“... Lee HwaYoung?”

                “Here!”

                “Lee MinWoo?”

                “Neh”

                “Lee SunHo?”

                “Yeh, Songsaengnim”

                Hana was a bit shocked to hear that last name. She doesn’t know any Lee SunHo in their class; she turns around to see Andy is sitting beside MinWoo. Her eyes widened in surprise and just stare up front. They were gathered in their classroom first before they leave for MokPo in the afternoon. The teacher is currently calling the roll call. But then Hana is a bit confused on why Andy was there with them and it was then that she hears her classmates giggling.

                “Yah~ SunHo Oppa is so cute~” A female student said.

                “I know right? He caught my heart the time when we just started out school this year!” Another one said.

                “He’s really helpful in our activities and he’s really intelligent! I wish to have a boyfriend like him!” The other one said. Hana furrows her brow on what they were just saying.

                “Uhmm... jogi” Hana speaks and the other female students stare at her as if she’s an annoying bug. “Uhhmmm... you seem to know Lee SunHo when did he transfer—”

                “Yah... are you daydreaming? SunHo kun has been our classmate eversince the start of our school year. I can’t believe how air minded you are” One of the students said. The other scoffs and laughs.

                “Well... what do you expect from DongWan’s puppet? She’s too stupid to mind what’s going on around her” She said and then laughed. Hana rolls her eyes and just focused on the teacher.

                “Shin Hana?” The teacher called.

                “Neh” Hana speaks half-heartedly.

                She then wonders, how on earth did Andy come to the class? She can’t even recall that she’s been classmates with him for the rest of the school days before. Could it be because she’s not paying attention—but she remembers MinWoo being introduced to the class? Plus... she just met him a few days ago and she’s really sure he’s not there when the class started. Hana slaps her forehead.

                He’s a myth... of course!

                Hana sighs and looks to her side, DongWan wasn’t there. He was somewhere with HwaYoung—both being the team leaders of the class. Even though HwaYoung’s currently in the class, both of them were called to the office for more inquiries. It made her angry again. She’s upset—too upset. DongWan just completely ignored her like she’s nothing. It’s like he’s going to throw their years of friendship away!

*DUGEUN*

                Hana gasps.

                For a moment, Hana felt the time stopped. It was sudden—her heart stopped beating. Her vision became blurry and her chest felt like burning. Her heart wasn’t beating and it made her delirious. She can’t breathe again, she looked around to see her classmates stopped moving and she knew this pain was very familiar as it happened to her the other day. But why is it happening now?

                He’s weak...

                He’s coming to his end...

                Whispers... she hears all the whispers... they were words that she hasn’t heard before, but she understood them. The sounds were made out of clucking and clicking. It was like some animal or lizrds speaking.

                No one can help him at this rate...

                Not even her...

                Hana frowns and as she was about to faint, everything came back to normal. She inhaled deeply and felt her heart beating fast. She then released her breath and it calmed her more than it should. She looked around to see who were whispering but everyone was too immersed in talking to each other. Hana looks back to see Andy and MinWoo were talking animatedly as if nothing happened. It was unusual... the myths could have felt it, right?

...

                “Ack!” A growling sound yelped inside another realm. The space-like realm. Eric, in his myth form clutches his chest again at the same time Hana did too. He gasps shakily and closes his eyes in pain. It’s been quite a long time since he really felt this kind of pain. “Damn that human!”

                Eric growled and bit his forearm to focus his attention elsewhere. He’s staying in that endless realm for his own good... he’s too weak to step out again. Ever since Hana made her first transformation, he became like this. Eric didn’t expect that she’s transform that early, if he would have known, he had her prepared beforehand. But now, he has to depend on his brothers to guide her. Human emotions are too erratic for the myths. They cannot bear that type of strong emotion.

                “Brother” A familiar voice came and Eric looks up to see DongWan.

                “What did he say?” Eric asks. DongWan just bows his head, not wanting to tell him. “He refused again... didn’t he?”

                “Yes” DongWan said seriously.

                “Tsk... that—that idiot” Eric said in an irritating tone and sighs deeply. “That idiotic brother of ours!!!”

                “I’m sorry” DongWan said in a down casted tone.

                “You do not need to ask for my forgiveness brother” Eric said softly.

