“Yah! Misty wake up!” Appa was banging on my door at 6am on a Saturday morning. This better be life changing.  I groaned loudly and said I was coming, along the way wrapping myself in my covers and opening the door with a frown. 

 

“Waeyo? Its too early.” I yawned. He stood in front of me fully dressed with a bright smiled. 

 

“Go get dressed! You’re going to work with me today.” He sing-songed and grinned even wider. I rolled my eyes and shut the door in his face. Since he found out about Kai he’s been trying to keep tabs on me and its really annoying. I love time with Appa, yes, but not when its in some stuffy building with stacks of papers and part of a broken windmill fan. 

 

“Arra, give me twenty minutes.” I yelled from the other side of the door as I tossed my blanket on my bed. I shimmied in to a yellow sun dress and decided to wear my low cut white converse. Somewhat dressed for business with a bit of play on the side. Thankful I got a shower last night I let my hair out of its ponytail and straightened the kinks out.  Now all that’s left was to grab some breakfast. Save for the steps I ported in the kitchen and grabbed some leftovers from last night and scarfed them down, cold and all.

 

“Oh.” Appa looked up from the dinner table as I shuffled around in the fridge looking for my orange juice. “I didn’t see you come down.” 

 

“Yea.” I shrugged. “I just step lightly.” 

 

“Or you didn’t even take the stairs.” He looked at me with that ‘I’m not as dumb as I look’ expression parents love. 

 

“Appa really, it was in the house and it was barely 50 feet.” I said with a tone of sarcasm. 

 

“And that’s exactly why you shouldn’t.” He held his pointer finger up, like he was pointing to an imaginary fly. “Really, is it such a bother to walk that far. I just wish you wouldn’t at all.” 

 

“Appa.” I sighed. “Its not that big of a deal, it was just to the kitchen.” 

 

“Well then why did you feel the need to lie about it if its no big deal.” 

 

“Cause I knew you’d react like this!” I piped up louder. “getting antsy over nothing.”

 

“Its not just nothing!” He dropped his fork and cradled his head. “It nearly killed your Umma and yet you still hop all over the place like a rabbit.” 

 

“Umma died of cancer!” I cocked my brow and looked at him questionably. He sat for a moment cradling his head and when he looked up its like nothing had happened. 

 

“Are you ready to go?” He stood up and dropped his dishes in the sink. He usually takes time to wash them.

 

“Ne.” I washed my cup out and laid it on the drying rack. I grabbed my purse from the table and waited at the door. Even as Appa walked towards me he looked at me disapproving. “Wae?” I looked down. 

 

“You shouldn’t wear your shoes in the house and your dress is too short.” He shook his head and grabbed his suitcase. 

 

“Ne Appa.” I rolled my eyes discreetly “I guess I keep getting tall and dresses shorter.” I tried to smile cutely but we both knew the mood today was already soured. On top of all this stress it almost slipped my mind that today was the big man-wol meeting. 

 

 Can’t wait for that to happen-sarcasm.

 

  The ride to Appa’s office wasn’t much but was full of this long silence that I was content with. The only sound was the heat pumping out and occasional honks from crazy drivers. We arrived safely outside of a huge concrete building with a large sign on the front that read “Wando Windmills” on the front.  As the front doors opened I stepped in to the huge entry and gawked at the windmill fans on display.  They were all scaled down but still quite big and almost minimalist looking. The décor in here was all grayscale and seemed really depressing. Maybe I could convince Appa to let me paint the entry yellow or green.

 

 “Misty-ah.” Appa turned around and grabbed my elbow “let’s go. I have stuff to do.” 

 

“Ne.” I absently nodded, still caught up with the grey expanse of walls. He ushered me in to the elevator and pressed to the top floor. When the doors opened there was a long hall with glass windows looking down in to production assembly lines and the occasional office with whiteboards filled with different equations. It was definitely like a scene from a movie where you walk around the factory. I’m hoping this movie isn’t like Willy Wonka and I turn in to a blueberry though.

