KERRIA, THE ZURANIAN'S FLOWER [oneshot]

Tittle: Kerria, The Zuranian’s flower

Genre: Fantasy

Author: Ravla (@wonjaemi)

 

 

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“She left the lunch box again…Youngji….”

Her mom is babbling nonstop this morning because her daughter forgetting her lunch box again. This week Youngji already do the same thing for 3 times in a row. A young girl that will turning 20 in a week, her name is Youngji. An attractive girl, an extrovert one and she has many friends around her. Lately, something is bothering her, something is comes up weirdly in her backyard.

 

“Seems I left my notebook at room…damn…I’ve been walking this far..”

She’s looking back to the way back home, too lazy to walk back home again. She looking around, checking if maybe Dany on the way to here.

“Dany… it has been 3 days you are missing, where are you go? You leave me alone…”

Youngji is missing her best friend, Dany. He is been missing, for 3 days. No one know where he left to, people looking for him, but no one can find him. His friends in campus starting to get tired to looking for Dany, because they are all busy with their classes. It’s really bothering Youngji, she has be friend with Dany since they were a kid. No one can separate them, but lately, before Dany is missing, Dany confessed his feeling to Youngji. But Dany was missing before knowing the answer from Youngji.

“My class start at 10AM…45 minutes left..”

Youngji continue to walking to the campus, she keeps wondering, where is Dany goes. His parents is really desperate, sad, his mother is getting sick because keep thinking of Dany.

 

“Hi Youngji…! You look sad, still none about Dany, huh? Are you sure, he didn’t run away because too worry to hear your answer?”

Tohoku, a best friend of Dany. But also having a romantic feeling to Youngji. But she ignores it already.

“As I know, Dany is not a loser like you, Tohoku. I’m about to answer him, but the day I wanna tell him, his parents declared he was missing. Maybe you know something? Like maybe he has problem at home, with his parents?”

Youngji keep thinking all possibility, but no one match with the facts she knows about Dany.

Tohoku is thinking before he answering to Youngji, “I think, no? Last time I visited him, everything looks normal, looks fine. His family is fine at all. Or maybe you know something, like maybe he desperate of something?”

They are walking to entrance campus, going to waiting near their class. Youngji keep rewinding, all corners in campus are memories for her. Dany once was here.

“No. I didn’t catch any strange behavior of Dany. He just being normal. But a bit shy after he confessed his feeling. I wondering, maybe he gets kidnap by someone? Police tracked CCTV nearby, but none of his presence showing up. Aunty Kim said, last time before he went missing, he was in his room. It’s so weird…”

Youngji stops her steps, thinking of something that never can be logic for Tohoku. So she keep it for herself. But her expression says it all.

“Hmm? Why? You notice something, Youngji?”

Tohoku looking at her, he just caught something from Youngji’s expression. He waiting her answer. “Tell me, what are you thinking about.”

Youngji going head down, continue her steps and then sitting down, but thinking of something.

“No, Tohoku. I need to make sure of it.”

Something bothering Youngji, she will check it for sure, to make it sure.

 

3PM, after campus end, Youngji walking back to her house. But, she making a stop in front of Dany’s house. She looking at that luxury, big house, with many flowers on the front yard, his mother, Aunty Kim waving at her from the window, Youngji bowing and then she is walking into that house, because Aunty Kim is calling her to come closer. Aunty Kim walking down to the front terrace to greet Youngji.

She is waiting at terrace, looking around and find Dany’s shoes still at there, like he’s just inside the house after back from campus.

 

“Youngji…how are you?”

Greet by Aunty Kim, looking so tired, so sad and ain’t good. She is holding Youngji’s hand and taking her to get into the house. “Are you just back from campus?”

“Yes Aunty Kim, I’m on my way to back home. Aunty Kim,…you look unhealthy. Aunty, don’t get sick. Dany, will be back to us soon as possible.”

Aunty Kim is teary, but a bit smiling to Youngji. “Yes, he will back to us.”

It’s hard for Youngji to see a mother being sad like this. Eventhough Aunty Kim is not his biological mother, but she is still a mother of Dany. And she pouring the same love for Dany.

“Thank you for make a stop, if you have time, come over again to meet my daughter in dinner. Rora is…need somebody to talk with. She is only one daughter in here.”

