The Reason I became a Witch

Jessica opened the door to the Lee's apartment. There was a stench of stale food coming from the kitchen. She coughed as she quickly ran to the window and opened it. The polluted air of Seoul rushed in, but it was way better than the rotting smell of... Fish? Eggs? Whatever it was, it made her gag.

She spat outside the window. Jesus, Sunny lived here? Despite being friends for years, she has only been in her friend's house twice in her life. In her numerous exchange of information via Taeyeon mail, she had asked for the keys to her sister's apartment. She opened her flashlight and wrapped her scarf around her nose and breathed using as much as possible.

She entered Sunny's room. Unopened art books and magazines were on the floor. There were random photographs on her desk and bed. There were also empty picture frames hung unevenly on the walls. Is this Sunny's form of modern art? She asked, looking at the discarded photos and blank canvasses. Despite being genius in choosing subjects, filters and angles; most of her pictures are for her eyes only.

There was a shelf that caged her camera collection. Several lenses of different sizes were on display. It was so Sunny. A person can come inside her room and say it’s hers just by seeing how polished the lenses were.

Jessica looked at the wooden file cabinet and opened one of the drawers: photo paper. She opened another: Film and more paper.

Like she even needs this, all her cameras are digital. She scoffed. Jessica opened the last drawer: more paper. Perplexed, Jessica pulled them all out and took out all of the blank sheets out.

At the very bottom: two folders and a newspaper.

She opened the first file first. There were pictures of Sunny as a kid. She recognized it before even reading the profile. She flipped to the next page. Post traumatic distress syndrome. Jessica read. She skipped to the other pages. Subject shows anxiety over fire. Hyperventilates over sudden sounds like fireworks and gunshots.

Jessica blinked. Was Sunny... Seeing a doctor? She went back a few pages. Subject normal when asked to bake cupcakes. Oven heat does not have any effect. However, when cooking over stove, she showed extreme fear. Conclusion: Arsonphobia. Recommendation: Electric stove. 

Suddenly, Sunny's antics over cooking made sense. Jessica closed the folder and went to the next. Police investigation: Chapel set fire incident. Seoul Pier.

She has heard of this! Radio Seoul has made a make shift chapel for an MV. It was mainly funded by the Jung's and was supervised the Lee's. However, Jessica remembered being in America during that time. They were on a three day vacation and even went to Disneyland.

The rest of the story, they all knew. Soonkyu and Eunkyu were inside when the fire started. Their parents went inside to save them, but being made up of wood; the fire spread quickly and the scaffoldings collapsed only minutes after the fire engulfed the set. The police identified the cause of fire was something as ordinary as a cigarette . Obviously, out of the four people inside the building at that time, only one of them got out alive.

The newspaper only repeated the story the police report had. Jessica threw them all back at the drawer and stacked the photo paper the way it was before. Jessica never knew Sunny was seeing a psychiatrist. Aside from her episodes of weirdness, Sunny was quite the normal person. She went to school, shopped, listened to music... Sure, she was unique; but she was still normal regardless!

Is this why Jinkyu is so stressed in keeping Sunny in check? Jessica suddenly thought, because she might have panic attacks? If this gets out to public, her sister will never have a chance at a normal life. Since she is known, people will call her crazy mercilessly. Could this also the reason why her friend was never allowed to do any real work at the office? Why she spent her day doting on her camera without a care in the world? But then, if she was really crazy or whatever...

Jessica opened the 2nd drawer again and opened the film tubes: pills. She opened all of them. Different colored medication.

Except one, which she opened and saw white glistening powder puff out.

Holy mother of... Jessica cussed. Are they making her take drugs? She read the label and Googled it:

White Sunnies: An addictive drug in form of powder. Harvested from a weed like flower of the same name. Depressant, but has shown cases of extreme sensitivity to sound and heat after intake. When used on lab rats, the subjects were as sensitive to a pin drop and experienced wild panic attacks after. However, they were able to identify and appreciate music. Heart rates would slow down during ballads and rise up during house music. Oddly enough, have similar effects to adrenaline when taken in large doses.

Jessica suddenly felt so stupid. It was like going to a zoo and opening the cages to let the animals out. She thought she knew everything but...

She dialed Sunny's phone. Unattended. She sent her a text... Knowing it was a message she'll never reply to. At the time, she didn't care if Jinkyu found her out. If her best friend wasn't taking her medication, what kind of horrors is she facing right now? Instead of protecting her, she has sent her off to a dangerous journey. If something happened to her, Jessica will never forgive herself.

She got up ran outside. At first, she only thought of going to Taeyeon's and making sure she was OK. Then having a long talk on why she kept it from her for so long.

PTSD. She learned the term on her General Psychology class. If she needed help, she doubt a doctor or some pills can put her out of her misery.

