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♪ Begin The End - Placebo

Nothing was familiar. It was akin to dreaming when the scene skipped from one part to another without any viable connection. Only, she didn't remember the previous setting before standing on a busy street lined by nightclubs and take-outs. Harsh city lights bore down on her as a lace-like drizzle fell over the sleepless city going on around her without paying any mind.

Without a rhyme or reason, the tall female clad in white had stopped at the entrance to an alleyway. Her amble had brought her to an obscured passage behind a row of bustling establishments dimmed and damp and filled with trash. She saw four men in disagreement stagger out of the rear exit of the far building and into the shrouded pathway. Sparse flickering neon lights danced off the snow white skin of the spectator. She had the intention of moving along and minding her own business, but she felt grounded, like her feet were taking root as the tallest of the group was thrown against the rough brick wall slick with precipitation. He was taking a serious beating from two of the well dressed men. She had no idea why, but she wanted to say something.

Waist length ebony locks grew damp under the mizzle but the plump owner didn't realize her state when she  took a step forward towards the skirmish. Opaque crimson lips parted, "Excuse me," her tone was vastly different from what she'd expected; her words were light yet husky as she held her hand up casually.

The suited men halted their punishment and snapped to attention. "Who the Hell are you?"

The young woman's mouth was left agape as her brows knitted and her hands found each other in front of her stomach. Tangling her numb fingers around one another, the brunette's eyes dashed from left to right in confusion. "Kan RiYeon." Her head tilted to the side a little as she hissed. "I think." Bronze orbs flittered upwards to examine the group before her.

Coughing a laugh, the largest of the men shrugged his victim from his grasp and pointed at the interruption. "Get the out of here."

Unfazed by the snarl, RiYeon shuffled another step closer. "Let me take that man." She brought her hand up and pointed at the youngest pinned to the wall and bleeding.

Wobbling his head mockingly, the apparent leader howled a laugh. "Why would I let you do that?"

Straight faced and not quite understanding, the female blinked at the man at least three times her mass. "Why wouldn't you?"

Never being one to argue with a crazy woman, the boss gesture with the jut of his head to release the one that had been asked for. Stumbling away from the group, the boy that had been beat up didn't even spare the female a glance. Yanking his jacket back over his shoulder, the abnormally tall male limped past the woman that had saved him and out onto the main street in silence.

Shaking his head with a bitter scoff, the shortest thug grumbled as he opened the fire door. "That's what you get for helping a guy like Park ChanYeol." Laughing with each other, the  louts merrily made their way back inside the club.
 

Wandering after the young man that had left her behind, RiYeon splashed through the fast growing puddles hindering her bare feet. Russet spheres danced over the unfamiliar figures clashing into one and other in search of their target. She had asked a handful of passersby for help in her search, however not one person spared her a look. A feeling of invisibility was instantly rivalled by a sensation of confusion and dread. Harsh music roared at the female's eardrums and panic was starting to take over.

"I thought you'd get the hint to leave me alone." A deep voice cut through the rush in the atmosphere.

Eyes wide, the female spun around to see the man who'd ran off on her. "I have nowhere to go."

Bruised and battered, ChanYeol coughed. "Stop following me."

"No." She refused.

"Stop." He made a dash for the road in hopes to escape again but the girl sprinted after him.

"No." She repeated and tried to close the distance between them.

Glancing back to warn, the boy put on his best intimidating expression and barked. "I sai-"

Already closer than he'd expected, RiYeon viciously ragged the boy back by his sleeve. Half panting from shock of the very close accident, half scoffing in disbelief, the strange female pointed at the car that had almost hit her company as it swerved and honked its horn. "Maybe you need a babysitter."

Had it with the stalker tendencies, the male half of the pair erupted. "Do you even realize you're dead?"

"What?"

Running his hand over his face at his insensitive blunder, the man reached out to put his hand on the woman's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Pulling her shoulder back out of his reach, the brunette shook her head slowly. "People can see me; I can talk to them." Beginning to tremble at the notion, the girl gripped either side of her head as she tried to think straight. "I can talk to you." Lids fluttering upwards, unusual irises locked on the man in front of her.

Brow raised like it was commonplace, he shrugged the ripped up backpack into a more comfortable position. The expression on his face morphed into something unexplainable; something cold and guarded. "That's my problem." Rain fell on the pair as a moment of silence crept up on them.

She wanted to ask him so many questions.

He wanted to tell her he was sincerely sorry, but his own past prevented him from believing those words were the truth.

Taking a deep breath and deciding there was nothing else to be said, the tall male turned and walked away. RiYeon watched the back that looked so strong fade, merge into the masses just how the blackness of her non-existent memories left a hole within herself. The rain seemed angry and dropped from starless sky like it was trying to wash away sins. She wasn't able to physically feel it, nor could she remember how it felt...That was if she had ever felt it at all.