 

“I’ll let you help me look at the new designs.” Appa stepped in to what I assumed was his office. The desk had multiple scattered papers and blue prints everywhere. I moved some seemingly random papers and set them on the floor as I sat in the spare chair. Appa sat his desk and started shifting things around till he found a small stack of magazines. He handed them to me and sat back at his desk. “Look for ones that are sleek but pretty. Something that will be pleasurable to the eye. Something that if people had to look at everyday, would be pleasing.” I chuckled a bit and flipped open the magazine. Most people would think a magazine full of nothing but windmill blades was boring, those people would be right. This was horrible. Stuck at work with dad all day with nothing to do but look at windmill blades. As a kid I loved going with Appa to watch an installation. The ginormous post going in the ground with all the wires to convert the energy and then the huge blades getting lifted up on. It was cool.

 

*boop* 

 

 My phone caught me off guard and I pulled it out, flipping it open discreetly, and hoped Appa wasn’t in a mood to banish my technology. 

 

Misty 

 

  Hey, want to go to the mall today before the big meeting? Are you nervous? 

 

                                                                          Kai 

 

 

  I did want to go, so badly! No way I could get out of spending the day with Appa though. I hadn’t really thought to much about being nervous. I knew most of them now and from what little I know the others are friendly. The only one who scares me is Kris. 

 

Kai 

 

  Mian. I wish I could but Appa has me on observation. I’m having to go to work with him today. What time the er- meeting thingy? I’m not scared either! xD 

                                                                     -Misty

 

 “What are you doing?” I looked up and Appa was looking at me with my phone. 

 

“Really?” I rolled my eyes at him. “I can’t even unset my alarm without you breathing down my neck?” 

 

“Ani.” He sighed. “Why don’t you go to the vending machine at the end of the hall and get us a water to share, Ne?” 

 

“Ne.” I tossed the magazine I was holding in to my chair and swiftly grabbed the change in his hand. I really don’t know how much longer I can last with him watching me nonstop. 

 

 I walked down the long hallway slowly and watched all the factory lines below assembling blades. 

 

*drrrrrrrr* 

 

 . Kai was actually calling me. 

 

 “Hey Kai.” I spoke softly. 

 

“Why are you whispering?” 

 

“Cause…well I don’t know.” I spoke louder and giggled. 

 

“Where are you? What are you going to do when you have to get away?” 

 

“Eotteoke!” I spotted the drink machine at the end of the hall and fed it the change coin by coin. “I figure at lunch I can tell him I feel sick and make an escape.” Yea, that’s a perfect idea.  

 

“Guerae.” I could hear the sound of approval in his voice. “but where are you. Like what is the name of the building.” 

 

“Wando Windmills?” I said suspiciously. “Why is that important?” 

 

“No reason. So what are you wearing?” 

 

“Kai! “I whispered frantically in embarrassment. 

 

“Oh come on, not like that.” He laughed. I just shook the blush off in my cheeks and winced in embarrassment. “It going to be cold at the meeting. Just make sure you have a coat.” 

 

“Oh, right.” I pushed my hair behind my ears and looked down at my bare legs and short dress. Definite outfit change is needed, I heard one of the doors behind me open and glanced behind my hair to see Appa walking towards me. “Kai I have to go, see you later!” 

 

“I see you found it!” Dad reached me just as I had slipped my phone back in my pocket. The last thing I need is him checking my phone records. 

 

“Ne.” I smiled. “I got a guava juice for me and for you I just didn’t know if you wanted a plain water or flavored water?” I pointed to the machine. 

 

“Peach, like my sweet obedient daughter.” He pinched my cheeks and walked back with me to his office. I have no clue how peaches were obedient. 

 

                                                                                                                •

 

 

  Three hours later, listening to his laptop keys click and laying on the floor looking through magazine after magazine of crazy looking metal parts, I was brain dead. Someone send an ambulance in to save me. My stomach was nearly eating my backbone in hunger pains. 

 

“Sweetie, Appa is hungry.” dad flipped his laptop down and stood up slowly, age showing as his knees buckled. Now is my time to try and shine. I thought of that last moment with Umma. She held my hand tight and told me to never give up on finding what makes me happy and to never settle. It was something I had always known but at that moment I never expected it to hit me so hard. My thoughts worked when I felt the tears stream down my eyes. I hid my head and when Appa pulled my chin up I let a sob choke thought. “Omo! What’s wrong?” He looked so concerned it almost made me guilty. 

