"A witch?" Ina asked, confused as to why he'd bring up such a weird topic in the conversation.

Witch.

The word sounded scary. It was as if he was accusing her of something bad or evil. I mean there had been witch trials at some point in ancient history, but that was then. This was now, and from what Ina knew of, magic, witches, and other sorts of things didn't exist. It was fantasy nonsense, a world created by folktales and myths.

"How could I be a witch? Witches don't exist," she mumbled, her eyes roaming the floor doubtfully.

Sighing heavily, Yoongi pointed at the pan Ina had seen earlier before whispering something. The words were so muffled that Ina didn't even realize when the pot had been filled with water or when the ashes she had seen prior to them sitting down, had become large planks of wood.

"W-what are you doing??" she asked, her voice shaky.

It was obvious he had caught her off guard, the fear in her voice amusing Yoongi. He was troubled by the idea that a witch had most likely been the one to witness his magic, however, the fact she looked so confounded appeased his wandering mind.

"Witches, magic, it's all real, whether you believe me or not is solely up to you. So, let me ask again, are you a witch?" he questioned.

Ina shook her head vigorously, her eyes fixated on the man in front of her. He stood up, walking near her before crouching down to her eye level.

"Tell me, Ina, as a kid, did you ever feel a burning heat that scared people away? Or, as a kid, did you ever wish to defend someone with such force that something unexpected happened? Maybe you wished harm upon someone with such passion that suddenly when you came to, what you wish had come true?" Yoongi asked, his body inching forward towards Ina who seemed to lean further back against the wall the old cot was against.

Ina swallowed hard.

She remembered it like it had only been yesterday.

It was the incident that had forced her to become the same girl who'd protected Chanyeol years later. The same incident that would lead her to meet Jimin later in life.

Ina was 7 years old when it happened, the school had roughly 10 students per class and at the most 4 classes per grade level. Elementary had always been normal for her and she wasn't one to shy away from friends, in fact, she had many as a child and those same friends would, later on, defend her and her brother. However, that didn't stop her from becoming the target of some of the most vicious bullies in school.

They were 10 at the time, picking on any kids, especially her brother Jungha.

Jungha was in his first year of kindergarten and spent his recess at the side of his sister. Although at first, Ina didn't mind the company, as time went on, she began to resent Jungha for not letting her spend time with her friends. Eventually, she simply told him off and Jungha stopped spending time with her at school. To her, this was her biggest regret. While he was younger, he was simply a child looking for the love and affection of her, his older sister. Instead of being there for him, like she should have, she had isolated him from her life.

This isolation, nonetheless, made him the prime target of all of the 10-year-old bullies' rage.

Ina stood alone at the entrance of the school one day, usually walking home with Jungha but didn't see him at the front gates of the school that afternoon. 

It was odd. Jungha was more punctual than her, and more often than not, he'd be the one having to wait for her. It was strange to be received by emptiness rather than the face of a small 4-year-old scolding her for her tardiness.

"Jungha!!" she remembered yelling at the top of her lungs while searching.

She had walked all around the side of the school and onto the playground, crossing through a brick wall that separated the playground area from the school. Just as she walked through the opening, her eyes fell on a small figure crouched against the wall. She could tell who it was simply by the color of his worn-down black sneakers her father had gotten him a year ago while away on a business trip.

"Hey, Jungha, let's go. If we don't get going Mom will be worried," Ina said, bending down to touch his shoulder.

It was only then that she realized in what state he was. His left eye was bloody, colored red from the inside as blood dripped down to his chin.

"Jungha!" Ina said trembling.

She choked up, unable to say a word. His lips had been busted open, more blood spewing from them as Jungha attempted to say something. Two of his top teeth were missing, a large bruise forming at the side of his face.

Ina dropped her backpack, running towards her little brother who proceeded to sob in her arms.

"Who did this to you?" she cried, her own salty tears mixing with his cries.

Who had hurt her little brother? Who had hit him so mercilessly? He was a child, a baby in her eyes. He was innocent to the world for someone to suddenly decide to put their hands on him. Not even her parents had ever spanked him.

"So you're the little snot's sister?" a menacing voice broke their cries from behind her. It was that same guy who had bullied her.

His little group had surrounded her and her brother, Ina instinctively pushing Jungha behind her.

"Jungha, can you stand?" she whispered, her brother nodding at her words.

"What did you say you bitch?" one of the girls asked, the guys laughing at her comment as if the word was a new toy or weapon to use against them.

Eyeing the ground, Ina looked at her fallen bag and began her calculations. How much time could she buy to get Jungha out of danger?

Was he fast enough to outrun those kids?

She had to keep them away from him for at least two minutes to give him a head start. Just as she said that one of the kids moved forward, Ina quickly lunged at her backpack and threw it at them, pulling Jungha with her before running as fast as she could away from them.

