𝐓ђ𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝛈𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖ﺃ𝐭ђﺃ𝛈

A killing motive.

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What does it take to be happy?

Happiness comes from the simplest thing. Like a drop of water after a long day of work or a bag full of shiny gold blocks. It depends from person to person. Cheonsa didn't have many happy memories. She knew what sadness and despair felt like. That only caused her to crave happiness more than anyone in the entire world.

She lay wide awake on her bed the entire night. She didn't even realise when the moonlight changed into the soft yellow light of the sun. Wild birds chirped just outside her window. The sky was clear and a light breeze washed over the entire forest creating a strange harmony with the green leaves.

But despite the bright weather, Cheonsa felt hollow. Since she had woken up from the horrifying dream, she felt like a part of her was lost. She was not in control anymore.  It would only be a matter of a few days before she will completely lose herself to her demon. Although she always claimed that she didn't care about her life, she felt scared. She was scared to die, to become nothing.

Cheonsa's mind drifted back to the vision once again. The ugly face of her demon still grinned at her and thousands of hollow whispers filled her head. She felt like that horrifying face immerge from the mouldy ceiling and snap its jaws at her.

Her demon had told her that the one she trusted was hiding the truth from her. What truth? Was there more to her miserable life? Will the truth even change anything? At the end of the day, she would always be left with her demon and inevitable death. How long would it take her to fully accept it?

Although Cheonsa tried her best to push the thought away, a little part of her always hoped that Heeseung was the one who would free her from the burden. He had come unexpectedly. He had promised to take her to a place that he called home.

The bigger part of her thought otherwise. Heeseung could be anyone. Only a fool would trust a complete stranger.

'but you knew him.' a small voice said at the back of her head.

She didn't. Those memories couldn't possibly be true. All her life, she was trapped inside her house. All she could remember from her past was her father's terrifying face and her mother's taunting voice. If she had Heesung in her life, it wouldn't be so easy to completely forget him.

Her eyes fell on her ankle that was bounded by the metal clasp. A look of distaste shadowed over her tired features. Hope was always a scary thing. Once you start hoping, you can never stop. The only thing that came with hope was disappointment. The last thing Cheonsa wanted was to hope that somehow, Heeseung would free her from the prophecy, from her demon.

A small bird landed on the window sill. Cheonsa's warm brown eyes inspected the little creature with envy. She was envious of its freedom to fly wherever it wanted. She envied how the bird got to visit countless places. There was no one to stop it. The bird had the freedom to find its own food, eat whatever mother nature provided and build a home where it will take care of its baby birds.

It was unfair how a simple bird had so much more than Cheonsa.

She wanted to know what it felt like to be so free. What it felt like to run around without thinking that her demon would eventually take over her life. She wanted to know what it felt like to have friends. She wanted to feel the warm embrace of a mother. She wanted to fall in love.

Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," she said in a low voice.

Heeseung quietly walked inside. His face didn't hold much emotion. In fact, since she has met the boy, she never saw him do anything except frown or glare at her.