I - one; a red day

tw : death (implied), panic attacks

THE SUN had taken on a pinkish tinge as it lazily hid behind the horizon line, painting the sky with its warm and inviting hues. The sweet fragrance of blossoms enveloped the picturesque streets, its enticing smell embracing people fleeting by and driving them to stop in their tracks to enjoy the refreshing air of an ending spring day. Clashing with the serene atmosphere of the scene, a young girl was bolting through the street, her uniform getting slightly messed up from her haste. She ran past trees swaying in the gentle breeze, over cobbled stones that glistened in golden light from where they were kissed by rays of sun peeking out from beyond clouds. The sound of birdsong filled her ears as she raced along until finally coming to rest near a small fountain at which point she paused for breath before continuing home.

"Gosh..."

Yeon-ae was, once again, helping the president of the student council of her highschool, Kim Yu-jin. She'd regularly ask her to do the most time-consuming tasks and Yeon-ae would always accept without hesitation. This was partly due to her hopeless infatuation with Kim Yu-jin, but also because she had built up a reputation for being helpful and reliable around school. Everyone knew that if they needed something done then Jang Yeon-ae could be counted upon. Her mother had instilled in her a strong sense of duty and usefulness towards others which meant that even when faced with an overwhelming amount of requests each day (sometimes as many as twelve), she still found it difficult to refuse any request made by those around her - even though it often felt like people were taking advantage of this trait in Yeon-ae's personality. On the plus side however, all this hard work did pay off in terms of popularity amongst her peers; not only did they appreciate all that she did for them but they were also drawn to Yeon-ae's fun personality, and her self proclaimed "princely" charm.

Our "prince" pushed her hair back, tucking the unruly strands behind her ears. She attempted to smirk in a way that was both alluring and mysterious, though it came off as more of a grimace due to her disheveled appearance.

The reason she was in such a hurry was because Yu-jin had asked her to print posters for the school's Valentine's day. It was an annual celebration highly anticipated by all students, with many of them already preparing gifts and treats for their special someone. The chocolate shelves were already emptied out in most convenience stores, ready to be made into dainty treats as a symbol of love. As the wind carried naïve hopes and dreams, resembling the soothing tintinnabulation of a wind chime, into the classes of the school; everyone eagerly anticipated this special day when they could show their affection for those around them with thoughtful gifts or heartfelt words.

She smiled, feeling a mix of emotions. She knew she wouldn't be able to experience Valentine's Day with her crush; after all, she wasn't even sure what her sexuality was and she'd rather die than make her uncomfortable. She had to admit that she would love to give Yu-jin homemade chocolates. Her adorable president had been so stressed out planning the event for everyone else, which made her heart ache. Even if it were just for a moment, she wanted Yu-jin to catch a break from all the stress and effort they had put in - maybe some chocolates would help? After daydreaming about what it would be like to go on a date with her adorable crush, she was brought back to reality and remembered the task at hand. She shook off the fantasy and focused her attention on her mission.

"Concentrate!" she said, after slapping her cheeks.

Yeon-ae made her way to the GS25 and entered. After printing what she needed, she took a moment to look around the store. Since she had sprinted there, she had some time to kill before heading back home. With nothing else better to do, Yeon-ae decided that it was as good of an opportunity as any to treat herself; so after browsing through the shelves for a few minutes, she grabbed a milk latte and headed towards one of the tables in the corner. Just then, Yeon-ae remembered that her best friend Dong-Chan had recommended her a new manhwa recently - one he said would be perfect for her. He had gone on and on about how much he enjoyed it. She wasn't sure if it'd really be something she'd appreciate but then again he had promised that if Yeon-ae read it, he'd buy her strawberry milk for an entire week! That alone was enough motivation for Yeon-ae; the thought of being able to indulge in her favorite drink made up for any doubts she had. If she enjoyed the series, not only would she find a fresh story to binge through but also get a week's worth of her all time fav! It was a win-win situation after all.

She logged on to her Webtoon account and searched; 'The Dog Becomes The God Of Highschool!'

The cover of the book was a handsome boy with an aura of power around him, surrounded by attractive ladies. She couldn't help but cringe at the unrealistic proportions that were used to depict the characters on the cover. Not off to a good start, she thought as she looked at the synopsis. It was your typical trope where the main character (MC) becomes overpowered and popular, with lots of girls falling in love with him and forming a big harem. Her fear of it being another generic story for middle schoolers was unfortunately confirmed. She couldn't help but wonder why Dong-Chan would think she'd like this kind of book. Sure, she always enjoyed trying new things, but this seemed a bit too far out of her comfort zone. She still skimmed through it. Partly because of curiosity and partly because she couldn't believe he would give her a poor recommendation on purpose. And much to her "surprise", it immediately greeted her with a pantie shot.

