Ping

Queen Ren stands up from the couch, turning to stare at us. "Come, I'll show you something," he says, waving his hand over his shoulder for us to follow. His eyelashes batting on his cheeks as he blinks.

The three of us exchange looks before standing up altogether. With Beomgyu leading in front of us, since he is the strongest one right now, we bend our bodies to fit into the smaller space through a narrow channel towards mystery.

No one speaks throughout the short journey, until the sound of water turns audible. Initially, it is soft like a whisper. Then, it sounds loud as a lion's roar once we've reached the entrance.

Following the sound, I raise my head sky high and a waterfall enters my point of view. "An underground waterfall?" I guess, pointing at the flowing water.

"Majayo (That's right)," Queen Ren approves with an assuring nod. "This is Faelyn's favourite place. Whenever she feels sad, she would come and enjoy her alone time here, crying silently." I know what he is trying to point out. He must have seen everything in secret, hiding in beneath the bushes, or changing himself into insect form to follow her sister without being noticed.

Although they can feel the rough dirt underneath the soles of their shoes, the ground is covered with dry ice. The white mist spreads throughout the place until our waist level, turning it into a dark wonderland. Unlike the living room, fresh air cools up the place here and moreover, I can see hints of sunlight penetrating through the giant cobwebs above us.

Cobwebs.

The idea that we might have entered a spider's territory sends a chill down my spine, making me shiver. "Oh and do avoid thinking about threatening animals, or they will come and find you." I swallow upon the Queen's late advice. A few days later, I might be chased by a giant spider.

The fact keeps spinning in my mind without stopping, which thereby speeding up my heartbeat and suffocating my lungs. "Gwaenchanayo?" Jimin is the one who notices my discomfort first, much to my surprise. Biting my lower lip, I give him a small nod. "You do know you have a protector, right?" He reminds with his eyes indicating Beomgyu, who is walking ahead of us.

"I know," I say with my head lowered. "I just couldn't bare putting you all in danger."

***

Jimin

Unpredictably, Ping's words render my heart flutter, though it's only a little. Aside from that, even Beomgyu turns to look at her with his passionate eyes before paying attention to the front view. Wonho is silent along the way, saying nothing. Although Beomgyu has given him the essence of lavender, the amount is still not enough for his immediate recovery.

"Let me help you, hyung," I slow down my pace and lend him my arm as a support. He takes it, giving me an appreciative stare before continue walking. Wonho must have lost his strength to talk, or he has already called for my little help. If it isn't because of me turning back occasionally to check on him, we might have left him behind.

The fresh water droplets smash onto our faces as we walk past the fall and into another pile of greens rooted underground. The leaves are incredibly big. One equals to three Jimin's faces. "Here, take these," says Beomgyu as he begins distributing crab sticks for us to cut the leaves blocking our way. Unlike us, Queen Ren brushes the leaves with his Chinese fan with elegance.

"Thanks kid," I say while reaching for the stick from Beomgyu's hand. "That's really thoughtful of you."

His heterochromatic pupils flash before he blinks once, "My pleasure." His expression represents an entirely different him unlike how he was in the beginning. He looks more like a threat instead of having his powers boosted.

Cutting the tall bushes along the way, I walk with my mouth parted for air, panting along the way as we keep going. Beads of glittering sweat travel down the side of my temples. The sound of the waterfall fades as we walk further into the bushes, where golden coloured fog gets thicker and thicker like smoke.

The gas is odourless, but it affects us from avoiding incoming threats. "Just follow them, Jimin-sshi." Wonho's weak voice reminds me of his existence. The sensation of his arms hooking around the back of my neck becomes stronger.

"Okay," I say with a nod before taking quick breaths for a faster charge, leading my eagle babysitter along. But then, he nudges away from me, gives me a knowing nod to show me his better condition before both of us bump into the person walking in front. "Why did you stop?"

Ping sends me a glare before pointing to the ground a few metres ahead. Clearly, we are standing on the edge of earth and the thick yellow fog makes our appearances indistinct. Not only we've stopped because of the cliff, there is another reason. And it is obvious.

