Chapter 2 - Them

 

“Seunghye, where’ve you been??” My oldest sister, Doyeong asks as she hurriedly pulled me in. “Father was enraged… still is” fear evident in her eyes.

 

“I went out to get some fresh air,” I simply answered. I was trying my best to stay quiet, just so my father won’t come. 

 

“Where the hell have you been?” there I saw my oldest brother Chanhyuk standing before me with his arms crossed. “Care to explain?” 

 

I stayed quiet, looking down at my feet, knowing any comment I make will end up in a beating either way.

 

“Well, are you going to answer me?” he questioned. “Dad, she’s home already.” He sighed and walked off. 

 

This . I clenched my teeth. 

 

“Ha, had the nerve to run away now don’t ya?” my father came closer, a smirk evident on his lips. “You’ve run off how many times now? And yet, you still didn’t get the lesson.” he grabbed a fistful of my hair and threw me down. “es like you shouldn't have been born.” He started kicking me in the gut. “That’s what you get you ing .” 

 

My back hit the wall a couple times as he kicked me harder as he went on. Don’t cry, don’t cry. You can’t cry in front of this douchebag, he’ll kick you harder. I reminded myself remembering the time I cried and got beaten more since I was essentially being ‘rude’?? But it hurts so much… tears were on the verge. 

 

“Oh, look here. The is crying. What a sight to see” he smiled as he grabbed my hair to see my tearful eyes and pushed me down.

 

 He took off his belt ready to hit me when, “Dad, someone’s here to see you” Chansung came over, not even caring that I'm on the ground all bruised up. 

 

“I’m not done with you yet.” He glared at me as he left me in the corridor all bruised up and in pain. He threw the belt to the other side of the room. 

 

“Hi sir!” a familiar voice called out. 

 

“Ah! Geonsik, hello what brings you here?” my father spoke in a ‘joyful’ tone.

“I was actually wondering if Seunghye was here? I promised I'd bring her around today?” he asked my father. 

 

“Seunghye? Why would you want to be with her? She’s a total disgrace this family. Why are you bothering with a ? It’ll just ruin your reputation too.” he went back to how he was before. 

 

“I don’t mind” 

 

“She’s not seeing anyone.” my father slammed the door on his face. 

 

“I can’t believe he’d come all the way here to take you out. Thats absurd. Who would want you anyway?” he came back with his belt and, just when I thought it was over, it wasn’t.

 

 

 

 

Since that day, I’ve never really ‘escaped’ anymore. After that day, I got the worst bruises I’ve ever gotten from a beating. I had bruises around my stomach area and my ribs started to hurt. It still kind of hurts but only when excessive movement is involved. When there’s nothing, it’s fine. And since my father would occasionally kick my legs too during that ‘beating’, they were bruised as well. Some marks are still visible to this day. And yet, I still had to work in the farm. I didn’t get fed that day either. He wouldn’t let me. I mean, we barely got food anyway so it wasn't a drastic change. 

 

I’m 15 now but, nothing’s changed. Everything’s the same except the fact that my mother and sisters found out I could sing well. I was 10 then and we were working on the farm. 

 

 

“snowflakes falling from the sky are drifting further by and by, I’m missing you I'm missing you” I sang as I was harvesting the last few crops. “how much longer do I wait? how many sleepless nights remain?” I was doing my thing and when I looked back, I saw my mother’s shocked face.

 

“You have a beautiful voice, my love.” she complimented. “Why have you not told us yet?” she came over smiling, petting my head.” 

 

“I mean I don’t even have the freedom to speak so why would I sing?” I answered her, quickly going back to work. 

 

“Yes but you can sing when it’s just us? I’d love to hear you sing some more,” she came over to help me.

 

“Sure.” I smiled as I continued. 

 

And since that day, when we girls would be alone, I’d sing for them. My songs, the songs I composed thought it was lacking melody since I didn’t have a musical instrument and all but, It’s still okay. 

 

 

One day, I was working on the farm, and Geonsik came over. He had a backpack on and he looked like he was ready to leave to go somewhere.

 

“Let’s go.” He commanded, grabbing my hand and leading me out.

 

“Go? Go where? I can’t leave, you know that.” I stopped in my tracks. He was the only one I could talk back to aside from other women. 

 

“You want to leave this hell hole, don’t you? I’ll help you. Let’s go.”  Ecstatic, I quickly left with him, trusting him with my life.

