As we were heading back into the classroom, Juyeon started to get even more alert. At first, I didn't notice it as I assumed that he's probably bothered by a fly or something but I soon realized that it wasn't just that. He'd ask me what time it was or what day it was and no matter how many times I've answered him, he'd still repeat the same questions over and over again.
Clearly, he wasn't doing great and I need to know the reason behind his sudden anxious behavior. It was like something just snapped inside of him to suddenly be like this!
"Hey, are you okay?"
I ask as I take a look at him, seeing how he seems like he's listening closely over something.
"Y-Yes?"
He stutters as I tilt my head at him, later placing the back of my hand on top of his forehead. He surely doesn't have a fever but he looks like he's sick. I put my pen down, trying to see if something is hurting within him.
Obviously without touching him because that would be weird.
"What's going on?"
I ask once more as he only gulps, licking his chapped lips.
"I have to go. I feel like something... is currently happening."
Juyeon speaks out faintly as he stands up from his desk, walking towards the teacher with a shuddering figure. I wanted to follow where he went but that would be too weird if he went into the bathroom. As Mr. Suh nodded, Juyeon exited the classroom immediately.
Now, every single thing he does is making me feel paranoid.
I had to check my phone every second because what if Juyeon just decided not to come back? Something might've already happened to him if he doesn't come back here within the span of five minutes. I don't want to think that there's a dangerous situation behind it but I'm getting scared for him.
He just told me that something was definitely happening.
"Hey, is Juyeon doing okay? He seemed kinda sick."
Jungwoo asks as I shrug, not knowing what to answer back. He doesn't know Juyeon is a purple cat hybrid from a different world. I lay my back against the rails of my chair, letting out a nervous chuckle as I make up a convincing response.
"He's like that a lot. He won't tell me if something's going on with him... He can be really secretive at times."
I say as Jungwoo nods, snickering with a hint of awkwardness between us. Well, he's a little considerate now with the fact that he asked about how Juyeon's feeling. The last time I talked to him before the whole incident was that he was trying to get Juyeon into answering his math homework.
Yeah, typical jocks. Well, he's not that typical now after the many events that happened earlier. Juyeon was literally circled by a whole group of students warning him about me, I had an embarrassing breakdown in front of them, my hair was grabbed by Chaeyoung, and I was sent to the principal's office alongside her.
Could this day get any better?
"Hey, can I ask you a question?"
Jungwoo asks once more as I bite my bottom lip, having no choice but to respond to him. I wanted to listen to the lecture for once. Ever since the issue blew up, I've never really had that much time to pay attention to studying, especially when you have a cat hybrid trying to convince you to let him answer your assignments.
"Uh, sure. What is it?"
I asked, putting my pen down the second time as I was once busy writing notes.
"Are you dating him?"
"Oh, we're not together. We're just friends."
I answered, resulting in Jungwoo staring at me for a while. The silence was making all of my hair stand in embarrassment. I hated moments like this.
"Then, maybe I can ask you out... Right?"
He asks as I let out a sigh, scratching the back of my head. This is going to make me look worse so there's little chance that I'd say yes. The principal already sent Chaeyoung home, meaning that he believed me no matter how unbelievable I seemed. It would just prove their claims about me and I don't want that. Besides, I still don't trust him after what he did to me.
"Oh, I'm not really ready for a boyfriend yet. Too young and dumb to have one."
I tried to reject him in the nicest way possible but it still hurt him, of course.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. You'll get over me in a while anyway."
I said, sincerely smiling at him before I continued taking notes from the PowerPoint presentation. Time started to pass by and the seat beside me was still empty. I decided to check my phone, noticing that ten minutes had already passed as Juyeon wasn't still in the room. The skies from the outside turned dark as if there was a storm starting in a few seconds while the temperature around the classroom got colder. The teacher wears a cardigan, shivering in the sudden cold weather as I finally started to pack my backpack. Something was happening and it didn't rub me the right way. I raised my hand in order to catch my teacher's attention only to be interrupted by the door slamming open.
Juyeon was there and I felt relieved for a few moments until I watched how the terror in his eyes grew full.
"Everyone, get out!"
