~ a lily among thorns~

"come again tomorrow"

The trees and houses lining the darkening streets of Silla looked ablur to Nari as she raced past them, her only focus point the small building that stood humbly in the distance before her.

"I have to get there before it closes!" she screamed internally, determined to find answers.

Nari squinted, trying to get a clearer image of her destination. She spotted the shop owner hanging the 'closed' sign on the edge of the fence, walking back up the steps towards the door.

"No wait!" Nari yelled desperately, drastically quickening her pace.

The man began to disappear into the building causing Nari to push herself even harder.

"Please hold on!" she cried, reaching the entrance.

She attempted to follow the owner in behind him, but the door slammed right into her face, leaving her outside.

"Argh!" she exclaimed, her nose stinging from the sudden impact.

Before she knew it, excessive amounts of blood began dripping out of her nostrils, pouring onto her clean white robe and small pale hands.

"Oh no," she groaned, eyeing the mess it was creating.

Quickly, she pinched her nose, holding her chin upwards in an attempt to slow the bleeding.

"This is not how I planned this would go."

With her mission coming back to mind and one hand still pressed on her nose, she began knocking frantically on the door.

"Sir, please open up!"

"Sorry, but we are closed for today," a voice sounded from behind the wooden entry. "Come again tomorrow."

Nari jumped around in frustration, her stress levels bubbling over thanks to her now bloody nose.

"I'm begging you!" she cried, her face crinkled with urgency.

"Can't you see the sun has practically set?!" the voice grunted. "Go home!"

"But I really need to talk to you about something!" Nari pleaded, banging on the door in hopes it would open. "Please let me in."

"I'm not making any more sales until tomorrow morning," the owner replied with annoyance. "Now go before I contact the authorities."

"I'm not here to make a purchase!" Nari argued. "I'll be quick, I swear!"

The young girl waited for a reply, but silence filled the air.

"Hello?" she called hesitantly, her voice nasally from her fingers still squeezing her nose tightly.

She noticed the door in front of her slowly creep open, revealing the owner looking at her suspiciously.

"Then how can I help-Dear word, what happened to your face?!" he cried, seeing the blood all over the mysterious figure's upper body. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Nari assured, struggling to look the man in the eyes whilst keeping her nose held upwards. "Would you let me in for just a second?"

The owner eyed the blood once again.

"Of-of course..." he said quietly, before taking a handkerchief out from his robe and passing it to his unexpected visitor.

Nari bowed thankfully, taking the gift and relieving her fingers of their grotesque duty. She sighed with relief as she wrapped the cloth around her nose, her cramped-up neck now free to return to its more comfortable position. The owner watched on carefully, noticing her appearance.