"When time stops, remember, I'm still there beside your bedside, whether my presence is real or not"

JinRin

Dear Rinnie,
Sweetheart, I hope you are coping well in school, sorry to break this to you but I won't be back for a long time. I have decided to change jobs, I hope you understand this, I'm sure you will.
Enjoy the congee, all the best for your exams and make sure to eat well and sleep well!
-Mum

JinRin read the letter repeatedly, staring blankly at it in the process.

It had been the tenth time since she pulled out the now yellowed piece of post-it from her treasure box where she kept all her mothers notes.

And that was the last note she had given JinRin.

The congee she left on the table?
It was finished two months ago.

Time really do pass by with a blink of an eye.
And throughout these two months, JinRin needed her mother more than ever.

She has Chaewon by her side but nothing, no one can replace what a mother's love and warmth can provide.

Her mother was like her peanut better to her jelly, it sounds corny but her mother prepares p&b toast for
her every day when she was in middle school.

And that was many years back.

Tears swelled in the poor daughter's eyes.
She felt sick, love sick, craving for her mother's return since forever.

With no trace of her mother, except a few phone calls, JinRin was left hopeless, especially not knowing at the back of her fingers how her mother was doing.

The letter had tear stains all over it— a clear symbolism of how much this letter meant to the girl.

JinRin felt useless— and with her father gradually becoming a drunkard like in all movies, she felt even more useless, despite earning a sum of money.

Money now wasn't a problem anymore.
It never was for JinRin as she has always said to prefer having a warming family with everyone in place to having materialistic things.

To put it short, god might have misheard her praying.

She ended out in the circumstance which was in total contrast of what she wished for every day.

"Appa... have you heard any news about Omma?" JinRin asked again, for the fourth time of the day.
Every day after each meal— if time could let the two, JinRin will constantly nag and remind her father of her long lost mother who had said to be out for work for a 'short period of time'.

The nagging went on for weeks and after the first month, Father had enough of it, with his patience running low.

"JinRin yah— go find your mother yourself if you're that worried about her, go search for herself yourself! Stop tormenting me about it!"

And that made JinRin cry for the third day in the row. But she managed to still plaster on her signature sunshine smile, though shy, she always was able to cheer Chaewon up by bringing her to karaoke, with the best friend having zero idea of what JinRin was actually going through.

Remember the one time about her coming out with an excuse for there was a 'village problem'.

It really was nothing, it was just her father.
JinRin received a phone call from the police once again regarding about her drunk father and how she should take more responsibility in taking care of him.

And like clockwork, JinRin will mutter out a deep apology and promise to pick him up immediately.

This went on for weeks, whilst JinRin was busy weighing all her responsibilities in school, at work and plus caring about Chaewon as that time— she was going through a hell lot of shit as well.

That was till she received a phone call from her mother, almost a month and a half after she had disappeared.

JinRin was always a tenacious person but this time, she really felt like she was losing hope and was on the urge on giving up.

That phone call jolted her awake.

"Omma? Is that you?" JinRin whisper screamed, covering her mouth which was shacking as her tears were already forming beads around her dark eye bags.

"Yes sweetheart... it's me..."

"Where-re have you been all this time! I've been searching for you every where... are you hurt? Are you okay? Did your new boss blackmail you or kidnapped you?"

"No— sweetheart I'm just fine"

"But.. why did you call so suddenly"

"I haven't had the chance to contact you for a long time since the place that I work at didn't allow me—didn't have signal for me to call to Seoul"

"Sorry for worrying you so much JinRin yah- I'm really sorry" Mother's voice wavered, and silence followed, as if automated.

But JinRin was too caught up with the tearful moment that she did not notice that.

"Where are you now? Haven't I told you not to worry about money? I've earned quite enough for our family to finally be stable now... you can come back Omma... come home."

JinRin voice cracked with emotions after hearing the familiar voice form the other side of the phone call.

"I uh... sweetheart, the job pays me a good amount so I've signed a contact with them... I have no choice but to stay here till the end of the year JinRin yah"

"But it's only April now... you have to stay— wherever you are for the next 8months? Just terminate the contract Omma, come back home to us... everyone misses you. Dad hasn't been doing well because he misses you as well... please"

The poor daughter begged again, praying to all gods in the world to finally free her and put her pain to an end.

