飛べfly high!

"Yes, it's a nice mix of millionaires and billionaires." Your father, replies while smacking the hand of a servant with a newspaper. "Put the oyster fork at an angle! We're not animals, man." He scolds.

The Northwest manor was busy preparing for their annual party that is being held tomorrow. Over a hundred people were employed to prepare the decorations, lay out the utensils, gardening, cleaning, cooking and more. Every year, a minimum of a few million dollars are spent for the one day party. What's it for? Just to flaunt their wealth as the Northwest Family of Gravity Falls. They take pride into being the descendants of the founder of the town. Alleged founder. False, actually, Taesan and Wonyoung had found official documents stating that the real founder of the town was actually Quentin Trembley III. However, they thought there was no point in revealing it to the whole town. Your family was way too influential compared to the Pines. At least two people know that Nathaniel Northwest was actually a waste-shoveling, village idiot and they know not to feel envious of your fraudulent family.

"Now where the devil is…" Your mother trails off while turning around to look for you. "Yn! What did I tell you about that dress?!" she yells as she spots you standing in the hallway, wearing a dress in a different color than she had told you to.

"The theme is sea foam green, not lake foam green! Go change your dress!" she crosses her arms over her chest as she glares at you.

"B-but, I kinda like this dres—" The sound of the hand-bell silences you. "Mind your mother, Yn," your father joins.

"But—" he rings the hand-bell once more, a lot firmer than the first time. You knew better than to attempt to get another word out. So you defeatedly walk back to your bedroom to change. However, before you could even get to the hallway to your room, the ground starts violently shaking. You gasp and grip the wall beside you. Instead of the glassware toppling over and shattering, it starts to float with other silverware and furniture. One by one, each of the plates and utensils start flying towards the you and your parents. Panicked screams envelope the room, the staff rush to get away leaving you and your family to yourselves.

Your mother grabs you to her chest whilst looking around for a place to hide in. She ushers you under the wooden table before crawling in herself. "It's happening," she whispers underneath her breath. Her voice was trembling and her breathing was uneven. Despite being enveloped in fear yourself, your eyes roam the room to find your father. He was attempting to intimidate whatever entity was causing the chaos with the newspaper in his hand.

"You are my possessions! Obey me!" Your father yells, throwing the newspaper into the air. Once he realizes that his yelling and the newspaper wouldn't stop anything, he rushed beside you and your mother under the table.

"This is a disaster. The party is in 24 hours," your mother worriedly reminds your father. Of course, despite whatever is happening, your parents are more worried over the party than everyone's well-being and expensive cutlery being shattered to pieces.

"Surely, there's someone who could deal with all these…" your father hopefully mumbles. Coincidentally, the newspaper that he threw at the entity lands right in front of him, but not without a wine glass shattering next to it. The front page unfolds and shows the headline of the week, 'MYSTERY SOLVER CATCHES VAMPIRE BAT.' A photo accompanying it underneath: two policemen and a familiar teenage boy.

"Shit ton of potato chips, one case of root beer and the fluffiest blanket Wonyoung owned. Perfection." Taesan plops down on the rotting armchair owned by his uncle, snuggling into the blanket he stole from his twin sister. He reached out to grab a bag of chips from his left, a can of root beer from the right and the TV remote on the floor. A sigh of satisfaction leaves him as he melts further into the armchair.

"Be strong, bladder. We're not moving until sunset." He mutters, tapping on his pelvis and sipping on his root beer. After a week of nonstop hunting for the author of journal #3 and cleaning up after his twin sister, who decided to mess with a bunch of teenagers' love life with a 'Love Potion' that she stole, this was a well-deserved break. A 48-hour marathon of 'Ghost Harassers' on the Used To be About History channel.

Taesan's show is interrupted when the channel suddenly switches to the news segment. His frustration blocks the sound of the stomping footsteps of three girls approaching the living room after hearing the sound of the news anchor. Before he knew it, his twin sister, Wonyoung and her friends had taken over the living room and television.

"Aw, what?" he irritably mutters.

"It's starting! It's starting!" Wonyoung excitedly beckons her friends over while shoving herself forcefully next to her brother.

"Turn the volume up!" Rei yelped as she squeezes herself next to the twins.

"Make room for me!" Liz exclaimed, taking a spot on the floor.

Taesan was defeated. It's not like he could change the channel because it is the same as his show. Unable to do anything else but wait for the news segment to be over, Taesan is forced to watch what the supposed 'Breaking News' of Gravity Falls was about.

The news showed local journalist Toby Determined, who was camping while waiting in line outside a manor. Toby then reveals he's camping outside the Northwest Manor, waiting to get a glimpse of what this year's "high society shindig ball soiree" would look like. It was an annual gathering hosted by the Northwest Family since 150 years ago, when the mansion was built. Invitations were limited and exclusive only to certain elite, rich and noble individuals.

