Once Upon a Time...

"Once upon a time?" Mijoo furrowed her eyebrows as she stared down at the book her sister handed her. She scoffed and rolled her eyes before she took the book and threw it in the trash. "Don't read that thing. They're foolish stories."

"Hey!" Her eight-year-old sister, Mina, protested as she crossed her arms and glared at Mijoo. "Mom told me dad used to read those stories to you."

"He did," Mijoo said as she went back to unboxing her things and placing them around her new room, "but it doesn't mean I still like them now. They're stupid and childish."

Mina kept glaring at her older sister, but seeing she wouldn't change her mind, she stopped and let out a sigh. "I miss dad," She mumbled before she walked out the door and headed to her own room. Hearing that, Mijoo stopped folding her clothes and looked across the hall and into her sister's room.

Mijoo hadn't meant to make her sister upset, but she didn't want to read those stories her dad used to tell her about. Fairytales? Who could continue with those things when they were grown up and had lost a father? Definitely not Mijoo.

It had been a year already since the death of her father, and her mother had decided to move the family to a new home in Incheon. Mijoo hated it. She hated moving away from the place she'd grown up in, and she was mad at the world. Her mom thought she needed fresh air, but Mijoo thought she just wanted to crawl up in a hole and die. Okay, maybe not to that extent, but close.

"Mijoo, don't forget your first day of school is tomorrow and you have to sleep early," Her mom said as she passed by her room.

"How could I forget?" Mijoo asked in a monotone voice. "I'm just shaking with excitement. . . yay."

Mijoo's mom rolled her eyes and shook her head. She knew her daughter was anything but excited for her first day of school at a new place, but she hoped she would at least be more enthusiastic and positive like she used to when she was younger. "Just go to bed already."

With a roll of her eyes, Mijoo listened to her mother and headed to the restroom to get ready. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then changed into her pijamas and went off to her bed. Once she was tucked in and had everytime set for the next morning, she took a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling.

'Oh how much I don't want to go to a new school... but nothing could go wrong, right?'

Wrong.

Keojineun heart b-b-beat ppallajineunde neodapjanke heart b-b-beat-

Mijoo slammed her fist down on her alarm clock, making the music suddenly stop. As much as she loved Red Velvet's Russian Roulette, she wasn't in the mood to have anything interrupt her beauty sleep. Especially if it was for something like the first day at a new school.

With her eyes half-closed, Mijoo rolled out of bed and practically dragged herself to the restroom where she washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she was done she got her uniform her mom had picked up for her the day before and put it on.

'It's ugly,' was the only thought that ran through her head when she looked in the mirror. Mijoo shook her head and decided to just go downstairs and eat breakfast, knowing that no matter what nothing could bring her mood up.

"Where's my favorite cereal?" Mijoo asked as she looked around the cabinets, still not used to the new house. She turned around and saw her sister freeze as she held on tightly to her spoon. "Did you eat it?!"

Mina shook her head and quickly continued eating. "Nope," She said as she took her last spoonful and took her bowl to wash it.

Mijoo stared at her younger sister in disbelief, imagining herself jumping off a cliff. Not that she would do it anyways, but the thought was still there. Letting out a sigh, she walked up to the cabinet and took out the only cereal that was left, which turned out to be her least favorite. "I'm triggered," She mumbled as she poured the cereal into the bowl.

Once that whole mess was done, Mijoo grabbed her backpack and headed to the entrance where she slipped on her shoes and walked out the dooor. The school wasn't far from her new home, so Mijoo decided to walk to enjoy the fresh air of the beautiful morning.

But it was raining.

"You've got to be kidding me," Mijoo mumbled as she stared at the rain fallling. She looked around, waiting for the rain to stop before she realized there was no hope and ran back inside the house to get an unbrella.

"Mom! Where's the umbrella?!" Mijoo asked as she started looking around. Her mom poped out of the kitchen and said, "I think it's still in one of the boxes. You can look through them if you want."

