Chapter Text
Fresh air. A light breeze of fresh summer air. Cars coming and going. Young men and women grabbing their suitcases or hugging friends. A small group of five people, a diverse mix, sat on the wooden floor in front of a hut. One of them drummed on the ground with his sticks, creating a wonderful rhythm to which a girl hummed a soft melody.
The whole place had something magical about it, something that captivated the young girl. How long had she wished to be able to come here? She had worked hard, scraping together the money for this trip. It hadn't been enough, but luckily for her, she could work off the rest here.
Zoey, just turned 21, stood somewhat lost amidst all the wow factor. Her dream, since she was 12, was finally coming true. For a whole year, she had had to persuade her mother to let her go here. A place, an event that fosters young talent and unlocks their potential. Six weeks, just her and the music. Everyone here was like her, convinced and guided by the music.
Back home in America, everyone thought it was so strange. They pushed her away because she was too much. Here she could start over and maybe, through music, find friends. "Do you want to put down roots here?" A familiar voice behind her pulled her from her daydream. "I'm just letting the magic of this place work its magic on me," she turned around. Jinu, her older half-brother, stood behind her. He was a good two heads taller than her. "Believe me, the magic fades pretty quickly when you have to go to your first shift," he laughed.
Well, he should know, Zoey thought. After all, it wasn't his first time here. He and his friends were here for the fourth time, supervising the classes and activities. Babysitters, basically. She, however, had been assigned to the catering team. That meant peeling potatoes and making sandwiches. But she didn't care about any of that. Nothing could ruin this for her. "So..." she grabbed her gym bag and reached for her suitcase. "Where's our house?" Juni's smile widened, something Zoey definitely didn't like. "We're in Korea, little sister. Even though we're related, boys and girls don't share rooms here," and with that, the euphoria vanished. Zoey's smile died. "No, the magic's gone now," she said, her shoulders slumping.
"Don't worry, I'm sure the others will be nice to you...come on, let's see where you've been assigned." Jinu grabbed his own things and led his little sister to the board. The names were listed under the assigned houses. Zoey noticed many names. She excitedly searched for hers, but halfway through, she remembered that the family name was written first, then the given name, so she had to start over.
"Oh," Jinu sighed beside her. "That doesn't sound good." Zoey looked at him skeptically. She followed his gaze and found her name. "You're sharing a house with Mira," he said, running a hand over his face. "You know her?" Zoey asked with renewed hope, even though her brother didn't seem pleased to read her name. "She's a Kang," he replied, sounding annoyed. "Is she nice?" she asked more cautiously. She had no idea what a Kang was. Jinu sighed again. "She's quite a loner. She's really annoying and doesn't follow the rules." As he spoke, he rolled his eyes. Zoey's stomach clenched. Was she like the bullies in America? "Ro and Abby have a thing for her. This is her fourth time here now," he said thoughtfully.
"But Rumi? No, I haven't heard that name here before." He examined the name more closely, as if he could read something in it. "But you're only two houses down, so you don't need to be afraid." His gaze shifted to her.She was nervous. She fidgeted with her feet and bit her lip. "Hey, I didn't mean to scare you. Mira isn't a bad person. She's more like a rebel. She doesn't follow the rules, but I've never seen her beat anyone up who didn't deserve it... well, I'm afraid Ro and Abby fall into that category." He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.
"Hey Jinu... oh, and is that little Zoey?" Two boys approached them. Abby and Ro joined them. Zoey tried to give Abby, who was two heads taller than her, a high-five, but he used his height to his advantage and held his hand so high she couldn't reach it. "Unfair," she grumbled and tried to pull herself up to him. He laughed heartily and teased her. "Have you seen who's back again?" Ro nudged his friend with his elbow. Jinu sighed. "Your crush?" "Ours," Abby interjected, finally giving the little girl the high-five she'd been hoping for. "We even managed to get her house right around the corner from us... so we can just 'accidentally' walk past it every day," the pink-haired muscleman winked.
Zoey wasn't sure if she should find that worrying. "I really don't know what you two see in her," Jinu shook his head in annoyance. Another six weeks of his two best friends turning into brainless zombies, trying to woo a woman who clearly wasn't interested. "Hello? Are you blind?" Ro snapped indignantly. "Yeah, she's pretty." "Pretty? She's hot," Abby interrupted. "And quite a..." Jinu stopped and looked at Zoey, who was listening to the conversation with amusement. "Annoyance," he finished.