Jessica got in her car and started the engine. But then... Taeyeon never reported anything out of the ordinary. It could only mean that her friend is safe and sound inside their apartment. She weighed her options. Sunny can still probably take care of herself.

Jessica's mind flashed back to Jinkyu's pictures of Krystal. She's probably tailing her right now. If she goes to Taeyeon, then Sunny's cover is blown. And so is her chance in protecting her sister.

Her biggest ace in the hole was Sunny. If she gives her up, Krystal would be vulnerable. No. Jessica decided. That can't happen.

Jinkyu can send her to jail for trespassing or what not but she is going to lie to the ends of the Earth to protect her sister.

She clicked on her internet browser again and looked for the person who has been providing Sunny these drugs:

Lee Sooman MD. 

•••••••

A white BMW stopped in front of a big two storey house. It was a house she visited a lot as a kid too. So it was easy for her to find. It was very hot today, so Jessica wore her aviators before she went out.

The place was rather quiet. It was as if every adult in the neighborhood was out for work and every kid is receiving extra work, maybe from a tutor or ballet lessons. Nobody was outside playing, or watching TV, or gaming on the Nintendo’s they never get to use. She felt sad about it, knowing that the children who lived in here was going to turn out exactly like her: molded, manufactured and manipulated.

24 Bergen St. She read. Even with Jessica's sense of direction, she found what she was looking for. She has been here before, but that was back when she was younger. Finally, something I can use against Jinkyu. She wasn't sure what kind of consultation the Lee sisters hid behind her private sessions with their uncle, but she wanted... no, she needed something. Anything that can fend her off, if only for just a short time.

Her hand searched for a doorbell, but saw no such button so she knocked on the door instead. She waited, then knocked on the door some more. She saw someone look through the peephole then click open the lock. It swung open to reveal a man in his fifties, wearing very western clothes.

"Jung Jessica." The man greeted, welcoming her into his house. She bowed; by the way she did it, it was as if you can make her back as a table. Graceful and respectful, yet intimidating. That was the vibe that she carried as she walked inside the psychiatrist's house.

The house was filled with countless memorabilia’s. The original pictures of their grandfather's first step into the world of mass media, college photos and gifts from different clients as they transverse success. It was all here. She can look through the items and see the history of their families coming to life.

The man shuts the door. "So... What brings our young Soyeon here?"

She removed her sunglasses and laid it behind one of the photos. She pretended to look at the picture; it was her family at the hospital during Krystal's first check up. Her mother was holding her sister in her arms lovingly, while a young Jessica tried her best to tiptoe to the bed to look at the new baby. Her father was at the back, looking not-so-amused. Just in case... She thought. She has seen this countless times at their own house but...

Jessica turned to the man. "I need answers." She said; her finger traced the sides of the table in which the frames were set. "About what happened between our families before… I want to hear about it."

The man sat down and took a cigar from the side table. He had a box full there. He flung his lighter and whiffed the stick of tobacco, blowing a puff of grey smoke at her. "Ah, Radio Seoul has a lot history, doesn't it?" He laughed. "Take a look around. There's nothing these photographs don't say."

Like the way my father frowned at Krystal? She thought. She had only found out about it a few months ago, but she needed to learn more. She couldn't care less that the person she loved the most was just half a blood relative and that her best friend shared sisters.

She loved them nonetheless! Regardless of what happened in the past, it wasn’t important. What Jessica wants is the reason why Jinkyu feels the need to cut their head off. She said it in such a way that she blamed her, even before Sunny's disappearing act.

Why did the Lee's hold the Jung's responsible for their loss?

"You, my dear child, hold almost fifty percent of the company to your name." Her uncle smoked the cigar and exhaled the putrid stench off his mouth. "Thirty to your mother. Twenty to your father."

It was true. Their grandfathers put up equal amounts of work in Radio Seoul, but the company was only named solely under the Jung’s, while the Lee's were in charge of the management only. The money wasn't cut evenly, but is that the reason why there was foul play? Money? Both families had reasonable amounts to their name but... Jessica looked at the ceiling. The yellow light flickered.

"Aigoo..." Her uncle coughed as he pointed to the lights. "I should have that replaced."

"If it’s the money, I can fix it." Jessica said. "Mom and Dad are retiring. The company will fall to me once the papers have been settled."

"Oh, but you're missing the point." Her uncle said, playing with his cigar. "Money is something we can earn in a snap, Soyeon. Life isn't."

She can feel something cold creeping up her spine. Something bad was about to happen. She can feel it. She looked at the backyard through one of the windows. There were white flowers all over the garden. She suddenly remembered everything she read at Sunny’s room.

Her heart sunk as she realized she just dug her own grave.

"Soonkyu has already lost her Mommy and Daddy." He laughed. "And Eunkyu. She was quite the remarkable young woman. Smart. Just like her father. I don't think even Jinkyu compared."