Mijoo's eyes flickered to the many boxes sitting in the middle of the living room and mentally cursed herself. "No, it's fine," Mijoo mumbled grumpily before she entered back out the door and stared at the falling rain. "Damn."

Without thinking anymore she quickly lifted her jacket over her head and started running down the street, not really knowing where to go since she'd just moved there. But a turn left and another turn right soon led her to a bus stop where she could finally stop and rest.

"Whoa, did you just run in the rain like that?" A male voice asked as she sat down at the bench.

'Was that directed towards me? Well I don't see anyone else who ran in the rain. . .' Mijoo furrowed her eyebrows and looked over to her side where she saw a guy around her age sitting next to her, holding a look of curiosity as if he was delighted by her.

"It's amazing. I wouldn't risk my hair like that," The guy said as he leant back on the bench and kept staring at her.

Mijoo looked at him, trying to figure out what was wrong with the odd guy. His hair was blonde with blue tips, his skin was very pale, and he smiled in such a way that she almost thought he was good looking. Almost.

"I just didn't want to be late," Mijoo mumbled before she looked away from he guy, not wanting to keep talking to him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mijoo could see the guy open his mouth to say something, but much to her luck, the bus she'd been waiting for arrived and she stood up and walked in. But this guy was persistent and followed her in.

"I see we go to the same school," He said as he sat down on the seat next to her. That's when she noticed he had a uniform just like hers.

"Yup," Mijoo said as she gave him a fake smile but rolled her eyes as soon as she turned away.

"Are you new? I'm sure I would've noticed you around," He said.

'This boy is obviously tying to flirt now.' Mijoo let out a sigh and turned to look at him. "Yes. I'm new. I just moved here, and I'm currently not interested, or single."

The boy seemed taken back, and Mijoo did a victory dance in her head. 'That should get him off my back. But I'm not taken... but still. He was being annoying.'

The boy stared at her for a while and Mijoo started to wonder what was going through his head. 'I guess he's going to back off now.'

Mijoo was wrong. He didn't shut up. He didn't keep quiet. Instead, very much to her surprise, he tossed his head back as he chuckled. "Oh, you didn't possibly think I'm interested in you, right?"

Mijoo stared at the boy with a lost look. "Sorry, but you're not my type. I was just trying to be friendly, but I guess you took it the wrong way. Haha. Well, I have been told I come off as flirty sometimes-"

Mijoo stoped listening and looked down at her hands as she blushed a deep red. Of course he hadn't been flirting with her. Her arrogant self had been too quick to assume things without knowing the guy.

Fortunately for Mijoo, the bus came to a stop and she noticed several kids wearing uniforms like hers get off. She quickly grabbed her bag and got off before the kid could continue talking to her. "Wait! I didn't get your name!" She was able to hear him call out as she quickly ran off into the school.

The crowd of students was able to hide her from that guy and soon enough she found herself tripping over her fast pace, and falling into another guys arms.

Mijoo looked up, although she didn't want to because she was too embarrassed, and locked eyes with a guy that held a sharp gaze.

"I'm sorry!" She quickly said, noting his glare, and got back up on her own feet to bow. The boy didn't say anything. Instead, he just kept staring at her with that sharp gaze of his. He was intimidating, she would admit. Despite the fact that he had pink hair and was quite short compared to others.

"That's enough, you're scaring the new girl," Another voice said in between the crowd.

That's when Mijoo noticed the students that had gathered around to watch. 'Is this like those dramas where the new girl accidentally gets involved with a gang member and the whole school gasps and watches with interest?'

Someone came forward, and everyone seemed to make way for her. Soon enough, she was standing in between Mijoo and the guy, and said, "Seriously, you need to learn how to stop intimidating people like that," The girl told the pink-haired boy.

The pink-haired boy's face seemed to soften as his eyes landed on the girl in front of him, and he let out a huff as he looked in another direction. It seemed like he decided to let it go. "Whatever. Just watch where you're going next time," He said as his eyes directed back to Mijoo.

The pink-haired boy then proceeded on to walk away, glancing at the other girl one last time. Once he was gone, so were the students that were watching. The girl turned around to face Mijoo with a big smile on her lips.