"I'm in a house with her," Zoey blurted out triumphantly. The two boys stared at her in shock, quickly exchanging glances before looking back. "Do you even know that you're my absolute favorite sister from Jinu?" Ro took the gym bag from her hand. Abby snatched her suitcase from his other hand. With his free arm, Ro put one around her shoulder and slowly led her away from the blackboard. Abby and Jinu followed. Zoey laughed, "I'm his only sister," "and still the best," Ro flattered her. Zoey could only hear her brother sigh behind her.
"You absolutely have to do me a favor, little Zo," Ro drew her attention back to himself. "Let me guess, I'm supposed to find out if she secretly likes you?" she laughed. "Likes us," Abby replied, struggling to reach her other side. "Wait a minute, are you trying to use my little sister for your perverted acts?" Jinu interjected, shocked. "It's nothing perverse. It's something bigger." Ro turned as she walked away and tapped her chest, right where her heart was.
"How many more times does she have to reject you before you understand she doesn't want anything from you?" Jinu clutched his temple. "Hey, last time we even danced together," Abby interjected with a wink. "Really?" Zoey asked. She knew Abby was a good dancer. Was Mira too?
"You mean the five minutes before she skillfully pushed you into the water and called you an asshole?" Abby wasn't fazed by Jinu's statement. Zoey burst out laughing at the image flashing through her mind. "But they were five great minutes," Abby murmured dreamily. "Oh man," Jinu couldn't take it anymore.
"Should I take you inside?" Jinu asked his little sister, who was now standing undecided in front of their house. "No, Mom, I can do this," she replied. Yes, she was incredibly nervous, but she could manage on her own. She'd always been alone in America, too.
"Okay, my house is the red one over there if you need anything," he pointed to a rather large red house peeking out from behind an old oak tree. "Okay, see you later," she waved to the others before walking the last few meters to the door alone, while the others headed off to their own houses. If she was lucky, she'd be the first one out. That hope was dashed when she heard cheerful laughter coming from the house.
So the other two girls were already there, and they were getting along? Zoey already felt like a third wheel. She took a deep breath. "You can do this," she murmured to herself before opening the door.
The drive was long. The camp was located outside the capital, several hours away. But that didn't matter. Finally, a break from everything. Rumi and Mira shared the limousine that took them to this place.
This was Mira's fourth time there. A place and a time where her parents didn't have to see her, didn't have to lock her up and judge her. She could simply be herself there. For Rumi, it was her first time.
Only with Mira's help was she able to convince her aunt Celine to let her go. Celine never let her out of her sight. Since taking responsibility for Rumi after her mother's death, she had changed completely. Constantly worried and always protective. Luckily, the two met. By chance.
Mira came from a wealthy and influential family. Rumi too. But since her mother's death, she lived a secluded life, far from the public eye. But at a charity event, the two met and immediately became best friends.
"I wouldn't have thought you were into this sort of thing?" Rumi smiled. The whole place was so... simple. Simple wooden cabins, in good condition, but so basic. Their lives, and Mira's too, were characterized by luxury. This was a stark contrast, even though this event was so expensive. Most of the people around them were admiring the limousine they had arrived in. They whispered, murmured, and took photos.
"This is quite nice," Mira said, walking past her friend toward the board. "Oh, this can't be happening," she groaned, annoyed. "Are they here again?" she banged on the board. Rumi was taken aback and went over to her. "Have you made a nemesis here yet?" she asked, amused. "Two," the pink-haired girl growled. She tapped two names with her fingernails: Abby and Ro. "Those two are real pains. Cute, no doubt, but exhausting. Like two mangy dogs. They come running the moment you whistle." Mira's voice was unemotional, normal.
Rumi looked at her, amused. Mira looked amazing, a true fantasy for most men. No wonder she had someone everywhere clamoring for her. Rumi knew her friend liked it and usually even used it to her advantage. "The only positive thing about it... they have a master key." Mira's lips curled into a wide, wicked grin. Rumi sighed. "I don't want any trouble, Mira." Now it was Mira's turn to sigh. "We're not causing any trouble, we're just having fun."
Oh yes, Rumi knew Mira's definition of fun. Basically, anything that broke the rules.
