#wits

I look over to Ric who is looking at me questionably.

“Ya, she’s got like a smudge on her shoulder,” Damon jests and I glare at him.

“It’s not a smudge you asshat.”

“Don’t be mean Damon,” Elena defends me, “Personally I love Y/N’s birthmark. I think it’s cute. Almost looks kinda like the moon.”

I walk over to Elena and we both glare at the blue-eyed vamp who just rolls his eyes again. 

“Thank you, my love,” I look over to my best friend who is sporting a light pink tint to her cheeks at the nickname.

“Of course, my beautiful best friend,” Elena smiles back and we both giggle.

“Can y'all just kiss and get it over with,” Damon groans out.

“You wish you had a boyfriend the way I have my girlfriend, Damon. Your jealousy is oozing off of you,” I smile at the man and he purses his lips and then goes over to Ric.

A buzzing in my pocket has me separating from my friend and grabbing my phone. 

“Oh shit,” I whisper out and quickly grab my jacket off a nearby chair.

“Where are you going,” Elena asks to me as I book it to the front door.

“Theo’s tire popped and he’s supposed to be at practice in 2 minutes. So I have to go rescue him. Toddles!”

—

“Thanks for picking me up,” I groan as Theo grabs his football padding from the trunk of my car and puts them into my arms.

“Ya, whatever,” I struggle to carry it all as Theo closes the trunk and makes me follow him towards the school.

“Dude take your shit before I drop it,” I groan out to my brother who turns back and gives me a look before dramatically sighing and grabbing the gear from my hands.

“You need to start hitting weights. I’m bulking up this season so you can join me,” My brother says excitedly. 

I stare at him in disgust, “Oh ya cause that sounds like great sibling bonding time to me.”

“Do you know how many people would kill to be my sibling,” Theo asks and I shoot him a blank look.

“Many people, nerd. Many a people,” I fight the urge to laugh at my brother’s dramatics as his mood instantly brightens, “There’s the guys! I got to go, see you later nerd.” 

I stand there for a moment as I watch my brother run off to his teammates. Oddly enough though after going like 10 feet he stops and turns around. He quickly runs over to me and for a second I think he’s going to knock me down but instead, he balances his gear on one hand, and with the other he side-hugs me. 

“Even though other people want to be my sibling, I wouldn’t want any of those hoes,” Theo lets go of me and gives me a boyish grin, “You’re kind of a cool sister. Even if you are a nerd.”

Theo turns back around and I can’t fight the huge smile that comes over my face as I watch my little brother instantly start bickering with his teammates. 

“You guys have a cute relationship,” A feminine British voice makes my smile instantly drop.

“Hello Rebekah,” I turn around and come face to face with the pretty blonde Mikaelson. 

“That’s your little brother I assume. He looks just like you,” She smiles at me but I don’t return it.

“What do you want?”

Rebekah doesn’t seem to be unsettled by my prickly attitude as she continues talking. 

“I was wondering if you’d like to get lunch with me. Or perhaps go dress shopping? Homecoming is coming up and I’ve never been to one so I could use some help.”

My eyes narrow in confusion, “You’ve never been to a homecoming? Aren’t you like a million years old?”

Rebekah seems momentarily annoyed by my comment but quickly brushes it off, “I spent much of my life following my brothers around. Neither of which care for the dramatics that come with high school. So no, I haven’t been to a high school dance.”

I think about what she said for a moment and a smirk graces my lips at the thought of posh Elijah at a homecoming dance. 

“You’re not missing out on much,” I pick at the thread of my shirt, “I mean, not that I would know. I’ve never been to one either.”

At this Rebekah frowns, “You’ve never been! Why not?”

I shrug at Rebekah’s question, “Public places with tons of people aren’t really my thing. I’d rather be alone than be in a room with a bunch of drunk, loud teenagers.”

I move around the Original and start walking towards my car but inwardly groan when I hear her footsteps behind me.

“Great! Then we can experience it for the first time together!”

I bite my lip in anger and whip around, “What are you doing?”

Rebekah’s face morphs into one of confusion, “What do you mean?”

I gesture to her and then to me, “This! Why are you trying so hard to be around me? Did your brother put you up to this? He’s already making Alastair follow me around like a dog, so what about you?”

At my outburst, the girl frowns, “I heard about what my brother did. His ways of caring for people aren’t always shown in the best ways,” She smiles softly at me, “But I swear to you my brother didn’t put me up to this. I just…would like a friend…I would like you to be my friend.”

I look at Rebekah and try to find any signs of deceit in her face but I can’t seem to find any.

“You can’t just have friends, Rebekah. Friendships are built on trust. I can’t be friends with you unless you prove to me that I can trust you.”

Rebekah seems to take this as a approval as she quickly nods her head, “Great! Then I’ll just make you trust me. Can I have your phone number so I can text you? That’s what it is called right? I’m still quite new to this ages technology.”

I sigh and then reach out my hand and Rebekah smiles grabbing her phone from her pocket and placing it in my hand. I go to her contacts and type in my number and hand the phone back to the smiling blonde. 

I turn around and head to my car but hear the blonde call after me.

“I’ll text you!”

—

Rebekah wasn’t joking when she said she’d text me because approximately an hour later I’m pulling up to the Salvatore house because she practically begged me to meet her here.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?”

I turn around and spot Elena getting out of her SUV. 

“Rebekah asked me to come,” I frown at my friend’s worried expression, “What are you doing here?”

“She asked me to come as well.”

Elena and I warily eye each other for a moment before walking up to the front door. Elena goes first as she pushes the front door open and my ears are assaulted by loud pop music.