'Oh my gosh I almost died- Wait. This girl is stunning!'

"Sorry about him. He's prettty intimidating around here," The girl with the big brown eyes and beautiful smile and fox-like ears said. "You're the new girl, right?"

Mijoo slowly nodded, not really paying attention because she was too in awe with the girls beauty. "Yeah," She mumbled.

The girl let out a giggle and said, "Of course you are. Or else you wouldn't have accidently bumped into him like that. Everyone here knows to steer clear out of his way."

"Yeah. . . but how did you stand up to him if everyone's so scared of him?" Mijoo asked as she suddenly came back to life and grew curious at the relationship between the girl with the beautiful eyes and the boy with the pink hair.

The girl made a thoughtful look, pursing her lips and angling her eyes in a way that made her look adorable. "Well, I don't think he's intimidating like the others think."

"Why not?" Mijoo couldn't help but ask.

The girl seemed awkward at the sudden question but quickly went back to smiling. "I don't know. He just seems. . . Misunderstood?"

'I ship them,' Mijoo's first thought. 'He looked at her with a softer gaze, and she doesn't see him as intimidating like the others. Either they like each other, or they are secretly dating.'

"So, over there is the office," The girl said as she pointed at a glass door. "You can go in there and they'll give you all your information."

"Thank you," Mijoo said and the girl smiled and said goodbye before she left on her own. 'Wait, she didn't tell me her name. . .'

~~

"Hi! I'm Siah, in charge of many school organizations around here," A girl with a beautiful doll-like face told Mijoo as soon as she layed her eyes upon her.

Mijoo was taken back at the perky girl, but still managed to smile back. "So you'll be showing me around?"

"Yup!" Siah said before she turned around and said, "Follow me," as she went off with Mijoo following. "I have your schedule here, and this is a map of the school."

Mijoo nodded, not uttering a single word. As much as she hated to admit it, she was a very shy person. Although back at her old school people might have thought she was outgoing due to her loud and bright personality.

"Okay, this is our athletic department. Over there is the physical education gym," Siah said as she pointed at one gym as they walked together. "Over there is the weight room-"

Mijoo looked over to the weight room as Siah talked, when she saw a familiar guy putting down some weights. 'Oh. It's that weird guy with the stupid hair...'

"What up, Siah," The guy said as he walked out of the weight room and slung his arm around Siah's shoulders interrupting her.

Siah held a look of annoyence as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. The guy didn't seem to notice and turned to look at Mijoo. "I see you're showing the new girl around."

"Yeah, and you can't join," Siah said as she tossed his arm off of her. "Ignore him, Mijoo. He's a loser who tries to flirt with every girl he sees."

'So he really is a flirt?'

"That's not true," The guy said, but Siah was already pushing him inside the weight room. "Just leave us alone and go."

The guy was startled, but he listened to Siah, nonetheless, and entered the weight room to go back to what he had previously been doing.

Mijoo and Siah kept walking together after that as the later kept introducing her to many places around the school. "And this is your first period," Siah said as they finally reached the room. "You can go in now. Oh, and if you nee anything else, you can just ask. I'd be more than delighted to help you out."

Mijoo nodded and walked into the classroom. Class had already begun, which meant she interrupted and everyone turned to look at her. She stood there awkwardly as the class grew silent and all eyes were on her.

"Oh, you must be Mijoo," The teacher said, breaking the silence.

Mijoo couldn't spit out any words. Instead, she just nodded and stayed quiet.

"Well, you can go sit back there next to Yoonoh," The reacher said as she pointed at an empty seat next to a very good-looking boy. She nodded and walked over to the empty seat and sat down.

"Hi, you're new, right?" The boy asked as he turned to her with a smile, showing his beautiful dimples and charming face. 'He looks like a prince. . .'

"Yeah, I'm Mijoo," She said as she smiled back, trying to hide how nervous and shy she actually was.

"Welcome here. It's kind of a crazy place, but you learn to love it," he said before he went back to paying attention and taking notes.

