Chapter Text
It's a gloomy evening in Seoul, and Dahyun has decided to spend the day curled up on the couch of her tiny apartment. She had been watching movies and dramas since she got home from class around three hours ago, waiting for the rain to pass over. The rain had stopped maybe twenty minutes ago, but Dahyun wasn't quite ready to depart from the warm, cozy couch. Scooping up another handful of popcorn, Dahyun shovels it into her mouth while giggling at the funny scene playing on the TV in front of her. She hears the front door leading into the apartment jiggle, and quickly searches for the remote to pause the drama as she doesn't want to bother her roommate. Her heart speeds up and her sweaty palms pat the blanket and cushions of the couch as she blindly feels for the remote. Dahyun's roommate, Chaeyoung, rounds the corner of the hallway leading to the living room, the girl a bit wet from the rain.
"Hey," Chaeyoung smiles, kicks her shoes off and leaves them at the shoe cubby at the end of the hallway. She reaches up and gathers her long, shiny black hair in her hands. Chaeyoung makes a sound of annoyance as she ties it into a low ponytail: her previously styled hair now disheveled from the rain.
"Hi." Dahyun replies. "H-How was class?" Dahyun almost rolls her eyes at herself, frustrated with how even the smallest interaction makes her flustered. She wipes her sweaty palms on the knit blanket draped over her body, her empty hands making her realize she never found the remote.
Chaeyoung shrugs, makes her way across the room and into the kitchen joint to the living room. "It was okay: kinda boring. Would've been better without the rain." Dahyun's head is spinning with anxiety, so she just musters out a noise of acknowledgment. She saves herself the embarrassment of stumbling over her words. Chaeyoung grabs a glass of water and some seaweed chips before announcing her plans to go study. Dahyun nods in, again, acknowledgment and watches Chaeyoung disappear into her bedroom. Dahyun lets out a sigh; the interaction is over but she's still dizzy.
Dahyun's phone, which had been sitting on the coffee table, suddenly starts ringing. Startled, Dahyun slaps on hand over her heart while the other reaches forward and snatches the phone up. "Ah, hello?"
"Hello, Dahyun-ah you sound flustered," its Dahyun's mother on the other end.
"I was talking to my roommate. I didn't expect my phone to ring so suddenly."
"Oh, okay. Finally you're talking to someone. Are you still eating lunch alone?"
Dahyun sighs, her lips pulling down into a frown. She feels a heavy burden settle on her shoulders as her mom starts her daily lecture. "No, mom."
"Why not? What have I been telling you?" Dahyun's mom starts. Her tone is firm, but has an underlying sense of care towards her daughter. "You want to be alone. Hm? You don't want any friends?"
"No, I do..."
"Then why aren't you making any?"
Dahyun's shoulders feel heavy and she sinks back into the couch. Her stomach twists, heart sinking. "I don't know. Mommy, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to me, Dahyun-ah. I want you to enjoy college. Study hard, but it shouldn't be the only thing you do. Make time for friends, too, okay?" Her mom reasons.
Dahyun nods to herself, "Okay. I'm gonna go on a walk: its been raining all day and I'm tired of being pent inside. I'll call you tomorrow."
"Alright, go eat dinner Dahyun-ah. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."
***
About fifteen minutes later and Dahyun finds herself at a local park only down the street from her apartment complex. As expected, the gloomy weather leaves the park empty. Walking straight through the park, Dahyun follows the hiking trail the runs alongside it, leading deep into the forest at the edge of the park. Dahyun knows the park and trail like the back of her hand, as Dahyun had been brought her a lot in her childhood by her grandparents. The thing was; Dahyun's hometown was about an hour or so away from the college she was currently studying at. However, her grandparents only lived about fifteen minutes from the college, so she was quite familiar with the area as she grew up her every summer. Dahyun thought to herself about how she would have to call them soon, perhaps tomorrow after classes were done.
Suddenly, a small black cat runs in front of Dahyun. A friendly creature it was, it comes right up to her and paws at her feet. "Oh," Dahyun gasps, bends down to scratch the feline on its chin. "Are you lost?" the little things collar jingles, and Dahyun reaches towards it. "Ah, your name is Mercury? Hello, Mercury. Let me see who your owner is..."