Elena shoots me a look over her shoulder and I shrug as we make our way into the foyer. We begin walking into the living room but stop when a smiling She-Klaus walks over to us with champagne in her hands.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“You invited me over to talk,” Elena says from beside me, not matching Rebekah’s cheery attitude.

“I’m not exactly sure why I’m here,” I raise a finger.

Rebekah looks at us and then turns around, “Alright, girls. Have at it.”

I’m confused on who she’s talking to for a moment but then when a group of girls wearing homecoming dresses enter the living room in a line, I have my answer.

“What the hell,” I whisper to Elena who looks as shocked and confused as me. 

“Okay, now twirl, please,” Rebekah asks the girls and I watch in disgust as they all oblige.

“You’ve compelled your own private runway show?”

I nod along to Elena’s question because I’m also thinking the same.

“I need a homecoming dress. So what do you think? Pick one” Rebekah says as if this is totally normal behavior. 

“I know you’re new to this whole thing…and century. But most people just go to the store and try on the dresses. Not compel a bunch of innocent girls to parade around in them.”

Rebekah frowns at me. 

“We’re not here to help you shop. I’m here to talk about why you don’t want me to wake up Mikael.”

Rebekah smirks at Elena’s comment for a moment before flashing behind a blonde girl. I jump back slightly as I watch her fangs protrude from her gums as she puts them near the girl's throat. 

Elena takes a step forward and I follow.

“I said pick one, Elena.”

Elena looks a me for a moment before pointing to one of the girls, “The red one.”

“There,” Rebekah smooths out the blonde girl's hair, “That wasn’t so hard, was it? Go away. Remember nothing.”

I watch disturbed as the girls walk back out of the room and Rebekah comes back over to us. 

“You do not threaten me,” Rebekah stares Elena down and I move slightly in front of my friend, “You will learn what I allow you to learn. Is that clear?”

Elena nods from beside me and Rebekah moves around us and out of the room. Elena and I shoot each other another look before following the girl upstairs and into Stefan’s room where Rebekah is starting to go through the broody vampire’s things. 

“We shouldn’t be here,” Elena says standing next to me in the doorway.

“Of course, we should,” Rebekah says as she picks up a pair of boxers, making me frown in disgust, “Come on. Like you’ve never wanted to snoop. Boxer briefs. Now that’s a change from the ‘20s.”

“Ew. TMI.”

“Are you gonna root through his stuff all night or are you gonna start to tell us your story?”

Rebekah sighs, “You really are no fun,” She turns to me, “Why are you friends with such a bore?”

“One thing you should learn about me Rebekah,” I glare at the blonde, “I am not friends with people who insult my friends.”

Rebekah stares at me for a moment before rolling her eyes and muttering something under her breath. 

“What do you want to know?”

Elena takes a step into the room, “Elijah said that your father was a landowner in Europe. How did you guys end up here?”

At the mention of the suited Original, a warm feeling brushes my cheeks.

“My parents had just started a family when a plague struck their homeland. They lost a child to it. They wanted to escape and protect their future family from the same fate.”

A wave of sadness washes over me at the mention of Rebekah losing her sibling. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if I ever lost Theo. No matter how many headaches he gives me, the boy is practically my son.

“So how did you end up here,” Elena prods, “This part of the world hadn’t been discovered yet.”

Rebekah scoffs, “Not by anyone in your history books. But my mother knew the witch Ayana who heard from the spirits of a mystical land where everyone was healthy. Blessed by the gifts of speed and strength. That led my family here where we lived amongst those people.”

“The werewolves?”

“To us, they were just our neighbors. My family lived in peace with them for over 20 years during which my family had more children including me.”

“So… technically you’re American?” 

My question has both of the girls shooting me frowns but I lightly laugh at myself for the comment. 

“You make it sound so normal,” Elena comments. 

Rebekah walks towards a window and for a second I can see a thoughtful smile on her face, “It was. Once a month our family retreated to the caves underneath our village. The wolves would howl through the night and by morning we’d return home. One full moon, Klaus and my youngest brother Henrik snuck out to watch the men turn into beasts. That was forbidden. Henrik paid the price.”

A deep breath escapes my lips as the girl continues her story.

“And that was the beginning of the end of peace with our neighbors,” Rebekah turns back to look at us, “And one of the last moments my family had together as humans.”

The buzzing of Elena’s phone distracts us.

Rebekah coughs, “You better get that. That’ll be…Damon checking up on you.”

Elena turns around and answers the call as I walk over to Stefan’s desk and start rummaging through his things. I never said I was a Saint.

“Was that Stefan?’’

Elena’s question has me turning around and frowning. 

“Damon, how could you let him out,” Elena exclaims and I frown.

“That didn’t sound good.”

—

“Did you get your fill of snooping yet,” Elena asks Rebekah who is lying down on Stefan’s bed reading one of his many diaries, “Can we get on with the story?”

I watch from my seat on the floor as Rebekah throws the book onto the bed and stands up. She walks over to the desk by Elena and picks up a framed picture of the couple. 

“Honestly, I don’t get you two as a couple,” Rebekah shakes her head at my friend. 

“Why would you? You don’t know anything about who he really is,” Elena defends and Rebekah smiles at her and puts the frame back down. 

Rebekah leans down to make eye contact with my friend and I straighten up, “I know exactly who he is. He’s a vampire. We’re a predatory species. We don’t have time to care about humans and their silly little lives.”

“I don’t believe that,” I say but they don’t hear me. Or at least don’t acknowledge me. 

“Is that why you did that runway show earlier,” Elena snarks back and I bite my lip nervously as I have the feeling that a catfight is about to begin, “Because you don’t care about the homecoming dance?”

