2ohra

[2ohra]

Karnivale

Chapter IV

Pairings: Magician Taehyung! Ring Leader Taehyung!! TaehyungxOC

Word Count: 3.7k

Genre: thriller, horrorish), revenge, slight romance

Warnings: Circus, clowns, death, gaslighting, death, implications of murder, torture, pain, audience, swearing, unconscious, punishments, abuse, implications of SA, addiction

Blurb: Is it really such a surprise that the country's richest one percent are the one's whose morals are the most defaced. The government grovels at their feet, unable to disperse the same treatment around the country, and the services of Justice turn a blind eye for a mere price. But the common people should no longer worry, for a new soul had risen. He stands as the symbol of the weak, and he does not hesitate to shoot. In his funfair home, a clandestine front, he travels around the country serving victims platters of revenge. All in his own deviant means. Besides, what fun is a simple jail sentence?

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, businesses, events and incidents in this book are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I do not own any of the BTS members or any of the kpop idols mentioned in this story. All the idols mentioned, their characteristics are fictional and are different from how they are in real life.

Authors Note: mentions of violence, and descriptions of said implied murder!! please be warned!

::masterpost::

Chapter IV

Jia’s PoV ||

Jia groaned, feeling her head throb. Her eyes were glued shut. Lifting a hand to massage the aching vein on her temple, a small moan of relief left her lips. She guessed she was on a bed.

Unaccustomed to such desirable comfort, her body sunk further into the pillows, allowing the warmth to engulf her wearied bones. The events of yesterday had drained her to the point of unconsciousness, and now she deserved it.

Wait.

Jia froze.

Yesterday-

Hazy images of the night before began to flood into her head, flashing flamboyantly before her eyes. Her mother, Jihyun, his friends, and the crime she committed. Sirens were booming inside her ears, alarming every tendril in her skin to stay alert.

Her eyes cracked open, and she shot up, heavily breathing as she glanced from side to side. She was in a tent.

The tent...

A circus...

...HIM!

His dark eyes, the nefarious curve on his lips, the way he left his icy cold touch over her skin. Jia's instinct was never off. When a mysterious figure appeared at her workplace, going as the alias Mr V, only to wreak havoc with her peace of mind from the moment of his appearance, it wasn't anything good. It couldn't have been.

She recalled their interaction in the motel room. How carelessly he'd broken the boundaries of personal space, effortlessly tangling her nerves into futile knots.

Not a police officer,

Jia concluded. The government was corrupt as it was, but nothing about him screamed good. If anything, she couldn't name a single favourable word to describe him. Her skin pricked, and her heartbeat sped from simply recollecting his maddened features. She didn't fear for physical herself. She feared for her sanity. There was something enigmatic about him. A mysterious puzzle that tempted her to come close and solve the cryptic cypher he was. The only question was; at what cost?

She swung her legs over the mattress, taking in the similar circus designs adorning every inch of the fabric walls. Where she was, there was nothing but a bed, decoratively placed in the centre. Jia's ears perked up at voices in the distance. Loud enough to be heard but too quiet to be understood.

Damn curiosity.

It was precarious, she knew. She walked into a Lion's den with nothing to fend for herself with except her bare hands. Nonetheless, a small voice whispered in her ear; perhaps this person wanted something else. It was easy to report her. He could have done so the moment he caught her bathed and dripping in another's blood, but he didn't. There was— there must have been something else he was after.

With nothing to lose, Jia took slow, steady steps towards the source. She pushed the curtain of multicoloured glass beads aside, each strand clinking as it collided with another. On the other side, her eyes opened to a dark corridor, illuminated by a glowing exit she could hardly make out in the distance. The tension was prevailing. Apart from the voices ahead, it was just the sound of her breaths quickening and adrenaline pooling in her muscles, preparing her for the fight-or-flight response.

Finally, her feet stopped.

"What the hell..." Jia murmured, her jaw plummeting in bewilderment at the sight ahead of her.

It was like a movie, no, a dream.

A colossal tent connected to the corridor, where in the centre there was a grand arena. Rays of light shooting from several spotlights crossed, focusing on the centre of the stage. Sonorous circus music was playing, and some people clapped along and cheered. Around the platform, people filled the seats. Jia couldn't tell if they were part of the audience or workers due to their make-up and the theatrical face paint decorating and dramatising their expressions. A clown riding a unicycle whizzed in her direction, shoving a blaring horn in her face before cackling as he cycled away. Jia clutched her chest from the surprise.