"Run Jungha, run!" she yelled, pulling at her younger brother's arm. 

The thorns on the bushes that covered the street that led to the forest pulled at her skin and created small cuts on her arms. Both Jungha and her arrived at the edge of the large woods next to the elementary school. They'd often walk through the forest to go home, passing by trees and marking their way with tiny pieces of chalk often leftover by the teachers. Looking back, Ina saw the kids getting closer, her legs continuing to move forward without stopping. Her brother, on the other hand, was tired, the blood he had lost exhausting him. It wasn't until they turned towards a short creek and climbed up a steep hill cluttered with trees that Ina finally paused, letting Jungha breathe as she pulled a small rope from her pocket. Ina's hands moved some bushes out of the way showing a small clearing in the center. There was an enormous tree in the center, a miniature red line marked on its side, nearly indistinguishable if it wasn't for Ina being the one who had made the mark.

"Jungha, I want you to climb. I will lead them away but you need to climb far from them. You know how to get to the safe house right?" she gasped.

Jungha nodded, recalling the red chalk lines that marked the branches overhead which led to an old treehouse he and his sister had made with his father's help a year prior. It was their safe house, the place to go if ever lost or in trouble. Their father had first intended it to be Ina's safe space, but after some convincing, it became both of theirs.

Ina grabbed her brother, placing him on her shoulders before giving him the rope. They had often used it to climb trees, their mother showing them how to do it on one family vacation. They were thankful. Thankful to have paid attention. Jungha climbed upwards, nearing closer and closer to the top of the canopy.

"Ina, I'm scared," he murmured, his voice hoarse from all the running.

His hands were shaking, wondering what was to happen to his sister if she was caught. Would she be okay? Any child's mind would have run as rapidly as his was in the same situation.

"Me too, Jungha but we need to be brave. Keep climbing!" she yelled, hoping no one else could hear her.

Her comfort was little to Jungha, tears beginning to fill his eyes. He didn't feel the pain of his wounds at the moment. All he could feel was worry and fear. Fear for his beloved sister.

From where Ina was standing he was nearly invisible, the small dot of his body blending into the rest of the branches.

"Do you have your watch Jungha?"

"No, they took it," her brother yelled back.

Ina groaned, looking back in hopes that they were still far behind her.

"Fine. Stay in the safe house until I come to get you. If I don't come by when the sun comes down, get the flashlight in the box and follow the green ribbons. I made them two days ago so that we can go home," she yelled.

Jungha nodded, turning away and grabbing ahold of another branch.

"Climb Ina, we can do this together," he croaked, finally letting her witness his pain.

Ina smiled sadly.

She couldn't protect him then, but now she could. Now she could redeem herself.

"No. They'll find you if I go with you. Promise to tell Mommy to come find me. Promise Jungha promise," she yelled one last time before turning away and running in the opposite direction of the forest.

Jungha sobbed, still holding onto the branches of the tree as hard as he could.

He would save her. He would save his big sister.

"I promise Ina. I promise to come back!"

◇

Ina continued to run. 

She could hear them getting closer as she finally made it to the end of the section of forest closest to the city. Her legs were tired, her breath almost impossible to catch, and her lips dry and thirsty.

All she wished for was Jungha's safety, her hands going to her knees in one last attempt to regain some energy.

However, she timed it wrong. 

Not only were they now right behind her, but they were twice as angry as before.

"Hey stupid, why did you run?" one of the guys yelled.

"Maybe she thinks she can beat us!" one of the girls laughed, Ina angrily looking in her direction.

"Where's the kid though?"

"Home. Safe away from you guys!!" Ina yelled back.

The kids formed a semi-circle around her, one of the girls being the first to grab her hair.

From kicks to punches, Ina was confused on how someone could be so full of hate against others. Why her and her brother? Why anyone in general?

If it hadn't been her it would have been someone else. But why?

With one final kick, Ina turned over, falling off the small cliff that laid behind her.

As she fell, she saw something that made her blood boil. On one of the guy's wrists was a colorful blue watch, a watch her father had given Jungha for his first day of school.

There was no mistake, it was the little Power Rangers watch with a broken strap tied only with rubber bands.

Ina saw red.

Literally and figuratively.

Her skin felt on fire, her ears burning with a painful sting that made Ina yell out in anger.

She felt some sort of warmth engulf her body, her eyes which once stared at the kids in front of her now glowing in a way she had never seen before.

She didn't know what happened next.

She remembered only the sound of bloodcurdling yells and screams before everything faded to black.

That was the day Ina promised to become stronger. To become someone who could protect others.

That was the day that changed her life and the life of her brother for good.

°˖✧♡✧˖°

🐨What do you think happened to Ina?

Is Ina possibly a witch or maybe something more?

Do you think Jungha remembers any of it?

Comment down below your thoughts.

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Enjoy!!

Mama KoalaBeaw
~♔~