Huzzah! It only took me 3 weeks this time!!!

Chapter 5 : A Breakthrough

“Are you sure you’re good to come with me today?”

Krystal cut herself off mid-yawn, biting her lip to keep closed, and nodded. Tiffany gave her a look of concern, but Krystal had finished her yawn and she smiled brightly. “Where else would I be? You’re picking out my sister’s engagement gift!”

Tiffany squealed and jumped up and down, grabbing Krystal’s hand. “This s going to be so much fun, I can’t wait for you to meet Mister Park, he’s so wonderful! He literally should be here any second.”

They had driven to “town” to meet someone Tiffany knew, and they were a few minutes early. Krystal was glad she was with Tiffany, she was a little creeped out by the emptiness of the town and she wouldn’t have wanted Tiffany out here by herself. Luckily they didn’t have to wait much longer. A bright yellow car came rolling down the street and stopped in front of them, and a little old man climbed out of the car.

“Mister Park!” Tiffany cried, running up to the man and hugging him. “You look amazing, how on earth do you manage it?!”

Mister Park chuckled and reached up to give Tiffany a pat on the head (by the Tree the man was tiny). “And you my dear, you’ve grown up so nicely. And now you’re getting engaged! Is this Krystal?”

Krystal smiled and nodded. “Tiffany told you about me?”

“She did, and you are as lovely as I imagine your sister to be. Well ladies, shall we begin the fun?”

They broke into an abandoned house (Krystal never got tired of watching bright Tiffany kick down doors) and set up in the kitchen. Mister Park brought several boxes out of his car and set them up on the counter. The first box he opened contained ring settings.

“I feel kind of bad for doing this behind Jessica’s back,” Tiffany admitted. “But I’m hoping she’ll understand.”

“She will,” Krystal said, “And I know she’ll love what you pick.”

Mister Park presented Tiffany with three options. “On the phone you said that you wanted to flank the pearls with your birthstones. These three settings are most optimal for such things. I can set them with the birthstones before you leave, and I trust you can take care of the pearls yourself.”

Tiffany smiled brightly. “Yes, thank you.” She pondered over the ring settings for a few moments before finally choosing a very simple setting in gold. The pearls would be mounted in the center of the ring, with a tiny setting on either side for the birthstones—A diamond for Jessica, and peridotite for Tiffany. Then it came time to choose the pearl she would put in Jessica’s ring. Mister Park opened another box, and Krystal’s jaw dropped. She had never seen so many pearls of different colors before!

Mister Park noticed her shock and laughed. “Many people think pearls only come in white, pink, and black, but nothing could be further from the truth. There are so many naturally occurring colors in pearls, and so many colors too.”

Tiffany looked over the pearls with an expert eye, and she chose two colors right away. “Jessica’s mentioned to me on several occasions that she likes black, but this green is absolutely stunning and it would look really nice with the birthstones.”

Mister Park chuckled. “You’ve always had excellent taste, Tiffany. That’s what we call a peacock pearl, because the iridescence makes it look green, black, and purple. I only have three with me today, so you won’t get much choice in size. The black ones are better for that.”

Tiffany turned to Krystal. “What do you think of them?”

Krystal hesitated, and Tiffany took her hand and placed the pearls on her palm. Krystal knew the green peacock pearl was gorgeous and Jessica would love it, but she found herself drawn to the black pearl for personal reasons. “I think Jessica would like the green, but the black is so beautiful.”

Tiffany looked over the other pearls again, holding them up next to her pink one. After a few minutes, she decided to go for the peacock pearl. Mister Park set the rings with the birthstones and showed Tiffany how to set the pearls. He gave her two boxes, and then asked Tiffany what she would trade for the pearl and the rings.

Krystal was momentarily panicked, realizing only then that they didn’t have money, but Tiffany pulled from her bag a small box and opened it to show a cluster of white and cream colored pearls. “Take as many as you want,” she said. Krystal’s eyes widened and Tiffany noticed, saying with a smile, “These are the pearls I collected while searching for the perfect one for Jessica. We have more, she doesn’t know about these.” She turned to Mister Park. “Will these be satisfactory?”

Mister Park looked them over with a critical eye before picking out six pearls. “These will do nicely.”

Tiffany gave Mister Park a hug. “I can’t thank you enough for this. It was so good to see you.”

“You as well, dear. Be well!”

As Tiffany and Krystal started back to the hotel, Krystal asked Tiffany, “Was that a fair trade?”