Heard that, Youngji feeling hurt. “Ok, Aunty Kim. I’ll come in dinner time. Now, I’ll back home, mom must be already waiting me at home.”

Aunty Kim wiping her head, “Ok, I’ll waiting you for have dinner in here.”

Youngji bowing and then walking out, seeing his shoes again down there. It’s bothering her. “Aunty Kim…can’t I..take the shoes?” Youngji ponting that shoes.

“Shoes?” Aunty Kim checking on the stuff, “..yes, that’s okay. But,..after Dany comeback, please return it to him.”

Youngji is bending down to take the shoes and she holds it, “Ok, Aunty. I will definitely return the shoes after he is back.” Then Youngji is leaving Kim’s house to walking back to her house.

 

Youngji starring at the shoes, a pair of blue shoes with yellow stripes in each side. She is waiting for the dinner.

“Dany, where are you?”

She is inhales the breath and then open her window’s room, looking at the small forest behind her house, mom and dad says, to not come to there, because it’s kinda dangerous of snakes that probably hiding between the bushes.

Youngji looking down, scanning the area without a reason, until she finds something sparkling between the grass down there. “Ugh? What’s that?”

She is going down, to checking what’s sparkling thing.

“Youngji! Don’t forget you will have dinner with Kim family!” her mom shouting.

“Yes I know it Mom!”

Her steps so fast, she is getting out and checking the ground, and she finds a jewelry that familiar. She takes it and trying to remember. “This is…one of his stones from the bracelet..!”

Youngji is freaking out, keeping the stone and then looking again, maybe there is another hint around.

“Youngji? What are you doing?” her mother caught her, but Youngji didn’t answer and just leave her behind.

“He must be was in here before!” babbling Youngji to herself.

Until, she realize, maybe Dany is still in here. Youngji back to get up to her room, looking to the forest for a while. “Is that possible?”

Her memories getting rewind of something.

 

Everyone sitting in silent, no one open a conversation. Kim parents looking so sad, Dany’s young  twins siblings also stay quiet. No Dany in here, it’s like having a dinner in the cemetery.

“Youngji, it’s been long time we didn’t meet. How are you?”

Asking of the eldest brother in this family, Jinan.

“Oh, I’m all good. How are you, big brother?” What a silly, why I have to ask that in this situation..

Jinan smiling a bit, “I’m good, my business also goes well. Don’t hestitate if you need a help, contact us.” Then Jinan back in the silent, everyone is sad in here. The maids serving the food, but no one looking excited. Usually Dany will be the one that build up the mood.

Youngji looking at Rora, the only daughter in Kim family. She wiping her back, trying to comfort her, make sure Dany will back soon between them. “C’mon we eat the dinner, Rora.” She lost some weights, .. Dany will hates it if he knows it.

Rora taking her fork, stabbing to the meat and eating it, chewing it slowly. “Sis, you liking vegetables right? But you have to eat meat as well.”

Youngji get goosebumps, because Rora saying exactly the same like Dany, the sentence that Dany always say to Youngji. “Okay, I will eat the meat.”

“Youngji, so many foods in here, just take everything you want. If u want something else, tell it to the maid.” Mr Kim told her like that, no expression, it’s so stressful seeing parents getting sad like this. Mr Kim is really loving Dany.

“Alright, Uncle Kim, I understand.”

Everyone having dinner in silent. Youngji can’t stand it for any longer. “Is Dawn is sleeping, Aunty?”

“Yes, Dawn is sleeping right now..”

Youngji remember, Dawn favorite sibling is Dany. Dany never say no to Dawn, his little brother. The youngest in this family, he is only 5 years. “Ooh.. right, Dawn can’t waking up this lat---”

Then everyone hearing Dawn crying so loud from his room, quickly Aunty Kim checking for him. But over than 5 minutes, Dawn didn’t stop crying, making Uncle Kim also checking him.

“Lately, Dawn is crying a lot and hard to be calm. Since Dany is missing.” Said Aiden, the twins bother of Rora.

“Maybe Dawn is really missing Dany a lot, we know, Dany is closest to Dawn.”

Youngji looking at Jinan, but then she also come over to checking Dawn.

“Dany will be back soon.. Dawnie,…he will back soon… don’t worry…”

But Aunty Kim is tearing up while calming Dawn. Youngji get inside to check Dawn, his hands keep pointing to the window, to the forest way.

