Chapter 1

“Number 14 Kim…” Yena looked down, reaffirming the name scrawled on the disposable cup steaming with hot chocolate “Yong-hee!” she called out. The handful of people spread out across the small floor space remained silent; everyone was occupied in their thoughts and work. The two old men who always sat in front of the small window every Friday on the far right looked up absent-mindedly at the interruption of their silent conversation, as the seat behind them scraped across the wooden floorboards, and Kim Yong-hee bounced over to the counter. A bustle of energy and youth collected her hot chocolate, looking towards Yena.

“Could I have a cookie with that as well?” she asked, her sunshine smile dropping instantly once she caught sight of Yena’s eyes, abruptly pausing mid-speech, which subsequently brought out a hearty laugh from the regulars.

“Sorry…I” stuttered a stunned Young-hee “your eyes look…unique” she spluttered finally, blushing with embarrassment, and rushing back towards her seat only to realise her mistake, that she'd forgotten her cookie at the counter.

Yena sighed looking away from the returning red-faced teenager and glanced at her phone. 7:45 am, she read, bringing out yet another sigh from her. Yena had around fifteen minutes left of her shift, fifteen minutes until she could go home. Only fifteen minutes of smiling fakely at the customers and looking busy behind the counter. Her thoughts were interrupted by a thud, as the busy Young-hee crashed into a customer resulting in the teen conveniently sprawling to the ground, to be caught by the man – Yena looked down in cringe and disgust at the cliché cafe scenario and she covered up her eyes with her sunglasses, hiding the pitch-black eyes and attempting to once again look busy behind the counter. She washed a few glasses, started to clean up the cake stands, sweeping the crumbs off when her work was again interrupted by the café being filled with an iPhone ringtone. Yena waited a few seconds for someone to pick up the call and continued waiting. Shit! She swore to herself as she realised it was her own device ringing from her bag. Yena looked over apologetically to her boss and hastily rushed to turn it off.

“It’s okay Yena,” the owner said, glancing at her through his wire-rimmed glasses for the first time in the day, “you might as well get off now,” he paused, before looking up“And Happy birthday.” With those few words, the boss returned to his phone leaving Yena stunned for only a moment before she grabbed her bag to pull out her phone.

“Thanks, ahushi,” she muttered before rushing out of the coffee shop and running to her car, Yena looked down at the caller id not recognising it,

“Hello, this is from the awakeness association,” a cooperate voice spoke in a monotone “this is a reminder to once again let you know that the mining expedition has been rescheduled from taking place on Monday 31st to Saturday 29th, and you are expected to meet up at the main headquarters 10:00 am.” He paused. “Do you have any questions?”

“No I don’t” Yena answered before hanging up the call. She closed her eyes suddenly being attacked by images of her home burning, overridden with wolves jumping to and from the burning debris. The smell of charred flesh invaded her nostrils. Her father’s golden shield was coated in blood and matted fur. The hair-raising incantations of her mother floated behind her, chanting for rain which evaporated instantly as it touched the flaming beasts. She saw her neighbours throw out their children from their burning windows, whom the firefighters caught, only to be caught with the roof caving in; their screams engulfed in the blue flames…

Yena snapped out of the scene. Sweating. Breathing hard. She looked at her slender, already pale hands bloodless from gripping the steering wheel. Calm down Yena, she told herself. This is not your first time going to a dungeon. She closed her eyes, quickly opening them, to not induce the ghastly memories again. Yena breathed slowly, unclenching her colourless hands from the steering wheel and trying to stop her body from shaking. It's okay you’ve done this before three times, and nothing happened. It's not going to be any different tomorrow.

She stopped the thought as to not jinx herself and tried to focus elsewhere. Busying herself in navigating her small KIA through the rapid traffic of Seoul. The rain was relentless in its mission to obscure her view as much as possible. The congestion was the perfect change of pace to occupy her idle mind, and within a few minutes, all her worries regarding the expedition were tucked away in the corner of her mind, never resolved, but forgotten for a while. It would haunt her again tonight. Yena turned left before pulling a sharp right into the car park of a convenience store.

It was a little past 8:30 when Yena arrived at her apartment. She keyed in the code opening the door.

BANG!

A shower of confetti burst into her face followed by two more party poppers going off; the sound overwhelmingly loud enhanced by Jinnah's squeals, and the barking of a frenzied animal.

“Happy Birthday!” The twins sang in unison, simultaneously popping more party poppers, and the neighbours at the excitement attempted to tackle Yena.

“Felix! Sit!” Arthur shouted, in a fake stern tone whilst smiling at Yena, “Happy Birth-“ He was intercepted by Felix, his birthday greetings forgotten in fighting to stop an overly excited Labrador from biting the balloons plastered on the wall and eating the confetti.

“Wow!” Yena remarked in false surprise “I didn’t know you guys planned everything like this,” she said, closing the door behind, her teasing tone stopping when she saw the beaming faces of the two sixteen-year-olds, and Yena found herself for a split second, overwhelmed with emotions. Not that she was a woman moved to strong emotions this quickly, but something about birthdays seemed to bring out such feelings.

“Ha! I bet you thought we forgot, didn't you unnie!” Jinah exclaimed, slapping her sister on the arm, who ducked expertly after years of living with her hyperactive sister and smiled up at Yena, resulting in an instant hug for Jinnah and Jiwoo.

“Here,” Said Arthur, thrusting a silver chain into Yena's hands, “your birthday present…” He mumbled, “It’s got protection enhancements on it.”

“Thanks, Arthur.” Smiled Yena, causing him to blush brightly. He coughed and busied himself with Felix who had managed to find the birthday cake and was fighting against a losing Jiwoo,

“Felix!” shouted Arthur to no avail, the dog only stopping when Jimin threw one of the purple balloons at it.

Yena took in the hectic scene splayed out in front of her: at the hyperactive dog and similarly hyper Jinnah who had taken out her phone, to record the whole event: Arthur clumsily trying to re-establish the hierarchy between himself and Felix and a struggling Jiwoo trying to restore order.

Well, Yena thought, tomorrow’s troubles can wait after I get through today. Placing the silver necklace aside, she began to pick up scattered post-party debris and moved over to the living room, a splash of colour greeting her – HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY- etched in rainbow colours on a string of A4 papers. Balloons mostly still on the wall hung adding a tint of dark purple to the room, the twins favourite colour. She sat down and the lights went out, as Jinnah brought in a blue birthday cake, suspiciously crushed, whilst Arthur and Jiwoo manoeuvred Felix and Jinnah respectively.

“Happy Birthday to you!” they chimed “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear….”