Y/n slowly blinked awake, the familiar warmth of her own room easing her senses. She felt the bandages wrapped securely around her head, the dull ache from earlier now gone. No more dizziness, no sharp pain, just a strange calm. Glancing down at her hands and feet, she noted there were no cuts or bruises left, her body seemingly healed.
Her thoughts quickly turned to the others, about Hanni, Haerin, and even Minji. They seemed completely fine after the infiltration. No visible injuries. Was she the only one who had taken a beating?
Y/n sat up, listening to the stillness of the house. Usually, there was some chatter or clatter coming from the kitchen or the rooms, but today, it was oddly quiet. With her curiosity, she got out of bed, found her way to get outside.
She stepped out and found Dani and Hyein lounging in the living room. Dani was casually flipping through a book, and Hyein sat with her legs crossed, knitting a scarf.
"Hey," Y/n called out, her voice still raspy from sleep. Dani and Hyein both turned to look at her.
"Y/n! You're awake," Dani said with a bright smile, putting her book down.
Y/n rubbed the back of her head, feeling the bandages. "Yeah, finally. It's quiet around here though... Where is everyone?"
Hyein glanced at Dani, who gave a small shrug before answering, "They're at the kingdom."
Y/n raised an eyebrow. "All of them? What's going on?"
"They were called in this morning," Dani explained, closing her book. "Something about a debrief after the infiltration, I think. I'm surprised you weren't summoned too, considering..."
Y/n sighed, feeling a mix of relief and mild frustration. "They just let me sleep, huh?"
Hyein chuckled. "Probably figured you needed it. You were the one who got knocked around the most, after all."
Y/n smiled a little at that, trying not to dwell too much on it. "I guess... but still, no one told me? I could've at least gone with them."
"You should really rest, you know. If it were something urgent, they would've dragged you along." Dani leaned back into the couch, giving Y/n a knowing look.
Hyein nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You've been through a lot. They're just taking care of the formal stuff right now."
Y/n hesitated for a moment, then sighed, her shoulders relaxing a bit. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She glanced at the two of them and realized she hadn't really spent much time with them lately, not since the whole infiltration preparation began.
Dani smiled, sensing Y/n's resolve falter. "Besides, how long has it been since we all just hung out? You're always off saving the day or dealing with kingdom business."
"Right!" Hyein chimed in, her eyes lighting up. "We need some quality time before you run off again."
Y/n chuckled softly, finally giving in. "Okay, okay, you've convinced me. Guess I could use a break."
"I have an idea!" Dani's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. Her loud voice surprised Y/n for seconds.
"How about we go to the flower field at the end of the forest? You know, the one with the cliff overlooking the valley. It's perfect this time of year, and we can have a little picnic there!" Dani continued.
Y/n and Hyein exchanged glances, both their faces lighting up at the thought.
"That sounds amazing!" Y/n agreed, the thought of fresh air and blooming flowers instantly lifting her spirits. "I haven't seen it before!"
Hyein clapped her hands together, already excited. "I'm in! We just have to be careful about the cliff, but as long as we stay away from the edge, it'll be fine."
Dani nodded, her enthusiasm infectious. "Exactly! We'll just pack some snacks and enjoy the day. It'll be a good break for all of us."
-
Within no time, they were packed and ready, making their way through the familiar forest path that led to the field. As they approached the open space, the sight of vibrant flowers swaying in the breeze and the distant view of the valley below made them stop in awe. The world seemed to pause, and Y/n couldn't help but smile.
Dani, Hyein, and Y/n spread out a small blanket on the grassy patch. As the three of them sat on the blanket, the atmosphere felt almost magical. Y/n found herself finally able to breathe, her worries temporarily set aside.
Y/n, Dani, and Hyein had settled into easy conversation, with Hyein leading most of it, as always.
"The other day, I was walking past that bakery downtown, you know, the one where the owner always looks grumpy? And I see this squirrel, like a really fat squirrel, not one of those normal ones. Anyway, the squirrel just casually strolls into the bakery like it owns the place!" Hyein started, her hands waving dramatically in the air.
Y/n raised an eyebrow, "A squirrel just walked in? What about the owner?"
Hyein continued, "The owner, Mr. Grumpy-Face himself, starts chasing it out with a broom, but the squirrel just looks at him, grabs an entire loaf of bread off the shelf, and bolts out the door!"
Dani gasped, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "No way! And the owner just let it go?"
"Yeah!" Hyein said between giggles. "He didn't even bother chasing it. Just stood there, shaking his broom like some old cartoon character while the squirrel ran away with half his inventory."
"That squirrel's living the dream," Y/n said, shaking her head with amusement. "I wish I had that kind of confidence."
"Oh, absolutely," Hyein nodded, "Next time I go into town, I'm keeping an eye out for it. If it can steal a loaf, maybe I can bribe it into getting us free pastries."
Dani burst into laughter, "Imagine that. Our very own squirrel thief, working for us."
But then, the mood shifted slightly.
