SHE'S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!

---------------------------------------------

Seungcheol scrunched his nose at the strong scent of turpentine still lingering on his fingers, wiping them on his plaid hoodie. He arrived at Rosie just in time for it to seem like he was coming back from an early morning walk. The beautiful signs of autumn surrounding their town made the perfect excuse. Vibrant shades of red and orange; as if Amaris Creek caught on fire... but, you know, without the gruesome fatalities and destruction. He was about to open the door when suddenly, a voice startled him out of his thoughts.

"What did you tag this time?"

Pulling down his hood with a warm grin, he turned to the source. "You know me way too well, Pinky."

Jihoon's lip quirked at the statement as he walked over from the side of the porch, hands in his pockets. "Well, Air has to help contain Fire."

Seungcheol didn't miss a beat, his facial features feigning intensity as he looked down at him, his voice like dark crushed velvet. "But Air can also excite Fire, igniting its flame into a hot, passionate frenzy." A smirk playing on his lips, he didn't miss the way Jihoon's neck and cute little ears began to match his vivid cotton candy hair.

But that didn't stop the younger from being his usual self, eyes narrowed into perfect crescents as a slight breeze picked up around them. "Just remember that Air can also suffocate Fire, even if it does reek of paint thinner. Go take a shower, Cheol."

"Wanna join me?" A cheeky eyebrow raise accompanied his proposition.

Jihoon's eyes darted in any direction but his. "Hmm, I would say 'when pigs fly', but I've already seen you fall out of a tree."

Boisterous laughter erupted from the oldest, coughing awkwardly once he realized that everyone else was still in bed. "Wait, what are you even doing up at this hour? The sun just came up, and Hansol hasn't even woken up Mingyu and Chan with his daily roos--

"-A-DOODLE DOOOOOOOOOOO!.....
-A-DOODLE DOO... WOOP!

POGGERS ROOSTER ON ONE HUNNIT,
...SWEG-giTY... SPA-gheTTI!
IMMA LURE YA TO YOUR POULTRY DOOM, Y'KNOW I AIN'T FRONTIN',
...SKRRT SKRRT SKRRT!,

AYYYYE!
SHE SAID SHE LOVES MY CHICKEN WRAP
SHE ADDED RANCH TO MY WRAP WHILE SHE TWERKED TO MY TRAP,
BOOYAKAH BOOY-- OW! I'M SORRY, HAO! I'M SORRY! I'LL STOP! I JUST WANTED TO GET TO THE CHORUS!"

"Wow.. I never thought it was possible but you could actually hear him milly rocking."

"...I spoke too soon." Seungcheol sighed in resignation, knowing he'd either have to take a shower now or wait through the hectic morning rush with only minutes to spare. "Save me at least some juice, yeah?"


And it was only that small cup of juice in Seungcheol's stomach as he started yet another day at Trusty's Hardware Store. He had just finished moving gallons of paint primer to the front when in walked the girl that invaded his dreams every other night.

"To what do I owe the honor, Madame Mist?", he asked as he bowed dramatically, removing his work gloves and wiping the sweat off his face with a sleeve.

Aurae rolled her eyes with a snort. "Such a charmer", she muttered, reaching into a paper bag and placing a styrofoam box in his hands. "Thought I'd bring you your favorite. I'm sorry we ran out of breakfast. I could've sworn Hansol bought another bag of flour and a carton of eggs just last week."

Opening the box, Seungcheol ogled at the charred double cheeseburger with bacon, pepperjack cheese, a drizzle of The Nicer Diner's famous five-alarm chili,  fresh hot pepper slices, and a fried egg. A burger specifically designed for him; simply named The Fiery Fury. Choosing to savor the delicious goodness later (hopefully somewhere he can be as messy about it as he wants), he opted to just eat a fry for the time being. "He did. Soonyoung and Minghao had a food fight while baking cookies. It was when you stayed at Gao noona's house on Thursday. The cabinets are still sticky with brown sugar."

"So, that wasn't my imagination after all." She chuckled, leaning beside him on the counter. "They will never grow up. I swear, you can't even tell Soon's getting married soon... Oh! Speaking of married couples, you'd never guess who was bickering like one the whole time I was waiting for our burgers."

"You're wrong because I can totally guess. Jeonghan texts me all about his fights with that Joshua guy during his breaks. I've actually considered following Trusty's protocol and leaving my phone in a locker, but that would only make the matter so much worse for us on the drive home."

She rubbed his back, feigning sympathy as she cooed. "Awww. Well, those are the breaks. I'm sure--" A buzz halted her teasing, causing an exasperated sigh to heave from her lips after she studied the notification. "My 'favorite' customer's early. Gotta go, Cheollie~", she said, pinching his cheek. She stopped by the door on her way out. "Oh, and I'm going to FarMar with Seokmin, so don't wait up! See you later!"

Waving, Seungcheol silently thanked all that was holy for throwing him in that distasteful orphanage.

Ripping him away from his thoughts, the new part-time cashier wolf-whistled as he walked over. He was a lanky guy, hair nearly skimming wide almond-shaped eyes, and the biggest lips he's ever seen. Apparently, a college student, just trying to afford rent for his tiny studio apartment. "What a woman. Her exotic looks are totally my style."

An eyebrow was raised, face impassive. "...Is that so, Niel?"

"Hell yeah! Mm, those curves were exquisite too. Think you can give me her number? I could definitely show her my way around a toolbox, if you know what I mean", he added air s for emphasis.