“We are sorry, Youngji. Dawn is lately is being tantrum.” Uncle dragging Youngji back to the dining room. “I’m sorry it’s disturbing your dinner.”

“That’s really okay, Uncle.” Youngji back to sit, but just holding her fork. Then she continue to eat  a bit more than usual.

 

The dinner was over, Youngji already back to her house. Her dad is still busy with his documents and her mom is busy in her art room, Youngji busy with her thought about the forest. She takes her bag, insert some stuffs and then sling it to her body, she is about to leaving the room, but right before she opens the door, she is stepping back to take the shoes of Dany. Then quietly she is going down to the back yard, wearing the shoes and she is trying to found something based on her memories.

“It’s should be here…”

With a flashlight from her phone, her small fingers busy swiping up the grass, looking it in every corner. A plant that has yellow flower like a rose, it’s called Kerria.

“Ah! Over there!”

Youngji found the Kerria over there, it’s grown up a bit deeper, she needs to crawl more further. “C’mon! Why mom never believe that Kerria is exist in her garden…!”

Youngji going deeper between the bushes, hold the plants and gonna takes the flower, but accidentally pulling the whole plants and in a blink, she is teleported to an unknown place. It’s like getting sucking buy a tornado.

 

“I got all goosebumps!” Youngji hold the whole plant, it’s a fog around, it’s not dark, not bright. It’s a different dimension. “So this is the place..”

Youngji is getting up, walking deeper to this forest, when she is turning around, she can see her house, stays at there, but she knows, people at there couldn’t see her.

“I never imagined, I will back to here again…”

Youngji keep on high alert, she keeps looking around, to checking if maybe she will find Dany in here. But the sky getting darker than before, Youngji continue to walking until she finds a small wood hut, with glimpse light inside there.

 

“Dany! Are you here??”

She pushing slowly the door, checking inside, but empty. She getting inside, checking in details. Find some dry leaves. She keeps searching hints around, but only dry n brown leaves around.

“Who are you!?”

Someone caught Youngji and look so angry. “You are an intruder!” but after this young girl looking at the shoes that Youngji wearing, she is gasping and then close the door immediately.

“How can you reach this place?! You have to back to your place! You are not belong to here!”

It’s makes Youngji confuse. “I’ve been here before.” Youngji taking a flower tag from her bag and showing it to her. “I have access to all things in here. Tell me, where is my friend?! Dany must be here too!”

“Now everything is change! You can’t be here! Go back to your place now! I’ll send you to find the way!” She is pulling Youngji to get out from the hut, but Youngji is stepping back.

“I have to find Dany and comeback to my world together with him!”

Youngji is stay. She has to find Dany and taking him back home.

“With your own risk. I couldn’t help much, everything is change now in here. Since that centipede take over the leadership. He changes everything in here become human-planties. If you get caught by her, you will turn be a human-pot. He will put seeds into your body and make you growing plant on your back. Slowly, you will lost your memory and become human-pot. He will put you in his castle, cutting your bleedy branch and slowly you will die and become a barren-human. Maybe, your friend already be her human-pot.”

Youngji couldn’t believe what she says, but no reason of her to say a lie.

“I have to find Dany! I will not let that centipede turn Dany to be a pot!”

By heard and imagine that, it’s so terrifying, but she has to make it by bringing Dany back to their own world. “How can you help me?”

“I can’t help much, I just a folk. But since you have that tag, you can find the King. He’s been captive by the centipede woman. That tag will guide you to the king. I’m not sure about your friend Dany. I never see a human before. My name is Mary. I also looking for the King, because my dad is working for the King. Maybe we can go together, but only you can lead the way.”

“Do you have any plans maybe? If you said I can guide you to them by this tag, then I’m in.”

Youngji hearing grumbling like a thunder outside, Mary getting in high alert and she takes her weapon. Mary locking the door and pulling Youngji to standing next to her. “She’s looking for you. She’s notices you came.”

The wind suddenly blowing up faster, seems like something come to them. Mary using her magic to make her hut being invisible and also force Youngji to eat something by put it inside her mouth. “Eat this, to make your human-smelled gone for a while.”

Youngji following what Mary said and keep being silent. A super giant centipede roaming around, looking for them. It has human-shaped head and the fangs fully in the mouth. It’s red-maroon centipede, wearing king’s cape and also gold crown.

