Welcome to Imuwa, population 1,306. The town is known for its rich agriculture from strawberries to corn. That's where the economy is coming from.
For the past decades, Imuwa has been slowly evolving into a more modern area. A decade ago, the town finally got telephone poles and computers in its library.
Imuwa is home to the thriving Imuwa University, where the Mighty Caribous live and strive for greatness with the colors Red and White.
The town has a small but close-knit community, but it can be an issue as word can spread.
This is the town of Imuwa.
Imuwa is home to 21-year-old Lim Penny.
"Pen! Get your butt up!" Her grandmother screamed into her room.
Penny groaned as she rubbed her crusty eyes, never ever looking cute in the morning. She checked her phone to see that it's seven in the morning which was way too early to be awake on her last day before university started.
"Pen!" Her grandmother yelled once more.
"Halmeoni!" Penny whined. "Let me sleep in, please."
"No, you have to help me with the chores. I'll clean the house and you get the groceries." Halmeoni explained.
"Groceries will still be at the store when I go six hours from now." She mumbled.
"Get up before I make you clean your room." Halmeoni threatened as she scanned her granddaughter's room of a mess. "I didn't raise you to be messy. Have you no shame?"
Clothes were everywhere, not knowing if they were clean or not. Shoes scattered on the floor. But at least, her room smelled so clean. Something she took pride in.
Penny didn't want to clean just yet so she tiredly sat up on her full-sized bed that drowned with the various plushies that she collected through the years.
After getting dressed for the day, she went to the kitchen to find Halmeoni cooking her breakfast. She sat down before Halmeoni placed a plate of food in front of her.
"Your messy room. Why won't you clean it?" Her grandmother complained as she always did.
"Halmeoni, if you tell me to do it, I won't do it. I have to do it on my own." Halmeoni rolled her eyes at her granddaughter's poor judgment. "Plus I don't bring anyone to my room."
"What about your friends? It's so shame if you let them in!"
"Okay, they bring themselves in without asking me! Don't blame me!"
After she was done, Penny left her one-story house. Everyone in Imuwa is usually awake at this time. Many people went to work, others plowed crops, and children were bright and early playing on this fine spring Sunday morning.
Since everything was walking distance, except for the university which was three miles, she didn't have a car or her license. She walked to the usual store. But not without seeing one of her best friends leaving his house as well.
"Limmy!" He called with the numerous nicknames he and their other friend created for her. He ran up and walked beside her.
"Sup, Chim." Penny greeted before locking arms with him.
Park Jimin was one of her childhood best friends. He was two years older but didn't feel the need to make her say honorifics. They were close enough that he didn't care about the age gap.
He lived with his aunt and uncle after his parents died when he was seven. It was hard at first since he was so young, but they loved Jimin as their own and raised him well to be a good man. He loved his family with all his heart. He loved anyone who was dear in his life and is always protective of them.
He also goes to university but didn't go until Penny and their other friend went because he didn't know what he was doing until now, which was fine arts and psychology.
However, Jimin is known for being a playboy. Due to his charming, flirty, and cute personality, he attracted all the girls and a few guys in town. Though he isn't interested in being in a relationship, it doesn't stop them from coming after him. He hooked up with many in and out of Imuwa, receiving the low-profiled title, Nation's Dick.
"Where you going?" Jimin smiled.
"The usual. The store. Halmeoni wants me to buy groceries again, but she won't get them until late afternoon." Penny shrugged. "She didn't specify when she needed them. She threatened to make me clean my room."
"Clean your room, you pig! It's been like that for ages."
"Let me be!" Penny whined. "It's where I be."
"No wonder she told you to get groceries. She probably gave up asking you to clean your room."
"No, she still forces me to pick it up or else she'll ground me. I thought she bluffed but I couldn't leave for the weekend." She recalled what happened last week. "She probably just wants me out of the house anyway."
"As always," Jimin said. "She wants you to have fun and not bother her."
Once they arrived at the store, they went up to the cash register to see their other best friend sleeping on the job. They stared at him in disappointment as they shook their heads. This happens every time they come.
His mouth wide open that a rat could jump inside. Head hanging off the back of the chair. Legs spread open to the Gods for comfort and stability and loud snores coming out of him with a bag of chips opened and laying on his chest. Crumbs were dripping down his mouth.