The music stopped and so did she.

Suddenly, the lights illuminating the audience perished, a thick beam of light landing on her. The intensity glared into her face, causing her to squint her eyes and lift a hand to shield herself. She was confused. The excited chatter of the others also fell into a muted silence, every pair of eyes under the tent now focusing on Jia's frozen self.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," She heard a familiar voice proudly announce. "Let me introduce you to the star of this evening's show, our most treasured guest— Park Jia!"

The crowd remained wordless, inquisitively analysing her rigidness, until the ring leader, Mr V, whipped around. Dark clouds of fear shadowed their faces and they instantly started clapping, cheering and bracing unsure smiles.

Jia felt a tug on both her limp arms. She glanced down to see two little boys, identical, pulling her sleeves towards the stage. They sported stripy back and white shirts, dark dungarees and blood-red bow ties, which contrasted with the monochromatic shades. No longer thinking, Jia allowed herself to be bewitched by their circus charms, too curious to contemplate the dangers. Amidst the crowd, there were dark expressions, narrowed eyes and sharp scowls that seemingly wanted to burn holes through her head. Jia swallowed hard at the saliva convening in her throat.

Upon reaching the centre of the arena, they brought her in front of Mr V. He was comfortably positioned on a chair, perhaps more similar to a throne, leg propped leisurely over the other. In his hands was a small paper packet, the kind Jia recognised to be always at funfairs and carnivals. Popping another roasted peanut into his mouth, Mr V rose, concealing the red and white striped bag inside his jacket.

"Welcome, once again, Miss Park." He began, shooting her a Cheshire smirk. "I hope you're as excited as I am as I've chosen you for a crucial act in tonight's performance."

This man's voice was so loud. There was no need for a microphone or any of the sort because he projected his voice well enough. So well that Jia felt herself shrinking under his patronising gaze by the second, all prior confidence evaporating.

"Tonight, ladies and gentlemen," Mr V spun to discern his audience. "We will test the knife-throwing skills of our dear guest here," he turned to eye Jia once again, leering at the way she swallowed hard and focused her shaky irises on the floor instead. He whispered, "You've already proven yourself not particularly a beginner;

Bring them in, boys."

Her balance swayed and floundered, a putrid feeling beginning to stir inside her. Legs wobbling, she took a step back, gripping tightly onto the shoulder of the cushioned throne. The vermillion cotton violently clashed with the sickening paleness of her skin. As she registered further what was going on, sour bile rose to the back of her throat, prompting her eyes to water.

One by one, three large wooden wheels trundled through another of the tent's entrances, this opening framed by magnificent purple curtains. To each disc was a man tied on from all four limbs. White pieces of cloth stained pink from a mix of saliva and blood gagged their mouths. The final wheel presented Sieun. Terrifyingly in the same way she last saw him; eyes wide in horror, shirt stained with murder, and a deep gash that now looked almost black, on his neck. There was no squirming like the others, no groaning, just a dead body. Mercilessly impaled. Straight in his heart, mercilessly impaling him to the wheel. A familiar ruby decorated the hilt of the dagger, glinting like a snake's eye.

The sick feeling flooded Jia's senses. The well-known faces of these men brought food from days ago up her throat. No longer able to hold back, she lunged to the side, retching onto the stage. She continued to dry heave once her stomach was empty, ignoring the eyes of the audience and wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

The eyes of the man she murdered the night before, pried open with needles, struck knives into her form. Jihyun and Doyun struggled harder in the restraints upon recognising her, for the first time in their lives, profound fear painting their features.

"Jimin, you're on cleaning duty today." Mr V laughed, striding to Jia to wrench her by the scruff and pointed final wheel. "You see, I was practising my knife-throwing earlier, and I happened to damage one of our volunteers," he snickered. "Oh well— mistakes are part of the process." He presented her with a dagger, similar to the one penetrating Sieun's head, urging her to take it. "Go on, sweetheart. I have more if you fail."

Jia's hands shook uncontrollably. Time was stringent around her. She pushed the audience and the two men's pained grunts out of her earshot. All she could make out was Mr V's deadly whisper amidst the thunderous pounding of her head. It was hard to focus, incredibly when she could hardly hear the sound of her thoughts.

"Time is ticking," V sang, tilting his head. "And it's bad manners to keep the audience waiting."

"I—" Jia stammered, sensing her throat parch from the thought. "I can't do that— I'm not trained, and I'll hurt him."

