I LOVE YOU SO
Chapter Twenty-eight
❛ An endless void. ❜
THE BLUE DANUBE lullaby was the only mellifluous thing to exist during that tough morning. The mellow melody blasted from one side of Aera's ear and out of the other. It sort of brought her a sunny warmth, it enveloped her heart within its pretty notes and brought peace on her mind.
Blinking slowly, trying to keep some indignant tears at bay, Aera recalled the rough nights she used to have as a child. She used to have mind scarring nightmares, ones that caused her to wail deafeningly, the entire neighbourhood would file complaints. When the golden sun shone its rays in the morning, Aera would find her cheeks sticky with old tears, and her Hello Kitty blanket would be soaked with those same tears.
Some stormy nights, those monstrous nightmares were too terrifying for ten year old Aera, it was too much stress for her little shoulders. So, her Appa would make a some sweet tasting lemon tea that swished around within a porcelain cup with orchids painted on the surface of it. The older, wiser man with a kind smile, would tuck his young daughter to bed whilst humming a familiar tune: The Blue Danube.
Over a short period of time, Aera's wailing stopped, the entire neighbourhood was thankful for that, her brothers and Oma too. Though, sometimes she missed her Appa tucking her in to bed, so she'd pretend to have a nightmare- soon her Appa caught on and tucked Aera into bed every single night, whether his daughter had a nightmare or not.
After three minutes, the soft harmony was brought to an end, and Hwang Aera was left staring at herself with a tightened jaw, at her reflection within the mirror. Even with a pristine, spotless bathroom mirror, it was still easy to pick out the grime and impurities imprinted upon Aera's fair skin. An array of purples and dark greens littered her neck- they were still there, a constant reminder of the times she felt weak, belittled.
Fixating her soulless, almost defeated looking eyes on to her tiny frame, she could almost see an endless void forming within her chest. The only thing filling that void was determination. Aera needed to do something, something to take her mind away from the festering pain that wounded her.
That something was the plan she wanted to go ahead with.
Letting the tap run, a handful of icy water filled her cupped palms, she then gingerly splashed it on to her face. Trickles of pure water skimmed across Aera's tainted skin, causing her nerves to jolt, her shoulders aquiver.
Gruffly sighing, she wrapped her fingers around the cottony towel that was draped around the warm radiator, stuffing her face in it, dragging one last, long, exhale, she tossed it aside. Curling her fingers tightly on the rim of the shiny sink, Aera gave herself another deathly leer at the large mirror before her.
She brought her hands back under the running water. "You're a Hwang," biting down on the inside of her cheek, with a sharp force, it tore the surface of it tinily, though, she didn't flinch once. Lukewarm, fresh water, continued to rush down from the tap, her blistered and red hands were still under it, making them grow wrinkled. But that primarily, wasn't in the centre of Aera's attention. Curling her top lip, a disgruntled sigh flew out of her lips, at the sight of her palms. Forcefully switching the tap off, she picked at her scars, ". . . we never leave without a final fight," swallowing thickly, a flitter of courage settled within Aera's cocoa pupils as she rolled her sleeves up tinily.
There was a loss of warmth once she pulled her palms back towards her sides. Harshly, the coldness from the air around her, scorched at her worn out skin, making her palms tingle slightly. Quite immediately, Aera ached to place her hands under the warm tap again, perhaps even at a searing temperature. Just the feeling of the warm water hugging at her skin, brought an impermanent amount of tranquility on her mind. When Aera's battered, murkily bruised skin hit the warm water, it reminded her of the happiness she felt before living in hell.
It also felt like someone was embracing her, wholeheartedly, her heart felt protected and concealed from harm. The warmth reminded Hwang Aera of when she was around Kang Sae-byeok.
The way a blithe warmth would shimmer across Aera's chest, whenever she found herself tucked away beneath Sae-byeok's delicate and brawny arms. The way the raven haired girl would rock her gently from the left and to the right, sometimes humming a charming tune from a song. Particularly a song from one of the playlists they made for each other. It all caused a soft smile to bounce on Aera's pink lips, making the corners of them widen uncontrollably. Even when they weren't talking, or when a comfortable silence draped over them, just being by Sae-byeok's side was enough, enough for Aera to feel that warmth. And when Aera did- she felt safe.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Player 036, your time to rest is over. Please follow me as I will take you over to a different room, as requested by The Front Man. Let me repeat your instructions. Player 036, your time to rest is over. Please follow me as I will take you over to a different room, as requested by The Front Man." Click. The shiny, hefty door flung open.
Aera's muscles grew taut in an instant. With her dark pupils expanding at her own figure in the mirror, she flicked some remaining water on her hands away by smoothing out her palms on the surface of her somber coloured jacket, making it damp. The entirety of the formal suit, hugged at her tall image dramatically.
Some areas, like her waist, were quite loose, dragging her eyes down towards the space around her stomach, a notion stuck itself within Aera's mind. When was the last time she had a good meal? A proper one? From the way her ribcage was protruding slightly against her skin, and how her stomach was hollow, it was evident that Aera was lacking nutrients- especially when her vision blurred every time she made drastic movements. Her stomach grumbled in response.