Rebekah stands up and Elena nods at her, “You know what? I’m just gonna go,” She turns to me, “Y/N you coming?”

I groan as I can practically hear my bones creaking as I stand up.

“You haven’t even heard half the story,” Rebekah calls to Elena. 

Elena turns around to her, “And you’re not going to tell it. You’re just bored and looking for someone to push around. Find someone else to play with. Maybe you can compel yourself a friend.”

OOP.

“The necklace wasn’t Stefan’s to give,” At Rebekah’s words I instantly sit my ass back down. This time on the comfy mattress. 

“It belonged to the original witch.”

Elena turns around, “The one who put the hybrid curse on Klaus?”

“Not just the hybrid curse. She’s the one who turned us into vampires.”

My mouth drops open, “Bomb drop…”

—

“Vampirism was a form of protection?”

Elena asks as Rebekah continues telling her story as we make our way down the stairs. 

“What else would it be?”

“A curse.”

“My parents only sought a way of keeping their children alive,” Rebekah answers.

“Yeah, but why stay? If they were so afraid of the werewolves why not leave?”

“Pride,” Rebekah says as she steps off the last stair and turns back to us, “My father didn’t want to run anymore. He wanted to fight and be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite we had to bite harder. Where they had speed we had to be faster. Agility, strength, senses.’’

Rebekah continues telling us the story of how the spell of vampirism came down to her mother’s hands since the other witch wouldn’t help them.

“In her hands? How could she do anything?”

Elena asks and I feel like I already know the answer. I mean if they’re called “The Originals,” I’m assuming the “Original” witch has something to do with them.

“Because my mother was also a witch.”

“What?”

“The witch of the original family.”

“The original witch,” I finish for her and Rebekah smirks at me.

We make our way into the living room and I plant myself on my favorite couch. 

“Where do they keep their best vintage,” Rebekah asks. 

“But if your mother was a witch then..”

“Am I? No,” The vampire finishes, “A witch is nature’s servant. A vampire is an abomination of nature. You can either be one or the other never both,” Rebekah fishes out a bottle of wine and then turns to Elena, “My mother did this for us. She did not turn.”

“How did you turn?”

Rebekah pours herself a glass and then walks over to the fireplace, “She called upon the sun for life and the ancient white oak tree one of nature’s eternal objects, for immortality. That night, my father offered us wine laced with blood.”

I almost gag at that.

“And then he drove his sword through our hearts.”

My heart clenches as Rebekah’s voice slightly cracks. 

“He killed you,” Elena says.

“And he wasn’t delicate about it either,” Rebekah says with tears and her eyes and quickly breaks the cap off the wine bottle. 

“We had to drink more blood to complete the ritual. It was euphoric. The feeling of power was indescribable. But the witch Ayana was right about consequences. The spirits turned on us and nature fought back. For every strength, there would be a weakness. The sun became our enemy. It kept us indoors for weeks. Although my mother found a solution. There were other problems. Neighbors who had opened their homes for us could now keep us out. Flowers at the base of the white oak burned and prevented compulsion. And the spell decreed that the tree that gave us life could also take it away. So we burned it to the ground.”

Metal.

“But the darkest consequence is something my parents never anticipated. The hunger. Blood had made us reborn and it was blood that we craved above all else. We could not control it. And with that… the predatory species was born.”

“I need a cigarette,” I say out loud as I sigh into my hands at the migraine of an origin story.

“Why did Mikael start hunting Klaus,” Elena asks not giving anyone time to catch their breaths. 

“When Nik made his first human kill,” Nik? “It triggered his werewolf gene. With that, he came my father’s greatest shame.”

“Yeah,” Elena responds, “Elijah told us this part of the story. Your mother had had an affair with one of the werewolf villagers.”

I look down at my hands as Elena and Rebekah continue speaking about Klaus’ father and I have to fight back showing any emotion as I think back to my own father, or not father I guess. 

“She tried to make it right. She put the hybrid curse on Nik to suppress his werewolf side and then she turned her back on him. But Mikael’s greatest weakness as a human was his pride. As a vampire that was magnified. He went on a rampage and killed half the village.”

Here, I thought my father leaving his family was the worst thing one could do in that situation. 

“Then he came home and killed her.”

“Mikael killed your mother?”

“He said she broke his heart so he would hers. He tore it from her chest as Nik watched. Afterwards, my father took off in a rage and the rest of my family scattered. Nik stayed so he could help me bury her. He knew I had to say goodbye to my mother.”

I listen to the rest of Rebekah’s heartbreaking story as she recalls how she and Elijah promised Klaus that the three of them would always be together. Always and forever. 

“Always and forever. Even though he locked you in a coffin for 90 years,” Elena says and I shoot a look at her.

“Dude, really?”

“We’re vampires. Our emotions are heightened. I’m stubborn, Elijah moral, and Nik…Nik has no tolerance for those who disappoint him. Over a thousand years as a family we’ve all made that mistake at least once. I’ve made it several times.”

As Rebekah’s voice softens I have to fight the urge to reach out and comfort her. Being someone who knows what it feels like to be the one disappointing a family member, I can’t help but relate and feel sorry for the girl.

“But you still love him?”

“He’s her brother, Elena,” I turn to her, “What if it were Jeremy? I know that if it were Theo, I couldn’t hate him. Even if he made my life a living hell.”

“She’s right,” Rebekah looks over to me and I can see the appreciation in her eyes, “And I’m immortal. Should I spend an eternity alone instead?”

Rebekah swallows and I think she’s about to start crying but she quickly walks by both of us, “You’ve heard the story. It’s time to go,” She turns to Elena who is just standing there, “I said leave, Elena! I don’t know what you’re up to but I am no longer playing along.”