Youngji is teary, but she also can’t be hiding like this, she has to find the King and find where Dany is.

Centipede woman is finally leaving, after Mary make sure the situation getting safe, she turned back her hut become a visible hut.

“Momae looking for you. We have to move fast, before everything getting too late.”

Mary taking something inside her cauldron, put it on the glass and giving to Youngji, “Drink this, you have to eat and drink food n water from here to make your human-smelled gone.”

Youngji takes that and drinking it. “It’s….so bitter!”

After that, Mary using her magic to make the hut disappear. “Take out your tag, believe in yourself, and thinking of your friend, it’ll shining and guide us to them.”

Youngji taking the tag and she prays for Dany. The tag slowly being shimmering and shining, it’s has blue light that leading them to the right path.

 

Since Mary has magic, it’s makes them safe from Momae radars. They are walking, going deeper to the forest. 2 girls alone between the scary and dark forest. Sometimes they are share story about their own world.

In the past, Youngji once was here. When she was 4 yeard old, accidentally she grabbing the Kerria flower and ate it. She has been lost for 4 days, when she back home, she came together with the King’s tag.

“Since when Momae takes over this world, Mary?”

Mary keeps holding her swords, she didn’t let off her guard. “Maybe since around a year later. We speculated, Momae is comes from your world.”

“Really?” it makes Youngji thinking of something. “If that Momae came from my world…it’ll be easy to get rid…but her size make it uneasy…Momae didn’t have magic isn’t?”

“Easy you say? She can eat you in one bite. She has poison. Animal in here can’t have magic, but I think Momae is an exception… someone maybe push a power on her, or something maybe push her to have big power.”

Youngji keep thinking, “You know animal that called Chicken, Mary?”

Mary looking at Youngji, “I don’t know, that’s from your world right?”

Youngji taking his phone, checking something, “Whoa, internet still working in here. I think layers in here not that thick as I think.” Youngji browsing a photo and then showing it to Mary. “This is chicken. The female one called as Hen. The male one called as rooster. They usually eat worm, cricket, and another insects…,”

Mary cut her, “They are eating insects? We have one that similar like rooster..we can see it if you want to. But I’m not sure what they eat.”

“But the chicken haves to be bigger than Momae itself. Can you use your magic to make the chicken getting bigger..?”

 

They are finally made a stop in a place that selling animals. They found a rooster, it’s exactly the rooster from the human world.

“You are so lucky, Momae didn’t find this one. This rooster didn’t change be a mutant one.” The seller said.

Mary and Youngji exchange the eyes, “Can magic makes the rooster getting big?” asked Youngji.

“Why you gonna do that? If you wanna eat that, just cut it die. Why human so weird..”

The seller leaving them, “I worry if we change the rooster bigger, it can change the behavior too.”

“Then, any another ways to turn Momae to be small insects?”

Mary sighing, Youngji’s wish is too cruel. “Possible, but my magic isn’t strong enough to do that. Reaching Momae is difficult already…she has poison that stronger than any potion magic for now. So how about this chicken? Are we gonna buy it?”

 

They are taking a break by sitting down in a couch in a café in the town of the place, people in this world is similar like human, but they don’t have philtrum, their eyes almost all yellow and shimmering. But Mary has blue eyes like a normal human in Youngji’s world. The town it’s like medival era, high castle, stone-styled house, people wearing weird clothes, only Youngji dressed up like a modern human in here so she is getting attention from people. Especially the shoes that she wearing on. It’s like mesmerizing the eyes. 

“What of the name of this place? And Mary, are you half human? Your eyes different not look like them. Your hair too, it’s short and has brunette color, they are all blonde, like Dany’s hair color..”

Mary just nodding, seems she won’t to talk about it more further. “This world called Zuranian. We have to be hurry, c’mon we walk again, the blue light from the tag getting stronger. It means we are closer enough.” Mary getting up, pay the drink and leading Youngji to continue their journey.

The tag is shaking, means the King position is closer. Youngji keep down the tag, don’t wanna attract people around. Youngji seeing a spice store, then she takes her phone and unfortunately the internet is completely lost in this area. “Mary wait,..” Youngji is thinking.., “Mary, are they will accept human money? I think I wanna buy something at there.”

