The second week almost ended but the dragons hadn’t showed up yet. They said it’ll be coming any time soon. I prayed every day for what they said will come out oppositely. Only God knew how relieved I was if it was true. No matter how ready I was, I’ll never, never want to fight with dragons. Dragon with an ‘s’ at the end of the word, which mean, lots of dragons. Thinking about it made my neck-hair stood up. I rubbed my neck. 

I’ve never seen a dragon before. I knew how it looks like based on the fairytales and movies and yeah, I remembered a cartoon that I watched on television before I reached Neverland.

“Here we are.” Kiseop walked into a street filled with stall on the left and right.

The stalls were arranged in a straight row and close to each other. The weather was slightly damped and there’s puddles of water. I tried to avoid from stepping into the puddle since this was the only slippers I bought from home. I didn’t really have any choice of bringing anything here.

He promised me to go for a tour at the village market. I was the one who told him to bring me here. I wanted to know more on how the people of Neverland were, how they actually dress and look like. From the time I arrived here at Neverland, I haven’t got the chance to get out from the castle. All these practices made me felt a bit stressed but I managed to handle it, especially when the tutors were 7 hot people.

I pursed my lips while looking around. The citizens were not what I expected. They’re more elegant and graceful. Women there were wearing gown and long dress. The men were in suit attire, well some of them were. The stallholders were mostly in loose pants and shirt.

We came across a stall that was grilling something. The smell got into my nose and pulled me closer to the stall unconsciously. I peeked at the food. It was meats sliced thinly and pricked on stick.

The man who was the stallholder packed the ready one into a small paper bag and passed it to a young girl at the front of the line. People were actually lining up just to buy grilled meat.

“You want that?” Kiseop pointed to the meats on the grill.

I shook my head. “No, it’s okay. Let’s keep walking.” Not that I didn’t want it but I’m not that patient to wait for that long line. What's more, I just had the grilled meat for dinner last night. Oh, you have no idea what the castle’s cooker will serve you. It’s simple but I can taste the difference from the food that I usually eat. It’s more real and fresh. I’m not sure if that were the right words to used in describing the meal that I ate here.

Stalls that sold clothes and accessories were also here. Kiseop drew me closer to one of the accessories stall. Ancient rings, pendants and rings were sold. He took a necklace that has a round bronze pendant. Kiseop opened the pendant and a clock was visible inside it.  His face gave the expression as if he wanted to buy it but he placed the necklace back on the table.

He turned to me. “We should get you some clothes. You can’t depend only with what Kevin’s sewed right?” Kiseop giggled.

“I guess you’re right, but-” I played with my fingers. “I don’t have any money.”

“Hey,” Kiseop wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “That’s why I’m here.”

Without me noticing, the girls around the market were actually eyeing on me. I can sense the weird and awkward aura from the surrounding. I turned around and met eye to eye with a girl that was glaring at me from the distance.    

 “Y...yea... yeah.” I stuttered and pushed his arm down. He noticed that I keep on looking at one place. Kiseop stared at where I looked before and he saw the girls who were watching me. He grabbed my hand and dragged me away from there.

I checked on the girl and this time she was whispering with the other girls around and now, more people were looking at us. I can hear someone behind me saying things like; what is she doing with him? Who is she? How can she be with Kiseop?   

I bet Kiseop’s famous around here. Everyone knows him. You know what girls; I am the lucky one because I can hang out with him. If only I can say that on their face then they’ll stop gossiping.

After lots of shopping, we left the market. I felt more ease leaving those blabbermouth girls back there.

“Thank you, for these.” I showed his all the dress he bought.

“Nothing much.” He smiled.

“You must have used lots of cash.”

“We use gold here.” Kiseop chuckled. “It’s okay Naeun. I don’t really have anything else to spend it for.”

 I had nothing else to say when he answered it that way. I just nodded and waved him goodbye.

I emptied the wardrobe from the old unwanted long dress and gown that I wasn’t going to wear and stowed what had been bought today inside it. The sling bag that I brought when I first arrived here, fall from the wardrobe. I picked it up. Inside, were stuffs that I used to never been able to live without (phone, mp3, etc.) and also my t-shirt and jeans that I wore when I first came here.

Suddenly, I felt homesick. I missed home. I missed Madam GaYoung (one of my keepers at the orphanage.) The atmosphere here was completely out of the ordinary from where I came from. Not in a bad way, but I just missed everything from before. 

It’s still early. The sun hasn’t hid itself from the sky yet. I ambled out from the room and aimed to AJ’s and Dongho’s room. It’s quiet. This was unusual. There’s always the sound of them arguing about something or Dongho’s laughter or even the noise from their spells’ practice.

Maybe they’re out. I could go and find Kevin then. I knocked on his door. Twice, however, no one opened it. I sighed. Where is everybody? I should have asked Kiseop to stay with me until dinner.    

I moved to the veranda. The sky was as usual - dark blue, and snows were falling down. I reached out my hand to touch the snow. It reached my palm and melt. Soohyun then appeared from behind and stood right next to me.

Forgive me if this story is getting more boring :(