"Oh, but you don't have the choice." He frowned, voice slightly hardening, yet not enough to make him lose his playful tone. "Besides, that's the point. Don't tell me you don't want to hurt this man after all the things he did to you?"

That's right. The darkest side of herself agreed, he gave me and Mum hell for years.

Impulsively, Jia wrapped her fingers around the weapon, earning a 'good girl' from the ringleader.

What next?

You murder another man?

Bloody scenes resurfaced in her head. The detrimental tornado of guilt, shame and unimaginable regret that had torn her heart apart once returned for more.

She aimed at the person she was most vengeful towards, forcing herself to recall everything he had done. The knife felt hefty in her hold.

Would Alexander be happy?

"This— please don't make me—"

It was too abrupt.

He snatched the dagger off her, and a sharp woosh resonated, followed by squeamish groans from the audience and an ear-curdling shriek.

The gag was no longer enough to muffle Jihyun's cries. The blade had cut through his right eyeball, pinning it to the board like a nail would. Sprays of blood gushed from the wound, painting his face and the surrounding area crimson. Doyun began wreathing harder in his restraints, the perspiration gathered on his forehead existed as proof of his horror.

Suddenly, her stomach didn't feel so empty anymore.

"Tch—" Mr V grimaced. "I guess I missed again."

"You psycho," Jia whispered, lips trembling. Her eyes anxiously darted around the tent, scouring for an exit. This man was crazy, and judging by the other people's reactions, no one was sane. She turned to escape his looming shadow, perceiving herself trapped under his gaze.

"Where do you think you're going?" V growled, gripping her arm.

"Let me go." She struggled in his hold, shoving his chest with her other hand.

"Play nice, sweetheart." His voice dropped octaves lower. "You're lucky that I took pity on you. It's the only reason why you're not rotting in a prison cell right now." He looked up, "Jungkook, take those two to Hwanje— you know what to do."

"I said- let me go!" Jia tried once again, attempting to yank her wrist out of his hold, but failed.

"We, my dear,—" A well-known haziness began to cloud her thinking.

No, no, no, no, no.

"—Are going to have a very long conversation, after this."

Snap

And everything went black.

════ ⋆ 🎪 ⋆ ════

Colour quickly began to seep into Jia's vision once she regained consciousness. Unlike the first time, her body was stiff and ached from the leather sofa she found herself on.

"What the hell did you get yourself into this time?" She groaned, tugging her roots out of frustration. 

Everything was freshly etched into her memory.

Sensing the nauseous waves go off in her stomach again, she stood up not wanting to fall under its restraints, although instantly regretting it after. Her vision spun as if her brain was being rattled in its skull.

"Shit." She muttered.

Moments later, once Jia confirmed she was no longer seeing two of everything, she began her search around the room.

"Where am I?"

Similar red and white striped cloth, but from the way there were several photo frames and certificates affixed. She guessed there was a wall or at least something similar behind. Bookcases— plenty of them stacked side by side, showcasing an assortment of novels, non-fictional paperbacks, more so encyclopaedias, all of which she recognised from her frequent trips to the town library. A single-person armchair, a vintage piece, was positioned next to the sofa she woke up on and a narrow coffee table in front.

There was a plaque on the wall behind a broad mahogany desk shrouded in papers of all sorts. Years working at a motel as garish as 'The Rendezvous', Jia had been accustomed to tacky decorations. A lion's head, a moose's, a bull's, a goose's; just any animal humans could draw a bead on, but never had she seen a clown's head.

To portray clowns as villains was a somewhat recurring image in cinema and literature. The aggrandisement of their makeup, hair, teeth, eyes and way of speaking was distorted and opposed to their true natures one would see at a circus. Therefore, it was unusual to see clowns pasted as the bad guys anywhere other than the TV or perhaps a Halloween store.

This clown's head, albeit, looked like it came out of Stephen King's It.

It looked like it was made to affirm every misconception people may have held against clowns from its mere killer-like appearance. Glowing red eyes, rows of razor-edged canines that curved upwards into the most sinister grin she had ever seen. Ghostly white skin that conflicted heavily with the carmine splatters decorating his nose and eyes. She took a step closer, unknown of the way its inscrutable irises followed.

Having inspected the office, Jia concluded that whoever it belonged to had a particular taste. The last time she had seen yellow paper and a typewriter was also, in the town library, belonging to an old man in his eighties, who refused to 'fall prey to the devil's advances'— technology.

