“Who cares where he is? He threw you to the dogs. Seryung for Hana, you’ve become the wangta in exchange for Hana’s freedom. At this point why are you still trying to look for him? He’s changed Oh Seryung, you’ll only get hurt if you try to confront him.”

Seryung raised a skeptical brow, she wondered who this ghost was to judge. The ghost simply huffed and left. Seryung pondered the ghost’s words and although she knew to trust her instincts, the ghost’s words left Seryung with a bitter taste.

Seryung felt her energy leave her when she heard footsteps. She took to hiding not wanting to be caught by the students who enjoyed her torment. She wondered when the school had become sadistic and why she hadn’t noticed earlier. Did they hold a grudge against her? Why were they driven to hurt and humiliate her? What had she done to infuriate them?

‘You messed with the rules first… You chose to break them by helping the wangta, you were arrogant, you thought you’d be okay. They recognized your arrogance and it rubbed them the wrong way, they don’t like you… No, they never liked you. They know you! You’re a fake. They know you wear a mask and they hate you for it. Why did you think things like ‘It won’t happen to me?’ That’s where you lost your footing and oppa… What is he thinking? After yesterday, I don’t know what’s going on in his head. He’d never betray me… He wouldn’t, he’s always been there but…’

Seryung bit her lip and muffled a sob. The safeguard that protected her was being attacked, and she didn’t know how to save it.

-

The ghost was much more nervous when she appeared in the library. She recalled what the sinister fellow had told her. He’d tried to assure her that it would work but the ghost feared that she’d get caught. She was afraid of what she was trying to do but once her eyes landed on Sehun, her fear dispelled and all she felt was immense hate.

The ghost took a deep breath and waved a hand in front of Sehun face. She wasn’t sure if he could see her like his sister could. She hoped not, and for once her wish was granted. The ghost smirked and began to whisper into Sehun’s ear just like she had been taught.

-

“But they won’t stay mad at each other forever. Everyone knows they’re close!”

Long fingers reached to grasp a block of wood and played with it in his hands. The amusement in his eyes dimmed and emitted a coldness that even the ghost could feel. The sinister fellow sighed and scrutinized the ghost. He didn’t know when she’d stopped fearing him but her constant questioning was annoying him. He smiled crudely. “If you want out, tell me now and I’ll let you go. If you wish to continue with my plan then there’s no out. The decision is yours but remember, if you choose to antagonize me, I can destroy you.”

“I’m in.”

“Good.” The mild-toned male paused and picked up a knife. “A hobby I’ve picked up from someone detestable.”

The ghost nodded and watched him rotate the knife in his hands as he stared long and hard at the cube. She pursed her lips when he began to carve it. His movements were smooth and fluid unlike what she’d thought. She’d imagined him trying to hack at it, with his temperament it would have been expected, but he was quite the opposite. His fluidity was mesmerizing and the ghost held her breath until he cut out half of his creation. She waited for him to continue but he stopped and placed the block onto a table.

“They’re close. They can’t stay mad at each other forever. It’s true, they’re as close as the fibers in this cube,” he tapped the cube and smirked slyly. “But regardless of how close, they can’t always be one.”

The ghost yelped and covered her eyes as the sinister fellow struck the cube with the knife in his hand. What could have been a beautiful masterpiece lay in broken, desolate pieces that spread across the room. “They won’t stay as one.” The sinister fellow chuckled insidiously and removed the knife from the center of the table. “And now, I’ll give you your first task.”

-

Sehun clenched his jaw and tried to concentrate on his work but his thoughts were too far away for him to make sense of what he was doing. He tried to ignore the thoughts that were entering his head one by one. He could feel his anger rise and his blood was beginning to boil. One by one ill feelings towards Seryung were entering his mind. The library was his sanctuary, somewhere he went to calm himself and the only way he was able to cool down was by immersing himself into his books but it wasn’t working anymore. Sehun frowned and placed his pen onto the desk, he massaged his temples and glared. The ghost smiled she’d done her task. She had to leave before Seryung caught her.

