Chapter Text
Seonghwa sat on the windowsill, just wide enough to fit him when he pulled his knees into his chest. He watched the narrow alley five stories down, not yet fully revealed by the sun still rising above the rooftops and reflecting off windows, painting them golden. People were, however, already emerging from the shadows, populating the cobblestoned street below.
Seonghwa yawned and glanced back at his apartment, still in disarray after just moving in the day prior. There were boxes with miscellaneous items peeking out of them scattered all over the floor, barring only the mattress in the corner of the room. The only personalized touches found in the apartment so far were a photograph of a child and an old woman taped to the wall by the window, and a copper pot on the kitchen counter.
The pot reminded Seonghwa of his first task for the day; there was no food in the house, not even coffee, so he would have to go out for groceries.
His first outing in this new city.
Seonghwa smiled giddily to himself. Although he was reluctant to leave the view of the slowly waking city behind, he couldn’t wait to explore its streets for himself. He got up from his seat with a hop and began searching the boxes for some clothes to change his nightgown into.
The morning air was crisp against Seonghwa’s skin. He could smell the scent of fresh flowers and something sweet cooking as he stepped out of his apartment, and couldn’t help the smile that rose on his face as he made his way for the staircase.
While descending the five levels he stopped to lean over the banister several times, just to admire the street below, different from the alley visible from his apartment window. He marveled at the cars and street food vendors and people rushing past under the web of electrical lines criss-crossing between the buildings. Stretching his neck to glance up at the sky, he saw zeppelins gliding gracefully and the fleeting silhouettes of birds flying past.
The big city. Just as he had heard it be described, now at his own fingertips. He had arrived so late the previous night that he hadn’t had the chance to take any of it in, so everything was still new for him to discover. He grinned in excitement and practically ran the rest of the way down until he felt the cobblestones under the soles of his tennis shoes for himself. Before he could go any further, however, he had to pull out the map he had acquired the day prior, not wanting to get lost in the first five minutes of navigating the streets still foreign to him. He had circled the location of a grocery store three tram stops away, so all he had to do now was find the stop. He could hear the clattering sound of the tram in his apartment, so it couldn’t be far.
With a little help from a passerby, Seonghwa was able to catch the tram just as it came to a stop by the platform. He hopped into the green compartment and rushed to stand at the back to secure a good view from the rear window. He watched in awe as the tram pulled out from the alleyways and passed over a body of water, deducing from the map that it must have been the river running through this part of the city. He watched the fishermen lining the riverbank and the kids splashing in the shallows, before the tram dove back into the urban jungle of the city streets.
Hopping off at the third stop, Seonghwa glanced at his map again. He found that he had arrived at the end of yet another alley, and he would find the store at its opposite end. He tucked the map back into his canvas bag and turned his body towards the alley, noting the big gate in front of him. It was wooden, painted with chipping green paint, and had lanterns and flags hung on it. Seonghwa assumed it was placed there to prevent cars from driving through the much too narrow alley, but entertained himself with the idea that it served as a passageway between worlds. He chuckled lightly as he stepped through the gate, feeling his chest tinkle in excitement over exploring this new part of the city.
Seonghwa’s eyes wandered around as he went, stopping to admire the coffee shops and restaurants and other businesses lining the narrow walkway. By now the sun was creeping above the rooftops, shining some of its light on the alley so that it created stark shadows amidst the golden glow. It made even the most mundane aspect of the alley feel magical, and Seonghwa chuckled bitterly at the thought.
Magical. An adjective thrown around so lightly by those not in possession of real magic, the kind that separated true humans from witches. Magical was a word preserved for the most beautiful wonders the corporeal world had to offer, the purest of human experiences, such as observing the delicate boundaries between light and shadow on a spring morning.
However, for Seonghwa, the word magic was anything but beautiful and pure; it was loaded, a heavy weight on his existence void of any fitting label. Was he a true human or a witch?
Seonghwa shook away the thought. Today was not about dwelling on the past or overthinking the nature of his existence; today was the first day of a new life. With his head held high, he continued along the alley, fighting to focus on the beauty of the city instead of the thoughts haunting him. He walked with brisk steps and was about halfway through the alley when he suddenly came to a stop, his head involuntarily snapping to the right.
