'What's happening?'
Ae-rin could move all of a sudden but it was already too late…
'But I don't want die…please…please… I…I want to live…'
Suddenly, a desperate gasp of air filled lungs… but how?
As if the adrenaline hit her. She took the chance to try to get to the surface of the water.
'Just- just there… just a bit more…!'
Before Ae-rin could, a hand found hers, and she was dragged right out of the water. She could finally breathe again.
She was lying on a wooded surface. She opened her eyes to see her savior… or saviors. Her vision's still blurry. Once it did get better, she found herself surrounded by 3 grown men, and they were all on a wooden boat…
'Wait, wooden boat?'
The men were wearing something she was very familiar with, for her being half Korean by blood, Jeogori. She knew that in Korea, it was a traditional attire and back in the day, it was regular clothing.
'What's going on… I can't possibly have swi-'
Her thought was suddenly interrupted by one of the men's voice…
"Caught ourselves a big fish here today, haven't we? And look, she's already awake."
They were clearly speaking Korean, but Ae-rin could understand that. Not that she couldn't before, she had been watching K-dramas and K-contents since the beginning of middle school, but she definitely wasn't a native. She still opened her mouth to greet them.
"Thank you for saving my life…"
Yes, she still spoke like a native.
"Oh, don't you worry, young lady, you really don't have to say that."
Something was very sinister about the way the man said that. Ae-rin had way more questions than answers.
About 5 minutes later, the boat came to one side of the river. She also noticed that the bridge above it was also made of wood, and the waterbody was that wide across.
The moment they all got to the shore, they picked Ae-rin up and sat her down on the green plane. Then…
They started undressing…
"What are you all doing?!"
"What do you think we are? Don't worry, we're all here to have some fun!"
'No, No! Why is this happening? I need to get away! I need to run!'
Ae-rin got up somehow, but her wobbly feet can't move any faster. The wounds on her legs were brutal, clearly from Alice, while she was unconscious.
"Where do you think you're going? Didn't we just say we're going to have some fun?! Get down on the grass!"
The men caught up to her easily and pushed her down.
"Let me go! Help! Someone help!!"
"There won't be anyone around this area. Much less to help you. You can't escape."
Ae-rin could have fought them off if only it weren't for her injuries from before. But she tried still, pushing them with her knees.
"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!"
What she didn't know, neither did the 3 men was that some people did hear her.
"What do you think you're doing with that girl there?" A rather heavy male voice spoke from behind Ae-rin.
'No good. What am I even supposed to do? What's happening?'
"Are you ok there, miss?"
Another male voice Ae-rin heard, but this time it was much lighter and comforting in a way. Even so, she kept her head down and only nodded her head 'yes'.
"You three better run at once or …"
Schwing
Sunlight reflected on a silver tip and blinded Ae-rin. She looked to the side and found a sword right beside her face, pointed at those men. The 3 men were trembling, looking at whoever the other two people were. They shakily gathered their clothes and ran away from there.
"I hope we weren't late."
The man with the sword at hand spoke, finally putting it back in its metal scabbard.
"Miss, you don't have to be scared of us. We won't do anything to you." The male continued.
"That won't work, Yu-jun. She is too shaken up."
Even the name was Korean. But Ae-rin couldn't possibly have gotten to Korea all of a sudden. Moreover, the fact that the people were wearing Jeogori and swords. The surroundings weren't looking familiar to her, more like not of her time. She couldn't possibly have time-travelled to the past, could she? That would be ridiculous, right?
"But we can't leave her here, Il-seong. It's not safe. What was she supposed to be doing at a place like this?"
The names of the two people rang a bell in Ae-rin's brain. She dared to look at the 2 males in front of her. And….
'This can't be… Am I dreaming? How have I not woken up yet? No, that's not it, I can clearly feel pain in my body. But… then, how? How can they be real…'
Now, Ae-rin noticed that she wasn't in her school uniform. She was wearing a Hanbok.
'How even? ...'
She moved her wet locks aside for a clearer inspection of her new attire, finally letting the other two get a better look at her face.
A clear statement is that Ae-rin is divinely beautiful…
And the little redhead wasn't really hard to get a read on. His face was all red, all the way down his neck and up to the tip of his ears, just like his hair.
The raven-haired male, though at first glance would seem unphased but with a closer look, even his ears and the back of his neck were completely flushed with a light-dusted pink.
"William Ae-rin…"
Ae-rin managed to let them know her name, timidly looking up at them. She wasn't exactly weak to protect herself, but her injuries were bad enough to prevent her from making a shift movement.
Il-seong was so lost in thought that for a good second, it looked like he was staring at Ae-rin's wet clothing over her chest. She instinctively covered it with her hand.
"I…No…I didn't mean to… Look at…" The redhead's face was even redder if it was possible... well, so…
Yu-jun didn't miss a beat to smack Il-seong's head.
"Babo, what do you think you're doing?!"
"I-I didn't mean to…I promise. Miss Ae-rin, please come with us."
To which Ae-rin again looked up at the shorter male, Il-seong.
"I-I swear that wasn't intentional… *Sighs* It's not safe around these areas, whether it be for people like those or…"
His words got caught in his mouth, which made Ae-rin think what the other thing was.
"Well, anyway, please believe us, we just want to take you to safety."
