"Leave her alone."
Jin gave Namjoon a warning look, the latter left to stare longingly at the girl. Namjoon turned to Jin, heaving a resigned sigh before taking another spoonful of soup. The girl in question, Mara, was alone by the only tree in camp. She hid behind the tree, only slightly poking out as she sat on her lawn chair. It was a purple lawn chair—purple was her favorite color. At her feet lay an empty bowl, once filled with soup, now gone after quickly eating. She bore a focused frown, eyes staring intently down at her lap, where there sat a stone. She held a flathead screwdriver in one hand, a hammer in the other, chipping away at the surface and carving out lines and curves to form letters—letters to form a word.
Brown-
She wasn't quite done yet. She wanted to carve just a few more letters and drill a small hole beside the words. She hadn't slept at all, even after being forced to sleep in Jungkook's room by the distressed boy. He too was grieving, so she tried not to cause him too much trouble.
She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling for hours on end with a flood of countless thoughts. She looked over at Jungkook as he slept on the floor, refusing to invade Mara's space even though it was his own room. He was sleeping, albeit with a deep frown on his face, and his eyes shifted now and then as eventful dreams took place in his head. Mara leaned over to rest on the edge of the bed, staring down at his soft pout and almost breaking out into a smile.
Almost.
She reached down, her hand hovering over the crinkles over his furrowed brows. She passed her thumb gently over the creases, smoothing them out and moving down to caress his cheek. Mara felt an overwhelming frustration pool at the pit of her stomach, a grim reminder of the day's events. She pushed his hair out of his face, watching with adoration as he sighed contently. She withdrew her touch, but he reached out lazily, attempting to grab her hand before she could get far enough. She met him in the middle, anguish slightly dissolving when he placed his lips to the back of her hand, giving it a feathery kiss. He melted back into sleep, no longer frowning as he held her hand close. This time, she did smile—though it was a dejected smile. Mara remained on the edge of the bed until Jungkook woke up the next morning, groggy gaze landing on her as she stared restlessly at the ceiling. She heard him sigh, meeting his stoic expression.
Though it was only a look, Mara could read it far too well. She replayed it over and over in her head, along with all the other traumatic, frustrating events that transpired the night prior. Her eyes watered when remembering Brownie, the horse that had won her heart over with its innocence. She couldn't believe he was really gone. She had hoped that upon walking into the stables the next morning, that she would find Brownie up and running, whining with excitement at the sight of her. However, his enclosure was empty, lonely strands of hay scattered about in his absence. Mara looked over at the braid she had cut from Brownie's tail, keeping it as memorabilia charm for good luck. Brownie was not just a horse, he was a companion.
Mara sighed, holding up the stone with the finished carvings, a small smile gracing her weary face.
Brownie ♡
Cute. Simple but cute.
Mara stood from the lawn chair, wiping away her tears and sniffling. She rounded the tree and placed the stone down on the cleared patch of soil, careful not to step over the grave she and Jungkook had dug out the night prior. Jungkook had convinced her to dig the hole beside her favorite spot to lounge in. She loved being by the tree, under its shade.
Now Brownie could enjoy the shade too—beside her.
Mara reached up to the crook above her ear, where she neatly placed the four multicolored flowers. She tried to find more colors, but the white, yellow, pink and purple were the only ones she could find. She'd replace them every time they wilted, so that Brownie was never alone. Mara placed the flowers inside the inch deep crevice she had steadily drilled, and they sat perfectly inside, instantly lighting up the display of Brownie's grave. She stepped back and admired the sight, sighing sadly and hearing a throat softly clear from behind her.
Mara turned around, finding herself face to face with Namjoon. The leader refused to listen to Jin, blocking out his warnings and approaching Mara with a determined frown. Upon seeing her tear stained cheeks and red, puffy eyes, his frown dissipated. Mara wasn't the happiest to see him, not after their argument, and especially not after his suggestion to burn Brownie right after the animal had passed. Quite frankly, Mara wanted to be alone; with the exception of Jungkook, of course. Despite her and Jungkook being on iffy terms, she still loved him and sought his comfort, and she was more than willing to provide him comfort just the same.
Namjoon, rubbed his lips, hesitating to speak but hating the silence between them.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," He said, "That was very callous of me.'