Dani, suddenly sighed and looked down at her hands. "You know, I've been thinking a lot lately..." she started, her voice softer now. Hyein and Y/n turned to her, sensing the change in tone. "I can't help but feel... a little lonely. And it's not something I can tell Minji unnie, Hanni unnie and even Haerin"
Y/n furrowed her brow. "Lonely? What do you mean?"
Dani bit her lip, hesitant, "It's just... when I see Hanni and Haerin, or even you, Y/n, I feel like you're all doing so much. You have these incredible skills, magic, and strength. You're out there making a difference. But me and Hyein... we don't really have any skills, nothing that can help like that."
Hyein's eyes widened slightly, glancing at her Dani unnie with surprise, as if she hadn't expected her to bring this up. "Dani, that's not true..."
"But it is," Dani continued, her tone filled with a mix of frustration and sadness. "I feel like I'm just standing on the sidelines, watching you all risk your lives. And I want to help, I really do, but what can I do compare to what you all bring to the table?"
The silence that followed was heavy. Y/n, unsure how to respond at first, felt a pang of sympathy for Dani. She understood that helpless feeling, the sense of being left behind.
Y/n shifted closer to Dani, her voice soft yet firm. "Dani, you don't have to be like Hanni or Haerin to be important. Everyone has their own role in this, and you're just as important as the rest of us."
"She's right." Hyein chimed in. You might not be out there fighting physically, but that doesn't mean you don't contribute. And honestly, your quick thinking and support mean everything when we need it."
Dani smiled weakly but still looked unconvinced.
"You have something that a lot of us don't, your mind, your personality. Not everything is about physical combat. Sometimes, what we need most is someone who can think on their feet, who can keep us grounded, and that's what you do. You keep us together when things get tough. That's not nothing." Y/n still tried her best to make Dani see her worth.
Hyein nodded eagerly, "Yeah, Dani! Remember that time you outsmarted those guards during that whole chaos at the market? None of us could've pulled that off the way you did."
Dani let out a small laugh, a bit of color returning to her cheeks. "Okay, maybe I have my moments..."
"You do," Y/n affirmed. "And when the time comes, you'll be able to contribute in your own way."
Dani glanced at both of them, her smile growing as she realized just how much her friends valued her. "Thanks, guys. I guess I just needed to hear that."
Y/n felt relieved, but she's just realized, "Wait, what happened at the market?"
"Oh, that was nothing. Just a bit of quick thinking, that's all." Dani was being so modest, not spilling the whole story.
Hyein wasn't having it. "Nothing? Dani, you practically saved the day!"
Y/n looked between them, "Come on, spill. What happened?"
Dani sighed, realizing there was no getting out of it, especially with Hyein's excitement. "Alright, fine. It was a few weeks ago, Haerin and I followed Hyein to the city because there's news that there will be an exhibition for artifacts. You know, Haerin and I are interested in those things, so we're pretty excited about it.
Y/n nodded, "Yeah, I know about your obsession towards historical items. So, what's next?"
"Well, Hyein, Haerin and I were supposed to just be observing, nothing too crazy, just exploring the exhibition, to see if there's anything interesting." Dani explained. "But then things got a bit... chaotic."
Hyein cut in, her eyes wide with excitement. "Well, it turned out that not only us were excited about the exhibition. There were too many people in that small area, so they were pushing and shoving, trying to get a view at the artifacts. The guards were getting suspicious because the crowd was getting rowdy. And right when it was about to turn into a full-on mess, the guards decided to start questioning everyone. They were practically dragging people off the exhibition!"
Dani nodded, her expression growing serious as she remembered. "Yeah, and we were right in the middle of it. We hadn't even had a chance to blend into the crowd properly before the guards started pointing fingers at random people, including us."
Y/n raised an eyebrow. "So, how'd you get out of that?"
Dani smirked, a hint of pride slipping through her usual modest demeanor. "I played the helpless act. Told them I was lost, that I was just trying to find my way back to the city hall. I even threw in some fake tears for good measure."
Hyein laughed. "You should've seen it, Y/n! She was so convincing, even I almost believed her! Dani's eyes welled up, her voice went all wobbly, it was perfect."
"The guards were so confused, they didn't know what to do. One of them even offered to escort me out of the area. Meanwhile, Hyein and Haerin just followed me being escorted by the guards. They even gave us free pastries afterward" Dani shrugged.
Y/n couldn't help but laugh at the image. "I can't believe it. You fooled the kingdom's guards with fake tears?"
Dani gave a half-smile, still a bit embarrassed. "It wasn't the proudest moment, but it worked. And it bought free pastries for us."
"You were brilliant, Dani! Seriously, none of us could've pulled that off the way you did. You've got those guards wrapped around your finger." Hyein grinned.
Y/n shook her head, chuckling. "I'm starting to think we underestimated you, Dani."
Dani smiled, becoming comfortable with the praises coming from both Y/n and Hyein.
Y/n leaned back, still smiling. "Well, remind me to take you along next time we're dealing with nosy guards."