“Absolutely,” Tiffany said. “The peacock pearl was very rare, its value was equal to the six white pearls.”

“I’m beginning to realize that I know very little about money,” Krystal confessed. “How much is a black pearl worth?”

“Probably about the same,” Tiffany said. “Why, do you want one?”

“Kind of.”

“Well if you want, I can teach you how to look for pearls. I’m not sure how good you would be at diving for them because of your wings, but you could very easily find them in the clams that wash up on shore. Sometimes, though this is very rare, I find them on the beach after animals have picked open the clams and eaten the meat.”

Krystal smiled and nodded. “That would be great, thanks Tiffany.”

Tiffany extended her arm, and Krystal took it. They walked back to the hotel arm in arm. Later that night, Krystal called Jessica and Tiffany aside and said that she wanted to switch rooms with Tiffany, so the two of them could be together. The two of them went off in private after that, and when they came back two hours later they were wearing their engagement rings. Krystal had never seen her sister look more happy and more beautiful, and she could proudly say that she was looking forward to gaining a sister-in-law.

The more Krystal thought that she should meditate, the more she didn’t want to. This was supposed to be her vacation, why did the Tree need to mess with her now? Everyone always said that she was so spiritual and meditation was so easy for her, well not when all of a sudden she needed to, apparently, meditate harder. Or deeper. Or whatever it was the Tree wanted her to do. She wished it had just told her what she needed to do. Why the hell did she need to work harder than she already did? So Krystal refused to meditate.

Krystal spent her mornings lying in bed, now that Yoona was her roommate they woke up at about the same time. Sometimes they would lie in the same bed together and talk, it seemed like it had been a while since they really talked. In the afternoon Krystal helped make lunch, and then she would tan by the pool or go to the beach and collect shells. She had yet to tell Jessica that they should have been twins, she didn’t want to take her sister off the high of her engagement with this news.

Krystal went on purposely ignoring the Tree for a month. And the longer she did, the less she slept at night. Or at least, it felt like she wasn’t sleeping. She didn’t remember being awake, but when morning came she felt tired, as if she hadn’t slept at all. She hid it well, until her mood started to go into the toilet. That was when her fellow Guardians began to ask questions.

One day Krystal was supposed to be making lunch with Amber and Jinri, but the two of them were less focused on the food and more focused on Krystal.

“Is this because of Jessica and Tiffany?” Amber asked.

“No, of course not,” Krystal snapped. “Why would you even think that? I’ve been nothing but happy for them for months now!”

“Sorry,” Jinri said, and she sounded sincere. “It’s just that this mood of yours seems closely timed to their engagement. Can you tell us what is wrong to make you so…”

“y?” Amber offered.

“Touchy,” Jinri said, glaring at Amber.

Krystal rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. “I…can’t tell you. Because it’s…sort of personal and I need to figure it out for myself before I say it out loud.”

“Well, can’t we help you figure it out?” Amber asked.

“No, I don’t even know how to begin to explain it.” Krystal answered. She had tried to practice what to say, speaking out loud in empty rooms or muttering under her breath as she walked on the beach. She always stumbled over her words and she could never seem to find the right way to say what she wanted to. Besides, it felt unfair to spill the beans to her friends before she told her sister what was going on.

“Is there anything we can do to help you?” Amber pressed.

Krystal shrugged. “Let’s just cook,” she muttered.

Amber and Jinri fell silent, and from then on the only conversation was related to the meal they were preparing. But Krystal began to feel like she should say something, ask for any kind of help at all. She dropped the potato she was peeling and leaned over the sink, a deep sigh welling up in her chest.

“I need to meditate,” Krystal said. “And I don’t want to.”

Amber came over and gave her a pat on the back. “I did wonder if you had meditated at all recently.”

“I really haven’t.”

Jinri said, “Tao used to make me a calming tea to help me meditate. I always keep some on hand and I have some in my room, I’ll make you a cup if you want.”

“I think…I mean it’s not that I can’t meditate,” Krystal said. “I just don’t feel like it. But…maybe the tea would be a good idea.”

“Great, I’ll get it when we’re—”

“Now,” Krystal said quietly. It surprised her. It felt like was moving outside of her control. “I need to meditate now.”

Jinri nodded, showing no outward signs of alarm or annoyance. “Okay, I’ll go get it.”

“I need a quiet space,” Krystal continued, still stuck with the bizarre feeling that she wasn’t entirely in control of herself.