Mara stood silently, staring at Namjoon with an indecipherable expression. She accepted his apology, of course she did. Namjoon had always struggled to vocalize his thoughts, especially apologies he owed. For him to come straight to her, without obligation to anyone else, meant a lot to Mara. However, the words were stuck in her throat and she didnt know how to tell him that, or to show it. He looked passed her at the grave, eyes falling on the gravestone. The coldness in his eyes warmed up, and his shoulders slightly deflated. Mara peered through her peripherals, but didnt turn back around. She was almost protective of Brownie's grave.
"It looks beautiful," Namjoon nodded to it, and Mara's stony expression and cold heart wavered. She couldn't find it in her to say anything, so she just stood there and slightly nodded. It was the faintest of smiles, but the warmth in Namjoon's eyes was...different. It was relieving—refreshing.
"I'm glad there is someone that can give these animals the love and care they deserve. I don't have too much time to be doing so, but I appreciate that you are always there to bring them comfort, even as they pass away," Namjoon looked back up at Mara. She was already looking at him, but the sudden eye contact was a bit daunting. She focused on the ground, feeling his eyes on her.
"I'll try my hardest to make sure yesterday doesn't happen again. Unless nature dictates, I'll do my best to take care of them if ever in your absence," he said, "I promise."
Mara finally met his gaze, his sudden commitment stunning her. She bore the smallest of frowns, unsure of where his abrupt apology and gestures were coming from. Surely that was not the same man. Someone identical to Namjoon had switched places with him, someone who wasn't as volatile, as cruel towards her. His usual accusatory and wary stare was nowhere to be seen. Namjoon noticed her confusion and bit the inside of his cheek, slightly awkward at her persistent silence. Mara still said nothing and simply stared, attempting to figure him out. He seemed overtly genuine, a rare but welcomed sight.
"Kai told me about Haneul," Namjoon admitted, "And I know you told him not to, but I'm glad he did anyways. It made sense why you were so upset with me. I understand now why you've been acting out," He joked, a grin threatening to spread on his lips. His teasing made it easier to let go of the anger, and though she felt quite upset at Kai for telling Namjoon, she was relieved to not be constantly chided by the leader.
"You can say I told you so, it's okay," he jokingly rolled his eyes. Now this Namjoon was unrecognizable. Mara still didnt say anything, but her frown went away and she gave a tight-lipped smile.
I did tell you.
"Don't worry about her," he shrugged, "Your room is yours for as long as your decide to stay with us," he stated, giving a stern, reassuring nod, "Which I hope is for a long time."
Mara couldn't help the blush on her cheeks, and she nodded. She remembered telling Namjoon she would leave if things didn't change, and he seemed to be taking it quite seriously. Mara was beyond grateful, albeit a bit wary of the sudden shift of mood. Perhaps the lack of sleep had teleported her to an alternate universe where Namjoon was kind and hospitable instead of (initially) cold and cruel. Mara mentally ridiculed those thoughts, simply grateful for the improvement of her relationships with everyone. Mara was still quite speechless, so instead of trying to say something and ending up stuttering out nonsense, she extended her hand out for a handshake. It was awkward, the silence, but eventually he reached out and firmly shook her hand. He didn't let go for a moment, staring at their clasped hands with a visible calmness.
"So don't get too worked up over Haneul," Namjoon patted Mara's shoulder, "I'll handle her. Kai said she threatened to expose your secrets..." He let go of her hand, "Are you hiding anything we should know about?"
Mara pursed her lips, shaking her head. The next words from his mouth were the cherry on top.
"Okay. I trust you."
Mara closed her eyes in bliss. It offered her utter and complete repose to have him say those words. She admitted to herself that she deserved his respect, but trust was something to be earned, and she had earned it quite well. Mara let out a heavy exhale, nodding gratefully at Namjoon.
"I still think there are a few things we need to discuss, but we'll get to that when Hyunjae's people leave," Namjoon said, "Take it easy today. I know it was my loss too, but...it wasn't as big as yours."
Namjoon turned and walked away, leaving Mara to watch him go. She turned back to the grave and smiled down at it, her heart aching but her mind at ease. The afternoon is going quite well.