"Player 036, if you do not leave your designated room within the next twenty one seconds-"
"Fuck- just hang on a second- okay?" Squeezing down on her bottom lip with her top teeth, sharply, Aera gingerly tucked her flyaways behind her ears, taking a mental note to give her scruffy hair a major trim another time, for convenience.
Not bothering to make herself look presentable, she let her collar hang loose, revealing her evident, sturdy jawline. Some strands of her raven hair, that framed her beauteously strong cheekbones, were dripping with water, though, that didn't phase Aera. Crouching down, she fiddled with her shoelaces, before tying them into flimsy bows, which would probably last merely fifteen minutes.
A husky, light sigh toppled out of Aera's pink lips as she sniffled. Gripping tightly on to the counter, she got up whilst squeezing her cocoa eyes tightly shut. Clutching hurriedly at the side of her chest, a wave of affliction, burned at where her bullet wound was. It didn't go away as Aera stumbled towards the door, and even though it set fire to her confidence, Aera continued to proceed with her plan.
"Player 036. You have eighteen seconds remaining."
"Mhm . . . very, very nice of you to inform me," Aera answered in a satiric tone.
Never walk around without a weapon, got it? Patting her pockets, an exhale of defeat left Aera's lips when her hands found nothing but air. Grabbing a fistful of hair, stressfully, she desperately searched the bathroom, her eyes flittering aimlessly around the professionally decorated room. What met her frantic eyes were rows of empty shelves with: seashells settled on top of them, soap bottles, towels, cabinets- A purple orchid plant, that was sorrowfully placed on a ebony shelf with no light, and its stem was being supported by a green, metal stick. All of its elegant petals had toppled down on to its arid soil, though, its healthy stem was clipped with a sharp stick next to it, for support.
Aera strode over, her cold fingers latched on to the stick as she pulled it out, spilling some soil as she did so. Wincing, when the angelical flower fell limp, she mumbled a hasty apology, "sorry but- I kind of need it."
Equipping the lengthy stick, she found that it was just small enough to fit inside her pocket, but long enough to knock someone out and thick enough to make damage. Both ends of the green stick were pointy, the sharp tip of it glistened under the blindingly bright lights.
"Nine seconds remaining."
"God have you ever heard of patience?"
Tucking the green stick away, Aera rolled her shoulders back and dragged her feet over towards the door. There was a light spring to her steps, one that held courage and clarity. At every tap of her shiny black shoes, a radical amount of bravery seeped through her veins. Meeting the front door, Aera angled her head towards the side, her eyes rolling at the sight of the guard standing stiffly in front of her.
"Player 036-"
"Let me guess. Player 036 has three seconds remaining," scoffing whilst sucking in through her gritted teeth, "oh shit, she dies if she doesn't arrive on time does she?"
"Player 036 you have-"
"Didn't you hear me the first time? Hello? I'm here now." A peeved cackle left Aera's lips as she rested her hands on her hips, "well, are you just going to stand there and stare?" Bringing a palm up, she wriggled her fingers slightly, motioning over towards the hallway, "I'm here now aren't I? Aren't you going to take me to another room-" Aera widened her eyes, with her hands waving in the air, as if mocking excitement, ". . . to where the grand Front Man wants me to go?- Or some shit?"
"Player 036 your time is now up. Please follow me, I will now take you to the VIP viewing room."
The supervisor didn't flinch at all at Aera's tone, instead, they took a sharp turn, their weapon rustling loudly against their hip as they marched forwards. This left Aera with a hardened scowl upon her face, one that was pale from stress. Stuffing her fists into her pockets, she gave the back of the guard's head a fierce glare.
Exiting from her overly exquisite room, a part of Aera felt crushed, knowing that she may never sleep within such an expensive looking room again. Shrugging it off and pressing her lips firmly together, Aera returned her curious eyes towards the front.
Clank, clank, clank.
Her eyebrows heightened at the sight of three more guards crowding around her. With instinct, Aera's cold palm clutched the outside of her right pocket, the one that housed her makeshift weapon. In the event of hell making its way back to her again, she let her hand hover above her right pocket: just in case.
The dimmed hallways, gloomed menacingly around Aera. Obscure marble walls glowed under the cadmium yellow lamps. Continuing on her steps, Aera's jaw fell tinily at the interior designing- everything was done with such detail. From the delicate etchings on the wall, to the simple gold paint, if was definitely a contrast to the pastel coloured hallways Aera was used to.
Perhaps it was a metaphor for how there's a lethal darkness behind any innocent exterior. The pastel stairs seemed pure, child-like, though, if you wander deeper into the depths of the facility, those sinless colours would soon fade into a gloomy world. Those grim, dark hallways would then lead to the ones behind it all- sick people with sick minds.
People who toy with people's greed.
Hwang Aera didn't know that yet though. For all that clouded her mind at that moment was vengeance- meddled in with a festering amount of sorrow and a damaging amount of fury.
( 2086 words )
DEAR ALL,
I'm not enjoying writing about the VIPs they're so weird and ugh bro help😩
But yeah hope this was good🥰🥰
Remember to look after yourselves okay‼️
WITH LOVE, SYLVIA