“I’m just looking for one good reason why we shouldn’t wake Mikael.”

At Elena’s words I frown, “Are you serious Elena? The man literally killed his own children! After, abusing them their whole lives. You may have grown up in a white-picket fence family, but I didn’t. I know men like that, and men like that should stay away.”

Elena looks at me and from the look on her face, she doesn’t seem to understand why I’m defending Rebekah.

“She will anyway,” Rebekah shakes her head, “I know you want him to help you kill my brother. I’m not stupid.”

“It’s no secret that I want Klaus dead. He has a hold over Stefan’s life and over mine,” Elena points back to me, “And he’s terrorizing Y/N.”

Rebekah glares down at her, “Do what you need. Wake Mikael at your own peril. But make no mistake. If you come after my brother I will rip you apart. And I get my temper from my father. Now leave.”

Elena looks down and then back to me, “Y/N, come on.”

I look at my friend and then at the vampire, “You go. I have to talk to Rebekah.”

This seems to shock both of them, but I just stare at them blankly. Elena takes this as goodbye as she nods her head and leaves the house. 

After Elena leaves Rebekah and I stand there in silence for a moment, and awkwardly I clear my throat.

“Um, I’m sorry.”

Rebekah looks over to me confused, “What are you sorry for? You did nothing to insult me, unlike your friend.”

I frown at Elena’s behavior and then play with the loose thread on my shirt, “For losing your brother. And your mother. You were just a teenage girl when that happened. You didn’t deserve to have that happen to you.”

Rebekah stares at me almost shocked before she shakes her head and walks over to the couch I’m sitting on. 

“You have nothing to apologize for. It was over a thousand years ago, I’m over it.”

Rebekah sits on the seat next to me and we watch the flames of the fire.

“I don’t believe that. I think a loss like that stays with you. Even after a millennia.”

Rebekah turns to look at me and then nods her head softly, “Thank you, Y/N.”

We continue sitting in silence before I see her move out of the corner of my eye.

“What did you mean,” I turn to her in confusion as she speaks, “When you told Elena you didn’t grow up like she did and you knew about men like my father?”

At Rebekah’s question, I turn away from her curious glance and look back towards the flames, “It doesn’t matter.”

“You can tell me you know? It’s not like I have any other friends to go spill your secrets to.” 

At Rebekah’s words, I bite down hard on my lip to try to stop the tears that are making their way into my eyes. The urge to finally spill on the secret that I’ve been holding in all summer, building inside of me. 

“My father…growing up wasn’t the kindest man,” I say out loud trying to be careful with my words, “He was absent a lot but… those were the good moments, oddly enough, because, whenever he did come home… he was,” I stop, trying to find the right words to describe my estranged “not” father, “he was harsh. Nothing was ever good enough for him. No one was ever good enough for him. Certainly not me. He was the stereotypical macho man who thought that women weren’t equal to men. So whenever I showed strength in something, he made sure to kick me back down. Just to remember how weak I could be.”

I don’t realize I’m crying until Rebekah places a tissue into my hands. I’m not really sure where she got it but I take it and wipe away my tears.

“You mention him in past tense…is he…” 

I shake my head, “No, he’s not dead. He and my mother separated about two years ago. I haven’t seen him since.”

Rebekah doesn’t say anything as she waits to see if I’ll continue and I sigh as I try to.

“I didn’t know why they did. My mother always just kind of let it happen you know? The abuse. I don’t even know if you would call it that. It’s not like he hit me or whatever. Others have had it worse. My mother though just always told me not to provoke him, not to make him mad. But, she really wasn’t ever the one who got the brunt of it,” I bite down on my lip harder, “And you want to know the worst thing about it? Three months ago my mother told me that the man that had made me cry into my pillow since I was 8 years old… wasn’t even my actual father.”

I hear Rebekah let in a breath as she continues watching me.

“How fucked up is that, you know,” I laugh with tears in my eyes at the irony of it all.

“Did she tell you who your real father was?”

I shake my head at her question, “Just the bare minimum. I’ve barely talked to her since that day anyway. It’s the reason I have my own room down the hall,” I point towards the direction of my room at the Salvatore’s, “Damon’s let me crash here the entire summer. He’s the only other person who knows.”

“Not even your brother?”

I quickly shake my head and wipe the rest of my tears away, “Especially not, Theo. He’s so young and with the move and everything I don’t want him to be stressed out.” 

I can see Rebekah looking at me as if she’s trying to find the right words to say, “Is that the only reason you haven’t told him?’’

My eyebrows furrow as I keep staring at the fireplace, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you’re worried that he won’t accept you. Nik had that same fear after he found out he wasn’t Mikael’s.”

“I am not Klaus,” I bite out and she just nods.

“I know. But you can’t deny the similarities,” I don’t say anything as I try not to think of her words, “I know I haven’t been here very long but… just from seeing Theo and you a few times, I don’t think you have to worry about telling him. If he truly loves you he’ll accept you no matter what.”

I finally think about Rebkeah’s words and in doing so, don’t even notice the front door being swung open. 

Rebekah sighed deeply from beside me as she stood up, “I thought I told you to leave twice.”

“How do you know Mikael killed your mother,” Elena’s question has me turning slightly to hear her better.

“Nik was there,” Rebekah says as she pours herself a drink, “He told me.”

Elena sighs and she steps closer to Rebekah, “He lied to you.”

“And how do you know that?”

Elena walks over to us and I put my face down slightly so she can’t see the dried tears on my cheeks.

“The cave where you carved your family’s names, is covered in symbols. The story of your family. How your parents arrived, how they made peace, the spell that turned them into vampires, and this,” She places a photograph on the table, “This is the symbol for hybrid. It’s the combination of the werewolf and the vampire symbol. And this is the one for your mother.”

