“Yah, watch where you’re walking!”

Staggering a little, KyuJong backed up and mumbled an apology, bowing. The guy he’d walked into jostled his shoulder as he walked by, and the young man sighed softly. Nothing about his decision to study in Seoul was going well.

His parents had of course wanted the best for their only son, and sent him off to university with as much money as they could spare. But even with that and the various scholarships he had somehow received, studying for a medical degree was long and very, very expensive.

Moreover, his heart wasn’t really in it. But with all the trouble his parents had gone to put him into a good school, the very least he could do for them was get a high paying job to help pay off the various debts and expenses.

Looking at the country boy, the first word you would probably use to describe KyuJong was ‘plain’. Hair dyed a dark chestnut brown and eyes just a couple shades darker, he didn’t really stand out in the crowd. He was handsome, but not amazingly so. His face was a little too puffy after just waking up, and he hadn’t put on any makeup to cover for uneven skin tones and the small mole under his lower lip.

Overall, he just wasn’t the kind of person to stand out in the crowd, and that suited his quiet personality just fine. It just didn’t make it easier to find new friends in this strange city.

Stooping to pick up his books, he blinked when a hand entered his field of vision and beat him to it.

“Honestly, he wasn’t watching where he was walking any more than you were.” Looking up, KyuJong met wide brown eyes half-hidden by messy bangs, a grin spread across the other man’s face. “You look lost.”

“…Uh? No, I’m…I’m not lost,” KyuJong mumbled sheepishly, picking up the rest of his books and taking the one held out to him. “Thanks.”

“You dropped this,” The other man snatched a paper off the ground and held it up; a map of the school grounds. “You were so busy looking at it you smashed right into that guy.”

Caught, KyuJong flushed in embarrassment before he took the map and stood. “Sorry, I just transferred in.”

“What’re you looking for?” asked the stranger, expression strangely like an eager-to-please puppy. Maybe it was the honest intentions shining out of his eyes that made KyuJong mumble “Lecture Hall C.”

“Oh, I’m heading that way too. Walk with me,” the man grinned, motioning with one hand before turning to walk away. KyuJong had to adjust his grip on his books, hurrying after him.

Quickly counting the books as they walked between the various buildings, he realized he was missing one. But when KyuJong stopped to go back, he saw the missing book in the stranger’s hands. The other man was flipping through it, eyes scanning over the handwriting inside.

“Hey,” KyuJong reached out and took it back quickly, hoping the other man hadn’t seen much of what was inside. “That’s private.”

“Oh, sorry,” the stranger didn’t seem put out by KyuJong’s snapped tone. “It fell open and I was curious. Cool stuff though, you writing a story or something?”

“Uh…sure, yeah,” KyuJong lied.

“Neat,” the man grinned back at him. “Oh, here’s the lecture hall.” He pointed at a building they were passing. “See you around!”

“Yeah, see you around…thank you!” KyuJong called after the man, turning to go inside the building. It was only once he was inside the half-empty lecture hall and finding a good seat that he realized he hadn’t even gotten the stranger’s name.

Probably just as well; he mused, flipping open the book the stranger had been looking at. He didn’t want to have to answer any more awkward questions. His eyes traveled over the various sketches, of abnormally large snakes and wolves with wings. Into the margins of each page were various notes scribbled down. Rumors and urban legends, strange occurrences and shaman tales.

He was no closer to locating any of the spirit animals, as he had taken to calling them since he was little. Nor had he seen the teenage boy and girl from that night again; no one in his tiny village had even heard of either of them. They’d vanished as if into thin air.

Sometimes he wondered if it was easier just to forget what he’d seen. It had been years ago, long enough for him to begin doubting the validity of his memory. Maybe he’d just been dreaming after all. But no matter what he did to distract himself, the spirit animals were never far from his mind.

“Yah, KyuJong!”

Quickly shutting his book with a jump, KyuJong smiled tensely at the younger man who dropped into the seat beside him. “Good morning HyungJoon.”

“Nothing good about it,” HyungJoon yawned widely before putting his head down on the table, closing his eyes. “Wake me up when we start.”

