LAST WORDS OF A SHOOTING STAR - THE UNCANNY COUNTER

Eat Your Young

Yuna was thankful for the heat of the takeaway bag as the night breeze blew past her, the bite of the early spring air clinging to her as she stood outside the Shin residence.

Only when she stepped onto the porch did she notice how the door had been left ajar, a feeling of dread creeping up the base of her neck, Yuna hastily quelling the feeling.

Being in a line of work where you're consistently confronted by evil can leave you seeing a potential evil in everything. Even in an unlocked door, which she quickly reasoned with herself was most likely nothing of an evil nature. She wanted to enjoy her evening, rather than feel like she was working.

Clearing her throat, pushing aside her doubts, she stepped inside, frowning at the darkness that welcomed her. She hesitated before calling out.

"Hyukwoo? I got your favourite!" Her voice rang through the silence, the only response the distant whistling of the wind outside. Her gaze shifted to the end of the hall as a figure stepped into sight, her smile widening as she moved forward, "Hyuk-"

Her grin died on her lips as the figure, who she had assumed to be Hyukwoo, stepped into the moonlight of the hall. She took an instinctive step backwards as she stared at Myeonghwi, temples throbbing, stomach turning as she reached for her phone, hearing a distant shuffling upstairs.

"You're strong enough to take on one. Kill the girl." His voice was distorted as he spoke, a tone she quickly recognised to be of an evil spirit. Dropping the bag, she swiftly extended a hand only for the man to beat her to it, Yuna's eyes widening as her airways tightened. She clawed at the invisible hands around her neck as she was pushed backwards, back pressed to the door.

In his bedroom upstairs, Hyukwoo's heart had dropped as he heard Yuna call out. 

Not now. Please, not now. 

Forcing aside his terror, the image of his father's supernaturally blackened gaze boring into him, he swung open the door. He wasted no time in running to the top of the stairs, looking down in horror as Yuna fought for breath in the corner of his hallway, his father watching her struggle with a sadistic smile.

Without a second thought, he rushed down the flight of stairs, tackling his father to the ground. This break of focus meant that Myeonghwi had lost the telekinetic hold he had on the girl, Yuna falling to the ground as she sucked in a choked breath, quickly regaining her composure.

She watched with a clenched jaw as the ex-mayor struck his son across the face, sending him tumbling down the hallway. Fury coursed through her, spurring her forward towards where the man hovered over his son like a predator taunting its prey. Grabbing ahold of the shoulder of his jacket, her punched him across the jaw with a force that usually would've been enough to at least send the spirit to the ground, but all it did was turn his head away for a moment before his gaze crept back to her. 

Back at the restaurant, Hana bolted upright, vision filling with the familiar technicolor haze. 

The first was a blurred image of Yuna stepping into the Shin residence, coming face to face with Myeonghwi. The next was Yuna being dragged backwards as she outstretched a hand towards an bleeding Hyukwoo down the hall. 

"Hyukwoo! Go!"

"It's the Mayor. Yuna's there with his son."

The final was the girl falling through the glass table in the living room, Hyukwoo trying to hold his father back, calling out for Yuna before being knocked near unconscious, collapsing to the floor.

"She's in trouble. We need to go."

The Counters looked to eachother in a wide eyed exchange, their respective spirits calling out to them as they ran for the door.