Insanity

< solutions >

The next day Sunwoo leaves for work again and I speed walk over to the strange lady's shop again. By this time I don't even want the necklace that much, I'm more invested in succeeding in the process of getting there. There's a certain determination in me that I can handle achieving something on my own.

There weren't many opportunities for me to do this in my old world since everyone is so willing to help.

"You're still not doing it right." the lady who owns the store, Lorim, tells me.

"How??" I ask, after the fourth try of the blue flame.

Lorim hands me a mirror. "Do you see those? Those blue marks?"

I glance in the mirror to see small blue burn marks about the size of a jelly bean behind my left ear and up the back of my neck.

"If you're doing it right those shouldn't be there. It signals that you still feel pain when the flame touches your skin," Lorim says.

"Let me try again," I say and she hands me a small match lit from the candle. I bring it up to my collar bone and I still feel a spark of pain when I touch it.

"I can tell, you are not worthy of this journey." Lorim says.

"B-but I'm doing everything you're telling me to," I say. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Who knows?" She shrugs. "come back tomorrow and we'll see."

I sigh, standing up and leaving the curtained room. I walk back to Sunwoo's, zipping up my jacket so the burn marks aren't visible.

"There you are." Sunwoo says once I enter the room. "You have to get ready."

"Ready for what?" I ask, already exhausted.

"There's a formal dinner tonight," he calls Dae over who brings me to the wardrobe room.

"Hair up or down?" Dae asks.

"Down. Please," I say quickly.

He picks out a silk black fitted dress with a small tail pooling on the floor. It's a sleeveless gown with a straight neckline with matching black gloves going up my elbows.

Dae catches sight of two blue marks along my left collarbone in the mirror.

"Please don't say anything," I tell him.

"I won't. But is everything alright?" He asks.

"Of course!" I reassure him. "It's nothing,"

"Alright," Dae opens a red velvet box. "A necklace should cover that right up."

I give him a grateful smile as he gently lays a thick diamond necklace which reaches just over my collarbone.

He straightens my hair and pins it behind my ears, creating a more elegant look which makes me seem much older.

"What's this dinner for?" I ask.

"It's an annual ball businesses under a certain society." Dae explains as I stand up.

"What society?"

"I'm afraid that's confidential. Not even I know."

"Okay," I say. "Thanks," I make my way out of the room where Sunwoo is leaning against the stair railing.

He's wearing his classic black suit ironed sharply and a gap parted in the middle of his hair.

"We're going to be late." Sunwoo says coldly and begins walking down the stairs.

I pick up the end of my dress to catch up with him as I follow him to the car.

"Is something wrong?" I ask as the car ride there is unusually silent.