“Her necklace.”

Elena sighs, “And this is the story of her death. The hybrid killed the original witch. Not Mikael, Klaus.”

I turn fully at them both. Surprise is most likely clear on my face.

“No,” Rebekah forcefully shakes her head, “No, he wouldn’t.”

“She put the curse on him, made it so that he would be the only one of his kind and then she rejected him. With the werewolf gene comes aggression and violence. When he turned all of that was heightened. He killed her, Rebecca, and then he made up this entire lie about your father so that he wouldn’t lose you.” 

“These mean nothing. They’re just stupid drawings done by stupid people who had no idea who my family was,” Rebekah yells as she grabs the pictures and flings them into the fireplace. 

Elena approaches her, “Then why are you so upset?”

“Elena stop, just leave her alone,” I tell my friend but she ignores me. 

“Why are you doing this to me? I’ve done nothing to you,” Rebekah yells at her.

“Klaus killed your mother. He has a hold on you, on me, on everyone. He has for a thousand years. We have to make it stop!”

“Shut up! Just shut up! Don’t talk anymore! Nothing!”

I quickly stand up as Rebekah pushes Elena into the wall forcefully. 

“Rebekah!” 

After a moment Rebekah drops her hands and stands there silently with tears in her eyes. Elena and I watch cautiously but not even a moment later a sob escapes the blonde’s mouth as she drops to her knees. Elena looks over to me and I shake my head at her. 

“Go.”

I don’t even check to see if she leaves as I kneel down to the sobbing girl. I place a comforting hand on her shoulder and I gasp as I’m being pulled into a hug. Rebekah holds onto me for dear life as she cries into my shoulder. And I let her. 

—

I sigh as I throw my keys onto my kitchen table and sit down. I put my head in my hands and try to forget the shitshow that was tonight. 

“Damn bitch!”

Theo’s screech has me whipping around in my chair in shock. My brother stands there in his satin pajamas he got for Christmas last year with a hand over his heart.

“Fucking sitting in the dark like some goddamn stalker,” Theo walks over to the light switch and I try to stop him but it’s too late.

Theo’s smirk instantly drops as he rushes over to me and places his hands on the sides of my face, “What happened? Did someone say something to you? If it was someone at school tell me and I and Jeremy will go beat their asses right now.”

My brother’s angry tone has me smiling for a moment but before I can stop it tears are streaming out of my eyes and a sob escapes my mouth.

My little brother just stands there awkwardly as he pats my shoulder.

“Do you want to talk about it? Um, should I call Elena or Mom?”

At the mention of our mother, I quickly shake my head, “No. I’m fine. Just a long day and all. I just need some sleep. Go back to bed, Theodore.”

Theo shakes his head and tries to deny my request but I shoo him away. As I watch his retreating figure I sigh and take a deep breath.

People are slow to wake the following morning, still in a daze when coming out of their cabins dressed in their pajamas. The chilly morning prompted them to slip on their coats before settling down in the picnic area outside of the cabins. 

The beauty of the mountainside was able to be fully appreciated by the now sobered crowd in the light of the late morning. The soft morning sunlight was streaking through the branches of the pine trees, and if you looked up, you could see the light hazy fog covering the tops of the trees. Birds had begun their songs earlier in the morning, and now in the late morning, they were clearer than ever. 

Sat on the benches in the central picnic space between the cabins, you look as the HR team watches over the breakfast foods letting sleepy employees stack their plates high with items in one hand and steaming coffee in the other. You had gotten up earlier than you planned and decided to get ready before heading down. 

You and your friend had sat down on the table in front of your cabin and were lazily making your way through your food when you heard the door to your cabin loudly whoosh open. Chan steps out in his bear-patterned pajamas with a large coat over his shoulders. He looks slightly embarrassed at the noise he’s caused, but he shakes it off quickly before starting his breakfast plate. 

Momentarily, your friend’s attention is turned to him at the ruckus, and she stumbles over her words. You can feel her eyes stalking his movements as he grabs a small scoop of each of the breakfast items, but look disappointed when he realizes he’s left barely any space for the savory breakfast potatoes. Weighing his options, he forgoes his cup of coffee for another plate, filling it only with potatoes. 

When he starts making his way to your table, your friend clears her throat and straightens out her own pajamas. Chan sits down next to your friend with a suave, “Morning, ladies,” the embarrassment from his prior actions completely gone.

You send him a courteous smile while your friend responds with her own greeting. A light blush settles across her features as your own conversation dwindles to a stop. Chan asks a question, which you can’t hear, but your friend easily does. Chan doesn’t repeat the question, and your friend doesn’t bother to either. They continue to talk to each other, their conversation comfortable and natural. 

You, on the other hand, are sitting opposite of them, like an awkward observer, watching him pluck through the bowl of assorted fruits in the center of your table you’d bought over and picking out the green melons for her. She’s soon got a small pile going on her plate, and you feel the atmosphere growing more and more unpleasant as they continue to ignore your presence altogether.

You think about getting up to grab another cup of coffee just as Wooyoung slips into the space next to you on the bench with a plateful of food and a smiley, “Morning, partner.”

You’re sure the sigh of relief is all too audible when you respond. Like you, he’s dressed for the day, the soft hoodie from last night gone. Under his coat, he’s adorned in a light blue linen shirt and long black athletic pants, prepped for the warming weather of the afternoon. He still looks handsome and put together, you don’t say anything about the unfortunate lack of his gray hoodie as he starts to dig into his full plate. 