And that's how the next few periods went. Mijoo walked into a class, sat down, and stayed quiet. It seemed like it was all going pretty good, and the day might not actually turn out bad. But then lunch time came around.

Mijoo had been walking out of the lunch line, carrying a plate-full off who knows what. Her eyes scanned around, looking for an empty seat to sit at, but nothing. 'Of course there would be no empty seat. Just my luck. Maybe I should find Siah. . .'

Taking small steps, she kept looking around as she got lost in her thoughts, until Bam!

Walking straight into someone else, Mijoo felt a big slam and her tray slipped out of her hands and everything she'd been carrying landed all over someone else. Someone, a girl, with long, straight, brown hair, beautiful dark eyes, and a stunning sharp face. She was intimidating.

"I am so sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen," Mijoo quickly apologized as she did a bow.

The girl only looked at her with her sharp eyes and Mijoo shivered. The girl was indeed stunning, but in a very fierce way. 'Is this one of those mean girls that makes the main characters life miserable after an incident on the first day of school? Damn.'

"Are you kidding me?" The girl finally asked as she looked down at herself to see everything that had landed all over her.

That's when Mijoo noticed the whole cafeteria staring at them, some people already crowding around. Mijoo, what the heck have you gotten yourself into.

"Do you know how expensive this bag was?" The girl asked.

It doesn't look that expensive though...

The girl scanned Mijoo from head to toe before a sly smile formed on her face. A fox. She resembled a fox. A very sly fox who knew exactly how to control people. Mijoo knew just exactly what kind of person she was messing with.

"Well, it makes sense if you don't know how expensive this is," The girl said as she tossed her head back and let out a fake laugh. "You just don't seem like the style."

"I apologized already," Mijoo said, already wanting to get things over with.

"Apologizing isn't going to get my bag back to its original condition."

"I'm sorry, but that sounds like a you problem."

A look of disbleief appeared on the girls face and Mijoo knew she had caught her off guard. I'm in some deep stuff now. Dang Mijoo, can't you ever learn to stay invisible?

"Did you just talk to me like that-"

"Enough, Yuji."

Oh dear gosh, someone just came to my rescue, I'm not going to die!

Everyone's attention turned to a girl with braided orange-ish/blonde-ish hair and bangs that cut off just before her eyes. She had a baby face and was quite pretty. 'Why does everyone at this school look like they come from royalty?'

"What are you doing here?" Yuji (?) asked as she rolled her eyes with an obvious tone of irritation.

"I'm here to stop you. Leave the new girl alone," The baby-faced girl said.

This scenario seems familiar. Oh wait. Maybe it's because it happened to me like this morning.

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do," Yuji said as she crossed her arms and looked away like a teenager fighting against her mother.

"She can't, but I'd suggest you listen to her," Another girl said as she walked in with her arms crossed. Now, Mijoo knew how many girls she'd already said were stunning, but this girl was another type of beauty.

The girl wore bright red lipstick that complimented her red coat. Her hair was dyed an odd shade of blonde, which strangely enough, suited her wavy hair. She had a pale and sharp face, narrow eyes, and was very tall and lean. Damn I'm ugly.

Mijoo had been to busy staring at the girls beauty before she realized Yuji had gone quiet. In fact, the whole cafeteria had gone quiet once the girl appeared. Is she like that one girl that even the meanest girls fear?

Yuji took a deep breath as she kept her eyes on the girl, and finally, looked away. "Alright," She mumbled, "But I'll have to talk to you about this later," She said as she narrowed her eyes at the girl with the braid before walking away.

Mijoo could feel her legs wobbly underneath her as she could breathe once again. "I almost died. Again."

"I hope my step-sister wasn't much of a bother," The girl with a braid said as she walked up to Mijoo.

Mijoo slowly nodded before the words had processed and her eyes went wide. "Step-sister?!"

There was no way on Earth that witch and this angel were related in some sort of way even if it wasn't by blood. The girl with the braid chuckled and nodded. It seemed like she was used to the reaction. "Yeah. Surprising, huh? But she's actually not that bad. I mean, if you're on her good side."

