Chapter Text
The HYBE International Institution for the Arts is an extremely difficult boarding school to get into. It centers around the promise of letting every student chase their dream in any art form they choose. But they only get access to HYBE’s once in a lifetime programs if they are exceptional enough. An impossible shooting star to wish on, given how selective they are. Which is why Wonhee isn’t surprised in the slightest when her extremely talented twin brother Keonho receives an acceptance letter.
But when she does too? That’s when the shock settles in. And it still hasn’t wore off, even though they’ve already been attending HYBE for a month and a half.
Keonho speed walks beside her, excited as a puppy like always. “Why are you so slow Wonhee! Come on!” He grabs her hand and tugs her along. “Ah, why is your hand sticky?” He tries to wriggle free.
“I peeled oranges for our lunches.” Wonhee says cheekily.
Keonho’s eyes widen in panic. “Our? Don’t tell me you added—“
“Tajín? I did.” Wonhee’s grin never leaves her face.
(Tajín is a chili lime seasoning used on fruit to add an extra kick to it.)
“How could you do this to me?” Keonho groans dramatically.
Wonhee pulls him along. “You need to have a better spice tolerance! Otherwise, who’s going to eat spicy food with me?”
Keonho pouts, eliciting a laugh from his sister. She releases her grip on his hand, and smooths out his soft hair, to which he swats her away. She then proceeds to mess up his hair in revenge.
“You go ahead to our class. I have to go to the bathroom.” She waves Keonho goodbye as he’s still trying to fix his hair.
She hums a tune, trying to battle her nerves and how in the world she’s still attending this school. Wonhee’s not sure if her hard work can cut it any longer, the professors are starting to get more frustrated with her by the day, saying she’s not ready for the rigorous training their school offers. Everyone here has been training for years to even make it in. She just happened upon a stroke of luck, or maybe as a result of the brilliant Keonho being her brother. These seeds of doubt have been planted in her head by everyone here.
The kids in the hallways. The kids at lunch. All her trainers and professors. The students in her class. They relentlessly bullied her to no end, to which Keonho was none the wiser. And she didn’t have the heart to tell him, not when he loved this place so.
HYBE was the perfect school for Keonho. He was a musical genius, already composing and writing lyrics, a talented dancer and rapper with the potential to be a star.
But Wonhee? She had no talent to her name, besides a “decent enough singing voice”. So she just had to work harder. Because right now, if anything, she was leeching off of Keonho. And the last thing she wanted was to be deadweight.
As if she wasn’t already.
As she walked, searching for the bathroom, she overheard the same girls that always giggled and whispered behind her, something about her being “too fat to have talent.” Self conscious, she folded her arms over herself, trying to stay strong.
It was getting harder and harder to breathe, to stay here. She couldn’t find the courage to go to class, to put on a brave face for Keonho.
To eat. She loved food. But the more her peers gossiped about her face and her body, the more insecurities grew and took shape that weren’t there to begin with, but clung onto her brain like a leech sucking her life force.
Food started to look gross. She didn’t want to eat anymore. She didn’t want to eat ever again.
She entered the bathroom and judged herself in the mirror, pinching at her cheeks, which were round and rosy. She had always thought she was just normal… not fat. At least, before she came here.
A squeaky, scratchy voice broke through to her thoughts. “You’re not. You’re pretty cute, actually. They’re just jealous.”
Wonhee whipped toward the sound, but she didn’t see anything.
“Up here, Lee Wonhee.”
Her eyes caught the corner of the ceiling to find a chocolately brown bear with pink petals around his neck, hovering in the corner. Wonhee blinked and blinked, certain her eyes were deceiving her.
“How do you know my name? Are you magic?” Her voice rose with excitement.
“Obviously I’m magic. I’m floating. And I’m a talking flower bear.” He hovered down to eye level. “My name is Hee Hee. And I found you, Lee Wonhee, because you are special. You have a massive reserve of star power.”
Wonhee’s eyes grew larger and larger. “Your name… is Hee Hee?” She snickered.
“Hey—that’s not funny! That’s my name you know! Find something else to laugh at!” Hee Hee sighed.
She caught her breath. In all honesty, it wasn’t that funny, but after those girls bad-mouthing her, she needed a good laugh.
“What’s star power?”
Hee Hee pointed to her chest. “It’s something you’re born with. In your very soul. It’s what makes you have the ability to command my magic. You are one of the only ones who can channel the star power I have to gift, because you already have your own. I just have to unlock it.”
“Ooh, I get to have magic! Wait till Keonho hears about this! He’s going to be super jealous!”