"Kookie!" Jimin yelled as he climbed over the counter and slapped his friend's head.
The sudden hit caused Jungkook to wake up and fall off his chair. The bag of chips dropped on the ground. He groaned in pain as he slowly stood up and soothed the pained area of his head.
"Bitch asses," Jungkook muttered. "I had a dream I was getting with a Filipino girl. I said Kamusta and you woke my ass up."
Jeon Jungkook was their other childhood best friend. He was Penny's age, in fact, they shared a birthday, but Jimin made it an obligation for Jungkook to call him 'Hyung' since the younger boy ended up being taller.
Despite his unprofessional behavior, Jungkook's family owns the only local grocery store in Imuwa and he's usually the one in charge. It's been a struggle since many big companies are slowly coming into the town but the citizens of the town continue to support the family business. Penny and Jimin usually help with the store, but rarely for Penny since she also worked at the boba shop two blocks away.
Jungkook is also a complete stoner and dabbled in professional gaming leagues. He doesn't sell the plant because he's lazy but occasionally bought and reeked of it. It's okay his parents don't know and assumed it's a cologne he's been using.
He also every so often steals but he claimed that it's a way for him to survive.
"I don't understand why your parents don't fire you. You're shit at your job." Jimin rolled his eyes.
"Maybe because they're my parents and love me so dearly that they don't wanna break my heart." Jungkook sat back down.
"Literally your dad yelled at you for eating his cupcake." Penny laughed.
"Hey, there was no label." Jungkook defended himself. "Plus I was on my high that day and I still was when he yelled at me so I only remembered his head floating."
"Oh, JK." Penny also climbed over the counter and sat on Jungkook's lap. She kissed his hair and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You're so stupid and your 'cologne' is strong again."
"Pen, shut up. It's a struggle being Jeon Jungkook." He too wrapped his arms around her waist as he leaned his head on the chair once more. He closed his eyes and tried going back to sleep.
"Why? Because you're always on edge of getting caught by the sheriffs?" Jimin joked as he leaned on the counter.
"Fuck you, Hyung. I meant working so hard in the store."
"You're not even doing anything." Jimin grabbed an apron from the bottom drawer and tied it around him. "No wonder your mom always asks me to work when you're working."
"Yeah, so I'm your boss. I'm proctoring you as you work and you're doing a shit job because you need to stock items." The younger boy shooed the playboy off.
Jimin flipped him off, but in a sense, Jungkook knew what he did.
"Don't fuck the items like all the other girls in Imuwa," Jungkook yelled.
"Yah, you dumb ass!" Jimin was about to kill his friend, but Jungkook used Penny as a shield. He held her tightly and wrapped her legs around his waist. He used her hair as protection for his face. The girl giggled at their fight.
"Stop using Len to protect your weak ass." Jimin rolled his eyes.
"I'm not, Hyung. PenPen is simply helping me. Ain't that right?" He cradled his friend.
"I want you both alive and in my life." She informed. "Chim, ignore his insults and stop being a sensitive little bitch."
"Ooooo, she told you!" Jungkook laughed.
"Yah, you fucker. Respect him and actually do your work! Stand up and help him." She got off of him and pulled him up. He whined as he stood but did what she said.
In their group of three, they had the mom, the dumb bitch, and the glue. Jimin was the eldest and acted like they were his little chicks, Jungkook was the chaotic good, and Penny held them together.
Despite all the love between the trio, Penny acted as the mediator. When the boys clashed and fought, she had to tell them to meet in the middle with their truths and fights. They were fucked up fights, like how Jungkook mixed drugs and tripped for 18 hours or how Jimin had multiple pregnancy scares, but they only got mad because they cared for one another.
Though Penny had her fair share of fucked up truths and realities, it was mainly the other two.
"Say I love you." She instructed the two.
Jimin and Jungkook glared at each other for a couple of seconds before piercing their smiles out. They jumped into a hug and danced.
"I love you, Hyung," Jungkook muttered.
"I love you, JK." Jimin patted the young one's head.
"Now kiss."
The guys turned to Penny, who had a cheeky expression plastered on her natural bare face.
She really grew into her features and everything else. She had the face of innocence, but Jungkook and Jimin knew she wasn't as wholesome as people thought she was once you've gotten to know her.
They experienced it first hand and saw the ugly.