Mara sighed, I guess Haneul was lying just to rile me up.
Namjoon steadily walked towards a frowning Jin, who scolded him for not yielding to his request. He shrugged when Jin asked about the conversation between him and Mara, not caving to Jin's narrowed gaze or insinuations. Of course Jin was still skeptical of his behavior towards Mara, for a change so drastic ought to have a reason. Namjoon did not indulge Jin in those reasons, opting for silence and glancing from a concerned Kai to a nonchalant Haneul. She was sitting besides her brother, eating happily and lightly conversing with him. Sam, on the other hand, was completely out of it. He was zoned out, appearing to be blocking out Haneul's incessant blabbing about who knew what. Everyone except the girl were done eating, so he gave everyone a second to let the food go down and called them back to work. The tower was halfway built, but from what they could see, it was definitely sturdier. The hours of work would soon pay off, and Mara's almost week-long nightmare would come to an end.
"Can I help today again?"
Haneul clasped her hands in front of her, smiling sweetly at Sam. The brother did not stop to look at her, continuing his work as if she hadn't said a word. Haneul's smile faltered, and she pouted before tugging at his sleeve. Sam retracted his arm and gave her an odd look.
"Absolutely not," He muttered.
Haneul lightly gasped, "So you were ignoring me."
"It's the only way to make you go away," Sam rolled his eyes. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and hammered away again. Haneul crossed her arms, leaning her weight on one leg.
"Why not?"
"Haneul, get out of the way. There's nothing for you to do and you're more of an obstruction than you are help," He chided, causing Haneul to make face full of indignation. She scoffed and stormed away, cursing under her breath and walking straight for Jungkook, who still helped chop up wood as yesterday the work had been postponed due to the incident with Brownie. She glanced at Sam, who simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. She was a stubborn gal, one who was adamant to get her way.
"Hey, Kook," Haneul greeted, received with a tight-lipped smile before he swung down on another log. She watched him for a second, her eyes running down the length of his tensed arms and his sweaty, focused face. Haneul glanced at his waist, a flash of his lower abdomen as his shirt rode up making her blush.
"Is there anything you need help with?" She asked. Jungkook, just like Sam, did not stop to talk, but he looked at her before muttering a quick, "No."
Haneul hummed, her face falling and her brows raising, "Oh and uh...I'm sorry about what happened with the horse. I know you guys loved that thing- uh, horse. What was its name?" She tapped her chin, ultimately shrugging, "Anyway, yeah. Sad."
Jungkook sighed, "What do you need Haneul? I'm a bit busy," he politely spoke, wishing to not upset Sam by being rude and agitating Haneul. The girl pursed her lips, momentarily distracted by Mara. Mara was putting escaped chickens back in the coop, scolding them softly as she gently put them on the ground inside the fenced-in area. Mara smiled, giving one of the chickens a kiss before setting it down.
"Can we talk later today?" Haneul said, "I have something important to tell you," She bit her lip, staring at Jungkook's confused expression. Nonetheless, he nodded, about to touch his face before halting, thinking for a second and putting his hand down.
"Sure. Are you okay?" He asked.
Haneul sighed, "Yeah...I'm fine," She shrugged, "See you later then."
Jungkook nodded, watching her leave with a wary look on his face.
Several hours later and the sun was beginning to set. The platform and most of the shack above had been build. The only thing left being one of the walls facing the camp. The progress was admired by Namjoon and Sam, who turned to each other with satisfied smirks and offered approving nods. The two were a great team, and it was quite evident that the two were born leaders. It was a shame that Haneul was the way she was, for Mara wouldn't have minded that Sam and Kai stay for another while.
Mara was busied with doing her laundry, about to finish up and join Jin to help make dinner. However, before she could, head inside, a sheepish Sam approached her with arms full of clothes. Mara felt her stomach drop, expecting Sam to ask her instead of Haneul to wash his laundry. She was ready to, and she even slightly extended her arms out for him to load it onto her. Before she could touch them, Sam pulled them away with a soft frown.
"No no," he shook his head, chuckling, "I got it. I was just wondering if you could lend me some soap and water? I'm not quite sure where to get them," he grimaced. His polite behavior was such a contrast to Haneul's entitled one, but then again she'd only talked to Sam once before, so it her judgement of him was purely based on first impressions.