Look around the place— Jia internally reminded herself. The last thing you'd expect is freaking normal.

A shiny gift box on the table caught her attention. Amongst everything in the room that was primarily dark hues and dim light bulbs, it was what majorly stood out.

Her hand momentarily hovered over it, hesitance and perhaps a slight twinge of guilt shading her judgment. Then she recalled what had happened earlier, and an unstoppable scoff escaped her lips.

"Screw this."

As her hand tugged at the ribbon, Jia froze, hearing a noise. It went away as soon as she heard it, so she sceptically continued. All four cardboard sides of the box fell, revealing another cube, except this one ebony with golden designs carved around. There was a crank on the side of metallic cogwheels tempting her to touch it. It looked mysterious.

Curiosity killed no cat, so she wrapped her fingers around the lever and began to turn.

A familiar tune began to play, breaking the silence of the room. Jia tried to put her finger on it, but the circumstances and agitation marinating around her struck her focus.

"POP GOES THE WEASEL!"

"AH— SHIT!" Jia shrieked, covering face with her hands.

A high pitched laugh echoed after her fright, causing her to bite her tongue in frustration.

I'm in a circus surrounded by psycho freaks— Why didn't I expect that?

She looked between her fingers, cursing at the soft jester toy rocking forward and back on a thick metallic spring, a jack in the box.

"I see you still haven't learned your lesson from last time," a resounding voice spoke from behind her. "Of touching other people's belongings."

Taking an angry breath, she whipped around, constructing a mask of confidence. "You— what do you want?" The sizzling trace his fingers left on her neck the night before stung, reminding her to be cautious.

"Oh?" Mr V tilted his head, amused. "You're standing in my office, sweetheart."

"I would've left years ago if you didn't knock me unconscious like that. Twice," Jia rolled her eyes. "And with whatever that red powder was."

He smirked, strolling to the desk she was standing at and placed himself in the vintage armchair. "I guess you do have a point. Have a seat, Jia." Her name sounded so sickeningly saccharine, yet inexplicably illicit, coming out of his mouth.

"Not until you tell me what you want." She refused, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sweetheart," he tutted. "May I remind you that you are in no position to be talking to me like that?" His eyes met hers. A sinister darkness fogged his gaze. "Lim Sieun must be cursing you from Hell, right?"

Jia swallowed thickly. "Just tell me what you want."

"What's the rush?" He sighed, crossing a leg over another. Mr V snapped his fingers once, and the two young boys from earlier appeared at the door. One held a tray with a teapot and cups, and the other, snacks to go alongside. "It's not like you have anyone waiting at home. Have some tea. It's mint, and it'll calm your nerves."

Narrowing her eyes, Jia shuffled to the other sofa, situating herself on the furthest end, but made no move to take the cup and saucer he was offering.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, deciding to drink it himself. He took a small sip from the beautifully painted ceramic, savouring the cooling essence in his mouth.

"Who are you?" Jia demanded, ignoring his apparent methods to mess with her mind.

Mr V frowned, muttering. "I'll have to do something about that attitude of yours. It's bound to put any audience off." He took another long sip of his tea. "Can't ever be too late for introductions though, right?"

At Jia's silence, he sighed once again.

"Not much of a talker, I see..." He cleared his throat. "My name is Kim Taehyung. For work, I go by the alias Mr V. I am a magician, a ringleader and the owner of Karnivale."

"How do you know me?" She queried next, letting his words sink in.

"Nothing worth noting," he answered, shaking his head. "Just as the nosy girl at the motel, the girl who trespassed onto clearly barricaded property and the girl who happened to do a very bad thing, once again, on my property."

The words made Jia wince.

"So you didn't know me before...the motel?"

Taehyung shook his head.

"You liar— how do you know about what happened then? What he has done to me?" It didn't make sense. Since that moment in the mirror maze, it felt like he had been taunting her at every chance for how Jihyun had ruined her life.

"Not a liar." V corrected. "I've known Jihyun for a few years now, and what he's done to earn such a reputation. I knew he had a girlfriend who had a daughter, but I wasn't aware it was you." He leaned comfortably in his armchair, after reaching for a macaroon on the table. "Not until I found him and his rat terrorising my employees and visitors."

Jia fell silent, wanting to reach for a dessert. Her stomach growled at the thought of biting into a spongy cupcake, softer than clouds and sweeter than molasses.

"Any other questions?" Taehyung inquired, peering at her distracted expression.