She was definitely a true beauty, that the two were glad to be close with, claiming but not acknowledging the title, the Face of Imuwa. Not to mention, with a very caring and sweet personality.
But she hated the title because it was a superficial title. It made people want to know her, which she didn't mind, but she hated people knowing her business.
Regardless of her long dark hair, big deep onyx eyes, a toned body, and naturally tanned skin, she walked the streets with Imuwaians gazing in amazement.
However, because of her upbringing, many labeled her as the pretty poor little girl but she didn't think twice of it or at least tried to. She tried overlooking the pity and suppressing her official Imuwa nickname. She wanted to make a name for herself as Lim Penny the person, not Lim Penny the girl who has no parents around and grew up struggling financially.
She worked hard to get where she was, being the top of her class at Imuwa University, two great paying minimum-wage jobs, and volunteering an after school program at the local elementary school. Everyone simply loved her presence because she was so strong and positive about everything.
"No." Jimin gagged as he left the cashier area and went to work.
"You're dumb, Noona." Jungkook hissed, lazily going back to work.
"Don't call me that!" Penny whined as she slapped her friend's back. "We were literally born at the same time"
"I love it when you yell at me." Jungkook winked before disappearing in the aisles. "Makes me horny, Lim." He made slurping noises that can be heard around the entire store. Luckily no one was here.
"You're fucking disgusting!" She groaned.
The store door rang and her attention went to the little old lady coming her way. She noticed who it was and smiled cutely.
"Halmeoni Kim!" Penny greeted. "How are you?"
"I'm good, pretty girl. How are you? How's your Halmeoni?" The old lady smiled as she took a basket into her arms.
"I'm just hanging out with Jungkook and Jimin." She replied, followed by yelps by the boys to indicate their presence. "My Halmeoni's doing well. She's working hard."
"I'm very glad for you." Halmeoni Kim laughed.
"My mommy loved the strawberries you gave her." Jungkook went behind the counter after finishing up. "She made strawberry cheesecake with it. She makes the best ones."
"You're only saying that because you're excessively attached, mama's boy." Jimin chimed in, joining the other three.
"I'm not one! Stop calling me that and don't you dare talk bad about my mom."
"Kookie, you sweet boy." Halmeoni laughed. "You are a mama's boy. Stop relying on your mom."
Jungkook opened his mouth to make a point but closed it as he got shut down by an old lady.
"Are you getting your weekly items? Shall I help you grab them?" Jimin asked.
"Actually, I have a request from all three of you." The old lady spoke. The trio looked at one another before moving their eyes to her. "I have a grandson..."
"You have a grandson?" Jimin questioned.
"You actually had kids?" Jungkook gasped.
Penny rolled her eyes and slapped her friends in the arm even if she was surprised too.
Growing up, the trio thought Halmeoni Kim had no next of kin because no one visited her at all. In private, they called her an old maid. She'd disappear at times, but always said she came back from partying for a week or so and hated it. It's shocking to find out she actually had a child let alone a grandson.
"I only had one and stopped because no." Halmeoni quickly explained. "But I have a grandson and he'll be living with me for a while..."
"What's your request?" Jungkook asked before grabbing the bag of chips that he dropped on the floor.
"Well, he's a bit...different compared to you three."
"Different how?" Jimin questioned. "Does he have any malformations, disabilities, different societal constructed sexualities? All are accepting and beautiful in their own entire way."
"When you say different, is he hotter than us?" Jungkook muffled as he had a mouth full of chips.
"No to all, but he is handsome. He's my grandson." Halmeoni's shoulders were through the roof. "But when I say different, I just don't think he'll be able to handle certain things."
None of them knew what she meant but just went with it.
"I was hoping you can be his friends for his time here and let him know the town. He hasn't been here before. Can you three do that for me?" She requested.
"How come he hasn't been here before?" Penny asked.
"His mom, who's my daughter, and I were reluctant to bring him here because he's...different. But something happened and his parents are moving him here and he'll be attending the university here." She answered. "But please help me. I'm scared he won't make friends and I know for a fact that I will crack on him."
"Of course, we'll help you out." Penny nodded.
"Yeah, we don't mind. It would be nice having another person around." Jimin chimed in.
"Hell yeah, we can corrupt him. I gotta buy some initiation treats if you know what I mean." Jungkook chuckled as he pulled his phone out and texted his dealer.