He could've been similar to Haneul for all Mara knew.
He's not so nice to Jungkook, but that's another story.
"Are you sure? I mean...I can do it," she offered, shrugging. Sam made a face, shaking his head again.
"Nonsense. It's our clothes, and our duty," Sam reassured, "I'll just do it now so we can have some clothes for tomorrow. I expect it to be our last day," he nodded, smiling, "So the soap?"
"Right!" Mara grabbed the soap she was done using and offered it to him, "I'll go fill my bucket with more water for you."
"Thank you so much. Really," he slightly bowed, a gesture Mara hadn't seen done in so long. She warmly smiled at his respect, bowing back. She was quick to bring him the water, wishing to help Jin before he stressed himself out about everything again. She didn't make it one step back towards the lodge before Sam started talking.
"Oh and...I uh...just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss," he turned grim, "I know companions like those are hard to let go of, and it's also hard to mourn when there's strangers around. You're quite the trooper. Don't worry about us, we'll be out of your hair in no time," he grinned, facing the clothes and sitting where Mara had sat just minutes ago. She appreciated his kind words and even agreed with them. She had to be strong and move on. Moping all day wouldn't get anything done.
Speaking of doing what needed to be done, Mara was quite disappointed that Haneul was refusing to do laundry. Sam and Kai had worked all day while Haneul did fuck all, and yet she expected everyone else but her to do her and her friends' laundry.
And then had the audacity to call me lazy. Me. Lazy.
Mara took her wet clothes, headed for Jin and leaving Sam to his unfortunate duty. He seemed to be used to doing everything for Haneul, but that didn't help alleviate the bitter frown on his face.
"Where the fuck does all this mud come from?" He grumbled under his breath, "It's not even raining anymore."
He scrubbed all the pants, moving on to jackets. The smell of sweat from his and Kai's clothes made his nose scrunch up, and he made a noise of disgust. After getting that done, he pulled up Haneul's jacket, shoving his hands into the pockets to take out anything she might've left.
"Always leaving shit in her-"
Sam pulled his hand out of the left pocket, retrieving a fistful of yew berries. Some tumbled into the soil, falling at his feet. He blinked down at the berries, turning around scanning behind him. Mara and Jin were both boiling water outside in the large pot, throwing in vegetables and other ingredients into the pot. Both were distracted by light conversation, paying no mind to a staring Sam. Sam shoved the yew berries in his pocket, clearing his throat. His gaze was distant as he continued to wash, but with every passing minute his scrubbing became aggressive.
"Have you gotten around to asking everyone?"
Namjoon halted his scribbling, looking at Haneul's hopeful eyes with uncertainty. He shook his head, causing her smile to fade. Something akin to annoyance flashed across her face, but she dryly chuckled and nodded, "Oh okay."
"We are a tight fit as it is-"
"I could always room with Jungkook if-"
Namjoon chuckled, his eyes crinkling, "I'm afraid that is not an option. Besides it being inappropriate, I'm sure Jungkook wouldn't like that idea too much,' he said. Haneul's expression turned sour, but she awkwardly laughed,
"I can assure you he really likes me-"
"Has Mara been causing you any trouble since the last time we spoke?" Namjoon interrupted, changing the topic. He closed his notebook and leaned forward on the table, piercing gaze on Haneul. The girl cleared her throat at the mention of Mara's name, shrugging defensively.
"Besides the usual rude attitude, no not really," Haneul mumbled. Namjooon hummed, analytical gaze on a dazed Haneul, who seemed distracted by troubling thoughts.
"You alright there?"
Haneul snapped out of it, offering a smile, "Absolutely," she sharply inhaled, "I would greatly benefit you by being here. I'd be of great help and I wouldn't be causing problems."
Namjoon's lips twitched up to a smile, and he nodded, "If our home was any bigger I would welcome you with open arms. I'm afraid I cannot. I still don't understand why you're willingly giving up residence at Hyunjae's camp. Isn't it bigger? Safer? With more resources and-"
"I don't care too much about that. I guess you could say I prefer...personal connections than anything else," Haneul argued. Namjoon's brows raised in surprise—he seemed rather doubtful.