Miss Celestia, it reads, followed by an address... The address traced back to a shopping center only a five minute walk away, instead of a home address. Dahyun furrows her eyebrows at the strange name. Was it American, maybe? "How am I supposed to return an American her cat if I can't speak English?" she wonders to herself. Regardless, she scoops little Mercury into her arms and heads for the entrance to the park.
Mercury doesn't put up a fight, instead seems to purr and bury it's little face into Dahyun's chest as she is carried. Dahyun runs her hand through the soft, silky black fur. As Dahyun turns out of the park and onto the street, she spots an older woman further down the street. The woman is shaking a small box of kitty treats, and calling out for mercury. Dahyun calls out to her and picks up her pace, meeting the woman half way.
Strangely, Dahyun finds that the woman is in fact Korean; and not American. "Ah," she exclaims. "You found my little Mercury. Thank you so much."
"You're welcome; it's no problem, " Dahyun smiles kindly. She makes a move to hand Mercury over, but the lady reaches out a frail hand and gently touches Dahyun's arm. Dahyun freezes, a small shiver running through her body as she looks back at the little old lady.
"Dear, do you mind doing me one more favor?" She asks, her brown eyes glinting under the sunlight that has finally started to peek out from behind the clouds.
Dahyun shakes her head, "I don't mind. What would you like me to do?"
"Can you carry Mercury back to my shop for me? It's right down this road; it isn't far at all." The woman points down the street, her little hand shaking a bit. "Mercury is stubborn, she won't stay put if I hold her. She seems to like you, darling. "
Dahyun smiles, she thinks the elderly lady is as cute as a button. "Sure, Miss Celestia."
The woman, a bit taken aback at first, looks at her for a moment before breaking into a wide grin. Her little eyes turn into crescents as she looks up at the young girl. Miss Celestia leads the way, making small talk as she tells Dahyun about how Mischievous Mercury escaped the shop. "Ah, she sounds troubling," Dahyun says once the story is finished. Mercury, almost like she knows, lets out a meow.
"Hmm, sometimes she is," Miss Celestia tells her as the two near her shop. "However, I found her after my husband passed. I believe she is a gift from the gods." Miss Celestia kisses the cat's little head, before opening the door into the shop. Dahyun looks up at the sign hanging by the door, reading Celestia's Tarot Shop. Dahyun follows her inside, where she finally sets Mercury down. The cat meows, pretty green eyes casting upwards to look at Dahyun.
"I'm so grateful that you found my Mercury. I don't know what I'd do without her," Miss Celestia comes over and gently takes Dahyun's hands into hers. "Thank you, Dahyun."
Dahyun smiles back at her, the realization that this lady somehow knows her name starts to hit her as the lady turns and rushes over to a tiny table situated towards the middle of the room. "Come, sit. I would like to return the favor."
Shocked, Dahyun follows. She sits across from Miss Celestia, silently watching as the woman whispers to herself. Dahyun looks around the room, inspects the crystals and gems and candles that sit neatly along decorative tables and shelves. Back on the table Dahyun is sitting at, she notices a thick book, stack of tarot cards, and a little pink crystal. Miss Celestia holds her hands out, smiling kindly at Dahyun. "Give me your hands, please, dear."
Hesitantly, Dahyun brings her hands up and onto the table, slowly bringing them to the elderly lady. Soft, wrinkled hands encase themselves around Dahyun. "Because of your kindness, I will grant you a wish." She reaches over with one hand and picks up the pink crystal. "I have enchanted this Amethyst crystal to grant any wish you have," Miss Celestia gently places it into Dahyun's hands. "I sense that you want love and friendship in your life, so I present you this crystal. It will bring them to you."
Dahyun runs her thumb over the smooth surface of the Amethyst, eyes wide and staring at the elderly lady in surprise. Miss Celestia closes her eyes, squeezes Dahyun's hands gently. "Do not stress, dear. You are one of a kind and people will gravitate to you as you are. Carry light and kindness in your heart, and love will come to you." She opens her eyes. "Go on, make your wish."
With one hand still holding Miss Celestia's and the other grasping the crystal, Dahyun brings her free hand to her chest and holds it tight.
School has been difficult and I've been lonely and depressed. I wish for someone to come into my life and stay by my side; a best friend.