In the few days since he’d arrived in Seoul, KyuJong had found himself with a constant shadow by the name of HyungJoon. Their apartments were in the same complex, and they shared majors and the majority of their classes despite HyungJoon being a couple years his junior. It wasn’t that HyungJoon didn’t have friends; in fact, he was rarely seen outside of class without his own group or his little brother’s (to his brother’s constant embarrassment). But he seemed to take KyuJong’s isolation as a personal insult, and didn’t let KyuJong sit alone in class if he could help it.

It was sweet, and lifted the country boy’s spirits a little. If only more people were like HyungJoon. Smiling at the younger man who was already snoring, KyuJong turned his attention back to the book in his hands. He was lucky that HyungJoon didn’t pry, because he wasn’t sure how to explain his hobby without sounding like a nutcase.

A grown man searching for ghostly animals. It sounded insane even in his own head. But KyuJong knew they were out there somewhere.

“Hey, you wanna go somewhere?” HyungJoon asked KyuJong as they left the last lecture of the day, the younger man fussing with his backpack. “Can go to a PC bang, play some video games.”

“That…would be fun, but I’ll pass,” KyuJong smiled sadly. “I don’t have much money to spare.”

“Oh,” HyungJoon blinked. “Well, we can go back to my place then! I’ve got a PS3.”

“Your brother won’t mind?”

“Nah, he’ll probably play a few games with us.” HyungJoon slung his arm over KyuJong’s shoulders. “Come on, we’ll study for a bit then relax.”

KyuJong agreed finally. “Just let me drop my stuff off in my apartment?”

“Sure, sure,” HyungJoon grinned as they headed to the student apartments close to the campus. The apartments were small and not always the best maintained, but affordable which was why those students who weren’t still with their parents stayed there.

It was a short ten-minute walk, and they were riding the elevator to their floor. KyuJong excused himself to head towards his apartment on the other side of the complex, dropping off his books and bag. His apartment was plain too, with just the basic furnishings and a few personal belongings. He had pictures of his parents and little sister EunAh set up on a side table, pillows beside the low table instead of a couch. He didn’t even have a TV or computer; all his spare money had gone into just getting the apartment when he found no one was looking for a roommate. He would have to keep looking for a part-time job soon.

Shaking his head to clear it, KyuJong left and walked over to HyungJoon’s apartment, knocking.

The door was opened by someone who looked almost identical to HyungJoon. “Hi, come in. Hyung’s trying to put together something to eat.”

“…Is that safe?” KyuJong blinked, stepping in past KiBum, HyungJoon’s little brother. If he hadn’t already known KiBum was about five years their junior, he would have thought KiBum was the older of the two brothers. HyungJoon just had that much of a baby face compared to KiBum.

“No, that’s why Kevin’s in there with him,” KiBum rubbed the back of his head a little awkwardly before closing the door and moving away. KyuJong stood self-consciously in the entranceway, taking off his shoes and looking around. The apartment…could have been much neater.

Barking startled him, and when he saw a small black blur charging towards his feet KyuJong yelped and climbed up on the nearest chair. A tiny dog tried to reach him, snuffling and barking.

“Choco, no! Down!” HyungJoon came out of the small kitchen, chasing the dog away from KyuJong. “Sorry, she’s just excited.”

“I see that,” KyuJong laughed nervously; he and dogs didn’t get along. He’d been attacked by a couple of them when he was little.

Which again begged the question why he was looking for spirit animals; some of them might be canines, right?

“KiBum, take Choco into your room,” HyungJoon had seen his discomfort and scooped the puppy into his arms. Turning, he deposited her into KiBum’s. “Kevin’s kicked me out of the kitchen, so let’s go study for a bit.”

KyuJong breathed a little easier once the dog was taken out of the room, smiling at HyungJoon as he got down from the chair. “Sorry…I should have warned you I’m scared of dogs.”

“How were you to know we had a dog? I should have asked.” HyungJoon dropped himself down by the coffee table, flipping open a science book. “So do you understand what Professor Kim talked about today at all?”

