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"you can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. but you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no . . . anything. there's no chance at all of recovery. you'll just — exist. as an empty shell. and your soul is gone forever . . . lost."
— J.K. Rowling —
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[ 3RD PERSONS VIEW。]
The dark brown-haired girl walked along the pavement, the soles of her black shoes padding against the cement as she let out a deep sigh, shoulders drooping forward.
Arriving at the local convenience store, she dragged herself all the way to the beverage section, grabbing a carton of milk before heading to get a snack to eat. Paying for her food, she settled by the tables, unwrapping the sandwich she had just purchased.
Peacefully eating, the door to the convenience store pushes open, bells chiming to signal a new costumer. Impulsively acting, her eye, catching a glimpse of the person who had just entered.
Almost choking on her sandwich, instantly twisting the carton cap open before chugging down the generic taste of fresh milk. Lightly slamming the carton onto the table, a voice spoke behind her.
"Never thought I'd meet you again here."
Snapping her head up, blinking as she slowly recognized the person. It was Mark Lee who had just entered the store. A small smile hinting on his lips he sat in front of her, fingers interlaced, "Haruka, right?"
Nodding at his correct words, heart leaping as someone had been able to remember her. "I thought you rarely went out your house– I mean, from what I heard..." he mumbled awkwardly, popping the can open.
A dry chuckle leaves her mouth, brows furrowed a bit as she hummed in amusement, "I go out– when I have to."
"And you're out right now because..." he gazed down at the table, seeing the sandwich paper wraps and the milk carton. "...you went to eat?" Mark tilts his head, a questioning look resting on his face. "You didn't even go home yet, isn't Mrs. Choi worried about you?"
"She never worries about me anyways– besides she's always working these days."
Mark pursed his lips, "She went back to work? She's not rushing herself, right?"
Haruka simply shrugged and tugged back a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, slightly revealing the pale golden color of her right eye.
Marveling at the color, he could tell the difference in color with Haruki's eyes. Usually, Haruki's would be much brighter, kind of like the sun in a golden hue.
Coughing to gain his attention, Mark flinched and looked away, a bit embarrassed for staring at her rudely. Lowering his head, "Sorry- I... didn't mean to." he diverted his gaze onto her eyepatch, now thinking about it, why did it seem like he had seen her before. No, not because she resembled Haruki, but analyzing her, it felt like he has seen her somewhere.
"Haruka, have we met before?"
The girl pursed her lips, trying to recall whether she had met the boy before. Shaking her head as he frowned, "No, I don't think so."
A few more minutes of just utter silence, Haruka glanced at her wristwatch before standing up, "I need to go now, I'll see you tomorrow at school, Mark."
— • • • —
Reaching the gates of their house, she could recognize their next-door neighbor which happened to be Huang Renjun's mom. Frowning, she watched as Mrs. Choi spark a little conversation with Mrs. Huang, though as she got close, it didn't really sound well.
"I was asking if you're doing fine, Hyosun?"
Her muscles tensed, Mrs. Choi feigned a smile towards her neighbor, fingers clutching onto the covered basket. "I'm doing fine, but please, Mrs. Choi is enough."
Mrs. Huang knitted her brows, "But- never mind," she chuckled, waving it off, believing that maybe her friend wasn't just in her state of mind to talk. "hope we could talk again like old times, Hyosun." she said before entering the premises of her own house.
Mrs. Choi shook her head, a hand grasping her temples as she went inside. Haruka was a bit bewildered, although seeing her mother like this was supposed to be usual.
Disregarding what had happened, she also made her way into their house, and like every day, walking up to her room to isolate herself. A routine she had done before and now she was doing again.
Goosebumps trailing down her spine as she passed Haruki's desolated room. Mind flashing with a few quick visions, taking a deep breath as her chest heaved up abruptly. "What the hell?" she breathed out, almost panting.
Twisting the knob to her room, she trudged in and slammed the door close. Letting her self flop onto her bed, exhausted for just simply going out and spending a whole day in school.
"Why does it really feel like I've been here before?" she whispered lowly, taking off her eyepatch and leaving it on her bed. Haruka began to think about what Mark asked her; "Have we met before?" those four words repeated inside her mind, taunting her whenever she closed her eyes.
Shoving away those thoughts aside, she forced herself to stand up, leading towards the piano. Haruka played a soft tune that gradually got intense and loud– annoying the person that resided downstairs.
Eyes shut close, a few low grunts left the woman's lips as she shot a glare towards the light blue door. Nose crinkling and forehead creasing, she couldn't do anything about it as it would only anger Haruka, that was the least she needed to avoid.
Both hands raised to cover her ears, just by the sounds of the piano, it annoyed her to her guts. Gritting her teeth, she ruffled her hair, feeling a slight stingy pain in her head.