"You don't care too much about survival?" He asked.
Haneul opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Namjoon frowned, "That's not a very healthy mindset."
"Survival is important, but I want-"
"Haneul," Namjoon raised a hand to stop her, "I appreciate your willingness, but I do not believe you are responsible enough to stay here. Like I said, our camp is small as it is, and everything is easily accessible to you—to everyone. I don't think you're mature enough for that. Everyone here is very cautious with their actions, and you, on the other hand, have been causing..." he waved his hand around, "-some unnecessary trouble with our people. It would be best that you return to your camp with Sam and Kai, as I will not be granting you this stay. Tomorrow will be your last day," he sternly concluded, pointing to the door of his office with a scowl, "Thank you for your help but I no longer require it. You may exit my office now. Unless you have something else you'd like to talk about?" He waited expectantly.
Speechless, Haneul scoffed in disbelief, "I thought you understood me pretty well."
"Understanding someone is not the same as agreeing-" Namjoon shook his head.
"So instead of correcting your people's behavior, you're enabling it?" Haneul ridiculed, "What about us? We are guests, and guests shouldn't feel as disrespected as I feel," she pointed to herself.
"Please, name one thing Mara has done that has upset you," Namjoon requested. Haneul said nothing, her face turning redder by the second. Without much else to demand, she stormed out of the office, jaw clenched as she ran down the hall and into Mara's room. Haneul locked herself inside, throwing herself onto Mara's bed and screaming into the pillow. She turned herself over, huffing and crossing her arms childishly.
"Fucking doing this shit for nothing," she snapped, "Got me fucked up."
Haneul shook her head incredulously, "How does she get to stay but I don't? Makes no fucking sense-"
A quick knock disrupted Haneul's conversation with herself, and she sat up, raising a brow as another knock sounded. She perked up, a grin spreading on her face. She hurriedly reached the door, swinging it open just as the person on the other side was about to knock. Haneul's smile fell and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms at her brother.
"Nice to see you too," He deadpanned, entering Mara's room and eyeing the hallway before closing the door. He locked it, exhaling deeply when turning to Haneul. The girl was confused, eyeing him strangely.
"What's up with you?" She muttered.
Sam stared intently at her, gaze analytical. Haneul drew back slightly, her lip curling.
"Ew, don't look at me like that?"
Sam reached into his pocket, "You know I was trying to really think about it for a second. The animal dying and everything."
Haneul's expression faltered, but she quirked a brow, "Okay?"
Sam took out the fistful of yew berries, looking down at them with a scowl, "I've never seen an animal abruptly collapse like yesterday."
Haneul skeptically hummed, "Me neither?"
"A healthy horse doesn't just start seizing or die just out of the blue. Unless something unnatural happened to it," Sam shrugged, "So yesterday is one big mystery to me."
Haneul bit her lip, "To me too."
"And usually you're not one to give a fuck about animals. So yesterday when you acted like it somehow traumatized you," Sam blankly spoke, "I knew something was up," he speculated. Haneul glanced at the yew berries, clearing her throat and pointing to them. She was clearly disturbed, but she tried not to seem too affected.
"Why do you have those?" Haneul asked, "You told me to get rid of them because they're bad for...for everything."
Sam blinked, "Right. And you got rid of the ones you picked?"
Haneul paused for a second before blurting, "Yes."
"Where do you think I got these?" He gestured to the berries. They were a deceiving, bright and plump red. A berry so poisonous was commonly found hanging from pine trees, tantalizing to living creatures who didn't know any better.
"I don't know...outside?" Haneul shoved her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie, fidgeting with her thumbs. Sam was stoic, the completely antithesis of his grinning, warm and polite self he'd displayed to Mara.
"I'll give you another chance."
"Are you okay?" Haneul drew back, studying the completely blank look in her brothers eyes, "You're acting weird."
"Haneul, I found these in your pocket," Sam revealed, "And you wanna know where else I found these?"
Haneul chuckled, but when Sam's face didn't lighten up, she gulped and turned somber, "I must've forgotten to um...to take them out," she stumbled over her words, intimidated by Sam's behavior.
"I think you know where else I found these," Sam smiled, but it was an emotionless, forbidding smile. Haneul took a step back, her eyes shifting wildly.
