Neverland [✓]

[ Wish ]

Never have I ever felt this pounding ache in my head before, other than when I had fevers from overworking too much. 

This headache is the only stimulation keeping me awake from my blackout. I could not continue my sleep anymore and almost felt too happy that I've returned back to my own world.

However, nothing that my own ceiling resembles to anything in what I'm perceiving right now.

I don't remember seeing spherical lanterns levitating with such elegance. I've never seen lanterns hanging by themselves without having a string attached to the top or even light a candle in the middle of the inside. 

I must still be dreaming. 

"Wake up sunshine." 

I bolt upwards at the sudden voice that boomed from behind and almost stumbled over the bed. Turning around to face the stranger, I position myself near the corner and put my arms into defense mode towards the boy named Peter.

"Woah Irene. There's no need for you to be agitated-"

"How do you know my name?" I cut him off, disregarding what had just happened earlier. I was still in my stance, which probably was amusing for Peter despite the facial expression that he's trying to keep in. I don't lose my guard and clench my fists, ready to attack whenever possible. 

"That's unnecessary, Irene."

Another voice alerted me to turn around, almost yelping and expecting to fall down on my butt as I close my eyes. 

A swift movement pulled me back up before crashing down onto the floor. I instantly opened my eyes and gasped at the close proximity between this stranger. His arm slightly tingles my torso as his other hand clasps my right hand. 

I look up at the man and was almost on the verge of fainting again. 

I pushed myself away from him and tore my gaze away. If anyone stared at this man for more than five seconds, it's guaranteed that he'll make any women fawn over him with a single glance of an eye. 

"Oh! Someone's blushing." Peter remarks once again, irritating me on the inside yet I try to conceal it as much as possible. If I had a weapon on my side, I would not hesitate to smack the life out of Peter. 

"Peter, enough. We're not here to tease our guest. We're here to welcome them for being lost."

I glance back at the man once again, slightly raising my eyebrow in hopes of my question to be answered. I did not come here willingly by my own, rather, I was brought here by some unimaginable force or occurrence that I'm not even conscious myself. 

"Lost? What are you talking about?"

He meets my gaze and this time, I try to keep myself steady without quavering at the expression that he's giving me. I want to know how I got here and why I am even here. I don't understand what this stranger had just spoken. I need some clarification. 

"Haven't you had a lot of troubles with the community?" He utters with ease, inducing my mind into tranquility and to reciprocate his question word by word.  

"What I want to know is how you know my name." I countered back, taking a subtle step to the right away from the stranger and possible from Peter as well. 

"That's a secret that we can't tell you. You just won't understand even if we try to describe it with words. Our imagination is completely unknown and nothing comparable to you." Peter heaves a strained sigh at the end, hopping off the window frame and made himself comfortable on the edge of the bed. 

I eyed them both back and forth, taking another step backwards till I felt the surface of the wall touch my back. 

I responded with silence.

"To clarify this, you are having problems in your own world, bringing you here so that we could help you fix it."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because we're nice?" Peter says like its a question, making me doubtful more than ever as to what the reason behind their purpose truly are. Swallowing the dryness in my throat, I glance back at the man named Taehyung, who had been standing there for quite a while. 

I still don't understand how he got behind me so secretively that it scares my soul inside and out.

"Prove it. There should be other people here that felt lost. Where are they?"

"They're no longer lost and are now happy with their own world." Taehyung smiles at the end, projecting a genuine and warm expression that I want to accept. However, my gut is telling the other reason. It's warning me that there's a dark and surreptitious reason behind that smile. I want to accept his help, but I want to try fighting the battles by myself.

"So what happens then? What do I need to do to stop feeling lost?"

"Spend some time with us in Neverland. You return back to your own world after you wake up. It doesn't stop until you feel yourself no longer as a Lost person." Peter shrugs, standing up as he examines multiple objects around the room, mostly at the levitating lanterns. 

I look back at Taehyung again, still unsure and heavily doubtful about everything. This is only a dream. 

Anything could happen. This could be an event in the future, or even an occurrence from the past that I'm not heavily conscious about. 

"What do you wish for, Irene?" Taehyung queries, allowing me some time to think over in what I desire. 

I shake my head nonetheless, leaving his question with a silence as I now gawk at the timber floor. I would probably be stuck here for a couple of times, if not, weeks if nothing is progressing. Lifting my head back up, Peter is already opening a door out of the room. 

"Well then, your wish could always arrive sooner or later. Right now, let's have some fun around the bonfire. I'm sure you'd like some mashed potatoes with fried chicken." Peter exclaims with a wide smile on his face.

I eyed him in a questioning manner, still pondering on what I want for my own world to be better. 

What do I actually wish for? 

_____

090617 - 

me: *piled with assignments, power points, homework from university*

also me: *subtly updates fanfic*