Refresh (Stray Kids Hwang Hyunjin)

Twenty-five

^^^ I can't believe it's already been a year since we lost such an amazing person 😭😭. I thought after a year I'd feel better but time has past and it still stings...^^^

Somehow, a couple of weeks since Jinyoung and Jackson seemed to suddenly disappear, Alex found herself staring down at the grey, icy water of a river near her house. The one she had drowned herself in in her previous life.

"Are you sure about this?" Mark asked.

"Of course I am," she heaved a long sigh. "If I am ever to get answers, it's in there."

The water was calm, flowing slowly into the distance. Some patches were blocks of ice, others were just water. The sun sat low in the sky but, despite its presence, it was still awfully cold.

Alex pulled off her coat, then her hat, her scarf, her shoes and socks, and finally her jumper.

"What if you don't get any answers and just get hypothermia?" He added.

She laughed.

"Then I get hypothermia, I guess. At least I'll die trying."

And with that she took one slow, dreadful, agonising step into the freezing water. She waited about a minute before taking another step. This was it

***

Jinyoung bit into his freshly baked muffin and chewed it until all the flavour had been absorbed by his tongue.

"Delicious," he smiled. "I missed Earth food. So chewy and flavoursome and mouthwatering and-"

"Unhealthy," Jackson added with a chuckle. "Earth food is so unhealthy."

"But so good."

The other witch only shook his head as he filled his mouth with a piece of his carrot cake slice.

"Much better than Wonderland food, I must say... Or at least just your food."

"Ha ha, very funny, Jackson. Wonderland food is actually pretty good when we actually make it. Usually, we are too lazy to cook and end up using magic to make it," Jinyoung admitted.

"Well food in Skilt is ten times better than this... And it's healthy and organic. We also don't kill our beloved animals for meat."

"I had a bagel once in Skilt. I choked."

"Well of course you did! Food in Skilt is made of love. Something you don't have."

"Whatever..."

"You know, you're the reason I left Skilt. It was amazing there... Then I came here."

"Look, I'm so sorry. How was I supposed to know this whole Hyunjin and Alex thing was meant to happen in 2018 not 1820?"

"It's alright. Once we're done with all this, I'm going back to Skilt."

"That's fair... Still questioning if I want to stay in Wonderland or Earth. I think Skilt is too... Happy for me."

"Yeah, many people say that."

Suddenly Jinyoung tensed up.

"What is it?" Jackson asked but the witch stayed quiet for another minute.

"Something's not right," he mumbled. "When was the last time we checked in on Alex?"

"We don't have time to check up on her. Naymoor is still out there destroying Wonderland."

"Jackson... I think something bad happened to Alex."

"If it has to do with Lori, she'll be alright. It's just temporary, soon we'll stop it all."

"No... The portal to her... It's cold... And dark. Jackson, I don't think Lori's doing something to her."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I think she just died."

***

"Who are they?" King Naymoor growled. "Who are those idiots messing with my plans?"

"I don't know," Changbin lied.

"Liar! You stupid mortal, you think I'm that dumb? I could kill you right here, right now!"

"One's Jinyoung, I don't know the other," Hyuna blurted and when Changbin glared in her direction, she didn't seem ashamed at all.

"Jinyoung? Who is this you talk about?" The spirit yelled again before turning back to Changbin. "Watch yourself, you doof. Don't lie to me ever again."

Changbin gulped.

"He's a witch. The son of the Dark Witch of the South and the Great Warlock," Hyuna answered.

King Naymoor's Spirit rubbed his chin as a cunning smirk grew on his face.

"Their son, huh?"

"You know them?" The princess asked.

"Of course I do. They were still young in my day... But I know them alright." He rubbed his hands together. "This just made things a lot easier... So you know him but not his friend?"

"No. All I know is that he isn't from here."

"He isn't? Where is he from then?"

"The cook said something about-"

"Why are you telling him everything?" Changbin snapped. "Don't you see he's trying to become King again?"

"So what if he becomes King. Our wishes come true. Don't you want that?" Hyuna argued

"No! Hyunjin did nothing to deserve this... Same goes for Queen Ari."

"Don't deserve this? They are in the way of us getting our dream lives."

"More like a nightmare! They almost died, Hyuna. All because of our stupid wishes!"

"Our wishes are logical and they should have died." Hyuna looked at King Naymoor's Spirit. "She said something about Skilt."

The Spirit grinned.

"Skilt, huh? Well thank you so much, princess... Or should I say soon-to-be queen. You may leave."

Hyuna smiled sweetly at the Spirit before walking out of the room, leaving Changbin alone with him.

King Naymoor glared at him as he got closer.

"Stupid mortal. You're a coward, that's what you are. If you're not going to help me with conquering my land again, you're not going to help anyone ever again."

The Spirit snapped his finger and Changbin's body fell limply to the ground.

Lifeless.

Dead.

I just realised this chapter isn't the best to be posted today considering what happened a year ago...

~SpicyThaiChicken