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conquest
Ju sees unusual things all the time. Most of her days she spends seeing the strange and the unnerving. As she sits getting her hair curled by her favourite hairdresser, her ends trimmed and neatened, exchanging pleasant conversation and a few polite giggles, many people walk past the glass fronting of the shop. There are men haunted by the wills of their wives, women surrounded by the hollowed eyes of lovers already passed whispering harm onto them, schoolgirls followed by a chorus of teary pleas from former classmates they've ridiculed. There's men followed by the hisses of the souls of a hundred dead cats, and women who laugh as they unknowingly drag around the agonized screams of tortured boyfriends. There are doctors haunted by their fallen patients trying desperately to enjoy their days off, and sweet couples sharing desserts as they both hide their baggage on a plane that nobody else can see. Just Ju.
The sight used to frighten Ju when it first came to her, but not so much anymore. It feels like a gift now, when she can look into the eyes of a suffering soul, take their ice cold hands, and lead them onto the closure of the afterlife. She still has much to learn, but every day she feels as though she makes just a little bit more difference. With Muyoung's teaching, she's sure she can slowly learn to do much more.
She smiles as her hairdresser brushes out her curls, begins to tell her all about the strange situation she's found herself in leaning the tricks of the trade from Muyoung, when suddenly her words catch in her throat, and her breath leaves her lungs. She feels as though she's suffocating, and no matter how many times she tries to swallow, her throat remains closed. The store fills with the stink of death and fear through even the closed door. Then, suddenly, the windows turn dark.
It isn't the sun that disappears, and not a cloud fills the sky. Somehow, in only a moment, the entire window is filled with only the smears of the dead. Regrets left behind by those that have died, the resentments left by those still alive, the longing and needing and wanting of those far away- in only a second, Ju is blinded by all of it. It appears so suddenly and with such a force, for a moment she wonders if she's finally being dragged under herself, and her death is here at last.
But, then she sees him. Like the eye of a tornado, a beautiful, devastating boy in the middle of all the chaos. He seems to almost glow compared to the blankness around him, but the sight of him brings Ju no comfort; even seeing the boy makes her feel dizzy and ill, and she can barely believe what she's seeing. Most people, they are followed by one or two resentful spirits. One or two regretful souls. She sees maybe a handful at once, at the most. But this.. this is unprecedented. This is insane.
The souls of the damned climb the boy's legs, dig their claws into his thighs, press themselves into his waist and pant desperately at his face. They dig blunted nails into his skin, wind themselves into his hair, try to crawl down his throat through his mouth, wrap their hands around his neck. In the brief moments Ju sees him pass by the window of the salon, she feels terror for the first time, and even as the boy walks away, the residual stink of despair remains, and the wails of the dead follow like a chorus. Even when he passed her view, the souls keep streaming after him, until even Ju can't see out the window anymore through the dark smear of the dead. They sob and wail and scream, scrambling over each other for the chance to even be close to the boy-
"Ju? Ju-ssi?"
Her hairdresser snaps her out of her daze with a gentle hand on her shoulder and concern in her eyes. She runs a hand through Ju's hair again to separate it.
"Is it not okay?"
Ju smiles, reassuring her that it looks fine and she's more than happy with the work as always, but doesn't stay to chat once she taps her card on the register. As soon as she's paid, she walks briskly from the salon, and breaks into a run as soon as she's out of view. She needs to speak to Muyoung.
The sight used to frighten Ju when it first came to her, but not so much anymore. It feels like a gift now, when she can look into the eyes of a suffering soul, take their ice cold hands, and lead them onto the closure of the afterlife. She still has much to learn, but every day she feels as though she makes just a little bit more difference. With Muyoung's teaching, she's sure she can slowly learn to do much more.
She smiles as her hairdresser brushes out her curls, begins to tell her all about the strange situation she's found herself in leaning the tricks of the trade from Muyoung, when suddenly her words catch in her throat, and her breath leaves her lungs. She feels as though she's suffocating, and no matter how many times she tries to swallow, her throat remains closed. The store fills with the stink of death and fear through even the closed door. Then, suddenly, the windows turn dark.
It isn't the sun that disappears, and not a cloud fills the sky. Somehow, in only a moment, the entire window is filled with only the smears of the dead. Regrets left behind by those that have died, the resentments left by those still alive, the longing and needing and wanting of those far away- in only a second, Ju is blinded by all of it. It appears so suddenly and with such a force, for a moment she wonders if she's finally being dragged under herself, and her death is here at last.
But, then she sees him. Like the eye of a tornado, a beautiful, devastating boy in the middle of all the chaos. He seems to almost glow compared to the blankness around him, but the sight of him brings Ju no comfort; even seeing the boy makes her feel dizzy and ill, and she can barely believe what she's seeing. Most people, they are followed by one or two resentful spirits. One or two regretful souls. She sees maybe a handful at once, at the most. But this.. this is unprecedented. This is insane.
The souls of the damned climb the boy's legs, dig their claws into his thighs, press themselves into his waist and pant desperately at his face. They dig blunted nails into his skin, wind themselves into his hair, try to crawl down his throat through his mouth, wrap their hands around his neck. In the brief moments Ju sees him pass by the window of the salon, she feels terror for the first time, and even as the boy walks away, the residual stink of despair remains, and the wails of the dead follow like a chorus. Even when he passed her view, the souls keep streaming after him, until even Ju can't see out the window anymore through the dark smear of the dead. They sob and wail and scream, scrambling over each other for the chance to even be close to the boy-
"Ju? Ju-ssi?"
Her hairdresser snaps her out of her daze with a gentle hand on her shoulder and concern in her eyes. She runs a hand through Ju's hair again to separate it.
"Is it not okay?"
Ju smiles, reassuring her that it looks fine and she's more than happy with the work as always, but doesn't stay to chat once she taps her card on the register. As soon as she's paid, she walks briskly from the salon, and breaks into a run as soon as she's out of view. She needs to speak to Muyoung.