A/N: double update because why not? make sure you've read the last chap!

I can’t stop crying.

I sob into Dev’s chest as he wraps his arms around me, tears of anger and sadness and horror trickling down his cheeks. Lucy listlessly stares at the wall ahead of her as Tom frantically paces back and forth.

“I could go back to Oklahoma and Joo could go back to Kansas,” he says in a low voice, walking back and forth between the wall and Lucy’s bed. “Jin will be fine because he’s a sorcerer. It’s Dev and Lucy we need to worry about. Where could Lucy go? Lucy’s family isn’t here. Dev’s family does live here. We could try and convince-,”

“Tom, stop,” Jin wearily tells him. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“You have to leave his house, Joo. You can’t stay there.” Lucy says, speaking for the first time in twelve hours.

“I- I ing hate him,” I whisper. “I don’t want to leave. This isn’t fair. He- we can’t-,”

“Don’t be a ing moron,” she harshly tells me. “We’re leaving. We have to.”

“Okay. Okay.” I turn to Sofia, who is still lying on the bed, unconscious. “What are we going to do? We have to get her checked out somewhere.”

“I can take her somewhere,” Jin says. “They don’t suspect Sofia of knowing about magic, right? I can just explain that banshees attacked her, but she knows nothing.”

Suddenly, his eyes widen.

“Are they going to wipe your memories?” he asks in a hushed voice.

My jaw drops.

“Hell ing no,” Dev growls. “The day they even attempt that is the day I’ll-,”

“We could swear we won’t tell anyone,” I whisper. “If we do, they have full permission to zap us or whatever. We’ll promise to get out of their way.”

“I’ll convince them to let you all do that,” Jin says. “It’ll be okay.”

“Okay. Okay.” I take a deep breath in. “Okay.”

“Sofia only has a semester left here. She’ll be fine. The rest of you have to transfer.”

“Yeah.” I wipe away my tears. “I’ll go back to Taehyung’s house and tell him I’m leaving at the semester. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything Jimin said.”

“I don’t want Joo staying in the same house as him,” Dev snarls.

“We don’t have a choice,” Tom says. “She has to act like everything’s normal.”

“I’’m taking Sofia to the doctors if she doesn’t get better by tonight,” Jin says. “Joo... I’ll drop you off at Taehyung’s later.”

I swallow. “Alright.”

At 9 PM, we hear a soft noise from Lucy’s bed.

“Sofia,” I breathe, rushing to her side.

Her eyelids are slowly but surely moving. We watch with bated breath as she gradually opens her eyes. Her eyes widen as she sees all of us crowded over her bed.

“What’s going on?” she asks in a strangled voice- and then frowns. “Why... why do I sound so weird?”

Jin covers one of her ears with his hands. “Say something.”

“Hello,” Sofia says warily.

“Does it sound normal?”

“Yeah.”

Jin moves his hand so it is over her other ear. “Now say something.”

“Hell- I can’t hear myself!” Sofia yells in panic.

“Okay.” Jin chews on his lip. “It’s not as bad as it could have been. Only time will tell if it’s permanent.”

“Perma- what’s going on? What happened? The last thing I remember is a group of Anderson moms cornering me outside the bathroom... and then...,”

Her eyes widen.

“They were monsters,” she utters.

“Lucy and Joo saved you,” Jin says. “They killed them.”

“You’re the one who carried her up to your car and drove her here,” I point out. “Besides.

It was Lucy who took down the most banshees.”  

“Don’t be stupid. We both took them down together.”

“I...,” Sofia swallows. “Thank... thank you. A lot. Joo... I assume you know?”

“About magic?” I nod. “I’ve known for ages.”

Her eyes close. “Ah.”

“You’re an idiot,” Dev resentfully says from the corner. Sofia’s eyes fly open in shock.

“Dev?” she whispers.

“I told you,” he says, walking towards her. “Keep yourself safe. Don’t get yourself in trouble. Avoid monsters at all cost.”

“I- I didn’t know,” she breathes. “I thought they were just y moms until they transformed...,”

“Well, at least you’re okay.” Dev frowns at her ear. “Well, mostly.”

She gives him a soft smile. “Nice to see you’re doing okay, too.”

They exchange warm looks. Unease creeps up inside of me as I am reminded that these two were probably quite close... until...

“One of the boys killed Meena,” I quietly blurt out.

Sofia looks at me, completely expressionless.

“No, they didn’t,” she utters. She looks to Jin for reassurance. When he merely gives her a grim look, she starts shaking her head.

“They didn’t,” she insists. “They’re  not like that. I know I’ve been faking it for the last couple of years, but I swear, they wouldn’t... kill someone. And- besides- that means they would’ve had to be, what, 15? 16? When they killed her? They couldn’t have done that.”

Her voice is progressively getting louder and louder as her gaze pingpongs between all of us, waiting for someone to agree with her. But none of us can. Slowly, her face crumples.

