One.
Hybrid ChildWhat does it feel to be a normal child? You wondered as you stared at a group of kids your age playing around in the grass, chasing each other with sticks and branches.
You've had a weak body for as long as you can remember. Because overexerting yourself was dangerous, your parents never let you play with the other kids. You shuffled your feet and ducked back behind the tall oak tree.
"Dara!"
Your eyes widened when you heard someone call out your name.
"Oi Dara, I know you're hiding behind that tree!" The boy's voice grew louder and you heard footsteps coming your way. You turned to run when you found him standing right next to you, staring at you with the curious eyes of a seven year old.
"Want to join us? We're going fishing down by the river." The darkhaired boy blinked down at you and introduced himself. "My name's Jiyong. We live in the same village."
You stared up at him uncertainly.
"My parents don't let me do that kind of stuff..." You mumbled but he had already taken your hand and pulled you out from your hiding spot.
He looked out from the tree and saw that the other kids had already started heading down to the river. He started to run to catch up to them, dragging you along with him.
"Wait!" You struggled to keep up with Jiyong but he continued pulling you down the hill. The wind breezed past both of your faces and you panted, feeling a rush of adrenaline seep into you.
"Faster, they're leaving us!" He noticed your heavy breathing and laughed. "Are you tired already?"
"No!" You said stubbornly and tried to move faster. Both of your faces grew determined, trying to outrun the other. But the entire time, he never let go of your hand.
You'd never felt this refreshed or thrilled in all of your life. It was a feeling that you wanted to experience over and over again. You turned to look at Jiyong and the two of you grinned goofily at each other.
"Be my friend." He gripped your hand tighter.
"Okay."
[ 11 Years Later ]
"JIYONGGGGG!!!!!!!" The air shakes as your furious yell fills the room.
You yank the toy arrow that Jiyong's latest invention, a moving doll, shot into your forehead as soon as you stepped foot into his house. You lunge forward to beat him up when your friend Seungri pulls you back.
"Calm down, it was just a joke!" Seungri says, trying to hide his grin but failing miserably.
"The arrow was aimed perfectly!" Jiyong smirks. "Right on her forehead!" He reaches down for the doll and holds his hand out to you for the arrow. You glare daggers at him and snap the bow in half with your hands.
"Oi! That was an important part of my invention!!" Jiyong says indignantly.
"Seriously? How long are you going to keep making these useless creations?!" You snap back.
"It's not useless, you brat! I'm on the edge of making a new scientific breakthrough!"
"Say, Jiyong." Seungri blinks down at the doll that Jiyong is cradling with his arms. "What exactly is that?"
"It's a doll that grows according to how much love you give it. In other words, it's something that isn't a machine or human." Jiyong holds it up proudly. "It's not completed yet since I haven't programmed it to have feelings or speak, though."
"How stupid!" You in. "Who would need that?"
Jiyong cuffs you on the head. "Just you wait. Once I've fully developed my creation, it'll be the best you've ever seen."
"Oh yeah, Dara! Congratulations on being inaugurated as a ministress of our village." Seungri pipes up as the three of you walk out of Jiyong's house and sit down on the front steps outside "That's a huge step up."
"Thanks, Seungri. I honestly don't know why the lord chose me, though.." You bite your lip. You don't know how you can deal with such a huge responsibility, especially since your clan is near the brink of war.
"Hah, you? A ministress?" Jiyong scoffs. "What were the elders thinking, choosing someone scrawny like you to help run our clan during these unstable times?"
Your eyes flare up. "Drag yourself out of the house and throw yourself into a river! This is an order!!"
Jiyong snorts and goes back into the house. You're about to get up and punch the living daylights out of him when Seungri holds up a bean bun as a peace offering.
You take the bun and sit back down. Seungri shakes his head.
"You two need to stop bickering all the time like an old married couple."
"Hah! He's the one who always picks a fight! What's with that guy?!" You munch on the bread furiously. "If he hates me that much, he should just make it clear!"
"Dara. Let me tell you something." Seungri says lightly. "Frankly, I hate these bean buns because they always sticks to the back of my teeth." He rolls a bun in his hand. "Jiyong hates sweets, too. You're the only one who enjoys eating them."
"So what?"
"So, why do you think Jiyong always has these buns stocked in his house?"
You almost choke on your food and cough. "...Don't make me answer such a question." What your friend was implying was ridiculous.
Seungri grins knowingly and the two of you stare up at the bright blue sky. It's a beautiful day. The sky is cloudless and the trees are greener than ever, swaying slightly from the light summer breeze that fills the air.
The three of you are blissfully unaware of the danger that was quickly approaching your clan.
You and Seungri sit down next to the large table as Jiyong works on his invention. He rummages through cabinets to look for tools with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
"I've decided on what to name my creation." He says. "It's called a 'Hybrid Child.' "
Seungri peers down at the doll stretched out on the table and examines its face closely. His eyes widen with recognition. "Oi...if you look closely enough, it resembles Dara, doesn't it?"
"Eh? No way." You bend your head down and stare at the doll's closed eyes and its petite pale face. Actually, it did look eerily similar to you, in some way...