"Why haven't you reported me then?" The question was a thorn pricking her side, repeatedly reminding her that Taehyung had something to hold over her. "Why are you so relaxed about me killing someone? Why did you put—" she took a distressed pause. " Put his head there? Why did you throw a knife at Jihyun? Won't you get in trouble as well?"

Taehyung was silent, finding her anguish entertaining.

"Jia, Jia, Jia— what is this? Are you worried about me now?" He finally hummed, arching a brow.

"No, of course not—"

"Sweetheart," Taehyung began. The flirtatious tone resurfaced in his voice, yet nothing about his words spoke romance. "We live in a capitalist world, where people's lives run on money. Greed is part of every human's nature, and it just happens that all people of power and authority in this country rely on one thing— money." He snapped his fingers, and a silver coin appeared between his forefinger and thumb. "As long as you have money, which I happen to have a lot, even the most heinous of crimes can be hidden. But if you don't," with another snap, the coin disappeared. "You're nothing." A proud smile emerged on his face as he revealed both sides of his hand to show the absence of the coin.

"So what do you want from me?" The magician glanced up at her question, meeting her eyes. Unlike the many times so far, amusement and substantial hints of curiosity pooled within them.

He arose, illustriously like a king, and straightened his jacket and trousers. Much like when she had first seen him, his wardrobe was one of the most distinguishable things about him. A crimson satin shirt, buttoned halfway, revealing inches of firm muscle, tucked into black trousers, secured with a leather belt which displayed a golden buckle. Intricate embroidery adorned his jacket, each stitch sewn on with gold thread, labyrinth-like patterns that filled the shoulder pads but eased as they snaked down the lapels. A damask rose hooked on the left lapel, and a slim flaxen chain, coming out from behind it, draped to attach to the top of his left shoulder. This man had to be a fictional character.

Jia's eyes travelled higher, even further, along his figure. The same golden earring he wore last time embellished his ear, presenting a familiar scarlet ruby

She looked away, realising she was staring.

Taehyung grinned mischievously, taking note of her flushed cheeks, and tucked his hands into his pockets. Milliseconds of awkward hush later, he finally answered.

"I want you to be my assistant."

[ next ]

[2ohra]

Karnivale

Chapter III

Pairings: Magician Taehyung! Ring Leader Taehyung!! TaehyungxOC

Word Count: 3.7k

Genre: thriller, horrorish), revenge, slight romance

Warnings: Circus, clowns, death, gaslighting, death, implications of murder, torture, pain, audience, swearing, unconscious, punishments, abuse, implications of SA, addiction

Blurb: Is it really such a surprise that the country's richest one percent are the one's whose morals are the most defaced. The government grovels at their feet, unable to disperse the same treatment around the country, and the services of Justice turn a blind eye for a mere price. But the common people should no longer worry, for a new soul had risen. He stands as the symbol of the weak, and he does not hesitate to shoot. In his funfair home, a clandestine front, he travels around the country serving victims platters of revenge. All in his own deviant means. Besides, what fun is a simple jail sentence?

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, businesses, events and incidents in this book are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I do not own any of the BTS members or any of the kpop idols mentioned in this story. All the idols mentioned, their characteristics are fictional and are different from how they are in real life.

Authors Note: mentions of violence, and descriptions of said implied murder!! please be warned!

::masterpost::

Chapter III

Jia’s PoV ||

Jia froze, needing several seconds to absorb the sight ahead of her. Her chest was thundering too loud against her ribs, her pulse beating too angrily in her ears. Both of her feet remained glued to the floor like every inch of her body was paralysed.

Nevermore in her life had she wished for something to be a dream.

A terrible dream, a nightmare. One that would ruthlessly wake her in a cold sweat, but she’d forget about it as soon as she wrapped herself in her mother's warm embrace.

There were three men in the room. Jihyun, whom she could recognise from the way his heavy feet stomped along the corridors, and two others she had never seen before. Each man just as pudgy and piggish as the other, took turns to glare at her, faces eventually greasing over with an expression Jia recognised too well.

"Well well," the taller man mused. "Who do we have here?" He instantly narrowed his eyes when she ignored him. 

"Jia..." Her mother weakly whimpered, reeling her all of her attention. She was on the floor, at the feet of the merciless men, her body nothing less than a bag of broken bones. There was a thin stream of blood tricking down her nose, a thicker one streaming along her temple and dripping from her chin.

