In The Arms Of Morpheus || CHOI SAN

XVIII

"Oppa, wake up. I can hear the sound of the bell again." The young girl shook her brother to wake him up.

"What..?" He slowly woke up and heard the sound too waking up his parents.

"Mom and dad, what is happening?" Everyone in the small house was currently awake and confused because if the unexpected bell sound that surrounded then once again.

"Wait here. I'll go and see." The head of the family said and got up to leave when his wife stopped him.

"Are you sure..?" The man nodded at his wife's question and left the house.

He came back after a minute holding a lantern, it was dark inside even if the time was close to dawn. "Eunbi, come with me. Everyone is stepping out of their houses." He told his wife and as she got up too, he looked at the children. "Son, stay here with Sieon."

"No, ma! I'm scared. Take me with you, please." The little girl left her brother's side and ran to Eunbi.

The lady looked at her husband and picked little Sieon up. "You come too." She told her son, not feeling safe letting the children stay in the house alone.

They head out to where everyone else was heading to and they all stopped once they could only hear people talking and whispering among themselves.

"What is happening? Why is everyone out, now?" Sieon asked and Eunbi let her down on her feet.

"I don't know." Her brother answered instead.

"Hey Minhyuck, what is happening?" The man asked his friend who also had a confused expression on his face, standing besides him.

"I don't know-" Minhyuck was cut off when a person, Yonjae came in front.
"Everyone, I think all of us are out of our homes right?" He was related to the government people so he has answers of any unusual happening in the village.

"As unfortunate as it may sound, I have a very dreadful news..." Sadness reflected through his voice. "Dongmin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Park Dakho, has been taken away."

Everyone gasped at this and stared to talk again when Dakho came in front too. The look on his face –swollen eyes, red nose, was already narrating the story.

"You have been already warned. You all are supposed to stay inside when the Bell night arrives. But now you all can see the outcome of going against the laws." Yonjae said.

"I don't have a lot to say but," Dakho sniffed, "I beg my Lord, please don't repeat what had happened today. Especially all the young ones. What Dongmin is today, I don't want anyone else yesterday. I don't wish for anyone to face what me and my family is going through right now." He wiped a stray tear, "He will be missed..." He muttered under his breath as he linked at his hands and by then everyone was already in grieve.

In the village everyone was close to each other and cared for one another like a family. Because they were a family. Knowing that one had left them in a sudden situation -without a farewell, was a sorrow.

It was the first time that happened and probably the last too.

Sieon was just 7 years old but the news made her sad too. She wondered what would happen to Dongmin's parents and younger brother, who was the same age as her? She wondered, how that happened? Where he left? Who took him? Will he ever come back? Was he dead?

He little brain was filled with questions but she knew it wasn't the right time to ask.

Sh never asked...

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

 

That was the first and last time the villagers had experienced that situation. But it was until previous night, the disappearance of Dohyun had left everyone gloomy and sad. The villagers were still mourning over his disappearance and the current day, in his remembrance the villagers were placing candles outside his house –like how they did 12 years ago, outside Dongmin's house

It was evening and not a lot of people went to work that day. The whole incident was just really disturbing.

"I don't have words to describe what I'm feeling." Chaeyoung told Sieon as they both had decided to visit Dohyun's house together. The older ladies were all inside trying there best to comfort the weeping mother, but how was it even possible?

Dohyun's father worked in the city and so, he wasn't back yet but would arrive by the night. The man had almost passed out by the news of his only son –who they had been blessed with after allot of prayers, being gone.

"I think everyone is feeling the same. We're no different." Sieon glanced one last time at Dohyun's picture and turned to leave. Everyone may have had same undescribable feeling towards the lad but Sieon was sure no one would be feeling guilty like her, even though she herself didn't know the reason.

"Hello, Myeong." She stopped and with a sad smiled greeted her friend, Dongmyeong, Dongmin's younger brother.

"Hi..." Dongmyeong replied. Sieon and he used to be close when young. And she still remembered him telling her, “I hope nothing like this ever happens to anyone. I've seen what happens and I've been through all the mess of it. May God protects everyone.”

"Are you alright?" She placed a hand on his forearm.

"I'm fine." He genuinely smiled at her feeling better at the thought that anyone asked him that rather than repeatedly reminding him ‘Oh, you've went through the same pian!’, "Feels like I'm again that 7 year old boy who lost his brother just like this."

"We can understand... It'll be fine." Chaeyoung said even though the three of them already knew that nothing would be fine. People would just get used to living with it.
 
 
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Sieon and Chaeyoung went to the shop, she roads feeling strange due to the lack of souls especially in evening.

"Are you going to stay for a while?" Chaeyoung asked.

"No, I'll go back. I came here to take this." Sieon picked up a pack of white thread rolls.

"Are you sure? You're a bit quieter than usual."

"I'm fine, really. It was just so sudden and... weird."

"This is why I tell you not to go out at night." Chaeyoung's voice was full of concern.

"I know, Chae. Thanks for taking care of me." Shs held her hand and lightly squeezed it and smiled.

"If you feel sad at home, just drink some coco-milk and you'll be fine."

Sieon lightly chuckled at that and nodded, "Sure."
 
 

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Now that Sieon was back in her cabin, she wondered how that happened? Allot of questions barged in as her curiosity took the best control.

Sieon was outside when that incident probably took place, so why didn't she knew anything about it? Did it happen when she and San had come in? Or was it before she even stepped out?

She needed her distress to leave and she knew how.
She stood up, and got ready to leave to meet the only person could answer her questions.