"You're scaring me. I didn't do anything to that animal-" Haneul snapped, pursing her lips and stopping herself from spilling anything else. Sam's smile fell, replaced with boiling anger.
"I didn't say you've done anything, Haneul," he growled, taking a step towards Haneul, "But good fucking guess. I'd say you know exactly what the fuck happened to that horse. Don't you think?" He mocked. He suddenly threw the berries at Haneul, and they hit her chest before tumbling to the floor. Haneul squealed, covering her face with her trembling hands.
"I've done nothing!" She shrieked, sharply inhaling and breathing out a shaky breath.
"You're not very good at lying. Especially not to me," Sam muttered, shaking his head and speaking through clenched teeth, "I get it, Haneul, I really do. Our worth was based on money before shit hit the fan. Now worth is based on hard work, and you want to be worth something, but this-" Sam kicked at a berry, "What does that accomplish?"
"You don't know me, Sammy," Haneul mumbled, "You don't know what you're saying."
"Haneul, I know you better than you know your damn self. You know what I'm saying is true," He shrugged. Haneul's lip curled in disdain.
"I'm bored at Hyunjae's. Here, it feels like I'm actually needed," Haneul snapped, "Back home you don't give a shit about what I do but all of a sudden, when I want to leave you show interest," she tilted her head in a mocking way, "What's that about?"
"You want to stay here?" Sam guffawed, "You're delusional, Haneul. You have the habit of sabotaging things every time we visit another camp. You always leave a mess and I have to clean after you. Don't tell me you don't-"
"I don't-"
"It feels like I have to babysit you!" He exclaimed, glancing around in the hopes nobody could hear them, "You're not mature enough for me to let you do things on your own. At least back at camp, everyone knows you're a spoiled brat," he spat.
Haneul flinched, her eyes glossing over at her brother's jab, "I do so much for everyone-"
"Haneul you know damn well you don't. Even when you do, it's all for personal gain and not because it comes out of your fucking heart. You just expect to be pampered-"
"And you don't complain about it-"
"Because you're my sister, dammit!" He snapped, "You think I want you to be miserable?! I work hard so you don't have to and yet you have the audacity to ask for more!" He threw his hands up incredulously. Haneul stared at the ground in shame, hands fumbling as she tried to think of what to say.
"I don't understand why you search for the attention of others when I give you my best so that you don't have to do that," Sam sighed.
"I don't know..." Haneul sighed, "I'm sorry, Sammy."
Haneul tried to reach for her brother, but he stepped and snatched his hand away, still staring at her with a stony expression.
"Sammy?"
"You had me do laundry," he curtly mentioned, "After all the work I had to do to help them with that damn watchtower, you still refused to do laundry."
"That's Mara's job-"
"She was mourning a loss, how apathetic are you?"
"It's just some horse. It's not even a dog or a person, she's being dramatic-"
"Is that why you poisoned it?" Sam deadpanned. Haneul blinked, her words getting stuck in her throat.
"Again with the damn horse! I didn't poison it!"
"Then why were they in your pocket?"
Haneul scoffed, "You had me picking them off the branches if I remember correctly!" She raised her voice, "How dare you accuse me of-"
"I found them in the horse's mouth while it was seizing," Sam ran a hand through his hair, "I don't know how nobody else saw it."
Haneul shook her head, incredulously laughing, "You think I gave it to the thing?"
"Your lack of respect isn't doing you any favors," Sam commented.
"The horse must've eaten them off the ground or off a tree!" Haneul exclaimed, "I can't believe you're accusing me of that?" Her smile faltered, and she stepped back, seemingly hurt, "I would never hurt an animal for some attention."
Sam sighed, "If you did, you better say it now. They don't know what happened to the horse but if you tell me the truth I'll..." he pursed his lips, "I won't tell anyone."
Haneul scoffed, "I'm telling you I didn't do it. Now hop off my back-"
"You swear?" He asked, eyes full of hope. Despite his disappointment, he seemed to still have hope for his sister. His desperation was brought on by several years of constant childish and stubborn behavior from a girl who took many things, if not everything, for granted.
"Yes!" Haneul whisper-yelled, "I swear. He must've thought they were edible berries-"
"You swear on Mom and Dad," Sam reiterated. He was begging for reassurance.