Whether it be because she didn't have a choice or because she had unfamiliar people with familiar faces in front of her, she proceeded to nod.
Ae-rin loved watching Manhwas and reading web novels back in her 'other life'. And Over the Net: Legend of the Small Giant(네트 너머: 작은 거인의 전설), needless to say, was one of her favorites. Even though the characters and characteristics were similar, they weren't volleyball player, at least not with the looks of it. 'Swordsmen' is what came to mind at first glance.
-------------------------
After agreeing to follow them to wherever this 'safe place' they mentioned was, she tried to get up but fell right back down. Ae-rin's legs were clearly swollen and bruised
"Ah! Come on, get on my back. I can carry you! Don't worry, I may not look so, but I am strong en-"
Before he could complete his sentence, Ae-rin dropped on his back.
"Eh…o-okey…"
So, after that, they all moved towards what looked like a well-off town… of that time. Beautiful and calm, Vintage to Ae-rin.
Everyone staring at them was an understatement. Some were even asking who that 'lady' was. The 2 males seemed to be well known in that town. But Ae-rin was fast asleep on Il-seong's back.
------------------
Ae-rin was finally awoken when the other two got in front of a big house… no, a massive Hanok. She stood up and found two more familiar faces.
"Oh, you two are back. Good. Found any- oh! Who's this? Hello, I am Cha Hyunwoo. You are from around here?"
"And I am Kim Yoon-hwan. Nice to meet you."
They both said at the same time. Eager to introduce themselves.
"William Ae-rin. Nice to meet you, too." Ae-rin replied warmly.
"William? I-I have never heard of them…" Hyunwoo was perplexed.
Ae-rin stayed quiet.
"Because she isn't from here."
She looked back to find Do-hoon…not in a couch's tracksuit but in a priest's attire?
"More like not from this world."
He continued.
"H-How? How do you-"
"We have been waiting for you for a while now."
All the others were shocked, while Ae-rin was getting more and more confused by the second.
"You have a mark on the back of your neck, don't you?"
Yes, yes, she did, a birthmark. "Yes, but I don't understand."
'I mean, what kind of Wattpad ff story have I gotten myself into…."
"It's ok, we can talk later. You don't seem to be in good physical condition. Sun-hee and Seo-young can take care of you. There are many people here you have yet to meet."
He walked past Ae-rin.
"And I didn't mean only in this place."
"Wait! Do-hoon-san, do you mean…. It's 'her'?"
Do-hoon simply nodded to Hyunwoo's statement and got inside the house.
'What did he mean by 'her'?' Ae-rin was so lost about the whole situation, it's almost sad.
Everyone standing there was deep in thought when Yoon-hwan broke the ice.
"It's really rude for a guest, potentially a new member, to be left standing on our doorstep. So, this way!"
'Yup, that's definitely Yoon-hwan, for ya.'
"Thank you for letting me in." Ae-rin bowed deeply.
"No need for that. Someone in need is always welcome here." Hyunwoo spoke before everyone followed Yoon-hwan inside the 'house'.
----------------
The word 'house' is not accurate. Well, even if it were to be, then it's definitely a Korean traditional villa styled with many rooms and open yards. Yoon-hwan and everyone else walked Ae-rin to one of those rooms.
Sun-hee was making some kind of remedy at the table.
"Do-hoon-san already told us about you. Please take a seat here."
"OMG! She's So Pretty!"
Ae-rin looked at Seo-young with a blush on her cheeks.
"Oh No! I said that out loud, didn't I? What am I gonna do now!!"
Ae-rin calmed down herself, hearing Seo-young scream like that.
'They all are just like how they were in the manhwa.'
She held her hands out for Seo-young to hold. And Seo-young did. And she, too, calmed down.
"Wow! It's not easy to get Seo-young to calm down like that. That's awesome!" Il-seong was pleasantly surprised.
Ae-rin smiled at Seo-young kindly with a more or less bittersweet memory of her mother calming her down the same way flashing through her mind.
"SHE IS TOO SHINY!!!"
-----------------
After an introduction and all, Sun-hee asked Ae-rin to sit down on a freshly set-up futon on the ground.
"We need to see all of your injuries to treat them properly. Can you show it to us?"
Ae-rin nodded and lifted the hanbok over her knees. The boys made a 180 and left the room so fast, it's funny.
"Ah-oh. The custom must be different in your world. Right? We don't lift our hanboks that high, but I guess you have to if you are injured." Sun-hee was really nice and warm to talk to, and so was Seo-young. They both were shocked to see Ae-rin in such a bad condition with multiple broken bones and bruises.
"I'll treat you right back to normal, don't worry."
Sun-hee gave the remedy that she had been making before, and it had a rather pleasant taste. Then she held out her hand over Ae-rin's body. And Ae-rin knew what was about to happen, but was still confused. Confused, cause why and how are they using magic?
Well, because it's a ff and they can if the author wants it.
Just as expected, a green aura radiated from her palm, and Ae-rin felt her numb body getting back to its proper health.
"You're maybe all good and back to health to the eye, but you still need to rest, eat well, and take medicines to fully recover. Understood?"
Ae-rin only nodded with a smile.
"I have a question." Seo-young looked serious. "Who did this to you?"
Ae-rin hesitated for a bit but decided to tell them anyway.
"My 'best friend' did."