Artifact || Twice x fem!reader

I

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"True life is lived when tiny changes occur."

- Leo Tolstoy

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Your POV

"I'm going to Natus?" I asked. My father smiled as he nodded.

"Yes, you are."

I grinned and pumped my fist in the air. My parents chuckled at my antics and I said, "I'll get to see Youngjae, too!"

My brother had left home to study at Natus University five years ago, and I hadn't seen him since. He had apologized and said he was too busy to visit. I was shattered, of course, but I completely understood. Now, I was over the moon about the idea of being able to see him again.

My parents smiled at me. "Yes. Send our regards as well."

I nodded and said, "Of course."

--

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the beautifully ornate golden gate with the Natus University crest on it. A stoic jaguar was featured on the front, barely standing out from the dark grey background.

The fresh air cleared my mind as my hand shifted slightly for a more comfortable grip on the handles of my suitcase. With a final glanced back at my parents, who were smiling proudly, I entered the gates of the school.

The path that the gate opened to lead into a dim forest. It wound around the trees for a good five minutes before opening up to a large clearing. There stood the school, completely surrounded by trees with five paths, including the one to the gate, branching off into the forest.

The university itself was enough to make your jaw drop. It was composed of five impressive buildings and three sprawling fields, all centered around a main courtyard.

As you wandered up to the courtyard, following the path, you found yourself in awe at the beautiful architecture featured in the buildings. They were each somewhat unique but all had a similar style of architecture. Based on the intricate details, different on each building, you guessed it had taken multiple years to build the campus.

As I reached the courtyard, I was greeted with the light trickling sound of a fountain, which was centered right in the middle of not only the courtyard, but also the entire clearing. I glanced around, taking in the beautiful and well-kept gardens. My feet faltered on the exquisite brick foundation.

I wracked my brain in an attempt to remember where to go from there, but the stunning campus had completely wiped my mind. I stood there in the courtyard, expression blank, until the sound of clacking heels reached my ears. I turned to find the source of the noise, a middle-aged woman wearing a navy skirt and blazer, with a white blouse. She held a clipboard in one hand.

I stood still and waited for her to reach me. When she did, she gave me a once over before turning to her clipboard.

"Name?" she asked, stirring me to words.

"Choi Y/n," I said.

She nodded curtly and wrote something on her clipboard. She then turned to me and said, "The Unus welcoming ceremony is in Building One." She pointed. "You'll be assigned a guide and you'll get your dorm number."

I nodded and she turned. "Thank you!"

She didn't respond, instead walked away in silence. I frowned but didn't think much into it as I turned to the building she had pointed at.

It was massive, must've been at least three stories, probably more. The whole building sat on top of a thick platform that required an impressive story of stairs. Upon reaching the top of the platform, one was presented with four tall, detailed columns. They rose up to meet the overhang that must've been over one hundred feet high.

In the center of the columns, perhaps ten feet behind them, was an archway that held two big, ornate doors. The building was made of marble but the heavy doors were a combination of a smooth light wood and hints of shiny metal. The arch that surrounded them was intricately carved in a mural-like border that depicted many different types of magic.

The outside walls of the building were fairly plain, bar the small ridges and carvings that covered all sides of the building. My eyes skimmed over these smaller details, appreciating their presence on the walls.

My attention returned to the big wooden doors as I walked between the pillars. The doors opened before me when I was a couple of feet away. I stopped and watched in awe as they swept open and welcomed me.

I stepped into the building, smiling at the stark contrast of temperature from the warm summer weather outside.

A young man who couldn't have been more than two years older than me stepped forward with a smile. "Are you a Unus?"

"I think so? It's my first year, if that's what you mean," I said.

He nodded and he motioned for my suitcase. I handed it to him and he said, "The welcoming ceremony is in Marmor theatre. It's the first one on the left and there's a big plaque. You can't miss it."

I nodded and pointed to my suitcase. "What are you going to do with my stuff."

His smile grew softer and I found myself faultlessly trusting his friendly charm. "I'll just put it in your dorm. Don't worry, I'm not going to touch it otherwise."

I smiled back at him and thanked him before following his directions to the Marmor theatre. I walked down the exquisitely decorated hallway, gazing at the paintings and portraits that adorned the walls. Below my feet, the rich red carpet added to the impressive atmosphere of the building. Then I arrived at the Marmor theatre.

The boy was right, it was nearly impossible to miss it. The entrace held a pair of darker oak doors. It was very similar to the building's entryway, although less grandiose. The doors were wide open, allowing me to hear the quiet chatter coming from inside.

I paused for a second, letting myself calm down, before entering. The room was bigger than I had expected. It was a typical theatre. The entrance lead to the front of the seats, which were staggered upwards on my left. On my right was the stage, large and impressive. As I started up the stairs, I noticed there were small groups of kids about my age. They were all distant from each other and you could tell these were the starts of the cliques that would be solid by the end of the year.

I pursed my lips, eyes narrowing in worry. I couldn't just walk into one of the groups but if I sat alone I'd be deemed a loser. My worry was dissipated when seconds later a boy yelled at me, "Come join us!"

I sighed in relief as I slid into the seat beside two grinning boys. I returned a smile and said, "Thanks for inviting me to join you."

The boy who had yelled at me shrugged. "You looked lost and besides, we always love making new friends."

I chuckled. "I'm Choi Y/n."

The other boy nodded. "Hwang Hyunjin."

His friend said, "And I'm Lee Felix! It's so nice to meet you!"

Felix's smile really inspired an energetic, excited nature in me. Even though I had only known him a minutr, I was sure he was the persona of sunshine.

It didn't take long for the ceremony to start. The room silenced as a man appeared on the stage and cleared his throat.

His piercing gaze swept over the audience and I gulped when his eyes met mine for a second. Oddly enough, his stare rested on me for a split second longer than it did anybody else.

I shivered. He finally spoke up a few seconds later.

"Welcome to Natus University."