Climbing the Tower with You (Khun x Reader)

Prologue- The Tower

     "Why don't you climb the Tower Krista?"

     That was the question I once asked her. Mom let me have a break from training and I was particularly tired that day. Maybe that was why I decided not to rein in my curiosity.

     Krista shook her head. "I'm not chosen Y/n, you should know how it works."

      "Well..." I still had a lot of questions. "Do you want to be?"

     Krista laughs. "Why would I WANT to climb the Tower?" She then looked at me, realizing my hidden context. "Do YOU want to climb it?"

     She surprised me with that question. It was a question I didn't quite know the answer to. "Um...maybe?"

     Krista's reaction surprised me. "But why!? What could you possibly want in the Tower!? Why!?"

     My 8 year old self was startled by that sudden outburst. My sister must have noticed because she took a deep breath. She then smiled that sad smile of hers. "You're not ready for the Tower. It's a dangerous place, filled with selfish people. You need to be able to fight, you need certain skills."

     I don't know what Krista was expecting my reaction to be, but I'm sure I surprised her that day. "So you're saying... I need to learn how to fight!"

     "Wha- wait, no!" Krista called out after me. But I had already ran towards our house to speak with Mom and Dad.

     They were equally surprised. I tried to convince them.

     "All I know is how to heal! But I need to know more then that! Can't I do other stuff with Shinsu? Isn't Shinsu primarily used for fighting?"

     Mom was against it. I was too young, I shouldn't be learning something like that, there was no reason. But Dad put his hand up to stop her. He led her to a corner of our house and they started speaking in hushed whispers, away from my ears.

     When they were done, Mom gave me her own sad smile. "Go along and play honey. We will talk to you after. I'll delay your training today."

     I didn't know what to do. Almost a week passed. I began to think they had forgotten. Finally, one day, Mom and Dad took me aside.

     "Y/n... how badly do you want to learn how to fight?"

     Like I said, I was a small kid back then. I didn't have extreme passion or anything like that. But I always told the truth. "I didn't realize it before... but it's something I really want to do. I can't only learn healing forever." I didn't tell them about the Tower. How would they have reacted?

     Mom sighed and then held my hand. "Okay, listen... You father and I have found someone who is going to teach you. But you will have to go away from home. We have a healing job at another area, where a friend is also willing to teach you. You and your Father will go and while he works, you will have training. You will be away for a few weeks, even months. But there's something you need to know."

     Her firm grip stopped me from celebrating just yet. "The area you would be going to is..."

     "...the land of the Khun Family."

     My eyes widened. "One... One of the Ten Great Families!? You got a job there!?"

     Mom nodded. "It will be a different environment. You MUST be in your best behavior and your training will be far more rigorous. And not everyone will be very welcome. So I ask you one last time."

     "Are you SURE you want to do this?"

     Even as a kid, I understood the dominance of the Great Families. I understood the risks. But I also understood something else.

     I would leave this village. I would go somewhere else and see new things. And I would also learn something new. What else could I say?

     "I want to do it Mom!"

     Dad clapped his hands. "Okay, done! We leave next week!"

     I smothered both of them with a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

     Out of the corner of my eyes, my sister was watching, smiling, that same sad smile. In this happy moment I wanted to yell. Where was that sadness coming from!? Why couldn't she be happy!?

     But it didn't matter at the moment. Next week, something new would happen.

     Something amazing. I couldn't wait.