(Song: Phil Collins - "Strangers Like Me" from "Tarzan")

 

 

 

“Whatever you do, I'll do it too,

Show me everything and tell me how.

It all means something,

And yet nothing to me.

 

I can see there's so much to learn,

It's all so close and yet so far.

I see myself as people see me,

Oh, I just know there's something bigger out there.”

 

 

 

“Professor!” A young girl rushes into a huge office filled with gigantic bookshelves. “There’s something you really need to see!”

 

 

The old professor looks up from his desk, fixes his glasses before answering his favorite student of all time, “I thought you said so every time.”

 

 

 

The girl pouts running her slender fingers through her soft light brown hair, and throws her petite figure onto the chair across the old man. 

 

 

“But Professor Collins, don’t you say it’s worth studying every time too?” 

 

 

 

“What is it this time then?” Collins puts down his fountain pen and diverts his gaze to the girl from his papers.

 

 

 

She immediately beams getting the attention she wants. 

 

 

And she takes a deep breath, ready to announce the news, “I think I found a new lead of Neverwhere’s location.”

 

 

 

Collins can’t help but leans closer, “What? Tell me!”

 

 

He is a famous and well-respected scholar in the “Below”, the mortal land, who dedicates his life on the study on the fairyland.

 

 

Yet, his search for Neverwhere and the “book” has been in vain all those years.

 

 

 

“Look, ” The girl smiles slamming a thick book onto the desk, making the table lamp shakes a little. “Page……. 578. It mentions something about the Two Moons. In Page 890, it said there are two Moon from two worlds.  But isn’t there is only one Moon and one Sun?”

 

 

 

The professor thinks for while, “Maybe we shouldn’t take it too literally…. Wait, where did you get this book?”

 

 

The girl throws a cheeky grin, “I borrowed it from Uncle Franco. He is a collector, remember?”

 

 

 

“Borrow? You asked and he agreed?” He taps his fingers on his desk.

 

 

“Hmm…….  I took it. Just for a day or two….. ” She casts her gaze anywhere but her professor. “Or maybe a week or so. He won’t notice it. It was just lying there.”

 

 

 

“Don’t you steal things again.” Collins sighs. “I’ll call him later about it.”

 

  

“Whatever.” The girl rolls her big eyes thinking of that mustache man. “Just a little more, we can find Neverwhere.”

 

 

 

He looks at her determined expression concernedly, “Wendy, I’ve spent most of my life finding it. And I have to tell you, it’s difficult. Although I believe it isn’t just a myth.”

 

 

“Listen to me. I found a lot of new clues, didn’t I?” Wendy explains enthusiastically. “Adding up to all the things we gathered so far, it should be somewhere near a lake.”

 

 

 

Collins has no choice but to agree. He gestures his favorite student to continue explaining her latest discovery.

 

 

Something tells him she is the one who can get things right.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“Father!” A young girl barges into a huge room within this gigantic palace. “You're gonna love to hear my story!”

 

 

A gentle and gracious looking man turns around and greets the new comer, whom is excitedly jumping around with a few servants catching up from behind and panting hard.

 

 

 

“Great hunting today, eh?”

 

 

“Yes!” She clings onto his arm. “I saw a white horse today. But it ran away so quickly. So the myth is real, father.”

 

 

“You always believe those myths.” He gestures the servants to leave them and ruffles his dearest daughter’s hair. “Just don’t hurt yourself, okay?”

 

 

“Okay.” She smiles sweetly.

 

 

 

She wants to continue her awesome story but a elegant woman walks in and butts into their conversation.

 

 

“Joohyun, how many times I told you to act like a girl.” The woman frowns. “I am not even asking you to act like a princess.” 

 

 

 

“Mom~” Joohyun whines. “But there is no fun acting like a girl or a princess.”

 

 

The king shrugs as the queen glares at him. “We have agreed to let Joohyun to do what she likes. Don’t worry, dear. Seulgi will keep an close eye on her for us.”

 

 

 

The queen reluctantly nods, since Joohyun’s cousin Seulgi is the most trustworthy person on fairyland they could ever find.

 

 

“Speaking which, why didn’t Seulgi go with you today?”

