I'm a mess

That's probably what all of them thought as well when I open the door for them at 10 am in the morning.

My eyes are stinging and puffy and my nose is still red because I still can't stop crying. 

Yoora was one of the first talking catus I made. She was always so sweet and polite and always asked me if I slept well in the morning, asked me if I ate when I returned home from school. 

She was a beautiful cactus, not only aesthetically pleasing to look at, but also a sweetheart was what she was. 

"Did your cactus die?" Jungkook is the one to speak up from behind Namjoon's back. The one who murdered Yoora. Oh her poor soul, she did nothing wrong. 

I nod, holding the door out wider so that they could come inside. My house is still a mess, and I still haven't fixed the window because I was too busy crying all night and morning. 

"This is Jimin. The one you saved last night." Namjoon refers to the rather shorter boy standing beside him. 

If only i didn't save this guy, Yoora would still be alive and breathing. 

Jimin smiles at me widely as if happy to meet me. "Hi, I'm Park Jimin." He holds his hand out for me to shake and I weakly do. 

"Good to meet you Park Jimin." 

I don't want to be seen as rude with the way I answered Jimin so unenthusiastically, but I'm still in the stage of mourning and I don't care if I'm rude right now. 

"H-hey, are you really sad about that cactus?" Jungkook taps me on the shoulder but I shrug him off, barely managing a hard glare before ignoring him and walking towards the living room. 

"Wow, I didn't expect a witch's house to be this simple." The guy who looks like the freaking sun says as he looks around my currently plain and boring apartment. 

"Yeah. That's what the favor is going to be about today." I flop myself on the couch, signalling that they can take a seat if they wanted to. 

I still give Jungkook a tiny glare. 

"I want you guys to help me unpack all these. It would take me ages by myself." I state, referring to the boxes that still remain untouched.

They would mostly be spellbooks, runebooks, charms, regular plants, potions and potion ingredients.

"I expected your favor to be a lot more complicated than unpacking." Jimin pipes up. 

"Just make sure to be extra careful when you unpack them. Don't break anything, don't open the jars and potions either. Especially not the potions." 

They all nod their heads, as if eager to open the boxes and see all the stuff a teenage witch has to hide. 

We all do their introductions and I learn their names.

"Okay. You can unpack them except for Jimin who's still injured. I'll take care of your wounds first." I say to Jimin, who nods and takes a seat on the couch while I take the things I will need from my room. 

I don't need a lot of stuff since it's a normal wound now. It's wasn't that bad when I left it this morning, and giving the fact that werewolves have amazing healing abilities, a simple healing rune with a Scepter would be enough.

"OH MY ING GOD." I hear someone scream from the living room and I run out as quick as a cheetah, thousands of possibilities running through my mind already. 

"What? What is it? Did you spill my potion?" 

"I swear to God, that cuctus was waving at me." Hoseok screams, pointing at Melissa.

"Ah. It probably did. My plants are enchanted so they can talk and move." I explain. 

They're usually quiet when I have guests but I guess Melissa was in a mood to say hi today. 

"Areum, are you into plants? You have a lot of cactuses here." Jin says, looking around my apartment. 

"I wouldn't Say I like plants but I do like cactuses. They're pleasing to look at." I explain.

"Jin's really into flowers." Taehyung pipes up from the side, taking out the herbs and their packaging from the side. 

"Really? Do you know a lot about their meanings?" 

"He knows a looootttttttttt." Taehyung says again, but still minding his own business. 

"Haha, yeah I guess." Jin chuckles, rubbing his nape with a shy smile on his face. 

"How do I aggressively say the biggest You in flower?" I'm side eyeing Jungkook while saying this and although he isn't looking at me while unpacking some spellbooks, he looks like he's biting back a laugh. 

"Well, foxglove is for insincerity, geraniums for stupidity, acocite for hatred, orange lillies for distain, meadowsweet for uselessness, butterfly weed to leave you alone and yellow carnations to say how disappointed you are. It would be a really striking bouquet." Jin explains, laughing a little at the end. 

"Great. But don't get too surprised when Jungkook receives them from me." 

Everyone listening to our conversation breaks down into laughter, Hoseok even banging the floor. 

We love a dramatic werewolf. 

"What the did you do Jungkook?" Yoongi questions between chuckles. 

"I killed one of her cactus."

"It was not just one of them. She was one of my favorite ones. Her stripes were beautiful and she's a sweetheart." I sound like a little girl throwing a tantrum but I could care less. 

