Chapter 3 – Hope in Andora
Morning came. The chirping of birds welcomed the dawn above the village of Andora. The five of them awoke and walked with Belinda toward the village chief's house.
Inside, an old man lay weakly in bed. His skin was pale, his breathing labored. Belinda sat by his side, tightly gripping her grandfather's hand.
"How are you holding up?" Hyunwoo asked gently, his voice cutting through the silence like a soft breeze.
Belinda lifted her face. Her swollen eyes revealed exhaustion and sorrow.
"My grandfather… he's sick. I've been taking care of him on my own. I didn't even have time to sell the village's harvest..."
Tears began to fall.
"I feel... useless."
Yerin stepped forward and gently touched the old man's forehead. Belinda flinched, but Yerin gave her a calming smile.
"It's okay, Belinda. I can heal your grandfather," she said.
All eyes turned to her. Taeyang let out a laugh.
"Oh right! I forgot... you're a doctor, aren't you? Haha!"
Hyunwoo gave her a faint, impressed smile.
"So… what's wrong with him?" Wonho asked in his usual flat tone.
"From the symptoms… looks like a regular fever. I can treat it," Yerin replied confidently.
Then she turned to Taeyang.
"You said you know about plants, right? I need ginger, gleva root, blue flower—hortensia—and cashew seeds."
Taeyang nodded firmly.
"Leave it to me."
Yerin looked to Belinda.
"Can you help me find warm water and a clean cloth?"
Belinda nodded slowly, then rushed out of the room.
At that moment, Wonho, who had been quiet all this time, pulled a small notebook from his pocket. He flipped to a blank page and started writing. Hyunwoo noticed from the corner of his eye.
"What are you writing?" Hyunwoo asked curiously.
Wonho quickly closed the notebook, a faint smirk on his lips.
"Just some notes on the remedy. Might come in handy later."
Hyunwoo nodded, choosing not to press further.
Moments later, the ingredients Yerin asked for were gathered. She got to work, brewing the remedy in a small pot lent by the villagers. Her hands moved quickly, eyes focused.
After several minutes, the concoction was ready. Yerin applied a compress to the elder's forehead and wiped away his sweat with care.
An hour… two…
The old man's eyes slowly opened.
"Grandpa…?" Belinda whispered hopefully.
"Belinda... crying again?" he muttered weakly, but with warmth in his voice.
As soon as he awoke, everyone quietly cheered. Belinda hugged him tight while a wave of relief washed over Yerin and Taeyang's faces.
But behind her smile, Yerin harbored unease.
"...That worked way too fast… like there's some kind of magic in it..." she whispered, eyes staring off in thought.
Hyunwoo stepped closer to the old man and spoke quietly. The words were too soft to hear, but the serious look on their faces said enough.
A few seconds later, the elder nodded gently.
"Alright… I agree."
Later that afternoon
On the dusty village field, people began to gather. Children laughed and ran around, while adults were busy farming or simply staring off in silence.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed.
"Hey! All of you, gather here right now!" Taeyang shouted.
The villagers came over, their faces filled with confusion and suspicion. Among them, a broad man with a scarred face stepped forward.
"I know who you are. The outsiders Belinda brought. What are you doing here?"
Hyunwoo looked at him calmly.
"And you are?"
"Name's Arlain, guard of Andora. And this is Claude, my partner," said a thin man with black hair, his tone cold.
"Tch… didn't expect we'd be accepting strangers."
Tension rose thick in the air. But before things could escalate, a soft cough was heard. The village elder, cane in hand, stepped slowly into the middle of the crowd.
With a raspy yet commanding voice, he spoke,
"I've gathered you all to announce that starting today, Hyunwoo will serve as the acting village chief. I'm entrusting Andora to him."
In that moment, behind his strong words, a glimpse of the past flickered in his eyes:
"When I was your age, I saw a light in someone's eyes. A light that changed everything…" he whispered softly, lost in memory.
He added, "I see that same light in Hyunwoo. He has the look I once had. That's why I believe in him."
The crowd erupted. Claude stepped forward, face red with anger.
"What?! Led by a stranger?! How can someone not from here decide our future?"
Arlain added, "Exactly. How do we know they're not just taking advantage of the elder's condition? This is all too sudden!"
Shouts and protests broke out. Villagers argued, voices rising.
But then the elder raised his voice.
"SILENCE!!!"
His roar pierced the chaos, silencing everyone.
He stared sharply at Claude and the others.
"This is my order. They saved my life, and Belinda saw it with her own eyes. I believe the future of Andora lies in Hyunwoo's hands… because he can bring change."
Claude gritted his teeth.
"And if he betrays us, then what, Elder?"
With unwavering resolve, the elder replied,
"Then cut off my head. I will take full responsibility."
Silence. The respect for the elder ran too deep. Slowly, one by one, the villagers bowed their heads in agreement.
A few hours later – Village Discussion Session
In a small plaza, Hyunwoo and his team sat as villagers voiced their complaints.
A middle-aged woman wept,
"Water… we can barely get clean water. We have to wait in line for hours just to drink."
An old herder added,
"Our animals are skinny. They won't eat."
A young farmer spoke wearily,
"The soil's barren, plants won't grow, the weather's unpredictable."
Then, a little boy stepped forward, eyes wide and innocent.
"My name is Cedric..." he said softly.
Yerin crouched down, "What is it, Cedric?"
"I want a school… and a place to play. But in this village, there's nothing."
Yerin's eyes welled up, while Hyunwoo nodded slowly, taking every word to heart. As the sky turned orange with sunset, he looked upward and thought,
This isn't just about surviving. It's about building hope.
Elsewhere, subtle connections among the team began to bloom:
Wonho and Taeyang exchanged a knowing glance.
Yerin reached out as if to touch the hearts of each villager who spoke.
All of it marked the start of something deeper—the foundation that would carry their struggle forward, no matter what came next.