Kryptonite (Stray Kids Hwang Hyunjin)

One

BEFORE YOU READ THIS STORY: Read the first book of the trilogy which is called 'Until Then'.

Wonderland is just that: a land of wonder. Sounds like heaven to those who think a lot. In fact, if you asked Alex before she came how she thought of Wonderland, she would go on and on about how it would be heaven.

But Wonderland was far from heaven. It's a land of wonder but who ever said they were wondering about positive things? Majority of the time they wondered about one question: what now?

Right now was one of those moments. Eunbyul as pacing around the room, biting on her nails. She seemed the most worried about everything. Then again, she was sort of the reason behind all this happened. She was the one who got Hyunjin cursed.

Hyunjin sat at his dinner table, a cup of tea under his nose but he didn't drink it. In fact, the tea had gone cold long ago and all he had been doing was swirling his spoon around in it.

Alex and Seungmin sat beside each other in the couch. Alex was trembling as she recalled what had happened and Seungmin was deep in thought. Probably the first time he was caught up in some murder case, Alex thought.

She couldn't help thinking she may have also played a part in all of this. She always had this thing about her. She would bring danger to both herself and everyone around her. That's why her brother left. That's why everyone left.

"Argh!" Eunbyul screamed in annoyance. "I can't think of anything!" She sighed, sitting on the ground as pulled her legs to her chest. " Why did this have to happen?"

Hyunjin ran a hand through his hair and finally pushed his tea way from him.

"Don't worry," he simply said but it was clear he wasn't even certain. "I caused all this so I'll fix it all. I just...need some time."

"But that's the thing, Hyunjin! We have no time! By dawn the news will be passed on to the public and they'd go to seek revenge. And when they don't find us there, they'll go looking for us. Not trying to be mean or anything but your base over here doesn't really scream ultimate protection."

"Well what do you suppose we do then?" Hyunjin yelled, getting frustrated.

"We could run away," Seungmin mentioned.

"We can't run forever, Seungmin, they'll eventually find us," Eunbyul responded.

Alex couldn't agree with her more. She spent her whole life on Earth running. Running from anything that seemed a threat, never really knowing who was an enemy and who just simply didn't care. She had believed it had worked until she realised the burden inside her never really left, she was just numb to the feeling. It was only when she was eighteen when she realised why she couldn't escape: her biggest problem and enemy was herself.

"I don't mean forever," Seungmin mentioned. "Just until we have an idea. We're losing time we can be using to get away while at the same time think."

"And what happens when they realise we're missing and suddenly return? They'd be on to us for sure," Eunbyul continued to argue.

"Not entirely," Hyunjin finally stepped in.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" The First Princess asked.

"Before the wedding ceremony, I told the rest of the princes and princesses my plan...and what your mother was planning to do. They all agreed to help out. If we run away to think things through, they would cover us up...just until we return."

"Wait, what? They were part of this?"

He nodded.

"How do you think Hyuna's throne was set on fire. I wasn't anywhere near her."

"So was Hyuna part of the plan?"

"Of course not, she would betray us in a blink of an eye. But Changbin was and he was the one who set her throne on fire."

"What about the lights?"

"I did that. Snuck in the palace a couple of days ago and messed with the lights."

Eunbyul let out a short chuckle.

"Wow, guess you really have grown up a lot since you left the palace."

He smiled at her and they spent whole minute smiling at each other until Alex finally took a stand.

"Excuse me guys, but the longer you stare in each other's eyes lovingly, the closer we are to being caught. So could be hurry things up a little?" Alex snapped, glaring at the both of them, but mostly Eunbyul.

Eunbyul and Seungmin both gave Alex a knowing smirk but she simply brushed them off. Hyunjin was just plain confused as to why Alex seemed so annoyed all of a sudden and why the other two were smirking at her.

"F-fine," he stuttered out. "But before we go, I have something I need to do, follow me."

"What is it?" The First Princess asked.

"You'll see."