He had arrived in front of what looked like the entrance to a flower shop, with rogue vine nearly covering the entire storefront. There were several pots of flowers that bloomed more beautifully than he had ever seen placed on the curb around the door, and the steady hum of the AC-unit peeking from under the vine filled the air. Otherwise, there were no signs of life anywhere near the shop.
Seonghwa was just about to move along when it hit him: the sensation that the shop was calling out to him. He glanced back at the wooden door frame with different colored glass beads hung on strings serving as the barrier between the interior and the street, swinging softly, making the beads clatter together. His whole body swirled with warm sparks, softly pushing him towards the door.
Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew through the alley, awakening the wind chime hung above the door. Seonghwa was hypnotized by the sound, and he could’ve sworn he heard it softly calling out his name.
Seonghwa… Seonghwa… Seonghwa…
With the wind pushing at his back, Seonghwa took a tentative step towards the door, and instantly felt the sparkling sensation in his chest intensify: a warm sort of urgency, something unseen calling out to him.
Seonghwa took a deep breath, for that usually only meant one thing, and it wasn’t anything he should listen to. He turned away, this time with more determination, and continued walking down the street towards his true destination: the grocery store. He hadn’t come here, or moved to the city for that matter, to follow the whims of the witch blood flowing through him. He had come to blend in.
Seonghwa walked with quick steps, resisting the urge to look back towards the flower shop. He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the black cat that had fallen into step beside him, almost tripping over it when it came to a sudden halt right outside the store Seonghwa had attempted to enter.
Seonghwa blinked down at the creature at his feet, looking up at him with a pair of bright yellow eyes. The cat meowed softly, prompting Seonghwa to smile and lean down to it, the strange feeling in his gut momentarily forgotten. ”Hello, pretty,” he cooed as the cat leaned into the touch, purring softly.
From up close, Seonghwa was able to appreciate the cat’s beauty, the shiny black fur and the tiny white marking under its left eye. He kneaded his fingers through the silky fur, continuing to coo at the cat that basked shamelessly in the attention. It was only when someone else tried to enter the store and Seonghwa had to move out of the way that he stood back up, smiling apologetically at the cat. ”Sorry, I need to go to the store now. It was nice meeting you.”
The cat meowed once more and walked away, as if it had understood the words. Seonghwa watched it go with a fond smile still plastered on his lips, before finally entering the store.
The interior of the grocery store was like any other you’d see, further easing the strange feeling in the back of Seonghwa’s mind. He walked around while going over his little grocery list scribbled on the back of a receipt, adding some fruits and vegetables, as well as dry goods such as rice and coffee, into his cart. There were only a few shoppers besides Seonghwa in the store, and the raspy tone of the radio playing an upbeat pop song filled the air. The atmosphere was calm, and soon enough Seonghwa was lining the items at the register. He did think that the cashier, a tall man with fiery hair highlighted with oranges and yellows, looked at him a bit funny, but decided to pay it no mind. Nobody here could possibly know of his lineage; it wasn’t something he needed to worry about. Seonghwa paid for his items with a smile and hurried to leave the store, determined to not let anything bother him.
The sun was high up in the sky now, and Seonghwa was in high spirits, humming a tune as he walked with light steps with a brown paper bag cradled in his arms. By this point his encounter with the strange flower shop had long slipped his mind, so he was shaken all over again when his legs came to a sudden stop in front of it. His face fell slack, eyes wide and lips agape, and all he could do was stare at the seemingly inconspicuous storefront. The low hum of the AC, the wind chime, the rattling of beads in the wind were mixing into a hypnotic song of their own, even more intoxicating than before. The warm feeling in his chest resurged; it was comforting, gently guiding him closer to the door.
Seonghwa wanted to scoff, to shrug off the feeling. He hadn’t known a world where these episodes led to anything of value, not for a very long time. He hated his additional sense, the inhuman calling of his body and soul.
He hated his witch blood, for all it had ever done for him was push him away from the only home he’d ever known.
Seonghwa was just about to walk away once and for all when his eyes caught the black cat sitting on the little step by the door. The creature was staring at him with its head cocked slightly to the side, meowing softly, as if inviting him to come closer; as if telling him that it was alright.