                “If it weren’t for me, brother, you wouldn’t be in this state” DongWan said sadly.

                “Brother... we acted quite rashly before then. We did not take into account that humans are too different from the likes of us.” Eric said in a serious voice. “It is not your fault that ChangJo died”

                “But the Winter Prince is blaming you...” DongWan said and Eric grinned at him.

                “He just wants to blame others... but truthfully, he’s feeling regretful” Eric said in a remorse tone. “He raised ChangJo like his own... a typical action for a myth...”

                “The Winter Prince... has been affected by the human’s influence, brother” DongWan said softly.

                “I know... The humans are as fickle as they come” Eric said and stands from his stance. “At first I do not understand why he had ChangJo on his side as if she was his offspring. I guess living in the human world can affect us. It also affected both you and the deceiver” Eric gave DongWan a pointed look.

                “I did what I think is best at the moment” DongWan said.

                “I see” Eric said and looks back where the earth is settled. “How long do we wait for our 5^th brother?”

                “He has to be reborn, brother... precisely a month from now” DongWan said.

                “Which beast is it?” Eric asks.

                “I’m not sure... last time he was born as a tiger. I don’t know much of his cycle. Only the Winter Prince knew of his next regeneration” DongWan said.

                “I see...” Eric sighs. “As soon as all of us are together, we must at all cost defeat the muse and take back the curse.” DongWan hesitates.

                “Brother... how about... Hana?” Eric was a bit startled at Dongwan and just stared at him. “I promised her, brother... I promised her... an eternal life of happiness and that I will never leave her alone. But it seemed like the promise I made is in contrast with my actions” Eric breathes deeply.

                “Brother... you do know... what happens when a myth doesn’t comply with his promise” Eric said seriously.

                “I know brother” DongWan said sadly.

                “Hana is upset” Eric said. “And before we could even separate the core of my heart from her, I do not think I could even stay long” DongWan frowned and looked at Eric.

                “Do not say that, brother” DongWan said with a worrisome voice.

                “We have to face the reality, brother... in any time... I will take a deep slumber... and I expect you, my younger brothers to complete our mission” Eric said. DongWan looked in his eyes, searching it. He could see that there was death following behind Eric... he couldn’t bear it.

                The reason to why Eric is slowly perishing is that his core heart trapped within Hana is slowly dying. And once it stops beating, Hana will not die but Eric will put in a deep sleep in which no one can even revive. It happened to the wild beast once and they were able to find a way that’s why the Wild Beast needs to be regenerated. If Eric—the moon ox will put in a deep sleep, who knows what fate awaits them.

...

                Hana and her classmates were already in a bus that will bring them to MokPo. It would take those hours before to get there so her classmates were cherishing the time for sleep and relaxation. Her other classmates are talking to each other, her seatmate even found some time to mingle with other students rather than with her. Hana sometimes wonder... is something wrong with her? Why does she feel so hated? Hana then turns her head to see DongWan is sleeping. Is he really asleep?  He does seem so, judging with his head lolling from side to side.

                “Anyeeong~” Andy went to her side and took a seat.

                “Hi...” Hana speak with a down casted tone. Andy gave her a playful look.

                “Hey what’s with the face? We’re on a trip!” Andy said cheerfully. Hana sighs at him.

                “For someone with a deadly myth name... you’re cheerful” Hana said, not minding his presence.

                “I am cheerful” Andy said, smiling. “Because you know... all these children’s soul will become my friends in the other world”

                “What?” HAna looks at him in disbelief.

                “I am a death angel, dear Hana” Andy smiled. “I am bound to accompany them to the other world... and I feel—it’s not going to be too long” Andy said sadly. Hana frowns at his words.

                “What do you mean?” Hana asks.

                “Hana... in the near future... if the myths were gone... them use will take over all the other worlds including the human world. We have to stop them Hana but I do not see any hope” Andy said sadly.

                “Why?” HAna couldn’t believe her ears.

                “Hana... if Eric will be put in sleep, the rest of the myths can never go back to our own realm and will cause our death in the human world” Andy said and his eyes glints the shade of red. “And everything will happen... here”

                Hana looks outside as she realizes that they were already approaching MokPo , the coastal area of Jeolla region, South Korea. Hana feels sudden shivers... it was as if... something’s waiting for her, something’s not right, something terrible...