a true rare talent

"You act like you even have to do anything to do that," Mu-yeol said, shaking his head.

Nam-min made him proud every day-- and frankly his success as a dancer was something Mu-yeol didn't place much value in. It was important to Nemo so he supported him in doing it, but Mu-yeol valued things like his kindness and his ability to speak Korean with his father.

He didn't need to dance in Denmark to make him proud.

He couldn't just come home with him, change his mind.

"Because you don't," he added. "I'm always bragging about you just because you're my son. I just wish--" I was always the appa you needed "--I'd better prepared you to be on your own. I honestly thought the job search would go on longer."

He chuckled.

He had been going crazy. And technically, this wasn't even a full-time job. He still didn't have anything steady like Ashlee, Jeremy, or even Finn. It was hard not to keep comparing himself to his friends and think about how he'd probably end up back in Swynlake in just a few short months. Which was nutty-- here he was, getting teary and missing Appa when he'd probably see him as early as September 22nd.

But he was trying to be patient. Take each day at a time. And it was still his first big dance job, even if it was only for one season.

"Yeah. I think...it's gonna be fun," said Nemo. He summoned another smile, then hugged Appa tight, squeezing his eyes shut again.

But he knew-- he knew he had to let go. Or he never would.

So finally, Nemo did, stepping farther away this time. "Will you um...text me when you get home to Swynlake? You can tell Hatter hi from me."

Mu-yeol was doing so good, until Nemo hugged him and his little voice shook. He was his baby again in an instant and how was he going to just leave his baby in Copenhagen?

He held him tight and pressed a kiss to the top of his head, wanting to tell him 'maybe you need more time after all' but knowing that wasn't right.

“Raising you was the most important thing I’ll ever do,” Mu-yeol said. “Which is why I know you’ll be just fine because I watched you grow up. I couldn’t have imagined a more wonderful version of you.”

Nemo didn't try to stop them-- maybe he should; maybe it wasn't what adults should do. But he didn't really care. Whenever Appa hugged him, it was hard not to feel like he was six years old, still small enough to fit on his lap, still small enough that Appa would fly him place to place so he didn't stress his lucky wing.

He hoped that Appa was right.

He hoped that he was ready.

He pulled away, tears dribbling down his red cheeks. "I'm gonna make you proud," he said fiercely, even though his voice wobbled.

PARK JIMIN BTS - Normal (Explicit ver.), 2026

He didn't...like it. But human machines made it easier, at least. There were laundry machines down the hall. Or maybe it was down one floor. Nemo couldn't remember but he knew it would cost a few kroner each time. Hopefully not too too expensive.

He kept unpacking things. Appa joined him. It was funny how fast it went-- it had taken Nemo so much longer to pack in comparison.

Soon, the suitcases were empty shells and Nemo didn't have anything else to... do.

He glanced at Appa and cleared his throat. "Well...I guess that's it. Thanks for helping."

"...right," Mu-yeol said, clearing his throat and looking around the room. "Right."

He stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do next.

Should he leave now? He should leave. But his feet were glued in place, unable to leave his son, his baby, the one he'd raised all by himself. It felt wrong just dropping him off in Denmark.

The thing was, they'd done this before. Appa helped Nemo move into his dorm room. He helped him move into his place with Finny and Jeremy. They'd done this dance, but it was different now. Appa wouldn't be a short flight away from the hollow, or down the road above Hatter's.

Nemo felt a lump form in his throat. He wanted to tell Appa not to go, but that was so silly. It was time.

He smiled, eyes shining with tears, opened his mouth...

But nothing came out.

Instead, Nemo lunged toward his father, smacking into him as he hugged him tightly. "Th-thanks for helping me move in, Appa," he said, his voice shaking a bit. He sniffled. "Thanks for everything."

"It's better to have too many," Mu-yeol said, responding to exactly what was said.

He looked around the room, finding it a bit small, but it'd have to do. It was a good price.

He didn't...like it. But human machines made it easier, at least. There were laundry machines down the hall. Or maybe it was down one floor. Nemo couldn't remember but he knew it would cost a few kroner each time. Hopefully not too too expensive.

He kept unpacking things. Appa joined him. It was funny how fast it went-- it had taken Nemo so much longer to pack in comparison.

Soon, the suitcases were empty shells and Nemo didn't have anything else to... do.

He glanced at Appa and cleared his throat. "Well...I guess that's it. Thanks for helping."