Mary checking what store is it, “They are didn’t know about human money, but you got me, I’m pretty rich. What do you need?”

Youngji is get into the store, the seller is quite shock when seeing a human entering her shop. “You are human! I thought human is just a myth! And you a witch, you came with that human?”

“Sometimes human also make a visit, Madam.”

“Madam, I need salt, do you have it? I need is in much than usual.”

Finally, they are buying a big sack of salt and using Mary’s magic, they make it be a pocket size. They are making a plan to get rid the Momae.

 

The tag is pointing to down, seems to the dungeon. “How can we reach the dungeon, Mary?”

Suddenly the wind blow stronger, this is Momae’s area.

“Be aware, Momae around here…! Use that tag to open the gate to the dungeon! Hurry up Youngji!”

“Hah? But how?” Youngji keep trying to open a portal to the dungeon.

“Hurry up!!”

Momae is here, floating slowly to catch the intruder. “I smelled a human and a filthy witch in my castle…where are they….I’m so hungry…” the woman centipede is drooling, she is looking so hungry, her mouth is so dirty, so red—like blood stain.

“…over there….” Told someone to the Momae. He standing on her head, leading them to Mary and Youngji.

“Right...I wanna have a dinner…so hungry….”

Momae is floating in the air and moving so fast, seeing them and she opens her mouth so wide. It’s terrifying and what a scary view.

“Youngji! Hurry up!”

Youngji keep trying and finally a portal opens up in front of them, a second before the girls are falling down to the portal, Youngji see something when Momae about to attack them.

 

The portal sending them to the dungeon, many people been captive in here, include the King.

“Mary!” someone shouting to her. “Mary!”

She gets up and looking for the voice, “Dad!” Mary running to her dad, he stays inside the jail with the King. “Dad, I’ll make you out!” Mary working with her magic to break the spell.

“My butt…enghh…” Youngji trying to get up and walking to Mary, but Mary failed break the spells in many times. “Maybe with this can be work?” Youngji showing the tag in front of the jail door and it’s gets unlocked.

“Who are you comes to here with the tag?” The King come over and looking suspicious at Youngji.

Youngji bowing to the King, “I am Jung Youngji. I came here to—”

Before she is done with  her speech, King come closer and hugging her. “I know you will back…Youngji..”

“Eum.. yeah…I thought I had to met you before? I need your help, King Zuros.

A young man around in his 30’s, tall and having curly red hair, that’s Zuros, the King of Zuranian.

Mary’s dad is kneeling to the King and Youngji. “King Zuros already waiting for you, Miss Youngji. The prediction was right. Mary, kneel it!”

“What? I take her to here!”

“It’s okay, Mary’s dad no need to be like this. King Zuros we have to vanish Momae and taking back my Dany to his world. I need your help for do magic on my plan. Please help me!”

King Zuros looking at the big sack of salt that Mary bringing in, turning to the normal size, “Anytime, I will help you.” The King get back his power, they all do teleportation to the main hall of the castle, Momae at there in the same moment.

 

Youngji startled, “Dany!” a young boy with blonde hair standing top of the head of the centipede. Controlling the Momae. “Dany! Don’t do it! Dany!” Youngji keep yelling his name, but seems he is lost himself.

He almost to be a human-pot, Kerria flower growing up on his back, on the head and branches on his legs. He almost turn be 100% Kerria plant, so yellow. Dany is controlling the movement of the Momae, the centipede sucking the human energy from Dany and in return, she will make him a human-pot.

“Youngji!” Mary handed the sword to her and she helps King Zuros with their magic.

Youngji hold the swords and almost slipped it, “It’s heavy than I thought! Mary, spread the salt on her face! All around her body too! King, help me to floating!”

The magic is working, Momae is gonna attacking Youngji by spraying the poison, face to face with the girl. In the perfect timing, Youngji floating and she is jumping to the top of the head, to the Dany. “Dany! Wake up!! It’s me, Youngji!” she is stepping hard to his foot, slapping his cheek to distract his focus on Momae.

“Hurt the centipede, Youngji!!” King Zuros get help from Mary throwing some salt on her face, it’s makes Momae moving randomly, it’s must be so smarting.