Loud raging footsteps were echoing across the hallways. The darkness from outside started to creep into the corners of the hallways as all of us rushed out of the classroom. I let the others out first before me because I knew that none of them knew what the situation was or the reason behind Juyeon's blood-curdling warning for us to get out. I didn't even know what's going on but I was the person that Juyeon was "protecting" from something. I took a last glance at the empty classroom before feeling a hand grab mine as I turned to see the cat in its original form.
Not even he knew what to do with the phenomenon.
"Juyeon?"
"Y/N, what are you doing here? You have to get out of here now! They're already here."
Juyeon's eyes glowed within the darkness surrounding the area as he pulled me closer to him, tightening his grip around my waist before running towards the window inside my classroom. He takes a step back, taking a deep breath as he crashes his body into the glass, turning it into shards while his hand shields the back of my neck. He lands on the ground without an injury as he lets me set my feet on the ground. Crying students were heard, causing both of us to turn around and see red creatures walking around the hallways holding staves.
Are they... life-sized cards?
The cat drags me along him, shoving me into a cramped janitor's closet as his entire palm covers my mouth. An unknown pale man emerges from the group of red creatures, standing with his shoulders in great posture as if he's part of royalty.
"Where is the new young lass of this class?"
Both of our hearts were racing in fear, considering that the red cards were as tall as six feet or more. Juyeon couldn't even breathe properly even if he was the one covering my mouth.
We stared at the small window that was at the door, trying to lower ourselves down so that none of those card people who were walking around the hallways found out where we were hiding. I couldn't breathe because of the fear I've been feeling.
"Don't make a move... Card Soldiers can feel people easily... They're just like paper but stronger and worse, of course."
He says as I nod, trying to breathe properly as we both hear a Card Soldier stop walking. It later steps twice before breaking the door open, taking it away from its hinges before throwing it all away like it's nothing.
"You will not be executed if you-"
Before the Card Soldier could even finish, the purple fog started to surround both Juyeon and me as we appeared in the hallways once again. We run hurriedly, seeing the Card Soldiers appear as we tried to hide in every corner. It was like a game of cat and mouse. Ironically, Juyeon and I are the mice and the Card Soldiers are the cats.
"You mangy cat! You stole the Oraculum from us!"
One of them yelled at him as they pulled him away from me, causing him to let go of me. The cat reaches out for my hand, struggling within the Card Soldiers' grip around him.
"Juyeon!"
I called out his name as the red creatures cuffed my wrists, dragging me to wherever they went without a care. I couldn't break free from them. I can't believe that I'm seeing Juyeon's look of terror when he realized I can't break free.
And he can't break free either.
"Y/N!- Let me go, you imbeciles!"
"Devastated because of the cuffs that dampen your abilities? You should be."
One of them said back as the next words started to sound like nothing but a blur to me. I felt exhausted, trying to get away from their tightened restraints but nothing worked anymore. Not even a kick worked, especially with such a weak human like me. I doubt that anyone in this world would do better than I did in trying to escape these big creatures. I was later thrown to the ground, forced to kneel in front of the pale man. I bowed my head down, shaking my head in both disappointment and fear.
So, this is what Juyeon was afraid of.
And I might just have to be afraid of it, too.
"My... My... What do we have here?"
He mocks, getting down in one knee as I feel his fingertips brush my chin delicately. The man tries to make me lift my head up and face him as I turn my head away, not wanting to even look at him for one second. Why the hell is he treating me like this?
"Don't be too sulky, my bride. We don't even know each other yet."
Bride?! I remember clearly that I didn't agree with anything like marriage. I'm still a young woman and even if I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't just marry him. I don't even know this person. What makes him think that I'll ever marry him?!
"Speaking of not knowing each other yet... Let me introduce myself. I go by the name of Choi Chanhee, son of the Queen of Hearts, pleased to meet you."
He takes a pause for a bit, probably waiting for me to lift my head up. The man walks from left to right, letting out a confused murmur before kneeling down in front of me once more.
"Let me see the face of my bride..."
He requests as I lift my head up, seeing the satisfied smile across his face. I did it because he asked politely even if I didn't trust him and I had no choice. I'd prefer showing my face than getting myself killed, especially with those large Card Soldiers holding the long staffs and such.
The man touches the side of my face, taking a long time to feel the sagged skin under my eyes as he hums melodies to himself. He shakes his head in pity, probably thinking that I'm such a poor soul.