The sight made all the moisture residing in her body dry up with an excruciating fear.

"Mum!" She cried, rushing over to her most beloved. Jia's knees slammed onto the floor as she tried to gather her limp figure into her arms, the pain in her heart far more unbearable than the bruises blossoming on her knees. "What the hell did you do to her?" She seethed, glaring at Jihyun. The hate was more than evident in her eyes; it burned more ferociously than a thousand fires.

Jihyun looked indifferent, only sparing a small second to glance over at his 'girlfriend', before sticking a cigarette between his lips. He grunted, prodding his head in the direction of the other two people.

"You bast-" her words were cut off by her mother's frail whisper in her ear.

"Jia, my daughter," she croaked, the corners of her eyes beginning to prick with salty tears. "My beautiful princess, the pride of my heart. You know, not a day goes by when I'm not thankful to you."

You have an awful way of showing it. A part of Jia thought out loud. It had been so long since her mother had last spoken with such a loving tone that she had almost forgotten how it felt to be said sweet words. Regardless, she would never be able to forgive herself if she found herself blaming her mother for the coldness. Ever since he left, her mother was just not the same.

"Run." 

The words made Jia freeze. She failed to understand what her mother meant. Did she mean that they would both be finally leaving the hell they'd survived in so far? 

"Leave me here and go." 

The colour drained from Jia’s face.

"Mum? What do you mean? I'm not leaving you." She whispered back, harshly from the fear that her mother's words were truly what she heard. Her fingers tightened around the cardigan her mother wore, nails digging into her palms through the scratchy fabric.

"Jia," her mother breathed as softly as she could, cupping her daughter's face with shaky fingers. "You're still young, my dear. These men, they're not gonna leave me, they never planned to. Disappear from this place before they trap you too."

Jia couldn't believe what her mother was asking. However hard their lives had become, even if it meant picking up the dirtiest of jobs, she never once thought twice. Anything proved to be worth it if it meant they could survive. Her mother was the only thing she had left. "But mum-"

Just as she opened her mouth to retaliate, her hair was seized vigorously and pulled up, forcing her to stand on her trembling legs. "Darling, I asked you a question." It was the same man who spoke earlier. He dragged her closer to his face. His putrid breath fanned her cheeks causing her to twist her face in disgust.

"Let me go," Jia growled, wrapping her hands around the grip on her locks.

"Jihyun." Jia's mother cried, reaching for her hand to touch his boots. "Please, you promised you wouldn't touch her." Tears streamed down her face, mixing with her blood and trickling onto the floor.

Jihyun scoffed, coming to squat in front of her. He purposely lifted the front of his boot, the one she was touching, only to slam it on her fingers, brutally hard. Her face contorted from the pain, but she kept the scream in her throat at bay.

"I never said. wouldn't let anyone else touch her." He smirked, the corners of his lips curling up into the most sinister expression Jia had ever seen. He lifted his fingers, the one with the cigarette and neared it dangerously close to her face.

"Jihyun. Don't you dare?" Jia warned through her teeth, still struggling in the other man's hold. "I swear to God, I'll fucking-"

Jihyun laughed, cutting her off. Sardonically, he let her know how funny her words were to him, grunting as he stood up. His old knees cracked as he did so, but he paid no mind.

"Why don't you take her punishment then?" He eagerly offered, enclosing her between him and his taller friend. Jia knew his words were anything but a gentle offer, she was past regret and no longer had the choice than to catch what he threw at her. "Sieun, hold her still ."

Sieun's fingers painfully tightened around her skin, digging deep into the tender flesh, affirming the bruises and marks that would soon follow.

Jia tried to hold still as Jihyun closed up on her; her feet stood their ground as she glared back at him with a stronger intensity, keeping her eyes directly on his villainous ones. "Hey- What are you doing?- AH FUCK!" It all happened too fast. One second she was confidently anticipating his dark intentions, the next, he pulled down the collar of her shirt, ripped it just a few inches, and stamped the burning butt of the cigarette onto the smooth skin beneath her collarbone.

By now she was writhing like a fish out of water. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes at the scalding sting that spread from her chest and her teeth pierced hard onto her lips, in an attempt to confine the cries that would have spilled out of her mouth otherwise.

"No! Stop! Please let her go!" Jia's mum wailed, throwing herself onto Jihyun. She latched her arm around his and Sieun's legs, causing them both to lose balance and trip.

"Stubborn damn woman!" The third man growled, coming forward to detain Jia's mother, but it was too late for Jia had already used it as her chance to slide out of their restraints.