"Quick uh."

She read the first chapter before putting her phone down, and a disgusted expression was stuck firmly on her face. Respectfully, it was terrible - twelve far too intrusive shots of the girls, coupled with two 'accidental' sexual harassment scenes all crammed into the first chapter; DC must have been completely inebriated to think this was good content. Even more so for him to recommend it to her. She really couldn't believe that DC had found this book to be good enough to recommend it to her; sure, the girls were pretty but she wasn't at a point in her life where she felt desperate enough to have to resort to reading something like this. She simply could not see what appeal it held for him and his opinion made her want nothing more than dropkick him.

She seized her phone again to send a few texts to him. After he confirmed he was, in fact, very sober. She checked reviews online to see if it was a case of "shitty first chapter". But after reading detailed descriptions of the story from angered readers, she was glad she didn't read it any further. A macho story with unrealistic characters and rage-inducing plot points. No matter how badly she wanted to ask DC for an explanation, she decided on just sending a few messages to Yu-jin, telling her to meet up to retrieve the posters and beating him up, well, confronting him later.

• • •

Humming to one of her favorite songs, she waited for her turn to cross the street, eagerly anticipating a small interaction with her lovely crush. But all of that enthusiasm came to an abrupt halt when a frightened cat suddenly jumped in the middle of the road. Panicking, she tried getting it to go towards her by making big gestures and baby-talking, while some other individuals around also did their part in trying to help out. However, despite everyone's best efforts, the kitty was too scared and refused to move. Cars were going past at incredible speeds and it almost got hit several times; each time causing a collective gasp from those watching on helplessly. The obnoxious honking from drivers combined with passersby talking and wheels making sharp turns on the concrete created an overwhelming cacophony that caused every sound around them seem ten times louder than usual.

She couldn't bear it anymore. She had to do something. It was idiotic, but her anxiety was overtaking her. Yeon-ae dropped the posters, and she made her way to the frightened cat. Without caring for the reactions of the people beside her, she took it in her arms and lightly tossed it in a decorative bush next to the road. She knew it wouldn't get hurt, and with the surrounding people, it'd be fine.

Before she could make her way back to the safety of the street, she heard a familiar voice. She stopped in her tracks and looked around for the owner of the voice, trying to pinpoint its location. To her surprise, standing right in front of her was a terrified Yu-jin who was screaming at her for being so reckless. Yeon-ae grinned in her usual cocky way, determined not to let anyone else see how scared she truly felt inside.

Without warning, everything changed within an instant; a blinding white light filled the area and Yeon-ae felt an intense wave of pain course through every inch of her body before she drifted off into unconsciousness.

• • •

Yeon-ae opened her eyes. Her whole body was aching. Despite the pain, she quickly took notice of her odd surroundings. Around her were lofty buildings dressed with big bright advertisements and streets crowded with people walking in a almost perfect unison. She didn't know what she was doing or how she got there. As she searched through her last memories, her body started trembling furiously. No...she couldn't have died; not now when life had finally begun to take shape for her. She had so many dreams that remained unfulfilled - so much potential that never saw the light of day due to the expectations placed on by others around her. Throughout all these years, it seemed like everyone else's needs always came before hers; their validation meant more than anything else even if it meant sacrificing some of her deepest desires and wants in order to do so.

She had wasted her life.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice someone going up to her.

"Miss, are you ok?"

Her view was cloudy from her own tears, but she still peered up at the individual. Through the blur of her salty sorrow, it was hard to make out their features - yet when they spoke, it all seemed better. Their voice was remarkably soothing; like an angel here to give her salvation. Her breathing stabilized and a sense of serenity washed over her as she listened intently. As she got back to her senses though, she realized that she had been staring at them for way too long - no doubt looking like a crazy person in the process. Embarrassment setting in, her cheeks turned a vivid shade of red and without thinking twice about it, she bowed profusely before apologizing for making them wait so long.

"Ah... Sorry. Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern!" she said. Her voice hoarse from the crying.

She couldn't look at the person in front of her. It was way too awkward. But in her peripheral vision, she saw them nodding before taking their leave. This interaction had reminded Yeon-ae that she was, in fact, alive. She still couldn't assimilate her current situation, but that's all she needed to know. It wasn't over. With her newfound determination, she checked if she had anything on her that would somehow help her. To her relief; she found her phone, ID card and public transport pass in the pockets of her jacket. She was utterly confused. These were the things she had on before the accident. She was sure of it. But they looked undamaged. They were all exactly the same as before. Well, almost all. Every picture, every contact on her phone; wiped out. Only leaving a cute To-Do list widget on her homepage. As she read it, her face twisted.

"What the fuck is this?"