While Wooyoung starts to inhale his food, the discomfort returns with a vengeance. Hearing you quiet down, he looks across the table to catch Chan hand feeding your friend from her pile of green melons. “Oh, gross. Get a grip, guys,” Wooyoung’s nose crinkles in disgust. 

Chan sticks out his tongue and comments on his jealousy before quickly turning back to your blushing friend. 

Wooyoung does the same, turning his body towards you. His plate has a tiny stack of melons on it, too, and your mouth waters at the sight, wishing you’d grabbed some as well. “Did you sleep well?”

The question sounds normal, but the fact that this is now your second conversation with him is funny to you. The words tumbled out of his mouth so naturally, speaking almost as if you’d known each other for years. 

But you suppose this is who Wooyoung is; too kind and too sociable to everyone. Seemingly everyone, except you. Until now, at least. 

You pray the silence in between wasn’t too long or too uncomfortable for him when you finally find yourself responding, hopefully just as knowingly as him, “Yeah, how about you?”

“Me too, a little too well. Almost didn’t wanna get up this morning. But I was hauling ass the minute I smelled the catering.” 

You crack a smile at his form when takes in another spoonful of breakfast potatoes. 

Standing at the center of the picnic tables, the head of the HR department claps her hands together. Ms. Flora was a stout older lady with pink skin and fluffy gray curls framing her round face. She was cheery but strict, just as a HR head should be, and had enough stories to fill an entire workday about her twin sister, Ms. Daisy.

“Good morning, everybody! We hope you’ve gotten some well-deserved rest!” Some scattered responses reply to Ms. Flora’s early enthusiasm. “We’ve got some exciting things planned for you for these next five days, and we want you to make the most of your time in this stunning town of Shinseong,” she says. 

Your manager stands behind her, towering over her short frame, and you’re grateful the sweaty blue shirt from the night before is gone. His hair is still tousled over his head in a tangled mess, and his obviously hungover face is begging to be splashed with cold water.

Meanwhile, several of the HR reps round the picnic tables and hand out items to each of the groups. A rep hands you a polaroid camera secured in its case and hands Wooyoung a glossy card with the agenda printed on it. 

You hold the camera apprehensively in your hands. “You mind if we switch?”

“Not at all,” Wooyoung holds out the card for you to take as you hand over the camera. He takes the sling around his neck and the polaroid case thrums against his chest. You take the shiny card from his hands and flip it over to read the back.

Day 1 Agenda

Find a pinecone larger than your hands!

Get to know your partner by using the prompts on the back to spark a conversation!

You slide the card into your back pocket. 

“Alrighty team,” Ms. Flora calls out again. The bustling movement stills, and for a moment, you hear the chirping of the birds again. “With the positive feedback we’ve received from reintroducing our very first television series to the youth of today, we’ve decided to make this retreat an exciting time for you all!” There’s a woohoo from another picnic table, at which Ms. Flora nods knowingly. “I know. Now, the townsfolk of Shinseong have been generous and understanding with our being here and they’ll be expecting us moseying around town, so don’t be afraid to introduce yourselves and ask any questions you’ve got.”

“Some of them even knew Mr. Kim,” your manager adds in an attempt to redeem himself from his behavior the night before. Ms. Flora’s quick to swat her arm against his chest to shut him up, and your manager cowers behind her, embarrassed. You hear Wooyoung snicker softly, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter. 

The sound prompts you to lean back a little, the wooden panels of the table digging into your upper back, as you watch the sunshine reflect off his smiling skin. He looks pretty in the late morning light, awake and alert. You still wonder how the alcohol from the night before has filtered through his body as quickly as it did when the rest of your colleagues look as if they’ve seen better days, especially your manager.

“Each of you have been given a task to complete and a journal to fill out just like our main characters from Mr. Kim’s innovative imagination. We hope that our time here in Shinseong inspires you to reconnect with yourself outside of who you are at work, and you feel refreshed. So take some time today to enjoy the nature around you and relax.” Ms. Flora continues, tearily clasping her palms together. “You’ve all earned it,” she says, looking over the funnily hungover crowd.

Warily, your manager steps forward as Ms. Flora collects herself with waving arms. “Uhm,” he looks down at the agenda and continues, “You’ve all been given different missions, but expect to be running into one another every now and then.”

And with the awkward end, everyone departs. Some employees stay to finish their breakfast, while many others step back into their cabins, ready to wash off the grime from the day before. Sending you a I’ll see you soon, Wooyoung steps back into the cabin, followed by Chan and your still-blushing friend.

 Already haven gotten ready and dressed, you stay behind to offer some comforting words to Ms. Flora and help the rest of the HR department tidy the breakfast off the picnic tables. The chill of the morning soon starts to evaporate as the sun moves further up into the sky. 

Some time later, Wooyoung comes out of the cabin as promised, the polaroid bouncing against his chest beelining towards Ms. Flora, who’s clearing the folding tables. As you bunch up the trash bag you’re holding shut, you watch him wrap his arms around her shoulder, her gray curls bouncing as he tells her a joke. She pushes at his side with a gasp and light smile on her face. 

You slow your movements, tying the red drawstring of the trash bag into a knot, as your eyes linger, watching Wooyoung interact with the small group that’s gathered around them. His eyes shut into squinted lines, and suddenly, you want to be there in that huddle around him. You want to know what they’re talking about and laugh with them. You want to know what Wooyoung finds funny and where he draws the line. Your thoughts from last night circle back, and again, you think he’d be so easy to befriend. 

As you finish tying off the bag, you don’t realize Wooyoung is closing the distance between the two of you, his radiant smile always on his face. “Ready to go?” he asks, bright as ever. You send him a nod, lifting the trash over your shoulder. “Here, let me,” Wooyoung takes the bag from your hands before you have the chance to lift it over your shoulder. 

