s.c.s. ☆ j.jh ☆ ayakashi series | ✔

jaehyun [thirteen]

The next morning you were at the shrine bright and early, covering the yawn that was escaping your mouth with a hand as you blinked away your tiredness. You hadn't been having the most regular or healthy sleep cycle lately, especially since Taeyong woke you up twice last night because he kept bumping into furniture in his true form. You recommended that he stay in his cat form—he seemed much more graceful like that.

Sungchan was surprisingly up. Not that you knew much about him or his schedule, but you just kind of figured he'd be sleeping in later than seven in the morning. But he wasn't; when you arrived, he was fixing up what looked like a little mechanical metal bird on the front porch. Meanwhile, you and Jungwoo were on the back porch, your friend pouring you a cup of tea.

"Green tea, to help wake you up," he explained, holding the steaming cup out of you. "I am sorry if you had hoped for coffee."

"Tea's fine," you reassured him, looking around the shrine. Mark hadn't arrived yet. Admittedly, it was still ten till seven, he wasn't late yet.

"Mark learned many things in his short time studying under me. Having respect for the concept of time was not one of those."

You snickered before inquiring, "So how long did you train Mark, then?"

"About a year or so, but that was some time ago. And he had some training before that, from his father. However, I am afraid he passed before he could teach Mark much of anything about being an Onmyoji."

"So you were his only ties to this world, then."

"Not entirely, he had one of his True Ayakashi. Ten was of little help in his training, I believe he was not terribly thrilled about having a child as his Onmyoji. But emotionally... I am sure he was the only reason why Mark did not self-destruct as much as he could have then."

"How much did he self-destruct?"

"Not now, Lady Onmyoji," Jungwoo cut the conversation short, and you knew why. You could feel Mark's presence. It would be very awkward for him to have walked in on you two discussing him like that.

Mark came running in soon after, out of breath as he bowed respectfully to the Tsukumo-gami, "I'm sorry I'm late, Master Jungwoo."

"My brother distracted you, correct?"

"Ah, yes, I was talking to Sungchan. My bad."

You checked your watch. Five till seven.

"I am not going to fault you for having friends, Mark. As long as you make sure to manage your time with them correctly."

"Of course, thank you, Master Jungwoo."

You decided to speak up, "Good morning, Mark."

"Morning, Y/N!" He greeted you brightly, having caught his breath finally. "When did you get here? I hope I didn't keep you two waiting long."

"Oh, I only came five or ten minutes ago, don't worry."

"Once you have finished your tea, Lady Onmyoji, we will begin," Jungwoo announced, pouring a cup for himself and Mark as well. "You finished memorizing the incantations, yes?"

"Yep! Took me most of the night, but I've finally got them all down."

"Good. We will begin with casting charms over talismans today."

Mark perked up at this, shoulders un-slouching and most traces of tiredness snapping from his body. You imagined that if he were a dog, his tail would be thumping on the ground excitedly.

☆

The tea was quickly downed, and you were now sat at a table in one of the rooms in the shrine with Jungwoo and Mark, and it felt and looked like you were doing arts and crafts, not serious Divining. Apparently Jungwoo didn't have just have spare talismans on hand, so you had to cut your own out, then poke holes into it with a large needle and thread red yarn through them, finally tying them with a tiny bow around a narrow part of the shape. It felt like you were in daycare again. You were tempted to draw faces on the little, vaguely human-shaped cut outs, just to add to the somewhat occult-ish aura of what you were doing. For funsies, you know. But you imagined that wasn't part of the correct process. Might ruin the Onmyoji magic or whatever.