Yuna's POV
It was supposed to be a normal afternoon.
No classes. No responsibilities. Just eight exhausted teenagers roaming the neighborhood like stray cats after a long practice.
The air was warm, the sun was lazily sinking, and for once, everything felt… peaceful.
Kai walked beside me, hands shoved in his pockets, occasionally bumping my shoulder like it was a game. I shot him a look every time. He smirked every time.
I let out a slow breath.
Yeah. This was nice.
And then—
Rustling.
A sinister shift in the bushes.
A disturbance in the force.
A bloodthirsty presence lurking nearby.
I stopped walking. My stomach dropped.
No. No, it couldn't be—
But then a blur of white and brown launched itself out of the bushes with unholy speed.
"OH MY GOD—"
Wings flapped. Claws scratched the air. A terrifying shriek echoed through the street.
I froze.
Kai stepped forward.
The others?
Completely useless.
Milo, frowned. "Uh… am I having a stroke, or is Yuna about to get attacked by a bird?"
Leo, looked unimpressed. "Wait, is that a chicken?"
Ethan, the keyboardist, tilted his head. "Are we… supposed to be concerned?"
While the rest was just really cluless.
Kai, smiling like a lunatic, threw his arms out dramatically.
"Everyone… behold! The legendary guardian of this neighborhood—Dodong, the Fearsome!"
Silence.
The guys stared.
Then Leo deadpanned, "...Bro. It's a chicken."
Milo blinked. "You named it?"
Ethan turned to me, concern growing. "Wait. Why do you look like you're about to pass out?"
"Because that thing is a MENACE!" I shrieked, pointing at the demon in poultry form.
Kai chuckled. "Relax. Maybe he just missed you."
I whipped around to glare at him. "MISSED ME?! HE TRIED TO ASSASSINATE ME LAST TIME!"
Ethan perked up. "Oh, this is getting good."
He pulled out his phone. "What's the backstory here?"
"The backstory is that he's EVIL!"
Leo still wasn't convinced. "Okay, but like… it's a chicken."
"THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO THINK!" I jabbed a finger at the fiend.
"He looks like an average farm animal, but he's got the spirit of a war criminal!"
Dodong took a step forward.
I took a step back.
Kai smirked. "You gonna run?"
I should have run.
But I knew from experience—Dodong liked a chase.
The chicken locked eyes with me. His gaze was full of violence.
And then, just as suddenly as he appeared, he flapped his wings, let out one last menacing squawk, and disappeared into the bushes.
Like a phantom.
Like a curse that would return another day.
The guys stared at the empty space where he had been.
Leo: "...That was so weird."
Milo: "Honestly? Solid nemesis."
Ethan, still recording: "This is the greatest moment of my life."
Kai let out a dramatic sigh, then casually reached for my wrist and tugged lightly.
"Relax, Feathered Terror's gone… for now."
I sat on the grass, arms folded, glaring at Kai like I'm seconds away from launching myself at him. Because, honestly? I am.
The rest of the band lounges around Aunt Rosa's garden, completely at ease, like they didn't just witness my near-death experience at the claws of a homicidal chicken.
The fairy lights hanging from the trees cast a soft, dreamy glow, making the setting feel almost peaceful—if not for the fact that Kai is about to open his mouth and absolutely ruin my life.
He leans back on one of the lounge chairs, looking way too pleased with himself. He taps his fingers lazily against the armrest, then clasps his hands together like he's about to deliver the greatest historical speech of our time.
"So," he begins, drawing out the word in that slow, teasing tone that already makes me regret being alive.
"You guys now know that Yuna has an archenemy, right?"
I groan. Loudly. "Kai—"
But does he stop? Of course not.
"Picture this," Kai continues, sitting up and gesturing as if he's painting some grand picture.
"A warrior—no, a guardian. A battle-hardened veteran. A ruthless, feathered assassin."
"HE'S A MENACE, NOT A GUARDIAN!" I shout, grabbing the nearest pillow from the garden bench and hurling it at his stupid face.
It hits him square in the chest. He catches it like it's nothing and smirks. The absolute audacity.
The rest of the band is just staring at us, expressions ranging from amused to downright concerned.
Leo, the traitor, is already half-dead from laughter, slumped over, wheezing like he's just witnessed the funniest thing in his entire existence.
Ethan, stroking his chin like a philosopher: "Honestly? Sounds like fate."
Milo, ever the chill one, just shrugs. "Could be worse."
Noah actually looks intrigued. "Might turn this into a song."
Lena sighs, dramatically. "Wake me up when the chicken signs a record deal."
Erika rubs her temples like she's seconds away from leaving the band. "Why do I even try?"
But Kai? Oh, he is having the time of his life. He tosses the pillow aside, leans forward, and grins.
"You don't understand," he says, tone dropping into something serious.
"Dodong isn't just any chicken. He's a legend."
I throw my hands in the air. "A LEGENDARY PAIN IN THE—"
"Let me finish," Kai interrupts smoothly. He clears his throat and adopts his best storytelling voice.