“Oh, thank you,” you brush your hands off on your thighs and walk with him to the trash bins. The short walk is silent, the chirping birds becoming the soundtrack for the slow morning. When you arrive at the bins, Wooyoung slings the bag into the filling bin and turns the water of a nearby pump on, thoroughly cleaning his hands. You follow in his steps, washing your hands and patting your neck with the cool water. 

As you’re drying off, you see Wooyoung looking at a crumpled piece of paper that he quickly shoves back into his pocket. 

“What’s our mission today?” he asks.

“We have to…” you search for the glossy card in your back pocket and read it out, “find a pinecone larger than our hands.” 

“That doesn’t sound too hard. Ready to go, partner?” he asks, pointing down the worn path into the woods around you. You nod again and set down the path. 

It’s much cooler under the shade of the trees, the afternoon sun beating down much harder now. The combination of dirt and fallen leaves crunch under your shoes, and the sound of the birds is gentler under the lush of the thickly wooded forest. You and Wooyoung fall into each other's steps, walking side by side in the nature Shinseong has to offer. 

“This is nice,” he speaks up, looking up at the greenery. “I try to go to the parks in the city, but they feel so incomplete surrounded by the gray buildings and skyscrapers.”

You hum in agreement. “You’ve got to drive far out of the city to get some real air. Have you been to the northern part of the city? They’re a lot quieter than the east side tends to be.”

“I actually used to work up there before I came to TechTots,” Wooyoung says, training his eyes to the base of the trees, supposedly in search of pinecones. “I think I at least tried to go out, but my life for the past few years hasn’t left my old workplace’s building. I still can’t believe I’m working here, and I never would’ve if my other co-worker hadn’t left first.”

His admittance surprises you, and you fall a few steps behind. You’d heard about Wooyoung’s co-worker and knew she worked closely with Yunho from marketing, but you never knew why Wooyoung had left after such a successful first quarter at his old company. You hadn’t heard anyone else on the floor talk about it either, always choosing to discuss his personality instead.

But this small piece of information felt sacred, something only the two of you shared. Something Wooyoung wanted to share only with you. 

Yet, you’re not quite sure how to respond, the sudden weight of the matter overwhelming you. So you offer, “Oh? There’s a really nice hiking spot up there. It’s a great place to watch the sunrise from, you should come with me sometime.”

He slows his steps, too, giving you time to catch up with his stride. “I’d like that and don’t think I won’t hold you to it,” he says, shooting you a teasing smile before craning his neck again in search of a large pine cone. 

It feels strange, talking to Wooyoung like this. You’d imagined conversations with him would flow easily, considering he likes to do much of the talking, but with someone as reserved as you were, you expected the moments to be filled with unfamiliar and uncomfortable silences. But the silence is comforting. He makes the silence comforting. He isn’t expecting you to fill the quiet, and you unknowingly let go of the tension that had collected around your neck.

And as you walk down the winding path for some time, you find yourself thinking, this is just who Wooyoung is. 

Remembering the agenda, you flip the smooth card in your hands, you ask, “Should we go through the ice-breaker prompts?” When he nods excitedly, you read out the first question, “Okay, favorite color?”

He stops and looks up at you with an incredulous “Really?”

“It’s the first question,” you laughingly scoff. “Come on.”

“Okay, black.”

“That’s…” NOT a color, you wanted to tell him. In an effort to be more sociable, you suppose you shouldn’t dismiss people’s opinions, especially not something like their favorite color. Not when they’re looking this hard for an obscenely large pinecone. “That’s surprising,” you end up saying, falling behind a few steps again. 

“Oh, yeah? How come?”

You remember the many times he’s shown up in an array of blue shirts, all bringing out his cheery complexion. It seemed as if he had an endless selection of baby blues, deep navies, and oceanic teals. Even on his first day, his blue shirt was eye-catching and stood out on the floor. Even today, the light blue of his linen shirt looked pretty against his tan skin.“You wear a lot of blue in the office, I figured it would’ve been blue,” you shrug. 

“Blue’s my younger brother’s favorite,” he smiles back over his shoulder. “But he says I look better in it.”

“He’s got a good eye. So, you’re the older sibling?”

“Middle, actually. I’ve got an older brother. You?”

“I’ve got a younger brother, too. Family full of boys couldn’t have been easy for your mother.”

“We definitely didn’t help, but she runs a tight ship. Next question, partner.”

“Okay, um…” you flip the card in your hand and read out the second question. “If you weren’t in this industry, what other industry would you excel in?”

“I think I have the makings to be a popstar,” he responds, somehow incredibly and suddenly serious. When you can only stare, he finally breaks into a laugh. “What? I’m serious, I’m a really good dancer.”

“I don’t believe you,” you grin, deciding to trifle back. Is this how people joke with one another? Am I doing this right?

“Well, you’ll just have to trust me, then,” he says, his smile gentle. “Ooh, this one looks big,” Wooyoung says, bending down to pick up a pinecone you just know is too small when his fingers wrap around it. But to your surprise, he takes a few steps back, closer to you. 

He takes your hand in his and places the pinecone in your palm. 

The forest suddenly quiets, and you think you can hear your heart beating in your ears. Somehow, in this proximity, you’re able to ask, “Favorite sport?”

“Take a guess,” he offers, comparing how far the scales of the pine cone reach beyond your fingertips. His skin looks soft, and there's a slight indent of the small dimple on his happy cheeks. His focused eyes are twinkling, and you so desperately and suddenly want to cup his face in your hands.

You plead for your heart to slow down and deeply breathe out. Recalling the dimly lit screen and impressive curveball from the night before, you throw out, “Baseball?”