"Well I'm clearly not," Mijoo said with heavy sarcasm. "Anyways, thank you for saving me back there."

"No problem," The girl answered with a shrug. "I can't let her get into much trouble, and I can't let others get into trouble with her either."

Mijoo smiled at the girl before her eyes slowly drifted of to the other girl with the wavy hair and sharp eyes who stood not too far from them, cleary staring at them. "Thank you," Mijoo said, but there wasn't much reaction from the girl. She only stared at her while she crossed her arms and did a subtle nod.

"Next time be more careful. First this morning, and now during lunch?" The girl scoffed as she tossed her head back and rolled her eyes. Mijoo sensed she was mocking her, but even if it was so, the girl still looked stunning whole doing so. "You're not going to survive in this school," The girl said before she walked away, her red high heels clicking as she went.

"Well, I have to go chase after her, but good luck at the school," The girl with the braid said before she also went off.

Mijoo watched them walk away, suddenly feeling a sense of security, yet a sense of fear. She'd already gotten herself into trouble twice, and it was only the first day of school. That took real talent.

"Are you still looking for a place to sit?" A voice called out from the table next to her.

Mijoo turned around and saw Yoonoh sitting there with another boy next to him. "You can sit here."

Mijoo looked at the empty seat next to him and hesitantly sat down. She eyed the boy across from Yoonoh before she looked back at him. They seemed to noticed because they chuckled and Yoonoh said, "This is my brother Ken. He won't bite."

Mijoo blushed out of embarrassment and nodded. "I would hope not."

"So, you just got into some deep stuff with the scariest girl in school," Ken said as he ate his lunch with a smile.

"Yuji? Yeah, tell me about it," Mijoo said as she opened her pudding cup. The only thing that hadn't completely splattered all over Yuji and her so-called expensive bag.

"I wasn't talking about Yuji," Ken said.

Mijoo stopped and furrowed her eyebrows as she slowly looked up at Ken. "You weren't?"

"Nah man. Yuji is mean, but she's nowhere on the same level as Red," Ken said as he made a face when he mentioned Red to emphasize his words.

"You mean the girl with the lipstick and coat and heels?" Mijoo asked with somewhat disbelief.

"Yeah, that's Yoonoh's girlfriend," Ken said with a sly chuckle making Yoonoh choke on what he'd been eating.

"She's not my girlfriend."

Mijoo turned to see Yoonoh and noticed his blushing red face as he held a fist up to his mouth and avoided eye contact.

"He says that, but just watch how red he gets at the single mention of her," Ken, very loudly, whispered to Mijoo.

"Change of subject," Yoonoh quickly said as he put down his spoon and turned to look at Mijoo, "Why'd you move over here?"

Mijoo stopped eating her pudding and started explaining. Although she just wanted to hear more about Yoonoh's relationship with that girl. In fact, Mijoo just wanted to know how everyone and everything connected. In fact, she just wanted to go home.

But for now, she was stuck like this.

~~

Mijoo was walking home, tired from her day at school, wanting to die. It had been a very eventful day. From her morning, to lunch, to her last few periods where everyone stared at her and then whispered amongst themselves, obviously talking about what'd happened with her that day and possibly spreading false rumours already.

False rumours had already reached Mijoo's ears and she knew the image would stick with her forever. Not like any of them were true, but if it was juicy and worth the gossip, kids would believe it.

Not only that, but Mijoo had just missed the bus and was forced to walk in the cold fall weather with only her jacket that was still wet from the rain that morning. These things only happen to me. . . only me. But why?!

"Because you're Lee Mijoo," A voice said as that thought had run through her head.

Mijoo spun around and came face to face with a younger looking boy who wore a uniform of the same school. His hair was dyed a medium brown and his aura gave off a feel of a young a boy who liked talking and playing and goofing off. The smile he held when she looked at him was so pure and innocent as if he hadn't just read her mind.

"Did I say that aloud?" She asked and he only shrugged.

"Maybe you did," He said with that same smile before he pursed his lips in and looked up in a suspcious manner before turning back to her with that same smile and saying, "Or maybe I can read your mind."

