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At a park
The scene reveals a young lady, looking as pale as a ghost. She is gazing into the water, her eyes widened as if seeing her reflection for the first time. The young lady screams in horror at her reflection on the waterbody, remaining still even if her scream might amplify ripples of disturbance across the already hauntingly silent atmosphere. The truth, even if she didn’t want to acknowledge it, remains unchanged, reflected small yet undeniably in her eyes.
The night remains willingly still, bringing out the inevitably filled silent tones of despair, confusion fogging the eerie atmosphere, ringing persistently loud in her ears till she admits defeat and gives in what she has no power over. Her hands curled into fists, pressed tightly against the ground, wanting to crumble the ground beneath her. She grits her teeth, her eyes clouded as if caught in a stormy emotional weather, her anger, confusion, fear, and reluctance flashing like lightning, challenging the world around her as if challenging the collapse that is inevitable.
Her eyes were painted in dark smoky eyeshadow with wing-shaped black rough outline edges around her eyes. The night sealed in mute, with the moon eternally asleep in its glorious form shining upon her. The storm inside her is killing her silently. She felt that things happening to her were unfair, and she didn’t like the new rules being imposed on her forcefully.
She leans closer and closer towards the river till her face is just an inch away from the water surface. The young lady with winged eyes whispers with a smirk, laced with pure mockery and a thin layer of fear disguised as sarcasm almost unnoticeable in her tone, ” 당신은당신이이겼다고생각합니다.
(You think you won.)
미안하지만 미안하진 않아.
(Sorry but not sorry. )
내가 이 변화를 막아내는 즉시 당신은 패배하게 될 겁니다. 나에게 가해지는 이런 부당함을 결코 받아들이지 않을 테니까요.
(You are going to lose as soon as I fight this change down. Because I won’t accept this injustice happening to me.)
그냥 기다려 봐.”
( Just wait and watch.)
She snickers, gazing at her palm, then without hesitation, gently rubs her hand against the ground in a circular motion as if trying to cover something which can’t be erased. Her actions lead her palm to be covered with soil particles.
She rejoices silently at her soil-covered palm, satisfaction sitting on the curve of her lips, her eyes shining in her water reflection. She announces her name, while intensely gazing into her reflection on the river, ” SaengSacho, I am SaengSacho, who don’t bend to changes, rather make changes. And those changes will soon reveal in the moonlight, making people rethink their world.”
Saeng continues speaking, promising to her reflection, unhinged determination or a stubborn resistance in disguise, ” I will revert to my original self, the self who wasn’t…….who wasn’t supposed to be exposed to these changes like an unforgotten land kept safe away from the tainted touches of fluid senses. I will undo all these necessarily unnecessary changes that overtook my mind, body, and soul.”
Saeng’s white dress shone like moonlit but seemed cold white as the moon, which is now tainted with dirt stains, soil particles, and scratches upon the empty white dress. Her black hair is messy, loose, and open, with small baby hairs sticking to her forehead due to sweat beads gathered on her forehead. Her thin lips colored in dark purple lipstick, smudged with small bleeding cuts upon the upper lip.
She stands up, and her pale skin contrasts with her dirt-stained white dress; her ghostly pale skin shines with a muted glow under the moonlight, like an empty and dull white color. Her tainted white dress gives off a ghostly vibe, stained with dirty stains of her unavoidable fate. Her jet-black eyes stare at the darkness ahead with neutral emotion. Her black eyes intense and deep like a black hole, holding a power to gravitate everything towards her if she desires, similar to how a black hole swallows planets, stars, and everything with its powerful gravitational force if caught near.
She turns back, her back facing the river, which still held her reflection, with a quiet hum of sadness and a sigh for what the river knows her soul is about to withstand. Saeng walks in the opposite direction of the river with a neutral face. An intimidating and strong aura emanates from her, demanding to leave space for her way and warning not to come in its way, with her bright eyes glaring into the distance.
Outside the Park
She walks with heavy and overwhelming emotions birthing inside her, which is foreign to her, blending everything into feeling nothingness inside. She walks endlessly until she reaches a place where something catches her attention.
Her footsteps halt, and she stares at a bakery store, which was less crowded than its usually crowded days.
She straight walks into the store named ‘Sung sim dang’, known for its excellent bakery taste. Saeng enters and buys herself some cookies, Choco puff rolls, and some macarons from that bakery store. She greeted them with a polite goodbye by slightly bowing her head, exited the bakery store, and wandered around the street.