Haneul froze. She bit her lip, "Why are you making me swear on our dead parents?" She bluntly asked.
"Say it," Sam urged, "Say that you swear on Mom and Dad."
His stare was hard as he looked at Haneul, who went silent. Her lips trembled, waterline to the brim with unshed tears. The mention of her parents seem to trigger them.
Sam closed his eyes, heaving a long sigh, "You did, didn't you? You poisoned the horse?"
Haneul didn't say anything, she just stared at Sam.
"All you've showed me these last few days is that you're still the immature, undisciplined, malicious woman you were and will probably always be," Sam softly spoke, unforgiving to Haneul's actions and cruel to her feelings. He bore not a single ounce of sympathy for his sister, who had admitted, without speaking a single word, to her wrongdoings.
"You killed these people's livestock, all because you wanted to show that you're superior to Mara," Sam shook his head, "And let me just say: as your brother, I am ashamed at having someone like you as my sister."
Haneul's lips twitched down in betrayal, "You don't mean that-"
"Oh, I mean it," Sam's eyes watered too, but he sniffed and cleared his throat, and the tears were gone.
"I just...I didn't think it would die," Haneul cried, "I thought it would just get sick...I didn't even feed it that many-"
Sam ran a hand down his face, "I sincerely hope it wasn't your intention to kill it."
"Please don't tell them," Haneul begged, "I won't cause any trouble anymore! Please!"
"You always say that. Now look what happened. You just keep getting me in trouble!" He snapped, "And because I care about you I have to suck it up and take the brunt of it."
"Just don't tell them!" Haneul sniffled, "They won't find out, they think it was natural. You thought it was nature taking one of its own, that's what you said," Haneul whispered. Just don't say anything and they won't know."
Sam stared at his sister, "Do you hear yourself?"
Haneul looked bitter, "You think I don't know? You think it's easy for me to just change?"
"It's been so long. I figured you would humble yourself," Sam said, "But you just got worse. You get off on the fact that people can't really punish you the way they were able to."
"I'm sorry," Haneul whispered, "I'm really sorry. I made a mistake."
"I don't think you mean it," Sam shrugged, "I'm sorry, but all I see is someone who doesn't want to ruin their reputation by admitting they did something wrong—no...something evil. I don't think you believe you made a mistake," Sam seethed, "And that's what pisses me off even more. The fact that you will never be truly remorseful."
He glanced at the berries, "Pick them up. Throw them away this time and try not to kill somebody-"
"I would never!" Haneul hiccuped, "I'm not a monster."
"You act like one to me," Sam mumbled, disappointed as he walked out of Mara's room, leaving his sister in a desolate, condemning silence. However, Haneul was fuming. Her face had turned red and her eyes shed angry tears. Her hands turned into fists, and she turned to look at herself in the mirror on the vanity. She wiped her tears away, fixing her hair and brushing herself off before walking out of them room. She did not discard the yew berries, stepping on them as she exited the room.
"If I can't take her place. I'll take everything else," Haneul sneered.
Mara quietly stood inside Brownie's stable, hidden from everyone's sight. It was nice to be alone every now and then when she felt smothered by the events of life. The quiet atmosphere and the memories were bittersweet, but the occasional snorts from Fro-Yo and Oreo were enough to ground her. She wondered when everything would go back to normal. Things seemed worse than usual, and she quite honestly missed Jungkook so much. She missed his laugh, realizing he hadn't really done so in a few days. Usually she and him would be joking around all day, their friendship blossoming into something she missed and needed more than anything.
Making amends the day prior did not go as planned, and though she wanted to blame Haneul, she knew she was partly responsible for her and Jungkook's temporary fallout. She said temporary because she would never let Jungkook slip away from her, no matter what happened. He was simply too important to Mara for her to just...give up.
"Mara? You here?"
She heard Jungkook's voice call out to her in question, and she pushed herself off the wall. She peered over the stall door and saw Jungkook petting Fro-Yo, the horse's sigh of relief making her smile. She was about to flick the hatch open, but a voice stopped her from doing so. Mara immediately rolled her eyes.