"Hey Mira," a female voice interrupted their conversation. An older girl, maybe 26 or even 27? Definitely older than the two girls. She walked over to Mira, and they greeted each other with a handshake. "What's up? I didn't think you'd be here again this time," Mira said. "Yeah, my parents didn't want me to go at first either, but you know. I get what I want," she winked at Mira, and Mira nodded approvingly.
"This is Rumi, by the way. She has a really awesome voice." Rumi quickly bowed, embarrassed by Mira's compliment. "I'm glad." Her companion, however, made no move to return the gesture. On the contrary. The girl leaned back and looked at Mira with raised eyebrows. Mira sighed and sheepishly covered her eyes with her hand. Rumi quickly stood up straight again and looked back and forth between them, like a small child who had done something wrong.
"I wouldn't have thought you'd be hanging out with someone like that," the older girl said, and Mira shot her a warning look. "Watch what you say... I'll train her." Despite her look, Mira's voice was calm and composed. They both looked at each other for a moment before laughing. "See you later, okay?" And with that, the stranger took her leave.
"Tell me, you can't embarrass yourself like that on the very first day," Mira said, lightly slapping her on the shoulder."You don't need to show respect to anyone here," she said, grabbing her suitcase and heading off in one direction. She quickly grabbed her suitcase and followed her friend, who seemed to know the way.
The house was cozy. A small, green house, nestled in the woods. There were three beds in the room; each person had their own bed, dresser, and nightstand. The bathroom was also quite basic: a toilet, a shower, and a sink. Everything you needed, but nothing more.
"Hmm, I thought it would just be the two of us," Mira said emotionlessly as they entered the house. She simply shrugged and went to one of the beds. She tossed her handbag onto it and smiled at Rumi. "Moved in!" she called out. Rumi laughed.
She had appreciated this carefree attitude ever since their first meeting. Now there were six weeks, six weeks where she could finally find herself, without anyone trying to change her. Unlike her friend, she unpacked all her belongings. She neatly stowed her clothes in the dresser, which she felt was much too small.
"Hey Cinderella!" Before she could even turn around, a pillow hit her on the head. Surprised and taken aback, she turned to Mira, who was already comfortably spread out on her bed. They both laughed. Rumi reached down for the pillow and threw it back. Aside from her poor throwing skills, Mira lifted her leg to deflect the pillow. The pink-haired girl grabbed the nearest pillow and didn't hesitate to throw it at her friend again. Rumi dodged with a jump behind her bed and grabbed the nearest pillow to return the attack.
But she missed her friend and hit the door, which was just opening. A scream drew their attention to the door. A small young woman peered out from behind it. With wide, uncertain eyes, she stared at the two girls. Rumi, instantly filled with guilt, ran to the door. "Sorry, that wasn't intentional," she stammered uncertainly. The girl in front of her was younger and shorter than she was. She had black hair, which hung in two small, messy buns at her sides. "It's okay, nothing happened," the little girl stammered.
"I'm Rumi." Just before she could bow, she remembered what had happened earlier. So her closed hand shot out. What was she doing? A fist bump? Her counterpart also seemed confused and didn't know what to do. "I'm Zoey," she hesitantly punched the offering girl.
"Mira," the girl, who was now casually lounging on her bed, answered. Zoey peeked past Rumi and smiled. "Wow, Rumi, that was really awful. The second embarrassment today, and we've only been here for 30 minutes," she teased. Rumi turned to her and shot her an insulting look.
"It's my first time here, so mistakes are allowed," Rumi replied. "Really? It's my first time here too," Zoey stumbled between the two. Mira straightened up enthusiastically. "Wonderful, then stick close to me, my little sheep."
Zoey's anxiety quickly vanished. The two were very kind and immediately included her. They asked if it was okay that she had the bed by the window or if she wanted to switch, and if she wanted to go to the big welcome together. Mira offered to show her around later so they wouldn't get lost.
"Are you singers?" Zoey asked as she unpacked her things. "Rumi sings. I do too, but my passion is dancing," Mira answered first. "And you?" Rumi asked. She was gathering her pillows and stacking them neatly back on her bed. "Well, not really," stammered the youngest of them all. "I...I write songs and prefer rapping," she lowered her voice nervously, clutching the notebook in her hands.
"Seriously?" Mira's higher pitch startled her. "Wow. Writing lyrics, okay. But I really wouldn't have categorized you as a rapper." Rumi nodded in agreement with Mira's statement. Zoey laughed softly, embarrassed. "Yeah, I hear that a lot." "What are you writing right now? Can we listen?"
