"Hana, could I ask you something?"
"Sure thing, Miss"
"Do you, er… also know some things about my past friends and stuff? Just asking since you always seem to know everything, heh"
"Some of them yes, but of course not all of them. If you are looking for anyone in particular I can find out though, probably"
"Have you ever heard of a boy called Woobin from my time in South East High?"
"Well, that one I certainly know"
"What was he like? Was I good friends with him?"
"Why are you asking?"
"He's just transferred school and joined my class today, and was acting rather creepy, a bit stalker-like…"
"Ah, that little brat, I know him. Maybe it's time we remove him"
"Huh? What? No, don't go that far! What's up with him?"
"You read him right. He IS a stalker"
"What? Really?"
"Well, maybe that's a bit harsh way of putting it since he's been nice to you. But he did turn up at our house a lot uninvited and you did use to complain he's pestering you so much"
"Like what for?"
"He sort of, I guess, loves you. Or at least that's what he says, but from a girl's point of view it's probably just a very unhealthy obsession"
"So we weren't friends at all? It was just him following me around?"
"More or less, yes. It is now a concern though that he's gone as far as to move school and got himself into the same class as you"
"Oh man, what should I do now?"
"We can't do anything until he does something out of line, although if I reported it to your father he might come up with some ideas"
"No, let's not do that"
"Ok"
"But… have you ever threatened him to leave me alone? I mean considering you are pretty badass and all that"
"I'm just a charity worker, and also, the situation is a little complicated with him"
"What do you mean?"
"Although I said before maybe it's time we remove him, that's just more of my personal wish than a practical possibility"
"Why is that? Well, not that I think we should 'remove' him in a way that I think you mean it…"
"We have some family ties with his father"
"Eeeeewww, is he my cousin or something?"
"No, not related by blood at all. But he is part of your father's 'family', let's just put it that way"
"Riiiight. I get the hint, I think… man this is complicated"
"Indeed"
"I guess all I can do is just watch out then and don't let him get too close"
"I'm sorry, Miss, but you will have to see him every now and then"
"Duh, he's in my class"
"No, I mean we do have family gatherings"
"Wha-? People bring their kids to these 'family gatherings'?"
"It is the grandfather's wish that we all get along"
"Grandpa? I never knew I had one"
"Grandfather of the family, whose sons all run their own charity organizations"
"Even my dad has to listen to him?"
"Not unwillingly. He just respects him very much. Like we all do"
"So…. When will be these family gatherings?"
"Actually, there's one coming up this Saturday"
"Oh no, I have to attend a competition this Saturday!"
"Competition?"
"Well, to keep it short, I am to participate in a race for Track and Field competition"
"Congrats"
"Not that I wanted to though… but more importantly, I can't pull out of that"
"I'd assume it'd be in the afternoon though?"
"Yeah"
"Pre-dinner party starts at 1600. Hopefully, you'd be done by then"
"What if not?"
"When the time to leave comes I will pick you up, literally, and we will head there"
"I hope that doesn't happen mid-race"
"Please don't blame me too much for it though when that happens, Miss"
***
I was in a room that was pitch-black and dark. I was lying face down, with all my limbs stretched out and each of them was handcuffed to something I couldn't shake off. I was sweating like crazy and I must have been tied down like this for a long time, as my own body odor disgusted me.
I knew this was a dream, it had to be. There was no way this could be real, and this felt all too familiar with something that had already happened before to be happening again.
But the fright, the fear and confusion, and the overwhelming sense of dread about the inevitable that was to come felt so real I felt like my whole body was going to break down under the weight of the dread that engulfed me.
Then I heard the footsteps. I was so disorientated I couldn't tell from which direction it was coming, but it was clear that the sound was getting nearer to me with each step.
At this point, I started to go into full panic mode and shook my whole body in a desperate attempt to at least loosen up and break free from one of the shackles, but all it did was bring more pain to the parts where the handcuffs were digging into my skin.
Then the 'thing' that was approaching me climbed on top of me. It felt like a human and a beast at the same time. Heavy huff and puff sound, unbearable weight, pressing me down as if a heavy sandbag landed on me. I tried to shake it off but it just wouldn't budge. It said nothing but just kept on pressing down on me. I could feel it stroking my body from the back of my neck to my bottom along the spine. No tingles, just an unbearable sense of disgust at being touched by something that I couldn't see, didn't know, and didn't like.
It was a living breathing thing, and I could feel its breath just behind my ear, then came the lick, and a little suck on my ear lobe. I started to scream but no sound came out.
I told myself in my mind over and over again,
'This is a dream, I just have to wake up, this is a dream, I just have to wake up, this is a dream, I just have to wake up…'
Then it whispered into my ear in a demonic voice.
"Did you think you could just get away like that?"
Then I struggled, struggled, and struggled, kept reminding myself it was a dream and all I needed to do was wake up, but I just couldn't.
:Beep beep, beep beep:
I finally woke up to the sound of the morning alarm and my whole body was drenched in sweat. I felt dirty everywhere and badly needed a shower. I ran into the shower and stood there letting the water splash on me even before it started to get warm, then after a few seconds, I had a violent convulsion rush over my whole body. I was throwing up but nothing came out. I finally regained control of my body and all I could do was compulsively scrub my body everywhere my hand could reach, I scrubbed so hard my skin was getting red, yet I did not feel clean.