 

After a long run, we finally made it to the so-called ‘hiding place’. It was a small cabin in the middle of the forest. 

 

“I made it with my dad. We’ve been making it for a couple years now.” he smiled down at me. He pulled me in the small cabin. 

 

I was setting things up when I sensed something, strange. 

 

“Babe, so are we going to go out now?” he back hugged me. 

 

Excuse me?? Babe? We aren’t a thing. I was utterly confused. 

 

“Babe? We aren’t a thing Geonsik.” I pushed him away. 

 

“What are you talking about? You basically just took me and ran away with me, that makes you mine.” He smirked backing me up against a wall. “C’mon it’s fine, I know you love me” His face inches away from mine.

 

“What? We aren’t a thing. Go away!” I pushed him away harder. 

 

“Here you go again, talking nonsense. You can’t shoo me away. You’re only here to have my babies anyway,” he backed me up against the wall again. “That’s what women are for anyway, the pleasure of men,” he smirked. 

 

This 's insane! He wasn’t like this before. He was kind, he was sweet, he was caring. What happened?? Panicked, I quickly tried to run away from him. 

 

He grabbed my wrist, “where are you going, sweetie? You can’t go anywhere.” He smirked. 

 

“LET ME GO!” I pushed him away, and out the door, I went. I ran as quickly as I could. 

 

“If you’re trying to outrun him, It’s not going to work.” two little birds were flying above me. 

 

“Yes, he looks really in shape to don’t you think?” the other bird chirped. 

 

“HELP ME!” I asked the birds. 

 

“What is it that u need help with, girl?” One asked. 

 

“Distract him. Please. Help me.” I pleaded, still running as fast as I could. I knew I wasn’t going to go far since I didn’t have the stamina to do so. 

 

“Very well.” The two birds went back to his direction. 

 

I ran as quickly as I could. Then, I saw them. 2 people. A man and woman. The woman, or girl, looked around my age whereas the man looked older. I honestly, didn’t care though, all I wanted to do was get away from my ‘best friend’. 

 

“I ing got you.” Geonsik grabbed my hand harshly. 

 

“Let me go!” I harshly pulled my arm back just to have him grab it again. 

 

“What’s going on here?” the girl spoke up.

 

“It’s none of your business. You,” he pointed at the man “the are you doing with a girl?” 

 

“I could say the same for you” the man retorted. 

 

“You have not answered my question, what are you doing to her?” The girl questioned again. 

 

“He’s trying to- He’s trying to-” Geonsik quickly covered my mouth. 

 

“Let her go this instant.” The girl demanded. 

 

“And why the hell should I listen to a mere girl? You are of no status to tell me what to do and not to do.” Geonsik, now annoyed as hell questioned back. 

 

“How dare you talk that way to her?” The man spoke up. 

 

“Brother, I’m afraid he’s doing something bad to her, whatever shall we do?” she asked the man, who was her brother. 

 

“What do you want to do then?” he asked the girl.

 

“Please, she’s hurt, brother.” she looked down. 

 

“Let her go this instant.” The man commanded Geonsik. 

 

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” Geonsik approached the man, ready to start a fight. 

 

He threw a punch at the man but was stopped by… another man? I swear he wasn’t there before….

 

“How dare you try to hurt the royal highness?” the man spoke. He threw Geonsik down. He reached for his sword, “Should I eliminate him, your highness?” Your Highness? Is he royalty? 

 

“Should he live or die, Junghwa?” He asked his sister. 

 

The woman looked at me, asking me whether or not he shall live or die. I looked down at Geonsik. 

 

“He- he- he didn’t really do these last time…” I looked down at my now bruised wrists. 

 

“You should kill him. Look what he did to us!” I looked up to see the two little birds from before, they looked a little hurt. 

 

“But I can’t kill him… he’s still kinda my best friend…” I responded to the little birds, but the girl heard. 

 

“Could we let him live brother?” she asked her brother. 

 

“Of course.” as soon as he said that, the man took his hands off his sword. 

 

“Leave now, before I change my mind.” the man spoke to Geonsik. 

 

He scoffed and got up. “We’re not done here. You don’t have anywhere to go anyway. You go back home, you’re dead.” he laughed and left.

 

“Are you okay?” the girl asked me. 

 

“Yeah… I’m fine…” I hesitated, looking down.

