Jun

It has been 4 months and 3 weeks since I last came into contact with my estranged sister, Song Nam. Even longer since Kwon Mi-kyung has been missing. Nam didn't seem worried about her disappearance in the slightest - which I find quite odd considering the fact that they are best friends. The two of them are very close, I don't understand why she is so nonchalant about the situation.  Come to think of it...Mi-kyung's  husband didn't seem too concerned either. However, he did begin to grow awkward whenever her name was brought up. I never truly liked him in the slightest.  I'll have to keep an eye on that pair. There's something strange going on with them and I don't believe that I'm too fond of whatever it is.

Junsu took a deep breath as he jotted his thoughts down within the secrecy of his journal. The tip of his ballpoint pen vigorously tapped against the feeble page, his mind racing with scenarios of Mi-kyung's vanishing.  He couldn't  bring himself to believe that a perfectly happy young woman like Mi-kyung would just up and leave her family - without reason. She hadn't taken any of her belongings, nor did she contact any employees from her boutique to let them know that she'd be leaving for a while.  That was just not the woman that Junsu had known.  Heavy fingers began to tighten their grip around the pen as he pondered his last conversation with Dae-su. There was something disconcerting about that night. When Junsu quesioned him about how Mi-kyung was doing with her pregnancy; he evaded the question by saying that he had a splitting headache. Upon being asked a second time, Dae-su quickly told Junsu that he didn't know where Mi-kyung was and hadn't seen her for a few days. Dae-su's final story ended with Mi-kyung leaving him in the middle of the night because she grew weary of their love. He went on about how she went to live with her sister Nico in Japan - but something wasn't adding up. Why was Mi-kyung's car still parked in the driveway? More importantly - why was Nam wearing Mi-kyung's jewelry and clothes?


Slamming the writing instrument down onto his demilune u-shaped writing desk, Junsu brought his hand up to the sides of his head. His index and middle fingers rubbed against the temples of his skull, massaging the pounding area in hopes to relax.  It was already 3 AM in the morning and Junsu had to be awake and ready for work soon. Sadly, he'd spent multiple hours racking his brain - trying to come up with some sort of conjecture to this devastation and wouldn't be granted much sleep. Releasing a soft sigh, Junsu tried to push the tormenting desire to look more into this matter away from his tired mind.  However, doing so was more overwhemling than he thought. Everytime he was able to forget about Mi-kyung for even a second, she would sneak her way back into the crevices of his conciousness.  What was it about this situation that was so important to him? Why couldn't he just believe that Mi-kyung was able to leave without saying goodbye to him or anyone else? Maybe she had grown tired of being in the same predicament with her boorish husband and decided to depart from South Korea. He should just let it be.

Shaking his head in disagreement with his thoughts, he glanced over at his cell phone. Something just wasn't sitting right within his spirit about his friend going her own way; at least- not in this manner. Reaching across the desk, Junsu grabbed ahold of the mobile device and watched as the screen illuminated. The pad of his thumb swiped up against the screen - scrolling through his contacts until he reached the connection that he desired to call. Nico Kwon. Slammping his thumb down onto the green button, Junsu listened in as the line would ring.

