By the stream's edge, Ranin sat crying, overwhelmed by the pile of lessons she had to study and the pressure of upcoming exams. She was drowning in regret and frustration, whispering sorrowfully, "I can't believe I do this every time... and never learn. I've been through this over and over again."
In the Imperial Palace Garden
A young man, elegant in appearance, with golden blond hair and eyes like blue diamonds, strolled through the palace garden with confident steps. His presence radiated dignity and an unmistakable aura of authority. As he walked, a thought struck him: to check the forbidden forest behind the garden.
He crossed the garden's boundaries and entered the restricted forest. An hour passed as he wandered among the trees, until a girl's crying caught his attention. Surprise flashed across his face. He knew well this forest was off-limits to everyone. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but the sound persisted clearly.
He wondered to himself: "Could someone be trying to break through the forest's barrier?"
Worried, he decided to follow the sound and ran quickly toward it. Eventually, he found a girl sitting by the stream, her face buried in her hands. Her clothes and appearance were odd to him. Ranin hadn't noticed his approach.
He stepped closer and asked in a calm, deep voice: "Who are you? And what are you doing here, in the forbidden forest?"
Ranin turned toward the voice, her brows furrowing in shock as she saw a young man with a regal presence, dressed in a patterned shirt and Victorian-era clothing. He looked like he had stepped straight out of an old oil painting. She muttered, "Just what I needed," and chose to ignore him, assuming he was some eccentric stranger.
The man repeated his question, this time with a sharper tone: "I said, who are you? What are you doing here? Answer me or..."
There was a clear hint of threat in his voice.
Already upset by her studies and exam stress, Ranin had no patience left. She snapped: "Listen, I'm not in the mood for your strange questions. Just leave me alone."
The young man was taken aback by her harsh reply. He thought: "I have no choice... I'll detain her and interrogate her in the dungeon."
He moved swiftly to grab her wrist, but... his hand passed right through her arm!
Both of their eyes widened in shock.
Ranin pulled back, startled, but he tried again—and again, his hand passed through her.
He asked in disbelief: "What's happening? Why can't I touch her? Why is my hand going through her?!"
Suddenly, Ranin grabbed his wrist firmly and said sharply: "What do you think you're doing?!"
He noticed her hand didn't pass through him. She was really holding him. His confusion deepened, but before he could say anything, Ranin made up her mind to run.
She grabbed her bag and sprinted out of the forest toward the neighborhood, never looking back.
He stood frozen, stunned by what had just happened, unable to chase after her.
He thought: "Who is this girl? How did she enter despite the guards surrounding the forest? And why can't I touch her, while she can touch me?! I've never seen magic like this before... or am I just hallucinating? Maybe it's fatigue from all the royal duties. I haven't taken a break in so long."
After a few moments of bewilderment, he decided to return to the palace.
With Ranin
After leaving the forest, Ranin rushed home. Her parents were surprised by the exhaustion and shock on her face.
They asked her worriedly: "What happened? Are you okay?"
Not wanting to worry them with the truth, she replied nervously: "I think I saw a bear..."
Her parents exchanged glances, and her father said reassuringly: "Don't worry, there are no bears in the stream's forest."
She forced a nervous smile and said: "Yeah... I guess I was just imagining things."
Then she turned to the stairs and said: "Excuse me, I'll go to my room."
Her mother gently said: "As you wish. Don't think too much about what you saw."
Ranin nodded and went upstairs. She threw her bag aside, sat on her bed, and put her hands on her head, still overwhelmed.
She thought: "Who was that strange man? And why was he wearing those old-fashioned clothes? What did he say again?... More importantly, why did his hand pass through me? And why did he try to grab me?"
Hours passed, and night fell, but she couldn't stop thinking.
She muttered with frustration: "Enough! Be logical. It was just an illusion from exhaustion... nothing more."
She got up from her bed and said firmly: "Yes, I must've imagined it... because it's impossible for someone's hand to pass through me unless this is all just... fantasy."
Feeling a bit more at ease, she decided to forget the whole thing and go to sleep.