Seryung stared at the library door. Her hand had found the handle but she was afraid to enter. She clenched her jaw and rested her forehead against the door.

“He threw you to the dogs. Seryung for Hana, you’ve become the wangta in exchange for Hana’s freedom.”

Seryung shook her head and the door opened. Seryung chuckled quietly to herself. She was afraid of her brother; someone she’d never been afraid of before. ‘What’s so scary about him?’

Seryung crossed her fingers and hurried to where his favorite spot in the library was. She stopped when she saw him. He was glaring at his book and she could tell he was in a bad mood. Seryung wondered if it was safe to approach him. She tried to turn around but her feet remained rooted in their place.

-

“I did as you said.”

The sinister fellow raised his head and nodded briefly. “Good,” was his reply as he continued to write. The ghost stood opposite the desk he sat at, “How did you know that I could manipulate his thoughts?”

The sinister fellow paused in mid sentence. He stared at what he’d written and smirked. He was doing homework he’d forgotten to hand in and the ghost was trying to bother him.

“I just know.”

The ghost pursed her lips unsatisfied with the answer she’d received. She didn’t like him at all. He was mysterious and that’s what made him scary. His personality was prickly but she was in need of his aid. He was going to help her with her revenge and that was enough for her.

The crooked lad continued to write once the ghost dematerialized. The dummy would be returning soon and when he did. He would go back to his original position – of being the puppet. The puppeteer was awaiting his return as was he.

The dark-eyed male's aim was different from the ghosts and the puppet masters. His aim was to destroy those he disliked and he would do what it took to achieve his goal. The first person who needed to be erased was Oh Seryung. He scratched his chin. There were people who were giving him headaches regarding Oh Sehun and the ghost had only added to the list. The unscrupulous student found no merit in erasing Sehun.

The sinister fellow sighed. His plans were becoming more complicated. He could feel it already. He let his pen drop and removed a key from his pocket. He used the key to open a drawer, which he always remained locked. In the drawer sat an old book, an ancient book, which belonged to someone and no one.

He removed the book and stared at its worn leather cover. The years had aged it and he wondered more than once how it had survived at all. He’d found the book through the puppet master and had decided to pocket it. It’s contents were fascinating: it talked about ghosts, what they were capable of doing and how to control them. There was a time when he didn’t believe in ghosts, not until he’d come across the book.

-

“Oppa? Are you busy?” Seryung hovered at Sehun’s table awkwardly. She forced a smile as he turned to glare at her.

“Very busy.”

Seryung frowned as he turned his attention back to his books. She dropped her bag to the ground, and pulled a seat beside him and held his hand to stop him from writing.

“What do you want?” Sehun snapped. He clenched his teeth and tried to be calm as Seryung smiled nervously. He didn’t want to see her at all. She was the one who was trying to push Hana to him and Sehun didn’t want that. He’d made it clear but she never listened to him. He didn’t want her meddling in his affairs but she always did as she deemed fit, always, without thinking, she’d used him! He’d had enough of her now he hated her. It didn’t matter if she was his sister. He hated her.

“Oppa, I’m sorry, about everything. I was j-“

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Oppa!”

Seryung frowned and stole the pen from his fingers. She hid it behind her back and smiled innocently. “I’ll give it back only after you’ve listened to me.”

Sehun narrowed his eyes, ‘There she goes again! Things always have to go her way or else she’s not happy.’

“Take it and leave. I don’t want to listen to what you have to say.”