“Dany!” with the swords, Youngji is cutting the branches that growing up on his body, but Dany attacking him by spraying the posion to her body. “Stop it Dany, why you never hearing me?!” Youngji hitting her forehead against his forehead so hard, making him kneeling. Then she running to the body of Momae and stabbing the sword on the back of the centipede.

“Die you centipede!!”

Youngji running on the centipede’s backs, by stabbing the sword on its body and make it long rip open wound. “Mary!! Pour the salt on the wound!”

“OK!!”

Mary floating up and pouring the salt on it, making the centipede in deep hurt, Youngji keep stabbing it but Dany catching him by strangle her neck.

“You hurt my Momae…”

“ENNGHH!! Da…ny…you…hurt me…” Youngji is floating, Dany only holding her neck. Once he let off, Youngji probably gonna die. Youngji is getting wet, the poison starting make her skin getting red-ish.

Momae still moving chaosly and getting hurt, King Zuros and Mary still take over the centipede.

“This is centipede…Momae is not your Mama!” Youngji yelling to Dany, once he off guard, Youngji is trying to cut off the branch that sticking between to Dany and Momae. “Mary….!”

Mary noticing Youngji, she is getting closer to help to cut the main branch that making Dany stuck with Momae but she gets slaps but the centipede.

“Mary!  Enghh,…Dany! Mama and Papa waiting to comeback home! She is sad because of you! Dawn keeps crying and looking for you! Everyone looking for you! You have to come back!”

Youngji is crying and also trying harder to cut the main branch or the main root. “I miss you Dany… please…comeback home with me..engghhh..you still…wanna hear my answer right? So comeback with me to get the answer of your feeling to me! Why you so stupid!?”

She counghing, Dany is starring at her, he is also crying, but he also harder to strangle her neck. “Mom..aee…..” Dany is having shimmering skin, Kerria flower keep re-grow on his back, and slowly hugging him and take over him more deep.

“No…she is not your Mama…Mama at home, waiting you to comeback..c’mon..Kim Dany…back to our home…”

Youngji succeed to cutting the root branch in his legs, in the same time, Mary waking up her power and chopping the centipede in many pieces. Dany’s body is suddenly back to normal, they are falling down together, King Zuros making a bubble to catch their body.

Momae is finally disappeared, it’s like nothing happen.

 

“Youngji… Youngji! Wake up!” Dany shaking her body, “Youngji…I’m here.. Dany is back,..so please wake up…”

Slowly, Youngji hearing his voice, she open her eyes. “Nghh…Dany…” she tearing up, hugging Dany and hit him in many times. “Why you left me alone…?”

“Be glad, everything is back to normal now..” The King Zuros snaps his fingers and turn human-pots in this hall to their original forms. “This place is not for human, you two should back to your place.” King Zuros healing Dany from the Kerria flower on his body. “Step away from the Kerria. Youngji.. keep the tag for you. Remember me.” He gives back the tag to Youngji.

“Thank you King Zuros, thank you Mary!” Youngji run to her and hugging her. “I will not forget about you all.”

King Zuros using his magic teleportation to send back Dany and Youngji to the starting point.

 

“I will take care of Zuranian, thank you for helping me get rid of Momae, Youngji. Dany, I hope you can take care of Youngji for me.”

“Of course I will take care of her! Why you asking me that thing? Huh?”

Dany is a bit jealous, Youngji smacks his head. She is taking her phone and capturing The King, also Mary over there. “I hope this photo didn’t disappear. Only this one that left in memories.” Youngji bowing to them all. “Mary, you are really cool with your magic!”

Mary looking so shy.

King Zuros open a portal for them, “I will lock the portal after you go, so no one human or animals can trespassing again next time. Goodbye.”

Youngji smiling to them all, holding Dany’s hand and they are jumping to inside the portal.

 

-----

 

In the morning, dad of Youngji, found them in the backyard of his house. They both sleeping on the ground, while holding hands together. Immediately, the parents of Youngji rushed them to the hospital in town. Dany got many scratches all around the body and Youngji getting high fever. In the second day, Dany is get back himself first, then Youngji.

 

“I thought your head bump to a tree, why you have such wounds, Dany?”

Jinan is taking care of Dany and Youngji in the hospital.

Dany watching his lover fall a sleep, yes they are being officially since then. “Just some small fight with Youngji.” Dany smiling wide, remember each detailed when he had fight with Youngji.

