Sun-Hee groaned audibly as she laid on her bed face first. Her backpack was all set to go and sat next to the door, but she was no longer looking forward to the journey. Having an extra person wasn’t ideal nor was it part of the plan, but it was the only way she was getting Sehun to join them. Jade was too stubborn and wouldn’t have it any other way. Sehun, on the other hand, looked almost embarrassed for having such an overprotective sister, but at the same time he didn’t oppose to it. She had figured the two were practically always together and separating them would only do more harm than good. So now Sun-Hee had a sassy little kid and his tough elder sister to deal with (Not to mention Jade was an Anima and could probably rip out at any given moment). She already wanted to call it quits. Just image ten more guardians, and who knows what they would be like. Sun-Hee didn’t want to think about it. A knock on the door caused her to groan out loud. The voice on the other side of the door simply laughed.

“Come on Sun-Hee, it’s time to go.” Suho said,  opening the door to see the girl  who was laid out on her bed. She stayed silent and he had no choice but to go over, nudging the girl slightly. “Come on Sun-Hee. Who was it again who wanted to take her rightful place as oracle? Who was it that got in my head to get me to stupidly join this mission? Come on, you’re going to give up just because of some girl?” Sun-Hee had to admit Suho had a point, and she hated when he was right. She sighed, pushing herself off the bed.

“Yeah, Yeah. You’re right,” She mumbled, hopping off the bed as she grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. “Now come on loser, we’re losing daylight.”

“Says the one who just got out of bed,” Suho joked, causing her to playfully hit him on the arm as the two met up outside the gate with Sehun and Jade. Sehun was the only one with a backpack on.

“Don’t you both have a backpack? Where’s your stuff Jade?” Sun-Hee asked innocently enough. Jade on the other hand huffed and crossed her arms. 

“You act like we have more than one backpack. We live in Delcha remember? We’re not as privileged as you, princess,” Sun-Hee’s fist curled into a ball and she so badly wanted to snap back at the girl for calling her princess.

“Look, I know you two didn’t get off on the right foot but it’s a really really long journey. So if you two could please get along that would be great.” Suho smiled, breaking the two up as he wrapped his arm around Sehun’s shoulder, pulling him way forward and into the forest.

“So Sehun, tell me about yourself!” He asked quite enthusiastically as the two walked off in the distance leaving the two girls behind. They stood there awkwardly, not saying a word.

“Sorry,” Jade muttered a few seconds later and Sun-Hee stared back at her in disbelief.

“W-what?”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be so hot headed. I’m just- really protective of Sehun. He’s just 17 and being the elder i’ve always looked after him.” She confessed as she rubbed her arm awkwardly. Sun-Hee bit her lip, she could understand where the girl was coming from. She had loved her brother so much, and he was taken away from her in a cruel twist of fate. 

“I’m sorry too. I just..lost my brother not too long ago so i’m a bit on edge.” Jade looked over at Sun-Hee who had sad eyes and pain written all over her face.

“Sorry, I didn’t know. I wouldn’t know what to do if I lost Sehun. That’s why I kinda invited myself. Sorry again,” Sun-Hee just shrugged it off.

“It’s no big deal, besides I think I’d go crazy with these boys all by myself so I think I should be the one thanking you.” Jade let out a small light laugh, and Sun-Hee thought this might not be so bad after all. “Hey, do you mind telling me what you two did...in Delcha?”

“Our parents abandoned us when we were kids, I was 10 at the time and sehun was 6. A nice old ahjumma took good care of us until she passed away. Left us quite a bit of money- but it didn’t last very long. Half the time I would have to lie to Sehun that I had eaten just so he would eat,”  Sun-Hee sighed, now noticing that Jade was much more skinnier than Sehun. “I tried getting a job, but no one would hire me, so once the money was gone I had to resort to stealing.” Jade shrugged however, like it was nothing. “Honestly, It wasn’t that bad. Sure I went hungry from time to time, but I’m still here.”

“Wow.” Was all Sun-Hee could say, never knowing a life like that. Even when her own mother passed away she still had her older brother Woohyun, but she still lived a nicer life. She got three meals a day and was educated in the palace halls. But Jade barely had enough to survive and had to take care of a younger brother. Sun-Hee honestly couldn’t imagine it and she almost admired Jade for having this strong outside appearance.

“You know, I kinda envy you.” Jade’s mouth widened in shock.

“Jealous? Of me? Why? You had everything”
 

“Yeah, sure I had everything but I was always so uptight. I don’t think I’ve really lived life, all I used to do was study in hopes that I could become a great prophet like my brother. At a young age they told me I was going to be amazing, that I would be an oracle. Even Suho thinks I can be too uptight, and everyone knows he’s a drama queen” Jade burst out laughing. 

“He does look like one!” The two girls stopped in their tracks to hold their stomachs from laughing too hard. 

They laughed and the two almost looked like they’ve been best friends forever. The moment didn’t last long as Sun-Hee felt someone grabbing her from behind, looking up in shock to see Jade in the same predicament. 

“Hey! Let me go!” Jade screamed as she trashed in the others embrace, but the masked man didn’t show any signs of loosening up. Within seconds, Sun-Hee could see the markings appear on the other’s skin. Jade’s canines hissing at the man holding her. 

“Shut up! Or I’ll kill her!” The man holding Sun-Hee yelled out, pushing a knife slightly against . Her eyes were wide with fear as she could feel the cold metal against her skin. Her breath hitched in as she tried to swallow the lump there. 

“,” Jade swore under her breath, ceasing her movements. She looked around at her surroundings, trying to find something that could perhaps help them out. She could see Sehun and Suho crouching behind a tree and Suho looked furious but he stayed back, trying to figure out a plan.

“Now, hand over your backpacks and no one has to die!” The one holding Sun-Hee yelled out, pushing the knife into her skin as the girl tried to keep her composure. 

Out of nowhere an arrow cut through the air, piercing the man who held Sun-hee’s back. The man slumped down, blood seeping through his shirt as he let go of her. However her knees gave out as she fell to the forest floor, slightly traumatised from the event. Suho saw this opportunity to run over to the girl as he helped her up. Another arrow hit the man who held Jade straight in the shoulder, causing him to growl with pain. He pushed Jade away and fled the scene. Suho helped Sun-Hee off the dirt as another person slowly came out from the shadows.

It was a male, no older than Suho and Sun-hee’s age. He had beautiful light brown hair that almost looked blonde and quite a feminine face.  However, medium sized antlers poked out from both sides of his head. A deer Anima, a creature just like Jade. But, the thing that stood out to Sun-Hee the most, was a tangled necklace around his antlers that displayed another guardian symbol.