It took everything in him not to beat the fish-like cashier to a thin pulp. With his fists clenched, Seungcheol's voice embodied pure venom as vehemence coursed through his veins. "You know, I would appreciate it if you didn't speak about my wife like that. It would really if you had an unfortunate... accident during your first month here."

It wasn't until he felt the trembling in his hands, that he realized he was actually holding Niel by the collar the whole time. "S-S-Sorry, Seungcheol... S-Sir."

Letting go with a shove, the fire witch grabbed his styrofoam box again. "I'm taking my 15-minute break... And it would be smart not to bother me."

The shook cashier slowly crawled back to his register, wondering how Seungcheol managed to marry such a babe.

Later that day, Aurae and Seokmin were setting up their booth at the Farmer's Market, or FarMar as the locals called it. Markets in other towns only opened two days a week for just a few months in the year, but not theirs. FarMar was open from Thursday to Sunday and lasted all year.

Amaris Creek's soil composition was pretty fertile for some reason, so there was always something growing in the ground. There was only one drought ever recorded since the town's establishment, and it lasted for two weeks in the 1950s, during a farmers' strike. Mysteriously, it rained for days right after the mayor agreed with the farmers' terms.

The items sold year-round were plentiful. From April to September: items like fresh flowers, cheeses, honey, soaps, and most crops were sold. Then, from late September to November: things like gourds, crops mostly used in hearty stews, plants that bloomed later than usual, Halloween themed crafts, jams, pickled veggies, dried herbs, and meats were sold. And then, from late November to early April: goods such as firewood, skincare, knits, rolls of fabric, surplus harvest, surplus jams and dried goods, crop seeds, winter crops, and early spring crops were sold.  

Usually, Seokmin was seen at a random stand, helping the older merchants, who in turn rewarded him with some of their goods or a small percentage of their earned wages.  It made for an extra profit after selling all of his flowers, fresh herbs, some crops he grows, and jars of his ever-popular Aloe-Rose salve. He needed as much as he could get, still saving up to give Soonyoung the wedding of his dreams.

Sometimes, certain family members would accompany him.

Seungcheol would join him every once in a while to assist with heavy lifting, and to sell the things he built out of boredom. He also came for free meat samples on occasion.

Hansol would come to buy and sell gemstones. One year, he even opened a Valentine's Day rapping telegram service. It didn't end well.

Minghao and Chan would come to assist with sales on the weekend. If there wasn't much to sell, then the teens would just loiter around. 

Jihoon wasn't much for the FarMar life. He'd rather spend hours in his room blogging or whatever. But, there were exceptions; Seokmin had seen him help Mingyu with food shopping, and he knew the older boy was very fond of the coffee beans blended six booths away.

 Jeonghan had daytime shifts at the Nicer Diner, but he always found time to make tea blends to sell and to mark sigils on non-edible goods.

Junhui didn't enjoy working the booth, but he was a frequent shopper at Far Mar. Old Lady Liu, who owned the baked goods booth a block over, was always sweet on the guy.

As for his beloved Soonyoung, the perfect creature known as his future husband, he would be a pure distraction for Seokmin. Too handsome. Too wonderful. Too angelic. Too breath-taking.

Mingyu and Aurae were more than just helping family members; they were pretty much his business partners. The three of them could make a few million a year if they tried hard enough.

Aurae specialized in making candles and moon-infused things. Mingyu specialized in herb-infused cooking oils and baked goods. Together, the two sometimes worked on a moon-themed makeup line. Mingyu also collaborated with Seokmin to make all of their salves, lotions, oils, tinctures, soaps, and incense. It was all super popular with the new age crowd.

The family booth was appropriately named Rosie's.

"The weather's nice today, so we should get lots of customers."

Aurae smirked at the Garden Witch. "Not as many as the time you, Cheollie, and Mingyu played y Farmer Calendar Models last summer, wearing nothing but ripped jeans and tank tops."

Seokmin nearly choked on his tea. "THAT WAS FOR CHARITYYYY", he whined. 

Chuckling sheepishly, she wiped the spilled tea off the counter. "All I'm saying is you guys have leverage over these old farmers. Don't be afraid to use it to raise money for your wedding and future love nest. Plus, a certain someone I know would go crazy and you'd get to score yet again." She muttered the last part, but the additional spilled tea indicated that he definitely heard.

"mOVing oNNNN.... so... you're about to get really busy soon with October arriving....."

"...Yeah", Aurae huffed, knowing exactly what Seokmin was about to discuss.

"Will you really be okay this year? Last year, you almost faceplanted into Jeonghan's birthday cake... and it had only been the first few days into the month. Noona, I know you already hear this enough from Seungcheol hyung, but you don't have to work so hard for our sake anymore. You can sit back and let us handle everything now. You two aren't the only ones working anymore. "

She looked down quietly, as the moment proved to be too serious for her liking. "It'll be fine, Seokmin. The pay is too good to pass up. Plus, I get two whole weeks off during the first part of November, and a bonus check for my troubles. I think I can handle another year. And Junhui helps me so much usu..." she bit her lip, remembering her card predictions. He may not be able to help her at all this year. "I'm going to go leave all of my chunky accessories in your car. They're in the way." Grabbing the car keys from the table, she began her trek to the parking lot. 

Giving her space, he organized their jars of jam as he observed the growing crowd. "Hmm, that's weird. I guess Wonwoo's not here to help his grandma today."