Seryung sighed when her brother turned to his bag and produced a pencil case. “Here,” Seryung placed his pen onto the table, “I said I’m sorry. What more do you want me to say? I just don’t like to see you stuck in the past, I’d like if you moved on. I want you to be happy, I don’t want you to feel guilty and sorrowful so I did what I thought would help you b-”

“But nothing,” Sehun interrupted, “I’ve made it clear but you didn’t listen, you tried to make a fool out of me. What? Ideal type? That’s fine, you and that other idiot girl can play dress up and chase after boys as much as the two of you like. You told her everything didn’t you? You told her about Rae Mi, and you told her to become Rae Mi. Do you think anyone can become Rae Mi? Did you think I’d fall for something so stupid? You were trying me make me an idiot. You got caught and you’re sorry for getting caught.”

Seryung shook her head, “It’s not like that!”

“It is and you know it.”

“It’s not!”

“Go away.”

“Oppa I don’t understand you. You keep saying I was trying to make a joke out of your feelings. I wasn’t! I was trying to change their course towards Hana because she likes you. She wants to make this m-“

Sehun placed his hand over Seryungs’s mouth to muffle her words, he hissed quietly and looked around cautiously. There was no one around but he could have sworn they were being watched.

“Don’t use that word away from home.”

Seryung removed his hand and nodded, “Okay.”

Sehun narrowed his eyes and glared, he doubted he could trust her. He’d learnt not to trust anyone, especially her because she was the most dangerous one. The one who was aware they were blood bound and the one who knew how to make use of it.

“Oppa,” Seryung began again but Sehun raised his hand to stop her. He shook his head suggesting he didn’t want to listen and turned to his books again. Seryung nodded absentmindedly. ‘He’s stressed about the final year. He wants to get into a good college. It’s not that he doesn’t want to talk. If you bother him here, he’ll get mad.’

Seryung chewed on her lower lip and turned to face the table. She hated studying but she didn’t have a choice, she didn’t want to go back to class so the only thing left to do was stay beside her brother in the library, the library was probably the safest place in the school for someone like her.

“If you plan to study go sit somewhere else. I don’t want to be distracted.” Sehun muttered and turned the page of his book.

Seryung stared at the books she’d extracted from her bag and smiled sardonically, ‘You could have told me sooner you didn’t want me to sit next to you. Then I wouldn’t have to carry all these.’

“I hate you, you know that?”

“That makes the two of us.”

“So what? How long are we going to stay like this?”

“I think my life would be much easier without you in it.”

“Is that why you did it? You didn’t want me in your life… So, you traded… Seryung for Hana…”

Sehun rolled his eyes, she was talking nonsense again. He didn’t know what she was talking about but it made him feel guilty anyway. ‘She’s always been good at that… Making others feel bad.’

Seryung zipped up her bag. She’d had enough of everyone to last her a lifetime. She didn’t need any of them, neither a brother nor a sister. There wasn’t any reason to have them in her life. They’d only stressed her out and joined hands against her when she least suspected it. She hadn’t expected them to betray her but they had done exactly that and now her brother was making her out to be the traitor.

Seryung turned to give her brother a dirty glare but he was too immersed in his work to notice. She huffed and placed her bag on her back. ‘So much for comradeship!’

-

Seryung was careful while sneaking out of school. She didn’t want to be there because it didn’t feel safe for her. However that didn’t mean she had been granted permission to escape and that’s why she chose to use the back gate.

The weight in her heart was heavy as she snuck out of the building, careful not to get caught by anyone bar the cameras that hung from every corner of the building. The cameras made Seryung smile sarcastically. Every year there were wangta’s in the school and every year the teachers ignored everything yet the cameras still hung around for entertainment purposes. Seryung wondered if they worked and if so, why nothing had been done at one of the best schools in the country.

A small breeze brushed past her comfortingly. Seryung gasped and hurried down the steps her heart was vulnerable now that the safeguard had been cracked. Unshed tears clung to her lashes. They also felt unwanted.

“I told you.”

Seryung jumped and whipped around in surprise there was no ghost but she’d heard the voice. There was a smugness behind it that spilled Seryung’s tears. Seryung grimaced and hurried towards the back door without even sparing the school building a glance. If she had, she might have locked eyes with the sinister fellow who watched her escape.