Before Seonghwa could gather his wits, his feet were carrying him forward, and he found himself following the cat through the curtain of glass beads as it slipped inside the shop.
It took his eyes a moment to get adjusted to the dim lighting inside, a stark contrast to the mid-morning sun glaring down on the street outside. Batting his eyes, he looked around the room, from the floor-to-ceiling shelves full of all different kinds of plants and trinkets to the bouquets of dried flowers and herbs hanging from the ceiling. The only sources of light were the little sunlight that managed to filter itself through the massive vine covering most of the shop’s display window, and the different colored lanterns hung from the ceiling, emanating their own subtle glow. The air was humid in contrast to the dusty street and had a pleasant, earthy scent to it.
Stepping a bit further into the shop, the shelves revealed a wooden counter almost completely covered in vine as well, with no clerk behind it. Even the cat had disappeared, leaving Seonghwa alone in the shop. There was a rusting metal gate behind the counter, likely leading further into the depths of the building, but he couldn’t see any movement behind it either.
It was eerily silent, the sound of Seonghwa’s steps echoing in the vacant room, and he couldn’t make out any sounds except for the lingering reverberation of the wind chime.
Grazing his eyes along the shelves, Seonghwa gasped when he saw a pair of eyes gleaming at him through the darkness. He tried to take a step closer but was scared half to death by something flying directly at him, missing his ear by mere inches. He looked around frantically, searching for the foreign flying object, his eyes finally landing on a bird perched up on one of the shelves.
It was a lime green parrot, cocking its head and chirping lightly. Seonghwa stared at it as he tried to steady his still racing heartbeat, and looking close enough, he saw the little black dot under the bird’s left eye.
Seonghwa was just about to take a step closer when a soft voice sounded from behind:
”Hello there. Can I help you?”
Seonghwa turned around, startled out of his mind once again. He was greeted by a man with choppy black hair and muscular stature, standing behind the counter. He was wearing a large white dress shirt and huge brown overalls with dozens of pockets sown onto them, and held a flowerpot in his arms. He smiled kindly at Seonghwa, who was still too stunned to form a single coherent word.
Seonghwa only snapped out of his head when the parrot flew by his ear again, landing on the man’s shoulder.
”I- I want to b-buy a plant,” Seonghwa stuttered dumbly, and the man beamed even brighter than before. He circled the counter and stepped closer to Seonghwa, so close he could now make out the streaks of green gracing his black bangs, the shade almost matching the feathers of the parrot still sat on his shoulder.
”I know a lot about plants,” the man nodded, and the parrot let out a sound disturbingly akin to a human giggle. The man paid it no mind, just waved his hand around the shop while looking at Seonghwa expectantly. ”What kind of plant would you like? We have all sorts, you’re welcome to look around.”
Seonghwa nodded tentatively and stepped closer to the nearest shelf. He eyed the plants lining it, every single one more vibrant than the rest. All the plants were in perfect bloom, with no wilted leaves in sight. The sight reminded Seonghwa of the garden in his childhood home, evergreen even in the darkest depths of winter. His heart twisted at the thought, and he turned to face the man once again. ”I don’t know a lot about plants. I just moved into the city and thought I’d like a plant for my home,” he admitted.
The man clapped his hands together in delight, making the bird jump up from his shoulder and take a new position on his head. ”Ah, we have plenty of beginner friendly plants! Would you like me to recommend something to you?”
Seonghwa nodded hesitantly, and the man launched towards one of the shelves. ”Fantastic! You, sir, look like someone who might get along well with mistveil, let me see here… Youngie? A little help?”
The parrot flew from the man’s head to the top shelf, and Seonghwa watched with increasing shock as it gave a few pushes to a certain pot until it dropped down, straight into the man’s arms. The man smiled brightly and walked back over to Seonghwa, holding out the potted plant proudly. ”Does this please your eye, sir?” he asked, and since Seonghwa hadn’t really had any real desire to buy a plant to begin with, he nodded without giving the plant a second glance.
The man didn’t seem to pick up on Seonghwa’s indifference, however, as he just happily skittered over to the counter with the plant held in his arms. ”I’ll wrap this up for you! It’ll be three coins, if you’d be so kind,” he chirped while clearing the counter of all the little trinkets in order to sit the plant on it.