Mijoo looked at him thrown off guard. She accidentally took a step back, and unconciously hugged her jacket closer around her body.

The boy chuckled at her reaction. "It's a joke."

"Oh," Mijoo said, feeling stupid, yet still spooked out. She let an awkward laugh, trying not to let him see how scared she had gotten for a moment. "Haha, I knew that."

"I'm Lee Jangjun," He said suddenly as he extended his hand out to her, "I also go to FT High. I've seen you everywhere today, you know. From your incident in today he morning to today the incident in toodayhehehe cafeteria."

"Oh, yeah. . .  That's pretty embarrassing," Mijoo said as she placed her hair behind her ear.

"You know, you're quite interesting," He said.

Mijoo looked up at him, wondering what he meant by that. If anything, she should have been the one saying that about him. He seemed odd and creepy. His youthful aura and innocent smile seemed so. . . Spooky and unreal. Like one of those characters in the scary movies who said, "if I were you I'd watch what you were doing. . . You never know what could happen." And somehow predicted the misfortune of the main character.

"FT High is a pretty weird place. People connect in the weirdest and oddest ways. People like each other for all the wrong yet right reasons. People have some of the most intestine background stories. And yet, you somehow managed to jump in it all today and mix some things up," Jangjun said as he began walking and Mijoo followed at his side.

She stared up at him with much curiosity as he stared forward with that same smile on his face. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Jangjun suddenly stopped walking and took a sudden spin to face Mijoo. That same creepy yet innocent smile stayed on his face. "Oh Miss Lee Mijoo. I like you. I think you can do great things."

"Great things?"

"Hmm. You've got something in you."

Mijoo didn't know how to respond. The meeting got weider and weirder by the moment and all she wanted was to go home and snuggle up in her cozy warm bed.

"But be careful. The prince isn't the one doing the harm, the mermaid is in danger, the lost king deserves his throne, broken heart can kill, the hunter doesn't mean to harm and the wolf-like beast isn't the true danger in that forest."

Jangjun's words came out so fast as if it was all planned and practiced, and Mijoo didn't know how to react. A prince? A mermaid? Hunter? Danger? What on earth was this boy saying?

"W-what?"

Jangjun quickly looked around, as if scanning the place for any danger. As if someone could eavesdrop on them at any moment. He looked down at his watch and let out a small shriek before mumbling something about being late. "I'll get killed."

He looked around one last time before he leant in and whispered into Mijoo's ear, "I can't stay, but I just have to say, there's more danger out there, and you have to beware. Everything is an illusion, more so a distraction. When you think you found something, remember, it's not that easy. She'll try to trick you that way. And don't try to run away. They need you."

"What? W-what do you mean? Who needs me?" Mijoo began to stutter out of confusion. The boy spoke in riddles and nonsense, yet she somehow felt this was serious.

Jangjun looked down at his watch once again before he shrieked once more and said, "I have to go. Just remember, you can only choose one. And be wise about it."

Mijoo watched Jangjun quickly cross the road, her eyes followed him as he walked away until a car passed by and he was out of sight. Disappeared.

"What a weirdo."

~~

"How was the first day of school?" Were the first things Mijoo heard from her mom as soon as she walked through the doors.

"Horrible," Mijoo grumbled as she walked upstairs, leaving a trail of water behind her.  Before her mother could speak any more words she slammed the door behind her and flung herself on her bed, falling into a deep sleep.

Mijoo slept for hours. And it was just what she had needed. A refreshing nap. It wasn't until midnight when she woke up in the middle of the night from a loud howl that her deep sleep was interrupted. Was that a wolf?!

Mijoo woke up with a jolt at the loud howling noise and her eyes quickly scanned the room, although she couldn't see anything because it was pitch black dark. Her first instinct was to grab her phone from her desk. Slowly removing her covers off of her, Mijoo stood up from her bed and walked outside of her room in slow and quiet steps.

She got downstairs and reached the backdoor that lead to her backyard. She looked outside as she remembered her mom mentoning something about a forest behind their house. Should I go?

