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"they say you die twice. one time when you stop breathing and the second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time."
— Bansky —
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[ 3RD PERSONS VIEW。]
Friday, 5:47 PM. October 27, 2018.
"I've made you dinner!" Hyosun smiled at her daughter, gesturing her to sit down and eat.
Haruki thanked for the meal, eating silently, mind a flurry of thoughts. She felt like throwing up, she felt so sick yet she kept eating.
She felt so uncomfortable and anxious. Haruki watched as her mother prepared the traditional homemade tea she came to love as a kid until now.
"Mom?"
"Y-Yes, Haruki?"
"How are you feeling?" she questioned, aware that she always had to check up on her mother's state.
"I'm good, Haruki. As usual." the reply was dry and aloof which would always confuse the girl. Though during the past few weeks, she would get the same reply.
She would try to ask anything, her mother would always change the topic, but she didn't bother asking what.
"I'm going to bed early, Haruki. I love you, always." her mother told her, planting a kiss on her forehead before leaving her alone, the teacup filled with Jasmine tea settled in front of her.
Haruki watched her mother leave, murmuring lowly, "I love you too..."
Reaching out of the teacup, she gulped down every last bit of it not realizing what would come after her as she did.
The teenage girl walked to her room, a wave of nausea hitting her as she did. Eyes drooping as she carefully entered her room.
She laid on her back, looking up at the empty ceilings. She felt restless, saliva coming up as she gulped them back down to avoid drooling.
Her mind was cloudy, confusion sparking in her as she took sharp breaths, losing focus. It felt like she was clogged, she couldn't breathe properly.
"What's happening?"
Gritting her teeth, she couldn't keep her eyes wide open, she lasts for a couple of minutes fighting back until she couldn't. Her eyelids dipped close, the poison inside her taking over.
The next day, Mrs. Choi went inside her room, having mixed emotions of what she had just done. She poisoned her own daughter, or what this ghost pretended to be.
Her hands balled into a fist as her lips slowly curved up into a smile.
She reached for his phone, dialing for help. Feigning a panicked tone, she wailed out to others, to help her after finding her daughter dead.
— • • • —
Haruki reopens her eyes. Shocked to see nothing. Darkness, she was in a dark world.
She wandered far, not knowing where to go, not until a vision popped right in front of her.
"The world is such a dark place to live in, with people seeking every day to live– I almost don't understand how anyone could be happy with how the society works." little Haruka uttered, kicking the tiny rocks with the tip of her black school shoes.
A laugh came from the Haruki, "Life and death are one thing. We either live to die or die to live, isn't that weird?"
"Exactly. What's the whole point in living if you're going to die anyway?" Haruka mumbled, her non-covered eye gazing up at the beautiful dark skies that laid above them.
Haruki could remember this scene perfectly. It was the last day before their parents decided to separate them.
"The reason to live is the whole point in living..." Haruki replied softly, swinging her legs slowly as her feet failed to touch the ground. "...we all have a reason to live, even you do."
"I guess so... but is it really necessary?"
"Oh, shut it. Someday, you'll find another reason to live."
Haruka stifled a laugh, "My only reason to live is you."
"I'm honored– but you know I won't be here for long."
Haruka hummed, a bittersweet feeling rushing through her veins as she looked down. A sigh leaving her mouth, "Black and red.."
"What do you mean?" little Haruki tilted her head, confused.
"Those were the colors that I saw," Haruka replied, looking at her sister, pain clear in her pallid eye.
"When?"
"Last week..."
"Who did you see those colors on?"
Haruka smiled bitterly, facing her sister, "On you."
The vision slowly faded away, Haruki soon realized it. She's dead.
The person that she felt was observing her and eyeing every move she did was the copycat ghost that appeared as her mother. It followed her, here and there.
All along, when Haruki thought the one that would kill her was the kidnapper, but no. It was her own mother – or so she thought was her mother.
Haruki closed her eyes, only to find her in a different place. A free place where her heart no longer felt heavy.
Butterflies surrounded her, a giggle escaping her lips as she smiled genuinely.