Seonghwa dug through his pockets as he walked over to the counter, finally finding and placing three metal coins atop the wooden surface. The man smiled approvingly and handed over the brown packet. Seonghwa picked it up, realizing he now had his groceries in one hand and the plant in the other, likely making the journey home uncomfortable. ”Thank you,” he muttered anyway, and turned for the door, hurrying to leave the strange shop and its even stranger merchants behind.
***
The plant found a home on the windowsill, right below the photograph taped to the wall.
Every morning Seonghwa sat with the plant and stared at the photograph while thinking about the peculiar little flower shop just three tram stops from his home. The tinkle in his chest had barely eased, a lingering reminder of how unnatural his whole interaction with the shop had been. How… Magical.
Seonghwa tried to forget the shop, he really did. He wasn’t stupid; he recognized magic when he felt it, even with his very limited knowledge of the magical world. However, he had made up his mind to steer clear of it all, to stop seeking belonging in either of his inherited realms, the human or the magical. He had finally accepted his role in life, in the safe space of infinite in-between. An inhuman calling could not be anything more than the promise of eventual pain and rejection, and Seonghwa had promised himself to protect himself from any more of it. He had had enough for several lifetimes already.
He managed a week before jolting up from the windowsill where he had been sitting one evening, staring at the plant. He barely remembered to throw a jacket over his shoulders before he was out the door, running down the stairs with such haste it was a miracle he didn’t trip over his feet and roll the way down instead.
Seonghwa spent the five minutes he sat at the platform waiting for the tram convincing himself that it was just an evening snack run to the grocery store and had nothing to do with the mysterious flower shop. And yet, the familiar sparks flew wilder and wilder around his chest with every passing moment he spent in the tram taking him closer and closer to the part of town he was seeking out.
The alley had taken on a completely new life in what was the last moments of daylight, the sky screaming in pinks and oranges on the horizon. What had just the other morning been a quiet little alley was now bursting with life: the restaurants were filled with people, with the staff shouting orders back-and-forth. There was steam and smoke and smells sweet and savory alike seeping from every which direction, making Seonghwa’s head spin. With the disappearing light came the lanterns and streetlamps being lit up in their vibrant reds and yellows and purples, completely making over the look of the alley, as if it had become another world entirely.
Seonghwa quickly got lost taking in all the new sights and sensations, but came to his wits the second his feet planted him to the ground in the already familiar, involuntary way.
Somehow, the flower shop looked more inviting than it had in broad daylight, with the soft light emanating from the door and the windows above it that Seonghwa hadn’t even noticed the last time he had been there. There were colorful lanterns, similar to the ones Seonghwa had seen inside the shop, hung around the storefront, illuminating the glass beads and the surrounding vine with their soft glow. The pots of flowers had been removed, presumably to get the store ready for the night, but the vine remained, protectively covering the display window.
Feeling the pull to go inside, Seonghwa took a deep breath before stepping through the glass beads and into the shop once again.
Inside it was more brightly lit than last time, with the lamp on the counter turned on and more light emanating from beyond the metal gate where Seonghwa was now able to see lied a staircase. The floor was shiny black and white tile, littered with specs of dirt around the plant shelves but otherwise tidy. The lanterns hung from the ceiling reflected different colored beams on the glossy surface of the tiles and the shiny, healthy plant leaves stretching out from the shelves.
The man with the goofy smile and streaks of green hair was nowhere to be found. However, Seonghwa recognized the lime green bird sitting quietly on one of the shelves, staring down at Seonghwa.
Seonghwa gave the bird a polite nod, and even waved his hand a little. ”Hey,” he said awkwardly, ”I just happened to pass by and wondered if you were open. I– I realize now it’s getting late, I should probably go-”
Suddenly, the bird launched itself at Seonghwa, reminiscent of their first encounter. However, instead of flying past him, this time the bird dove beak first into the front pocket of his jean jacket where he had tucked his apartment keys as he had rushed out the door.