"Long ago," he begins, "in the quiet, peaceful neighborhood of our dear Yuna…"
"It was NOT peaceful," I mutter.
"—a shadow lurked in the gardens," Kai continues, ignoring me. "A beast of unmatched cunning. A warrior, feared by all. A creature who has never known defeat."
I shoot him a glare. "Because no one wants to FIGHT A CHICKEN, KAI."
He waves me off and keeps going.
"Some say he was trained by rogue assassins. Others whisper that he was abandoned by a secret underground fighting ring, deemed too powerful to contain. But the truth?" Kai pauses, looking around at the band. He leans in slightly, voice dropping to a dramatic whisper.
"The truth is…" He turns to me, eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Dodong saw Yuna… and knew she was his greatest rival."
Leo loses it. He actually falls over, wheezing.
Ethan, nodding like this is a real documentary "Incredible."
Milo, as calm as ever "Honestly? Kinda impressive."
Noah scribbles something in his notebook. I already know I'm doomed.
Lena sighs again. "I hate this. I hate all of this."
Erika looks like she's praying for strength.
Meanwhile, I am glaring literal holes into Kai's head.
"Relax, Yuna," he says, way too amused. He leans back against the chair, stretches his arms over his head, and smirks.
"Dodong's not here. For now."
I swear if I see that chicken one more time, I'm moving back to the city.
The next morning, I walk into the practice room utterly exhausted. Why? Because Dodong the Menace has haunted my dreams. I swear I kept hearing wings flapping outside my window all night, like he was watching. Waiting. Plotting.
I drop my bag on the floor and slump onto the couch. Unfortunately, I don't even get a moment to rest because the second I sit down, chaos begins.
"Honestly," Ethan says, strumming random notes on his keyboard, "Dodong should be our band's guardian spirit."
Leo, our drummer, perks up instantly. "Nah, he needs a fan club first."
Milo, without missing a beat, deadpan as always: "I'd sign up."
I snap my head up. "YOU WOULD NOT."
He shrugs. "Seems powerful. Might protect us."
I stared at him. Betrayal.
Kai, sitting across the room, sips his drink like he isn't responsible for half the suffering in my life. "Wouldn't be the weirdest thing this school has idolized."
I groan, burying my face in my hands. "Why are we still talking about the stupid chicken?"
Leo grins. "Because it's hilarious, obviously."
"You nearly died," Ethan adds, adjusting his keyboard .
"Thank you, Ethan," I said, relieved that at least one person here has sense.
Then he shrugs. "But in fairness, it was kinda funny."
I am alone in this world.
The Band Runs With It
Unfortunately, the joke doesn't die.Ever. Instead of moving on like normal people, my so-called 'friends' spent the rest of practice hyping up Dodong like he's some legendary warrior.
Leo, tapping his drumsticks together: "He's basically a final boss."
Ethan, still messing around on his keyboard "Imagine him on our album cover."
Lena groans. "I hate this band."
Meanwhile, I tried to focus on singing.I really did. But every time I open my mouth, I hear things like
'Dodong, the Unconquered.'
'The Feathered Nightmare.'
'Guardian of the Sacred Gardens.'
And every time, I turn to Kai, who just grins like this is the best day of his life.
"I hate you," I whisper.
He takes a sip of his drink. "No, you don't."
A few days later, it happened.
I'm walking through campus, minding my own business, when I overheard
"Hey, did you hear about Dodong?"
I froze.
Another student leans in, whispering like he's sharing classified information. "Apparently, there's a killer chicken in Kai's neighborhood."
My soul left my body.
A third student gasps. "Wait. No way. That's real?"
"Yeah!" the first guy nods seriously.
"Someone told me he's chased people off the street before. He guards the neighborhood."
WHAT.
Kai casually walks past us, sipping his drink like he has no idea what's going on.
I grab his sleeve. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
He blinks at me, completely innocent. Too innocent. "Me? Nothing."
I squint at him. "Liar."
Before I can demand answers, we hear it—
A student, standing on a table, loudly declaring to a growing crowd
"Dodong once chased a thief out of town!"
Another student chimes in, excitedly "My cousin swears she saw him defeat a stray dog!"
A third student, dead serious: "He's the real deal. A living legend."
I turn to Kai, absolutely horrified. "FIX THIS."
Instead of answering, Kai just pulled out his phone, scrolled for a second, then held it up so I could see.
Group Chat: The Disciples of Dodong
Leo: "Our lord and savior 🐔🔥"
Ethan: "We must document his battles."
Milo: "Thinking of getting a custom jacket with his face on the back.
"Noah: "I'll write a song about him. A power ballad."
Lena: "Y'all need help."
I snatched the phone out of Kai's hand, horrified. "WHY ARE THERE FORTY MEMBERS IN HERE?!"
Kai smirked. "Look at his legacy."
I was going to kill them. All of them. specially Kai.
To be continued.