The worse was about to happen.. what JinRin had unknowingly dreaded.

The signal was breaking.

So was her mother's weirdly calm voice.

"I'll be back soon JinRin yah... stay warmth and safe, you will always be my healthy, smart and beautiful daughter. I love you always sweetheart—"

Before JinRin could even reply, all she heard was a long incessant ring in her ears.

Just like how her heart has just died.

——————————

"Are you done yet, URG mum and daughter alike HUH hahaha" the girl's malicious voice echoed throughout the office room.

"I did what you want miss... please make sure she's alright"

"Yeah blah blah blah.. don't worry Mrs Lee your daughter isn't as useless as I thought she would be but still she's a bug in my plan"

"Please- please I beg you... I- I'll do anything to help her"

tears trickled down her eyes as the lady spoke whilst on her knees, hands forming a prayer

"Anything huh?" The young girl smirk at her control towards her, easy peasy, isn't it?

"Being in charge feels so good, delicious dominance. HAHAHHA"

"With you under right under my feet, the plan will surely go well, as per planned"

"Am I right Chaewon "

The young teenager kneeled right beside Mrs Lee, shivering with fear of the worst. In no control. Vulnerable.

"..."

the girl kept her head down, pretending not to hear, pretending to not know how to reply.

"ANSWER ME"

"Yes- Sewon... your plan will most definitely go as plan"

"Great, now business is set"

Sewon turned to face the lady beneath where she was sitting m, stood up and slowly approached her.

The lady gulped down. Despite being almost thrice her age, the lady was in no power. She had no dominance.

"How pathetic."

"Do as I say so both you and your daughter can live"

"Yes-yes.."

Smirking, she turned to Chaewon who barely dared to look at her.

"My same age friend... how does it feel like betraying your best friend?"

"..."

"you look better without your tongue in your mouth, how you like that?"

"You bitch... I would never do such a thing"

Chaewon said through gritted teeth, holding back all the curses she have for the girl standing just a few feet away from her.

"Oh aggression I see? Didn't the rules state that only I can possess such power?"

"Would you like your parents to suffer as well? I bet they would love to see their daughter whlist burning to death" Sewon clicked her tongue joyfully, spinning around in her chair with no care in the world.

"Don't you have anything better to do? Just get to over and done with and leave me and my friends alone, let JinRin live a peaceful life"

"HAHAHAHHAHAHA you naive little human"

"Made up of flesh and skin and still can't figure out why I'm doing all of this? Why am I faking my injury? Why did I blackmail both her mother and best friend?"

Sewon smirked as she took out a pen knife, slim, small but sharp. One slice and you're done.

"That JinRin girl belongs to hell. And Jaemin belongs to me AND ONLY ME"

"And you two are potential bait for me to use on that girl so she can go to hell! "

Chaewon took the leap of faith and ran for the door, towards escape, taking that Sewon was too immersed in her laughter.

But Satan's daughter is more than her evil persona.

Even if she only needed one more step, she was surrounded by almost ten security guards with just a snap of Sewon's finger.

"Not so fast sweetie... where do you think you're going"

"Oh you're allowed to leave but before that, I just remembered something"
Sewon snicked a tiny laugh before continuing.

"Remember Ji Geon? Hahahaha"

Chaewon face widened with confusion, how did she know her?

"She was the first witch who stole my rightful place as Jaemin's girlfriend"

"Now look at her, she's in hell isn't she?" Sewon laughed as she sashayed away.

The newfound information processed in Chaewon's head before it all dawned upon her.

Ji Geon was just a pawn like her... but it still doesn't add up.

Not noticing how suspicious the way Sewon just allowed her to leave the building, Chaewon made the run for it, knowing well JinRin is near the café.

And knowing well, she had to tell everyone the truth.

That was how she ended up eavesdropping on Ji Geon's confession and ran back to Mrs Kang's home, only to be knocked out by a guard almost immediately after reaching the main entrance of the mansion.