"That wasn't anybody's fault! It was an accident!" Jessica shouted in panic. "I am sick and tired of everyone blaming us for the fire. How the heck can we start a fire? We weren't even there!"

"If you say so," Her uncle said, resting his back at the mahogany. "How's your sister?"

"Don't you go near her!" Jessica threatened.

"If theoretically, you are out of the picture." Her uncle grinned. "Your mother and father would fight for sole proprietorship."

Jessica grimaced. He was hinting what was going to happen next. Her heart has never beaten this fast her whole life. "If I died, my share would go to Krystal."

"Do you have paper that proves that? Your father will never approve that." Her uncle laughed, hysterically, almost like a hyena. "Giving that to something that got her wife knocked up? Your father would rather die."

Something? "Don't talk about her that way." Jessica glared, not caring that this person was her senior. What did he imply by that? Krystal is Krystal, no matter what! "She's MY sister."

"Half-sister." He corrected. "Your of a mother bore Soojung."

"As if your of a brother wasn't any less of a devil." Jessica snapped. Her anger rising, no one gets to talk about them that way, not even her Uncle. "You keep saying you guys are the victims... I heard you the first time! Jesus! You think this is fair for me too?"

Her uncle took a mouthful of the addictive substance in. Jessica saw the flame getting in, and the ashes getting pushed out. When the heat subsided, the cigar glew into a peculiar shade of orange, white dust fell out... Jessica realized that it wasn't ashes. She took a step back, knowing full well that it wasn't an ordinary cigar he was smoking.

, it’s in the cigar! She took her phone out and speed dialed Krystal.

"Sooyeeoonn... Whyyy don't you sit hereee, so we can talk softlyyy?" His smile forming to a smug. "I haven't had any visitooors since you took Soonkyu away, y'knowww."

Jessica ran towards the door and tried to pry it open, but it didn't budge.

Locked.

Her uncle stood up, whiffed the cigar one last time before he removed his jacket. Jessica's back was pressed into the door, looking for an escape but they both knew that she was done for at this point. She looked at her phone, it was still ringing. She prayed her sister would pick up, not so Krystal can try to save her... but so she herself can save the person who can end this cycle once and for all.

God please... Jessica begged, crying as her uncle's steps creaked towards her.

"Soonkyu was a goooood girl. She made her uncle feeeeeel like a man." He said, his head twitched and his limbs made sudden spasms that could only be because of the powder that was in the cigars. "Poor poor girl. She kept saying she missed her parentsss." He laughed.

"You monster." Jessica barked, randomly grabbing one of the vases and smashing it on the man's head. He didn't flinch, but she saw blood trickle on the side of his head. He kept moving, as if didn't mind bleeding and that scared Jessica even more. "Sunny... You."

"That child is speeecial. Unique. She has all the qualities of a geniuuus." He assessed. "Just like Eunkyuuu."

This guy violated my friend… And you have the tenacity to say whatever the you want to me? When her uncle came close enough, she boldly spat on his face:

"I'm Jessica ing Jung!" Her mind and body screamed.

Her parents weren't exactly angels, she can admit to that much; but guess what? Neither were the Lee's! To press Sunny into a hole and pin all the blame on the Jung's, they were innocent! This shouldn't define who they were. Jessica wasn't a murderer; Krystal isn't some and Sunny isn't some sick child! She stood her ground against her behemoth of an uncle.

"Motherer!" Her uncle wiped Jessica’s saliva off his face and grabbed her arm then slammed her against the wall. She can feel her cheek bruise just by the impact. He pressed her there, breathing closely on her ear.

"Hah... She kept telling me to stop, y'know... but you know what? We never did. Every Saturday. Here, on the floor, on the table and on my bed, we--"

Jessica threw her head back to hit the man, it sent him stumbling back and gave her time to make a mad dash to the kitchen, but before she can even distance herself; her uncle had grabbed something hard, like a wooden stick, and slammed her down. The impact almost made her lose consciousness, but she grit her teeth and crawled. There was another strike to her head, and she knew she wasn't going anywhere anymore.

Her blood splattered on the floor and she saw the pieces of wood fly on all directions. , he threw a ing chair at me! This son of a -- She realized; her brain tried to assess the damage. She felt her head pulse blood but clot on different parts of the body, sending her to a world of pain.

This piece of ... Sunny, your family are all dickheads! Goddammit. She cursed.

He knelt beside her. She can hear the sound of his belt being unbuckled while she was losing her grip of the world. She looked at her hand and saw sister's contact picture on her phone.

Krystal, don't die on me. Please don't... Jessica screamed for her sister but only a mixture of red putrid acid came out of .

"Don't worry, Jessica. I'll show you a good time." He said. Took the chair's leg and smashed it on the back of her head, finally bringing an end to the young girl's deviance. He dragged the lifeless body inch by inch, her blood staining the wooden floors of the Lee's house.