Elite, rich and noble were not words one would use to describe the Pines twins. Or even the entire Pines family. That's why Wonyoung and her friends, Liz and Rei, are stuck at the old Mystery Shack slash home of their Grunkle tonight. Meanwhile, Taesan sat behind them, impatiently waiting for his show to come back. Although, seeing his sister and her friends excitedly sit cross legged on the floor with their eyes on full focus on the screen, got him slightly curious as to what exactly were they so excited about this party. They've had parties at the shack many times. Okay, maybe just two times. Even that is a stretch because the second time got crashed by zombies when Taesan accidentally raised the dead. But hey, at least they had a blast with blowing up the zombies' skulls with that karaoke machine. Point is, what's so special about this party that it made it to the news?

Taesan scoffs, "Can someone please explain to me why people care about this?"

The three girls gasped and looked at him as if he just asked the stupidest question on the planet. "Hello? This is the best party of all time! Fancy mansion, fancy food and most importantly, fancy boy and fancy accents," Liz dreamily sighs.

"I heard they give away gift baskets that contain ostrich eggs inside!" Wonyoung excitedly chimes in. Rei crawls to the television, she paws at the screen as she whispers while staring closely at it like a possessed person, "Give me your life Yn Northwest. Give it to me."

Taesan rolls his eyes at her shenanigans, "Have you guys forgotten who Yn Northwest is?" The sound of knocking interrupts him. He gets up from his seat to answer it, continuing his piece while doing so. "Her family is a fraud! She is the worst person ever and I will say that to her face."

He twists the doorknob and opens the door. You were standing right outside, hands tugging the scarf over your head downwards and adjusting your sunglasses while, warily looking around for people that might spot you. Can't risk anyone spotting a Northwest near a Pines family member, let alone in the Pines family lot.

"I need your help," You say as soon as it opened.

"You're the worst person ever." Slam. Taesan then turns to face his sister and her friends, sporting an 'I told you so' look on his face.

You stood there frozen in shock. Unable to believe that a Northwest like you was getting this kind of treatment. But you shouldn't have expected better, this was Taesan after all. And you have been treating the twins like shit all summer. So, you swallow your pride and knock once more.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. "Taesan! Open the door! Please!" You had to physically stop yourself from recoiling after saying that. Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Taesan had to take a deep breath and roll his eyes before turning around and opening the door once more. "What the fuck do you want Yn? I don't like having a Northwest nearby, you make me sick to my stomach."

You could feel your blood boil at his statement and had to remind yourself that you came here to get his help. To do that, you had to keep your mouth shut. "I know I haven't been…friendly with you and your sister this summer—"

"So you're aware that you're an asshole," he cuts you off. Eyebrows raised, arms crossed over his chest and his body leaned against the doorframe. The corners of his mouth tugging upwards so faintly you almost didn't catch it. He was taunting you. You knew it. He was taunting you so you would blow up and then, he'll have an excuse not to do whatever you're about to ask him to. God, you wish you could just punch his face.

"Look, Pines." You remove your sunglasses and looking at him directly in his eyes. "I didn't come here to pick fights with you or your sister. I really, really, really need your help. There's something that's haunting the Northwest Manor and you're the only one I know that could help. Please, there's a party tonight and it cannot be ruined!"

Wonyoung's ears perk up at the mention of the party being held tonight. Knowing her brother, he's probably going to turn your offer down because of his despise towards you and your entire bloodline. She knew she had to make matters into her own hands.

"Why in the world should I agree to th—"

"Hi, Yn! Can you give us one second? Okay, thank you!" She grabs her brother by the arm and once again, the door is slammed to your face. You hoped they make a decision quick because you cannot risk being spotted out here. And the decision better be agreeing to help you or else your father might just sacrifice you to whatever is haunting the manor— just so the party tonight is not compromised.

"Taesan, you have to do it!" Wonyoung grips her brother's arms, shaking him back and forth.

"Have you lost your mind? Wonyoun— This is Yn Northwest! The girl who has been terrorizing you and your friends all summer!" Taesan replies in disbelief.

"I know but if you help her, you can help me, Liz and Rei get into the greatest party of all time! Can't you do it? Please, Taesan?" His twin sister begs, sporting the puppy eyes that she knew he couldn't say 'No' to. He faces the living room and her friends had the same look on their face.

Taesan sighs defeatedly and opens the door again. "I'll do it," he says, extending an arm out for a handshake. Though initially you were shocked, you extend your own to meet his until, he suddenly pulls it back. You looked up at him, confused.

"Only if you to give me three tickets to the party." You scoff at him before reaching out for your purse and grabbing the tickets. You expected it to happen although you hoped it wouldn't. But at least you were prepared.

You hand the tickets to him, "You're lucky I'm desperate."

