DAYTIME STAR
chapter eleven - the new neighbour.

SUN-JAE WALKED HOME, HIS MIND STILL reeling from the events of the day. He had just finished his training session at the gymnasium, feeling exhausted but proud of his progress. As he turned the corner, he noticed an old lady standing on the sidewalk, her eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made him feel uneasy.

"Ah, young man," the old lady said, her voice cracking with age.

"I sense that you are in great danger. You must stay away from water for the next three days."

Sun-Jae's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.

The old lady's eyes seemed to bore into his soul. "You are being pursued by a virgin water ghost," she said, her voice taking on a mystical tone.

Sun-Jae's brow furrowed in confusion. "What? That's ridiculous," he exclaimed, his voice dripping with disbelief.

The old lady nodded sagely. "Ah, but I can see it in your aura. You have a hurt shoulder and moles on your body. These are signs of the ghost's presence."

Sun-Jae felt a shiver run down his spine. "I don't believe in ghosts," he said, his voice firm.

The old lady's eyes seemed to soften. "Ah, but I can help you. For a small donation, I can perform a ritual to banish the ghost."

Sun-Jae's eyes narrowed, but he still gave her money. "Here and about the ritual, no, thank you," he said, his voice firm.

"I'll take my chances." The old lady's expression turned stern. "Very well. But remember, the ghost will find you. And when it does, it will take your life."

Sun-Jae felt a surge of anger. "That's ridiculous," he exclaimed, his voice laced with frustration.

"I'm not going to let some old lady's superstitions scare me."

The old lady's eyes seemed to bore into his soul. "Ah, but you will," she said, her voice taking on a prophetic tone.

"And when you do, you will regret it."

Sun-Jae felt a shiver run down his spine. "I won't," he said, his voice firm.

The old lady nodded, her eyes seeming to glow with an inner light. "Very well. But remember, I warned you."

Sun-Jae turned and walked away, his mind reeling with the old lady's words. He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, wondering if there was any truth to her claims.

As he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, that the old lady's words were more than just superstition.

As Sun-Jae walked away, Su-Jin peeked out from behind a nearby rock, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He had been watching the entire exchange of the two.

He chuckled to himself, his thoughts turning to Im Sol, who was dressed up as the old lady. "Well done, Sol," he murmured, his voice low and approving.

"You really had him going."

Sol shook her head, "I don't know why you didn't dress up too," she said, his voice laced with humor.

"It would have been a sight."

"Nah, I'll pass."

Im Sol, still in her old lady disguise, turned to look at Su-Jin, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Now, let's get out of here before Sun-Jae comes back." Im Sol nodded, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Agreed," she said, her voice firm.

"We don't want to risk him catching us."

AS IM SOL AND SU-JIN MADE THEIR WAY BACK from the playground, they suddenly came across a familiar face – Tae-sung. But to their surprise, he seemed to be nursing a wound on his lips.

"Tae-sung?" Im Sol exclaimed, her eyes widening in concern.

"What happened to your lips?"

Tae-sung glanced up, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation. "It's nothing," he muttered, his fingers gingerly prodding the cut.

Im Sol didn't hesitate. "Here, let me take a look," she said, her voice gentle but firm as she reached out to examine the wound. Im Sol quickly buys an ointment to treat the wound on Tae-sung's lips.

Su-Jin watched in silence, his eyes darting between his two friends, unsure of how to proceed.

As Im Sol tended to Tae-sung's wound, she couldn't help but seize the opportunity to talk to him. "You know, Tae-sung," she began, her voice soft, "it would be a lot easier on your parents if you weren't always getting into trouble."

Tae-sung scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "My parents don't care if I drop out of school," he retorted, his voice laced with bitterness.

Su-Jin cleared his throat, his own expression turning serious. "That's not true, Tae-sung," he said, his voice low and earnest. "I'm sure they care more than you think."

Tae-sung rolled his eyes, his gaze drifting away. "Whatever," he muttered, his fingers toying with the money that Sun-jae had given Im Sol earlier.

As Tae-sung played with the bills, he suddenly lost his grip, and the money tumbled into a nearby puddle of dirty water. Im Sol's eyes widened in horror.

"No, no, no!" she cried, lunging forward in a futile attempt to save the soiled cash.

Su-Jin, unable to contain his amusement, burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

"It's not funny!" Im Sol snapped, glaring at her friend as she fished the money out of the puddle, her face twisted in a grimace.

Tae-sung, on the other hand, seemed utterly unfazed, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Oops," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Im Sol shot him a withering look, her fingers gingerly trying to dry the damp bills. "You could at least pretend to care," she muttered, her voice laced with frustration.

Tae-sung shrugged, his expression unreadable. "It's just money," he said, his tone dismissive.

Su-Jin, finally catching his breath, glanced down at his watch, his eyes widening in alarm. "Oh, shoot!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic. "I've got to get going. It's already past nine!"

Im Sol and Tae-sung both turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of surprise and confusion.

"What's the rush?" Tae-sung asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity.

Su-Jin shook his head, his fingers already fumbling with the strap of his backpack. "I've got to get home before my grandma starts worrying," he explained, his voice tinged with urgency.

Im Sol nodded, her own expression softening. "Okay, go on," she said, her voice gentle.

Su-Jin flashed them a grateful smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Thanks, guys," he said, already turning to leave.

"I'll see you two later!"

AS IM SOL MADE HER WAY HOME, lost in thought, she suddenly realized that Tae-sung was walking beside her, his expression uncharacteristically sheepish.

They walked in silence for a moment, when they're in front of Im Sol's house. Im Sol suddenly froze, her eyes widening in shock.

Standing just a few feet away, Sun-jae's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Im Sol and Tae-sung, his lips twisting into a sneer.

"Grandma?" he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Im Sol felt her heart sink, and she rushed forward, her hands raised in a placating gesture. "Sun-jae, wait, it's not what you think!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with desperation.

But Sun-jae wasn't having it. "Oh, really?" he scoffed, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Because it looks to me like you're mocking me."

Im Sol shook her head, "No, Sun-jae, you don't understand," she insisted, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'm trying to help you!"

Sun-jae let out a harsh laugh, his expression hardening. "Help me?" he echoed, his voice laced with disbelief.

"I'm trying to stop you from getting injured." But Sun-jae wasn't listening. With a shake of his head, he turned and walked away, his shoulders hunched with hurt and anger.

Im Sol watched him inside a house, her heart heavy with disappointment. But as she turned to leave, a sudden realization hit her. She whirled around, her eyes wide with shock.

"Wait a minute," she breathed, her gaze fixed on the house number. "35-1... that's Sun-jae's house!"

Tae-sung, who had been silent throughout the exchange, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, so?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion.

Im Sol turned to him. "Don't you see?" she exclaimed.

Tae-sung blinked, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding.

Sol rushed inside of her house leaving Tae-sung. He looked at her and shook his head and started walking away, she immediately saw her mother. She quickly who is the family in the house number 35-1. 

Her mother said that they're just new neighbour.

THAT NIGHT, AS SUN-JAE LAY IN BED, staring up at the ceiling, he couldn't shake the memory of Im Sol's words. Her voice, filled with such conviction and concern, haunted him, refusing to let him rest.

He tossed and turned, his mind racing with a thousand different thoughts. What if she was right? What if he really was in danger?

The thought made his stomach churn with unease.

With a frustrated sigh, Sun-jae sat up, his fingers running through his hair. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing. He had to know the truth.

Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled on his shoes and headed out the door, his mind set on one destination: the school gymnasium. If he couldn't sleep, he might as well train.