“Come with me upstairs,” Jinri said. “I’ve got some water boiling, I’ll just steal a bit for a cup and make the tea right now. We’ll get you set up in a room on the upper floor, we’ll tell the others that you needed some space.”

“Yes, that sounds good,” Krystal said. “Thank you.”

Krystal followed Jinri blindly, feeling like she was walking through fog. Her vision seemed to swim and flicker, though she never faltered in her path. She was aware of walking into a room, of Jinri pressing a cup into her hand, and then a door closing. She looked down at the cup of tea, and the next thing she knew it had gone cold in her hand. It felt like a second, but it must have been longer. She downed the tea in one go and then turned around. The bed in front of her looked so inviting, she thought a nap wouldn’t hurt. She collapsed on the bed and closed her eyes.

‘It’s about time.’

“Who are you?” Krystal asked, or she thought she did, but wasn’t moving.

‘Not who.’

“Well then, what are you?”

‘A part of a collective being. We have no singular identity.’

“Why are you in my head?”

‘I am your head. I am your thoughts.’

“Then, I’m talking to myself?”

‘You have no self in here.’

“I beg your pardon?”

‘If there is an identity to be bestowed upon me, then it is your soul.’

“You’re my soul?”

‘That’s what I said.’

“Are you what the Tree wanted me to find when it said to look deeper into myself?”

‘Yes. Although, we didn’t want it this way. You have basically pushed yourself to the brink, trying to resist us.’

“What is this us you keep mentioning?”

‘I told you, I am part of a collective being. A being that includes the Tree of Life itself. I am a piece of one whole, split apart and reaching across the entire universe.’

“If you’re me, then I am seriously disturbed. How can this be possible, I don’t even understand myself, this doesn’t make any sense!”

‘You’re not thinking like a Guardian, Krystal. Who are you? What is your place in this world?’

“To protect the Tree of Life.”

‘That’s a simple answer. You are brighter than that.’

“To…to protect people, to guide them, under the influence of the Tree.”

‘That’s better. But why do you protect people?’

“Because…because my gift makes me better at it? Because I’m supposed to be smart and wise?”

‘That is somewhat true. Some humans are born more resilient than others, and that is what calls magic to them. You are one of those humans.’

“Hang on, the Tree said that my soul was stubborn, because I should have been a twin, but I wasn’t but my soul waited and…something along those lines, but was that you?”

‘Yes, very good!’

“How can I be resilient if I died before I was born the first time?”

‘You came back, didn’t you?’

“…Touché. But why wait?”

‘Well, not all pieces of the collective are the same. I am very stubborn, it’s true, and I wanted my sister.’

“Your sister? You mean my sister!”

‘Our sister. Her soul is much like mine, I have been with that smaller piece of the collective for a long time. And besides that. I knew you would come back, and I knew that your body was where I belonged. I knew that you were supposed to have magic, and that we would be able to do great things. Which brings me back to why I wanted you to come deep into your own unconscious and realize what I am.’

“Well…I did that, didn’t I?”

‘You’re only half way there. I said I am part of a collective, what collective do you suppose that is?’

“The Guardians? All of them, together?”

‘It goes far beyond that, and it is connected to what it is that Guardians do.’

Krystal had to think about that. As a Guardian, she was supposed to guide people, to guide civilization. She was supposed to be a leader, an example, a protector…

‘Why?’ The voice in her head pressed. ‘Ask yourself that question—why do you protect them?’

“Because it’s the right thing to do! What other reason could there be?”

‘You’re still thinking one dimensionally. Krystal, think of the previous Generation, think of the love they have for each other.’

Krystal imagined them. She remembered the way they looked at each other how much love they had for each person, even if they weren’t married or romantically involved. One word came to her.

“Soul mates.”

‘Very close. And now I can tell you, because you have opened your mind. The thing is, there is no such thing as a soul mate. If you were to use that term, then we are all soul mates. Not just the Guardians, but everyone. The collective that I am a part of, every living being is part of it. And that is what the Guardians and the Tree protect. The Tree nourishes the earth, and the environment, but the Tree cannot reach everyone, and it doesn’t have a body with which to intervene. The Guardians nourish the human bodies that our collective soul resides in. The Guardians prevent people from hurting each other, because when we hurt each other, we hurt ourselves in the process.’

“But Guardians get hurt too!” Krystal cried. “We get hurt all the time, we’ve been hurt by our families!”