I can see an enormous shadow flashing pass before the ground shakes briefly. Beasty and husky respiration sounds are audible as the creature breathes. Another shake happens and Ping squeaks with a gasp because even the trees are moving alongside with the quake this time. As if it is a reflex, Beomgyu's hand reaches for Ping's from the front though he isn't turning to look at her. With that, Ping fails to respond in time before the last quake occurs.

Aside from the Queen, the rest of us fail to keep our balance. A hint of hot breath rushes pass us before a pair of silvery cat eyes shining right at us. Queen Ren approaches it with small steps, intended to touch it. In response, the creature moves closer to the edge of this cliff, its breath blowing the fog away, turning it thin and making our views clearer.

It is pitch black, its mouth loaded with sharp teeth as it licks its nose. The creature hums softly when Queen Ren's hand touches its whiskers, and then, the bridge of its nose. "Meet Aralee, my pet black panther," introduces the Queen proudly with his arrogantly gentle voice.

I sip in a great deal of cold breath upon this introduction before looking at Wonho. His eyes are glued to the creature before averted towards mine. His mouth moves to shape the answer to my question in a whisper, which I have not even asked. "This is it."

At the same time, Ping turns to us with her eyes holding the same doubt before different emotions flooding her expressions. As if he has sensed her emotions, Beomgyu finally turns with his unreadable face. His eyebrows furrow slightly. With his hand landed on her shoulder, Ping's gaze is averted onto him. In that fleeting moment, he mouths, "We will get him out." Jealousy hits me when he hugs her from behind, resting his chin on the crook of her neck. "I promise."

A part of me wishes her to move away, to push him away. But she never does. With her lips bitten, she only nods sadly. My fist forms as Beomgyu casts me a challenging look without being noticed by the girl. "Don't," says Wonho as he half-blocks me with his muscular arm.

"I'm good," I deadpan while reassuring him. "I'm not as impatient as before, alright?"

Wonho snorts before patting my head, rendering my eyebrows furrow more until they can nearly touch under my forehead. "My little Jimin has grown up." Men should not be babysitters, or their personalities will turn as weird as you can never imagine. I slap his hand away, bear a temporary shiver on my shoulders and push him further away from me, my face shows the expression of disgust. Lucky for me, Beomgyu and Ping have turned away.

"Step aside, birdy," I say with my warning tone, deep and husky. "Or you will fly into that kitten's mouth in the next few seconds." But Wonho huffs with his finger poking the air beside me, indicating something facing my back. I follow his gesture and turn.

Much to my surprise, one silver eye is directed straight at me, forming a large creepy mirror as I can see my reflection on it. The panther blinks and its eyelashes fan dirt on our faces. "They are my guests, Aralee." And with no intention to attack, it sniffles once again before lending the Queen its back. "Come on up, my beautiful people."

Periwinkle light surrounds him and disappears, showing us his new look. His hair is now short but his eyes are no longer purple. They are the colour of an acorn. Bright with a small hint of orange. Such appearance makes him look less foreign but more friendly and welcoming. Not only that, his outfits have changed. He is no longer wearing dress, but white flannel shirt with folded sleeves to his forearms and long chocolate pants. His boots suit perfectly with his outfits, turning him into a typical soft-tempered man.

A virtual bridge is created under Queen Ren's snap of finger. It glitters as we step onto it, holding each other's hands as support. Once all of us have hopped on, the bridge disappears like an evaporating rainbow. There goes our adventure towards another place unknown.

The panther can change itself into human form too. Should it be a male or female? Which artist should it represent then? (If no one is commenting here, the lonely author will have to think about it by herself 😭🤦‍♀️)

ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs, ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀ ᴛᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ. ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴍʏ ʙᴇsᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs sɪʟᴇɴᴛ. ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ sᴛᴀʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴇᴍʙʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅsʜɪᴘ ᴍɪʟᴋʏ ᴡᴀʏ.

sᴛᴀʏ ᴛᴜɴᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ, ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʟ 💕😘

ᴘ.s. ʜᴀs ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴊɪᴍɪɴ's ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ? (ര‿ര)👍