 

 Across town, hours later, Jeonghan jumped into the passenger seat of Seungcheol's truck with a huff.

"Good Eve--"

"You will not believe that infuriating guy!"

The Fire Witch sighed, as he intended to have a somewhat chill evening after work. "What happened this time?" 

"Okay, so, it was during the lunch rush at the diner. Full of college students and gossiping housewives as usual. My section included a buzzing table full of very attractive businessmen.."

Jeonghan walked back over to their table with a professional smile. "Is everyone still good? Can I get you anything else?"

One of the guys seated at the aisle held up his cup, and when Jeonghan was about to reach for it, the man held his wrist with his other hand. "Actually, I was wondering if I could get your phone number. You seem like my type of guy. Absolutely gorgeous." Jeonghan found himself flustered at the male's flirty smile.

The group of men suddenly got really quiet.

"Wait... Gianni, you're gay?"

The male in question snorted, still holding onto Jeonghan's wrist. " Gay, Bi, Straight, Curious…. Screw labels. Unless this cutie wants to give me one. How about 'Date'?"

Before the Tea Witch could respond, a clearing of the throat was heard behind him. "I don't think my father would like to hear about you using valuable ND time on your love life, instead of actually working. Booth 18 needs to-go containers and another order of fries. Get to it."

A phone went off and the weight around his wrist suddenly disappeared. "Oh , it's my wife... Hi, Honey Pie.."

"Now, Mr.Yoon. Time is money."

"There weren't any customers at Booth 18! And the booth wasn't even in my section!"

Stopping at a red light, Seungcheol turned to look at the agitated witch incredulously. "Jeonghan, he just saved you from becoming some creep's plaything!"

Jeonghan crossed his arms and looked away, grumbling. "Who says I didn't wanna be that guy's plaything?"

"There is no way in absolute burning hell that I'd let you debase yourself like that." 

“Where’d you learn such a big word like ‘debase’? You didn’t even go to school.”

Sighing, Seungcheol took one hand off the steering wheel and blindly reached for the other's hand, voice losing its stern tone as he squeezed it gently. "You know you deserve the world. And you deserve to have someone love you, and only you."

The younger witch huffed, still not looking at the driver, who let go to focus on the road.

"I really like that Joshua guy now. You should ask him out, Hannie." 

"I'll consider doing it when you finally ask Aurae out after all these years."

Seungcheol almost choked on his own saliva. "W-When are you going to let me live?!"

"You've been giving her those super dorky googly eyes since we were kids!"

"..longer than that."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" He laughed nervously. "Oh look, we're home! And so is everyone else!"

A sigh was heard beside him and he felt the younger's warm hand pat his shoulder as he parked. "...Cheol."

The fire witch leaned his head against the steering wheel, closing his eyes with a pained sigh that aged him 100 years older. "You just don't understand, Hannie. I don't think she even sees me in a romantic light. I'll always just be a brother to her. I can see it in her eyes when she smiles at me. ...I'm scared. I'd be crushed if she rejected me, because no matter what, we could never be the same again." He bit his lip to prevent him from saying too much.

"Dude... Are. You. Kidding. Me?"

Seungcheol still avoided the younger’s eyes.

"You really are a fool. Do you think the way she beams at you is similar to how she smiles at the rest of us? There is nothing but adoration in her eyes. And she gets just as nervous and fidgety as you do. Where's that Fire Witch Ego?! Don't you give up on her now or she'll move on, whether it's with some guy from town, from our little witch community... or Jihoon."

"Ji... Jihoo-- AAAH!"
Jeonghan turned to the source of the older’s jolt, which happened to be Mingyu with his mouth on the window.

“uUuwWwhHHh…”, the Kitchen Witch supplemented.

Seungcheol pulled down the window with a raised brow. “You know, Mr.Fan’s ugly cow that exact spot with her big fat slimy tongue yesterday.”

“ARGH! EWWWW!” Mingyu sputtered, trying his hardest to wipe his tongue with his sleeve. 

“Mingyu, hurry back in the house so I can redress your bandages!”, Jun shouted from the porch. 

The trio walked into the house with the Hedge Witch to a lively scene in their kitchen, Jeonghan walking straight to his room. Jun and Mingyu walked to the living room where Jun’s kit sat on the floor.

Aurae looked up from the counter with a huge smile. “Welcome home! Rest for a while because we’re having a little cookout tonight~” 

Seungcheol put his work bag on the floor. “Rest? Pfft, I’m not tired at all. I can help. I’ll.. start the grill for you.”

Waving him off, she handed the chicken kabobs to Minghao and started cutting potatoes. “Chill, we’ve got it, Dad. You’ve had a long day of lifting heavy stuff. Just kick off your boots and relax. We should be done by sunset.” She turned to Jihoon. “Have you got the oil heated? These Frenchies are ready to Fry.”

The older Fire Witch shrugged and settled on taking a shower to cool down after his long day.

Hansol helped Chan open hotdog packets. “These past three weeks have been such a learning experience. Heh, imagine how we’d survive without Mingyu or noona.”

Seokmin chuckled as he chopped onions and tomatoes, watching his fiancé struggle at shucking corn. “Remember when we all went to the Nicer Diner for dinner?”

The room erupted in laughter.

Aurae stifled hers to carefully drop the next set of fries in the hot oil. “It was so cold of Jeonghan to conspire with the cook against Joshua. But it was worth the free shakes.”