Wooyoung stops observing the pine cone in your palm and looks up at you, eyes wide, before laughing lightly, “Lucky guess. Hold on to this one.” His touch disappears, and when he backs away and continues walking forward, your face feels unreasonably warm.

The two of you continue down the track, and soon, the trees become sparse while the sunlight becomes stronger. Nonetheless, Wooyoung searches diligently, and soon, you’ve got a handful of pine cones Wooyoung insists you hold on to. Unfortunately, the questions on the card haven’t become any better, but Wooyoung does his best to answer them. 

As the trail’s elevation increases, you begin to stop often for water breaks. When you stop for the third time, you look around to spot a familiar wooden marker pointed towards a lake. There’s a light sheen of sweat that’s collected on Wooyoung’s skin, but in the sunlight it glistens. Turning back to Wooyoung, you ask, “There’s a shaded bench down by the lake. Do you want to sit for a little while?”

He nods eagerly, and you stay ahead this time, deciding not to run through the card until you’ve sat down. The walk to the lake is short, and your paces pick up when you can see the bench in the distance. 

The dark wooden structure is thick and strong, allowing for two people to sit side-by-side under its shade. The bench faces the clear blue lake which glimmers in the afternoon sun. Tall pines surround its rippling shores, and further away, tall mountains peak out from behind the trees. The sight is serene, and you slump onto the bench before fully taking it in. 

You put down the pinecones and let them collect at the foot of the bench before leaning back to look out at the lake. There are ducks paddling in the water, and a fisherman in a small boat in the center of the lake sits idly, waiting for his bait to take. You don’t think you could like the quiet countryside more than you already do, but when you’ve sat and unwinded from the trail, you begin to appreciate its beauty all over again.

“That was a lot harder than Ms. Flora made it seem,” Wooyoung says, catching his breath next to you. The length of the bench is filled, and Wooyoung’s shoulders frequently graze against yours as he moves into a more comfortable position. Your heart begins to beat faster again, it’s unreasonable timing annoying you. “Okay, partner,” Wooyoung starts, “It’s my turn now,” he says, snatching the agenda card from you.

He breezes through the questions you’ve already asked him, and you do your best to respond, just as he did. 

In the meantime, you bend down to pick up the pine cones and put them in your lap, picking out two of the largest ones you can find that surely have to be larger than your hands. When you’ve picked out the two, you absent-mindedly reach for Wooyoung’s hand and lay it flat across your thigh with his palms facing up. Mirroring his actions from before, you place the pine cone in the center and watch how the scales stretch beyond the tips of his fingers. 

Unbeknownst to you, Wooyoung’s breath hitches at your initiated contact. He’s quick to shake it off and ask, “Do you prefer dawn, morning, dusk, or night?” as you let the rest of the pine cones fall back to the ground. 

You place two of the biggest pine cones Wooyoung’s found in the sliver of space between your legs and turn to the lake. “That’s easy, dawn,” you say, watching the sunlight reflect off the sparkling water. The afternoon sun feels beautiful, but blinding, but closing your eyes, you remember how it felt this morning. 

“This place would be a lot nicer without this heat and the sun,” Wooyoung agrees, waving away bugs with both of his hands. As you’ve gotten closer to the water, the abundance of mosquitoes has also increased, and you’re grateful for the thick layer of repellant you’d applied this morning.

“It’s really nice in the morning,” you say, smiling at a mother duck being trailed by her ducklings not far from the bench.

“This morning? It was warm during breakfast,” Wooyoung says, swatting at another bug on his forearm. Noticing a smile spreading across your features, Wooyoung calms his aggravated movements and follows your line of sight. He looks at the ducks before turning back to you, blinking blankly at your peaceful appearance.

“I came out for a walk earlier today, at dawn actually. See that valley, right there?” You point out a divot between two distant mountains. “The sun rises in the morning through there,” you tell him. After a short pause, you add, “The city got everything, sure, but I wanted to make the most of being in a place like this, you know? The air’s so clean, and the birds sound so happy,” you sigh, shutting your eyes to listen to the forest around you. “It’d be such a shame to sleep in.”

Keeping your eyes shut, you hear Wooyoung hum.

The silence that settles between you is still full of the nature around you. The slight splashing of the ducks in the lake, the singing birds in the pine trees, and the warm breeze fill your body, and you relax on the bench with your shoulders against Wooyoung’s. 

You’re not sure how long the two of you sit on the wooden bench facing the lake, but you do until the warmth of the sun starts to slowly dissipate. Remembering the pine cones, you place the pine cones in Wooyoung’s lap.

“I should take your picture,” you say, fingers pointing for the camera around Wooyoung’s neck. 

“My picture?” he asks, confused. He nonetheless unzips the cover of the bag and hands you the camera. 

“Yeah, you found the pinecones, it’s only fair you’re holding them in the picture,” you shrug, looking through the viewfinder, standing to capture Wooyoung and the pine cones more faithfully. 

Wooyoung strikes a pose, holding the massive pine cones next to his ears, with a wide smile on his face. The smile falls away for a second when he adds, “Okay, but I’ll be taking your picture tomorrow.” The smile returns as quickly as it left. 

Your shoes squelch in the wet mud as you back up further away from Wooyoung, looking through the viewfinder again, satisfied when the entirety of the bench and cover show up in the frame.

The words don’t really mean much in this context. You’re assigned missions for the retreat, after all. But Wooyoung’s slight authority, his silly smile, and his sincere answers to the shitty icebreakers warm your cheeks and your stupid heart beats faster at his words. He IS too easy to befriend… but he’s even easier to fall in love with.

But you clear your throat of the realization and simply respond, “Whatever you say, partner.”