“…Oh.. bro Jinan you are here…how’s…Aunty Kim..?”

Youngji is just woke up from her sleep, she is still looking that weak. Her necks still a bit bruised, because of Dany.

“Hi Youngji! Welcome back! Ah right! I should pick up my wife now, Dany still in here, Mama will come in an hour. I leave now.”

Dany seeing his big brother left the room and he is helping Youngji to sit down, “How do you feel Youngji? Still weak? You skipped your fruits, let me cut the watermelon for you.”

Dany is cutting the watermelon into small pieces, sometimes looking at his girlfriend.

“Yeah..I feel really tired. I didn’t dreaming right? Zuranian is real, right, Dany? How can you find Zuranian?”

Dany put the watermelon on the plate and feeding her, “Kerria flower. Someone is brought it to Mama. I thought that was a yellow rose, is so similar. I remembered your story, I took one and keep it. I went to your house, sneaked to your backyard, eat the flower and second after, I already lay down on the ground inside the castle.”

Heard that, Youngji feels something is off. “Wait? You teleported to the castle? You mean the castle that I fought the centipede? Not to the forest?”

Dany is shooked, “No, I didn’t know about the forest. I just know about Zuranian. King Zuros itself take me to see the whole city. He told me, once he met a human when he was young. Oh! We went to the magic shop. He bought many living insects. He said people at there catch them from our world. A lot people at there using insects for the experiment subject.”

The whole explanation is enough to make things clear.

“I thought Momae is the one villain in here….he tricked us, Dany.”

Youngji taking her bag and taking her phone, checking the picture that she snapped last time. It shows Mary with blurry face and King Zuros with the head like Momae ; bloody mouth and sharps teeth. Smiling to the camera although it’s blurry but it’s still can be seen. Dany also checking the photo and didn’t recognize the King.

“Why his face like this? He is young and handsome right?”

“Momae it’s created by him. He must be already targeting you and planning these all, he has magic, he can manipulate your mind, you said to me lately your ability to read mind is suddenly gone right?”

Dany nodding, “I confessed to you because I feel so clueless, I can’t read your mind for days. And usually I never wanna taking any flower but that day, Kerria looking so pretty. Then I remembered your childhood story.”

Youngji feeling it’s so waste time. “He made you a bait to make me meet him again. He gave me the tag, means, there is will be ‘another time’ to experience like this. Dad was right, he always taught me to stay away from the forest.” Youngji taking the tag, at first the tag is just long square with blue sparkling sprinkle, but now it’s changed. It has Kerria flower inside. “As long Kerria around us, we can cross the world anytime. This is not good. I have to throw this.”

Dany can understand, it’s such a tiring and it was risked their soul in the unknown world. “You have been 2 times went there, if there is 3^rd time, then, it can be you can’t cross back to our world. It’s make me worry. Let’s throw this, but also we can’t let another human find this tag.”

Youngji looking at Dany, “I’ll make sure no one gonna find this tag.”

 

---

 

Few days after they are discharged from the hospital, they are following Uncle Kim for take a short holiday. Meanwhile Uncle Kim busy with meetings, Dany and Youngji have a short trip to the sea nearby.

“We will burn this tag.” Say Youngji to Dany, they are making a fire on the beach, throwing the tag into the fire. “I don’t wanna meet Zuros or see Zuranian again. Never.”

The fire eating the tag, slowly make it melted, the Kerria also get vanish in a second.

“So, you also delete the photo?” asking Dany.

Youngji checking her gallery once again, the photo is changing ; it’s a forest with fire. “Am I burning the entire Zuranian?” in slightly, sometimes can be seen a long big creature between the fire.

“The picture is moving? Or it’s just my eyes getting tired? Seems I saw a centipede?”

“Dany, can you make the flame bigger?”

Dany doing what Youngji asked, the picture now is fully orange-red. “I think we burning the entire Zuranian.” Then Youngji pressing trash icon and delete the photo forever. “I hope, they are can’t tracking us anymore.”

Dany couldn’t do much, he also feeling get using by something unknown and making him hurting Youngji. “I hope the forest behind our home is just a normal forest. Tell your mother to block the hole on the ground.”

Youngji put down her phone and holding his hand, “No more Kerria and Zuranian. Let’s go back to the hotel, Uncle Kim must be worry if he didn’t find us later.”

 

 

End