Seoul Mate (서 울 짝)

SM-1

  "That's Venus, September thought. She was the goddess of love. It's nice that love comes on first thing in the evening, and goes out last in the morning. Love keeps the light on all night." 

― Catherine M. Valente, The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There 

Arella B. Cardena's View

Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea

November 11, 2017

A normal winter wonderland for normal people, but clear as a crystal did I have mention that I never expected myself to be in this place, in this country, in this villa and in this moment.

If it weren't for my studies, I would have never done these things. Indeed, a continuous walk and search for my so called father's house in this villa is nonstop.

I've been searching for about an hour already. Even asking for some directions in this neighborhood is useless.

Regardless of these things, I still continue searching for Room 11365.

In the middle of my search, a loud thunderous rippling sound sliced through the air. As if on cue, I ran as fast as I can to where I heard the sound of a gunshot.

The neighborhood speaks in a sound of mass panic as we all stare at the body of a man at his late 30's as he swims at his own blood. I want to speak but no words escaped out of my mouth.

Analyzing the state of the victim, he tried to run away from his killer. It seems like he was shot at his heart while he was running to seek for some help.

But this is not what struck me. It was the long red string around his left ankle and I can't see the end of the string. Was he tied up by his killer? Why does he have that string in his left ankle?

"What are you all staring at?! Call the ambulance, now!"

"What happened to him?"

"Poor man, he seemed to be so tired though."

"Eotteoke!"

Before I could even raise my head up to see these people who talk so loud, I was taken aback, I pause for a moment; still in shock because all of a sudden little by little the loud noise of people and some vehicles disappeared.

Wait....

Everything becomes so quiet; as if someone shushed them. I can only witness them as they move their mouths but I failed to hear anything coming from them. Indeed a dead silence with everything moving in slow motion as the red strings encircled each of their left ankles.    

The red ribbon like strings continued floating in the air.