Note⚠️: ah yes, another interruption. There's violence in this chapter.

Juliana's POV

Waning buildings and eerie winds echoed through my head and through my ears, the only sounds I could hear clearly.

I sat up and looked around at the area around me, realizing I was back on the streets again. The sight sent a strange wave of comfort through my body at the attachment I felt to this place. Though it was a hell-hole, I grew up here — I memorized every corner, hut and street. I could walk through and know every stand and hut blind folded.

The mud ground surrounded my body the same way I remembered, and the small huts I sprinted past as a child lined the street, along with the small stands that stood in their designated positions. Yet something felt off. It was home, but it appeared distorted and altered...foggy almost. I frowned, as my gaze continued to search for any inconsistencies, but I still couldn't place my finger on it.

My eyes widened with shock and fear when a familiar face entered my vision, smiling down at me kindly.

I blinked a few times at the person, not believing they were standing here in front of me.

Hana, one of my best friends as a young child besides Seulgi. But...how was she here?

"C'mon, Juliana! Let's go play!" She exclaimed with a light rose dusted on her dirty cheeks. She appeared the same as I remembered; round faced, friendly and filled to the brim with excitement. Hana didn't deserve the pain, the suffering she felt.

My blood ran cold when she grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I felt her touch spread through my body in the most eerie way possible. Once I stood, I instantly realized my height was cut off, and restricted. I looked down at my hands, and my blood ran cold. They were soft and young...like a child's.

I was back here again, back to where I was twelve years ago. I retracted my hand from her grip, my small and high pitched voice strange in my ears. "No, it isn't safe Hana." I said, the words echoing like a memory, as if I was reenacting what happened that day.

I stepped back, until a group of boys lunged out of the shadows to be behind Hana. I gasped, feeling arms clasp my own. Tears filled my eyes and I kicked and screamed to escape. The boys' menacing smiles only grew wider at my struggle, until one of them lifted their knife to Hana's throat. I shook my head, practically begging.

"Please," I whispered, my sobs like a haunting song.

"Give it to us, now." One of the boys said loudly, and Hana looked at him with fear laced in her features. She shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I don't have anything," she breathed.

"You stole it from us!" Another cried, grabbing her hair and pulling it making her neck strain backward. She started to cry. I wanted to run over and comfort her, and wipe away all her tears, but I was trapped. The boys' grips on my arms tightened, and I wanted to look away. One of the worst sights was seeing Hana cry — like an angel being heartbroken.

I turned my head until a hand grabbed my face forcing me to watch. It was haunting me, forcing me to remember the memories I'd kept buried for too long, only to burst again from its cage.

Hana whined, and shook her head, "please, I don't have it."

Merciless, the boy scoffed, then swiped the edge of the knife against the delicate skin of her throat. Hana's eyes bulged, as blood poured from her neck. I screamed, watching as her young body — that had just barely begun to live — collapsed to the ground.

I watched as the blood spilled out, and I saw my reflection in it. I cried and cried, the boys forcing me to look more at it, before pulling me away. Next thing I knew, chains surrounded my feet and hands, and I pulled for freedom. I felt the metal scrape my skin, and I let out a cry, as I watched blood trickle down my arm.

Guilt — shackles wrapped around my feet.

Regret — hand-cuffs closed my hands, and restricted my movement.

Fear — chains that weighed me down.

I inhaled a deep breath, as my eyes flew open, the smell clean air filling my lungs.

Disinfectant.

That was all I could smell, as the back of my throat tasted like blood, and my lungs breathed in shallow breaths. I felt tears slowly trickle down my cheeks and my bottom lip trembled at the memory becoming so vivid in my mind again. It was my fault — I couldn't save her.

I swallowed hard, and tried to catch my breath while guilt overpowered me mercilessly.

It was like a bully — the memory never missing an opportunity to haunt me, though I buried it in the deepest pocket of my mind for years. Little did I know it continued to live in me, determining my next steps in life, no matter how much I tried to forget.

I groaned with pain as my numb arms began to sting, while my feet ached as if I stepped on nails.

My eyes averted to the flickering white lights above me, flies occasionally blocking the light.

"Hey, are you alright?" I looked toward the sound of the voice, and was met with a female nurse's face, her hair glowing under the lights.

"Why did you save me?" I responded bitterly, my jaw tensed and somewhat ungrateful. "Where am I?" I felt my emotions eating at me, producing an unexplainable emotion — one that made me truly not want to live.

The woman smiled slightly. "You're in a hospital. And it's orders, dear. Anyone — slave or not that works for the Obsidian Order must be kept alive if possible,"

I nodded, my eyes still like slits and not bothering to return the fake, yet warm smile the nurse gave.

My attention shifted to the door, as another familiar figure stepped inside.

"Oh," the woman said with surprise before bowing, "Come in,"

They walked further into the room, eyes trying to meet my wandering ones.

The nurse gave a small, comforting smile before stepping outside the room.

Upon hearing the door close, they immediately turned to me. "Juliana?" They whispered, voice soft and delicate like a petal.

I looked over at them, and was met with a kind face, smiling at me. They brushed their fingers through their beautiful lavender hair, before sitting on the end of the bed slowly and carefully.

"Jimin?" I asked my voice hoarse, immediately reminding me of a frog. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled, "I wanted to check on you," he licked his lips nervously. "You were in really bad condition when they found you."

I raised an eyebrow in disgust. "It's not that big of a deal, you now. I bet you every other Gem are pissed I didn't die."

Jimin shook his head. "I'm actually relieved you survived, but most of all — thankful." He smiled at me, trying to overcome my saddened, and guilty expression. "I wanted to thank you for what you did at the gala. You saved my life," Jimin watched me in awe, his bottom lip trembling. "That must've been terrifying."