They worked on understanding that day’s classes for an hour, stopping when Kevin and KiBum reappeared with dinner. KyuJong had worried that the meal would be awkwardly silent, but the other three kept up a good conversation and did their best to include him. KiBum and HyungJoon seemed to have a good relationship, reminding KyuJong of his own little sister EunAh. Kevin, who he’d never met before, turned out to be a cute blond kid around KiBum’s age with a friendly attitude. He was sweet, though a little too easily excited for KyuJong whose head was spinning before long.

Once they were done eating, they settled down to play some video games. “How good are you at these?” HyungJoon asked, showing KyuJong their game selection. KyuJong didn’t recognize any of them, and had to admit sheepishly that he didn’t usually play video games.

“Well then we’ll just have to teach you,” HyungJoon grinned, not to be deterred. He plucked a game out of the pile and the PS3.

“That’s okay hyung, I’m not that good at these games either,” Kevin chuckled.

KyuJong turned his head to smile at Kevin, grateful for their attempts to make him feel comfortable. As he looked at Kevin, his eyes shifted to the large window right behind the other man. It opened into a dark alley, the brick wall of the opposite building the only thing visible.

A white shimmering form flashed by the window, and KyuJong’s breath caught in his throat.

It had looked like…

“—KyuJong? Hey, earth to KyuJong.” KyuJong snapped out of it, looking at HyungJoon with wide eyes. “You okay? You’re a little pale.”

That couldn’t have been…could it?

A faint white glow passed by the window again, and KyuJong stood up. “I-I’m sorry, I just remembered I have to do something important. Maybe next time, okay?”

“I—but—what?” HyungJoon looked confused and a little hurt. “What’s up?”

KyuJong felt a shot of guilt, but was already on his way out.  “Phone call, important, I’ll see you tomorrow!” He shoved his feet into his shoes and took off out the door, running down the hallway to the elevator. He would have to make it up to HyungJoon somehow.

They were seven stories up. Nothing should be showing outside the apartment window like that.

By the time he got down to the lobby and outside, the alley was empty. Panting and trying to catch his breath, KyuJong looked around frantically. He hadn’t been imagining it…the spirit animal had to be somewhere.

A snarl echoed through the air from an adjacent alleyway and he took off, following it. KyuJong reached the corner and skidded to a stop, eyes wide.

The white form he’d seen was a large eel, moving as though it was swimming through the air. Watching, KyuJong’s eyes widened as he realized he’d almost missed the second spirit animal; a jet-black panther that blended into the shadows perfectly. Both animals were the same translucent glow as he remembered from years ago.

If this was the same kind of fight as back then, he didn’t see how the eel could possibly win. It was just a fish, and panthers ate fish.

The panther lunged with a snarl and hit nothing, the eel easily moving out of the way. KyuJong backed up around the corner again, wary of getting in the way. Looking around, he saw two figures not far away. One boy was barely a teen, and was the closest to KyuJong, hands balled into fists as he stared at the battle.

“Come on Pantera, you can catch him! Go!” Shouted the boy, and the panther attacked again. Before it could slash the eel’s side open, the fish easily moved out of the way and wrapped itself around the panther’s form.

“Now!” Shouted a familiar voice.

Electricity sparked, and the eel’s form lit up in bright flashes, electrocuting its target. The panther roared in pain and disappeared in a burst of smoke. The smoke swirled around the teen boy before disappearing off into the night, the boy collapsing.

KyuJong stood frozen by the edge of the alleyway, watching as the eel swam it’s way back to where a figure stood in shadows. The other man stepped out into the alleyway, holding out an arm. The eel curled itself around his shoulders, it’s ethereal glow illuminating his face.

The puppy-faced boy who’d helped KyuJong that morning smiled at the eel. “Good work, Abaia. I think one more, and then we can get some sleep. How about we start with the guy watching us right now?”

And the first chapter's up! \o/ Hope everyone enjoys!

I'm gonna be posting a slightly different banner for some chapters, so take a look to see hints on who's gonna appear in the story ;) There's a lot of characters here...orz

Again, I'm gonna try and post updates once a week. I'll be out of town this weekend, so I might post on Friday before I leave, depends on how much I get written before then.

Comment if you liked! :)