Chapter 2: I

12 years ago, 

(Seoul, South Korea)

 

---

 

One early morning in a remote apartment, a woman's scream could be heard as she calls for her only child from the kitchen. 

 

     "Ryang Iseul, wake up already little girl you're going to be late on your first day of school!!" Said child's eyes snapped open as she flung herself up and ended up on the floor in the darkness of her room. "Iseul!"

 

    "C-coming mom!!" The young girl, still discombobulated from sleep, stumbles in her step as she rushes to the washroom to start the day. 

 

Ryang Iseul, who was 12 at the time, couldn't wait to start her first year of middle school! She was a big girl now and can-do big girl things, the steel blue haired had been counting the days until school officially starts. She couldn't wait to make lots of friends and do well in school! After washing up and wearing the uniform of her private school, Faith Middle School, Iseul comes downstairs to join her parents. 

 

     "Good morning mom, dad...I will eat well," After giving a brief greeting to her parents, Iseul began to chow down on the food. Her mother throws her an exasperated look. 

 

     "Good grief this girl, slow down you'll choke on your food." Sighing, Mrs. Ryang Ji-hyo pours her daughter a glass of water. "I've already packed your lunch, make sure to take it with you to school, okay? Let us know if you're missing any school materials, we'll get it for you on the way or we can transfer you the money." 

 

     "Don't worry too much honey, our little girl will do just fine at school." Mr. Ryang Tae-won cheerfully quips, downing his coffee and ruffling the hair of their only daughter. "Ain't that right kiddo?"

 

    "Yep!" Iseul paused mid-bite before looking up and beaming up to her parents who always look out and care for her. Even though they were really busy people, they always make sure to have time to spend with her albeit only little. "I'm a big girl now, mom and dad have nothing to worry about!"

 

Her parents were a busy bunch; Ryang Ji-hyo being a publicist at a well-known publishing company and Ryang Tae-won being an English professor at a university. 

 

Her mother, a beautiful middle-aged woman with short taupe black hair styled in a bob-cut and firm coral pink eyes while her father is a well aged man with navy blue hair always slicked back and calm pure brown orbs. Their only daughter Iseul had grown used to them coming home late and going home or to school by herself. She knows that they always mean well, so Iseul doesn't take it too hard that they can't be home early. 

 

They couldn't even continue their conversations as her mother's phone rang and it was back to work-mode already for her while her father was no doubt replying to emails on his phone. It wasn't long before they both get up to leave the apartment but not before giving their daughter a goodbye hug.

 

Iseul quickly finishes her food after and prepares her school things. She dashes out of the house and begins her way to school, taking the subway with ease before walking. 

 

That's when she sees it. In the alleyway, if one squints enough.

 

Three boys towering over one girl who was kneeling on the ground with her notebooks scattered around her. Iseul broke into a sprint. 

 

"Hey! What are you guys doing?"

 

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     "There you are, I told you to wait for me!" The steel blue haired girl doesn't think twice and makes her way to them with every intention of stopping them from bullying the poor girl. Her lips lift into a friendly smile as she moves past them so quickly and kneeling to the girl who was wearing baggy clothing underneath her school uniform-which is the same as Iseul's-giving the light caramel brown haired schoolmate a pat before helping her up. 

 

     "Let's go home together after school, okay? My parents miss you. Actually, they're just around the corner, you should come and say hi, I already messaged them when I saw you." 

 

"Wait you can't just-" One of the boys was sputtering but Iseul is faster.

 

Iseul then turns to the boys with a friendly smile, disarming and nonchalant. "-Can I help you guys with anything? My parents are coming in a bit so my friend and I have to go, like asap." The boys glared at her but they all quickly sprinted away from the two, leaving Iseul with the other girl. 

 

The steel blue haired girl sighed as she began picking up the fallen notebooks. "Whew, that was close. I thought we were goners. Oh right, I'm Ryang Iseul by the way!"

 

Having a good look at the girl now, she had light caramel brown hair that was covering her eyes quite well and she really was wearing jogging pants underneath her skirt. Iseul thinks its quite cool and comfortable that she does so. 

 

She hoped that the boys from earlier and anyone else will not bully this girl for dressing up however she liked. 'People should be allowed to dress up however they like'

 

     "Are you okay?" Handing the notebooks to the girl, Iseul gives her a warm smile when the girl responded with a nod. "That's good to hear, sorry you had to go through that, some people are just mean jerks...Ah! Class is almost starting we have to go!!" Grabbing the girl by the hand, the steel blue haired girl dashes, pulling the other girl with her. 

 

She was a bundle of nerves as she sees a teacher at the entrance already nagging at some of the students who were entering. However, to her surprise when they arrived, the teacher doesn't pay them any attention even after passing by him. Her eyes were filled with confusion but Iseul was opportunistic enough to take advantage of the strange situation. 

 

    "Wow, we got so lucky...We're still late though ha ha" Once they enter the school building, she turned to the other girl and let’s go of her hand. Iseul smiled at her one more time before walking away with a friendly wave. "I'll be heading to my class now, see you around! Oh, and-"

 

Soft coral pink crinkled as she whispers not so subtly "-Your jogging pants are pretty cool. Don't mind those boys, okay? Bye!" Not waiting for a reply, Iseul jogs away and goes upstairs to find her classroom. 

 

Unbeknownst to her, the light caramel brown haired girl's eyes were glowing when they passed by the teacher, preventing them from being noticed. 

 

     "Hmm, Ryang Iseul, she said.... she looks like a healer in one of my games...Good, good. I was getting sick of all these NPCs anyways..." A giggle leaves her as the girl leisurely makes her way to class. "Little healer candidate for my team party-"

 

The girl's lips form a small grin as her head lifted to slightly reveal pitch black eyes that was devoid of any light. They were the very eyes that had unnerved the boys when they passed by her, on edge at the blankness in her gaze when she doesn't even apologize for bumping into them so rudely. 

 

"-My name is Park Eun-ji. Nice to meet you too."

 

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