"Hello?"  Nico answered the phone. Her voice soft and subdued as she had been sleeping.
"Did I wake you?  Junsu asked, lifting his head as he'd push himself out of his chair to stand.
"Yes, w-who is this?"
"My apologies, Miss Kwon. How rude of me to not introduce myself. It's Song Junsu. Nam's older brother. Do you remember me?"
"Junsu. Of course I remember you, idiot. My sister had the biggest crush on you growing up. I didn't think you kept my number."
Junsu found himself smiling softly, his cheeks flushing a soft shade of red as he'd plant the palm of his hand against his window. Silence filled the phone call, but it wasn't long before Nico would in fact break it.
"It's pretty late at night for a phone call. Is something the matter, Song Junsu?"
"Well..yes. Mi-kyung has been on my mind as of late and I just wanted to call to make sure that she made it to Japan safetly."
"Junsu, what are you talking about? My sister didn't come to Japan. I would be the first to know if she had."
"Nico, are you sure?" He asked. The lids of his eyes felt heavy as they would slowly begin to lower over his orbs. The pain in the temple of his head now inviting itself to the party once more. "Her husband informed me that she had left some time ago to live with you in Japan. He said something about her not wanting to be with him anymore."
"No, that's.... not true." Nico spoke slowly. "My sister is still in South Korea with Dae-su. She's supposed to come visit for the holidays so that I can help her pick out some names for the baby. Come to think of it...she hasn't replied to my texts for a while."
Silence welcomed itself into the conversation once again, but this time fear hid behind it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have bothered you with this at this hour. Maybe I'm confused. I'll check into it again tomorrow and let you know what's going on. Goodnight, Nico." Junsu smashed his thumb against the red button to end the phone call in a hurry. Worry began to take over his entire being,and now he was sure that it would do the same for Mi-kyung's sister.

Tossing his celluar device onto his bed, Junsu balled his left hand into a fist,more tense now than anything. He knew that there was something strange the moment Dae-su avoided his question. Why didn't he scrutinize his lies a bit more? He grunted, visibly frustrated with himself until he heard a sound outside of his bedroom door. Quirking a brow, he pressed his ear against the cold wooden frame, listening to the child-like giggles that filled the vicinity. His eyes began to soften, realizing that it was only his daughter laughing in her own bedroom. He shook his head, chucking softly to himself. Junsu was relieved to know that at least it wasn't a break in, but also wondered what a six year old was doing up at this time of night. Holding his hand out towards the door, he quickly wrapped his fingers around the doorknob and began to twist. Once the door was open, he strutted out of his room and into the hallway - loosening his suit tie along the way.

Her childish giggles grew into thunderous rounds of laughter, almost as if she was in her room having the time of her life. The sound of talking could be heard, but he couldn't exactly make out the words until he made it to the entry of her doorway. "I missed playing with you. I'm glad that you didn't forget about me." The child spoke. Junsu only smiled to himself as he leaned his shoulder against the frame of her bedroom door. He remembered what it was like to play pretend at that age as well.

"Hwa-young, are you talking to your imaginary friend again?" Junsu questioned his daughter as he pulled himself away from the entrance and walked into her bedroom. Bending his form, he swept the little one up into his arms,holding her close to his chest. His feet led them over towards her bed that was gently dazzled in a silken pink canopy and a princess blanket. "No, daddy. I was talking to Mi-kyung. See!" Hwa-young pointed over towards her closet.  Startled, Junsu slowly began to turn his head in order to see exactly what his daughter was directing his gaze to, but there was nothing there. His heart was thumping like a caged animal trying to claw it's way out of his chest - but he was relieved to see no one standing there. "Honey, I think that you're just tired. Mi-kyung isn't here. I know that you miss her, but she's not here. We'll see her soon though, princess. Okay?"

"But dad....she's right th -" Hwa-young tried to speak, but her small words were cut short by the feeling of her father tucking her into bed. He leaned in, planting a gentle kiss against her tiny forehead a moment before walking towards the doorway again.  "Get some sleep, Hwa-young. If you behave, I'll take you and your friends to get some yakgwa and banana milk tomorrow." Junsu stated. He brought a hand up to the lightswitch, using his index finger to dim the pastel - colored lights. He knew how his daughter felt about Mi-kyung. She looked at the woman as her own mother figure due to the lack of her own mom. Hwa-young's mother despised the child and wanted to put her up for adoption. She didn't want a baby and tried to suffocate her when she was born. If it wasn't for Junsu stepping in to save his own baby - who know's what the outcome could have been. Eventually her mother took her own life. She said that even death would be better than having to deal with the responsibility of being a parent. Just thinking about it angered Junsu. How could someone be so cruel to a ray of sunshine? He couldn't make himself understand. Walking into his bedroom, Junsu shut the door behind him and exhaled. He just wanted to get a decent night's sleep even though he knew that was out of reach. Even a nap would do at this point. Gazing across the room and out of the window, the drained male removed his tie and dress shirt. He tossed it across the room without care and flopped down onto the comfort of his upholstered platform bed. The thoughts that he'd previously held within his cranium were beginning to wind down a bit. The only thing that was keeping him awake now was himself.

