Master Choi's eyes widened, a hint of surprise flitting across his stoic face. " I had not expected the untrained Earthling to be able to predict and counter Sol's moves so swiftly. It's clear that Si-Woo has a natural instinct for combat, one that could be honed into something formidable with the right training."
Sol's cheeks flushed with anger at the unexpected counterattack. He lunged at Si-Woo again, his fists clenched tightly, but before he could make contact, Master Choi's authoritative voice boomed through the hall. "Halt!" The word echoed, and the room fell silent.
The students' eyes darted to the instructor, who had not moved from his position at the edge of the mat. His expression was unreadable, but his voice was firm. "The lesson has concluded, You should have an idea of what I want to see," he announced, his gaze shifting between the two fighters and the students. "Return to your stations with your partner."
Si-Woo stared at his hands in amazement, feeling the thrum of energy just beneath his skin. "I had never felt so alive, so connected to my own strength." he thought when his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
"You're a dead man walking, Earthling, Yeah, my father is part of the royal guard and told me all about where you come from." Sol's voice was a sneer as he stalked past Si-Woo, his shoulder slamming into him with enough force to make him stumble. The crowd of students surrounding the sparring circle parted like the sea, allowing Sol to exit with his pride somewhat intact.
Shaking off the dust, Si-Woo made his way back to his designated spot, his eyes not quite meeting anyone's. The whispers grew louder as they resumed their training, the buzz of the encounter with Sol resonating through the hall. Despite his victory in not getting too hurt, Si-Woo couldn't shake the feeling that he had just poked a bear.
Later that day, in life sciences class, Si-Woo found himself unable to focus. His teeth chomped down on his pencil with a ferocity that would have surprised even himself if he had been paying attention. The teacher, a stern Fae with a sharp nose and piercing eyes was explaining the intricacies of Ondurian plant life and their photosynthesis properties. He couldn't help but to think of Sol.
"How am I going to get through this?" he wondered. "I can't let him think he's better than me just because from another place." His thoughts drifted to his mother's house, now a distant memory buried beneath the rubble of their old world. The earthquake, the creature, Ye-jun, and the strange, new world they found themselves in. It all felt like a dream, inside of a nightmare.
...
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
While Ha-Yoon's mind was racing with the excitement of her newfound knowledge, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness for her brother. "I hope Si-Woo is okay," she thought, her eyes scanning the bustling hallway for any sign of him. "He's been so protective, but before the earthquake, he was very timid."
Just then, she spotted Si-Woo standing in a group of students, his back to her. As she approached, the sound of snickers and whispers grew louder, making her stomach turn. She slowed her steps, not wanting to interrupt, but the cruel words stung her ears like sharp thorns.
"You think you're strong because you were able to block one attack from me?" It was Sol's voice, taunting Si-Woo with the ease of someone who had never known fear. Ha-Yoon's heart clenched as she watched her brother's shoulders tighten, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the strap of his backpack.
One of Sol's friends, a fae with hair as red as the embers of a dying fire, stepped forward, a smirk on his face. "I think he needs to learn a lesson," he sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.
The words hit Ha-Yoon like a sledgehammer, sending her spiraling back into a memory of Si-Woo's bruised face and the sound of his muffled cries as he tried to hide his pain. Back on Earth, in the schoolyard, where the same cruel smiles had taunted him day after day. " I can't bear to watch him go through this again, not here, not in this strange, mystical world where we're supposed to be safe, where we had been promised a second chance."
"Just lea—" Si-Woo started but halted as he heard the quick, light footsteps approaching from behind. He turned around only to see a blur of long, cream-colored hair whisking past him, cutting between him and Sol. "Ha-yo—" he tried to speak again, but his words were cut short when Ha-Yoon suddenly slapped Sol across the face.
"Leave my brother alone," she spat out, her voice shaking but firm. Sol's hand flew to his cheek, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. His friends took a step back, unsure of what to do. The hallway grew quieter than ever, the only sound was the echo of the slap and the stunned gasps from the surrounding students. Ha-Yoon's eyes were ablaze with anger, her cheeks red with emotion.
Sol's hand fell away from his face, revealing a handprint that was already fading. "You dare to lay hands on me?" he growled, his voice low and threatening.
The red-haired fae stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with anger. He raised his hand, and with a swift motion, slapped Ha-Yoon across the face. The sound echoed through the hallway, and she stumbled back, her eyes wide with shock and pain. She hadn't seen it coming. The floor rushed up to meet her, and she collapsed in a heap, the wind knocked out of her.
For a moment, the world was silent. And then everything came rushing back, the sound of the students' gasps, the smell of the hallway, the coldness of the floor beneath her. Ha-Yoon looked up at Sol's friend, her cheek stinging, and saw the smug look on his face.
"You little bitch," he sneered, "you honestly thought just because you're a few years younger, you can do whatever you want?"
In that moment, time seemed to slow down for Si-Woo. His mind went completely blank, the cacophony of the hallway silenced to a muted hum. His vision narrowed to the smug face of Sol's red-haired friend. The smell of fear and anger coalesced into a single point, and all he could see was him, he went completely numb.