Before Her Very Eyes

Chapter 14

4 years ago

Arin knew something was wrong with her. She knew she caused the deaths.

A part of it was instinct, but also, there was suddenly a loud ringing voice in her head; if she dug deep enough, she could hear it say:

You broke your word, you broke your vow,
So you will suffer for it now.
You hurt my child, I'll hurt yours too,
Make her feel what mine's been through.

Arin didn't let that voice continue. She shut it down, because it scared her.

Two people she loved had just died. Just like that. The last thing she could think about was how this loud booming frightening voice that was suddenly resonating in her head.

She could only think about the way S.Coups' body spasmed as he struggled to breathe. She could only think about the way Minghao's eyes remained wide open when he died, traumatized, shocked, and confused.

Arin's eyes were likewise very wide as she left the concert hall, leaving her Minghao on the seat beside her, face purple, and tongue hanging.

She felt like a zombie. Too much was happening, and neither her mind nor her body could catch up with it.

She didn't know how much time passed with her sitting on a park bench, absent-mindedly staring at police, ambulance trucks, and reporters flocking the area. Soon, familiar arms encircled her.

"Arrie," her mother was crying. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. She cursed you, because of me... I'm sorry."

Arin turned to her crying mom. Her mind was still in a complete daze, and she didn't know how she even managed to articulate a proper word in such a state. But some external force was at work, and it gave her the capacity to say it.

"Mom," Arin called out.

And that was how the curse took its third victim.

-

Arin froze. Her hands trembled as she held the flyer, eyes ghosting over the name again and again and again just to make sure it was real.

It didn't feel real. The name sounded so foreign and unfamiliar, and ~ was anything but that. ~ was her closest friend, her sister, her family. That strange and unaccustomed name did not capture what Arin thought that ~ was. ~ was ~, not "Choi Hyojung."

Choi Hyojung.

Arin kept reading the name again and again. She couldn't stop, almost as if she was half-expected the name to morph into the tilde she knew and loved. Or perhaps it was the dark magic of the curse that forced her eyes to look and her mind to remember.

Choi Hyojung. The name echoed in her subconscious, inscribing itself into her memories, just a step away from her tongue.

A part of her was in denial, believing that the picture was someone who just looked like her, someone with the same unmistakable jet black long hair, the same round face, the same beautifully kind eyes.

Or maybe it was ~'s picture, but not her name. ~ didn't even look like a Hyojung. Hyojungs were more like super tall supermodels with killer bodies and sultry gazes. ~ was not that. ~ was more like a SooAh or a Haeun or something. Also, Hyojung was such a choppy name that lacked the grace and the smoothness of a tilde, of ~.

Arin didn't know how long she stood there gazing at the picture and re-reading the name. She stood there enough to feel the release of tension in her skin and bones that told her the enchantment had been lifted. Arin heard the front door in the lobby open and then slam shut. A few seconds later, the tension in her bones returned, meaning the enchantment was restored. All of that took place before Arin even had the chance to wonder what had happened.

Did someone come in? Or did someone go out?

Should she run? Was she in danger? Was all of this orchestrated? Was this MRS's doing?

Arin was so confused and overwhelmed at the moment, that she could not even pick the fold of her nails to ease her anxiety. She just froze, that dreadful purple flyer still in her hands.

Before long, her phone rang.

Arin finally dropped the flyer to the ground and fumbled for the phone in her pocket. She was relieved to see ~'s name in the caller ID. ~ would clear things up for her; she always does.

"Hello," Arin said when she answered the phone.

"Ar!" ~ said, she sounded breathless, with the background noise moving cars and rushed air. ~ was in the street.

Hadn't ~ been in her home just a few minutes ago?

"Where are you?" Arin asked.

"I can't stay with you anymore, Arrie," ~ said. Her voice was breathless. It sounded like she had been running.

"B...but why?" Arin was dreadfully aware of the answer to that, but she asked it anyway.

"You know my name...," ~ said, her voice faltered. "You know it."

"I..."

"Don't say it, please," ~ replied before Arin had the chance to speak. "It's a risk even calling you like this. Who knows if calling my name through the phone would kill me too..." ~ paused. "But I couldn't just leave without hearing your voice."

~ sounded shaken, afraid, and sad, which made this feel even more unreal. Arin wanted to scream and cry and throw a tantrum, but she treasured the moment of hearing ~'s voice.

"I love you, Ar. It's so hard to do this, but we can't see each other anymore."

"No," Arin quavered. The prospect distressed her, made her want to complain and cry and beg to some unknown authority for things to turn out differently.

"I'm sorry for letting this happen."

"Maybe I don't know. Maybe the name on the flyer isn't the right name!" Arin tried in a desperate attempt to salvage this.

"It is the right name. My name is Hyojung."

Arin fell quiet.

"It feels strange doesn't it?" at this point, it seemed like ~ was inside somewhere, as the background street noise suddenly stopped. "Hearing my name?"

"It's soul-crushing," Arin answered, beginning to cry. "I still can't believe this is happening."

"Don't cry, Arrie," ~ said. "Please, please don't cry. You'll always be my friend, we can always text or talk on the phone. And I'll always be here for you, always."

"But I need you with me..." Arin said, "I'll be completely alone without you. I would have no one."

"I'm right here," ~ stressed, and Arin could hear the quaking in ~'s voice, like she wanted to cry as well but wanted to stay strong.

As this point, Arin was crying too much to speak.

She had avoided ~'s name for years now, so she had been able to build a relationship with her. ~ had become her friend and confidante, and Arin had became so utterly dependant on ~ for company, for emotional support, and even for groceries. It was inconceivable that everything they had built was ruined now because of... because of trash.

Arin was too distracted by the torment of losing ~'s company forever that night. It was only many hours later that she began to wonder, to think, to ask questions about what happened.

Who put the flyers there for her to find?

Did the person who put them there want her to find them? Did the person who put them there want Arin to know ~'s name; did they want ~ to die?

Why was "Choi Hyojung" wanted?