"RUN JIA!" She screamed, holding off the men as much as she could with her declining strength. "RUN!"

"But-"

"Live, my daughter." She breathed out, her voice falling to a mere whisper, but still coherent enough for her daughter to hear. "If not for me, do it for him. For Alexander."

Jia's legs involuntarily staggered backwards, towards the door. The pain in her chest and the shrill ringing in her ears made it hard for her to think, to differentiate between right or wrong, good or bad.

What do you think you're doing? Jia found herself questioning. Are you going to leave your mother like that?

"WHY ARE YOU WATCHING?" Jihyun hollered at the third man, the one who had been silently watching so far. His hand was wrapped around his ankle, caressing the bleeding skin that Jia's mother had torn into with her teeth. "Doyun, you useless piece of shit- go get her before she gets to the authorities."

Nodding at the older man's order, Doyun, spun around to pounce on Jia, baring his disgustingly stained teeth at her like a lion. He approached her like she was his prey, taking slow steps as his eyes raked greedily up and down her body.

Jia's eyes flickered from the man to her mother, and then the man again.

Her mother's voice buzzed in her head. Run, Jia, Run.

And so, with not a single thought in her mind, she turned around and ran. Doyun lunged for her, but he missed by a fraction, slamming into the door frame instead. He faltered, gaining his balance, before sprinting after her under Jihyun's inexorable orders once again.

════ ⋆ 🎪 ⋆ ════

Jia's legs slowed to a stop, next to a solitary alleyway, in the middle of a lonely street. She had never been to this side of town before. Ending up in the only place her legs took her, she found herself lost in the one place people swore to stay away from. Her back harshly collided against the stony wall of an abandoned building, her chest strenuously heaving up and down. Each lung burned from exhaustion and her legs trembled as she tried to keep herself standing. The pain and guilt of leaving her mother stranded, with those monsters only made it worse.

In the distance, she heard the sound of Jihyun and his friend's voices growing with each passing second and every lug of her chest. Panicked, Jia looked around for another route for escape.

Then, as if the universe had heard her helpless call, a crumpled sheet of paper rustled beside her foot, reminding her of its presence. The wind pushed it closer to her skin, almost like it spoke to her, telling her to pick it up.

Jia bent down to lift the old poster, realising it was an advertisement. One for a fair, she could tell from the pictures of a circus tent, acrobats and even a fortune teller simultaneously making up the background. Never had she heard of this carnival before, however for some reason, she found herself extremely drawn in. There was a spine-chilling clown face embossed in the centre of the page, one that rang a bell, she simply wasn't sure which one.

KARNIVALE - coming to—town this October 25th-31st

"When is this from?" Jia muttered, shaky fingers tugging the poster closer to her face. A small pool of hope rose in the pit of her stomach; today was the twenty-eighth of October. Only on a night like this, all of the streetlights were blown and she only had the glow from the moon to rely on. Suspicious, a part of her brain warned, but she shook away the thought, choosing to focus on the small waning possibility of freedom first.. "20**." She gasped, reading the minuscule numbers in the corner of the page. For a moment, she yanked her inanimate saviour to her chest like she was hugging it.

"Sieun, look over there." A voice brought her back to her senses, luckily fast enough.

Jia gave the creepy clown face a final glance before forcing the poster into the pocket of her jeans and took off in the direction of the said fun fair.

"Quick- she went that way!"

════ ⋆ 🎪 ⋆ ════

Loud circus music invaded Jia's ears the instant she crossed into the carnival grounds. Luckily, she had a few spare notes on her, which she handed to the scary-looking guards. Initially, she cursed at herself for using all of the allowances that she carried around on something so expensive, but all it took was one straightforward glimpse at the scenery around her for her to change her mind.

It looked almost...fictional, like something from a book or a movie.

She was encircled by rows of striped tents of different sizes. The pointed tops were all attached to a long string of hanging lights, masquerading the sky to the veins on a wrist. This was, no doubt, a child's dream. Jia could see her younger self begging her mother to bring her here, simply to enjoy the warm feel of the atmosphere and perhaps some warm buttery popcorn whose scent wafted past her nose .

There was a monumental carousel, decorated with the same kind of lights and on it a big sign. Children lined up with excitement right beside, excitedly awaiting their turns to experience the same kind of magic as their friends.

To her left, a haunted house just as popular, she could tell from the number of people crowded around it. It was grand, looming and ominous, all descriptions that fit well with the Halloween theme.

