In a hazy dream, the girl stood before someone whose voice was gentle but urgent. "Listen, my dear, this place isn't for you. Run away from this hell, go somewhere very, very far, and never come back. Don't worry about us—live your life and thrive. Keep this golden locket with you always. It will protect you when you need it most, when you're in the greatest danger. This locket will help you."
The voice paused, heavy with emotion. "So, keep this locket safe with you always."
The girl's heart pounded as she clutched the locket tightly. She fled from a house, running far into the distance, the words echoing in her mind.
Reality
The girl jolted awake, her breath sharp. "Where's my locket?" she gasped, her hands scrambling to her neck. She found it, still hanging there, and let out a deep sigh of relief. But her eyes darted around, confusion creeping in. She was inside a house, sitting on a bed. Her gaze swept the room, and she realized she didn't know where she was. Memories rushed back—she'd been fighting in the jungle, then passed out. Who brought me here? Who saved me?
Her eyes landed on a boy nearby, sipping water. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead, a clear sign he'd been hurt.
At that moment, the boy noticed her staring.
The girl spoke, her voice hesitant. "Was it you? Did you save me? Thank you, thank you for saving me."
The boy tilted his head, a faint smirk on his lips. "Why do you think I saved you?"
The girl frowned, puzzled. "Because this is your house, and I'm inside it. And back when I was fighting, you were there too. You're hurt, see? So, it has to be you who saved me, right?"
The boy's expression turned thoughtful, and his mind slipped into a flashback.
Flashback

In the jungle, the boy stood with his younger sister, his tone serious. "See, I told you, didn't I? The outside world is so dangerous. People keep fighting out here all the time. That's why I always say the outside world isn't safe. We're better off staying home."
His younger sister, eyes bright with defiance, shrugged. "So what? You're here to protect me, aren't you? You'll always save me, I know it. Why should I stress? As long as you're around, I'm safe. I'm gonna explore everywhere!"
The boy sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, fine. I'll save you. I'll save you every time. But what about me? Who's gonna save me then?"
His younger sister grinned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm here, aren't I? I'll save you. Don't forget—I'm super strong too!"
The boy laughed softly, shaking his head. To change the subject, he said, "Anyway, we collected a ton of mushrooms today."
His younger sister's face lit up. "Mushrooms! We've got enough to eat them for five days straight!"
The boy froze, his eyes wide with horror. In a sudden move, he "accidentally" dropped all the mushrooms to the ground, his voice overly dramatic. "Oh no! All the mushrooms fell! They're dirty now, we can't eat them. Let's just go home."
His younger sister glared, crossing her arms. "Brother, what are you trying to say? Did you forget we picked these mushrooms off the ground? Dropping them doesn't make them dirty. What are you trying to prove?"
The boy's eyes darted around, searching for a way out. "Uh, look over there! That girl who was fighting—she's still there!"
His younger sister turned, her expression softening. "Brother, she's not fighting anymore. Something's wrong with her. We should do something!"
The boy nodded. "Alright, fine." He walked over to the unconscious girl and started digging a hole nearby. After finishing, he was about to place her in it when his younger sister shouted, "Brother, what are you doing? What are you doing?!"
He blinked, feigning innocence. "You said do something, didn't you? This girl's dead, right? If animals eat her, that's not good. So, I'm giving her a nice funeral."
His younger sister's face turned red with anger. She stormed over, punched him hard on the head, and snapped, "Pick her up quietly. Pick this girl up and take her home. Now!"
Flashback Ends

Back in the present, the boy rubbed his head, chuckling. "Look, here's the thing. You might be in my house, but the one who wanted to save you? That's my little sister. She's the type to drag anyone home. I mean, she's the one who saved you."
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Me? I was gonna bury you back there in the ground. You got lucky because of my sister."
From behind, his younger sister stormed in, landing another punch on his head. "Aren't you ashamed, Brother? Saying stuff like that in front of a guest!" She turned to the girl, her tone warm. "Here, drink this soup. It'll make you feel better." She sat beside her, starting to chat.
The boy slunk to a corner, acting dramatic. "This is why I don't like outsiders. One strange girl shows up, and my little sister forgets me. Now I'm all alone. I've got no one in this world."
His younger sister glanced at the girl, rolling her eyes. "Don't pay attention to him. Just ignore him. He's always acting."
The girl smiled faintly. "Thank you for saving me. And for giving me this soup."
The younger sister grinned. "No problem! So, tell me, why were those thugs after you? Why were you fighting?"
The girl's eyes widened as a thought hit her. "Wait a minute. When I was fighting those thugs, I got so many cuts and bruises." She looked at her body, touching her arms. "But now, there's not a single scratch. I'm completely healed!"
She turned to the younger sister, curious. "Did you give me something to eat? Or do something to heal my wounds?"
The younger sister shook her head. "Nope. I was just sorry you were hurt and waiting for you to wake up."
"Forget all that," the younger sister said, leaning closer. "Tell me your name! And where you're from!"
The girl hesitated, then spoke. "My name's Yun Na."
The younger sister beamed. "I'm Rin! And that's my big brother." She glanced at him. "Brother, wanna share your name?"
The boy puffed out his cheeks, pouting. "I don't tell strangers my name."
Rin smirked. "Guess we'll be eating mushrooms for a month or two then."
The boy flinched, his face paling. He sat up straight, forcing a polite tone. "My name's Kaito."
Yun Na nodded. "It was nice meeting you."
Rin handed her more soup. "Yeah, drink up! Now tell me, why were those thugs after you?"
Yun Na sipped the soup, her voice soft. "Those thugs were after this golden locket."
Rin's eyes sparkled. "Oh, it's so beautiful! What's so special about this locket?"
Yun Na touched the locket, her expression tender. "I don't know what's inside it. But my mother gave it to me. No matter what, I'm never giving it to anyone."
She looked at them, her voice warm. "It was really nice meeting you. I'll come back to see you someday, but I have a lot to do now, and I need to go. They're probably worried about me."
Rin tilted her head. "Where are you from? Where you headed?"
Yun Na smiled. "I study at the Academy. I'm going back there."
Rin's eyes lit up, shining with excitement. "Wow, you study at the Academy? That must be so much fun!"
Yun Na laughed. "Yeah, it's great. Wanna come?"
Kaito's face turned serious. "Absolutely not."
Yun Na's smile faltered, a bit nervous. "Alright, it was nice meeting you. I've got a lot to do, so I'm gonna go. I'll come see you later."
She stepped out of the house and walked a short distance. As she did, a faint magical blue barrier flickered around her, reacting to her presence. Yun Na paused, sensing something strange around her, but shook her head and kept walking.