 

 

 

Joohyun pouts recalling her best friend aka cousin prefer staying in this boring palace practicing magic, “She was busy with something else.”

 

 

She just doesn’t get it - hanging out in the open fields, is the best thing she has ever done.

 

 

You can even practice magic with the animals, run freely within the valleys, play in the rivers.

 

 

 

The king knows exactly what his daughter has been thinking, “Come on, Joohyun. You can see Seulgi everyday.”

 

 

“She’s in the garden by the way. Come back for dinner within an hour, okay?” The queen adds.

 

 

 

“You’re right! I love you two!” Joohyun lifts a grin and pecks her parent’s cheeks before storming to search for her dear cousin.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Joohyun happily leaps to the palace’s garden, while greeting her people with her perfect smile.

 

 

She is loved by all on the fairyland.

 

 

Not only because she is such a beautiful maiden, but also because of her smartness, benevolence, and humbleness.

 

 

 

It is not that hard to spot her if you live in the Above.

 

 

She is always there shuttling through the streets and alleys, with her long hair floating like silk from behind.

 

 

She would treat kids sweets or play with them, she would give a helping hand to all the poor, she would ask everyone how their days are.

 

 

 

Joohyun looks around in this spacious garden, surrounded by all sorts of flowers, even the sparkling ones.

 

 

She wonders if her mother has given her the wrong information.

 

 

 

“Up here, Princess Irene.”

 

 

She follows the direction of the voice, and finally finds her cousin peeking from the tree house they built when they were children.

 

 

 

She then uses her magic to lift herself up, “What are you doing here?”

 

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t go hunting with you today.” Seulgi smiles apologetically. “But guess what, I have some good news for you because I stayed behind.”

 

 

 

“It’s okay.” Joohyun tilts her head in curiosity, “What is that?”

 

 

“I think I overheard the wizards talking about Neverwhere.”

 

 

 

“REALLY?” Joohyun shakes Seulgi’s shoulders in great excitement.

 

 

As the king said, this princess believes in every myth there is. 

 

 

She is that adventurous and bold.

 

 

 

“Easy.” Seulgi pats the hands on her thin shoulders. “You’re breaking me into pieces.”

 

 

“Sorry.” 

 

 

“Anyway,” Seulgi giggles witnessing Joohyun’s childishness. “They suspect it is in somewhere South. Near the Wonder Valley.”

 

 

 

“I though the Grand Wizard said it’s in the North.”

 

 

“If he was right, we should have found it by now.”

 

 

 

Joohyun scratches her head with a coy smile, “He is always right though.”

 

 

Seulgi steps back a little to take a good look at the princess, “If he is always right, why does this thing never glow as he said?” She asks as she points at the angel wing pendant hanging from the princess’s neck.

 

 

 

“Maybe it’s not the time?” Joohyun timidly answers tracing her index finger on that silver pendant avoiding her cousin's questioning gaze.

 

 

She knows the Grand Wizard could be wrong sometimes. He gave it to her when she was born, saying that it would guide her way, by light. Everyone knows it’s never glow for a single second. Not even when the princess once got lost in the woods. Not even when there was the first prince came and asked for her hand. It does not really serve its purpose as the Grand Wizard said.

 

 

 

“I don’t get you,” Seulgi folds her arms. “Do you really believe there are mortals? And there is a way to meet them?” 

 

 

Joohyun doesn’t like to be challenged, “The Below is real. Neverwhere is real. The book is real. We both saw those scrolls in the royal library. Don’t we think mortals have the lock, and we have the key?”

 

 

 

“But where is the box?” The younger girl is nice enough to play along.

 

 

“I don’t know. If I do, I would have brought the worlds back together.”

 

 

 

“Is it really good to live with the mortals again? I mean, they don’t know magic and they could be fearful towards us after such a long time. They might even not know we exist!”

 

 

Seulgi reasons with the princess while the latter is busy looking out at the fairyland from their treehouse high above.

 

 

“There is another world down there. I wanna know how it is.” Jooyhyun smiles and looks over her shoulder.

 

 

 

“Are you crazy?” Seulgi jumps. “It might be dangerous!”

 

 

“Are you coming with me?” Joohyun, however, ignores her best friend’s worry.