Minghao snorted as he walked towards the door with the marinated chicken kabobs, the younger ones following with hotdogs and hamburger patties. “Remind me to never set a bet with him.”

Jihoon leaned against the counter with a wry smile as he watched over the fries. “And what about the family trip to that new superstore across town? I never thought we would ever separate from each other that quickly.”

Seokmin suddenly opened the window by the sink, looking over at the younger witches at the grill. “Yoohoo~! Did you forget something, maknaes~?” He waved a pair of tongs in the air for effect. 

Jihoon’s sous chef poked him in the rib. “I still can’t believe you actually tried to sell Mingyu over the PA system. When we were kids, you always used to talk about wanting to protect your tall puppy.”

He shrugged. "Puppies get older and less cute.”

A shout was heard from outside, most likely Hansol. “REMEMBER WHEN SOONYOUNG, NOT ME, STARTED THAT FOOD FIGHT?!”

The mentioned storm witch threw his last corn cob on the counter, ears red and eyes narrowed. “HEY, DO YOU ALL REMEMBER WHEN HANSOL BLEW UP THE KITCHEN LAST WEEK?!”

“NO ONE TOLD ME BREAD ROLLS CAN’T BE MICROWAVED PAST TWO MINUTES!”

“IT’S NOT AN OVEN, HANSOL! IT’S NOT GONNA COME OUT TOASTED TO PERFECTION! I CAN STILL SMELL THE SMOKE IN MY ROOM!”

An intense yet very pleasant scent that was all together smokey, spicy, and slightly sweet wafted into the room as Seungcheol re-entered, leaning over Aurae’s shoulder. “How do you deal with their nonsense?”, he stage whispered.

She slightly flinched and stiffly turned her head in his direction, fighting the urge to inhale deeply. “E-Easy... Ahem. I lo--like them and sometimes nonsense can be, um, fun.” She absentmindedly picked up a fry, blowing on it before feeding him, then moved away to get condiments from the refrigerator at the speed of light.. 

Soonyoung wiggled his eyebrow at his hyung, who surprisingly wasn’t wearing plaid for once and actually combed his hair. The older smiled triumphantly as he chewed. 

 

Their dinner was the best one they’ve had since Mingyu seared his hands with Chan’s burning body last month. 

“Okay”, Aurae breathed out, hands full of soot from scraping the grill grates clean. “I’m gonna go shower, you boys finish cleaning.” 

Moments later, Chan checked his phone. “I should get ready.”

Seungcheol looked up from wiping their outdoor table. “Get me my keys so I can tidy up the truck.”

Chan ran to the kitchen table to do just that, handing it over before being pulled back inside by his good arm by Minghao. “What jacket do you plan on wearing?”

The youngest witch smiled sheepishly. “The same one I wore on the first date?”

Plain disbelief materialized on the water witch’s face. “You would repeat? So soon? No no no.” He pinched the bridge of his nose with a quiet sigh. “If you repeat, she’ll think that’s all you have for dates. Go put on that khaki jacket Aurae noona got you for Christmas. And change your shirt, dude. You have a stain and you don’t want to be that guy who smells like ketchup. Something light blue or white.”

Chan replied with an eager nod. “Should I use Jun hyung’s cologne again?”

A gasp was heard at the doorway. “Should you use who’s what now?”

Minghao waved the hedgewitch off. “Did she seem to like it?”

“No reaction.”

“Then, nope. There is a much more superior scent amongst your arsenal of hyungs. Just go change. Jun hyung, help him please.” 

Junhui walked with an arm around the youngest. “Channie, my boy… It’s a basic rule in nature to ask before you use things.”

Minghao walked to the bathroom door and knocked when he didn’t hear water running. “Noona, are you going to be in there long?”

The door opened a little and she poked her head out, eyes narrowed. “Why? What’s up?”

He moved a wet violet glob of hair from her face. “Chan’s getting ready for his date and I just need a few things.”

She pursed her lips. “Hmm… I think he can wait about 2 or 3 minutes. I actually wanna be able to wish him luck too this time!” He didn’t miss the pout on her face before she closed the door.

He couldn’t help but laugh. The way Chan avoided seeing her the last time he went out with Maria came to mind. Something about Aurae possibly clinging onto him so that he would miss the date. Minghao knew for sure she wouldn’t be like that, but there’s just something heartwarming about being able to have that embarrassing parent stereotype within this weird little family of theirs.

Minutes later, Aurae exited the humid room in her pajamas, two long and damp braids replacing her usual large ringlets. “I turned the hot water back on to make it steamier in there, cause I know he wouldn’t iron. And don’t forget to rub some oil on his pulse points first so whatever cologne he wears lingers around longer.” Rouge began to form on her cheeks as she walked past him, towards her room. “Use Seungcheol’s.. Really effective scent.. a-at least that's what Sunmi told me at the last Litha gathering.”

A knowing smile spread across his lips. “Chan, hurry up!”

 

After putting her dirty clothes away, Aurae went to join some of her family in the kitchen as they sat huddled around the table. “Don’t mind me, just getting some ice cream~” When no one acknowledged her, she leaned against the counter with her bowl, quietly listening in on their discussion.

“..Without Dino, how am I going to compete with Luke and his new buddy Howon?”

“I think he goes by Hoya”, interjected Seungcheol.

“Can’t you just not compete?”, Jihoon reasoned.

