The Hanes Enigma

Chapter Fifteen - Comparison and Confrontation

Jeon Jungkook

Brynn whines a series of pleas to Taehyung as he pulls her down the street by her wrist.

"Of course you have to talk to them! They're your family." The faerie chides. I don't understand her hesitance, if I'm honest. I don't think I'll ever understand how people can not want to talk to their parents, or family in general. They care about you the most. In fact, sometimes I think they're the only people who really care.

"But I don't know what to say!" She flings her arms up dramatically.

"Maybe start with telling them you know what you are..?"

"But I don't know. I don't get any of this!" She sighs, fighting back tears. I do pity her, she's clearly overwhelmed.

"It's simple. You're a witch, Kookie's a werewolf and I'm a faerie." The boy shrugs nonchalantly.

"You're a what?!" Her eyes light up excitedly and I can't help but feel a little jealous. On seeing my ability she shrinks back in fear but just hearing about Taehyung's makes her squeal in delight. "Do you shrink?? Can I put you in my pocket?!"

"No, I just have wings.. And I can do a little magick. Not as much as you, though! You're gonna be such an awesome witch if you can already create thing out of nothing!! That's some high-level shittake mushrooms, Brynn!"

I chuckle at the wording and suddenly my mouth drops. "Soggy biscuits!"

Both turn around and blink at me perplexedly.

"Taehyung said soggy biscuits one time and I couldn't remember where I'd heard it from but it was you in the woods on the night before the bonfire.. That's all... Sorry..." I shrug, letting them carry on without me. 

They're long lost friends, let them chat... You've known him nine months and she's practically a stranger. Stop being such a clingy puppy.

We soon arrive and Brynn unlocks the door, taking her shoes off and calling out to the house at large that she's arrived home and apologises for being.. Three hours late?? If I was ever gone that long without telling someone I'd be in serious trouble. But her parents don't even reply. That confuses me because I can hear three heartbeats in the house.

"I'll go talk to my mum... You can make yourselves at home in the living room if you want." She smiles and runs into what smells like the kitchen.

I try not to listen in, really. Well, I don't try that hard. But I pretend not to...

"Hi.." Brynn's voice.

"Someone's talkative today.." A deep voice, so presumably her father.

"How was school?" The mother.

"Freddie swung a locker door in my face again. That's the fourth time now, though, so at least I know how to treat it.." Brynn mumbles. I don't know why she's being so quiet.

"That's nice, dear. Sounds exciting." Her mother sounds like she isn't even paying attention. And neither parent comments on the physical bullying, hell their heart rates stay calmly plodding along like nothing happened!

"It's Willow's penultimate year of school party next Friday, so we're hoping you'll be in your room all evening like usual?"

"Next Friday's my birthday.." I can hear her gritted teeth and something in my gut wants to pull me to her, comfort her.

"Oh, and you can make yourself food, right?" Can they not hear her?? Are they actually deaf?!

"Jungkook.." Taehyung nudges my shoulder worriedly. "You look ready to punch the wall.."

I clench my jaw, nodding stiffly.

"Why didn't you tell me I'm a witch?." I can feel her anger now. It radiates through the cracks underneath the doors and only fuels my own.

"What was that, dear?" Her mother sighs.

"A witch! Magick and shit! You should have told me!"

Silence.

The rustle of a magazine and the scrape of a chair.

"Because I was hoping you wouldn't be. I had my suspicions, but I hoped if I never helped you it might fizzle out. Clearly not.." She tuts and walks away.

"You don't think I had a right to know?!"

"No, quite frankly I don't! Because then you would have begged to go to Pharaway, not passed the exams and had the magick sucked out of you anyway. So, I thought I'd save you the trauma!" She yells.

"Is that what happened to you?.." Brynn's voice is suddenly gentle and I admire her for it. I'm still fuming. "I'm sorry. But I'm not you, mum."

"Well, you won't be going." I hear her walk across the room and take something from the fridge before slamming it shut.

"You'd let Willow go. Wouldn't you..?"

A pause. "That's irrelevant. She's not a witch."

"But she reminds you of you. Whereas I remind you of Aunt Ceridwen. Who probably stopped talking to you when your magick was drained, right? Like how Tae stopped talking to me when he thought I was human."

"Oh don't pretend to be an expert now you're aware of what you are." She spits and I can almost taste the genuine malice in her voice.

"But I'm right, though. Aren't I?"

More silence.

Brynn chuckles sadly and I hear her footsteps run upstairs.

"Brynn?. Brynn!" Her mother chases after her and I can't stop myself. I barely notice I'm running until I'm on the landing, staring at a shocked Brynn.

"Right, you.. You probably heard all of that... Werewolf hearing and stuff...?" She purses her lips uncomfortably and I look away, suddenly feeling guilty.

"You.. You brought a dog into my house?!" Her mother glares daggers and I don't even attempt to stop the low growl that bubbles up from the back of my throat.

"Do you know where she is?" Brynn turns to her mother, packing various bags with clothes, books, anything she can't live without, I suppose.

"Who?."

"Ceridwen, obviously."

"You are not going to see her!" I growl again at her mother's words but immediately stop when Brynn gives me a look.

"I am. I'll find her myself if I have to, I'm sure Pharaway could teach me a spell or something. But I'd much rather you just tell me."

"If you think I'm going to just sit back and let you ruin your life the-"

"For the first time since I was born can you just be a damn mother and help me or leave me the fuck alone!"

A clock fills the silence with a steady beat.

I count nineteen seconds before her mother speaks again. "I can tell you where she was ten years ago but that's the last time she sent a letter." With that, the woman turns on her heel and marches downstairs.

I watch Brynn silently, not wanting to overstep.

"J-Jungkook, right?.." She practically whimpers and, although I don't quite know why, it's taking everything I've got not to scoop her into my arms right now.

"Yeah. Are you..? I mean you're not okay, I can see that. Sorry, that was stupid..." I inwardly kick myself and bite the inside of my bottom lip.

"Jungkook, can I hug yo-"

I don't even let her finish the sentence before I'm across the hall, into her room and wrapped around her like a forcefield.