Wonyoung snatches the tickets out of your hands before you could change your mind and excitedly jumps around in a huddle with her friends.

"Can't believe I'm helping a Northwest." Taesan doesn't give you another look before he turned around to close the door. He fails to see the way you make face, mocking his remark before putting your sunglasses back on and sneaking away from the shack.

The twins and their friends arrive at the Northwest Manor through the limo you're family owned. As expected, Taesan came in his usual cargo pants and dirty looking shirt. 'Couldn't his sister at least put together something decent for him?' You irritably mutter inside your head. You beckon them over and signaled the butlers to open the doors of the mansion.

Wonyoung and her friends let out exclamations of fascination as soon as the doors opened. Taesan simply looked around the place, already looking for clues about what entity was haunting the manor.

"Everything is so fancy…" Liz blurts out while scanning the table full of gift baskets. She excited drags Wonyoung and Rei towards it and they immediately start examining its contents, "The prophecy was true!" Rei gasps in excitement as Wonyoung points at the ostrich egg inside the gift basket.

While the three girls were excitedly exploring the contents of the gift baskets and the interior of the manor, you grabbed Taesan by the arm to introduce him to your parents.

"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour! Welcome to the manor!" Your father happily greets him. "I assume you have been filled in on…your job. Hopefully, you can deal with it before the party starts in an hour."

"I'll do what I can, sir." Taesan replies.

"Amazing!" Your father pulls you aside for a moment, "He's not wearing that, is he?" he points to Taesan's stained shirt and cargo pants look. You sigh inwardly, bothered by his choice of attire to wear at a party. "I'm on it," you assure your father.

You approached the curious Taesan who was already taking down notes on his notepad, "Follow me."

Taesan was utterly confused when he gets pushed into a changing room instead of… well, he didn't know what he expected. It just never crossed his mind that a changing room could be haunted. Was it the floor-to-ceiling mirror? How is this going to affect the party? This is probably what— a category one ghost haunting?

"Is this—"

"There's a tuxedo inside, you're not going hunting until you change into that. No questions, no buts." And just like that, Taesan got shoved further into the changing room and forced to wear a suit. Or tuxedo. He doesn't know the difference, nor does he care.

After a grueling ten minutes, Taesan finally emerges from the changing room. Fiddling with the bow on his neck that he doesn't seem to know how to tie. You let out an exasperated huff before striding towards him and yanking him by the collar towards you.

"Ow. You didn't have to do that, this thing is already strangling me." He grumbles. You yank him once again by the collar to hush him and pretend you were still not done with his bow tie. "Why do I even have to wear this? I'm not going out there in the stupid party to mingle with filthy rich snobs."

Your hands pause at his words. Of course, he wouldn't understand any of this, but he didn't have to call it stupid. As much as you despised these gatherings hosted by your parents, that are so obviously for the purpose of flaunting their wealth, you loved some parts of it. Like the way your father temporarily puts away that stupid hand-bell. And the way your mother gently says your name to introduce you to the guests. These were the only times being a Northwest felt less like a burden and more like…something great. Like you matter in this gigantic manor.

But how would Taesan know that? He's got his twin sister and grunkle. Not to mention the other workers of the shack. You only had the title of being a Northwest. Of course, wearing the perfect sea foam dress matters. That's when you become 'you.'

"What do you know about being a Northwest? You wouldn't understand a thing even if I tell you." You glare at him, hand almost ripping apart the bow tie you tied yourself.

"I know that the Northwest are frauds." He leaned in closer to you. The distance allowed you to smell the peach scent in his breath that you knew came from his addiction of drinking Pitt Cola like it was water. It got you wondering what it tasted like since you weren't allowed to have it. Something about keeping the dignity of a Northwest blah blah blah.

The sound of the thunder snaps you out of a trance you didn't even know you were in. "We need to hurry to the main room. The guests will start arriving soon."

The door creaks as you push it open, revealing the "problem room" as your father referred to it, or the room where the haunting began. It definitely looked like a room where the haunting of an entity could happen. There were taxidermy of various animals hanging on the wall, the furniture looked like it was as old as the manor and the only source of light was the lit fire on the fireplace.

"This is where its been happening, some of the stuff have been moved out of fear of whatever was haunting this would break them again." You explained. Taesan walked further into the room and put down his bag on the floor, bringing out the infamous journal.

"Okay, so, do you have any idea as to why the manor is being haunted? An old enemy of your ancestor or…?" he pulls out some papers, a pen and a mysterious bottle of liquid.

You try to think of anything your father or mother mentioned about the haunting in the manor but couldn't think of anything relevant. "No, I don't think so. What's that for?" You replied, pointing at the bottle.

"You don't have to know," you roll your eyes at his response. "So, all that's happened are floating silverware and other small stuff, right? Nothing else?"

"Yes."