“Do you think Hyojin and Sori will be there tonight? They had the most epic battle at some competition in Hawai’i and Hyojin’s out for blood after a crushing defeat!”

Soonyoung scowled, the three completely ignoring Hansol. “And back down after he challenged me in public last month AND online last week? I just need another dancer. Rina said she’d dance with me if I ever got rid of Chan for good, which I’d never do, so I just don’t trust her.”

“Just ask Minghao to dance with you.” Soonyoung, Seungcheol, and Jihoon screamed in fear as they finally noticed the girl, who was now sitting next to an unfazed Hansol.

The eldest male smacked him upside the head. “You couldn’t warn us?”

He shrugged. “It’s about time she knows about Vinegar. Why are we still keeping this a secret from most of the family if none of us are under 16 anymore? Besides, noona is hella cool. She might just be yet another talented member of the family.”

“Ah, the secretive crew is finally letting me into their world. What’s Vinegar?”

Jihoon held up the bottle of malt vinegar someone left on the table. “Oh you know, that sour liquid that some people put on their fries or in bbq sauce, but our kind uses for certain curses? I hear you can make it with apples, grapes, rice, and raspberries. Basically, anything you can make alcohol out of.”

The other air witch rolled her eyes, whining when the eldest male took her spoon to eat her precious ice cream. 

He grinned mischievously, savoring the chocolatey goodness. 

She snatched the spoon back with narrowed eyes, which then widened in faux sadness.  “Et tu… Coups?”

The fire witch sighed because he was whipped, of course. “Alright... you got me. Vinegar is an underground club where all of the best talent in this town get their start. It’s only open once or twice a month. They pick two dates by shooting an arrow at a calendar right at the beginning of the party and then the real date get passed around secretly, just to throw off the snitches who could get the place shut down for letting anyone under 18 in. S.Coups is my alias. Hansol raps under his given name. Jihoon sometimes appears as a mysterious hooded DJ even though everyone knows it’s him.”

“I keep the hood on to focus! You’re lucky I still make your beats, ‘pew-pew’ boy!”, seethed the cotton candy-haired adult.

“I said that one time when I was 19!”

“Well, it’s still your most memorable line.”

“Alright. Square up, Pinky.”

The only female in the house coughed before Seungcheol could put the younger one in a headlock. “Moving onnn… So, I take it that Soonyoung and Chan are dancing there? Good to know all that talent isn’t going to waste. You two and Minghao always amaze me when you dance at the witch gatherings.”

The storm witch suddenly got very shy. “Thank you noona.” 

She replied with just a ruffle of his hair.

“Do you want to go with us tonight? We’re leaving in like an hour or so.”

“Sure! Let me just change into something... funky fresh!” She stood up just in time to see the sheer horror on Chan’s face. 

“Noona… No one has said funky fresh in decades…. Before any of us were even born.”

“Pffft, I know. I heard footsteps and assumed it was you. I know how you treat me like some embarrassing Smother Mother.” She adjusted the collar on his shirt. “Don’t know why. I’m the only one in this family with a criminal record.”

“You stole a scarf off of a mannequin and just got a warning from a mall cop”, he deadpanned.

“Stealing is still bad”, Aurae warned before she patted his shoulder with a warm smile. “Have a good date with Maria, kid. Drive safe.”

He smiled sincerely at her as she kissed his head before going off to change.

Minghao looked him over once more. “Something’s missing…... a-ha!” He took off his clear framed non-prescription glasses and put them on Chan. “Perfect.”

Seungcheol stood with the keys in his hand. “Alright, I’ll walk you to the truck.”

Jeonghan emerged from his room just in time. “Ooh, father-son manly pep talk time!”

The youngest witch blushed on his way out, “It is not!”

Seungcheol firmly grasped his shoulder. “Yes, it is.”

They walked in awkward silence until they reached the rusty automobile. “Okay. So, when a mommy witch and a daddy witch love each other very much, they get nak--”

“Oh my god! Hyung, nooo! I don’t want to hear this story again! Please! Make it stop!”

The eldest fire witch couldn’t contain his laughter. “Relaaaaax, I was just messing with you.” 

Chan shuddered, “That’s... just not right.”

“Alright, what I really want to say is this… Be a gentleman to Maria. It may be your second date with her, but that doesn’t mean chivalry is dead.”

“Yes, hyung.”

“Don’t pressure her into doing anything she doesn’t want to do, or I’m breaking your other arm with my bare hands. Do You Understand Me?”

“Y-Yes, hyung… s-sir.”

“Also, don’t let her pressure you either. Just tell her you’re not comfortable with whatever it is and that you hope she respects your decision.”

“It’s literally just a movie dat--”

“Be sure to compliment her. Tell her she looks beautiful when you pick her up. Help her get in and out of the truck since it’s pretty high up. If you didn’t hear what she said, turn on that fire boy charm and say something appropriate yet smooth like ‘oh I’m sorry, I was too distracted by the way your enchanting eyes shine in the moonlight. I could get lost in them forever.’”

“...How do you know these things if you’ve never even dated anyone? We all know you’ve only ever had eyes for noona.”

“T-That’s where you’re wrong. I have plenty of experience.”

“So… what happened?”

He avoided eye contact as he tried to conjure up a realistic list. “Hmm… Tourist, they moved, she had a boyfriend, another tourist…, only dated me to make his boyfriend jealous....., and left me on our second date when I accidentally called her Aurae while making out…twice.”