"It seems like you have a little bit of problem sleeping, eh? I can sing lullabies to you while you fall asleep."
He says with a little laugh, scratching the top of my head so lightly that it weirdly is comforting despite this situation. I furrow my brows, looking away from the man as I later feel a pair of lips on my forehead. I don't want any of this. He's not supposed to do this to me.
"And so, you will."
Those were the last words I've heard from him before I felt my head getting heavier, later falling to the ground as I finally closed my eyes.
The last thing I saw was the caring smile on his face.
~
"Wake up, Sunshine."
I heard that same calming voice again as I opened my eyes wide, turning to the side as I saw how one of my wrists was chained up against one of the four poles of the bed. I saw him give me a smile as I wriggled the chain, trying to break it. I felt the panic rush inside of my head. This wasn't my bedroom or my classroom. This was a completely different place. Now, I have to deal with another unusual creature from probably Underland.
I gave him a glare, causing him to tilt his head before reaching out to me as I pushed myself back into the corner.
"What are you going to do to me?"
I asked as he moved back, refraining from touching me as he sighed to himself.
"Nothing but taking care of you, Honey."
He says back as I roll my eyes, starting to wriggle the chain aggressively until my wrist feels like it's burning. The skin around my wrist felt so bruised and scratched, causing me to stop right after. I bowed my head down, closing my eyes shut to just think about how I could escape this. How could I escape from a stranger who wants to marry me?
I lifted my head up to see him still sitting on the red cushioned chair in front of me, doing nothing but watching every breath I take.
"You wouldn't have hurt yourself if you just didn't move so aggressively..."
He warns, shaking his head as he starts dangling his fingers on my heated wrist. He seemed like he genuinely cared but I don't know him. I shouldn't trust him at all.
"... What do you want?"
I asked, causing him to stop touching my wrist.
"To be the king and for you to be my queen."
He says as I shake my head, confused at why the bride is supposed to be me. Underland's population may not be as big as my world's but that doesn't mean he has no choices. Why do I have to be his bride?
"Why me, then? What do I have to do with this world?"
I ask, raising an eyebrow in frustration as he tilts his head. He stands up from the chair, walking towards me as he gets down on one knee once more. I couldn't take any of this smooth-talking, I needed an answer.
"You don't know why?"
He seemed so surprised because of me not knowing why I had to be his bride, which was understandable. I have no idea about everything happening right now and I'm starting to get more confused and lost. After the death of my mother, I was seen as an outsider and most likely a lunatic, too. It got to the point where I was being harassed for being a distraction during class, which was partly valid for me but I knew that I should've contacted my aunt instead of letting those people say made-up shit about me.
And then, Juyeon arrived and taught me how to stand up for myself even in small steps. However, my aunt wasn't that surprised about Juyeon's true form because she... knew him.
There's something important related between me and Underland.
That's what Juyeon doesn't want to tell me about.
"I don't know."
I say back as he lets out a sigh.
"Hmm, well... I believe you'll know about that sooner. I'll head into a specific meeting, alright? You stay here and have your beauty sleep, my bride. You don't want to look tired on our wedding day, do you?"
He asks in a comforting tone, caressing the side of my face gently before placing a small peck at the back of my palm. I could say that he's kind of a gentleman but it is definitely not gentle of him to lock me up in this bedroom alone. I mean, what can I do here?! What if I needed to go into the bathroom or something?!
"Oh... I almost forgot..."
He pulls out a small key from his pocket, inserting it into the lock of my chain as he twists it sideways. He sets me free in the process, which might've meant that I'm now free.
"Make yourself feel like you're at home around the palace. This will be your home in a few weeks and I cannot wait to finally rule this kingdom with you."
He gives me a dreamy and satisfied smile, later walking away as he opens the door. The man turns around to look at me for a while before slightly nodding.
"Come with me, will you?"
He asks as I tilt my head in confusion, raising an eyebrow before getting off of the bed.
"Okay?"
I shrugged, getting out of bed as I stood next to him. I waited for him to do something as he only stood there, staring into me like I was something so special to him. I don't know what's the point of putting me in chains when he's just going to set me free after I wake up. He lets out a sigh as he walks towards me, taking my hand into his before leading me out of the room.
"Are you... a prince?"
