[ Preparations are in full swing right after breakfast - although still seemingly unstaffed, the kitchen is a flurry of activity and careless guests may find themselves bumped into if they venture too far into the actual cooking area.
It's safer outside, where guests are encouraged to help dress the maypole with fresh cut, leafy birch twigs and a variety of colourful, seasonal flowers - ox-eye daisies, woodland geraniums, cow parsley, buttercups and lupines. There's also a table and benches to carry out into the community center garden, lanterns to hang in the fruit trees and bottles and bottles of elderflower lemonade, beer and brännvin - midsommar isn't midsommar without snaps.
A little later in the afternoon, with the tables laden heavy with pickled herring, fresh potatoes, sour cream and chives, and Västerbotten cheese pie (and a few other less traditional but perhaps more palatable dishes), guests and residents alike sit down for the midsummer celebration. If anyone wants to partake in local customs such as the little frog dance, Ingvar is more than happy to provide the music. Of course, he's just as happy to teach a few drinking songs for those who want to partake in snaps. ]
Evening
[ As the sun begins to... well, not exactly set, but take a dip towards the horizon, the long table will be cleared for dessert - coffee or tea, strawberries and cream, with the option of an aperitif of your choice. The music will continue with traditional songs, that the residents are more than happy to try and teach the guests - or just sing poorly, as is tradition.
For those who are looking for something a bit more quiet and peaceful, Valborg is spending the evening talking about the magic properties of midsummers eve, the most magical of nights. It says that if you pick seven different types of flowers in complete silence and then sleep with them under your pillow, you'll dream of your future betrothed... ]
Night
[ Those who stay out late will quickly notice that the sun doesn't exactly set tonight. You don't need much light to guide your way back to the cabins. However, as you make your way through a wooded area, you might get the sensation that you're being... watched. Like there's someone following you in the shadows. Surely that's just your eyes playing tricks on you... right? ]
[ If Haein were to list off his top five least favorite things of all time, he'd have a lot of trouble. Not because he wouldn't be able to think of anything, but because he'd just have so much to fit into only five slots. But being watched? That had to be upper tier, potentially top three.
He'd been on his way back to the cabins up until the feeling of being watched had crept over him. When he had turned around and not been able to spot anyone, but was still able to feel eyes on him, he'd strayed from the path and gone looking for whatever was keeping tabs on him.
Nothing turned up, and that meant an annoyed Haein reappearing from where he'd been searching. An annoyed Haein who hadn't meant to startle someone else on their way to the cabins, but well. Here they are. He winces and takes a step back when she screams, watching with frown as she trips and takes a tumble.
Now, he could be a civilized person and A) offer to help her up, B) ask if she's okay, or C) apologize for frightening her, but this is Haein and option D) be a huge asshole!!! tends to be the default for him. ]
Then don't walk around alone if you're so easily scared.
[ It's fun when your lungs decide to stop working like the air got knocked out of you through a gut punch. Hanako knows that sensation way too well. It's panic. Her chest hurts, the ground was soft but the fall still caused an ache to spread over the lower half of her body, and she's pretty sure her stockings have been damaged as well. But worst of all is how she knows there's another presence in front of her, and it has a male voice, he's looking at her, and he's just told her something definitely rude that adds painful pressure, causes memories to resurface. He sounds like a bully. That's not good. She wants to cry. Get up and run.
To the outside view, she's sitting still, hand clutching the front of her shirt, eyes wide open and jaw hanging a little. The dim light overshadows her scars, but the darker section of skin still remains for the curious. She stays like that for an eternity that lasts less than a minute, before she finds the strength to open her mouth and snap at the stranger, sparks of anger replacing loss and fear. ]
I wasn't s-s-scared until you sh-showed up!
[ Her voice comes high pitched, riddled with stutter, but even as she can't move her legs at the moment she won't lay down and take the accusation. She may be broken beyond repair, but she's struggling hard to grow out of the little girl who was called an ugly scarface by middle schoolers and cried until her eyes stung. ]
I-I don't n-n-need to hear your u-unnecessary opinions!
[ Even someone as cruel as Haein has a set of morals, as twisted and self-centered as they may be. His own aversion to being stared at and noticed means that he usually tends to shy away from making looks-based comments or even maintaining prolonged eye contact. Of course, this all tends to get thrown out the nearest window when push comes to shove and Haein really has to destroy a person.
But that time's not now. So when he notices the dark scars on the stranger before him, he doesn't pause or hesitate. There's hardly any acknowledgement at all that he's even seen them, his expression remaining as cold as ever. It doesn't matter that there's a scared, possibly hurt girl on the ground in front of him. Haein's all about treating people exactly the same, like they're there for the sole purpose of inconveniencing him. ]
You're the one putting yourself in situations to hear them.
[ It's snapped back, his tone obviously annoyed. ]
N-No I don't! Shut up! Don't b-blame me f-for your actions!
[ Veins are about to pop out and blood vessels threaten to break, Hanako succumbing to a hysterical episode as her screeching voice cuts through the air, echoing around them. There's one positive thing about having adrenaline pumping into her system, and that's the fact her body functions skyrocket with the instinct to fight or flight she lived with for years.
