Lazily dragging myself out of my final class for the day, a ear-piercing siren rang throughout the school hallways. A fire alarm, just as I was about to get home. Groans escaped the tired students as we jogged to the field where our grade would be assembled.

There was never a fire, I thought this would just be badly timed drill as usual. Seems everyone around me thought so too, barely anyone made an effort to evacuate. But just in case we still briskly walked to the field.

Pointless really. By the time I got to the school's fire exits, people turned back, the school master shooing us home and informing the teachers of a student mistakenly pressing the alarm. Annoyed students rushed past each other, fighting to get out of the main exit as the school master refused to let anyone out of the emergency counterparts. A few stubborn ones managed to slip through. I on the other hand was too tired to fight back and let myself go with the wave of other pupils.

A cold but surprising soft hand grasped my wrist and pulled me sharply into an empty hallway corner, away from the crowd. I attempted to shake the figure off my wrist.

"Hey I'm trying t-"

"Wooah! Easy there ____," Taeyong exclaimed releasing my wrist. His offer from earlier on flocked back into my head, my scowl softening. Adjusting my posture, I questioned him about his previous statements to which he remained oddly calm. The bleach blonde simply gestured towards the ajar fire exit leading to the forest just outside the school. I squinted into the distance faintly making out a light glistening. The school frequently warned us not to lurk in or around the forest, never telling is why. We all heeded their warnings without question since the extensive leaves and foliage wasn't so inviting to some. Until now.

But of course, I'm not stupid. Never would I just waltz into a creepy forest after being told by a devilishly handsome mysterious man.

"No." I deadpanned. He didn't look shocked.

"You think I'm just gonna walk straight into where all our teachers tell us to stay away from." I emphasised.

"Alright, I'll go with you. You got the card right?" Taeyong asked. I snorted, telling him his statement provided little to no reassurance for me. How stupid did he think I was?

"Look, I know you're not stupid," he continued as if reading my mind. "But I really don't know how else to lead you to Han other than just bringing you there. If it makes you feel any safer you can take this..." He slowly pulled out a small blade out of his crisp black blazer, gently handing it to me. I slightly flinched at his motion before cautiously grabbing the blade. Eyeing it thoroughly, I twisted it in my hands, it shining sharply under the setting sun. It was getting dark, I had better make a choice soon.

"I'll go, but you're coming with me." I stated. Taeyong agreed walking towards the door.

"Well..?" He paused. Despite my unease, I followed him out the school and into the vast forest in the distance.

Soon enough we were at the lip of the forest. He guided me a few more paces into the trees before we reached a clearing. Already, not much light managed to pass the thick layer of leaves. Underneath the spiralling foliage beneath me, I could see an old cobbled path leading to God knows where.

"I'll take you this far," Taeyong told me. "You've got the card. You'll know where to go."

"No I don't!" I exclaimed pointing in the path's direction. He's really going to abandon me in the middle of nowhere. Right about now I was contemplating my life decisions. "There's just an old path! What am I gonna do when I reach where you want me to g-" I turned back to where last stood. He was gone. Disappeared. Again.

I muttered curses into the air hoping he would hear my hatred for the situation he put me in. Left with no other choice, a rambled along the path, accepting my doomed fate. I was stupid to have followed him anyway.

The cobble seemed to clear of dead leaves and roots the more I went along. After a good 10 minutes of walking and diminished hope, I finally turned to another clearing. But this time I was intrigued. At first glimpse, nothing was special but upon further inspection there were some patches among the leaves that glistened like glitter. I walked closer, mesmerised and curious of the patches before a rustle sounded around me.

I snapped my head towards the sound expecting to see Taeyong jump out exclaiming it was all a prank like a YouTube vlogger without a job or a life. But instead I linked eyes with a squirrel looking boy, around my age. Just as mysterious as Taeyong, but with a cuter more youthful vibe.

"Ah... you're ____, right?" the boy questioned as if expecting me. "Where's Taeyong?"

"Was he supposed to come with me!? He just left me saying he could only take me so far!" I exclaimed. The boy chuckled.

"Of course he did." He muttered walking closer. "I'm Han Jisung, you can call me Han or Jisung, whatever suits you. I'm the guy on that card" he introduced. I pulled the card out of my pocket. It was strangely flat and intact although being shoved in my jeans. Han began to explain why I was brought here. They planned to show me the worlds beyond our own, the alternative universes. Han and Taeyong together managed to create portals into these distant worlds, and they wanted inquisitive individuals like myself to venture into the universes they had discovered.

I was astonished, some would question the safety or even legality of their findings. But I was never one to follow rules as rules, more so suggestions. On cue, Taeyong emerged from the shadows joining Han's side.

"Now the catch, my lady." Taeyong began. "You are venturing into unknown worlds ____. Walking through those portals will mean you no longer exist within these earth-bounded regions for the time you're gone. The same vice versa. You can't be in two places at once. Any ties you make within that region will be erased as soon as you walk out and the ones within the universe you walk into will be restored. Including the ones you've made the years you have spent here. We don't only guard these portals ____, we don't control them. If you make any two universes collide, the time lords will be after you and you're existence will be wiped out all together. This is why you, and only you can pass these portals."

"So we ask you," Han continued. "Don't get too attached, and tell no one. All of this must stay between us three, don't let anything slip or you'll become a mere body frozen within the fabric of time and space. And ____, these are alternate universes. You may see resemblance to someone back here. Do not mention anything about their earth-bounded counterpart, that is them, just in a different world and if they realise that they also live on in a different world, the two universes will collide and... you get what will happen."

"So ____, would you like to see the worlds beyond us?" The taller asked. I agreed quickly, pushing aside thoughts of my safety and my previous hatred towards Taeyong for leaving me for no good reason.

Suddenly, the glistening patches shot up with a beams of neon coloured light. Portals opened up in their spaces, a smile of awe growing on my face as I spun around taking in the scattered glowing lights around me.

"Okay ____. Any glittering patches are a small tear in the fabric of time and space. The colour that it shines is proportional to the universe it connects to, the earth-bounded region is turquoise, the others we'll leave you to find out for yourself. Call out to me or Taeyong when you're around one and we'll open it for you. Be safe in there."

"You're a seeker of the truth. Now choose your universe."