01
AWAKENING
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34 MINUTES BEFORE
"I get it," the girl groaned, eyes flashing across her hurtful reflection. "You don't want me to be here." Giving herself one last look, she turned around and clumped her body against the wall at the sight of her brother's face, it being contorted in anger.
"Jiyul," he said, fingers digging deep into his pale skin as he heaved a sigh. "Out of all times, why do you show up now?"
Jiyul continued to stand, her eyes casted on the bathroom door as she felt her heart beat against her rib cage. "Because... I just wanted to see you, Jiyun," she whispered in response, biting her tongue in the process. "Is it wrong for a girl wanting to see her brother?"
Jiyun looked down at his sister's pajamas for a split second, his eyes darting back up to her face before he walked up to her. "My friends are coming, Jiyul," he claimed, hand tightening around her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he let out, his heart tugging as the lie spilled from his lips.
"You don't have to lie to me." Jiyul looked up to stare into his eyes before shrugging his hand off of her. "I know you're that you're dating Eunseo," she admitted, her eyes tearing up before sliding her jacket back on and zipping it up to her chin.
"Y-you do?" Jiyun stood, his mouth opening in embarrassment.
"Of course I do," she whispered in response.
"And you're okay with it?"
Jiyul chuckled, her sadness evident in the forced smile she showed. "I might feel disappointed in you two for keeping it a secret from me." She paused, her hand reaching out for his as she gently squeezed it. "But at least I know that my best friend and my brother are in good hands, right?"
Jiyun nodded, his shoulders tensing as she walked away. "Thank you, Jiyul."
Jiyul looked back at him, scrunching her nose up. "No need to thank me, Jiyun." She smiled once more, her hand raising in a wave before Jiyun ran to her and engulfed her in a quick hug. Jiyul felt her tears drop with ease as her head rested on her brother's chest.
I wish I could just... talk to you.
"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Jiyun questioned, his eyes closing in an attempt to brighten the mood.
Jiyul nodded. "Of course," she replied, her fingers dabbing her cheeks as she wiped the tears away. "Of course you will."
But he didn't.
He never saw her again.
+
12 HOURS LATER
"Do you think she's awake?"
Iwasaki Jun sat in her chair, her arms crossed as she studied the girl's face. She tightened her lips together before nodding in confirmation.
"I think she could be waking up any moment now," she told herself, her previous question being answered. She got up from her seat, her hair falling into her eyes as she pushed her face closely to the girl's.
The girl fluttered her eyes gently, her eyelashes softly touching her skin as she widened her mouth into a yawn. Her eyes slowly opened, landing on Jun's before her face scrunched up in confusion.
"W-who are you?" she asked, sitting herself up automatically.
Jun chuckled, pushing her hand towards her before tugging her lips back into a smile. "My name is Iwasaki Jun," she answered. "Your aunt."
The girl shifted her confused-struck eyes to the stranger's hand before shaking her head. "I'm still dreaming," she whispered to herself. "First I get killed, now some woman shows up and claims she's my aunt." She paused, her gaze darting around the room before hitting her head. "I'm definetely dreaming."
Jun chuckled once more, getting closer to the girl. "None of it is a dream, sweetheart."
She sat in silence.
"Oh?" the girl blurted, closing her eyes as she sighed. "So I'm dead but...not?" she asked in sarcasm, letting out her own laugh.
Jun looked down at her fingers, sucking on the insides of her cheek as she tried to think of a response. "Something like that," she said, looking back up as the girl got up from the bed and walked away.
"I don't need this nonsense," the girl told her, her hands waving around as she grabbed the nearest sweater. "I just need to go back to school. I have classes to attend and I was planning on meeting up with my best friends after school," she said all at once. "I'm meeting up with my brother before classes so I'll be late," she hiccupped.
Jun stood up, watching the girl put on the sweater as she tightened her hands around herself. "Kwon Jiyul is your name, isn't it?"
The girl stopped what she was doing, her eyes welled up with tears.
"I'm sorry," Jun continued to say, stepping up to her before she was facing her. "Kwon Jiyul is dead."
The girl immediately shook her head. "No, I'm not," she blurted. "I'm right here!"
Jun felt her heart break at the girl's outburst.
"I'm right here," she repeated, this time her tone dropping. She dropped her hands and sat on the floor.
"Kwon Jiyul was found with a bullet in her chest and a suicide note was found in her jacket." Jun continued to speak, her body following the girl's as she sat next to her. She turned her head and watched the girl.
"I didn't commit suicide," she whispered. She continued to stare at the floor as she seemed to be in deep thought. "Why would I believe you?"
"Kwon Jiyul," Jun started, stopping before taking out her phone and pulling up an article. "Everyone is talking about it,"she added, handing her phone over to the girl.
The girl looked to the phone for a few seconds before looking away. "Then what am I doing here?" she asked Jun.
Jun slid her phone into her pocket, her smile widening as she patted the girl's shoulder. "I'll explain everything to you." She stopped, looking over the girl's face again. "But what you need to know is that you will now go by the name Iwaski Kei."
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so chapter one is vv short & suckish bc i suck at introducing characters and such but i hope you guys at least get what is going on? next chapter will be where everything officially starts yAY ahhhh thank you for reading ily
nehal
