JIEUN WOKE UP WITH A BROAD SMILE, HER EXCITEMENT NEARLY TANGIBLE AS SHE ANTICIPATED HER FIRST DAY AT DAEHAN ACADEMY. although academic pursuits weren't her forte, the opportunity to learn from some of the faeworld's most esteemed figures was incredibly thrilling.

she made a conscious effort to temper her enthusiasm, not wanting to seem overly eager in front of her roommates. still, her bubbling excitement was hard to keep under wraps.

the challenge of preparing for the opening assembly and the first lunch of the year only intensified her anticipation. jieun spent a considerable amount of time selecting her outfit, ultimately deciding on the uniform dress over a simple collared shirt. as she observed wonyoung adjusting her tiara and ningning meticulously arranging her beret, jieun felt a pang of self-doubt. despite ningning's lack of royal lineage, both of them appeared so regal that jieun felt almost childlike by comparison.

"okay, it's time to go," wonyoung announced, leaving jieun with no chance to change into something more sophisticated.

the three roommates made their way to the auditorium, and jieun was struck by the vibrant atmosphere inside, even though it was only nine in the morning.

she followed wonyoung to the front of the auditorium and joined her friends. chaeryeong waved with a warm smile, while yuqi greeted her with a wide grin and gestured to the empty seat beside her.

"sleep well?" yuqi asked as jieun took her seat.

jieun nodded enthusiastically. "slept amazingly."

"it's impossible not to sleep well on these beds," jake chimed in. "it's like they're enchanted with a sleeping spell."

indeed, jieun's bed had been so exceptionally comfortable she felt as though she had been floating on a cloud. it was the best sleep she had ever experienced.

suddenly, the lights dimmed, and the stage curtains parted to reveal the headmaster, flanked by several professors. jieun was somewhat surprised to see park sunghoon on stage, though given his snow white heritage, his presence wasn't entirely unexpected. it was peculiar, however, that theo and chaeryeong weren't on stage with him, despite their status as part of the big three.

"ahem," headmaster geum said into the microphone, drawing everyone's attention.

"welcome, students and faculty, to a new year at daehan academy, where we nurture the future sons and daughters of fairytale characters. this year, we embark on a journey to uncover new knowledge and hone the magical talents that define our unique heritage. at daehan, we blend tradition with innovation to prepare you for the challenges and adventures that lie ahead. embrace this opportunity, learn with passion, and let your fairy tale unfold. together, let's make this year unforgettable."

the audience erupted into applause, and jieun clapped along with a broad smile. as the noise subsided, she noticed park sunghoon standing beside headmaster geum with a calm and composed demeanor that exuded respect. she had heard rumors about his impressive magical abilities and could understand why he was so highly regarded.

the headmaster continued with a brief overview of the year's curriculum and extracurricular activities, showcasing the diverse opportunities available for students. from enchanted horticulture to advanced spellcraft, there were courses to suit nearly every passion. jieun was particularly intrigued by the elective on magical creatures.

as the assembly concluded, students began to filter out, chattering excitedly about the year ahead. jieun, wonyoung, and wonyoung's friends headed to the dining hall for their first meal of the year.

"the first lunch is always the most exciting," wonyoung said with a grin. "it's where we find out who our classmates are!"

jieun had read that throughout the school year, students would stay with the same group of classmates, no matter the class. she hoped for a good group, not wanting to be stuck with undesirable people for the entire year.

"how do we know who they are?" she asked, her memory failing her at the crucial moment.

"the color of your name tag should have changed to match the colors on your table upon entrance," wonyoung explained.

jieun glanced down and saw that her formerly black name tag had changed to pale blue. looking up, she saw that wonyoung's name tag had also changed to the same color.

"we're in the same class!" wonyoung exclaimed, grabbing jieun's hand and leading her through the bustling dining hall. "let's go find our table!"

they arrived at a table with a matching name tag color, where a few people were already seated, including several of wonyoung's friends: theo, chaeryeong, jake, yuqi, and sunghoon.

wait... that meant jieun was in the same class as the big three.

chang jieun, in the same class as all three members of the royal big three.

"won!" yuqi's face lit up with excitement. "this is amazing! we're in the same class!"

wonyoung and jieun settled into the remaining two seats at the table. the other occupants included a mix of familiar faces and new ones.

"is it just the fourteen of us?" one of the new students asked. she was striking, with flowing black hair and dark makeup that contrasted with her rather pale complexion.

"i think it might be," another responded. he wore a crown that looked like it was made from playing cards. "that's fine with me; i don't think i'd enjoy a larger class."

"that's right, keeho!" yuqi said. "you were stuck with twenty other people last year."

"it was a disaster," keeho said, rolling his eyes dramatically. "and i was the only wonderlandian there."

"wonderlandian?" jieun whispered, though her voice was louder than she intended, causing the other students to turn their attention to her.

"oh! i got so caught up, i forgot everything is new to you," wonyoung said, turning to the others. "guys, this is chang jieun. she's a new student here."

"hello, chang jieun, for the first time ever," jake said, extending his hand with a playful smile. yuqi smacked his hand away, giving him a disapproving look.

"she already knows us," sunghoon said blankly, his discomfort evident.

that was a bit odd, but jieun shrugged it off.

"well, yeah, but she doesn't know the others," wonyoung said.

"hi, i'm yang jungwon!" the guy next to jake said with a grin. "welcome to daehan!"

"he's next in line for the cheshire cat," jake added. jungwon nodded in acknowledgment.

"these two are keeho and yeji, the other wonderlandians," yuqi said. "keeho is the queen of hearts, and yeji is the next mad hatter."

yeji smiled warmly, and keeho gave a nod of acknowledgment.

the earlier girl waved at jieun. "i'm shuhua, the next hades," she said.

jieun's jaw dropped. hades? as in the greek god of the underworld? and a big three villain at that?

"and i'm yeonjun," the guy next to shuhua said. "maleficent. a legend around here."

two big three villains, along with the big three royals, all at the same table? no, in the same class? jieun's class?

"i have more power than you, don't forget that," shuhua said, rolling her eyes.

"i'm still a legend," yeonjun pouted.

"that's beomgyu, who's pinocchio's son," wonyoung said, pointing to the guy across from her. she then pointed to the guy next to yeonjun. "and that's jiung, cruella de vil."

jieun's head was spinning with all these new names and revelations.

"welcome to daehan academy!" yuqi exclaimed, throwing her hands up in excitement. "you're going to love it here!"

"let us feast!" yeonjun declared dramatically, raising his fork high.

"yeah!" beomgyu cheered, mimicking yeonjun's dramatic gesture with his own fork.

❪ KOKO SPEAKS ❫
vex1c comeback soon....question mark?