She's too afraid to open her eyes.

It's already dark when she woke up. Her body ached, but the overwhelming fatigue that she had due to the night shifts were gone. Slowly and reluctantly she uncovered her eyes, waiting for the cloudy world to come into focus. She blinked, closed her eyes, and blinked again. Whatever was she expecting once her eyes opened was not this. After yesterday's blur, the least expectation she was thinking of is finding herself waking to her current room. 

And she can't feel her knees anymore.

Because once she sat up, and tried to drag her feet off the bed, her numb legs completely gave up on her - she blinked to find herself on the floor, limp. Sighing in irritation, the latter stood forcefully and snatched her flabby jacket that was rested on a close chair to her bed. It was as if nothing changed for she was sure of how her day will begin. Firstly, either Hyuna or Hyunrim would start scolding her for the incident with one of the boyfriends accompanying them. Second of all-

A scream.

Followed by another. And Hyemi is not so sure of her day anymore as she aimed to walk straightly to her window glass that was shielded by the drifting apart curtains. Her head became a little giddy and her stomach nauseous at the thought of something being out of usual. The screams tore through her like a shard of glass, making her eyes widen and pulse quicken, heart thudding with every breath. The scream came again, desperate, terrified...human. Before she was even aware of making a conscious decision, her legs were pounding furiously on the spinning floors, out of her room and through the hall.

Memories collide once she inhaled the drifting smoke.

It takes her all of her will and determination to continue striding through the fine cloud of the smothering smoke that completely blinded her sight. Her curls clung to her neck due to the sweat as she slowly progressed walking through the smoke, softly calling her own classmates, but the echoes of screams and clashing swords must have made it all useless. What in the world was going on out there? From what she has seen through the curtains of her windows, it was close to a ruined apocalypse. Whatever that was happening outside at this moment, it was inhuman.

Hyemi had to get her Armour.

If she was to get outside, she might as well be ready. But where were her friends? Were they fighting outside? Another scream of horror came, and Hyemi decided she had no time to over think. The more anxious she become to reach the room across the practice field, the wilder her pace was. Hyemi had to get there, for every second counts-

"H-hyemi? Park Hyemi!"

Her head whipped towards the familiar, squeaky voice.

Eunhee.

And the sight of the panicking female made her feel like tearing up. She stormed towards her, eyes wild and sweat dripping down her temple, only to catch her in a hug. "Where's everyone? What happening?!" A chill of fear ran down her spine at her own questions.

"There you are! Everyone was looking for you, Hyemi. Something terrible happened." Eunhee's eyes were swollen as she sniveled. She blinked briny tears from bloodshot eyes, down to her wobbling chin.

"W-what is it? What happened?!" Shaking the sobbing female, she felt like all her limbs will fall off from the tension she was adding. "Hee, tell me what the is happening in this screwed up school!" She shouldn't be screaming at the girl, Hyemi is aware of that. But can't someone already just tell her what's wrong? 

With shoulders shaking and tears streaming down her already wet cheeks, the shaken girl shook her head. "I don't have enough time to explain it all, but follow me for now." She grabbed her wrist and took her to the opposite walls of the hall.

As Hyemi was busy concentrating on tearing through the walls of smoke and with her thoughts, she didn't notice where Eunhee was leading her. At that, they stop on the roof of the building, and she wasn't aware of that fact until she blinked back to reality.Confused, her eyes trailed the unfazed girl who sauntering through the vacant whereabouts of the school's roof - why would Eunhee bring her to the roof when the battlefield was below their feet?

"Fool."

Her breath left her as if she's been hit in the stomach. "What?"

Eunhee's voice was harsh as she bit each syllable into pieces. "Haven't you ever took notice of your own surroundings, you half-witted idiot?" The girl said in a voice filled with malice, hard as the ground below her.

Hyemi opened but nothing came out. Her eyes scanned the female whom she always trusted, but nothing clicked as she met her hate-filled gaze. Who was this person? Where was that shy, perfect roommate of hers who used to wake up with a content smile across her lips? A soft glint in her eyes that mingled with warmth? While the latter in front of her crackled like a possessed witch, she could do nothing but stare at the sauntering girl.

Was this...the Eunhee she always knew?

"It was all a facade, your highness." Eunhee spat, rummaging through her pocket ferociously with eyes trained on the still girl.

"It is I, who made this all start."

...
6 hours ago

"Your majesty," In front of Asder's Queen knelt the battered Eunhee, who was panting heavily. If it wasn't for the utter humiliation, she'd have at least kissed her majesty's hand, but her failure wouldn't allow so - as it was branded on the skin of her forehead.

"Where is my daughter, young Eunhee?" The Queen's calm tone made her flinch harder than she expected, and tears dampened her lowered eyes. Oh, she will definitely get it this time.

"My abduction mission came to a failure, your majesty." Eunhee's voice cracked at the word 'failed', 

"Oh."

That one simple 'Oh' made the frozen girl wince once again. Her eyes squeezed shut as she fell to her knees and bowed to the base. "My unacceptable apologies, your fair majesty. Punish my damned soul, for I deserve it." Her eyes squinted through the blurry sight.

Drip drop.

2 teardrops. 1 second.

Drip.

Another droplet. Another second.

"Arise, my loyal servant."

The upset girl scrambled to her feet, gaze still lowered to the floor as she braced herself for the known punishment - death. Seconds the minutes pass, with no other word of the silent Queen, and the girl wondered if she should steal a glimpse - so she did. Her majestic presence rose from her golden throne, proceeding towards her pathetic self.

"Your majes-"

"I will give you one command. If you accomplish it, you will be forgiven."