"Hey...again," Haneul greeted, sounding slightly hoarse. Mara hid herself behind the stall again, pressed against the wall out sight but with ears perked in interest. She wanted to know what it is that Haneul always talked about with Jungkook. The latter never truly listened, zoning out during her rambles and wondering when he'd get some alone time.
"Sup. Hey have you seen Mara?" Jungkook asked, still scratching under Fro-Yo's chin.
"No...I'm not sure where she'd be. Probably by the tree," Haneul shrugged.
"I looked there already but I'll look again-"
"Wait," Haneul called out, stopping Jungkook from leaving. He halted, blinking at Haneul and slowly turning to face her. He waited quietly for her to speak, eyeing her nervous fidgeting.
"I need to talk to you real quick," Haneul said. Mara frowned at the same time Jungkook did, their expressions almost identical.
"Okay...this can't wait?" He politely asked.
"No. I don't think I can hold back anymore," she chuckled nervously.
"Oh...Is everything okay?" Jungkook stepped forward, trying to meet her gaze as she slightly hung her head.
"Not really," Haneul shook her head.
"What's up?"
"It's been a few days of me feeling like this. It doesn't seem to go away no matter how hard I try," Haneul began, licking her lips, "And it's all your fault," she looked up at Jungkook. Mara felt her stomach drop. Whatever was coming didn't sound good; she was expecting the worst.
Jungkook leaned back slightly, "Huh? My...My fault?" He pointed to himself.
"Yes," Haneul pressed her lips together, but her attempts to repress a smile were futile.
"What exactly did I do to upset you?"
"You did a lot of things," Haneul shrugged, "And honestly I don't think I can take it anymore. So here I am, ready to confront you," she softly spoke. Mara leaned closer, trying to hear Haneul's low voice. She didn't want to miss a thing. She didn't care if it was rude to eavesdrop.
"Oh?" Jungkook sounded completely lost. He scratched the back of his neck, "Okay. Hit me, I guess."
Haneul's eyes glinted, and she stepped closer to Jungkook, "First, it was your boyish charm. You caught my eye with your smile and your eyes."
Said eyes grew slightly wide, and Jungkook stiffened up. Unbeknownst to each other, Mara and Jungkook shared the same expression once more. Both were frozen to the ground in apprehension.
"Then it was your friendliness and chivalry. Both are hard to find nowadays," Haneul shrugged, "You invaded my thoughts and you made my heart beat faster every time you came near me. Your voice made my stomach flip, especially when you asked me to trust you that day you saved my life. I was so scared, but with you there I felt like I could conquer my greatest fears. I know I just met you not even a week ago, but I feel like you and I have a connection," Haneul placed her palm against her heart, smiling at Jungkook. He was still as ever, standing awkwardly as Haneul stepped closer to him.
"You're very attractive, both physically and in terms of personality," Haneul sheepishly giggled, her cheeks turning red, "You make me blush just by looking at me. I'm just surprised you don't have a girlfriend. But if you'd let me, I'd like to change that."
Mara's breath hitched.
If in that moment you'd placed a stethoscope against Mara's heart, you could've heard it shatter into a million pieces.
Haneul reached for Jungkook's hand, running her thumb across his knuckles affectionately, "I've never fallen for anyone like I have for you, and I truly think you and I could be something special, so I ask for you to let me show you what a real woman is," she grinned. Haneul came closer until her face was mere inches from a frozen Jungkook's face. His eyes shifted wildly between each of hers, still wide.
"I will make you the happiest man, and I will make sure to take care of you. With me you wouldn't ever have to worry about another man, because you'd be the only one in my eyes," she peered at Jungkook through her lashed, glancing at his lips. Her hand slid up Jungkook's arm and cupped his cheek. Mara peered out of the stall door, her eyes gluing onto their intimate proximity.
Damn...
"So be mine..."
Haneul's lips hovered over Jungkook's as he held his breath.
"And I promise I'll be yours forever, too."
——
A/N: We reached 6k reads 😭!!!!
I'm so happy!
Oh btw, there are plenty of things I would've changed in this story that don't really make sense, but it's far too late for that lol. They are unfortunately crucial parts of the story so I can't just go back and change them. However, I like where the story is right now, so I don't mind, and I hope you guys don't either lol.
Love you all!!
<3
-wethenaive