It took Seonghwa a few moments to orient himself after yet another scare experienced within these walls, and to understand that the bird had stolen his keys. He turned around just in time to see the see the bird fly through the metal gate and up the stairs, quickly disappearing from view. Only a strangled cry escaped Seonghwa’s lips as he watched it go: ”No, wait-”
Breathing heavily, Seonghwa came to the mortifying realization that he really needed his keys if he wanted to sleep in his bed tonight, which meant that he would need to rouse the attention of whoever resided upstairs. Swallowing dryly, he walked over to the gate, trying to listen for any signs of life. But alas, nothing sounded from upstairs, and all Seonghwa was able to see through the gate was the dark wooden staircase with a single lantern illuminating it with its raspy yellow light.
Seonghwa placed a cautious hand on the metal gate, tugging at it slightly to see if it was locked. As it turned out, the gate gave way, sliding to the side with a whiny clatter. He leaned into the doorway, trying to gaze up the stairs to see what lay on the upper level to no avail. He cursed under his breath and stepped fully into the stairway, guiding the gate closed with his hand to avoid it making any sort of slamming noise. The last thing he wanted was for whoever resided upstairs to think they were being robbed.
Holding his breath, Seonghwa placed one foot on the bottom step and carefully put his weight on it. He cringed when the wood creaked slightly but continued up the steps anyway. He proceeded very slowly, pausing between every step to listen for any sort of noise.
Once he reached the middle landing Seonghwa stretched his neck again, trying to see to the second level. ”Hello?” he called out in a small voice, but all he got in return was silence.
There was a small window on the middle landing of the staircase, through which the last rays of the sun illuminated the wall. Shadows danced along the cracking white paint, and Seonghwa felt as if they were watching him, whispering in his ears. He took yet another deep breath for courage and continued up the stairs in search of his keys.
Finally reaching the second level, Seonghwa found himself at cross-roads; either step through the door frame into a hallway of some sorts or continue up the stairs. He chose the former, hoping that whoever the bird belonged to resided there. Stepping into the small hallway, he saw two identical dark wooden doors on the opposite walls. There were no signs of the bird or the green-haired shopkeeper anywhere.
Seonghwa sighed, ready to resign to the awkward fate of having to go knocking from door-to-door, when suddenly the familiar warmth in his gut surged, pulling him towards one door specifically. The door on the left.
Before Seonghwa even knew it, he was standing in front of the door with his hand raised in a fist, ready to knock on the wood. However, before he got the chance to, the door flew open, almost knocking him over. He stumbled back, his heart jumping to his throat as he took in the sight before him.
There, in the halfway opened doorway, stood a man with wavy purple hair, looking at Seonghwa with dark eyes.
”Who are you? What are you doing here?” the man spat, and Seonghwa had to suppress a wince at the man’s harsh tone. ”I-I was visiting the shop below, t-there was a bird- It took my keys! It flew here, I was wondering if-”
The man in the doorway rolled his eyes and pushed past Seonghwa, sending him stumbling back once again. The man headed straight for the door on the opposite wall, slamming his fist against it with what Seonghwa thought was surely more than necessary force.
”Wooyoung, San, get your asses out here and explain why you’re stealing from customers!” The man glared at Seonghwa as he yelled, for reasons Seonghwa couldn’t for the life of him figure out. He was the customer in question, meaning he was stolen from. So why was this man angry with him?
The door creaked open and a lithe man with black hair stepped out into the hallway. Covering behind him Seonghwa could see the man with the green streaks in his hair, the shopkeeper who had sold him the plant.
The third man’s glare was now fixed on the two as he pointed at Seonghwa. ”He came knocking on my door telling me a bird stole his keys. You guys wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
The two men in the doorframe exchanged quick glances, and then the one with the solid black hair disappeared inside the apartment for a brief moment. To Seonghwa’s immense relief, when the man re-emerged, he was dangling Seonghwa’s keys from his fingers. ”Sorry,” the man said, holding out the keys for Seonghwa, ”I- the bird, out of control that one.”
The man gave Seonghwa a lopsided smile while Seonghwa took the keys gratefully, catching a brief glimpse of the man’s face before he turned around. He had honeyed skin, and even through the wispy bangs covering half his face, Seonghwa could see the black mole dotted under his left eye.