Having put on the largest pair of sunglasses in her collection, Angel had decided that she would take a walk around town in order to familiarize herself with the new surroundings and maybe even a neighbor or two; she was bored and shopping with others was the best way to cure her boredom.

“Are any of these shops even worth visiting?” She said aloud to no one in particular.

Briefly, he squinted. Did he know her? Something about her seemed familiar...

"Oh, well-- I think so!" Nemo chirped. "Depends I guess on what you're looking for. Personally, if you want clothes, I'd go to From Farm to Table. They've got so much stuff there and it's really affordable!"

Mu-yeol wasn't so sure it was the right choice. He was half-convinced it wasn't. And equally convinced there was no such thing as a right choice.

All he knew was that it felt wrong to just leave his son here. He wanted to tell him to change his mind just as badly as he wanted to end this interaction, leave, and go home so he wouldn't tell him to leave with him.

Nemo wanted a good goodbye, Mu-yeol wasn't sure if he could give it.

"Impossible to know. No use in what-ifs." Mu-yeol said absently. "What else needs unpacked?" He asked.

But on the other wing, he didn't want to say goodbye at all.

He was putting it off-- making cheerful conversation and unpacking his stuff slowly so Appa had to wait. Well, he didn't really have to wait. He could have left by now, but Nemo knew that Appa was lingering. Whether that was because he was using his appa telepathy to see that's what Nemo wanted or because he didn't want to say goodbye either-- Nemo didn't know. And it didn't really matter.

So he kept going, smiling like this wasn't a huge turning point for father and son. He knew he'd have to acknowledge it and watch Appa walk away. But not quite yet.

"Oh uh-- everything! I mean, I got these two suitcases. I can't believe I even have enough to have suitcases," Nemo said. "Maybe you're right, and I'm too human-coded these days. I have too many dance pants."

"I dunno," he said, but not with finality. He was clearly thinking. "If she were here, I don't think we would be here exactly."

He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I never would've left Korea, you wouldn't have grown up in Europe. You wouldn't be English, wouldn't be you," Mu-yeol mused. "Wouldn't have made the decisions you made to bring you here."

She'd been gone twenty years now. Mu-yeol could hardly pretend to know what she'd say; he was hearing her voice in his head less clearly as time went on. But he knew what answer Nemo was after. So he gave it.

But he wondered about the other stuff that Appa said. Would he really not be himself? Would he really be so different?

Probably aspects of that were true. He'd speak Korean, not English. He would have grown up more in the human world. He could have hidden his wings better, Nemo supposed.

But he probably still would have loved dance. And he would still be a fast-flying talent. Some things couldn't be erased, gifts given to him that Nemo believed, at least, were fundamental. Those were definitely two of them.

"Yeah," Nemo agreed. He smiled, though, like always, when he smiled thinking about his eomma, it was half-happy and half-sad. "I dunno. I kinda feel like I would have ended up here or...somewhere similar. Just a feeling I have. Like, it's the same feeling why I know this is the right choice, you know?"

Appa might not know. He was always so in his head. Not Nemo thought-- he had always been all heart and guts.

Nemo never asked him about his life in Seoul. If anything, every time he tried to talk about it, Nemo acted uncomfortable and didn't engage with the topic. This was the first time he was asking him to talk about it.

"I hardly remember," Mu-yeol admitted. "I don't think I was thinking or feeling much of anything except how in love I was with your eomma. I was painfully unprepared for how difficult everything was about to be, living in Seoul. She'd already been living in a loft apartment for a year before we promised and I followed to Seoul, so it was already pretty put together before I moved in."

He shrugged.

He let himself want it for a moment. Just a moment.

It had been several years since he had first fallen in love. At the time, that love had been the biggest thing in his life. It had made his world feel bigger too-- had made him feel bigger, and stronger, and more capable. It could have been nice to share all this with another person and never worry about... well-- anything, really. Especially being alone.

But see---that's where the moment ended.

Because now, Nemo knew how to be alone. And although he didn't love it, he knew that a lot of good could come from it-- new opportunities, new friends, and bursts of creativity that came from the spring within himself, that place touched by the Pixie dust tree; the place that made Nemo, Nemo.

If he were here with Robbie or Tae or even Finn, it would no doubt be really awesome. But...would he grow as much? Would he learn as much? Somehow, Nemo just knew this was something that he was supposed to do alone. It was just supposed to be him and dance. That's how he'd find out what stuff he was made of.

