The sunlight poured into Haeri’s room as she stirred awake, beads of sweat clinging to her forehead. The nightmare still clung to her thoughts, vivid and haunting. The shadowy figures chasing her, the seven lights, and the chilling darkness—it all felt too real. She clutched the pendant tightly in her hand, still sitting on her bed, staring at it as if it held answers.

One by one, the boys stirred awake into the living room, their faces etched with concern. Heeseung’s voice was the first to break the silence.

“You look pale, Haeri. Did you sleep at all?”

Haeri hesitated before nodding slowly. “I... had a dream. A nightmare, actually.”

The boys exchanged worried glances, their unease growing. Jake perched on the arm of the sofa, frowning. “What kind of nightmare?”

Haeri hesitated, glancing at the pendant still clutched in her palm. “It was... dark. I was running through shadows, and they were chasing me. I saw seven lights—bright, warm—and I was trying to reach them, but...” Her voice faltered. “They caught me. The shadows caught me, and just before everything went black, I woke up.”

The boys listened intently, their expressions grim. Sunoo’s usual cheer was absent as he bit his lip nervously.

Jay folded his arms. “That doesn’t sound like just a nightmare. It might mean something.”

Just then, the pendant in Haeri’s hand began to grow warm. Startled, she held it up, and the boys’ eyes widened as it started glowing faintly, a soft golden hue.

“Haeri,” Jungwon said cautiously, stepping closer. “The pendant... it’s reacting.”

The glow intensified, and before anyone could say a word, the pendant lifted from Haeri’s hand, floating in midair. The room filled with an ethereal hum, the light casting shimmering patterns on the walls.

“What’s happening?” Ni-ki whispered, his voice barely audible.

The glow from the pendant expanded, forming a circular projection in the air. Within it, a scene began to unfold—Haeri, as a child, laughing and playing with seven other children in a meadow. The boys gasped as recognition dawned on their faces.

“It’s her...” Heeseung murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s our sister.”

The projection shifted, showing a serene, magical pond surrounded by trees that sparkled as if adorned with stars. The image lingered before fading, leaving the room in silence once more.

“What was that?” Haeri asked, her voice trembling.

“The pond,” Sunghoon said quietly. “That’s where we last saw her. It’s where we...” He trailed off, looking at his brothers.

“...lost her in Aeresia, our world,” Jungwon finished, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Haeri stared at the pendant, her mind racing. “If that’s the place where everything started, then maybe it’s the place where we’ll find answers.”

The boys nodded in agreement, determination replacing the confusion on their faces.

“We need to find that pond,” Jake said firmly.

“But how?” Haeri asked. “Do you even remember where it is? And how will we find it here in this world?”

Sunoo shook his head. “It’s been so long... but maybe the pendant can guide us. It showed us this much already.”

The group spent the rest of the morning preparing for their search, pouring over maps and brainstorming how to locate the mysterious pond.

---

Scene Transition: Late Afternoon

As the day wore on, Haeri found herself lost in thought, tracing the outline of the pendant with her fingers. The connection she felt to the boys and the overwhelming emotions from the vision were almost too much to bear. But amidst the chaos of her mind, one thing became clear—this wasn’t just their journey anymore. It was hers too.

“I’ll help you find it,” she said aloud, surprising herself.

Suddenly the boys came in and pulled her out near the dining table and poured over maps of the overlapping celestial world and human world which jungwon created and  brought, and spread across the dining table, attempting to piece together fragments of memory. Sunghoon traced a line along the map with his finger, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“It should’ve been somewhere near the valley,” he said, looking up. “That’s where we used to spend most of our time.”

“But the valley’s massive,” Jay pointed out. “And we don’t even know how much has changed. It’s been years.”

Jake leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “Do you think the pendant could lead us there again? It already showed us the pond.”

“That’s a good point,” Heeseung said, glancing at Haeri. “Maybe it reacts to certain places or memories.”

Haeri turned the pendant over in her hands, staring at its glowing surface as though willing it to provide answers. “But how would it work? Do we just... walk around until it starts glowing again?”

Sunoo huffed, crossing his arms. “I don’t think we have much of a choice. This isn’t exactly a treasure map with an X marking the spot.”

Ni-ki, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly piped up. “What if we’re overthinking this? Maybe we need to remember something specific for the pendant to react. Like... a memory tied to the pond.”

The room fell silent as everyone considered his words.

“That makes sense,” Jungwon finally said, his voice thoughtful. “But remembering isn’t going to be easy. It’s not like we’ve all had peaceful lives since then.”

The weight of his words hung in the air.

Haeri, sensing their growing frustration, decided to lighten the mood. “Alright, enough serious talk for now. How about a break? We’ve been sitting here for hours.”

Jay raised an eyebrow. “A break? We’re trying to figure out how to find the one place that could explain everything.”

“And you’re not going to figure it out by overthinking,” Haeri countered with a small smile. “Sometimes, you just need to clear your head. Trust me, I’m a photographer. Inspiration doesn’t come when you force it—it comes when you let your mind wander.”

Her logic was difficult to argue with, and soon the group found themselves scattered across the living room. Sunoo and Ni-ki were sprawled on the floor, engaged in a playful argument about whether Haemi or Haesu was the better pet. Jake and Jay were on the couch, chatting quietly, while Heeseung stood by the window, lost in thought.

Haeri glanced around, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. Despite the unusual circumstances that had brought them together, this moment felt... normal. Like a family just enjoying a lazy afternoon.

“Hey,” Haeri said, breaking the peaceful quiet. “Why don’t we go outside for a bit? Fresh air might help us think more clearly.”

The boys agreed, albeit reluctantly, and soon they were walking through the bustling streets of the city. The sun hung low in the sky, painting everything in shades of gold and amber. Haeri led the way, her pendant tucked safely under her sweater.

As they wandered, the tension from earlier began to fade. Ni-ki darted ahead, pointing out random things that caught his attention, while Sunoo complained loudly about his lack of stamina. Jake tried to keep everyone in line, but his attempts were mostly ignored.

They eventually stopped by a small park, where Haeri plopped down on a bench, letting out a sigh of relief. “See? Doesn’t this feel better?”

The boys mumbled their agreement, though Sunghoon muttered something about wasting time.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of purple and pink, Haeri stood and stretched. “Alright, I think we’ve had enough of a break. Let’s head back and see if we can come up with a plan.”

By the time they returned to the apartment, the atmosphere had shifted. The earlier frustration had been replaced with a quiet determination.

★★★

To be continued...

I hope you enjoyed this guys!
Finally got inspiration and motivation to write!!

Also, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Have a nice and wonderful life ahead, my love<3

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So, See you in next chapter
Bye for now💖✨

Word Count (only storyline included) : 1344