She is currently strolling around the street with her normal neutral expression as if the unusual rumble and whispers around her are normal, mundane actions of the people. She ignores the heavy, palpable tension rising in the city while her gaze catches the sharp, mindless, violent scratches carved by artistic creatures upon the shiny metal surface of car doors, parked in the parking lot. She giggles at this scene with emptiness in her tone. A mocking expression of feeling sorry appears on her face for the car owners. But she cares nevertheless for anyone right now. She bypasses the parking lot and carries on walking with a lost identity, as being lost is what she prefers rather than being bound to rigid, normal norms.
She continues walking even after hearing wild animal noises coming from her nearby surroundings; her eyes, rather than fear, had childlike curiosity as if she might encounter an animal if luck is on her side. She walks with an unbothered attitude, unaware of the nightmare wreaking havoc, twisting the people’s peaceful nights into thriller fiction filled with unfamiliar horrors. A nightmare that will follow the people every night, taking their every escape into a dark and long journey, which may end someday or never.
At her residence
After walking endlessly on the road, humming a Korean song that feels cryptic and deep, low-tuned, fitting her mysterious smile painted deliberately over her lips, she finally arrives at her residential building. Saeng walks upstairs and arrives at her flat, pauses for a second. Her unbothered smile fades when a thought pops up in her mind. Her eyes, cold black, glowed with subdued warmth at the thought, but only to vanish instantly when she heard some rustling noises from her neighbor’s flat.
She paused to listen, but the rustle stopped as if it knew she was paying attention. Saeng dismisses the noise and extends her hand to unlock her door. But before she could unlock it, she heard a painful scream from her neighbor’s flat, just next to her flat. Saeng thinks for a while and moves in front of her neighbor’s flat and knocks on the door. But she gets no response; still, she continues to knock for 5 minutes and feels foolish to wait any longer.
She sighs, turns back, and steps a foot towards her flat. Again, she hears the creaking sound of the door opening, making her smirk. Saeng speaks in her usual neutral tone, ” Mrs. Mun, may I ask, why didn’t you open the door earlier? And what happened that made you scream like that? Please answer. “
She turns and finds that the door slightly open and hears some weird animal noises coming from their flat.
Saeng moves in closer and closer by each second. She presses her hand against the door and pushes it wide open.
Saeng walks in and removes her sandals. She slowly walks into the hall and finds the hall empty. Saeng feels her senses heightening, sensing a weirdly strange aura hovering near, from a close hidden distance, watching her like a hawk, but what exactly she is unable to comprehend. A cold chill made her shoulder cold, and goosebumps spread on her arms, but her face stayed neutral, and her eyes remained cold, intense, and empty.
She looked around to find the watcher, hidden in the dimly lit room. Still, no movement; only the silence she could hear. She reached out to turn on the lights, and yet no one was there, as if they had vanished after opening the door for her. She searched each room. But she found no one else.
Saeng again heard a strange animal-like noise coming above her. She raised her gaze upwards without a hint of fear, her eyes wide open with a curious glaze. The thing, clinging to the ceiling, observes her face and immediately pounces upon her. Strange sounds come out of that creature’s mouth, while she just braced herself to observe what it does.
The creature is a large female spider; she could tell because she has medical knowledge about animals, plants, and insects. The female spider, without wasting its time or leaving any chance for the lady to escape from her sight, wraps her tightly in thick, smooth, and silky material like a fine spider web.
Slowly, the grip tightens, which squeezes the young lady’s body, and the web trap wrapped around the young lady makes her squirm. The spider’s hold is inescapable, but not a single hint of disgust or fear, which is normal for humans to have for spiders or insects, but since she has a medical background, she is simply not bothered at all. But her face remained neutral, even though there is a good chance of her being attacked with venom or being that spider’s dinner tonight.
She tries to tear out the web trap, even if it is impossible to break. For the first time, she felt powerless as the web material was quite strong and fine. Saeng observes the terrific beauty in front of her, trying to stare into her numerous eyes, feeling the rage and helplessness radiating from her eyes. The female spider possesses a dangerous aura, yet is a beautiful spider creature in its humongous form. She felt the spider leaning closer to her face. Saeng knew she might bite her with venom, but she no longer squirmed, confident she would survive.
Saeng observed her numerous eyes watching her keenly; she saw burning fury, which made her black eyes stand out. She was standing quite close to her. She extended her two violet-colored legs and held her and pulled her closer. Saeng could see her fang-like jaws, and she felt her heartbeat pacing fast for an unknown reason. She still tried to wriggle out of her trap, but no use; she was out of luck.
She felt her web trap being tightened more and more. Saeng observed her eyes, even though it was jet black; still, she could feel venomous anger making those spider eyes glaze. The female spider’s jaw opened, but no sound came out of her mouth. Saeng didn’t need her mouth to say because her eyes and her grasp told everything she wanted to say. Saeng was in pain, but her pain stinged bad when she noticed the spider lady’s eyes secreting clear greenish blood.