“Oof, you could’ve kept that last one to yourself.”

“Yeah…. Well um, anyway, treat my truck like the princess she is and fill her tank up before you come home. And just a reminder, your curfew on school nights when you’re not going with us to vinegar is 11pm. But it can be set much earlier if Seokmin tells me you arrived any later than 11:05.”

“Yes, hyung”

“Alright, that’s all. Have a great date and don’t hesitate to call if you run into trouble.. I’ll have my phone on me all night.” He handed the keys over to his dongsaeng and went in for a tight hug. “...Are… Are you wearing my cologne?”

“Y-Yes?” the youngest muttered against his chest.

“Hmm, good choice. It’s always worked for me.”

“Where did you even get it? Everyone talks about it like it’s some mystical love charm.”

“It’s a complicated story, but I'll tell you one day when the time is right.”

“...Hyung, it’s just cologne.”

“That’s what you think!” 

And with that, he watched Chan get in the truck and drive off.
 

Aurae looked suspiciously at the area around them. They were standing in front of a dark and creepy entrance with a staircase that led down to what was supposed to be Amaris Creek’s very first underground train station. The project got abandoned in the early 1930s when some strange phenomenon with glowing vines, a red mist, and screaming shadows made the workers vanish. At least, that’s what the urban legends say. “Are you sure you’re not secretly leading the five of us to our deaths?”

Jihoon squeezed her hand reassuringly as they began to move down, the stairway becoming brighter the further they walked. “Not yet. We’re saving that sacrificial ritual for christmas.” 

Jeonghan scoffed as he walked past them to meet up with the rest of the group. “I will only be sacrificed if it's valentines day.”

“That can be arranged!” Seungcheol shouted from the front. 

Soonyoung moved some complicated dials on the very unique brass door and the view inside contradicted their whole journey down. “Welcome to Vinegar! Come on Hao, let’s go add you to the dance list.” He ran off with the water witch as the other newcomers marveled at the huge space.

The well-lit venue and walls weren’t sad and grey like most stations. There were vibrant murals with music notes surrounding them and a hint of paint fumes in the air. Tunnels were converted into two half pipes, closed off with what looked like the same bulletproof plexiglass used to protect bank clerks. The spacious railway could fit six trains side by side, but there was now an enormous stage occupying it, hovering over a platform buzzing with youth from all walks of life. There were stairs next to the stage, leading down to an area that really piqued Aurae’s curiosity.

Jun tapped Hansol’s shoulder, trying to shout over the loud music. “How come we didn’t come through there?” The station was too old to have turnstiles, and yet there they were, right beside a beefy bouncer collecting cash.

“Seungcheol hyung helped build more than half of the things here. Old Man Choi’s son is also a co-owner of Vinegar and they became cool working together at Trusty’s. So, we get to take the secret entrance and come in for free.”

The mentioned builder looked over expectantly at Aurae, who was still taking in her surroundings. “What do you think?”

“It’s absolutely ama--”

“Oh? Yoooo, it’s Madame Mist! Nice to finally see you again!”

Aurae turned to the source of the voice that made her go pale. “...Tablo… Ahahaa… Dude. What’s up?”

The fire witch raised a brow, his initially shy smile transforming to a thin line. “What does he mean by ‘again’?”

Before the other co-owner could open his mouth, Aurae covered it, laughing nervously. “I sometimes go to his family’s bistro for lunch since it’s close to Seabeads but I haven’t visited in a while…. Isn’t that right, Blo?”

The millennial nodded in understanding, straightening when she moved her hand. “That’s right. Haru misses you. Anyway, welcome to Vinegar! Since it’s your first time here, have Coups here show you around. Alright, I’m off to yell at Tukutz for hogging the turntables… again.” And with that, he was off. 

“So… what was that all about?”

Before Aurae could come up with a believable answer, Jihoon popped up to whisk him away for set up. Sighing with relief, she went to join Jeonghan, who was lounging by what looked like a Soda/Wine bar. “I didn’t think this would be your first time. You were always in the popular crowd when you were in school.”

Jeonghan lazily swirled the ice cubes in his orange soda with a straw. “ I knew about this place but the way it was described to me made it sound sketchy. If I knew our family were regulars, I could've been Vinegar royalty by now.”

“If you wanna be royalty, you actually have to leave your mark first. Let’s go!” Hansol linked arms with the two older witches and led them to the stairs by the stage, dragging Mingyu with them on the way.

As they descended, the smell of paint got stronger and suddenly, Aurae was in awe again. There was wall after wall of graffiti; vibrant hues bent into feathery letters and shapes. They walked over to the single-aisle of masks, tape, and spray paint in a multitude of shades and finishes. “There’s no limit on how many colors you use and if you find an empty, just leave a sticky note in its spot.” He motioned to the stack of post-its beside the tape.

Aurae picked an electric blue that instantly caught her eye, along with predictable purple. Jeonghan opted for black, white, and gold. Meanwhile, Mingyu excitedly grabbed as many colors as he could. Before they could walk to any of the walls, they were pulled along. “We have our own area on the founders and family wall.”

Right at the end of the large UNDER underground hall was a giant canvas full of names, beautiful imagery, and what looked like handprints from children. 

Jeonghan downed the rest of his soda and grabbed a step stool waiting nearby, picking a blank area right at the top. Mingyu pulled out a random pencil and began to sketch something out in the corner.