‘And you are not alone. You experience suffering but you also experience love, acceptance, and finding true family. Guardians are not the only people in the world who suffer, and it must happen to you in order for you to truly understand it. It is unfortunate, the way that it happens, at such a young age, but now you know how awful it is, now you know why, when people are hurt, they lash out. Because you felt that way. You have taken out your anger and suffering on those who didn’t deserve it, just as people have done in the past, just as they will do again. And you will be there to teach them forgiveness. Sometimes the hardest thing in the world to do is forgive those who hurt you, as the previous Generation of Guardians knows only too well.’

Krystal felt like everything she had ever learned was being enhanced, cemented together in a way that made the whole world seem better.

‘That is why Guardians must experience suffering. Loss, abandonment, misunderstanding…those are some of the hardest things in the world to forgive. But to become a Guardian, one must overcome hatred. This is what you need to teach your fellow Guardians.’

“But how can I do that?”

‘Tell them what I’ve told you, and meditate. Search within yourself without first pushing yourself beyond your physical limits. Show your fellow Generation, then show the Generation before you. They have been hurt by people who were blinded by misunderstanding and who lashed out in pain and anger. Those people need to be taught forgiveness as well, after you have defeated the darkness that surrounds them.’

“How will we defeat the darkness?” Krystal asked.

‘You will find out, if you follow my instructions. It’s not something you can figure out alone.’

It was dark when Krystal opened her eyes. The clock beside her bed showed 10 PM. She had been asleep for a while, but she figured that the others would still be awake. She leapt out of bed and ran to her old room, banging on the door. “Jess, Jessica open up!”

The door flew open. Jessica’s hair was askew and her eyes were wild. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Krystal took her hands. “I have to talk to you. It’s not bad though, it’s wonderful, it’s the most wonderful thing in the world!”

Jinri had a mysterious smile on her face, and it was driving Amber and Sooyoung mad.

“Will you just tell us what’s going on?” Sooyoung asked for the thousandth time. “She’s my sister, too!”

But Jinri shook her head. “I told you, I don’t know myself. I just know it’s going to be good.”

Sooyoung sank further down in her seat. If she went any lower she’d be on the floor, Amber thought to herself. Though, with her legs maybe she wouldn’t be.

“How good?” Amber asked.

“Really good.”

“How do you know?” Amber pressed.

Jinri shrugged. “I just know.”

“You’re infuriating,” Sooyoung said.

“She’s coming.”

“Who’s coming?”

Krystal came flying into the room—literally flying—and nearly knocked into the dining hall’s chandelier. Amber leapt out of her seat just as Krystal landed in the middle of the table. Sooyoung screeched in surprise, falling out of her chair and landing with a harsh thud on the floor.

“Where is everybody?!” Krystal yelled. “We need to talk!”

Jinri, the only person who hadn’t been startled by Krystal’s sudden entrance, pointed outside. “They’re by the pool.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Krystal asked, and she turned around and tripped right off the table, barely righting herself before she ended up face first on the floor.

“Slow down there, kiddo,” Jessica called, hurrying into the room. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Not to mention everyone else,” Sooyoung grumbled.

“Just hurry up,” Krystal whined, we need to talk, all of us!”

“What’s going on?” Amber asked.

Jessica grinned at her. “Trust me, you’re going to want to hear this.”

Yoona’s heart was racing and she was shaking, whether from fear or anger she didn’t know. Krystal had just finished filling them all in on what she had learned since that trip out to watch the sunset, and what she was saying just didn’t sit right with Yoona. She was sitting at the edge of the pool and she pulled her feet out of the water and hugged her knees to her chest, but that did little to quell her shivers. She had to remind herself that she wasn’t mad at Krystal, she was mad at the Tree, but it was hard when Krystal was the one talking about forgiveness and overcoming hatred.

“I think we should meditate in the ocean,” Krystal was saying. “It’s a spiritual place, I think it will really help us.”

“No,” Tiffany said. Everyone turned to stare at her and she added, “Not now, it’s dark, and anything could happen. You have to be careful with the ocean, especially at night, you have no idea how many sharks I’ve seen out there during the day time. They’ve never hurt me but they hunt at night.”

Krystal seemed to deflate a little, but she didn’t seem hurt. “Then tomorrow, first thing. It’s life changing, I promise, it’s like nothing you’ve ever felt before.”

Amber looked Yoona’s way. “Hey, you okay?”

Yoona wished she could paste a smile on her face for the sake of everyone watching. As it was, she felt more like she was about to cry. “Fine, I suppose. Just looking forward to having a little talk with the collective soul about what it’s put me through.”

