closed starter for @lostwcnderlands
Kore’s heels clicked steadily against the pavement, her stride purposeful, but inside, she was barely holding it together. It had been a week from hell. The kind of week that made her want to lock herself away and pretend the world didn’t exist. First, her father had fallen ill. That had been the hardest blow, his health deteriorating too quickly for her to keep up with. She had spent hours in the hospital by his side, praying for good news that never came, trying to keep her mind focused on work but always slipping back to his fragile condition. Then there was the necklace. Kore’s fingers instinctively went to her neck, where the chain should’ve been, but there was nothing. Her favorite necklace—an intricate piece that looked like a dainty flower, carved from a rare stone—was gone. She’d lost it at the beginning of the week, and the more she thought about it, the more it gnawed at her. The necklace had been a gift from her grandmother, given to her when she was young, the kind of gift that held meaning beyond its beauty- it was their heirloom. It had always been a part of her, and now it was lost in the chaos.
But the moment she stepped out of the high-rise office building and into the vibrant pulse of the spring afternoon, something inside her shifted. She needed this. She needed to breathe in the flowers, feel the warmth of the sun on her face. Nature had always had a way of calming the chaos within her. Kore glanced up at the sky. It was clear, the sun breaking through a few cotton-candy clouds. The perfect spring day. She smiled, just a little, feeling the light breeze stir her hair. The park was only a few blocks away, and she would be there soon. The park had always been her escape, her place to breathe when the world became too heavy. It was spring after all, and there was something magical about it. The air was warmer, the flowers were in bloom, and everything in the park seemed to come alive with color. The vivid pinks, purples, and yellows were like a balm for her frayed nerves. The park was where she could leave the weight of the world behind, even if just for a few minutes.
As she approached the park’s entrance, the familiar scent of blooming flowers hit her, and for the first time all week, she allowed herself to exhale, the tension leaving her body in a slow, steady release. She took off her heels and picked them up then stepped into the grass, the grass beneath her felt so soft and welcoming.
She wandered toward her favorite spot, under the oak tree, and sat down on the bench nearby, the wood cool against her skin. She let out a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing as she finally allowed herself to be still. Her eyes fluttered closed again, and for a few minutes, she simply listened to the rustling of the leaves and the distant sounds of the city, now muted in this sacred space.
It was then that she felt a presence.
Her eyes snapped open, and a strange shiver ran down her spine. Standing just a few feet away was a man—tall, imposing, yet strangely serene. He was dressed in dark clothing, but there was something about him that felt otherworldly, almost as if he didn’t belong here to this place. She couldnt help but just stare back at him.