Penny and Jimin ignored their friend's comment and sighed with disappointment.
"We'd love to help. Who is he if we ever see him around campus?" Penny asked.
"I'm sure you guys might know, judging how the world works but his name is Kim T—" A ring interrupted her. Someone was calling through her flip phone. She pulled her phone out and answered. "Hello?"
The trio watched her as she took this call. Each sentence was in between replies from her end to the other.
"What? Are you serious? Tonight? You didn't tell me it was soon? I gotta clean my house! His room is currently my storage, it'll take a week to get it out! Okay, that's fine!"
Still on the phone and yelling, she waved goodbye and exited the store.
"Wow, someone new is coming to Imuwa," Jimin said. "Wonder why Halmeoni Kim never spoke about having a grandson."
"Maybe she's ashamed of him." Jungkook shrugged. "She did say he was different and she was hesitant about bringing him here."
"They're just cautious, JK," Penny said. "This is a small town and word spreads easily. People love to gossip."
"Yeah, like Jungkook's kinks." Jimin piped. "Who knew you would be a degradee and rope bunny sub?"
"I've been knew." Jungkook shrugged. "Like I give a fuck. Girls still wanna get with me. Ain't that right, PenPen?"
"Don't bring me up on this, Sub." Penny sat down on the chair.
-
"I can't believe I'm going," Taehyung whined with his arms crossed with a pout. His servants packed his four check-in luggage, two clothing racks of customized suits, a box filled with shoes, and another rack of bags into the car. His parents forced him to bring that was absolutely necessary for him. "Be careful with that luggage! It has my cameras in there! Those cameras cost more than your lives combined! Idiots..."
"Well, we can't believe it either." Hoseok sighed.
His friends took their private jets back in time before Taehyung's departure. His girlfriend came back to also see him leave as well.
"Master Kim, your bags are all packed and ready to go." Wooshik bowed.
"I still hate you for telling them. Just because you have immunity from my dad doesn't mean I won't make your life a living hell once I come back." Taehyung glared at his servant.
"Thank you, Master Kim. Enjoy your stay in the countryside where you sleep on logs while I'll lay on my comfy twin bed provided by your affable father." Wooshik smiled before going back into the mansion. He left Taehyung flabbergasted and not knowing what to say.
"Sehye, babe, I'm gonna miss you." Taehyung frowned as his eyes met with his girlfriend. "Can I call you if there's reception out there?"
"Aw, Taehyung." Sehye smiled. "I think we should break up."
"Wha—why?"
"Because you're going to a poor village." She explained. "I can't have my dad, the inventor of pizza on a stick, find out that his daughter is dating someone who's living in the p—" She started gagging. "I can't say it again."
"But I thought you've always wanted me?"
Taehyung was right though. Sehye has been wanting him since they were sixteen, but he didn't. He wanted to live the bachelor life before settling down. He wasn't much a playboy but he could get anyone he wanted. Only recently, they've dated for five months but then again, it was somewhat open.
"Aw, Tae. I did always want you." She smiled. "But I also need my daily dose of hot steamy loving and I can't have that with a boyfriend that's hundreds of miles away."
"Bu—"
"This is goodbye, Kim Taehyung. Have fun with the cows and branches." Sehye left as she skipped into her limo and drove off.
Taehyung was dumbfounded at what happened. He was caught off guard.
"Tae, you okay? Are you heartbroken?" Hoseok asked as he was concerned with his friend's breakup.
Taehyung reminisced a little about their memories together. He sighed, "Nah, no. I didn't even love her. Back to the single life. Thank God!"
"Maybe you'll find some girl in Imuwa." Hoseok joked.
"Are there even pretty girls over there?" The youngest of the group scrunched his face in distaste.
"Are there even girls over there?" Seokjin exclaimed.
"Of course, there are girls, you idiots!" Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose. "They might not be hot but there are probably girls!"
"I heard country girls fuck their cousins," Seokjin informed his friends. "It's a country thing I heard. Watch out, Taehyung!"
"Taehyungie, you need to compete with her brother." Hoseok piped as he and Seokjin laughed at the thought.
But their laughs stopped once they realized it could possibly happen.
"Tae, I'm gonna miss you." Namjoon patted his back before going into a hug. "It's gonna suck not having a member around."
"Yeah, we're the original four!" Hoseok hugged the youngest. He smiled, but it faltered as he took one last emotional look at his young friend. "Be safe out there."