 

 

 

“What? You are really heading to the Wonder Valley? When? Next Month?” Seulgi shadows the princess whom is gliding down to the ground.

 

 

Joohyun lands on her feet and calmly replies, “Tonight.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy flings her backpack on her bony shoulder ready to leave her shared apartment with her half-sister Joy.

 

 

 

“Wendy-unnie, where are you going such late at night?” A sweet voice echoes from the kitchen.

 

 

“Sooyoung-ah, I am going to the lakeside in the outskirt. It won’t take long. I got a car now, remember?” Wendy reassures the girl. “I’ll bring you fried chicken on my way back, okay?”

 

 

 

Wendy’s father disappeared when she turned 7. The only thing he left for her is a weird-looking partly-dismembered angel pendant, a 5-year-old cute half-sister, and some fortune. She didn’t even know who their mothers are.

 

 

As a bright and warm girl she is born to be, she continues her life happily and independently with her only family member. She is also intelligent, has already read every book on this land of mortals in such a young age. And that’s why she is so eager to search for the book and the fairyland, since there are not enough knowledge for her to piece things together here.

 

 

 

“Is it something about that Neverwhere again?” Joy wipes her hands on her green apron, stepping into the living room.

 

 

She is one very obedient girl. She has always wanted to share the burden from her Wendy unnie and protect her from the vicious grown-up world for once.

 

 

 

“Yes, ” Wendy nods opening the front door. “Be good, okay? I’ll be back very soon.”

 

 

“Okay, unnie. Be safe.” Joy waves as she watches Wendy hops on her funky-looking 1969 boss 429 mustang, which she got from Uncle Franco, and its black paint has worn off a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Mortals don’t usually go out at night.  They mostly stay indoors, since they only have lights and lampposts.

 

 

It is awfully quiet and dark in the outskirt. Wendy shivers a little at the chilliness and the darkness. Holding her notebook and a self-made map on her hands, she starts her adventure for the night.

 

 

 

She is a really positive person. She believes if she made a mistake, at least she is one step closer to the right answer. Simply saying - trial and error.

 

 

After wandering in the dark for quite a while, Wendy rests under a tree staring at the lake in front of her.

 

 

 

“It can’t be.” She mumbles to herself taking a water bottle out of her heavy backpack. “The book said…….”

 

 

 

Something hits the back of her mind.

 

 

She sees the reflection of the moon on the tranquil water. As if there are two moons.

 

 

Maybe it is a lake? And she has to jump inside in order to get to the Above?

 

 

 

It doesn’t mean sense though. It’s the “Above”, why does she have to jump "down"?

 

 

She massages her temple trying to analyze with her smart brain. She can’t swim properly, so if she is really crazy enough to jump, she might die. But there are two Moons now. Only there are no signs of a box, a key or a lock.

 

 

So basically, she found nothing.

 

 

 

“Professor Collins, you are right about this." She grumbles to the grass by her feet, and starts packing her things since it’s getting really late.

 

 

Just when she wants to sit up, something falls from the tree. A dark shadow flashes across Wendy’s eyes, landing by the lake.

 

 

 

Wendy leaves her jaw hanging in mid-air, thinking she might have just seen a ghost.

 

 

She looks at the motionless bundle, and recognizes it could be a human.

 

 

 

“Holy Christ.” She randomly picks up a branch. “Someone fell from a tree?”

 

 

 

Out of her formidable curiosity, the girl approaches the figure slowly holding the branch tightly in her hands.

 

 

So it’s a girl, whose clothes are really weird and drenched.

 

 

 

 

She then pokes her with the branch.

 

 

 

 

No reply. Not even a movement from the fingers.

 

 

 

 

She pokes again.

 

 

 

 

“Ah- ” The girl groans in pain. “It hurts.”

 

 

Wendy immediately throws the branch away, and starts to worry about this stranger from the

…. tree. “Hello ? Are you alright?”

 

 

“It hurts….. My .” The girl fixes her hair which has been covering her face, revealing her gorgeous face. 

 

 

 

Wendy is stunned by such beauty, but based on her weird clothing and how she fell from a tree, she remains alert, “Hello?”

 

 

The girl stands up and looks at Wendy confusedly, “You look funny.”

 

 

“Hey, you look funny too!” Wendy protectively hugs herself. 