Hee Hee’s tone darkened. “NO! You can’t tell anyone. Your identity must be kept secret if you want to save Korea!”
Wonhee’s humorous demeanor faltered. “Save Korea? What are you talking about?” Her expression looked as if she were waiting for him to reveal it was all some big prank.
Hee Hee darted from side to side nervously. “Oops. I wasn’t supposed to say that yet.”
Wonhee grabbed Hee Hee in her fist and shook him. “I don’t like hurting cute animals, but I will if I have to!”
“Okay! Okay! Seoul is being destroyed by…” Hee Hee gulped. “The Backrooms.”
“The Backrooms are real?” Wonhee’s eyes turned to saucers.
“Yes! We don’t have all day now! You have to transform!” Hee Hee urged, slipping out of her grip.
Wonhee thought for like a second, then shook her head. “As much as I would love to skip, I can’t! Keonho would notice. And so would—“
“—But you’re the chosen one! Ugh, I hate having to beg.” Hee Hee nestled on her shoulder.
“I have to look after my brother!” Wonhee whispered as she walked to class. “He needs me!”
And then she remembered he didn’t. A crowd of students swarmed around Keonho. He laughed and talked with them brightly, students attracted to him like moths to a flame. Maybe she should just leave. He was fine without her. He always was.
It was her that couldn’t manage without him. She shrunk in on herself.
“That’s your brother?” Hee Hee whistled. “He’s handsome. And popular too, it seems.”
Wonhee felt sick to her stomach watching him, negative thoughts swirling through her head. “You know what? Yeah, I’ll become a superhero saving Korea from the Backrooms whatever you said. I just need to get out of here.”
Hee Hee regarded her strangely. “All of a sudden? You were so against it before—“
But their conversation got interrupted as a short, skinny girl with silky hair and choppy bangs piggybacked onto Wonhee excitedly. She smiled mischievously with charmingly crooked teeth and expressive eyes.
“Wonhee! Did I scare you?” Hokazono Iroha slid down to see her friend face to face.
Wonhee was busy throwing Hee Hee to the floor to make sure the flower bear was out of view, just in case they could see him. She wasn’t sure but wasn’t about to take any chances.
“Aw, where’s the reaction of that Wonhee I love?” Iroha slumped.
Wonhee opened her backpack and pulled out banana milk. “My reaction is of pure joy! I’m so happy I’m giving you your favorite fruit!”
(Iroha hates bananas. Especially the smell.)
Iroha squealed, plugging her nose. “Wonheeeee!”
A very tall, lanky boy lagged behind Iroha, (who she immediately hid behind to get away from the fearsome banana milk). He had quite wide features, hooded eyes that squinted at the two tiredly, his lack of sleep evidently noticeable in his posture and messy blond hair. Martin.
Iroha dove for the banana milk, dropping it in the trash without a second thought. She leaned her head on Wonhee’s shoulder, clinging to her. Wonhee glanced at her in surprise, feeling a little warm and on edge that her friend was so close.
It was just that she wasn’t using to people touching her besides family, right? Yeah. Had to be that.
“I can still smell it,” Iroha shuddered, and Wonhee giggled.
She turned her attention to Martin who was obviously struggling to stay awake. “Staying up late composing again?”
He sighed. “That’s the time I come up with the most ideas, so I kind of have to.” He blinked really fast. “I just have to get used to less sleep. Not everyone can do it naturally like you-know-who.” His eyes followed a figure with familiar disdain.
Keonho, still being swarmed. Wonhee knew better than anyone that he was not exactly a social butterfly by any means, he was shyer than people realized, but it was easy not to let that side of you show when people flocked to you because of your handsome face and good reputation. Hopefully Keonho had at least some good people around him…
Iroha jabbed Martin with her elbow. “That’s Wonhee’s brother, Martin, remember? Be nice.”
“I am being nice. Just speaking my mind. Wonhee’s not an idiot, she knows it as well as I do.” Martin stated, but more thoughtful than rude-sounding. He really was just saying his thoughts, not trying to cause trouble.
He tended to do that a lot, going on tangents of saying exactly what he was thinking. Martin never saw reason to hide his feelings, and said them without hesitation but with good intentions in mind. Unfortunately, many didn’t see it that way and didn’t hang around him much, making his only friends Iroha and Wonhee.
Iroha on the other hand, was very very shy and only herself after you got to know her, and most people didn’t wait long enough to. Which was stupid, because she was so adorable. Still, she only had Martin, her childhood friend, and Wonhee.
The three only had each other, and stuck together through thick and thin, even when the other HYBE students bullied Wonhee verbally, physically, in secret, no matter how down she got, she’d never actually leave school. Because at least she had friends. Leaving when she had people who would worry about her was just inconsiderate. And the last thing she wanted was to prove her bullies right.