Yoora deserved better. 

"And I promise I'll make it up to you." Jungkook turns around to look at me and I'm trying my best to glare. 

"Yeah, as if you can make a talking cactus." Yoongi snides from the side, rolling his eyes. 

"There are other ways to make up for it." Jungkook mumbles under his breath. 

"Yeah? Can you revive her?" I cross my arms infront of my chest. 

"Well no, not really. I'll do anything you want me to." 

Again with the favor thing. It honestly didn't sound bad. Even though I cried a lot last night, I've come to terms that he didn't do it on purpose either. 

As the saying goes, 

forgive and forget

I won't forget about it, that's for sure. But I can forgive, because I'm that much of a kind and generous person. Wow, I love myself #loveyourself

They continue their unpacking while I tend to Jimin who's sitting on the couch. 

He looks a little hesitant to lift his shirt up since the wound was on his abdomen. So, instead of urging him to lift his shirt, I decide to draw the rune on his arm instead. 

Some runes can be drawn with regular sharpies, some are drawn with scepters, sometimes with blood. It depends upon what type of rune you want to make and how strong it needs to be. 

I draw the Leviergio rune down his arm, trying my best to be precise and calm. 

Sharpie runes can easily be erased with water but Scepter runes are stronger, and they stay on for a couple of days or even weeks depending on how strong it was made. 

If a rune I drew is going to stay on a person's body for a long time, I want it to look as beautiful and as pretty as possible. 

After putting the final touches, I look at the rune satisfiedly. Probably one of the prettiest runes I've made so far. 

"Wow. This looks like a tattoo." Jimin says, looking at it delightedly. 

I give a satisfied nod at the rune I made and stand up to see if the guys had finished unpacking. 

It looks like most of them were done. Now for the complicated part : arranging them just the way I want them to be. 

With the help of my instructions, they start separating the herbs and taking them out from their packages to keep them in the empty jars. 

"Where the hell do you even get all of these?" Jungkook questions, continuing to pour the contents into the jar. 

"I'm not the only witch in Asia. There are other people who sell them and also, these are basic herbs which you can get anywhere." I explain. 

The thing about witchcraft is that, even if you do have all the materials and follow every step I do correctly and precisely, if you don't have witch blood in your veins, you won't be able to make the spell or rune or glamour work. 

While they continue to unpack, Jungkook helps me post more bigger star charts on the higher parts of my walls. 

"Is this Virgo?" He questions as he posts the chart. 

"Yup."

"What do you do with these charts?"

"It makes it easier for me to identify the constellations. I can't possibly remember them all, so I put charts on my room so I won't forget what they look like." I explain, posting some charts in regions I could reach. 

"What kind of spell can Virgo make?" His eyes glisten with interest. 

"You can make plenty of spells with each constellation. But the Zodiac signs are different. You don't make spells with them, you can call the Zodiacs out. But only when they appear on their time of month. It's a higher level of magic." I explain. 

"So you'll be able to call my Zodiac out during my birthday?" He questions. 

"I don't know. I've never tried it. Dad probably can but not me though. It's a really difficult magic." 

I lied. I tried it before, only to fail badly. I just didn't want to admit I've failed in a magic spell. Calling them out takes lots of energy, concentration and experience, all the things I don't have. 

I got really sick right after attempting to call Libra out on my birthday. Never tried again. 

After we finished the charts, I help the others with arranging the herbs and potions and spellbooks. By the time we were done, the sun was already starting to set. 

"That took way longer than I thought it would." Hoseok huffs as we all flop ourselves down on the couches. 

"We would've finished earlier if Areum wasn't so picky with the arrangements." Taehyung comments and I take the pillow and throw it at him. 

"We would've finished earlier if Jungkook didn't decide to open the werewolf book and all of you read it for an hour." I bite back. 

"Or maybe if Areum decided to sleep for half an hour, leaving us with nothing to do since we can't arrange them by ourselves." Jimin pipes in. 

"That wouldn't have happened if Jungkook didn't kill Yoora and I would've have slept instead of crying the entire night." 

And then all of us turn to glare at Jungkook who throws his hands up in the air. "So you're ganging up on me now? This is cyberbullying."

"This is real life. Shut the up." 

We decided to rest for a while, lazing down on the couch. And guess what happened? 

We all ing fell asleep. 

They all probably didn't get a good night sleep either last night because Jimin's injury and all the things that happened that night. 

I'm the first one to wake up and I'm greeted with a pile of sleeping males in front of me. 