 

 

 

“Who are you?”

 

 

“I’m W- Why am I answering you?”

 

 

 

The girl glances around and has her curious eyes on Wendy’s book,  “Where did you get this?”

 

 

“Who are you to ask me all these questions after falling down from a tree?” Wendy is pissed meeting such a blunt person.

 

 

 

“I’m the princess!” The girl confidently chirps flipping her half-dry hair. “Wait what? I fell from a tree?”

 

 

“If you are a princess, I am Simba.” Wendy scoffs and points. “You just fell from there. Almost gave me a heart-attack.”

 

 

 

Joohyun fails to get the joke and her face turns seriousat a certain word, “You are sick? Is your heart okay?”

 

 

And so she reaches her hand out for Wendy, a hand with pink sparkles flying around.

 

 

 

Wendy nearly faints seeing the hand, “You….. Y-you are from …… Up there?”

 

 

Joohyun mistakes for Wendy being really sick, and holds her by the waist, “You look so pale.”

 

 

 

“You’re from the Above.” Wendy struggles a little and is in her own trance. “So this is really the Neverwhere.”

 

 

“Hey.” Joohyun doesn’t like to be ignored. “So I am right too. I just found the Neverwhere by myself and successfully arrived at the Below.”

 

 

 

“It wasn’t so successfully since you landed on your .” Wendy recovers from her thrill while writing on her map. “Anyway, I have to go. It’s getting late, you should go home too.”

 

 

Joohyun pouts again seeing the mortal starts to leave, “Wait! You have answered none of my question!”

 

 

 

“You don’t need to know, princess.” Wendy throws her a handkerchief. “You need this. And go back, it’s dangerous out there.”

 

 

She knows clearly what people would do when they found someone from the fairyland. Either way, it won’t be good for this princess.

 

 

 

Joohyun catches it with a swift move and catches up with Wendy, “I’m coming with you.”

 

 

“Why? No.” Wendy stops and her expression softens witnessing the innocence face of the princess. “Come back the other day, but don’t follow me. I don’t wanna get into trouble.”

 

 

 

“I need to know your world.” Joohyun yanks Wendy’s arm lightly. “You’ll be fine when I have this.”

 

 

She snaps her fingers as her other arm is clinging onto Wendy - they go invisible.

 

 

 

“Cool.” Wendy mumbles under her breath.

 

 

“We can fly if you want. Which village do you live in?” 

 

 

 

“Argh…… “ Wendy nearly forgets she’s from another world. “We’d better do things in my way except for emergencies, okay?”

 

 

“So you have a horse?” Joohyun asks with expectant eyes, thinking if there are white horses in the mortal world.

 

 

“Something like that. Just shut your mouth and follow me.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“So….. ”Joohyun shyly asks. “What is this metal monster?”

 

 

“It’s a car. An automobile.” Wendy is so focus on driving as she patiently explains. She doesn’t want to drive off of a cliff with a weirdly dressed “princess” beside her.

 

 

 

“Oh. Does it have a name?”

 

 

“No?” Wendy holds her laughter. So it’s just like those fairytales.

 

 

 

“Why don’t you name it?” 

 

 

“Because it’s a machine?”

 

 

 

“You should name it…. ” Joohyun blinks twice as the driver misses the look of her mischievous grin. “How about Seulgi?”

 

 

“What? What kind of name is that?” Wendy makes a turn trying to entertain the princess as best as she can.

 

 

 

“My name is Joohyun by the way. People often refer me as Princess Irene. I suppose your name is not Simba, right?” 

 

 

Then the driver finally laughs, “Wendy.”

 

 

 

“So Wendy, what is your occupation?”

 

 

“I’m PhD student…… A student who studies difficult stuff I guess.”

 

 

 

“It doesn’t sound fun.” Joohyun scrunches her nose. “So it’s why you got the book, from school?”

 

 

“It’s from my father.” 

 

 

“So what does your father do?”

 

 

“I don’t know. He went missing when I was 7.” Wendy can see the lights shimmering from their town.

 

 

 

“I’m sorry.” Joohyun figures she might have said something wrong.

 

 

“It’s okay, princess.”