“No,” she breathes, tears welling up in her eyes. “No. No. No. No.”

“I know,” Dev murmurs, wrapping his arms around her.

“I could’ve killed them!” she wails. “I’ve been to so many parties where they were just passed out on the couch, completely drunk- I could’ve ing stabbed them! Or poisoned their drinks! Or- I should’ve killed them!”

“No way,” Dev says. “Then you would’ve been a murderer, too.”

“I could’ve taken revenge!” Sofia’s entire body is shaking with grief. “I hate myself! I could’ve done something-,”

“You didn’t know. It’s okay.”

“No!”

The sound of Sofia crying is making me tear up as well. I swallow down the thick lump growing in my throat, wiping at my eyes. Tom is looking at Sofia with the saddest expression I have ever seen him wear.

magic.

sorcerers.

them.

Jin drops me back home at 2 in the morning. It is storming so hard; my phone rings with a flash flood warning as I get out of the car. Quietly, I move through the halls, tiptoeing up to my room.

As soon as I open the door, I freeze.

Almost half my desk is empty, along with my nightstand and dresser. I stare at the spaces for a long moment, my mouth slightly ajar.

And then I turn on my heel and stride down the hall, slam his door open. The room is dark, save for the large fireplace in the corner, whose flames blaze brightly against the rain-covered windows.

Taehyung is sitting up against his headboard, shirtless, perusing a thick, worn-out book. He snickers when I come in, all traces of warmth from last night absolutely gone.

“Hello, Jooyeon,” he says in a smarmy voice. “How can I help you?”  

My throat constricts.

For a few moments, I can only stare at him. Lightning pierces across the sky and as the rain intensifies amidst the thunder.

“Where are they?” I ask quietly.

The smile fades off his lips as he sees my utterly blank expression. I know he would prefer if I was screaming at him, tearing his hair out, demanding for him to rectify the situation.

“You’ll just have to find them,” he utters.

I swallow.

“Okay,” I whisper, and pace out of his room.

It feels almost symbolic. My search for my mother, my friends, my home. I frantically tear apart the house as Andrews calls, “Mistress Jooyeon, what’s wrong?”

I have to find them. If I find them, it’ll fix everything. Everything will be okay. Thunder loudly echoes through the house; the rain gets louder and louder, keeping course with the tears running down my face. I sprint down the stairs to the second floor- hours pass as I search every nook and cranny I can find- please, let me find them, please, please-

And then, as I burst into the pool room, I see them.

They are floating in the Jacuzzi on the balcony, being simultaneously drenched by the pool water and the rain. As if in a daze, I stumble across the room, walk up to the Jacuzzi.

“It’s okay,” I whisper, fishing the papers out of the water. The goodbye card my entire class back in Lindsborg gave me tears in my hands as I pick it up out of the tub.

“It’s okay,” I sniffle as I realize that the picture of me, Zeke, Rob, and Becca at Spring Formal is ruined, reduced to a blotchy mess of distorted faces and swirling colors.

And then I see the sparkling pink grains of Mom’s potpourri floating in the water and realize that the potpourri jar she gave me had been uncapped, destroying the only thing I had that smelled like her, that smelled like home, that smelled like everything I had loved and left behind.

My back hits the wall of the Jacuzzi and I collapse onto the floor amidst all of my memorabilia and start weeping, so hard that I can feel my entire body shaking. Rain pours down on me as I wrap my arms around myself and let everything out- not just the grief that I lost my pictures and letters but the betrayal I feel towards Taehyung, who I had started to like, the fear I feel being in this house and in this awful town and around this awful magic, the sadness and homesickness and stress of saving my friends and, above all, loss. I have lost the ones I love the most. They are thousands of miles away from me. And, although I have depended on them my entire life, I cannot tell them the truth about Windsong, New York.

I am completely alone.

I sit there for what feels like years, simply crying. Slowly, my head sinks down onto the tile floor. I lie there, my voice going hoarse, my hands clutching the ruined letters. Coldness seeps through every pore of my body, along with a bone-gnawing fatigue; I am so tired. I hate this. I hate this. How could he? How could he?

“Mistress Jooyeon!” I hear Andrews shout as he races across the pool room. “Mistre- oh my goodness- Taehyung!”

I feel like my soul itself is aching. This is not the kind of anguish you get from a physical injury; no, this is the kind of pain you can only get from an emotional trauma. Never in my life have I felt so alone.

Slowly, my consciousness begins to fade. Black spots appear in my vision; I feel so incredibly woozy all of a sudden. I become remotely aware of someone picking me up and carrying me up the stairs, down to my bedroom- Andrews. He sets me down on my bed.

That is all I can remember before I completely pass out.

Every bone in my body feels exhausted when I awaken.

My eyes are swollen to practically twice their size. I rub away the gunk and slowly sit up- and then immediately wince when a white-hot pain hits the back of my head. I slump back down onto my pillow.

