And so the lamp became the beast

Something big is coming

Yeji went to work, intending to destroy the Jeep before anyone could stop her. She opened the garage door and pulled the Jeep out by its frame. She did all the maintenance on every Hwang vehicle, so she felt a small twinge of regret as she dragged the poor all-wheel drive vehicle from its designated parking spot. This masterpiece had done no wrong, but she had a point to make. Yeji ripped the frame in half. Gas erupted from the lines as the satisfying sound of metal crunching echoed across the property. Beomgyu came out of the house, hand in his hair. He looked like he wanted to intervene, but the vehicle was already damaged beyond repair.

Yeji dropped the halves of the Jeep to the pavement. She punched through the hood, her hand finding the middle of the 3.6 L engine. She wrapped her fist around a twist of metal and ripped it out. The hood collapsed around her hand. Oil sprayed across Yeji's face. She put a hand on either side of the exposed engine block and pulled it apart. The metal whined in her hands, and she smiled. Satisfied no part of the jeep could be saved Yeji turned away, rubbing her oily hands on her jeans. The whole outfit was ruined, so it didn't matter anyway. The family was on the porch watching Yeji work out her anger. Ryujin sat on the grass in wolf form. Yeji calmly walked into the expansive garage. She grabbed the orange cleaner and began rubbing it all over her hands and arms. It was slightly undignified after her display, but everyone knows a simple shower won't take dirt and gasoline off the skin. She refused to continue her day with oil under her fingernails.

When her hands and nails were satisfactorily clean, Yeji threw the rag on her work counter and headed back towards the house. Ryujin sat panting. Yeji rolled her eyes.

Beomgyu smirked. "Feel better?"

"You know," she smirked, "I do." Yeji slammed the door behind her. As she walked up the stairs to her bathroom she heard Seulgi say, "Well Beomgyu, you deserved it. You too Ryujin." Yeji turned on the water in the shower and drowned out Beomgyu's response.

Yeji smiled to herself as she considered the destroyed Jeep sitting in the driveway. That will teach those two to get in over their heads. She wondered who was feeling more punished, Beomgyu for watching his Jeep get destroyed before his very eyes, or Ryujin for being stuck driving that monstrosity from the age of car dinosaurs for. It's true, cars weren't made with the same fortitude they had been in the '60s and '70, but surely it was a crime to keep that monster on the road. Yeji let herself imagine the challenge the big red truck would present if she destroyed it. It wouldn't be much, but at least the Chevy would take more than sixty seconds.

Yeji got out of the shower and picked out clean clothes. Will the idiot wolf ruin these too? She decided the chance of being attacked by an adolescent wolf was about 50/50. She wore less-beloved clothes, just in case. If her Versace got ruined, she would absolutely mutilate the dog. Yeji smiled to herself. It had been a while since she'd sparred with anyone. She had forgotten how exciting it was. Yeji styled her hair, refusing to look in the mirror. She had gotten very good at doing her hair without looking in a mirror. In fact, Yeji had only one mirror in her whole bedroom, walk-in closet, and adjoining bathroom. What she saw in the mirror had already cost her so much, she refused to spend time making herself more attractive. A knock sounded on her door, pulling Yeji from her thoughts.

"Go away, dog," Yeji snarled. She heard a heartbeat on the other side of the door, so there was only one person it could be. The knock sounded again. "Don't tell me you're as bad a listener as you are a fighter." Yeji whipped open the door and was greeted by an earthen, woodsy scent that made her want to take a long run in the woods after a rain.

Ryujin had clearly not expected the door to open so quickly. She stepped back, startled. Yeji smiled at Ryujin's shock. She recovered quickly. "How's it going?" Ryujin asked, leaning on Yeji's doorway. There was something new about Ryujin. It bothered Yeji.