 

 

“Just Joohyun’s fine.” The princess’s eyes widen seeing the man-made colorful lights and the high-rising buildings. “Wow………”

 

 

 

“You may wanna wipe the drool off your face.” Wendy lets out a chuckle.

 

 

“Wendy, do you know I can kill you with my magic?” Joohyun shoots her a glare, fiddling with her fingers.

 

 

 

Of course, she can’t. Magic is never to harm people.

 

 

But poor Wendy doesn’t have a clue and gulps hard, “My bad. No more lame jokes.”

 

 

 

“You are funny.” Joohyun giggles at the expressive complexion of her new friend. 

 

 

“And you are not.” Wendy pulls up at a cosy house. “We’re here.”

 

 

 

Joohyun compliantly waits at her seat, waiting for the other girl to unbuckle the seatbelt and open the door for her.

 

 

Wendy’s body stiffens leaning so close to the princess, as if she can’t be touched. Her hands stop seeing the pendant. She has a weird thought but she shakes it off very quickly. “Here you go. It might be a bit small for a princess. But it has everything we need.”

 

 

 

“I’m not that kind of princess you are thinking.” Joohyun sticks out her tongue.

 

 

“Whatever. Don’t use your magic in my house.”

 

 

“Okay ~”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“Unnie, you’re home?” 

 

 

 

Joohyun throws Wendy a questionable look hearing the voice. 

 

 

Wendy mouths “sister” before shouting back, “We have a guest tonight.”

 

 

 

“What? Who?” Followed by a tall girl with a round face rushing out and greets the duo. “She looks funny.”

 

 

“I told you.” Wendy mouths again.

 

 

 

“I’m Pr-” Joohyun’s mouth is covered by Wendy’s sweaty palm. 

 

 

“She’s a new classmate of mine, Joohyun. We bumped into each other on the lakeside. And she likes cosplaying.”

 

 

 

“Alright……Hi, I’m Sooyoung. But people call me Joy.” The youngest eyes Joohyun from head to toe. “But why is your clothes wet?”

 

 

“It rained. In the outskirt.” Wendy shows a stiff smile. “Before I was there. So mine isn’t wet.”

 

 

 

“Ah... And where is my fried chicken?” 

 

 

Wendy is about to plead for her sister’s forgiveness but Joohyun hands Joy a plastic box, “Here.”

 

 

“Thank you unnies.” Joy beams holding the box to her face. 

 

 

 

“Now go back to your room and eat up. I need to talk to Joohyun.” 

 

 

“Alrighty. Goodnight, Wendy-unnie! Joohyun-unnie!”

 

 

 

 

Wendy waits until Joy closes her bedroom door, “How did you know what fried chicken is? And how does it look like?”

 

 

“I saw the picture on a board on the way here.” Joohyun proudly answers. 

 

 

“Thank you.”

 

 

 

Joohyun is surprised seeing the sincerity in Wendy’s eyes, “Why did you lie? What is cosplay?”

 

 

“She doesn’t know much about the Neverwhere and the Above. And I don’t want to drag her into this.” Wendy sighs dragging Joohyun along to her bedroom. “Hmm, that, you don’t need to know.”

 

 

 

“I wanna know.” Joohyun retrieves her hand. “I wanna know everything here.”

 

 

“Take it slow, champ.” Wendy smiles and hands her a pile of clothes. “Now take a shower and get changed. It’s my clothes, un-used.”

 

 

 

The mortal is really tired after a long day and wants to get some rest but the princess just won’t let her go. 

 

 

“What is a shower?”

 

 

Wendy heaves another sigh, “Come on, I’ll show you.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy carefully snuggles on the sofa. 

 

 

She closes her eyes and sets her mind at rest. She steadies her breathing. Thinking tomorrow is gonna be a great day.

 

 

 

“May I know why are you sleeping here?” 

 

 

 

She opens her eyes and turns her head. Only sees Joohyun rubbing her sleepy eyes in her purple pajamas standing at the doorway.

  

 

“You are a princess. You need the bed.”

 

 

 

Joohyun dashes to her side and yanks her arms, “It can fit two people. And let me address it again, I am no typical princess.”

 

 

Wendy gets intimated a little and complies, “Anything you like, PRINCESS.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Joohyun wakes up to the smell of food.