"Taehyung!" Seokjin sobbed into his arms. "You're a strong fighter, okay? You're taking one for the team. You're protecting this nation and fighting against the odds. You—"
"He's not getting deployed, you dip shits." The youth turned their heads to see Taehyung's parents coming out of their mansion.
"The countryside isn't that bad." Taehyung's mom reassured.
"Mrs. Kim, I know you're from there but who knows what could happen? Wolves might come into his grass hut and attack his feeble body." Seokjin argued.
Sooyeon stared blankly at the eldest boy as she shook her head.
"Feeble?" Taehyung questioned.
"Whatever." Taehyung's dad ignored the boy's ignorant statement. "Taehyung, your mom is driving you there."
"What, why?"
"Everything in Imuwa is walking distance except the university, which is three miles away from Halemoni's home," Sooyeon explained. "So I'll bring the car back and you can learn to take the bus. It's Imuwa's best transportation."
The youth gasped in horror by the words they heard.
"The b-bu—bus?" Hoseok squealed.
"Damn, Tae. You really fucked up with this one." Namjoon pitied his friend but his tone was rather amused.
"Mom, dad, no, please. I at least need the car!" Taehyung begged with his palms touching one another.
"I don't trust you with the car. You might use it to leave." Tejin blurted out.
"Dad, please. Have mercy on me!" Taehyung cued his signature puppy eyes at his parents, the eyes that his parents couldn't resist.
His mother looked away from him as his dad squinted his eyes back at his son. They tried really hard to resist. Curse them for having a charming son.
"N—no! You can't!" Tejin shook his head. "No, you can't! This is your consequence and you need to learn to deal with it."
"I'm gonna get my purse," Sooyeon informed before going back inside.
Taehyung screamed in a tantrum and stomped his feet in anger. His hair bounced to the small jumps while his arms were flying in all directions. They all had gotten used to his tantrums, but since they weren't giving him what he wanted, who knew how long he could last. This was the worst one yet.
He lost his girlfriend, he's not getting his car, and he's going into some town he already fucking hated.
This is too much for someone who always got what they wanted.
"Fuck this shit!" Taehyung ran into the car and locked it. Surprisingly, the keys were in the ignition so he turned the car on.
"Taehyung-ah! What are you doing?" Tejin marched up to the car.
But his friends yelled at him to start flooring it and never come back. He never wished to go to Imuwa. In panic, Taehyung drove the car off the driveway and tried to get as far away as possible.
-
Emphasis on tried.
His parents caught him and now a fleet of police were driving behind the car in case Taehyung tried to escape again.
Everything was going downhill for him as this torture doesn't end from here. It was agony and there was nothing he could do since people watched his every move. Taehyung couldn't believe this punishment.
He kept hitting his head onto the car window, trying to see if this was all dream and not real. But for the past five hours, it wasn't working.
But he'll try until it happens.
"You know that we're only doing this because we love you." His mother said while her eyes were on the road.
"Do you really love me? Or this is for your own enjoyment? Maybe even for shits and giggles?" Taehyung mumbled as he crossed his arms and drooped down his seat.
"We do love you," Sooyeon reassured. "We want you to grow up and better yourself. We're tired of your behavior and you're not taking action for your consequences."
"But this isn't fair. Why are you sending me off to Imuwa? I didn't even know that place existed." He whined.
"At least, we're not sending you off alone." She explained calmly. "You have Halmeoni, she's excited to see you. I was on the phone with her in the morning."
Silence came between the two, which upset Sooyeon. She loved her son and would do anything for him, but needed him to realize the struggles in life and not have anything handed down to him.
She does take fault in his upbringing. She gave him all that he wanted because she didn't have anything when she was young like Taehyung. She struggled in life. She worked hard to get where she did.
In working hard, it means she worked hard to marry rich and fall deeply in love with Tejin.
"We want the absolute best for you and this is what we think is best for you."
"I'll believe it when I see it." Taehyung rolled his eyes.
"Well, you're about to see it because there's the sign." His mother smiled. "Look." She pointed quickly before putting her hand on the steering wheel. "Welcome to Imuwa. Home of Strawberries and Caribous."
"My actual hell."
But will it really be hell?
~
How do you guys like the story so far? I really like this :3 Thoughts? Concerns?