Hoseok was hogging up too much space by himself on the couch so Yoongi was halfway on the floor while Jin was already sleeping on the carpet. Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook all slept while sitting up, Jimin's head on Taehyung's, whose head was on Jungkook's and Jungkook's head propped up with the help of his hand. 

Namjoon slept upright on the single seated couch beside me. 

I look at the time to see that it was already 11:30 pm. So much for eating lunch and breakfast. I was starving, and just at that moment, my stomach decided to give out the largest growl ever heard in the history of mankind. 

They all wake up to the sound of my stomach growling as an alarm. 

ing werewolves and their sharp senses. 

"Looks like someone's hungry." Jungkook gives me a teasing smile, and I only role my eyes even though I feel my ears burning red. 

"We should go out and get something to eat." Jimin says, covering his mouth while yawning and stretching.

"At this time? It's 11:30 pm." I shake my head but the others should give me a smirk. 

And now, we're in a 24/7 convenience store, each with a cup of ramen in our hands.

Taehyung is breathing in and out, quickly chunking down his carton of milk because he decided to eat the spicy noodle. What an idiot. His stomach surely won't be thanking him tomorrow. 

"By the way, I never got to ask you guys this, but how did you know I was a witch and how did you find me?" I question. It had been stuck on my mind for a while. 

"We were passing your apartment building in the evening and we smelled something unfamiliar. Like Sandalwood ash, Rue, Candles, Onyx and Hematite. Plus, lots of onions as well. The protection spell you cast was also pretty easy to feel. We just suspected it was a witch living there." Namjoon explains. 

Once again, ing werewolves and their sharp senses. 

"Thanks again for saving me Areum." Jimin smiles. Why is he so cute? I kind of want to shrink him and keep him inside my pocket. I do know a few shrinking spells but I'm not sure if it would work on a werewolf. 

After we all finished our Ramen (except for Taehyung who couldn't finish it), we all decide to part ways. 

They dropped me off infront of my building, said our quick goodbyes, Taehyung starting to have a tummy ache, Jungkook apologizing again for killing Yoora and Jimin thanking me again, we end the night we that. 

As much as I enjoyed the pack's company, I took that as our last encounter. 
We didn't really have a reason to see each other anymore. Jimin is completely healed, they've finished my favour, Jungkook buying me Ramen was the favor I finally decided on. So all of our reasons to see each other again was gone. 

Or so I thought.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

It's been 4 days since the last time I saw the pack. My apartment feels more like home now. I've decorated the couches, started hanging up paintings and lanterns on the walls, carpets, lamps, kitchen utensils, you name it. 

Although it still felt a little empty, it was way better than before. 

Today is also the day I enter my new high school. 

Woopie

I wake up with the biggest headache of the century, I'm probably going to be late and I don't feel like making breakfast either. 

I lazily get into my uniform, might I add, a really cute uniform while Yoori and Hera and Theia are talking to me.

I always love it when my cactuses talk to me, but I wasn't in the mood to be spoken to today and I needed my medicine.

I wish dad could just tattoo a telekenetic rune on me like the one he has. It would make so many things easier but I have to wait until I'm 18 to get a rune tattoed on myself. 

Although there are many runes you can permanently put on your skin, there are others you can't either. For example, healing runes have to be redrawn all the time since the wounds we get are new ones, so the rune doesn't apply to the new wound. 

I'll get loads of tattoos once I turn 18, and a telekenetic rune was one I was sure to have. 

Quickly whipping up breakfast for myself, I eat and then leave home. Making sure all the windows were closed and the doors locked. 

The school wasn't that far away from my apartment. If I take the bus, I'll reach there in 10 minutes. .

If you're wondering how I got into Seoul High School despite me always practicing witchcraft and hanging out with faeries and centaurs, No, I don't use spells to pass my exams. 

But when I do use concentration runes and productivity runes. Hence why I have really good grades though I don't study that much. 

Just one of the benefits of being a witch. 

I go to a café to order some Iced Almond Milk Latte because mornings are always better when you drink coffee. 

The school is big compared to my school back in Jeju, there a lots of students going inside and I felt like I was the only person who was walking without a pair. 

I was probably the only one walking without a pair. 

I'm in class 2B for this semester, and I spent a good half an hour trying to find where the classroom was. 

Obviously other people would just ask someone where the class was, but you see, I'm a very antisocial person. I hate talking to someone when there are more than 2 people around us.