Rumi came closer and sat down on Zoey's bed right in front of her. Zoey's eyes widened. They wanted to hear her songs? "I...I," she stammered, unable to get a sentence out. At home, no one wanted to hear her songs and considered them strange. Rumi recognized the conflict within her. "You don't have to, I mean, it's private, and how long have we known each other? An hour?" Zoey was immediately relieved. "Yeah, chill. No one's forcing you to do anything here," Mira chirped from the other side of the room.
She lay relaxed on her bed, one leg crossed over the other, her attention glued to her phone. "I thought cell phones were forbidden here," Zoey asked, puzzled. Jinu had forbidden her from bringing her phone. "Whoever takes my phone will die."Mira's emotionless voice and gaze sent a shiver down Zoey's spine. Rebel, she remembered her brother saying.
"Isn't that crazy? Singers, writers, and dancers all in one house? We could totally start a group," Rumi laughed. "Maybe we should perform together for the finale," she said, and Zoey was overcome with pure joy. She grabbed her notebook and clutched it to her chest. "Oh yeah!" she cried excitedly. Rumi and Zoey exchanged a joyful glance, then looked in unison at Mira, who looked amusedly shocked as she glanced back and forth between them. "Why not?" she replied, and everyone started giggling.
There was a knock at the door, and Rumi opened it. A tall, slender boy stood there, his hands tucked into his jeans, leaning back casually. He wore a vest that said 'Coordinator'. "Hi," Rumi greeted him. It sounded questioning, but also shy. Had they messed up? Were they too loud? Did anyone complain? "Hi," replied the other man, looking at her.
Rumi blushed slightly. He was handsome. His face was flawless, and his skin glistened softly in the midday sun. 'How attractive,' she thought.
"Were we too loud?" Rumi asked quietly, but before he could answer... "Jinu," Mira's voice pulled her from her thoughts. Her friend leaned casually against the doorframe. "Nothing better to do than play babysitter again?" she asked unashamedly, and Rumi could already feel the smack on the back of her head if she spoke to someone like that. "Where are your henchmen? Or did you leave the puppies at home?"
Mira spoke quite unashamedly, completely freely in her manner. "Don't worry, they're just preening for you," he countered skillfully. Mira's smile faded. 'It would have been too good to be true,' she thought. Six weeks with these guys. She sighed contemptuously. "What do you want from us?" she snapped at him, disliking his smile. "I'm just here to pick up my sister." "Sister?" both girls exclaimed in shock, turning back to their room.
"Oh, hey Jinu!" Zoey called happily, holding up a hand. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, writing something in her notebook. Mira pushed Rumi back into the room and stood in front of Jinu. "Don't worry, we'll take care of her," she slammed the door shut.
They both looked over at Zoey. Rumi looked confused, while Mira looked tense.
"Are you a spy?" the pink-haired girl asked, narrowing her eyes. "What? No!" Zoey grew nervous and laughed nervously. "Are you here to keep an eye on me?" Mira stepped closer, narrowing her eyes even further. Zoey nervously scooted to the head of the bed and raised her hands. "I swear, I'm not. It's pure coincidence," her voice was quick and anxious. There was something menacing about Mira. But that changed abruptly. "I'm just kidding," the tense air eased slightly.
Zoey laughed nervously, as if forced to laugh at a bad joke. "You actually bought that?" Mira was surprised. "You're very convincing about things like that," Rumi interjected. She looked at the frightened Zoey and nudged Mira. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Mira's gaze was now soft and open. "It's okay, I'm just not used to this sort of thing."
Zoey relaxed a little and looked down at her blanket. The situation had reminded her a lot of her home life. The other girls were always like that to her there.
"I'm really sorry, I'm not usually like that with friends," she gave Zoey an encouraging smile. "Ugh..." Rumi spoke up, looking at Mira skeptically. She only glanced sideways at Rumi.
Zoey gasped.
"Friends? You mean we're friends?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "Sure, why not? You seem cool. Even with a brother like him." Mira nodded toward the door. "Yeah, after all, we'll be stuck together for the next six weeks...it would be nice if we were friends." Rumi stood next to Mira and smiled warmly at the girl opposite. Zoey squealed with delight and jumped toward them both. She hugged them both at once. Completely overwhelmed, they held each other tight. "Okay, she likes physical contact," Mira observed. They were all so different, yet somehow they fit together.
These could be six fun weeks...