Asclepsius

Chapter 11: The Unexpected Visitor

Author's POV

The morning began like any other.

Amungi woke up, got ready, and prepared herself for another day at work.

She was just about to leave when her phone buzzed.

A new message.

She glanced at the screen.

Text Messages

Liz: Hello, Am! How are you?

Amungi stared at the message for a second before her eyes widened.

Am: Liz?! Oh my Lord! You remember me now? 😂 I'm good. What about you?

Liz: I'm sorry! I've been so busy. Settling into New York was harder than I expected, and then finding a good job took forever. But I'm good. Also, I heard you got a job at HYBE Labels. Is that true?

Amungi smiled.

Am: Yeah, it's true!

Liz: And I heard you're Junkook's makeup artist?!

Am: I was his PMA. Now I'm the PMA for all seven.

Liz: REALLY?! I'm so happy for you, Am!

Am: Thank you, Liz! 🥹

Liz: Oh, and can I get your address?

Amungi paused.

Am: Wait... are you in Seoul?

Liz: No 😂 I just wanted to know whether you're still at the dorm or if you moved somewhere else.

Am: Oh! I'm not in the dorm anymore. The company provided me with a small apartment in Seoul.

She sent her address.

Liz: Oh wow. Okay! I'm a little busy right now, so I'll talk to you later.

Am: Okayyy. Byeeee!

Amungi placed her phone down.

A huge smile spread across her face.

It had been so long since she'd heard from Liz.

She had missed her more than she realized.

A Few Minutes Later

Amungi grabbed her bag and was just about to step outside when...

Ding-dong!

She froze.

"Who is it now?"

She walked toward the door and opened it.

Before she could even process what was happening, someone practically launched themselves at her.

"AMMMMMMMMM!"

Amungi stumbled backward.

"Whoa!"

Thankfully, she managed to regain her balance.

She looked at the person hugging her.

Her eyes widened.

"Liz?!"

Liz pulled away with the biggest grin.

"Surprise!"

Amungi stared at her for a moment.

Then she laughed.

"Oh my gosh! You're actually here!"

"Of course I'm here!"

Amungi shook her head in disbelief.

"Wait, I'm actually heading to work."

She looked at her watch.

"Why don't you come with me?"

Liz's eyes immediately lit up.

"To meet BTS?"

Amungi laughed.

"Obviously."

"I'm down!"

Liz grabbed her bag.

"Let's gooooo!"

Amungi shook her head, still laughing.

"Okay, okay. Let's go."

HYBE Labels

The two friends eventually arrived at the building and made their way to the BTS styling room.

Amungi opened the door.

Namjoon immediately looked up.

"Welcome, Am..."

He stopped.

His eyes moved toward Liz.

"Who's that?"

Amungi smiled.

"Hyung, don't worry. She's my best friend, Lizerabeth."

Namjoon smiled politely.

"Nice to meet you, Lizerabeth."

Liz bowed slightly.

"Hello. Nice to meet you too."

She stayed beside Amungi as the others greeted her.

Hoseok suddenly looked at Amungi.

"By the way, Am, you look really good today."

Liz immediately jumped in.

"She always looks gorgeous, Hobi-shii."

Hoseok laughed.

"True."

He looked at Amungi's outfit.

"But this style is a little different from what she usually wears."

Liz nodded.

"Exactly. She normally dresses much more casually."

Amungi suddenly became conscious of her outfit.

"Well..."

She laughed awkwardly.

"I wanted to try something different today."

Yoongi glanced over.

"It suits you."

Amungi smiled.

"Thanks, hyung."

Everything seemed perfectly normal.

Until the door opened again.

Jimin

Jimin walked into the room.

He didn't immediately greet anyone.

His attention had already landed on Amungi.

He stopped for half a second.

Amungi looked up.

Their eyes met.

Jimin smiled faintly.

"You look... acatalepsitic."

Amungi blinked.

Then she laughed softly.

"Chi-Jiminah, good morning."

She smiled.

"And thank you."

A strange flutter passed through her chest.

Liz watched the interaction carefully.

She hadn't missed it.

Not the way Jimin looked at Amungi.

Not the way Amungi suddenly became shy.

But then something else caught Liz's attention.

Her expression changed.

Her eyes widened.

She stared at Amungi's left shoulder.

Something was there.

A strange symbol.

It wasn't a normal tattoo.

It hadn't been there before.

And the shape looked eerily familiar.

Liz took a step closer.

"Am..."

Amungi turned.

"Yeah?"

Liz opened her mouth.

But no words came out.

The symbol seemed almost impossible to look away from.

There was something about it.

Something ancient.

Something that made the back of her neck prickle.

"Am, your shoulder..."

Amungi looked confused.

"What about it?"

Liz raised her hand.

But before she could explain...

Her vision suddenly blurred.

The room tilted.

"Wait..."

Amungi's eyes widened.

"Liz?"

Liz stumbled.

"Am..."

And then she collapsed.

"LIZ!"

Amungi rushed forward.

The room erupted into chaos as everyone moved toward her.

But nobody noticed the strange symbol on Amungi's shoulder beginning to glow faintly.

And nobody knew that Liz had been the first person to recognize it.

A symbol that should not have existed.

A symbol that belonged to a story far older than any of them could imagine.