Safeway Pyongyang // Reader x Countryhumans

Tense Meal

    Y/N was sitting in her room practicing the Korean worksheet that SH had left her ('The trick is to memorise the sounds- even if you forget the characters you'll remember the words'), when someone knocked on her door. She hesitated, uncertain whether she had to give whoever it was permission to enter. When they knocked again she called, "Come in?"

    The door opened, revealing North Korea, causing Y/N to leap to her feet. She slightly raised her hand, uncertain whether she should salute or not, but when the Countryhuman glared at her she quickly dropped it.

    "Come on," he said, crossing his arms as he stood on the threshold. "Everyone is here- it is time to meet them."

   "O-Okay." Y/N scurried after the country into the hall.

    They took the elevator, an affair that the human felt was incredibly awkward (as all elevator rides with near-strangers are). She was shifting from foot-to-foot nervously, feeling North Korea's eye on her. Eventually the pressure got to her and she exclaimed "What?!" turning to him and immediately regretting her outburst.

    The country just blinked back, unfazed. "Did you get enough clothes?" he asked.

    "Oh." She looked away again. "Yes. Thank you."

   "Good. You need to look presentable on camera." He turned his eye on the door, and Y/N felt herself relax slightly.

    When the elevator dinged and they stepped out, she found herself saying "I'm learning Korean, too."

   Without turning back to her, North Korea said, "You had better be."

    Unlike SH, he didn't give her a chance to collect herself before entering the dining room, and, frankly, the thought of waiting to enter without him scared her way more. So she just braced herself with a deep breath and followed him, trying to walk as confidently as possible.

    This time all of the cushions were claimed, the only empty ones being at the head of the table and one between SH and a white province with a gold lotus-looking bloom. Y/N made a note-to-self to ask what the flower actually was, later.

    The white province's eyes widened when she saw Y/N, and she leaped to her feet, rushing over to her. "Howdy! So you're our new housemate? Ah like your hair, it's so pretty! What's your name?"

   Y/N backed up nervously, overwhelmed by the onslaught of words. "I'm, um, (F/N L/N)."

    "That's such a pretty name," the province gushed. "It suites ya."

    North Hamgyong, who seemed to be avoiding looking at Y/N, rolled his eyes, and North Korea pointedly cleared his throat, causing the white province to back up.

    "Sorry. We've just never had any foreigners live here before." She bowed. "Ah'm South Hwanghae. Nice to meet you."

    "You too?" She had caught maybe half of what the short girl had said.

    The province straightened back up in a bounce. "You can sit next to me once everyone's done with introductions."

    The others all stood, except for North Hamgyong. "North Hamgyong," North Korea ordered. "Up."

   "She already knows me," the green province protested.

   "Up."

     Sighing loudly, the Provincehuman heaved himself to his feet. "I'm North Hamgyong," he said grimly, inclining himself the slightest possible bit before sitting back down.