A myth?

"Miss Yanai!"

I startled at the authoritative voice reverberating through the room.

Raising my gaze, I met Taemin's unwavering stare. "I've called your name repeatedly without response. It seems you're preoccupied."

My expression hardened. "Then why keep on calling me?"

"Hmm..." His lips thinned, scanning his book while keeping his contact with me. "Provide me with an element."

His presence was more than a mere interruption; it carried a hint of provocation and it makes me furious.

"K," I responded blandly just to make sure I don't look bitter.

"What is K and elucidate its physiological role."

"K signifies—"

"Stand up."

I could only arched me brows, the audacity of this man; I could strangle him right now — but, calm down, Saoirse. You have to keep your cool; otherwise, he'll win. Hell no!

Slowly, I stood up and murmured. "K signifies Potassium. It serves as a vital mineral element and the primary intracellular ion."

He quirked an eyebrow, casually perusing his textbook.

"Very well. Now, add two additional elements."

"Lead, symbol Pb: a metallic element notorious for its toxic compound. And Magnesium, symbol Mg, essential for neuromuscular function."

A ripple of subdued reactions among my peers followed my response.

"Excellent, Miss Yanai," Taemin acknowledged. "Ensure your focus remains steadfast in future topics."

The discussion ended and our history lecturer stepped in and continued discussing the topic we had yesterday—about the legend of the Blood Moon.

I lost all my shit in the previous discussion so I rested my head on my table as I listened to what Mrs. Dela Cruz is saying.

"The priestess of the unknown then summoned the evil god, Chaos, and killed everyone who fought against the will of the priestess. The five kingdoms, on other hand, struggled to fight for their lives until a human lady emerged in the middle of the war and used her celestial powers to seal Chaos in a book and vanished him for all eternity together with her."

"Ma'am?!" interrupted one of my classmates. "According to my research, this woman was the lover of one of the princes from the five kingdoms. Furthermore, she purportedly killed him following the war."

"Hmm… interesting," Mrs. Dela Cruz hummed. "I didn't know that. Care to add more details?"

"Of course."

I raised my head to see Elizabeth, renowned for her scholarly pursuits, speaking.

"The reason of why she killed him is not clear; however, my theory is that the prince might have something to do with the war. It's either he's one of the reasons why the evil god has been summoned or that he will be the reason this god will be resurrected. Either way, everything still remains a theory."

I sighed and rested my head back on my table. The hell I care with all this history that has nothing to do with reality.

Silvia and I promptly departed as soon as class concluded. Opting to unwind, we headed towards Caravan. Just as we were about to veer right towards the pavilion at the intersection, a familiar voice halted me.

"Saoirse!"

I turned to see him approaching, but before he could get any closer, Silvia stepped in to block his path.

"I recognize that you are our lecturer and deserving of respect, but if you take another step toward her, I might forget that," she warned. He halted and simply looked at me.

"I just need to talk to her, Sil. Please," he pleaded, his gaze never leaving mine, forcing me to look away.

"Let's go, Sil," I muttered, attempting to walk away when he grabbed my hand.

A furrow formed on my forehead as I slowly turned to him, my eyes blazing with rage.

"I said—" Sil began, but Taemin cut her off by pulling me into a hug.

My world seemed to freeze; despite my desire to push him away, my body wouldn't comply.

"I missed you," he whispered. My legs felt like lead, and I couldn't move. Damn it!

I glanced at Silvia, who narrowed her eyes, gesturing for me to push him away, which I finally managed.

"Saoirse, please," he begged, reaching for my hand again, but this time I stepped back. "I still love you."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

"What was that?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Saoirse, I-I tried to explain everything before, but you wouldn't listen! You told me to leave with her because you were tired of me."

"Do you even hear yourself? Have you forgotten what you did?!"

"But that's what you said. I-I just did what you told me."

"For heaven's sake! You really think I meant that?!" I growled, flicking his hand away. "If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have left! Even if I told you to go with someone else, you wouldn't. I thought you knew me. I thought you understood that I was just tired but still loved you."

My teeth clenched in anger as tears began to blur my vision.

"It's because when y-you said that, I felt like I had no reason to stay anymore," he muttered.

"Ain't your love for me enough for a reason?" I shook my head in dismay. "Oh, that's right. What was I thinking? You didn't love me, that's why you had no reason to begin with."

"Saoirse, please!" he begged.

"Do me a favor," I said, pointing at him. "This time, get out of my life completely!"

My voice echoed down the corridor. I didn't care who heard us or what they might say. I was done.

I swiftly turned on my heel and ran away before my tears could fall.

"Eonnie!" Silvia called after me, but I didn't stop. I covered my face, blindly running wherever my legs would take me, hoping it would be far from this pain.

"Eonnie! Watch out!"

"Aww!"

I gasped as I collided with someone. Looking down, I saw a little girl on the ground, rubbing her back.

"Oh gosh, are you okay?" I knelt to help her up, brushing off the dust from her white, fairy-like dress.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine," she replied casually, but her eyes suddenly widened, revealing a hint of distress.

She stared at me, her gaze intense and unfocused, as if seeing something beyond my comprehension. All of the sudden, she clutched her head with both hands, her expression contorting with pain. Her knees buckled slightly, and she swayed as if she might collapse.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked, my concern deepening.

She didn't respond immediately, her face still twisted in agony. I reached out, intending to steady her, but she recoiled as if my touch might worsen whatever was tormenting her.

For a few seconds, we stood there in tense silence, her shallow breaths the only sound breaking the stillness.

Just as I was about to insist on taking her to the infirmary, she straightened up abruptly. Her eyes, now clear but filled with urgency, locked onto mine. Without another word, she turned and sprinted away, leaving me standing there in bewilderment.

"Hey!" I called after her, noticing a blue crystal necklace on the ground. I picked it up and sprinted after her, my heart pounding with urgency.

"Hey, Saoirse?! Where are you going?!" Silvia shouted, her voice tinged with worry. I ignored her, my focus solely on the little girl. She was heading towards the school backyard, darting past the old oak tree and disappearing into the forest behind the school garden.

"Stop! It's too dangerous!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the trees, but she didn't even glance back.

"Tsk!" I hissed, frustration mingling with concern. Determined not to lose her, I pressed on.

Reaching the edge of the forest, I encountered a barrier of barbed wire. I carefully parted the wires, maneuvering my way through without injury. My heart raced as I stepped into the dense undergrowth, the cool shade of the forest enveloping me.

In the distance, I caught a glimpse of Silvia searching for me, her silhouette framed by the sunlight filtering through the trees. I wanted to call out to her, but the urgency of the situation pushed me forward. I couldn't afford to lose sight of the little girl.

I resumed my chase, my breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. The forest was thick, and every step felt like a battle against the roots and branches that seemed determined to slow me down. The little girl was swift, her figure darting between the trees like a fleeting shadow.

"Wait!" I called out again, my voice strained with exertion and worry. But she continued to run, as if driven by an unseen force.

Determined to catch up, I pushed myself harder, my mind racing with questions.

That girl, she was the same girl I saw earlier chasing those butterflies. I could only grasp on my chest when I felt the same nostalgia earlier.

The intense emotion eluded me, but I knew I had to keep going, to find her and understand the strange connection that seemed to pull me forward.