"Anything, my Queen! Ask me to do anything. My life is at your service!" Eunhee knows it's extremely inappropriate of her to screech like that at her royal highness, but her excitement couldn't be contained. Finally, she could prove both to the Queen and to herself that she's useful. At least! Her excellence can look at her with a look of satisfaction-

"My wish for you is setting an ambush to my descendant and assassinating her."

Hyemi. Her closest friend. Is Eunhee willing to betray her best friend, just to please her Queen? Is Eunhee prepared to become the cause of Hyemi's upcoming heartbreak? "Your wishes are my orders, your majesty." So be it, if it was the only way to please her highness.

...

Hyemi couldn't believe her own ears at Eunhee's confession. Her first friend in the entire world confirmed her betrayal - with pride at that! And for what? Some silly old pendant that fused to her own body? The betrayal gnawing at the pit of her stomach turned her voice to frost. "Why?" The word was crisp and concise and demanded a response.

She just shrugged, demonstrating with one gesture that Hyemi was nothing to her. And as mush as Hyemi wanted to lung at her and demand an explanation, she knew the sent spy had the upper hand, as she had weapons while Hyemi had none. Puzzle pieces began fitting together in her mind. Of course. Eunhee's fascination with her pendant on the first weeks of school. Soon after, the sudden frequent attacks that occurred mostly to her. "You. You were the one who attacked me yesterday!"

"I was wondering when would you've picked up on that," Eunhee responded with a sneer as she twirled the dagger between her palm. "Too bad you've just learnt that."

If Eunhee was serious about fighting her, Hyemi had to find a way on matching her moves - and that wasn't going to happen until she found herself a weapon. Until then, she had to distract her so that she could find one in the area. Anything can be used as a weapon; Hyemi just had to concentrate so that she could find some item to use for a fight like this. "Eunhee, you don't have to do this. Just leave, and I will not harm you at all." Her eyes secretly scanned the bare roof while cursing her luck. An iron rod was lying a few metres away from her, placed by the corner.

Bingo.

The moonlight gleamed on the pebbles above the surface of the roof, while the wind sighed along the treetops and whispered over her skin, making Eunhee look like the indifferent crone she always was underneath the facade of fragility and cordiality.With a cackle of hers, she snarled back in a voice Hyemi could barely recognize. Cold. Wicked. "This is where you are wrong, foolish girl. I'm no inexperienced brat like you." Eunhee is standing 3 yards from her, dagger down at her side, eyes pits of rage and vice. 

She was completely unaware of Hyemi's intentions.

This could actually work.

Even though Eunhee's goals include fighting her till she (Hyemi) breath her last, then extract the Jewel from her build and proudly send it back to her mother, Hyemi had no intention of harming her. This girl, despite being a collaborator against them, was once her best friend. How could Hyemi ever kill her when whenever she will try to fight her back, she's reminded of her laughter and smiles? The memories they both collected? But will that stop Eunhee? She doesn't think so.

"Get back," Hyemi tried to infuse her voice with anger or authority, but all she heard was a firm whisper.

Eunhee's face contorted while her body quivered. She scrutinized her, blade trembling so badly that she'll never be able to stab her with it before she disarmed her, tied her up and left her for the cold of the night. Rolling to the balls of her feet, Eunhee lunged for her chest. Dodging the planned move, Hyemi moved into a crouching position and sprang to the other side, groaning with effort. Adrenaline pumped like quicksilver through her body as she scrambled for the iron rod that lay a few feet away.

The scream of frustration that came over from Eunhee detected that the girl understood her scheme, which was why she began sprinting for the rod too. But before she could lay a finger on it, Hyemi snatched it away, determination lingering between her eyes. Slowly circling each other, Eunhee's dagger whistled through the air, and Hyemi leapt back to dodge. The girl lashed out again, then realized - with gritted teeth - that she really wasn't holding back, that she's trying to kill her. She doesn't want to have a fair fight anymore?

Fine.

Hyemi began moving, slashing and leaning from side to side to avoid her flying dagger before lunging back towards Eunhee. Time stood still as their own battle raged on; Hyemi's muscles were really beginning to burn. Her blade nicked her upper side as it went by, but she can't feel the pain anymore. She grew numb from the energy spent. Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted the door leading downstairs opening, but she had no time for whoever is coming up. Rushing towards the defenseless girl, Hyemi wasn't aware of her driving forward, low to the ground, and crashing into her legs until she sent her flying over the top of Eunhee.

The iron rod clanged loudly as it skittered across the other side of the roof.

Taking advantage of her rival's distraction, Eunhee lowered her shoulder and body-slammed her to the cement wall behind her. Before Hyemi could recover from the aftershock, the other girl pressed the tip of her knife into the soft tissue beneath her throat as a warning for her to relinquish. With a victorious last smirk, she raised her dagger in the air, preparing herself for the final move.

"Goodbye, Hyemi."

A whisper.

A feather of a kiss on the cheek.

And the grand final.

The dagger whistled through the air as she prized for the throat, and Hyemi squeezed her eyes shut. If the Eunhee she once loved and trusted was ready to kill her off just like that, she doesn't want to watch her do so. The deafening sound of screams and swords clashing downwards briefly made her think - was it her destiny, to die like this? In the middle of a battle, unnoticed? Hyemi truly wished she was out, slaying the Queen's head off and-

"Hey majesty had a change of plan, young Eunhee."

Only one man in the entire world owned that voice. The same voice she used to hear humming lullabies by the shell of her ear every passing night.She's still holding her breath and she can't even remember the last time she exhaled. Her joints felt flimsy, her legs have lost their bones.It was then she turned and their eyes met.

Baekhyun.