Everything was calm - a little too calm to be quite frank. The silence felt like soothing arms, rocking Junsu to sleep. As soon as he began to drift off into a brief slumber, a whirlwind of terror swarmed around the room. A feminine voice spoke softly, repeating the words of an old poem told by Junsu's granfather to spook the kids in the community.

"Do you hear the whisper men? The whisper men are near. If you hear the whisper men then turn away your ear. Do not hear the whisper men,whatever else you do. For once you've heard the whisper me,they'll stop....and look at you."

Junsu tossed and turned during the sound of chanting, unaware that something was shadowing his entire being. Just above him, droplets of blood pooled around the ceiling - a death rattle combined with the sound of a woman choking on her own blood entered his ear canal, causing his eyes to flutter open.

"Don't ignore the whisper men, they're not just in your head. Be fearful of the whisper men. Ignore them....and you're DEAD."

A loud crash resonated across the room. Junsu's desk slammed into the wall opposite of where it was originally placed, causing him to jump up in a matter of seconds. His eyes, now bloodshot red, gazed around the area - frightened by the calamity that was happening around him. He tried to speak, but no sound dared to form within his vocal cords. As much as he hated to admit it, Junsu was terror-stricken. He heard the gurgling sounds that followed by a soft hum, but he was too afraid to look around for where it came from. A crimson droplet hung from the ceiling, falling onto Junsu's upper lip shortly after. The warm, slick liquid caressed his skin like a kill - only deciding to pour down onto his face in a thick sludge moments after.  The bloody much filled his mouth as he glanced up to the ceiling, catching a view of Mi-kyung's thrashed body clinging to the upper interior of his bedroom. Her eyes were as pale as the moonlight, her neck crooked several bones in her neck pierced through her skin. Mi-kyung's belly was an open womb, a headless baby hanging only by the umbilical cord; but somehow it was still moving.

"No one...was there to help me. You weren't there to protect me." The resentful spirit cried out to her old friend. Her hair extended swiftly, curling around Junsu's neck as he whimpered like a child for dread. Strands of her hair entered though his mouth, shooting out of his eye sockets whilst his orbs rolled across the mattress. The females arms extended at an unatural rate, revealing what was once fingers to be claws. Stroking his hair softly, she lowered her head so that it could rest near his own. Her nails sinking into the side of his eyeless face. "My Junnie." She whispered, ripping his head from his shoulders.

Rapid breaths filled the room as Junsu sprung up from bed in a panic. His sheets were covered in sweat and his body glistened from the moisture that exuded from his pores. Curious orbs glanced around the room, everything seemed to be in place and nothing sinister seemed to be near. "It was...just a dream." He swallowed. Throwing his legs to the side of the bed, he sat there with his head in his hands - trying to figure out what the hell just happened in his nightmare. All of the stress of Mi-yung vanishing had surely brought this purgatory upon him. He knew that he had to find her in order for his own soul to be at ease. Otherwise he would only be able to worry himself into an early grave.

"I'll find you even if it kills me, Mi-kyung. If it does, just please promise to always take care of Hwa-young." Junsu spoke to himself. His hands were still clasping at the sides of his head when he felt slender arms curl around his neck. A willowly form was pressed against his spinal column, fingers trailing the curves of his lips. Mi-kyungs head peered over his right shoulder, silken locks of hair flooding down to his chest as she wailed in anguish. "