Before Aurae could find her own space, Hansol guided her hand to a particular spot, not being able to contain his smile. “I really think this is the perfect spot for you.” 

Beside her pinky was beautiful work reminiscent of the graffiti around town that made her first appreciate street art. It was a purple-haired fairy with glowing pink eyes and a flaming heart. It reminded her of the orange fairy with headphones on the side of a building next to Trusty’s. Her heart rate slightly increased for reasons unknown. “Are you sure? I don’t want to accidentally ruin anything.”

“Trust me, you could spray a crooked line and it would still be perfect in that spot.”

“Huh? Why?”

She didn’t miss the way his eyes shifted away from her own.“ Just because… oh, I have to go! Hyungs, don’t take too long! I’m pretty sure everyone wants you three to see their performances!”

Left to stare at the blank space by the fairy, she ran to get more cans.
 

Tablo entered the stage, obnoxiously blowing an air horn. “You know what that means! Time for the most hyped dance battle of the year: Luke and Hoya vs Hoshi and The8’s debut on the Vinegar dancefloor! But first, you know him, you love him, he’s basically a founder. Let’s make some noise for S.Coups and the legendary DJ Ji!” The crowd burst into cheers, shocking the Vinegar s.

The Seungcheol that walked on stage was nothing like the dorky DIY dad that Rosie’s habitants normally saw. He exuded charisma, wearing a simple black tee and sunglasses instead of the white dress shirt and uncovered doe eyes he came in with. He coolly grabbed the mic and leaned against the stand as a soft jazz-like beat began to play.

“Three frantic heartbeats is how it all starts

Deal me in, I fold with the two of hearts

I’m one fighter but instant knock out when I saw him

Drowning in her, I’ll never even attempt to swim

Smiles and sighs knock all of the air out of me

Your honest eyes are my uality 

Cold lavender, I’ll always be your fiery sun

I’ll pray to the moon that this cycle will never be done

Your cheeks are pink, I want to get orange on you

Intoxicated on just the thought of holding you

Please look happy while we live oblivious 

Our love story making fiction writers envious

Fairy tales all sound so damn serious

Destined to stay blissfully delirious 

I’ll never talk because I love you too much

Speechless in pain just so I can still feel your touch

Gasping for air as you sink that huge knife in me

As long as I don’t watch you die for an eternity

We cut time …"

Jihoon lowered his hood to prevent the enamored crowd from seeing his blush as Seungcheol’s husky rap then became dulcet singing. That was definitely not what they practiced. And that includes the lyrics.

Aurae dropped the wine glass in her hand, eyes the size of saucers. Thankfully, it was empty and Jun was there to catch it with a huge grin on his face. Jeonghan smirked to himself as he recorded the performance. 

The audience erupted into hysterics when the song was over and the flustered air witches began to regain their composure. Seungcheol sent a small smile Jihoon’s way as he walked past him to the Graffiti Grotto. Jihoon was about to follow after him until Mingyu ran over to help him pack up. 

 

The lights went out moments later and a single spotlight hit the middle of the platform. There stood Tablo with the air horn still in his hand. The room was silent. “The moment you’ve been waiting for ever since Hoshi was first challenged last month. Dance Battle of The Century! The Iconic Duo Luke and Hoya versus Legendary Dance King Hoshi and newcomer The8! Unlike the normal team battle, this will be a tag tea--”

Luke snatched the mic out of his hand. “Nah, that. I want Hoshi all for myself.” Soonyoung checked his nail beds in a cocky manner as Howon held Luke back.

The crowd went wild as Tablo snatched it back. “Alright fine, you frosty-tipped crybaby. Hoya vs The8 first… followed by Luke vs Hoshi. If one member from each team is left standing, we’ll have the final round after the next act. No rematches.”

Jun rubbed Minghao’s shoulder. “What kind of name is The8?”

“I was the 8th dancer on the list and hyung said it sounded cool.”

“How do you feel, The 8th Wonder of The World?”

“Not that nervous. I’ll treat it like the dance-offs I have with Chan.”

Mingyu popped up out of nowhere. “You totally could take him, Hao!!! Whoo!”

Laughing at his intensity, the water witch sauntered to his spot. Hoshi hugged him for luck before moving aside as the music began.

Hoya’s moves were sharp, a stark contrast to Minghao's fluidity. Whooping and hollering filled the room as Hoya went for a split, but he was no match for Minghao’s breakdancing. And with that, The8’s debut was cemented with total annihilation on the dancefloor.

“There’s no need to do the hand-applause thingy. The8 is The 1st winner! As expected of Hoshi’s kickass brotha! And now our feature presentation: Hoshi vs Luke!”

All of the family was in the inner circle by now, hyping up the dramatically smug storm witch. 

“Hoshi! Hoshi! Hoshi! Hoshi!” 

The crowd followed along, enraging Luke.

“Let’s get ready to rummmbbbble! DJ tukutz, drop the beat!”

Luke’s dancing style leaned towards the rigidity of krumping and popping, whereas Soonyoung’s combined the bodily waves of contemporary with precise footwork and a fierce aura. 

Luke could sense his impending defeat, so he attempted an aerial cartwheel. Unfortunately, gravity was not on his side and Soonyoung also happened to notice. So, he did a sweeping knee slide, arriving just in time for Luke to fall on top of him.

 “Dude, floors are for dancing, not eating.” 

Luke was speechless as he was helped up by Minghao and Mingyu. But the crowd wasn’t.