There's a rock laying next to her. She could throw it at him. He'll leave if she lets him know that he's not welcome, that he needs to stop talking and leave because she can't stand getting hurt again and again and again and again—
But violence was never the solution and she got that drilled in her head at a young age. A wave of nausea hits her stomach because of how disgusted she is with herself for thinking of such solution.
But yes, adrenaline. Her feet pathetically scramble over the dirt before she finds a solid surface to stand up on, her skirt soiled along with her ripped stockings. She snarls, fists clutching to her sides, nails digging deep into her palms. ]
Stay away f-from me! Don't t-talk to m-me! You-... you bully!
[ There are worse things she could tell him, but a nastier wave of nausea punches her in the gut and she holds her stomach, scared to death that he'll be even harsher and say more hurtful things no no no no—
She turns on her heels and runs so fast she hopes the wind will cover up whatever the guy might yell at her in response, locking herself up in her cabin and probably not sleeping for the rest of the night. ]
[ There's silence on his end as Hanako goes through her episode. Haein's not too big on reactions, preferring to watch and listen most of the time, and in this case, it works out. In the same way that she wants to be left alone, so does he. He's used to hurting people with his words, cutting them deep enough to cause lasting pain and keep them from coming anywhere near him in the future. It's no surprise when she takes off, and he doesn't call after her or say anything else.
He did as he intended to do. That's all that matters. There's not an ounce of guilt or remorse stirring inside of him, no conflicting emotions, no hesitation at what he'd just done. Not for a stranger, at least.
There's a moment's pause as he waits for her figure to fully disappear from sight before he huffs out a breath and continues for the cabins. Hopefully with no more run-ins this time. ]
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night
He'd been on his way back to the cabins up until the feeling of being watched had crept over him. When he had turned around and not been able to spot anyone, but was still able to feel eyes on him, he'd strayed from the path and gone looking for whatever was keeping tabs on him.
Nothing turned up, and that meant an annoyed Haein reappearing from where he'd been searching. An annoyed Haein who hadn't meant to startle someone else on their way to the cabins, but well. Here they are. He winces and takes a step back when she screams, watching with frown as she trips and takes a tumble.
Now, he could be a civilized person and A) offer to help her up, B) ask if she's okay, or C) apologize for frightening her, but this is Haein and option D) be a huge asshole!!! tends to be the default for him. ]
Then don't walk around alone if you're so easily scared.
no subject
To the outside view, she's sitting still, hand clutching the front of her shirt, eyes wide open and jaw hanging a little. The dim light overshadows her scars, but the darker section of skin still remains for the curious. She stays like that for an eternity that lasts less than a minute, before she finds the strength to open her mouth and snap at the stranger, sparks of anger replacing loss and fear. ]
I wasn't s-s-scared until you sh-showed up!
[ Her voice comes high pitched, riddled with stutter, but even as she can't move her legs at the moment she won't lay down and take the accusation. She may be broken beyond repair, but she's struggling hard to grow out of the little girl who was called an ugly scarface by middle schoolers and cried until her eyes stung. ]
I-I don't n-n-need to hear your u-unnecessary opinions!
no subject
But that time's not now. So when he notices the dark scars on the stranger before him, he doesn't pause or hesitate. There's hardly any acknowledgement at all that he's even seen them, his expression remaining as cold as ever. It doesn't matter that there's a scared, possibly hurt girl on the ground in front of him. Haein's all about treating people exactly the same, like they're there for the sole purpose of inconveniencing him. ]
You're the one putting yourself in situations to hear them.
[ It's snapped back, his tone obviously annoyed. ]
And I'm not in the habit of taking back my words.
no subject
[ Veins are about to pop out and blood vessels threaten to break, Hanako succumbing to a hysterical episode as her screeching voice cuts through the air, echoing around them. There's one positive thing about having adrenaline pumping into her system, and that's the fact her body functions skyrocket with the instinct to fight or flight she lived with for years.
There's a rock laying next to her. She could throw it at him. He'll leave if she lets him know that he's not welcome, that he needs to stop talking and leave because she can't stand getting hurt again and again and again and again—
But violence was never the solution and she got that drilled in her head at a young age. A wave of nausea hits her stomach because of how disgusted she is with herself for thinking of such solution.
But yes, adrenaline. Her feet pathetically scramble over the dirt before she finds a solid surface to stand up on, her skirt soiled along with her ripped stockings. She snarls, fists clutching to her sides, nails digging deep into her palms. ]
Stay away f-from me! Don't t-talk to m-me! You-... you bully!
[ There are worse things she could tell him, but a nastier wave of nausea punches her in the gut and she holds her stomach, scared to death that he'll be even harsher and say more hurtful things no no no no—
She turns on her heels and runs so fast she hopes the wind will cover up whatever the guy might yell at her in response, locking herself up in her cabin and probably not sleeping for the rest of the night. ]
no subject
He did as he intended to do. That's all that matters. There's not an ounce of guilt or remorse stirring inside of him, no conflicting emotions, no hesitation at what he'd just done. Not for a stranger, at least.
There's a moment's pause as he waits for her figure to fully disappear from sight before he huffs out a breath and continues for the cabins. Hopefully with no more run-ins this time. ]