 

“I think that guava juice had gone bad. My stomach hurts so much.” I grabbed my stomach and winced. 

 

“Aish! I knew that juice guy looked suspicious.” what the hell kind of company did Appa really have if juice men can have secret motives?! “Why didn’t you tell me you were in pain?”

 

“We’ve been arguing all day,” I choked a new set of tears back and sat up like it was painful. “I didn’t want to inconvenience you more.” 

 

“Nonsense!” He grabbed my hand and helped pull me up so I was standing. I really milked it and leaned on his shoulder a bit and grabbed my mouth fast like I was gonna hurl. “No don’t you puke on my carpet!” 

 

“Appa” I exhaled loudly and leaned on him more. “Can I please go home, I’m going to hurl.” 

 

“Ne!” He set me in a chair and pulled his wallet from his pocket. “Here, take a cab. I’ll walk you down.” 

 

“Appa I’m sorry.” I looked up at him. If I was really sick did he honestly expect me to take a cab home when I can just port. “I can’t make it I’ll have to po-”

 

“Andwae! Don’t you even think about it.” He looked at me seriously. I faked another hurling fit and kneeled on the floor. Arching my back like bile was going to spew. “Go go go ! Not on the carpet!” I grinned down at the floor before porting to my soft bed. I rolled over and giggled, clapping my hands in the air, and cheered at my acting skills. I should totally audition for a play. 

 

  Now that I’ve escaped for a bit what do I do? I could get changed and go to the mall with Kai but I also know Luhan wanted to hang out too. For now I’ll just change. Its already a bit chilly today but Kai made out like it was supposed to be freezing where we’re going. Can’t be that cold, winter is almost over and some flowers are already starting to blossom. I shimmied out of my dress and slid on a tight black sweater and my white long pants, At least I didn’t have to still change shoes.  I should probably eat lunch too. 

 

 Misty

 

    Want to come over and play video games with Yixing and me? I’ll make him behave. :U I promise. 

 

                                                                         Luhan

 

 

  Well that solves my problem of what to do now that I've eaten

 

Luhan 

 

    Sure thing. Be right over. 

 

                                                              Misty. 

 

 

   I quickly texted Kai where I would be in case he really needed to know again. I should be nervous to see Yixing but I have to face him sooner or later. I’d prefer later but sooner knocked first. I know I only want to be friends with him but its actually letting him know that. Maybe he really didn’t mean to kiss me and it just felt right at the time. I would have been happier with a pat on the head though. 
 

 I grabbed a light jacket and stepped through my doorway. When my left foot hit the other side of the door though I was standing in Luhan and Yixing’s small entry way. 

 

“Knock knock.” I rapped my knuckles on the wall to my left and slid my shoes and jacket off, setting them neatly on the floor. 

 

“Hey look at you, actually coming in on your own.” Luhan said from the floor in front of the TV. He was focusing on a soccer game. He suddenly clapped and giggled at the TV. 

 

“Who scored?!” Yixing shouted from his bedroom. 

 

“Manchester, duh.” Luhan scoffed. I curled up in the couch and waved as Yixing walked through. He was carrying a big stack of old books and weird looking rock. 

 

“Need help dusting your ancient book collection?” I looked at him skeptically. 

 

“Ne.” He laughed. “Kris will want to see what all I found lately. Be careful not to rip any pages.” He sat beside me on the couch and put the stack between us. I grabbed one of the larger books from the bottom. I cringed a bit when I noticed it looked like it had been bound by human skin. 

 

“What materiel is this?” I poked it with my fingernail and scrunched my nose when the dust flew off. 

 

“Probably skin.” Yixing said like it was nothing. He just kept studying the rock in his hand.

 

“Waaaee!” I yelped and tried to push the book off my legs. Both boys looked at me, bemused by my girly screech. Yixing giggled and grabbed the book from lap and set it on the floor. 

 

“It was common in the early 1800’s. Skin was pliable and could easily be made to bind books. Yixing said it like it was something normal. I kept looking at the book like an ear would pop out or some other body part that did NOT belong on books.

 

“Kris has the weirdest ing hobby ever.” I shivered. 

 

“Its not for him.” Yixing smirked. “Its for all of us, These books contain information about all of our ancestors and where the domains came from.” 