Then she stood up and made to march away from the pool, but before she could take even a step Nana stopped her with a hand on her arm and said, “Well nobody said you can’t do that. Just like nobody said you have to forgive anyone right now.”

Yoona sat down again and put her feet back in the pool with a splash. She glowered at the water, her eyes filling with tears. “That thing’s got some nerve,” She sniffled.

“But it’s right,” Sooyoung said. “We can’t be leaders if we hold grudges.”

Yoona snorted. “Well I think we have every right to hold grudges.”

Hyoyeon came and sat down beside Yoona. “But you know, a grudge doesn’t solve anything. And forgiving someone for what they did doesn’t mean that you’re saying what they did was okay, nor does it mean that they can’t be punished. Within reason,” She added.

“And they should be punished,” Tiffany said, her expression dark. “Maybe this is odd to say but being here has made me think a lot about the past and we had some pretty awful things happen to us.”

Yoona knew she looked incredulous, and Tiffany smiled sadly. “What, you think that because I was wealthy I was never the subject of ridicule? I remember being in school, already in third grade at four years old, and every time I opened my mouth people would start talking. They said horrible things about me, and they did worse when there weren’t any teachers around. They locked me in a closet once. It was near the end of the school day and I got pushed to the floor, then someone put a bag over my head and…and by the time I got the bag off the door was locked. I was in there for so long…and I was so scared I wet myself. I couldn’t get the door open, I was too afraid to use my gift, not to mention it hadn’t really been fully developed by then. My dad and my siblings did look for me, but they didn’t think to check the school right away.”

“You didn’t go back, did you?” Jinri asked.

“I did,” Tiffany said. “I wanted to learn, and I liked school, even if I didn’t like the other students.”

“You’ve never mentioned this before,” Krystal said, and Yoona saw her glance at Jessica. Jessica didn’t look surprised.

“They were only kids,” Tiffany said quietly, “But their cruelty has always shocked me. I know who was responsible and I just…I just want to see them. Look into their eyes and ask why. If they apologize and mean it, that will be enough for me.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough for me,” Jinri said. Yoona had never seen her with such a cold expression before. “I was abandoned. My parents should be punished for that.”

“They will be,” Krystal said. “Listen, nobody is saying that we can’t punish those who wronged us but it has to be done within the reason of law.”

Yoona sighed heavily. “Yeah, but there’s no law that forces parents to love their children.” That was her biggest problem. She had been three years old when her mother left, and after that her father and sister had taken care of her, but they hadn’t loved her. Sometimes she wondered if they even knew she was a Guardian now.

“Look, guys,” Amber said, “I get where you’re all coming from. You, and our mentors, we’ve all been through some crazy, messed up stuff. We all have a reason to be angry. But any anger that causes the misuse of our authority or gifts goes against what it means to be a Guardian. That’s why the previous Generation is divided over what to do with the older Generations when we get back. On the one hand, they’re not like ordinary humans, so we can’t punish them like we would an ordinary human. On the other hand, we have to be careful about misusing our authority against those like us. Can we all try not to ever be divided the way that they are? In the end, our job is to be examples to others. So we can punish those who wronged us, but let’s never think of it as revenge and let’s not let it get to our heads. Can we at least agree on that?”

Yoona nodded, as did all the other girls. Revenge was a powerful word, too powerful to be used by a Guardian. “It’s not that I want to hurt anyone, I just want what’s fair to me.”

“Just keep reminding yourself of that,” Amber said.

Krystal met Tiffany down at the beach at sunrise. Krystal hadn’t slept, a combination of both excitement and the good rest she’d gotten during the day. Tiffany looked pretty tired, but she insisted that she was alright.

“You sure your wings are going to be fine?”

Krystal had bound her wings to her back with a strip of cloth, and she nodded. “It’s not that tight, just enough to keep them from floating around if I’m not paying attention.”

Tiffany grinned and handed Krystal a mask and a netted bag. “Just follow my lead, and if you need to go up for air tap my right shoulder twice.”

Krystal put her mask on and followed Tiffany into the ocean. They swam past the waves and once they were far enough out, Tiffany signaled that it was time to dive. Krystal had never been to this part of the ocean before, and she was fascinated by the reef. She knew better than to touch the coral or the fish, and she jerked back when a fish swam close to her face.

Tiffany dove to the ocean floor and Krystal followed close behind. Tiffany pointed out a cluster of oysters nearby, but Krystal’s eyes were drawn to a spot about 20 feet away. She swam over, pulling Tiffany along, and gestured towards a cluster of oysters that clung to a sunken piece of pipe. Tiffany grabbed the pipe and tugged gently, then shook her head. The pipe must have been too long to pull up. She began to tug at the oysters and hand them off to Krystal. Krystal put all but one in her bag, then she swam to the surface with Tiffany.