As my vision focuses, I realize that there is a silver platter on my bedside table. A pitcher of steeping hot tea, an enormous bottle of water, plates of crumpets, sausages, pancakes, fruit, and bacon, and a folded note sit on it. I wearily pick up the note.

Good morning, Mistress Jooyeon.

Please finish the entire (yes, the entire) bottle of water. You’re quite dehydrated. Then, eat some breakfast. Call for me if you need anything at all.

I sincerely apologize.

There will be consequences.

I will try to salvage your belongings.

Andrews’ signature is neatly printed on the bottom of the note in black pen. A surge of affection runs through me. Despite all the awful parts of being here, Andrews has at least been a constant, supportive presence.

I chug the water and then sip some tea. It does not fully succeed in appeasing my terrible headache, but it does make me feel better. Thankfully, with every bite I take, my head feels less and less like it’s splitting open.

After washing up and brushing my teeth, I snuggle back into bed with my laptop. I don’t want to talk to anyone today- I am simply going to rest. I have just pulled up The Office on Netflix when I hear a knock on my door.

“Come in,” I call. A smile curves my lips upwards when I see Andrews walk in-

And then promptly disappears when I see Taehyung following him.

“Good afternoon, Mistress Jooyeon,” Andrews says in his solemn voice. “Was the food to your liking?”

“Thank you so much, Andrews,” I say, determinedly avoiding looking at Taehyung. “You really didn’t have to.”

“No, it was the least I could do after what... Taehyung did.” Andrews closes his eyes, grimaces. “Taehyung. Do you have something to say?”

He swaggers up to me, a condescending smirk on his face. I can’t help but shrink back in fear as he crouches down so we are eye-level. He clearly notices. The malicious amusement in his eyes wanes for an instant, replaced by hurt, but quickly returns.

“Sorry,” he says sarcastically. Andrews’ jaw clenches; this is the first time I have seen him express any emotion close to anger.

“Can you give us a moment?” I ask Andrews.

Taehyung snorts. “I’m leaving. I have better things to do-,”

“Taehyung, please,” I say quietly.

I can see him forcing himself to hold that cold look in his eyes; I can sense him softening.

“Talk to her,” Andrews commands Taehyung in a stern voice, and then leaves the room.

The two of us are silent for several moments. He is glaring at the wall right above my head, his jaw clenched.

“What do you want?” he finally snaps.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I calmly tell him. “I was planning on leaving anyway.”

“Good.”

“That’s all.” I am surprisingly levelheaded, considering the medley of terrible emotions I am feeling towards Taehyung right now. But I can’t let myself lose it- if I do, I don’t even know what will happen.

He might kill me on the spot.

A shudder passes through my body.

Sighing, I reach for my laptop on my nightstand-

“You were awake.”

I freeze.

Taehyung’s eyes are pulsing with intensity as they bore into mine. My throat goes dry; I quickly tuck my hands under my blanket so he can’t see them shaking.

“What?” I say, my voice catching.

He steps closer and closer to me. I am paralyzed to the spot with fear. I draw into myself as he finally hovers right above me.

“You know what I’m talking about. You heard everything.”

I look at him for one second, two seconds, three seconds.

And then throw myself at his feet and bow as low as I can.

“We’re all leaving at the end of the semester. Please don’t kill us,” I say in a low, fast voice. “I’m begging you. We’ll take oaths that we’ll never speak about magic. We won’t do anything. Just please don’t kill us. Please.”  

“Get up,” Taehyung utters.

“If you have to kill someone, kill me. But let them go. Please, Taehyung. Please. We won’t do anything. Just let us live-,”

“I said, get up!”

The fury in his voice causes me to fall back, cowering in front of him. There is a terrible look in his eyes as he stares down at me. I cannot move.  

“So this is why you’re not going ballistic about last night,” he says tonelessly. “You’re scared of me.”

I duck my head down, not meeting his eyes.

“You know what? That’s great. You’re finally treating me how you should. And good. You’re leaving. Finally.”

I see him turn on his heel, storm out, slam the door shut.

Slowly, my eyelids flutter closed.

This is the beginning of the end.

A/N: mess. lmao. i have a headache. chapters 28-30ish. its such a drag lmao like a giant exposition dump. ik ive said this for the past few chaps but man i really hate them. im sorry ive been so bad at replying to comments lately i just feel so drained lol which sounds so DUMB but like.... wowie i just really hate those chaps!! its like draining to write them

also omg some of you guys have messaged me saying that you've posted REBOOT on a story recommendation fic. i ing LOVE when people do that and usually i look for fic shops that recc my stories and thank them but AFF changed the search settings so that i can't search all stories w/ the name of my fic in them. so if you guys have recc'ed my story somewhere, PLEASE comment and let me know so i can thank you hahaha. 

ugh idk so tired chaps 29 and all are draining me. i apologize in advance. enjoy these nice drama-y exciting chaps while u can.