Who was she?
What was she?
What was her purpose?
Did she even have one?

Questions left unanswered assigned a burning in her consciousness, but she was a little grateful to know she could feel at least that. Without any thought about it, RiYeon set off walking. She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do, but standing in the same place all night was pointless. With the white linen of her dress clinging to her full form and her waist length locks stuck to her ashen skin, the apparently dead female shuffled on blindly.

She was now in a quieter part of town - yet not totally barren - and none of the intrusive music was to be heard. 'Kan RiYeon...?' She repeated the name over and over in her head at least twenty times, wondering if that was actually belonged to her. Feeling a throb of heat fill her up and just as quickly pass away, the apparition came to a stop and glanced around to find what had caused it. The impression she had just encountered must have been that woman staggering drunkenly in the opposite direction.

If she was really dead, then...Well, there really was nothing to do about it, was there?

She could come to terms with her demise she thought, but only if her questions were answered first. Like, why did she feel the ephemeral buzz when the passing female stumbled through her? And why was she 'visible' to that fool that had got himself beat up?

Frustrated by the fact that she was getting nowhere, RiYeon stopped dead in the middle of the street and messed her hair while stomping her feet dramatically. Screaming like someone getting murdered, the brunette flailed around manically. It was then that she realized that no matter what she did, the world would go on obliviously. If she asked for help, no one would even realize that she was there, let alone give her an answer. On the plus side, she could always spend her time doing rounds in the men's changing rooms around the city. She definitely wouldn't mind spending eternity like tha-

"Do I even want to know what has ran through your head in the last few minutes?"

RiYeon jumped in fright and spun around with her hand clutching the soggy fabric covering her chest. "How long have you  been standing there?" She eyed the man that had stopped some yards away.

Shoulders hunched with his hands in his coat pockets, ChanYeol shivered from the cold. "Long enough to watch you go from looking like an escaped mental patient to someone wearing a lecherous expression."

Rolling her eyes, RiYeon mocked bitterly. "I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?"

"I do. I was on my way home" his lips to sooth the burning chapped skin, the man nodded upwards and past the female. "and you're in the way."

Mouth ajar, the brunette wobbled her head facetiously. "Well, excuse me."

"You're strange." He told fatly as he advanced for the girl.

"And you're rude." She angrily prodded the air between them.

"No," Brows furrowed in puzzlement, ChanYeol examined the dripping wet figure a couple of feet away "what I mean is people don't usually just materialize." His eyes wandered off as he tried to think of a valid explanation as to what was going on.

The female gawked in disbelief. "You don't say~"

The taller of the pair looked up and shook his head. "If you really don't have anywhere else to go, you can stay for the night." Without waiting for a reply, ChanYeol continued walking.

Chasing after her new acquaintance with a jog, the female reminded of the obvious. "Where would I go like this?"

Trudging down the emptying street, ChanYeol pouted slightly. "No need to get snappy; I'm not used to this either."

A few seconds of comfortable silence passed when RiYeon spoke her thoughts. "When I'm around you," her line of sight landed on the floor while she watched her feet and those beside her, trying to think of the right way to word what she wanted to say. "I feel things."

Hiding his smirk, ChanYeol continued to look ahead at where he was going. "Don't you think it's a bit too soon for confessions?"

Ignoring the comment that was clearly meant to wind her up, RiYeon explained what was on her mind. "I meant like the cold and hunger, you fool." Pursing her ruby lips, the girl hummed. "I want a cigarette." Inhaling the air sharp with the scent of winter through her nose, the female shifted her sight to the sapphire sky above them.

Tensing his fists inside his pockets repeatedly to warm his hands, the male half of the pair asked. "Did you used to smoke?"

The brunette tilted her head, not quite sure. "I don't remember."

"Maybe you died from lung cancer." He snorted a laugh and the girl beside him peered up with a plastic smile.

"Maybe next time I'll let you get hit by a car" She patted the top of his arm in jest. "and then I can nag you until the end of time because you'll be stuck here just like me." Nodding in agreement with herself, RiYeon grinned.

Drawing the plain scarf from around his neck, ChanYeol dropped it on his company's head without a sound.

Tugging the woolly slip of cloth from over her face, she examined the accessory in her hands. Peeking up at the man beside her, RiYeon watched for a reason in his expression. "What's this for?"

Eyes focused on the area ahead of him, ChanYeol rolled his neck to adjust to sudden drop in temperature. "You said you can feel the cold." Pulling the collar of his coat up around his neck where the scarf had been, the male half of the pair shuddered at the bitter night chill. "You may not be able to catch a cold, but there's not need to feel uncomfortable." Baring with his own discomfort, ChanYeol sniffled sharply and picked up the pace.
 

Word Count: 2,057

Updated: 3rd November 2013 - 01:27