 

“Whoa. Its that THE book that’s been missing for like 100 years?” Luhan’s interest was peaked so he paused the TV and crawled over. Yixing just nodded and grinned wide. “No way! Where did you get it? And why couldn’t I come?! You know I’m here to help you get like this.” 

 

“That’s the thing though. It wasn’t heavily guarded or anything. I found it in some old moving boxes on an island.” 

 

“How did you even know where to find it?” I was curious now. 

 

“Kris said it was suspected to be with a woman for a good bit. But after she died the book was up for grabs. I got it before it fell in the wrong hands.” 

 

“What if it did fall in the wrong hands?” I looked at him.

 

“No one knows really. I don’t think any of our books ever have.” Luhan answered me. I just nodded my head and pulled my sleeve down to turn the pages of the heavy skin book. There was a large hand drawn tree on the front and 12 penny sized circles around it. Each circle had a different symbol in it, not like a word but more or less just a symbol. 

 

“What do these mean?” I pointed down at the symbols. 

 

“Whoa, I think those are our symbols.” Yixing set the rock he was looking at aside and scooted closer to me, his warm breath almost hitting my neck as he spoke. “It's often said that all 12 of us had symbols to represent our powers.” 

 

“12? So just the guys or 11 of the guys and me?” If the symbols only accounted for the guys then how did I even get to have a power, or Luna? 

 

“Its supposed to only account for the sons of the tree. The original 12 members.” Yixing bit his lip, looking down at the symbols. “Some other books I collected last year mentioned that the first 12 people with powers were all guys. I don’t know why you have a power.” What he said would make sense if it weren’t for my existence and Luna’s 

 

“Luna doesn’t necessarily have a power. She’s more like a faerie.” Luhan looked at me and smiled. Talk about being confused more. “None of her grandparents had the power. In fact there aren’t even any records of her being born. Yixing and I had to look in to this a few years ago.” 

 

“So what about me? My grandparents never had powers either, Only my mom.” I thought hard, I had never even met my grandparents. I flipped the page of the book and looked at the large leaf in the middle surrounded by the 12 symbols. “Hmmm.” the leaf looked familiar. 

 

“What is it?” Yixing looked at me, his face only about 3 inches away. 

 

“Th-that leaf look familiar.” I tried to think back to where I  had seen it. The little stem protruding from the fans of the leaf. Its like I had seen it everyday of my life but where? Maybe my birthmark? 

 

“Birthmark?” Luhan looked surprised and his ear almost literally perked up. 

 

“Yea. I  have a birthmark that I think looks like the leaf. Umma had it too. I used to trace it with my finger when she was asleep. I have the same one but I could never reach mine.” I pointed to my back. 

 

“Oh my gosh…” Yixing looked at me too now, equally as shocked. 

 

“Wae?” he was looking at me really weird. Both of them stared at me weird actually and it was really uncomfortable. Did they want to see it or something?

 

 *drrrrr* 

 

  My phone broke the silence thankfully. As soon as I saw the name on the screen though my heart skipped. 

 

“Yoboseyo?” I made my voice sound raspy and held a hand up to silence Yixing and Luhan. 

 

“Misty-ah. You should come back now. I have some more stuff you can do. You’re good with math yea?” Appa called just to get me to go back. Wonderful. 

 

“Appa I still don’t feel good.” I coughed in to my hand. “I think that juice really made me sick.” 

 

“Well its out of your system now so your symptoms should clear soon so just com-” 

 

“Okay guys. Time to go.” Kai suddenly poofed in the living room and I gasped.

 

“Misty! Who was that? Are you home alone? You better not be with that Jongin guy!” My dad raised his voice and sounded furious. I knew there would be hell to pay but I had no choice. I snapped my phone shut and turned it off.

 Two shocked faces were still staring at me and Kai was just as shocked too. 

 

AN:This update took so long. I got busy with school and then I was left home alone a week so omg soooo much sleep was had! I should be back on schedule now. I'm sorry if this story is starting to bore you but I'm so excited for the plot twists hurrhurrrhurrhurrrr anyone care to guess what the leaf birthmark means?! If you answer right I'll be very shocked LOL. 

(her dad is so ugh)