Days had turned into weeks since the day of the confrontation with Jang Yu. Jin-ho had never returned to school, and Seol Ah began to wonder, frowning.
One day, after school, she walked home but didn't go inside. She waited outside Jin-ho's home.
"Oh, Noona!" Woo Sol called excitedly. Seol Ah faced him and smiled nervously.
"Well," Seol Ah said, scratching the back of her head. "Uh… can I ask you a question?"
"Me? About whom?" Woo Sol echoed, pointing at himself with confusion.
Seol Ah chuckled anxiously.
"Well… since you live with Jin-ho…"
"Oh, Hyung? He's taking a break. He doesn't feel that good at the moment," Woo Sol interrupted, sweating.
Seol Ah's eyes propped widely.
"Really? Why? He was just fine when he came—"
"He… actually," Woo Sol paused. He giggled, averting his eyes. "Do you want to come inside? It's cold…"
Seol Ah nodded.
"Yes… can I?"
Woo Sol opened the door for Seol Ah. Once she entered, she looked around the interiors of the house. Simple but warm.
"You can wait here… I'm going to put my stuff away first," Woo Sol said. Then he walked into his room, closing the door behind him.
Seol Ah sat down on the ground next to the backyard door. Her heart hammered as she took a deep breath. I can't believe I just walked in without a second thought!
The quietness of the house lingered from one minute to five minutes… Before she knew it, she heard keys jingling on the front door. Seol Ah glanced over the counter that stood between her and the door. The door opened slowly. A lady walked in.
"Woo Sol, what the heck? You said that you'll come help when I get home!" the lady screamed.
Woo Sol's door slammed open.
"Noona, I forgot! Sorry—"
"Yah! How dare you leave me alone to carry the groceries to cook for you and that ungrateful brat!" the lady replied. Woo Sol nearly forgot that Seol Ah was there, shushing the lady. "Don't shush me—"
"There's… a visitor!" Woo Sol hinted.
Then the lady furrowed her brows, taking a glimpse at Seol Ah. She dropped the bags onto Woo Sol's arms.
"Oh, hello. I didn't know that we had a visitor," the lady said kindly.
Seol Ah bowed respectfully and awkwardly.
"Oh, hi… I'm Seol Ah. A friend of Jin-ho…" Seol Ah replied softly.
The lady smiled broadly and nodded.
"That little punk has friends?" she turned to ask Woo Sol, who placed the vegetables in the refrigerator. He rolled his eyes. Then she walked to the door to her right and slammed her hand against it. "Little punk, your friend is here!"
Woo Sol slammed his hand to his face, shaking with embarrassment. The lady turned to Seol Ah, bowing.
"What was your name again?"
Before Seol Ah answered again with hesitation, Jin-ho opened the door, wearing a tank top.
"Stop knocking on my door like that, Noona…" Jin-ho groaned. He looked at the lady, then at Seol Ah. His face turned pale. "S… Seol Ah?"
"Jin-ho…" Seol Ah called. She slowly bowed to him, but saw something that startled her. She looked back at Jin-ho. Although he hid it, a small purplish skin appeared on his chest.
The lady paused, looking at Jin-ho.
"Seol Ah? As in Jang Seol Ah?"
Seol Ah then looked at the lady. How… did you know my full name?
Jin-ho gasped, reaching to the lady's mouth.
"Hey, stop—"
"Get out of the house!" the lady instantly growled.
"Noona!" Woo Sol and Jin-ho shouted.
Seol Ah froze, her heart stammering in confusion.
"M-me?"
"I don't want this curse to be inside the house! Why did you guys bring her inside?!"
Jin-ho stood between them.
"Noona, watch your words—"
"You shut up! You already know the consequences of getting close to someone like her! Have you forgotten about what happened to Omma-nim?!" the lady cried angrily.
Jin-ho's body tensed up as his muscles tingled. Seol Ah averted her eyes, withholding her tears. Because everyone was silent, she shoved behind Jin-ho, storming out the door.
"Seol Ah!" Jin-ho screamed, grabbing a jacket as he followed her. Seol Ah wept, feeling an unknown guilt that swallowed her inside. Jin-ho quickly grabbed her shoulder. "Seol Ah—!"
"What is going on here?!" she questioned, shoving his hand away. They locked eyes.
"Seol Ah, don't take what—"
"Who are you?" Seol Ah wondered. Then she took a deep breath. "What do you guys want from me? Why does she know my name? What the fuck is going on right now?! Answer!"
Jin-ho stared at her in silence. She sniffled, biting her lower lip.
"I—"
"What happened to you? Why are you covered in bruises?" Seol Ah asked.
Jin-ho's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes slowly swayed away.
"I… I can't explain to you about everything—"
"Then what can you explain? What does she mean that I am a curse? What did I do wrong to deserve this kind of treatment from a stranger I barely know?!"
"Seol Ah… look, she's Woo Sol's older sister…" Jin-ho explained. "She has been through some situations…"
"And because I am a curse, she has every right to hate me, right?"
"That's not what I mean—"
"Then what is it, Jin-ho? What is it that you're trying to hide from me? Why the fuck are you here… when you're hiding from me?" Seol Ah couldn't stop asking the hundred of questions in her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "What kind of curse am I?"
The question weighed heavily on Jin-ho's heart. The dark clouds soon hovered over their silence. Jin-ho tightened his jaw, piecing the words that he had to carefully say to her.
"Seol Ah… all I can tell you is… that your life will be in danger from now on. So, you need to be careful. More than ever," Jin-ho warned.
Seol Ah clenched her fists, frowning.
"I don't care about myself…" Seol Ah retaliated calmly. "But I do care if the people around me get hurt because of me."
She turned away and walked into her home nearby, running to her room without a word to Yu Young.
Jin-ho stood there, grabbing onto his tank top and pulling it to show his skin.
"I only got this… to teach them a lesson, but it seems like they will retaliate and target you…" Jin-ho mumbled. His eye twitched suddenly, yet he was irritated that he felt helpless toward Seol Ah. "Who knows if you're a curse? If you are able to get me closer to the murderer of my parents, you're more of a blessing than a curse."
As night fell, Seol Ah lifelessly ate her dinner without a word to Yu Young and Po Lim. Yu Young wanted to talk to Seol Ah, but she restrained herself from speaking because she believed that Seol Ah had been through a lot lately.
After Seol Ah lay down on her pillow, she stared out the window, which was cracked open a little. She clutched onto the pillow's end as tears fell onto the pillow.
"Who… am I?" she asked softly, muffling her cries. "What must I do for all of these curses to stop hurting the people around me?"
Meanwhile, in the darkest alley of Seoul, a house filled with thugs who lingered to protect and deal with others. A note… handed to Si Yeon.
"Jang Po Lim. Mejajung Junior High."
Si Yeon smirked, crumbling the paper.
"I guess you're still trustworthy… just don't double-cross me again."