Seeing her blood dripping, blood splotches appeared on the top of the silky cocoon the young lady was trapped in, reaching up to her neck. The blood seeps inside the cocoon layer, making her chest ache as if she has been stabbed. Saeng wonders, her neutral eyes conflicted, flickered suddenly for a reason she was unaware of, ” Why does my heart feel as if the web trap is squeezing my heart instead of my arms? Mrs Mun, why…Why do I feel like I murdered something close to her heart? A sin… guilt… is it? But I was just trying to teach a lesson.”
Saeng’s eyes lose their warmth, becoming neutral as if she didn’t feel anything a minute ago. In a bothersome and uncaring attitude, in the calmest tone, as if she was asking a casual hi-hello, she asks the spider lady, ” Mrs.Mun, you look hurt, which is obvious through your emotions seeping out from your body.
I know this was an unexpected change. But life is full of these unexpected changes; you shouldn’t be afraid, and should instead embrace them. Who knows, you might adapt to them and mold this change to your advantage.
Mrs. Mun, I don’t think this change is something terrible, as it may unfold into something beautiful later. And, about him, do not worry; he might already like it, who knows. Isn’t it a great and beautiful phenomenon to experience? “
Mrs. Mun’s expression shifts from anger to sadness. She turns her head and looks towards the bedroom with helplessness. Even after this, the female spider’s eyes radiated a pitiful aura at Saeng as she stared into Saeng’s eyes, which remained neutral even after such disasters. But then she heard her neighbor’s pleading voice asking her to save her family from this terrible fate.
She hummed as if thinking of agreeing, only to brutally deny her request without a hint of guilt or remorse in her tone, breaking the spider’s last hope, if she had any for her, ” 죄송합니다, Mrs.Mun ( Sorry, Mrs.Mun). This is something you need to accept and surrender to your fate and leave the rest to the universe. The universe will help you to lead your fate. But I can only help you to give in to fate”.
While speaking this, she stared at those spider eyes, which were staring back at her with desperation and hunger, with no intention of releasing her. Saeng surrendered to remain still and be stuck in that trap, let fate decide.
Mrs. Mun still begged her to change this all back to normal. She stated, “This is not at all good for anyone. This is wrong, and you know this deep down in your heart. You were emotionless before but never heartless. Unfortunately, you are now turning into a selfish and heartless person. And why? Just because you don’t know how to express or understand yourself. “
Finishing her sentence, she again searched for guilt or regret in Saeng’s eyes, only to feel her heart break, getting the same empty emotion in her eyes. Mrs. Mun slowly lost her grip as if the last thread was torn apart, and spat venom only around the edges of the silk cocoon; the silk thread distorts a little, giving Saeng a chance to break free from the silk cocoon
Saeng simply walks straight to the door and is just about to exit. Her steps halt when she hears Mrs Mun give a warning in a distressed tone with an undertone of concern for her, ” Ms. 빈생사초 (Bin Saengsacho). You are stepping on a dark and dangerous path, which might put you too in danger. So, take a step back right now before you cause irreparable damage to yourself and the people around you.”
Still, Saengsacho pretended to be deaf to her warning; she opened the door and turned back to her and said goodbye. She walked out. While closing the door, she heard her cries, which sounded vulnerable and helpless. Saeng feels her chest tighten again for a moment. But at the next moment, she reverts to her neutral behavior and ignores the chest pain as mundane pain.
Inside her flat
Saeng enters her flat and feels her bones relax even amidst the chaos. Unable to ignore the persistent mild pain again hitting her chest, she slumps on the beautiful purple-colored sofa decorated with small intricate patterns, resting in the hall room. She unwraps the paper bag in her hand and eats those cookies, feeling her stomach numb down the dull pain thumping against her chest.
All of a sudden, she hears a glass-shattering noise, which seems to come from her room. She rushed to her room to find the culprit who dared to barge into her room; whether it be a human or animal, she wasn’t going to let them be wild and ruin her long-term efforts and hard work of 5 years.
She noticed the broken glass pieces scattered on the floor, letting out a sigh of relief; it was only the glass window that was ruined. Some glass pieces were scattered on the table nearby the window, and some fell upon the bed. And those glass pieces shimmered like gems in the moonlight. This lightened the dark violet walls of her bedroom in a lighter hue, giving off a mysterious vibe.
She took notice of something that made her feet rush toward the corner. She tripped and fell to the floor. Those glistening glass pieces were lying around, bruising her legs with bleeding cuts. Due to the hard fall, glass pieces immersed skin deep on her legs; this made her hiss in pain.
