Something Peculiar

2.1

When Wooseok and I showed up at my "brother" Teahyung's house at eight in the morning, he was happy . . . in the sense that he was glad I was alive and hadn't disappeared forever. Despite being angry, he listened while I put together vague explanation, glaring at me the whole time with mystified rage. At least I only had to face Taehyung. My aunt Jessica is my legal guardian, but she wasn't there when we arrived. Tae explained that she had gone off looking for me in Oregon. I have no idea why, but for some reason, she thought I'd run off there.

Wooseok and I sat on the shabby-chic couch in Tae's living room, surrounded by the boxes that he had yet to unpack from when we'd moved into the house ta months ago, Tae paced back and forth in front of us.

"I still don't understand," Taehyung said. He stopped in front of us, arms folded over his chest.

"There's nothing to understand," I insisted, gesturing at Wooseok. "He's your brother! It's pretty obvious when you look at him."

I have dark, wild, wavy and curly hair, mahogany eyes. Taehyung and Wooseok both have sandy hair and sapphire eyes. They had something much more open in their faces too. and they had the same easy smile. Wooseok stared up at Taehyung with bemused wonderment, his eyes wide with awe.

"How could you possibly know that?" Tae asked.

"I don't know why you can't just trust me." I sighed and laid my head back on the couch. "I never lie to you!'

"You just ran away from home! I had no idea where you were. That's a major trust violation!"

Taehyung's anger couldn't cover up how hurt he still was, and his body showed signs of strain he had been under. His face was gaunt and haggard, his eyes red and tired, and he had probably lost ten pounds. When I disappeared, he completely collapsed, I'm sure. I felt guilty, but I hadn't had a choice. Tae had always been too preoccupied with my safety, a side effect from his mother having tried to kill me and all that. His life revolved around me to the point of being unhealthy. He had no friends, no job, no life of his own.

"I had to run away! Okay?" I ran a hand through my tangled curls and shook my head. "I can't explain it to you. I left for my safety and for yours. I don't know if I should even be here now."

"Safety? What were you running from? Where were you?" Tae asked desperately, not for the first time.

"Tae, I can't tell you! I wish I could but I cant."

I wasn't sure if it was legal for me to tell him anything about the Trylle or not. I assumed everything about them was secret, but nobody had expressly forbidden me from telling outsiders either. Taehyung would never believe me, though, so I didn't see the point in trying.

"You're really my brother," Wooseok said in a hushed tone. He leaned forward to get a better look at Taehyung. "This is so weird."

"Yeah, it is," Tae agreed. He shifted uncomfortably under Wooseok's stare before he turned to me, his expression serious. "Jennie, can I have a word with you? Alone?"

"Uh, sure." I looked over at Wooseok.

Taking his cue, Wooseok stood up. "Where's your bathroom?"

"Down that way, off the kitchen." Tae pointed to his right.

Once Wooseok was gone, Taehyung sat down on the coffee table in front of me and lowered his voice.

"Look, Jennie, I don't understand what's going on. I have no idea how much of what you've told meis true, but that kid looks like a total weirdo to me. I don't want him in my house, and I don't know what you were thinking bringing him here."

"He's your brother," I said wearily. "Honest, Tae, I would never, ever lie about something this major. I am one hundred percent certain that he is your real brother."