The people in my class seem normal enough. I don't see a bunch of girls putting makeup on and curling their hairs in class nor do I see boys jumping and playing basketball in the freaking classroom. 

The first seat that catches my eye is the one in the back, but not the last either. I prefer window seats as well so I move towards it so that another person won't take it before me. 

I place my bag down and begin unloading the things I would need when someone taps me on my shoulder. Probably the guy behind me who was sleeping earlier. 

I turn around and I'm sure my expression would've made a splendid meme. 

"Jungkook?"

"Unexpected to see you here. I knew I smelled Raspberries." He gives me a lazy smile, still half asleep and his hair messy.

"I didn't use any Raspberries though?" I stare at him confusedly. I rarely use them for spells and potions tho. My shampoo and soap aren't raspberry either. 

"Okay forget about-" He brushes my previous question off "-Have you seen the other guys yet?" He questions. 

"Wait, your other friends are here too?" 

"Yeah. Pack members move together no matter what." He gives me a silly kind of smile, real cute.

He really does look like a bunny the more you look at him. 

The teacher comes in right at that moment and he starts his introductions. I'll try my best to stay low again this time. I can't really have friends due to things I practice. 
Like drawing a rune with a sharpie before each class so I can concentrate better. What if they suddenly come to my house and see all the weird I actually have? 

We had Chinese Literature after homeroom, so the first thing I do is take out my trusty old sharpie to draw a concentration and understanding rune on my wrists. 

I've been making these runes so many times I can do it with my eyes closed. 

"What are you doing?" Jungkook questions, peering at me drawing the runes from behind my shoulder.

"Making a rune."

"Cool. What kind of rune is it?"

"Concentration and understanding."

"That's dope. Can you draw one for me too?" He holds his wrist out from his seat so that I could draw the rune on him as well. 

I don't think he would need it given the fact that he qualified for the school without it. Only the top students and smart ones could pass the entrance exams. 

After finishing my own rune, I begin drawing on his wrist as well. 

"Your skin is really smooth."

"Thanks."

shoot I said that out loud. 

"It feels fuzzy. Like water flowing through my veins." He comments, staring intently as I do my magic. 

"It's your first rune, you'll get used to it when you get more runes later on." I explain, putting the finishing touches.

After I was done, he looks at his wrists with a look of satisfaction on his face, I love it when people appreciate my work of art. 

"Okay. Now let's see if these bad boys actually work."

I can't help but chuckle. 

•

Morning classes were done and I'm heading to the cafeteria with Jungkook walking by my side. 

He insisted that I eat lunch with them since I didn't have anyone else to eat with. Surprisingly, I didn't mind seeing the rest of the pack. I was kind of excited even. 

The pack are sitting at the centre of the cafeteria, it wasn't hard to spot them out with how loud they actually were. 

Hoseok was doing this funny little dance and the members were laughing at him, Yoongi hiding his face with embarrassment on the side. 

As if they could sense me and Jungkook's presence once we entered the room, all their eyes snap to the two of us. 

The widest grin spreads across Jimin's face as he motions us over excitedly with his arms in the air.

"I knew I caught Areum's scent when we were passing the school gates-" Taehyung says, snapping his fingers as he looks at Jimin with a glare, "-And you didn't believe me."

"My scent?" I ask, taking a seat next to Hoseok who had shifted to make space for me. Jungkook goes to take his and my lunch trays.

"Yeah. Everyone has some kind of scent of their own." Jin nods his head. 

"Really? Do I smell like raspberries?" I ask curiously, Jungkook did state he smelled raspberries before.

"Raspberries? No not really." Namjoon shakes his head, I pout a little in disappointment.

"Areum smells like fresh laundry." Taehyung says. 

"And also a little hint of sandalwood." Jimin pipes in.

Do I really smell like sandalwood all the time? Is this a good thing? Or a bad thing? Why do they still smell it even though I used a Lavender scented perfume?

"Don't worry. Other people will only smell your perfume. We can distinguish between artificial smell and your natural smell." Jin is quick to speak up as if he could read my thoughts. 

If I smell like fresh laundry and sandalwood, why the hell did Jungkook say he smelled raspberries? Is his senses not as clear as the others? 

"I wonder what I smell like." Hoseok says, looking at the members expectedly. 

"You smell like sweat." Yoongi renders flatly as Hoseok throws him a nasty glare while the others including me laugh.

Jungkook comes back with both his and my lunch and we continuing eating. 
This was the first time I enjoyed lunch time. 

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