 

“Brother, can she come with us? She doesn’t look too well…” she pleaded her brother. 

 

“Why? We saved her once, why should we do it again?” He scoffed as he looked at me.

 

“But brother… can’t you see? She’s hurt! He hands are bruised. And I don’t think that’s the only place that hurts. Brother please?” her eyes started to water. 

 

I looked at her weirdly. She looks familiar. Have I seen her before? I looked away quickly, not wanting to get caught staring. But, why is she talking like that towards a man? And a prince at that… I got curious. 

 

“Well, I mean.. I guess yea, sure why not.” he sighed as he saw her teary eyes. “Please don’t cry okay? I don’t want to see you cry” he wiped my tears away.

 

“Thank you brother, You’re the best!” she hugged her brother. Weird… and he’s not retaliating either…

 

We walked through the forest together, of course, I walked with a distance since I didn’t know them. We finally settled down to take a rest. 

 

“We’re gonna have to go soon. It’s getting dark,” he told his sister. 

 

, that means I’ll be homeless now… What do I do? I sat down, looking down at on my wrists. At least he didn’t attack my ribs… that’ll hurt a lot. 

 

A little squirrel came up to me as I rested for a while. 

 

“Are you okay? I saw you with that man. You’re not hurt right?” the little thing said as it tried to touch my bruised wrist. 

 

“It’s fine, don’t worry little thing, go back to your home now.” I whispered, not wanting the two strangers to catch me talking to the little thing, but I guess that was too late. 

 

“Who are you talking too?” the man asked me. 

 

“I wasn’t talking.” I defended. 

 

“No, you were. I heard you.” he insisted. 

 

“No, I wasn’t.”

 

“I saved you and yet you still have the nerve to talk back? Talk about ungratefulness” he scoffed. 

 

“I’m sorry…” I looked down at the little squirrel. 

 

“You should be, .” He swore. Okay, I wasn’t gonna cry my heart out anyway. My eyes started to get teary. 

 

“Brother! Was that really necessary? You’re hurting her…” his sister scolded him. 

 

“Why do you care so much for her? You don’t even know her.” He talked back.

 

“I know brother… It’s just that, I don’t know why I feel like I do know her brother. So please, don’t.” she grabbed her brother's hand. 

 

“Fine…” He surrendered. He surrendered… that's the first. I’ve never seen a guy actually surrender to a girl in this society before.

 

“Do you have a home?” she asked me. 

 

“...No… I kind off ran away with that guy since we were best friends but, then that happened…” I started petting the cute squirrel in front of me. 

 

“Girl, the invisible man is beside you. You should be careful since he has a sword. You could die.” the little squirrel warned. “He looks ready to kill.” 

 

“The invisible man?” I asked the squirrel, petting its small head. 

 

“What did you say?” the man asked, looking astonished. Just like that boy a couple years ago. 

 

I stayed quiet. 

 

“What did you say? Tell me, girl, what did you say?” he questioned again. 

 

“Yes, what did you say?” the girl, also shocked, asked me as well. I mean, I don’t really have a choice now do I? They are royalty, from the looks of it, and the squirrel did say that the man was ready to kill and even though I'm willing to die at any moment, maybe not right now. 

 

“Th-the invisible man.” I finally answered. 

 

“How did you know?” The girl asked. 

 

“The squirrel… told me,” I hesitated a bit since it was a crazy thought. 

 

“A damn squirrel told you? Do you have something wrong with your brain or something?” the man laughed. 

 

“It’s the truth though.” I got annoyed now. I never really told anyone that I could hear them but like laughing at it is pretty damn rude too you know. 

 

“Okay that’s a very funny lie, now tell me really.” the man deadpanned me. 

 

“It’s the truth! It. really. Told. me.” I gritted my teeth. I mean I know it is hard to believe and all but seriously though…

 

“Prove it then.” He challenged, one eyebrow quirked up.

 

“How??” How was I supposed to prove that I can talk to animals?

 

“What he means is, if you can really do so, communicate with animals I mean, could you call one here?” her sister explained back. See, that one’s understanding. 

 

I sighed, “Come,” I called for the singing birds sitting on the trees. Without hesitation, the singing birds landed on top my shoulder. 

 

“Hello little birds,” I petted it’s tiny head as it started singing in response, that’s what they heard at least. What I heard was completely different. 

