

“When you were bored and out of things to do, what does your brother always tell you?”

Yunjae thought for a while, only out loud this time. The place was so empty that she felt like if she said her ideas aloud, it feel less hollow.

“I was always bored, especially back when the death of our parents was still fresh. What did he say to me then?”

--flashback—

“Oppa I’m bored! If umma were here we’d be stringing necklaces or something,” whined Yunjae.

Hyukjae sighed. He has heard this countless times from his little sister.

“Umma is not here anymore, Yunjae-yah,” he said exasperatedly.

“I wish she was… Then I wouldn’t be complaining here,” said Yunjae. She cast a sly glance at her brother. Hyuk took the hint.

“You know what, Yunjae-yah? Dad would tell you that a creative person never gets bored. You have all sorts of stuff you can make into something else! You have the entire wall of your room to draw on!”

Hyukjae didn’t know that Yunjae took him so seriously, especially the last part. It was on that day that Yunjae’s wall became a colorful mural.

“YUNJAE-YAH!!!”

“What, oppa? You said I could draw on my wall,” said Yunjae, feigning innocence.

Hyuk took in the new wall with wide eyes for about ten seconds, then face-palmed himself.

“Note to self: Never say things to provoke literal younger sister,” muttered Hyuk.

--end of flashback—

“‘A creative person never gets bored,’” recited Yunjae. “Oppa said those were appa’s words, but in reality they were his.”

Niel smiled at her. “I liked those words. Now… In this empty space, could you imagine you wall? All the colors, shapes, or stuff that you put?”

Yunjae tried. “It’s so hard,” she said.

“Try it with your eyes closed.”

Yunjae concentrated and a myriad of colors flashed through her head. Shapes floated in front of her eyes, some translucent, others opaque. It was all so random and wild that it’s hard for me to describe every detail.

“Yunjae-yah! Yunjae-yah, open your eyes!”

Yunjae was so lost in her thoughts that for a moment she didn’t recognize Niel’s voice. When she did, however, she noticed that he was rather excited, so she opened her eyes.

She could hardly differentiate her thoughts to the real thing. The once dark emptiness was now flooded with color, the very same ones that were in her room. Yunjae’s jaw dropped. She tried to speak, but she was too awed to utter a sound.

As if reading her mind, Niel said, “Yes, you did that. You better get going.”

He led her to a door. It was her bedroom door, but it got included when she imagined her wall. She opened it and was greeted by another blinding light.

Here we go again.