"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Trying to process what he had just removed from his lips made her dizzy, and all of a sudden—everything went dark.
She awoke, turning to her left, and saw Weol-So using his phone.
"Oh, you're awake. I didn't even think you'd survive."
"Are you... a... Never mind..."
She fell back onto the bed.
'It was just a dream,' she told herself.
She turned to her right—only to see Weol-So using his telekinesis to grab a fruit.
At the sight of this, her mouth went agape. And once again, she fainted.
She woke up again—but this time, Weol-So wasn't there.
The memory of him telling her he was a goblin, and the image of him using telekinesis, flashed in her mind, making her almost faint again. But she held herself together.
She looked around, spotting Tini sleeping on his little bed on the floor.
"The stupid dog didn't even check on me."
She looked behind him and saw a bowl of meat.
"Oh, I see. Eating to your satisfaction."
She threw the blanket aside, trying to get up.
"Tini, we're leaving this house today."
She rose, only to collapse to the floor.
Crawling over to Tini, she hit him on the head.
The dog woke up immediately, sluggishly wagging his tail.
"Oh, I see—you've eaten so much you can't even wake up. Or check on me!"
She covered her mouth, turning toward the door.
"We need to be quiet."
The door opened—and in walked Hin-Hye.
"Madam... what are you—?"
"Hin-Hye! Help me!"
She crawled to the door at high speed and slammed it shut.
"I need you to help me... please, Hin-Hye!"
"What happened, madam?"
"I'm not sure I can even say. All I know is—I need to get out of here."
"He told you he was a goblin, didn't he?" Hin-Hye said, folding her arms.
Joon-He turned to her, jaw dropping.
"How... did... you... know?"
She gasped, sucking in air.
"Are you a goblin too?"
"Madam, please lie down."
"AAAAAA!!"
"Ma—"
"Does that mean everyone in this house isn't normal?!"
"Madam, I need you to calm down."
"Where are the witches?! No, the vampires! Or the wolves!! Show yourself!!!"
"MADAM!!"
She slapped her hand over her mouth.
"My apologies... Please. Calm down. I'm just a normal human."
Hin-Hye bent down, helping Joon-He back into bed.
"How long do I have to stay in bed?"
Hin-Hye sat at the edge, tucking her under the blanket.
"Well... according to the doctors, maybe three weeks."
"AAHHAAAAHHHAAA!!"
"Madam, please! Would you just calm down!"
"I need to leave! You don't know my state! I can't live with a goblin!!"
"But you've been living with one this whole time."
"Yeah! That was before I knew he was a goblin!!"
"Well... can't you just still see him as the same man?"
She closed her eyes, remembering his smile, how he took her into his car, lifted her up, rescued her from the reapers. Then she remembered how he moved people with the wave of his fingers—how he stepped on their hands.
"Nope! Get me out of here!!"
"Madam, I need to go. Mr. Shin will be coming to bed soon."
"What?! Why?!"
"It's 9 p.m."
"What!!?? When did that happen?!"
"Madam, calm down. I really need to go."
She got off the bed but felt a tug on her sleeve.
"You can't leave me here..."
Hin-Hye smiled gently, removing her hand from the sleeve.
"HIN-HYE!!"
She shut the door, leaving her alone with Tini.
"She needs to be beheaded," Joon-He mumbled to herself.
She sank under the blanket until it covered her entire face. Then she heard the door open, smelled a sweet scent, and felt a swift breeze. She knew exactly who it was.
Her heart began to pound for all the wrong reasons. Her breath was shaky. Even in a room that felt like the North Pole, she began to sweat bullets.
'What do you think he'll do to you? He didn't hurt you before, and I know he wouldn't hurt me now. And why would he?' she told herself, trying to stay calm.
She heard the shower turn on, water pouring.
Minutes passed. Then silence. She heard movement on the bed, and the pounding in her chest returned.
She shut her eyes, bracing for him to yank the blanket off her—but nothing happened.
Opening her eyes, she saw the light once seeping through the blanket was gone.
Peeking out, she saw Weol-So lying next to her without a blanket, facing away.
'Does he want to freeze to death?' she thought, confused about why he didn't take the blanket.
Feeling bad, she shared the blanket with him, spreading it gently over his body.
She laid back down and called Tini, who sluggishly climbed into bed.
She closed her eyes, only for light to shine through her eyelids the next morning.
She sat up, stretched, yawned, wiped drool off her face, then hopped to the bathroom. After bathing and brushing her teeth, she came out in blue jeans and a big white shirt tucked slightly to the side.
She twirled and hopped with Tini, cheerful.
"HIN-HYE!" she called out, spotting her walking upstairs.
"Madam!"
"What? Why are you surprised to see me?"
"Why are you walking?"
"Am I supposed to be crippl—" She paused, realization hitting her.
"Madam?"
She pressed her ribs, feeling only a faint tingling pain.
"This isn't—"
"Possible? I know," a voice answered.
They all turned, looking left and right.
"Mr. Shin? Where are you?"
"Just... right... here."
Joon-He nearly fell off the stairs when she saw Weol-So suddenly standing behind her. He caught her by the waist and steadied her.
"Good morning, Mr. Shin," Hin-Hye said with a bow.
Joon-He, still unable to meet his eyes, tried to walk away—but he stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going?"
She froze. She turned to look behind her—nothing. Turned forward—and there he was.
Her heart almost jumped out of her chest.
"Please, stop doing that," she said, clutching her chest and shutting her eyes.
She coughed, straightened up, and looked at Weol-So.
"Joon-He, we need to talk."
She tucked her hair behind her ears and cleared her throat.
"Talk about what?"
"You'll see."
He raised his fingers to his face and snapped them. Instantly—they were in a dark room.
Joon-He spun around, panicking.
"Where are we?" she gasped. "Is this where you torture people?! Or use them as sacrifices!?"
She dropped to her knees.
"I don't want to die! I'm still too young! I'll respect you now! I swear I won't be afraid anymore!"
He walked to a corner.
Joon-He closed her eyes in fear, not knowing what was next.
SWITCH
She heard.
"Open your eyes."
She opened them—to a beautiful room with a round red dining table and two golden chairs.
"I don't know what you're doing..."
He walked up to the table, sat, and looked at her.
She tucked her hair behind her ears, stood up, and dusted her knees.
She coughed awkwardly, clearing her throat.
She glanced around—the walls painted blue and white. Weol-So tapped a remote button, and the curtains opened, revealing a gorgeous backyard, sunlight, and a graceful breeze.
The sweet scent of flowers drifted through the air.
After a long moment of admiring it all, she came to and took a seat, still fixated on the window.
"Are you done?"
"Huh?"
"Are you done?"
"With... what?"
"I don't know. Whatever you were doing." He gestured with his hands.
"Oh! Yes. I think..." She cleared her throat, sitting up straighter.
"Now... you must be wondering why I brought you here. What I want to talk about."
"Yes... I am."
"Well... I'm going to tell you everything. All of it. All my reasons."
He opened his mouth to speak—but was interrupted by Joon-He.
"Um... can I say something first?"
"What?"
"I haven't eaten today."
"You stopped me from talking because you haven't eaten?"
"Sorry, but..." She patted her stomach. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," she said with a crooked smile.
He vanished—and in a blink, reappeared with a bowl of jjajangmyeon and radishes.
"You can eat this. Then we talk."
"Why do you always give me jjajangmyeon? It'd be nice to have simple ramyeon sometimes."
"Should I take it back?"
"No, it's alright."
After a while of quiet eating, she cleaned her mouth and sat up.
"Okay... I'm ready."