He grabbed the bottle next to his journal and starts reciting something from the book. Then, he writes down on the paper before standing up and giving it to you.

You looked at him confusedly, "What's this for?" Ever the patient boy that he was, he takes matters into his own hands and grabs your arm to stick the paper on it. "Protection."

"Protection?" you repeat his words quizzically. "Is it a demon? The one that's haunting the manor?"

Taesan notices the panic in your tone and shoves his journal in your hands. "Category one, ghost. Weakling. That," he points to the paper he stuck on your arm, "is just for precautions. Just in case its a fashion ghost who's pissed off by your fake hair."

"Hey! These are very much real." You scoff at him. To which he replies with a chuckle and a teasing look. He then proceeds to pull out a device from his bag and starts waving it around while pulling its antenna out.

Taesan starts walking around the room, examining each corner thoroughly until he reached the painting next to a fireplace. The device in his hand starts to malfunction, showing error on its small screen. He frustratedly taps on it, muttering a swear underneath his breath while doing so. You moved closer to him to see what the problem was and suddenly the air turned cold. At first, you didn't realize it but soon, realization sunk into you, that you shouldn't be feeling cold, because you were standing right next to the fireplace.

Your eyes slowly look up to the painting you were standing in front of. You realize something about it felt off. It was a simple piece. A portrait of your younger self. You remember your mother telling you about how she hired an artist from overseas to make it for you. You liked this portrait of yours. You've seen it so many times every time you passed by the room. Hence, you couldn't quite understand why looking at it now, seems like there's something wrong with it that you couldn't point your fingers on.

So you kept your eyes on it.

And the longer you do, the more it felt like you were being sucked in. You don't feel your body move, but the portrait was getting closer and closer to you. Slowly.

"Yn! Hey! What the fuck is happening? Come back to me!" Taesan shakes you by your shoulders, snapping you out of your trance.

You looked at him, puzzled by his questions. Then, you look to your feet and realize that it was covered in mud. It takes you another moment before you notice that the two of you were no longer inside the room nor the manor. You were outside, at the backyard of it. And it wasn't just the two of you anymore. Wonyoung and her friends were there, unlike a few minutes ago, their dresses were ripped and covered in mud. And they all looked like they were in distress. Panicked and jumpy too. Like they were trying to get away from something.

"W-what…why are we here? When did we get here? We were just inside the main room, Taesan. Why am I covered in mud?" your voice trembled as you frantically look around the place. Just a moment ago, you were in the main room looking at your portrait and now you're outside, soaked in the rain and covered in mud. "Taesan, I-I don't— I can't remember anything!" you burst into tears.

Taesan immediately pulls you into his embrace and soothes you to calm you down. "Hey, it's okay. I'm right here, Northwest. I'm right here with you." He whispers into your ear.

Suddenly, an ear piercing shriek from comes from inside the manor. Your head shoots up from his chest and watched him clench his jaw. Taesan looks back at you for a moment before looking at his sister and giving her a nod.

At the same time, you hear one of Wonyoung's friends yell, "It's open!"

Wonyoung grabs you from Taesan's arms and starts dragging you away. You were confused. You're leaving the manor with Wonyoung and her friends but Taesan stood still instead of running with all of you. Your hands grip Wonyoung's, halting her in her steps, "We can't leave Taesan behind."

She looked at you with an unreadable expression, "He's not coming with us."

"What do you mean? I'm not leaving him her—" you attempt to separate yourself from her hold, yanking your wrist from her grip. She signals her friends to help her drag you out and away from the manor.

Your eyes were fixed on Taesan who watched you all run out of the manor, still unmoving from his spot.

"No! Let me go! What are you doing?! You can't just leave your brother, Wonyoung!" you yell at her, still trying to attempt to free yourself from the grip of three people.

"Yn!" Wonyoung yells back. Startling all three of you. No one has ever seen her look like this before. There was rage in her eyes. As well as sadness and...defeat? "I know it's not your fault. But Taesan is doing his best in there to save you and your stupid family!" Wonyoung feels a lump form in her throat and her vision starts blurring. She sniffles and forcefully swallows it despite the pain before looking back at you. "The least you could do right now is follow us home and trust him. Because I trust him."

The air turned solemn when her voice cracked at the end. You really wish you could remember what happened. But you have no idea what happened or what even is currently happening. And you really want to try and understand Wonyoung but nothing is making sense to you.

Suddenly, a headache pierces your skull and you get flashes of imagery in your head. Taesan. Blood. A lumberjack. The headache gets even worse. Your hands reach out for something, someone. Anyone. Your vision blurs and your legs weaken, causing you to fall to your knees, hands gripping at the side of your head. Then, the final image flashes, accompanied by a voice. Taesan's voice. He was telling you to run and cursing out a floating figure.

A triangle.

"Bill Cipher?"

To be continued...

©️ tobiotaesan