Her eyes flickered at her shoes and jacket, and then she looked back outside. Without any more thoughts she quickly put on her shoes and jacket, unlocked the back door, and was on her way out. The night was cold and the breeze of the late autumn hit her face as soon as she stepped out. She shivered and quickly hugged her jacket closer to her body.

But she didn't dare go back in the house. Instead she kept walking through the backyard and headed for a small gate that lead out into the woods behind. As she headed to the woods she realized, what if it really was a wolf out there, or something really dangerous? Was she really that one idiot blonde white chic from those scary movies that opened the door even though all signs pointed to no?

Nothing left to loose anyways.

So she kept going despite the fact that her life was at risk. She just didn't care about anything at that point. "Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb," Mijoo started singing to herself as she entered the dark woods.

It was a scary place: tall trees all around with no leafs for the fall, crunching dead laefs underneath her feet, the wind whistling all around her, the odd smell of dirt. "Maybe this place is nicer during the day," Mijoo mumbled to herself as she kept walking. All in all, the deeper Mijoo got in, the more ease she felt even if the place did seem scary. Until she heard a loud growl.

Mijoo's eyes widened and she scanned the whole place, feeling her blood pulsing through her veins, her heart beating louder agaisnt her chest. She looked in the direction the loud growl had come from and behind a whole bunch of bushes, she thought she saw a pair and dark, red eyes staring back at her.

One step back. And then another. Slowly and carefully, she stumbled back on her steps as she felt panic rising in her. Another loud growl came and, losing all thoughts, she ran. Running back as she turned around, branches scratching her arms and bushes tripping her on the way.

Whatever had scared her jumped out but she had already turned around and didn't get to see what it was. Instead, Mijoo focused on running and getting the heck out of there before she was eaten alive. Although that's not what happened. Because a few seconds later she found herself tripping on a tree trunk and came face to face with the moist ground; Everything suddenly turning black after the impact.

~~

"Is she awake?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"Can you stop being so impatient?"

"Wait, look, she's waking up!"

A large sting came to Mijoo's head as soon as she came back to conciousness. And the loud voices of a guy and a girl around her didn't help. Her eyes opened and things slowly went into focus. The woods, that's what she saw at first, but then she blinked, and a face was staring at her.

Mijoo gasped and quickly sat up, feeling the moost dirt underneath her. Her eyes quickly scanned the place and she saw a guy, the one who'd been staring at her, a girl who leaned over her with a bowl of water and a wet rag, a guy who stood in front of her with a piercing gaze, and another girl leaning agaisnt a tree with her arms crossed as she stared at her with a very amused look.

All four of them wore odd clothes and looked like they had come out of a fairytale movie. The guy next to her would be a regular peasant townsfolk guy who tried flirting with all the beautiful damsels, the girl next to her looked like another regular townsfolk with many secrets, the boy standing in front of her looked like that cold rebel who'd constantly be hunting or something, and the girl against the tree looked like another rebel, but fairly beautiful like a hidden gem.

Once Mijoo had processed all of that, only one question came to mind. "Where am I?"

They all looked at each other with confused expressions, as if thinking, 'This girl really hit her head hard.' But the girl next to Mijoo cleared as she looked at her unsurely and asked, "Do you really not know?"

"Well, I remember leaving my house and running away from a creature, and then I guess I fell and hit my head," Mijoo answered.

"You're in the woods," The girl who leaned agaisnt tree spoke up as she slowly walked over to Mijoo. "Where else would you be?" She scoffed. "These are the woods that connect all main kingdoms together. The only land that isn't claimed by anyone. Also known as our territory." The amused look and sly smirk disappeared from the girl's face and she was instead glaring at Mijoo now. "Why are you on our territory."

Kingdoms? Territory? What is this girl saying? Where the heck am I? And why does her glare look so familiar to me?

"Are you a spy for Prince charming and his minions?" The guy who'd been standing there quietly asked.

'Did he just say Prince Charming? Oh my gosh where the hell have I landed and how hard did I hit my head?!