A Day In September - BTS Zombie au

49: Burn Book

"Have you read it yet?"

Jungkook nervously scratched the tip of his ear, "No."

Jin sighed, "You could just give it back. You don't have to read it. I just gave it to you because I thought maybe you would want to know."

Jungkook gave Jin a look, "Know what?"

"I'm not telling you. I can't be the one that tells you," Jin shrugged, "I'm deaf, blind and dumb to what's in there."

"Not enough to not have read it," Jungkook muttered, shoving the item into his pocket. Jin pursed his lips, looking away from Jungkook's lingering stare. The latter exited the greenhouse and headed to his own chores, followed by Jin's guilty eyes. Jungkook caught sight of Mara, who had been distractedly feeding the chickens for the passed ten minutes.

Mara stared at Haneul from across the yard, jaw clenched and irritation bubbling. After having clearly stated that Mara would take over her own chores, Haneul had once again taken the courtesy of acting on her own accord. A bubbly Haneul stood by the stables, petting her horses and taking from the stacks of hay to fill the troughs. Mara watched intently, still feeding the chickens. She tried to not be bitter, only relenting over the mere fact that she would be gone soon.

Haneul did not quite adhere to Mara's boundaries, regardless of how many times she repeated herself. The girl was stubborn and blunt, which Mara believed Haneul was well aware that she was. She had to know that calling Mara a lazy maid was having an unfavorable effect on her.

I can't be mad, Mara scolded herself, not unless she does something actually bad-

Mara strained her eyes, a scowl taking over her face at Haneul's next moves. Mara set the chicken feed down, her legs moving before she could even think. She power walked down the yard and towards the stables, catching Haneul before she could leave. The bubbly girl turned to Mara, the light in her eyes dying and replaced with something akin to annoyance. Mara stepped up to the center, between the stables. She looked at every single trough placed before every horse, her hands fidgeting and her fingers tapping with impatience.

Mara warily stared Haneul down, and the look was returned with a heightened skepticism. Mara glanced at the empty troughs hanging in front of her horses, then looked back at Haneul.

"You know, the hay is for all the horses," Mara calmly explained, pointing to the empty troughs.

Haneul crossed her arms defensively, "You told me not to do your chores. So I didn't," she muttered, a soft frown taking over her face. Not only did this offhand comment make Mara upset, but it made her extremely upset.

"Like I said, the hay is for every single horse, not just yours," Mara slowly explained, nodding along with the notion that Haneul was just a little thick sculled, "If you're going to feed them, feed them all. It's our feed, so have the courtesy to-"

"Either I do your chores, or I don't. You're confusing me," Haneul lightly scoffed, "I feel like you're hazing me. Did I do something to you?"

Mara sharply inhaled when dawned with a realization, "Did you feed them yesterday?" She slowly asked.

Haneul's frown faltered, but she shrugged and pointed to Mara, "That's your job."

Mara pursed her lips, standing quietly before Haneul and staring right at her as the latter grew increasingly defensive. It was then that a somber Jungkook stepped into the stables, drawing Haneul's attention. Mara didn't look away from Haneul, protective of the animals she deeply cared about. Jungkook looked over at Mara, stepping between the two girls with a sigh.

"Is everything okay?" He asked. Haneul hugged herself, lazily gesturing to Mara.

"She said I couldn't help around anymore and now she's forcing me to feed the horses. I don't understand," Haneul sighed.