Hae Ri
The sun had barely risen when Areum and Min Woo came to wake me up. "Hae Ri, you've got to hurry. There's so much I need to show you," she said handing me an outfit similar to the ones the other wore.
Min Woo was still rubbing the sleep out of his eye. "Did you sleep well?"
"It was okay," I said. They had me sleep in a small, damp shed where my only bedding was hay and a blanket. It wasn't the best, but it beat being anywhere near Admiral Son.
"Good, now hurry and get changed," Areum said pulling Min Woo outside with her.
I quickly got dressed. Unlike my hanbok, these clothes were lighter and easier to move around in. The top was a beige long-sleeved tunic and trousers that stopped at the ankles. They were a tad itchy. Areum was kind to provide me with shoes. They were made of three thick bands that came to an adorable point at the toes. I roughly braided my hair. My long bangs fell to the sides of my face. When I finished, I met the pair outside.
Areum clapped her hands with joy. "You look like one of us." They led me to the communal pot hanging of a large fire pit. "This is always a surprise," she opened the lid to reveal the steaming rice porridge. She sighed. "I'll skip breakfast. You eat," she said pouring a heaping spoonful into a wooden bowl. I couldn't understand how Areum passed on this. It was tasty, the texture was just right and it wasn't too sweet.
After my meal they continued to show me around the little village. We walked by a lake that the Jurani people washed their clothes and other items in. The healer was a grumpy elderly lady who made various herbal medicines and ointments. She gave me some aloe for the cuts on my face and then proceeded to tell me about how kids these days were reckless. A miserable old lady, but nice nevertheless.
We then passed by a clear field which they used to practice archery. In the mood for some sweets, we took a trip by the garden where they planted the most unusual fruits. Areum picked me a little green berry from a bush. My face scrunched the minute I put it in my mouth. I soon learned such berry was named a "stinger."
When evening came along, Jurani hunters returned with their kills. I was shocked to see that there were some female hunters among the group. We welcomed them back. They paid me no mind, but I was just happy to be on their side. I wouldn't want to be on the opposite side of their spears and bows.
"How was today's hunt?" Min Woo asked one of the teenage hunters with an obviously fake low voice.
"It was fine," the hunter said clearly annoyed.
"That's great. Hey wait," Min Woo blocked his way. "Do you think I could join you guys next time?"
"Ah, no I don't think that would be a good idea," he said. "We wouldn't want you to scare off the deer." He walked off with a cheeky grin on his face. Min Woo took notice of this and grew red.
Areum shook her fist at the hunter. "Don't worry about it. They don't want you stealing their kills that's all," she assured her friend.
As we walked around the camp, I noticed that life for the Jurani was peaceful. They functioned more as a family. As long as everyone did their share there were no issues. They didn't use any currency, so there weren't any rich or poor people. The only people who were above the Jurani were Areum and her Father. Even they took part in daily duties like everyone else.
We soon reached a river with numerous large rocks that stuck out of the water. Areum jumped from rock to rock and landed on the other side. "Only nine jumps this time. Your turn Minnie!" she called out.
"Don't call me that. I'll try to do it in seven jumps." Min Woo took a leaped across the river. He was on his seventh jump and almost at the end. He bent his knees and pushed off rock. Unfortunately, he did not get enough air and fell into the water. "I hate this game!"
Areum and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Okay Hae Ri. Your turn," she said.
With just one jump, I was already a quarter of the way across. I made four more jumps and reached the other side. The pair looked at me in disbelief.
"No fair! You're so much taller than us." Areum said.
We then followed a path that led to a large stone structure. It looked like it had been there for ages. Vines and cracks went up the walls. A little robin decided to nest in a hollowed part of the structure. It seems I underestimated just how large the place was.
Our footsteps echoed against the tall stone walls, which had a foreign language etched into them. Those words spanned all the way up to the highest point of the pointed ceiling. A large green mineral of some kind rested in the back with two torches on each side and a stone slab directly in front of it.
"This is the temple of the forest. I come here every day to make sure everything is in balance. And this..." Areum placed her hand on the boulder-sized mineral. "...is the Sacred Crystal." With her touch, it turned from a dull green to a vibrant jade color. The glow lit up every part of the temple. Her magical aura swirled around us.
How could a little girl do all of this? I wondered.
"What did they say?" Min Woo asked.
She did not answer for a while. When she turned to us, she looked uneasy. "Not good. The forest says it fears for the Jurani." She touched the crystal again to communicate with the forest, but it didn't work. "Something is coming. And Hae Ri... I think you're the one to save us."
There must have been a mistake. "Me? I think you have the wrong person."
"No, it has to be. The forest has been giving me signs which lead to you. Starting with the vision. I keep having this vision, it comes randomly. In it I see an Outsider with clothes just like you. Her hair was just like yours," she said. "I never saw the face but I just know its you, the Chosen One."
None of this made sense to me. "How can you be sure if you never saw the face? In case you didn't know, where I come from, many girls look and dress like me. You have the wrong person." I said annoyed.
"There's no way to tell for sure, but hear her out." Min Woo interjected.
"Okay, I'll admit it does sound shaky, but what about those days when we were on The Outside? I followed the voice to you," she looked me in the eyes. "Didn't you feel connected to me in some way? I know I did when I saw you." she said quietly.
I remembered that night when I saw her green eyes, how I was drawn to them. I told myself that I followed her out of sheer curiosity and nothing else, but deep down, I knew that was not the case.
"Hae Ri, please." She reached for me but I backed away.
I felt like the walls were caving in on me. She was talking to me, but I couldn't hear a thing. It was getting harder to breathe. I ran from the temple, my tears blurring my vision.
Why is it that everyone else but me knows who I'm supposed to be?
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