"Don't be so full of yourself. It's not like I modeled it to look like you." Jiyong crosses his arms. "But it would probably be a better version of you once I add the finishing touches."
"You bastard!!" You grit your teeth. "Why don't you just go die?!"
Jiyong's face grows dark and he steps towards your direction. You flinch when he lifts your face with one coarse hand and stares at you with his dark eyes.
"You keep telling me to die every time I see you. Well, now that you've been appointed as a ministress, a lowly soldier like me can't disobey your command."
"Oi, let go of me!"
He leans closer, making your face flushed. "But what will you do once I'm gone?"
"Cut it out." You turn your face away from him and look down at the floor. "Stop talking like that."
"Jiyong, that's enough. You're scaring her." Seungri runs a hand through his black hair nervously. Jiyong lets go of your face and turns back to the doll he's working on.
"I'm leaving." You turn to go when Seungri stops you from leaving through the door.
"Didn't you say that you had something to give to him?" He asks.
"Oh.." You turn back to look at Jiyong, who's staring back at you with questioning eyes. You slowly walk to him and stop in front of the table.
"Remember the cherry blossom tree in my courtyard? Well.. the wind was really strong last night.. and when I woke up today and went outside, I saw that a branch has been broken off." You reach into the pocket of your kimono. "I thought it might be good for replanting. You like flowers, right? That's why..."
You take a deep breath and hold out a branch of light pink sakura blossoms.
"For you." You say simply.
Jiyong looks at the branch with unreadable eyes before reaching out to take it.
"Thank you." He says quietly. The two of you stand facing each other awkwardly, not sure what to say next when you suddenly hear loud footsteps approaching the house.
The door opens with a bang to reveal the eldest minister of your village. His droopy eyes widen when they see you.
"So you were ..here ...all this time! Thank goodness ...I ...found you." He pants, out of breath. "The enemy clan is attacking from the north! They plan to split into three groups and one is headed straight to our village! Please return to the castle to give your orders, Ministress!"
You feel your heart pound in panic. You aren't ready to face this. But there's no time.
"Dara." Jiyong starts but the elder minister rushes you out of the house to lead you to attend the emergency meeting, leaving your two stunned friends behind.
Two days later, the day for war has come at last. Your clan has no choice but to face the enemy head on. There's a slim chance of winning the fight but giving up and surrendering is not an option just yet.
"Ministress, shall I go get the troops prepared for battle?" A general looks to you for orders.
"Make sure they're ready by the next ten minutes. I'll leave them to you, general."
The heavily armored man salutes you and rushes off to the front lines of the troops at the far end of the village.
You are the youngest clan ministress and therefore cannot physically participate in the battle. You have been assigned to stay and keep watch over the village. You walk to the front gates when you spot a familiar figure underneath a tall oak tree.
You squint and step closer to the person to see who it is.
"Jiyong?" You blink. He's in full battle armor and has his sword strapped next to his side. As annoying as he may be, he's actually got a high position in the ranks of the army.
"Hello, oh mighty ministress." Jiyong says mockingly. "We're in quite a mess, aren't we?"
You look at him but say nothing.
"Keep watch over my house while I'm gone." His eyes soften a little. "I've planted the branch you gave me next to the fruit orchard. I'm hoping that they'll get grafted together."
"Okay.." You say and look down. The situation is so unreal. Jiyong, the one who's always stayed by your side, is going off to fight the enemy with the rest of the troops. Was this the last time that you'd ever see him again?"
"Why so quiet? Aren't you going to tell me to die, like you always do?" Jiyong smirks. You glare up at him sharply.
"That would only cause trouble for the others if you die right now."
"Good point." Jiyong waves at you lazily and starts walking off. "Well, see you."
You feel a slight panic begin to overwhelm you when he starts to leave. Your lips move of their own accord.
"Jiyong!" You call out.
He freezes in his tracks but doesn't turn around. You look at the ground with a faint blush spreading across your cheeks.
"Be careful... and be sure to return home safely." You mumble. The night grows silent for a minute and then you hear him walk up to you. You gasp when he suddenly pulls you close and brushes his lips against the nape of your neck.
"J-Jiyong!" You gasp and immediately push him back forcefully. "What..?"
He looks at you with a blank expression and then hands you the sash that he always keeps around his waist.
"Take this. It has a note sewn into the bottom. If you ever feel like you're on the verge of breaking down or need someone to cheer you up, take it out and read it."
You take the white sash from him. Why does it feel like he's saying goodbye?
"Jiyong..."
"The war has just begun and it's far from over. So pull yourself together, ministress." He looks like he's about to say something more but just then, a squad leader calls him over to prepare the troops for battle.
"Alright, I'm coming!" Jiyong calls back and starts to walk away. You stare at his retreating figure. There's so many more things that you want to say to him...
You look at the sash that he's given you. A parting gift. You pull out the note that's sewn into the back end, unfold it, and peer at it closely to see what it says.
ONLY IDIOTS WOULD LOOK.
"JIYONGGG!!!!!!!!!" You scream angrily.
Unknown to you, Jiyong can hear your yell of fury from far away. He smirks and continues walking to prepare for the battle.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading this chapter! Story will end in the next two chapters ^_^
Comments