“Can we go in for a minute?” Krystal asked when they broke the surface. She held up her oyster. “I have a good feeling about this one.”

“Sure,” Tiffany said. They headed towards the beach, riding the waves in, and Krystal ran to the blanket they had set up.

“Hold on there,” Tiffany said as Krystal tried to pry the oyster open. “It doesn’t work like that. Watch me.” She took one of the oysters from Krystal’s bag and rifled through her box of pearl-diving equipment, coming up with a small peg that started off skinny and widened at the end. She shoved the skinniest end between the oyster shells and pushed it in, then she took a plier and inserted it into the gap. She pried the shell apart and picked through the meat of the shell until she pulled out a white pearl. “Now you can try.”

Krystal had a much harder time getting the oyster to open, but she managed it by herself. When she picked through the gross insides of the shell, she came away with a black pearl rolling around in her palm.

“How about that!” Tiffany cried. “A black pearl on your first try! I should have brought you out with me a long time ago.”

Krystal held the pearl up for inspection and grinned. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

The girls dressed in their bathing suits and lathered their shoulders and necks with sunblock, and they walked to an area of the beach where the sandy shore barely existed, and instead the forest seemed to pop right out of the ocean. It was perfect, because from that pot the skyscrapers and even the hotel itself were barely visible, making it feel like they were truly away from it all.

“How should we go about this?” Sunny asked.

“I think we should stand,” Luna said. “If we sit and a wave comes along while we’re out of it, we could drown.”

“How long do you think we’ll be out here?” Yoona asked.

“Krystal was unconscious for a long time,” Luna answered. “Who knows how long it’ll be for us.”

But Krystal shook her head. “I have a feeling it won’t be that long. I swear art of the reason I was knocked out for so long was because I was so tired. But I agree, we shouldn’t sit.” She waded out to about knee-depth and gestured for the other girls to follow. “This should be alright. Let’s stand in a circle.”

“Shoulder to shoulder?” Hyoyeon asked.

“Good idea, we can support each other that way,” Jessica said. “And hold hands, too.”

“Any special order?” Sooyoung asked, though she was already reaching for Nana’s hand.

“Any order you feel like,” Krystal said.

They gathered around, shoulders brushing the shoulder of the girl next to them, and linked their fingers together. A collective shiver went around the group, despite the heat of the sun.

“Now what?” Nana asked.

“Now we meditate,” Victoria said. “Everyone close your eyes.”

A minute passed. Then another. Krystal could sense growing nerves and tried to remain calm. She kept very still, feeling the wind and the water wash over her skin, and slowly she started to drift away. Suddenly she felt a sharp shock ripple through the group as Tiffany cried out—a wave had come along and she nearly lost her balance. The girls seemed to turn to her as one, each voicing her concern, and it was like the fabric of time and space snapped. The world went white and silent and Krystal could no longer feel her own body, yet at the same time she knew that she wasn’t alone, and she felt like she was being embraced by many different people. Slowly, she came to recognize those people as her fellow Guardians.

‘Welcome,’ said an echoing voice. ‘You have all gathered at last.’

When the girls came out of their meditation, Tiffany fell over, dragging Jessica and Hyoyeon with her. As all three of them landed in the ocean with a great splash, they realized that only a few seconds had passed in real time. They stared at each other in shock.

Amber was the first to speak. “That was unreal.”

“It was incredible,” Yoona said.

Tiffany stood up, hauling Jessica and Hyoyeon along as well. “I can’t believe the others never did this. They must not have, because if they had they would have told us.”

“We have to tell them!” Victoria said. “We have to show them!”

“Now?” Sunny blurted. “You mean, we’re leaving now?”

There was technically still five months left to their year long vacation. The girls looked around at each other.

“I mean…I guess we can wait,” Krystal said slowly. “But not too long.”

“We can come back,” Sooyoung added. “We can always come back, but this a big deal.”

Sunny shook her head. “I mean if you guys think we should leave we can, I’m just thinking about all the seashells we’ll have to pack up first!”

“How about this,” Amber said, “We’ll give ourselves one more week. Then we’ll go back and tell the guys what we’ve learned.”

They all agreed on that, and set off to enjoy their last week on the beach.

Is anyone going to kcon NYC New Jersey?