Saeng slowly stood up, feeling a surge of a thousand needles piercing her leg. But her sight was rather fixated on the scattered and torn documents under the shadow of the table, which she noticed just now as she turned on the light. She lets out a low growl like a cat hissing at its intruder, her dull black eyes suddenly narrow with anger, curling her fist tight enough to leave her nail impression on the inside of her palm.
She shouted, demanding the culprit hidden in the dark who dared to mess with her work, ” Who dares to touch my documents? Whoever that being is will be punished for sure for trying to destroy my precious belongings. “
Overwhelming emotions wash over her, draining energy from her body, making her eyes return to an empty void expression. Her facial expression turned neutral in an instant, and her anger evaporated into thin air. Saeng felt confused about her recent behavior. She ignores everything and focuses on her scattered documents, lying in a slightly torn condition.
She scans each corner of the room to find a clue. Finally, after searching for 5 minutes, she finds a hair strand near the windowsill area. She collects that clue in a plastic pouch and seals it. Then, she keeps it inside a medium-sized treasure chest box, along with many other things already inside it.
Saeng covers the window with long blood-red curtains and picks out her night clothes from the wardrobe. She took a relaxing shower. After 20 minutes, she came out wearing a bathrobe and changed her clothes. She cleaned the floor and dumped those broken glass pieces in the trash can. She then casually applied the ointment on the cuts on her leg without hissing in pain.
Saeng switched off the lights after applying the ointment and immediately lay on her single bed, postponing dealing with her thoughts until tomorrow, feeling her body falling into deep slumber as tiredness weighs heavily on her eyelids.
At midnight, a shadow of some creature towers over her defenseless body. He observes her with glowing yellow wolf-like eyes, burning in raw fury, hissing low at her sleeping figure. He barges into her room and walks with light footsteps, his eyes blazing with inextinguishable hunger.
The wolf nears her bed. He opens his mouth, his white, sharp fangs shining in the dark, looming closer and closer to her face. The moonlight highlighted some features of that creature, such as his wolf-like sharp jaw wanting to peel off her skin and twist her peace into a nightmare. He dug his claws into the mattress, and his orange-colored fur body caressed her arms peeking out from the blanket draped over her sleeping figure.
He glared at her with immense rage, releasing low growls. Without a warning, he moved his open jaw at a fast pace toward her face. Then a loud, painful scream echoes through the atmosphere, which might send shivers down the body if someone witnesses this scene.
A few months ago
The scene then rewinds to a few months ago.
A scene opens, revealing the same bedroom that was shown a few minutes ago. But the scene is different right now, as that same pale girl is shown deep asleep lying on her bed. Her whole body was covered with a blanket except her face, which looked neutral even while sleeping.
Her eyes open when rays of sunlight hit her body, making her awake. She completes her usual morning hygiene routine and gets ready to leave for work. Saeng wore a white coat, a black turtleneck full-sleeve top hidden beneath the coat, completing the look with jet-black jeans. She then puts on cat-shaped earrings, gazing at her reflection on the large wall mirror, thoughtlessly, only to find her neutral face devoid of emotion. Her black-colored wings-shaped patches with rough edges around her eyes look more natural than artificial makeup.
But her eyes had a hidden glint of eagerness, a motive in them. She grabbed her handbag and walked out of the apartment and locked it. She was walking downstairs from the 3rd floor to reach the ground floor. Someone stopped her by tugging her coat from behind. Saeng turned back and faced a small boy of 4-5 years old. This boy gave her a cute smile and greeted her good morning by cutely bowing his head. The boy expresses he considers himself lucky and grateful to learn singing every day from her at her morning singing classes, available for every age group.
Saeng nods with a neutral expression. She pats his shoulder and asks him to keep practicing the previous lessons she taught yesterday at her class. She also orders him not to interrupt her again when she is going somewhere. If not followed, he might be punished next time.
The persistent little boy fondly smiles at her, ignoring her scolding and sincerely promises her that he will practice hard. He is not at all afraid of her like her other students due to her strong, uptight, and strict nature. He then puts something on her palm and runs inside the apartment next to her. She looks at her palm and blankly stares at the flower placed on her palm. She just shrugs it off and drops the flower on the floor, and walks ahead.
After taking some steps forward, she stops and walks back. Then, she picks up the flower from the floor and throws it outside of the corridor. That flower slowly floats in the air and lands on the moist soil of the garden. Saeng walks out of the building and unlocks her scooter. She rides to her singing center, where she teaches singing to about 15 people for 3 hours every day except Saturday and Sunday.