I didn't know anything about him but I had an idea that he was a prince. I mean, he wasn't ruling whatever this kingdom is and he wanted to marry me in order to do that. Plus, he mentioned that he's the son of a certain queen.
So, maybe he is one? I'm not sure.
"Yes... I am actually known as the Prince of Hearts."
He proudly states, holding my hand gently while we walk into the different halls of the palace. When I say that the palace is made up of cards, I'm not even lying at all. Walls had no blank color as the queen card that was colored in red and specifically designed with hearts were placed all over the walls.
Oh, his mother is probably a narcissist.
"Aren't you friends with that mangy cat?"
He asks, squinting at the thought of my best friend as I cross my arms.
"Oh, yes? I am friends with him."
I say back as I notice how the look on his face turns bitter.
"What have you done to him?"
I ask, slowly realizing that Juyeon hasn't been around since the incident happened. Just because I was talking to this guy casually, it didn't mean that I'll let go of the fact that he was the reason my only friend and I were separated. Juyeon is my guide and now that I'm in this world without a companion, I wouldn't know what to do next.
He scoffs, crossing his arms at me as if he's trying to mimic the way I act.
"Still thinking about Juyeon as a hero? Oh, you might've mistaken."
He chuckles, shaking his head as if I'm someone who's too clueless. He's not wrong about me being clueless since I still don't know why Juyeon chose me instead of someone who actually needed more help.
"He stole the Oraculum and he had been on the wanted list of Underland for such a long time."
God, Juyeon should've told about this.
"It must be hard for you to take all of that in but yes, your friend is quite villainous."
He says with a rather melancholic tone, shaking his head once more to express pity. I didn't know Juyeon was a criminal here. Why did he have to steal the Oraculum? I don't even know what that is!
"Oraculum? What the hell is that?"
I blurt out, still confused about this world as the prince scoffs.
"It is similar to a calendar but it contains the past, the present, and the future of Underland."
The prince later leans in closer to my face, giving me an irritated look.
"Because of Juyeon stealing the damn Oraculum, we don't have knowledge about my mother's reign this time. What if I can never be the king? I'd make her disappointed in having a son like me."
He states, gulping as he later takes a look at his heart-shaped locket. The prince opens the locket, revealing a picture of him and a lady with a big head. That must've been his mother, the Queen of Hearts.
"I was a miracle baby and I have to be a miraculous king."
The prince takes a deep breath, closing the locket shut as I nod to myself.
"Damn, you really want to make your mom proud..."
I murmur, letting out a sigh as he stares at me with a judging look on his face. I shrugged, not wanting to show any type of discomfort around him as I later heard a few footsteps coming towards us. We both turned around to see a group of Card Soldiers alongside a man in a full-on black suit with one red sash and a bunch of jewelry.
To me, he seemed like a rich butler as he even had curly yet kept hair.
"Greetings, my prince."
"What do you have in mind by now?"
The prince asks as the man gives him a smirk. The man later unsheaths a large sword from the side of his thigh. I felt threatened honestly. He seemed like he was about to kill us both in one sitting.
"This is the infamous Vorpal Sword... The one that murdered your mother's Jabberwocky, specifically used by the Alice."
"And, why are you showing me this?"
Chanhee asks once more as the man chuckles, letting his confidence overflow. One thing that confused me was that the man mentioned the name Alice as if it was a title when he could've just said it in a basic way. Was it an individual? Or a group of creatures? I didn't know.
"A suggestion for both protecting the kingdom... and your lovely bride."
The man gives me a side-eye as he smirks once more, causing me to raise an eyebrow at him. Who is this guy? Why is he talking to the prince in that way? Were they close?
And in some way, why did they look like they were related to each other, too?
"Why did you look at my bride like that? You are so disrespectful for god's sake, Sunwoo."
"Come on! Can't I just find some creatures pretty? Like, are you blind, Chanhee? Look at that face!"
He says, gesturing his hand towards me as Chanhee massages his temples. Oh, so, they're close to each other. They might be brothers.
This guy is a little funny, too.
"I do agree that my bride is beautiful but, Sunwoo, you are not the groom to say such things."
Author's Note:
- Hello! Just a little update here: For next month (or next year lol), I will be uploading chapters on MONDAYS and FRIDAYS (KST)!! So, stay tuned for more chapters!!