Mirinae •미리내• PJM

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

The red swirls of blazing fire encapsulates your vision; grey wisp of smoke that burns the cavity down your throat. You can't breathe. Your fingers curl together in an attempt to grip the edge of some hard object you've been holding on to. A faded scream resonates in your ears, the voice terrifyingly familiar. Warm tears wet your cheeks as you watch a house wrapped in fiery arms. Your vision is limited, as black dots infiltrate through your sight slowly expanding. And before you're aware you drown in blackness. A sharp heated ache grips your chest and you know you need to breathe. Your lips part gasping for air but a sharp piercing pain crushes your ribs. You're dying. Slowly, the blackness of your eyes morphs into a pair of smoldering eyes. So alluring. Like the water of the silver river. 

Your eyes shut open and your body jerks forward. Violent water splutters out of your nose and a series of coughs jolts your entire frame. You are faintly aware of your numb body that manages to crawl out of your bathtub, your back leaning against its brimming form. The blackness fades slowly as you register yourself half lying on your bathroom floor, naked. You fell asleep while bathing. And then you saw them. Those eyes you've seen all your life but haven't ever met. And that nightmare that seems like a scene out of hell. 

Still reviving from your violent coughing fit you notice your burning skin. Your heartbeat is pulsing through your veins with hot blood burning your insides. Exhausted you pick yourself up, not bothering to wipe yourself before you dress in a tattered t-shirt of your forgotten father. Still aware of the heat you feel your skin sting. You touch the inside of your right wrist to check, ice cold. Your skin is ice cold. It has always been cold, you've never felt the flaming heat of your heart reach the tips of your skin. A harsh pink hue is settled over your cheeks, a response to your burning insides. But your skin would rather differ. A raging feeling of frustration and anger bubbles up your frame and your legs stomp out to your room. 

2:39pm

Red covers your vision, a violent streak of dejection replaces your frustration and you're close to throwing packed boxes out of your window. Instead you attempt to cool yourself down, just like the frosty temperature of your skin. Instinctively, you replay those pair of grey smoldering eyes. You know them. They've visited you in your dreams all your lifetime. But you don't know who they belong to. You have brown eyes, and your father abandoned your family when you were just 4. Your mother on the other hand had black eyes. There is no other kin you're aware of who could have grey eyes. 

All your life you've been trapped within the walls of your grey house and the borders of your school. These are the only two places in Seoul you're aware of, and tomorrow morning you'll be leaving them behind. You should be happy. You always wanted to escape this caged life your mother had given you, and now she was finally setting you free. But she wasn't only setting you free. Because she was also abandoning you. Just like your father had years ago. Throwing you out of her life just a morning before your 17th birthday. 

Another hot flash of fury threatens to tease your piercing skin, but as much as you wish to hate on your mother, you're also aware of the repercussions. Your blazing temper contrasting against the cold of your body would only sting your skin. So you quietly hide yourself under the warmth of blanket, waiting for tomorrow to arrive when you're expected to leave. To embrace a new life because your mother didn't want you in hers anymore. 

The black pigment of the night flushes against the brimming indigo of the approaching morning when your eyes finally open up. You hadn't caught much sleep last night. Your mind had incessantly roamed over the prospects of being abandoned again. You didn't share the deep bond daughters were supposed to have with their mothers. Maybe it was the different hue of her hair that contrasted starkly against your deep burgundy hair. You had never met anyone who was born with such a distinctly abnormal attribute. But then your hair was probably the least abnormal thing about your existence. 

Nevertheless you still expected your mother to have affection if not love for you. Seems like you were wrong. Sniggering at your fucked up destiny, you simply pick your bag and descend towards the main door. You didn't have any friends to greet a last goodbye, and you wondered if your mother would appreciate seeing you one last time. In the past 24 hours, your life had somersaulted and landed face first. The numbness of your emotions complimented your numb cold hands, as the freezing door knob comfortably molded into the flesh of your palms. Twisting it slightly, you were almost out of the door. 

"Y/N. Wait."

Frozen on your spot you feel your eyes harden in anger. Turning on your heels you watch her waiting at the door of her room. Her eyes seemed red, but you didn't fool yourself into believing it was because she didn't want you leaving. The woman who could have the audacity to throw her own daughter out of her house couldn't feel guilty about it. 

"I'm getting late. Hurry up."

You somehow manage to spew out some coherent sentence instead of the string of profanities pricking at the tip of your tongue. Her mouth parts, with the lower lips slightly wobbling. You snicker loudly at her pretence. Checking the watch, you anxiously shifted on your feet. If you didn't leave now you'll miss your flight to Jeju Island. And considering the temporal sheets of your life that had undergone a massive change, you couldn't handle staying back. Your mother sighs deeply, then straightening up she reaches your form and extends her arms. 

"This is the key to your house. You inherited it. In Seogwipo. And I'll keep sending you money. Someone will be there to pick you up, here is their number."

She hands you a small envelope. It's edges protrude out due to the contents it contains. You can't help but roll your eyes in annoyance. Money? As if she cared. If she thinks you're old enough to be left on your own then you for sure pay for your own school. Harshly taking the essentials you turn around to leave. You can feel your insides burn again, and you can't afford a temper blast right now.

"Y/N. You're going to find out who you are soon. And when you do, I hope you understand this had to be done. Forgive me, if you can."

Your mother whispers with hot tears escaping her eyes. Faintly, you're aware of the time. You nod at her words and turn around to rush away. Settling inside the taxi you don't remember stopping your eyes burst into ugly tears. Your life was changing, and you didn't want it. In a foreign place away from the only person you've known your entire life, you can't push away the feeling of dread clawing your heart.

You feel like you're gonna die. This feels like your nightmare. Only, you can't seem to find those pair of grey eyes when you needed them the most.