Tablo walked over to each dancer, holding his hand over their heads to distinguish proper reactions. “And the winner is… Hoshi! Make some noise for our winning duo!”

Soonyoung snatched the mic out of his hand. “And make some noise for Luke and Hoya!” 

Tablo snatched it back. “Y’all have no respect for your elders… Next up, we got another crowd favorite on the stage!”
 

Seungkwan broke away from his rowdy group of friends to get a soda. He didn't really wanna come to Vinegar, but peer pressure is one hell of a drug. Before he could get anyone’s attention, he heard a very familiar voice booming from the speakers. “Ayo! Wassup, Vinegar! DJ Dolly, drop the beat!”

He turned to the stage, and there was the handsome cashier from his weekly encounters at Purified Summer. But there was something different about Hansol. He carried himself like he owned the place.

“Yo… 

I may only got a few dollas

But I bet you I can make ya mom holla

Only seventeen, gettin' all the cradle robbas

 

I could be your new daddy, 

Drivin’ in a new caddy

Flying to Seoul, Japan, then Abu Dhabi

Expensive taste bound to be my new hobby

 

Lil Richie Rich 'bout to make you his

My international glow, yuh,

무지개 빛.

What time is it?, 

Check this rolex on my wrist,

Son, Time for Papa Vernon to drain your inheritance.

Invest it in crypto until it goes down to zilch,

Empty piggy bank, go wallow in ya own filth.

 

Take the L, 

You puny homophobic maggot.

The term is gay, 

You can't ing call me a f*ggot.

Love is love, no matter who’s down to blow, 

And I can’t help it if I got that glitter flow.

 

I may only got a few dollars,

But I most definitely could make ya dad holler,

On his knees, beggin' me to go harder...”

Seungkwan would be lying if he said he wasn’t impressed with ‘Vernon’s’ boastful bars and confidence that made him look ten times more handsome… if that was even possible. 

 

The Vinegar crew dragged themselves inside Rosie, all except for Aurae and Seungcheol, who were sitting on top of the ‘ole picnic table.

“So, you never got to tell me what you thought of Vinegar.”

She leaned back, looking up at the stars. “Pfft, it was absolutely amazing! I never thought we’d have such a cool place in this boring little town. Like, where has it been all my life?!”

He chuckled, playing with one of the rips on his jeans to maintain his remaining sanity. “ It all started when Jin hyung invited me down there one night after he caught me red-handed with some stolen spray paint and--”

She playfully gasped. “And I thought I was the only hardened criminal.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah… Anyways, he was down there with Tablo and Tukutz and they showed me around the unfinished station. Then, they told me their plans. I was a bored 17 year old that loved building things, so of course I wanted in. The next year, Vinegar was established, and the others followed me there after a night of espionage.”

“Why’s it called Vinegar?”

“...Have you ever heard the phrase ‘full of piss and vinegar’?”

“Ewwwww!”

Seungcheol laughed fondly, “Hey, you asked!”

As they settled down, she turned to him with an unreadable expression. “So…why did you hide it from me?... Haven’t the two of us always been a team?”

Not being able to meet her eyes, he sighed. “ This all happened the same year you slapped Jeonghan. You were so on edge because you thought the town would find out we’re witches and turn on us. I didn’t want to worry you about it. After time passed, I just couldn’t figure out how to tell you.”

“I always had a hunch you five were hiding something. I totally get why, but I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt my feelings.”

He reached over and brought her into his arms. “That’s exactly what I didn’t want to do. I’m really sorry, noona.”

She hugged him back tightly. “It’s okay. All that matters is that now I can enjoy something else with you all. Thanks for taking me.”

“Thanks for coming along.”

They sat like that for a while.

“...You know, I never realized how talented you are, S.Coups.”

He was thankful that she couldn’t see the reddening of his cheeks. “T-Thanks.”

“I never knew you could rap…or sing.”

Gathering all of his courage, Seungcheol pulled away enough to see her face. “Did..Did you happen to pay attention to the lyrics?”

She nodded meekly, averting her gaze. 

He nervously bit his lip as he used his finger to tilt her chin, looking into her eyes with sincerity as she tried not to stare at his lips. “Th--”

The sound of footsteps made them jump, Seungcheol now standing on the other side of the yard as he tried to calm his racing heart. 

Chan came into view, dancing around like a dork and sniffing one of Rosie’s flowers with a dreamy sigh. “We finally kissed and it was like heaven!"

Aurae, surprisingly calm, gave him a high five. "Now, it's time to get out of the clouds and go to bed!"

As the two entered their home, Seungcheol was left to bang his head against a maple tree. “... I … was… so…. ing…close…” 

 

-------

 

If you’ve been waiting for this fic to update, you may qualify for a social security check… ahem, sorry for the wait. And thank you so much for reading!

 

I never actually stopped thinking about Intertwined Branches, life just got in the way. I have things wonderfully mapped out now, so 2022 will officially be my return. Our boys have changed and grown so much since this first started, so hopefully this 2016/2017 version of them isn’t too off-putting. I also wrote all the raps if you're wondering why they're so corny.

 

If you’re new and made it this far, thank you thank you thank you for reading and I hope I you in! I have so much left in store for this story and everything will be explained over time. Anyway, I’m rambling so-- Thank you so very much and see you soon with Chapter 5!

 

Love, 

idreamofcheollie

 

Twitter: @cheollierancher