 

“What is it that you need?” the little bird chirped. 

 

“It’s nothing, just needed a little company.” I smiled at it. Quickly, I stood up in search of little berries to give it. I swear I saw some berries before we sat down, where were they….. Here they are. I fed the little bird the berries and set it off back to where it was. 

 

I looked over to see the people shocked to see what they just saw. “I’m not a museum exhibit you know, quit staring.” I said under my breath, going back to my seat. 

 

The girl giggled, “that's funny, by the way, how long have you been able to do that?” she asked me.

 

“Since I was young, I've been able to do so.” I smiled, reminiscing back at the times where it ‘wasn’t so bad’. 

 

“Brother, she may be special. May we bring her back?” she looked up at her brother with sparkling eyes. “Please?” 

 

He stared at her wide sparkling eyes, “... Okay fine.” he concluded. 

 

“Yay! You’re the best! I love you so much!” She went up to her brother and started hugging him. From the looks of it, her brother really loved it, since he had a wide grin on and of course, he had to reply with a cocky response. 

 

“I know I'm the best” Narcistic . I sighed.

 

“Why are you so sure? I may be a really regular girl like every other woman in this world.” I knew with me asking this, it may take away my chances of survival since, it may change their mind but, it just came out before I even realised it. 

 

“Our encounter is enough proof for me.” she smiled as she stood up.

 

“Let’s go,” the girl held out her hand out to me. I took it, and we were off. 

 

Our encounter is enough proof for me… That’ll make a great song lyric. I smiled at my thought. Even if I were a new person, that doesn’t mean I should stop making music now, does it? 

 

 

 

The ride back to their palace was… really awkward. No one spoke at all. The most awkward car ride I ever experienced in my entire lifeline. But nonetheless, we finally made it. The palace was huge, well it was expected. It is a palace. 

 

The two got out the car and immediately, the girl spoke up, “Let’s go, I need to tell my father.” The girl pulled me with her. “Oh, I forgot I haven’t introduced myself yet, My name’s Jeon Junghwa. And the guy you saw over there was my brother, Jeon Jungkook. Nice to meet you,” she smiled at me as we walked together to meet her father. 

 

“I’m Seunghye…” I nervously introduced. 

 

“That’s a pretty name.” she complimented as we arrived in front of her father’s office.

 

“Father,” she entered the room, smiling at her father, “I’m back!” 

 

“Junghwa! You’re back already!” her father sounded very happy to see her. Weird… normally they’d despise the women…

 

“Father! I brought a friend with me. Is it okay if she stays here? I promise she’ll be good” She asked her father as I walked in the room. 

 

“Hello…” I bowed, “My name’s Seunghye, nice to meet you.” I looked up to be met by an intimidating look from her father, the king. 

 

“And why should we let her stay?” he father asked Junghwa.

 

“Because she may be of good use to the kingdom father. You know what she told me? She said that she could talk to animals. I saw it with my own eyes. She was communicating with them and when she told them to go back, it went back. It was so cool father,” the girl retold, “Please father…” she looked down, not wanting to meet her father’s eyes. 

 

He looked at me as if thinking of something “Of course, anything for my daughter.” he smiled at her. 

 

The hell…

 

Afterwards, she led me to a room, “this is my room. You should stay here since… it’s a bit dangerous to be alone here. I can protect you so it’ll be easier.” she smiled at me.

 

“Okay…” I stood in the middle of the room while the princess sat on her bed. 

 

“Come here, sit next to me.” she patted the bed, indicating me to go over. “So what do you like to do other than having to work and you know… being with that ty friend of yours.” She swore…? 

 

“Yo- you just…” 

 

“Yeah, I mean I can’t act all cute and stuff all the time am I right? I’m not supposed to tell that to anyone but like for some odd reason, I feel like I can tell you anything, is that weird?” She giggled. 

 

“So all of the things you just did was.. Fake?” I was very much confused. 

 

“Well, yeah. How else was I supposed to get the attention of the princes and the king? I have my methods.” she was a very nice person. It was as if I knew her already as if we have been close for years. 

 

“I’ll teach you some of my methods later though since if you just act like all another regular girl, they’ll just kill you so I’ll teach you my ways.” She was very confident in what she did. “So, what do you like doing in your spare time?” 

 

And, without thinking, I blurted it out,

 

“I like singing.”