“Wonhee? You’re spacing out,” Iroha said, lifting her head from Wonhee’s shoulder.
She missed the warmth of Iroha leaning on her, disappointment lingering in her friend’s absence.
Martin surveyed her, concerned. “Please don’t say something else happened this morning.”
Wonhee shrugged. “Just some people gossiping.” She tried to sound cheerful. “It’s okay though! I’m used to it!”
She felt Hee Hee bite her leg and she winced. Unfortunately, Martin noticed.
“If you’re sure, but if you’re hiding another injury, you have to tell your genius brother. I know you don’t want to burden him, but the more you keep this to yourself the worse it’ll get.” Martin said, ever the voice of reason.
Wonhee was suddenly reminded of the new secret she was keeping, Hee Hee, who was currently hiding inside her shoe.
“You worry too much Martin! Lighten up!” Wonhee forced a smile.
Iroha, who had gone quiet, spoke up. “I agree with Martin. You have to tell Keonho, Wonhee. If your brother’s public enemy number one—“ Martin rolled his eyes “—is saying that, it’s probably true!”
The bell rang, saving Wonhee from having to reply as she slid into her seat next to Iroha. The professor droned on and on about manners and etiquette and she could feel her brain shutting down.
The day flew by quickly. She felt like she went in a trance, Iroha and Martin badgering her the entire time to ask her brother for help. But she’d rather flush herself down the toilet than tell Keonho about her bullies.
Hee Hee climbed on her shoulder as the school day came to a close. “Go to that storage closet.”
Wonhee’s eye twitched. “What’s the magic word?” She singsonged.
The flower bear grunted. “Pretty please with a cherry on top.”
She went in the storage closet, and at the perfect time too. Her bullies walked by, none the wiser, and she let out a breath of relief. Today, she would be safe.
“Okay! All you have to say is “It’s Me!” to transform. That simple.” Hee Hee told her.
She nodded excitedly. “It’s Me!” She called out, then covered her mouth. Someone had definitely heard that.
Suddenly, glitter appeared out of nowhere, clinging to her skin and showering over her. Fog whooshed in too, encasing her to the point where she had absolutely no idea what this transformation was doing to her. After about a minute, it finished, and she coughed, opened the storage closet, and the strangest thing ensued.
People stared at her as she passed by, gaping. Not laughing or whispering, but in awe as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. Many began pulling out their phones to record and snap photos. It made her… uneasy. What had Hee Hee done to her?
Luckily, she found refuge in the bathroom, meeting a girl’s eyes in the mirror she didn’t recognize. Long lashes framed boba eyes, pink blush on cute cheeks, and heart shaped lips on a youthful face. A sparkly baby blue beret pinned her shiny hair back. She was dressed in a pretty blue sailor school uniform with a navy blue skirt, and a large light blue bow adorned her white shirt. She looked down and saw high knee boots on her feet, and a magical-looking choker around her neck completed the look. She slowly lifted her eyes back up to the person in the mirror.
“I’m… a magical girl.” Wonhee breathed.
She didn’t even have time to take it in. Because the very fabric of reality tore open underneath her, the ground crumbling in on itself. Seoul was being destroyed. She saw haunting yellow walls underneath her. The Backrooms.
Wonhee tried to run, but she couldn’t. Her feet felt like they were frozen and had no other option but to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her impending doom…
Solid arms caught her. She opened her eyes. A pretty girl dressed in the same kind of clothes as her, but with red coloring instead of baby blue, smiled softly at her. She had a red eye patch and long rapunzel-like braids… and seemed weirdly familiar.
Wonhee was sure it was just a figment of her imagination, though. “Thanks for saving me! You were so cool!” She gushed.
The pretty red girl beamed at her praise. “Us magical girls have to look out for each other, don’t we? I’m Turtle.”
Wonhee made a skeptical face. “Nice practical joke.”
Turtle laughed. “It’s not! It says your name on your wrist!” She showed Wonhee the writing etched onto her skin, and trailed her fingers on Wonhee’s wrist. “So you’re… Squirrel! I was going to say, your cheeks are so cute and chubby like one. It fits you!”
Squirrel puffed her cheeks in annoyance. “I was going to say, are you Turtle because you’re slow?”
Turtle grinned. “No… because slow and steady wins the race! Try and keep up, Squirrel!” And she took off.
Squirrel couldn’t help but let her competitive nature prevail, and she chased after Turtle without hesitation, completely forgetting about the Backrooms, still opening up behind her…