I scoffed. "But I'm painted as the bad guy to humans now. To my parents, and my own people. I wouldn't call that heroic," I said bitterly, as memories began to flash in my mind again. I tried to blink them away, but all the pain and suffering from that day was glued there, not leaving no matter how much I try to peel it away.

I was in no way a hero, or a good person.

Jimin leaned closer to me, eyes softening at the marks and bruises across my face. He tried to reach his hand out, but stopped and pulled away, perhaps realizing the barrier between us. "You could have left me to be shot and killed — but you didn't."

"I didn't know what I was thinking, Mr. Park," I replied, and Jimin's jaw tensed and his eyes saddened.

"I'm not who you think I am." I responded before looking away. All the buried insecurities boiling to the surface, making me struggle to look him in the eyes.

Guilt ate at me, and shackled me.

Jimin stood up from the bed, "things are going to become complicated now, Juliana. But I am hopeful for us all," He smiled. "And the fact you saved me despite the prejudices, is something to admire."

Jimin turned and walked out of the room, my cold and defensive heart softening slightly in the process.

Watching him leave, my gaze met another, one with deep eyes like a dark river and hair like fire. Once my gaze met his he turned away from me and walked down the hall, jaw tightened and eyes hard.

Narrator's POV

Lisa didn't know if she was able to breathe.

The lack of sleep seeped into her bones — fear enveloping her. She tried to breathe, but felt restricted from the heavy weight on her chest. Her arms spasmed, legs jittery, thinking about Ryujin's condition.

During the attack last night, a human shot at the two girls, which was when Ryujin took a bullet for her, hitting her stomach.

Ryujin was in Lisa's arms, face trying to maintain a smile for the crying girl even though she was on the verge of death. Lisa couldn't bear seeing the life drain from her eyes and skin. It was like a part of her was torn, and her heart shattered.

Lisa ran down the hall, until she saw the room where a girl with sapphire hair lay peacefully, eyes open and staring. Lisa let out a sigh of relief, observing her small smile as she stared at the ceiling.

She was safe.

As the nurse walked through the door, she stopped her in her tracks calming her own voice to a conversational tone. "Am I allowed to see her?" the girl asked gently, biting her lip nervously.

The nurse smiled. "Of course you can," she replied.

Lisa gulped as she stepped into the room, noticing how Ryujin's eyes instantly met her own. At first, she avoided her eyes, the tears returning and all the feelings that came along with it. Her fingers played with each other as she kept her head down, in attempts to conceal the tears streaming down the girl's face.

"Don't cry in front of me, because you know I will," Ryujin groaned with irritation. "Now, get your ass over here."

Her sarcastic tone made Lisa look up and chuckle slightly through her tears, happy her best friend was back to her normal self. She made her way over to Ryujin, carefully climbing into the bed, and cuddling up beside her. Ryujin wrapped her arms around Lisa, as she brushed her fingers through the girl's golden hair.

"Lisa, stop fucking crying!" Ryujin laughed, cupping Lisa's round face in her hands, and using her thumbs to wipe away the tears settling on her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I thought you died," Lisa mumbled, bringing her face to rest on Ryujin's shoulder. "I can't lose you Ry, you're all I have."

Ryujin sighed, "I know, but I can't live without you either," her chest rose and fell softly and Lisa felt her body relax at the soft motion. "That's why I took the bullet."

More tears streamed from Lisa's eyes at her bluntness. "And leave me alone?"

Ryujin shook her head, placing her cheek on top of the girl's head. "After my brother died, and I escaped the fucking hell that was my parents — I felt alone. I had no one to feel comforted around, no one to care for me. It was a dark place — I trusted no one."

A small, adoring smile stretched on her lips, her gaze flickering from Lisa's teary eyes, all across her face. "You are the only one I have, I couldn't see you die."

Lisa smiled, Ryujin returning it as she wiped her tears, trying to change the subject.

That's when the horrific reality from last night set in — and Lisa sighed. "Things are going to change, Ryujin, and I sense it's not for the better."

"I know," she replied, lifting her hand to cover Lisa's.

"I'm scared that a war is coming."

Ryujin nodded brushing a piece if blue hair from her eyes, "I can't believe this would happen in my lifetime," she watched the flickering light above her in disbelief. "Last time there was a war, it was brutal. Thousands died on both sides.

Ryujin's eyes narrowed in thought. "but what's strange is that they actually never overtook the other, even though history taught us the Gems won."

Lisa's gaze followed Ryujin's and she sighed. "It is strange, but...the Gems have new technologies now, and they could easily destroy the humans...wipe them out if they wanted."

"I can't imagine Juliana right now, she must be so terrified."

Lisa nodded. "She was brought to the ICU as well, almost dead. I thought she was going to die-"

Ryujin realized where the girl was going with her rant and placed her hand over Lisa's mouth, making her eyes widen, "she's fine, there's no need to worry, Lisa."

Lisa nodded vigorously, exhaling in relief as Ryujin's hand fell from her face. "Let's just hope we all can get through this, and we can be peaceful again."

Ryujin nodded in reply. "I truly hope, otherwise it'll be an even more broken world."

[A/N]

Surprise! In honour of the 1k reads milestone (still can't believe it!), I updated a long ass chapter! Hope you liked it :3

Anyway, I'm going to address this cuz i've had ppl requesting me to make a quiz determining which sect you would be. I think it's a brilliant idea, and I would love that. Except...I have no idea how to- ㅠㅠ

So, if someone out there would like to make one or smth, THANKS MAN UR A LIFESAVER. Whenever you finish, just send it to me and I'll tell administer the link :)