The man was gone before Seonghwa could make any more observations, only leaving the shopkeeper standing at the door, watching Seonghwa apologetically. Seonghwa nodded in his direction with a vary smile, and in response the shopkeeper’s face erupted into the goofy grin Seonghwa had gotten to know the other day. ”You like the plant?” he asked, and Seonghwa nodded again. ”Good,” the shopkeeper mused, glancing at something behind him in the apartment, ”I gotta go. Sorry again.” He waved his hand in a friendly gesture and pulled the door shut.
With just the two of them left in the hall, Seonghwa tentatively glanced at the purple-haired man who was still scowling at the now closed door. With the other’s attention elsewhere, Seonghwa was able to take in the sight of him more closely.
The man was wearing a loose black turtleneck, black pants and a half-skirt that reached down to his calves, the outfit almost giving the impression of a wizard’s cloak. His sharp eyes were lined with a smoky black shadow, and his ears and hands were decorated with shiny jewelry. Only then Seonghwa also noticed that the man was grasping a handful of dried flowers in one of his hands, as if he had been interrupted in the midst of something and hadn’t noticed to put them down first.
Seonghwa couldn’t help his lips from falling agape from awe; much like everything else Seonghwa had seen thus far in the shop, the man looked peculiar, but undoubtedly beautiful.
Once his eyes travelled back up to the man’s face, Seonghwa found him scowling in his direction once again. ”You got your stuff. Now get out,” the man gruffed, already heading for his own door. Before he entered, however, he turned to squint his eyes at Seonghwa. ”You came through the gate? Alone?” he asked, one of his brows quirking up slightly.
Seonghwa stepped back towards the staircase defensively, turning his head down in shame as he stuttered: ”I- It was open, I swear. I mean it was open after I opened it, I just- “
Seonghwa paused to take a breath, realizing he was rambling. He recollected his wits to the best of his ability and lifted his chin to look the man in the eye. “Look, I wanted my keys, you want me gone, I got the keys so I might as well give us both what we want.”
Seonghwa took another step towards the stairs. The man stared at him for a moment more, but eventually nodded. ”Very well. Go on then.” With that, he had slammed his door shut and Seonghwa was left alone once again.
Descending down the stairs, Seonghwa couldn’t help but glance behind his back with every step, in equal amounts confused and fascinated by the residents of the building. When he was once again stood at the gate, he took a moment to look it over, running his fingers on the rusting metal. He frowned as he noticed there was no lock, not even a latch of any sort; it was just a basic sliding gate, one you’d see in an old elevator. Why did the man seem so shocked by the fact that Seonghwa had entered through it?
Then again, Seonghwa assumed the apartments above the shop were private homes, and Seonghwa had trespassed. However, he had only done it out of the dire need to get his keys back, so it had been completely justified in his mind. He scoffed indignantly to himself as he slid the gate open with the same ease as he had just moments earlier when he had entered. He stepped back into the shop and released the gate from his hand, barely noticing the black cat still in the way. He jolted to grab the gate once more to save the cat from being squashed and stared as it passed him with soft steps and hopped onto the shop counter.
In the soft light of the decorative lamp sat atop the counter, Seonghwa could make out the white dot beneath the cat’s left eye, and smiled. He stepped closer to the cat, raising his hand to pet it gently. The cat immediately began to purr, and Seonghwa chuckled. ”Hello again. Where did you go last time, huh?”
The cat blinked its yellow eyes at Seonghwa and meowed softly. Seonghwa gave it a few more scratches under its jaw and straightened himself up. ”Well, it’s way past business hours by now, I need to get going. Take care, yeah?”
Seonghwa made his way through the vines and leaves reaching out to him, and he didn’t remember them being this out of control during his previous time in the shop. As if they were trying to prevent him from leaving. Seonghwa shook off the thought and stepped out into the street.
It was fully dark by now, and the streetlights and lanterns shone in all their glory. Seonghwa couldn't fight his curiosity and turned around to glance at the windows above the shop once more.
Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, after all the oddities he had experienced that day, but there in the window Seonghwa could have sworn he saw a shadowy figure observing him before pulling the curtains shut.
***
That night Seonghwa had his first vision in years.