Well, besides pixie dust.

He smiled gently at Appa. "I'm sure it was fun anyway. Even when you were busy. Since you had each other. Do you think..." He looked at the window again, then back. "What do you think she would say? If Eomma were here?"

Now that he was getting a proper look at the kollegium, Mu-yeol could only think one thing. Wow, I'm really leaving my son here.

He couldn't find it in him to care where Nemo put his dance shirts, how he personalized his space, whatever. All he was thinking about was that this was goodbye for who knows how long, because there was no guarantee Nemo would come home between dance jobs. Maybe he's land another one right away in LA or something.

He wanted to leave now, to let Nemo enjoy being here before he ruined it by being anxious and emotional, but Nemo wouldn't just allow that so he had to force himself to be present.

Wasn't that nutty? Here he was-- in his first adult apartment, sorta. All by himself.

Scary. Exciting.

He grabbed one of the hangers to start the process. "Jingles, I can't believe I'm actually gonna like... be here for a few months," he said. "What was it like, moving into your first place, Appa?"

-

They'd dropped off all of Nemo's stuff, then went to get lunch. Nemo's eyes had nearly popped out of his head when he saw the prices, but apparently part of it was because they included a generous gratuity for the servers. And hey-- Nemo's appa had been a server all of Nemo's life! So he thought that was pretty fair.

Plus, the food was delicious.

They'd checked out Tivoli too-- well, the outside at least, taking one of the trains down to the location, kinda like a test run for Nemo's day-to-day journey. It was actually rather simple, the train was super clean, and everyone was polite and rather quiet. They'd stared up at the Tivoli entrance and Nemo felt a shiver go through him.

Now, they were finally back at Nemo's room to unpack... and say goodbye.

Nemo was in denial about the goodbye part.

"Omo, where should I put my dance shirts? Do you think it's worth hanging them up? Maybe I can fit them here." Nemo opened one of the small dresser drawers. He had his own room, which was nice, but on a floor with loads of other people, which was ALSO nice. It felt like school all over again.

"Yeah, probably," Mu-yeol said, sure that he smiled, but he didn't. He meant to.

He took another bite of his food to buy some time.

"You'll want to hop on a good deal before someone else does," Mu-yeol said, smiling a bit this time. "I'm sure Copenhagen isn't quite as competitive as Seoul housing was, though worse than here, being a capital city."

Then, he actually laughed.

Because hey, that was true. Appa could come see him in Copenhagen. He outta come at least once to see the show, though Nemo knew it was selfish to want that. Admissions to Tivoli was gonna be expensive.

But maybe that was the good thing about Appa having a husband now. He didn't have to shoulder the burden of all that cost alone.

"Yeah," Nemo agreed. "Yeah, you'll have to! I think it's gonna be a good show, Appa. Apparently Hans Christen Andersen was a pretty cool magick ally."

Some even thought he was secretly a magick, hiding his identity the same way he had hid his bisexuality but-- well, Nemo was no scholar. He was just happy that he'd gotten a first job that was a celebration of magicks in fairy tales. It was a good gig.

"I know." Mu-yeol said, though he didn't know that. Neither did Nemo. Nobody knew that.

And Nemo shouldn't be making him feel better anyway, they should be focusing on Nemo, which is what he was trying to do!

"So what, in a couple weeks?" He said, pushing food around his plate.

But he'd still come a long way. And Nemo knew he'd have David to comfort him once Nemo was gone.

"Uh-- yeah. Yeah, I guess so." Nemo's stomach fluttered nervously. "I guess I better start researching that place to live, huh?"

Honestly it was crazy they didn't provide housing when recruiting dancers from abroad, with no connections to Denmark. At least they had suggested housing, some kind of helpful guide.

"That should be a good place to start," Mu-yeol said, trying not to bring up reasons that maybe this was a bad idea after all.

So of course, he knew that something else was going on. Appa was suddenly speaking in short sentences and his shoulders had gone all tense. Nemo had seen that look all the time-- though that look used to come with Appa ranting that Nemo wasn't allowed to do THIS or THAT!

They'd come a long way, the two of them. Which was why Nemo smiled across the table and reached out a hand.

"Appa, you know I'll be okay, right? It's...it's a huge change but...I think it's the right one. And Denmark is a really safe city."