 

 

She follows the scent, and finds a small girl cooking breakfast.

 

 

 

“Good morning, Wendy~”

 

 

“Good morning, runaway princess.”

 

 

 

Joohyun protests, “I told them I’ll…. go for a trip.”

 

 

Wendy raises an eyebrow, “Oh really? The king and the queen allowed their child wandering around alone?”

 

 

 

“There’s someone who knows I’m here.” Joohyun explains. 

 

 

Yes, Seulgi was there last night.

 

 

 

“Your prince?” Wendy awesomely flips the pancakes. 

 

 

“No, my cousin.”

 

 

 

“A boy?”

 

 

“A girl.”

 

 

 

They stay in silent for a while until the princess raises another question.

 

 

 

“What does this black thin box on the wall do?”

 

 

“It’s a television. You can watch things from all around the world.”

 

 

“Like a crystal ball?”

 

 

“You need that long black little box on the coffee table to control it. It’s called a remote control.” Wendy places her tasty pancakes on a plate.

 

 

 

Joohyun nods and tries to memorize everything Wendy has taught her so far.

 

 

“Press the red button to switch it on. Press it again to switch it off. Press the arrows on the left to switch channels, right to adjust the volume.”

 

 

 

The princess nods again. And she is totally absorbed into the world of technology, and this thing called, TV.

 

 

Wendy serves the plates and chuckles when she sees somone enjoying SpongeBob. “Eat first.”

 

 

 

“Oh, where is Joy?” Joohyun enjoys Wendy’s cooking as much as this cartoon. “What is this food called? It’s delicious.”

 

 

“She has an early class. And it’s called pancakes.”

 

 

 

“Then what is the white thing you’re holding?” 

 

 

“It’s a mobile phone. We communicate with this device when we’re far away from each other.”

 

 

 

“How about the scary white thing in the washroom with a hole in the centre?”

 

 

“A washing machine. It washes clothes for us.”

 

 

 

“And another black box that looks like a television in your room?”

 

 

“It’s a computer………” 

 

 

 

 

Wendy is exhausted already teaching Joohyun every modern inventions in her house the whole morning.

 

 

Joohyun is just another curious child like herself, so she can’t blame her for that.

 

 

 

“Remember the rules?”

 

 

“No magic, no sparkly hands.” Joohyun flashes a lopsided grin.

 

 

“Good, Let’s go.”

 

 

 

The princess can’t stop looking around as they walk on the streets. So that’s what the Below looks like. And these mortal fashion are quite comfortable after all. She looks down at her Converse sneakers and smiles. It might not be as beautiful as the Above, this world is certainly exciting.

 

 

And Joohyun loves it.

 

 

She uses her eyes to record everything she sees and asks Wendy for explanation from time to time. Even Joohyun herself is fascinated by Wendy’s patience and ability in explaining those alien stuff to her.

 

 

 

“Wendy?” Someone calls as they step into a new area.

 

 

“Seolhyun?” 

 

 

 

Joohyun watches the two girls greeting each other with a hug and wonders why Wendy told her not to greet people with a hug just a moment ago.

 

 

Smile, shake their hands. She said. 

 

 

 

“And this is?”

 

 

“This is Joohyun.” Wendy introduces. “She’s my…….”

 

 

 

Seolhyun turns to Joohyun and smiles, “Not a girlfriend I guess?”  

 

 

Wendy's smile turns stiff however, “No, just a childhood friend. I’m showing her around today.”

 

 

 

“Okay. I’m Seolhyun, Wendy’s classmate. Nice to meet you.” 

 

 

“H-hi, nice to….  meet you too.” Joohyun successfully replies normally and shakes hands under Wendy’s signals.

 

 

 

“Suzy's looking for you by the way. Drop by if you have the time.” Seolhyun throws a wink to Wendy before taking off,  “What a pretty friend you have.”

 

 

Wendy heaves a sigh of relief after Seolhyun walks away.

 

 

 

“What is a girlfriend?” The hint of innocence in her voice makes Wendy not to flip out somehow.

 

 

Instead, she face-palms.

 

 

 

“Answer me.”

 

 

“I’ll explain to you on the way.” Wendy blurts and strides away with Joohyun tailing behind.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“So how long would you date before getting married?” Joohyun asks when they are entering a building.