At first, he thought it was just a lucid dream; being a sielkis and used to awareness in dreams, he had more of those than regular ones. However, the feeling was much too familiar for him to pass it off as a lucid dream, for everything around him was much too tangible for it to be anything other than reality he was dealing with.
Seonghwa was in the flower shop. The vine covering the exterior had given way for the moonlight to drown the room in a silver glow, and he knew immediately he was alone; no green parrots or black cats anywhere to be found, or aloof shopkeepers or angry purple-haired men for that matter.
He felt the familiar pull guiding him up the stairs, and he felt no reservations about following it. He passed through the metal gate and up the wooden staircase until he was at the second-floor landing. Before he even knew it, he was pressing his ear against the door on the left, listening intently to the sounds coming from the apartment.
”-to not toy with customers!”
Seonghwa recognized the voice as belonging to the purple-haired man that had opened this very door for Seonghwa when he had been looking for his keys earlier that night. It only served to increase his curiosity, and he tried pressing on the handle. He found the door wasn’t locked, and he pushed it open tentatively.
The door opened to a hallway illuminated by the light of an oil lamp sitting atop a small table at its end. Turning left there was another hallway, and Seonghwa could hear the voices coming from that direction.
”-crossed your mind why he might have made it through the gate? Non-magical folk cannot pass through the gate, Hongjoong, that’s the whole point-”
Seonghwa walked closer, passing a set of double glass doors on his way. Arriving to the end of the hallway he carefully peeked his head in through the door, spotting two figures pacing around in what looked like a living room: the purple-haired man and the man with the black mole, from before.
”-world is changing, Wooyoung! It’s not just magic and non-magic, we need to watch our backs for all sorts looking to exploit our power!”
The purple-haired man was waving his hands around frantically as he spoke, while the other man only seemed to grow in his intensity.
”My magic is drawn to him, Hongjoong! I sensed him outside the shop that day, and he followed me inside! He must’ve sensed something too if he came back-”
The purple-haired man, presumably Hongjoong, sighed audibly and pinched the bridge of his nose. ”What have I said about collecting stray animals, Wooyoung? You cannot save them all, you’ll only get hurt in the process.”
Before Seonghwa could hear Wooyoung’s answer, he felt the ground tremble beneath his feet, the voices reducing to distant echoes, the room disintegrating around him.
Seonghwa jolted up in cold sweat, in his own bed, with his blankets tossed to the floor. He got up on shaky legs and headed to his kitchenette to get some water. After almost dropping his glass in the sink, he leaned his back on the counter and began taking careful sips while trying his best to calm his breathing. Waking up from a sielkis vision was never pleasant, for it momentarily warped your sense of reality. That was especially true now, since his powers hadn’t granted him a vision this clear in years.
Seonghwa set the empty cup down and walked over to his window, sparing a glance at the photograph on the wall on his way. He climbed to the windowsill and gazed above the moonlit rooftops, in the general direction of where he thought the flower shop to reside. He laid a palm flat on his chest, hoping the pressure would alleviate the intuitive pull that had manifested itself as a physical tinkling in the recent weeks. Rending his eyes away, he glanced at the photograph again, staring at the old woman and the little boy. He brought his other hand to trace his fingers over it gently, and murmured: “Tell me, why is my power growing? Just when I had decided to bury it deep within for good?”
The photograph remained a moment frozen in time, unable to help Seonghwa. He sighed and turned his eyes to the city once more, forehead furrowing in concern as he tried to remember the details of his vision.
He remembered the two men, Hongjoong and Wooyoung. They had been fighting, and Seonghwa was pretty sure he had been the topic. But why? Why did it seem like Seonghwa and the shop were somehow intertwined?
Something also dawned on Seonghwa then. Back in the shop earlier that evening, when he had been debating between the two doors located on the second floor, his magic had guided him to the wrong one; his keys had been behind the door on the right, but for some reason his magic pulled him to the door on the left, resulting in him getting yelled at by an angry purple-haired man.
Seonghwa scoffed and returned to his bed. He was still as broken as before, no use letting himself think anything else based on one week of strange occurrences. He pulled his blanket to his ears and shut his eyes, hoping that he would sleep through the rest of the night with no more unwanted visits to a flower shop of any kind.