 

 

“It depends. Normally, 2 to 3 years.”

 

 

 

“Why do you have to wait for so long if you found the true love?”

 

 

Wendy feels the goosebumps on her skin with a certain word, “Let say true love is hard to find in here.”

 

 

“Oh. ” Joohyun thinks maybe life in the Below isn’t that much greater.

 

 

 

“You’ll wait here.” Wendy gestures Joohyun to sit on the very last row in this lecture hall.

 

 

Joohyun can see there are a whole bunch of people down there.

 

 

 

Wendy greets her friends from the glee club. 

 

 

She has agreed to be their guitar player for this year’s show But she has been so busy with her search for Neverwhere, she seldom goes to practice with them.

 

 

A boy shoves a guitar into her hands and makes her rehearse a bit with them. Wendy knows it’ll be ungracious if she declines it, so she plays the strings skillfully while humming the melodies harmonized with those from her friends.

 

 

Joohyun’s ears perk up hearing music. There’s always nice pleasant cheerful music in the Above. She’d never imagine mortals also play beautiful music and sing. She doesn’t know if it’s just the mortal she befriended with. The mortal who always gives her funny feelings.

 

 

 

“Every gesture, every move that she makes,

Makes me feel like never before.

Why do I have,

This growing need to be beside her.

 

Oh, these emotions I never knew,

Of some other world far beyond this place.

Beyond the trees, above the clouds,

Oh, I see before me a new horizon.”

 

 

 

“So you can sing.” Joohyun smiles while Wendy joins her again.

 

 

“I can. I just won’t burst out singing on the streets.”

 

 

 

“How do you know people sing on the streets in my world?”

 

 

“I just know.” Wendy smirks. Yep, she grew up watching Disney.

 

 

 

“I wanna show you my world too.” 

 

 

“I know it’s majestic, and magical. Birds singing, people dancing, sun raying, star shining-”

 

 

 

“You’ve never seen it with your own eyes though.” Joohyun tugs the hem of Wendy’s cardigan. “And it needs to be felt with your heart as well.”

 

 

“Hey, you want me to jump into the lake with you?” 

 

 

“Yeah, more specifically, I want you to come with me too.”

 

 

 

“I cannot leave everything behind like you did.” Wendy feels flattered but she is always the considerate type. “We don’t even know how people would react knowing the myth is true.”

 

 

“Then I'll stay here for a little more while.” Joohyun folds her arms planting herself on the ground.

 

 

 

“I’m not kicking you away.” Wendy breaks into a bright smile at the princess’s randomness. “Come on, I’ll show you my world~”

 

 

She imitates Aladdin for a little and takes Joohyun by the hand, walking to Collins’s office.

 

 

 

“Come with me now to see my world,

Where there's beauty beyond your dreams.

Can you feel the things I feel,

Right now, with you.

 

Take my hand,

There's a world I need to know.”

 

 

 

“We are going to meet my professor, Collins. He has been studying your world for years.” Wendy gives every information Joohyun needs by the door. “He would be so thrilled to meet you.”

 

 

“So he’s very wise ?”

 

 

“Yes.”

 

 

 

“And he would help us, right?” Joohyun shows her puppy eyes.

 

 

Wendy is lost frankly, “Help us?”

 

 

 

“We are going to find the book, right?” 

 

 

“To ye whom seek the book, it would be unveiled to the worlds again when two Moons collide. They lay within the flashes of thee. When the key turns and the lock opens, ye would become one again?” Wendy recites the words she has been analyzing for the past few years.

 

 

 

Joohyun’s grin grows wider, “Yes. You know it too so it saves us a lot of work.”

 

 

Wendy steals a glance of Joohyun’s pendant, then traces the one hidden under her white shirt, “Yeah. We are going to find the book, together.”

 

 

 

“We will find it and change everything.”

 

 

“Collins would be a great help.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here is the first chapter ~

We have Princess Irene with sparkly hands and Student Wendy with smart brain here lol

 

Tell me how do you think ?

They have met already *wink wink*

 

Hope you guys would support this like you always do :)

p.s. find me on twitter (@AD_saudades) and Ask.fm (@ariel_AD0932)

xo