In the distance, a helter-skelter glinted and the sounds of children screaming in excitement blended with fear struck her ears.

In the corner of her eye, she caught the sight of another tent, however, it was barricaded by a discernable sign, 'out of order' carved into it in sharp letters.

"Fuck- I think I see her." A voice shouted from behind her, making Jia's senses perk.

Now's not the time to reconcile with your inner child. She directed, eyeing the blockaded tent. Live first, then do whatever the hell you want.

So she ran in. Uncaring of the parents and children who stared at her slightly bewildered as she animalistically tore at the wooden planks. Once there was a hole, large enough for her to crawl through, she wasted no time to embark to the other side. Her knees and palms scraped on the muddy floor, red and raw from the abuse all night long. Splinters had long made themselves welcome in her skin, pricking her flesh like a million tiny needles.

"Woah..." Jia found herself lost for a point, gazing in awe at the pristine universe that surrounded her. In all directions, she was surrounded by reflections of her figure, gaping equally as stunned back at her.

A mirror maze.

"Of all places to end up." She groaned. It would be hell trying to find a hiding place here.

A brawny black boot pushing through the hole she just crawled through forced her deeper into the maze, panic once again surging through her head.

"Ouch-" A grunt left her lips when her forehead collided with a mirror. The footsteps behind her hastened. "Shit.”

"Where are you?" Sieun chillingly sang. His voice felt like bugs—earwigs were being set loose inside her ear canals, shivers voluntarily running across her back. A shrill shriek blared in the cramped space, striking Jia like a bullet in the brain. It was undoubtedly the sound of a knife dragging deliberately along the smooth surface of the mirrors. A continuous dreadful screech, and then three deliberate raps. The uncertainty of who would notice who, who would ensnare who first made the tension thicker. Their slow movements, the air damp with silence and screams of children in the distance pushed Jia to the edge of her sanity. Her heart was pounding in her chest, so loud she feared he could notice, and a cyclone of emotions rioted in her head.

The murderously slow tapping of his shoes halted, and so did the knife.

Jia flinched, tilting her head up. Her heart dropped to her feet when she met two cavernous eyes in the reflection. The air in her throat cemented and she struggled to breathe, yet still keeping eye contact.

Mr. V?

Just as she began to doubt whether her eyes were divulging reality or not, there was a clamorous crash. Glass all around her shattered into millions of tiny crystals jerking her back to the real world. Shards fell to submission all around her, and the countenance she thought she perceived remained, only multiplying to torment her from each segment of glass littered on the floor.

"I found you."

Jia whipped her head back to see Sieun standing a few feet away from her, a murderous glint surfacing in his eye. He drew nearer to her at an unhurried and calculated pace. In the same way, a cat would enclose a mouse.

"I've waited so long for this moment," he almost moaned, stashing his dagger behind him. "That bastard Jihyun would never let us have you. He was always generous when it came to your mother but the greedy brute always wanted you for himself." The horrified expression Sieun's confession brought to her face made him grin ear to ear. "I don't know what he was saying, waiting for you to ripen first. You look pretty damn sweet to me."

"S-stay away." Jia cried, voice trembling as her eyes flicked from corner to corner in search of any means of escape. Her fingers fumbled with a somewhat dangerous-looking fragment of glass, ignoring the stranger's handsome stare still glued on it. It had to be a mirage her mind conjured out of the desperation to forget the rigour of reality.

The glass particles crunched underneath his heavy soles, implying to Jia that he was moving in her direction.

One step forward, two steps back back.

The monster approaching her hungrily licked his lips, his sinister eyes undressing her with every inch he came closer. Sieun eyed the makeshift knife Jia defended herself with. She gripped it so tightly, that thin streams of blood kissed the skin of her palm and wrists. He tilted his head, amused. "Are you going to kill me, Jia?"

Jia's stomach tightened at the way her name rolled off his lips so disgustingly. A retch embedded itself in her throat and her fingers tightened around the glass, pushing it deeper into her flesh. "Stay away." She repeated, firmer this time.

"Go for it." Sneering, Sieun laughed, pushing all of Jia's red buttons.

Generally, Jia was not an angry person. She hated getting mouthy with anyone and violence was by far out of the question. However, in the world, no matter how patient she forced herself to be, there were always going to be people who deserved to be hit by a bus. More often than not, Jia didn't mind being the one to drive the bus.

This man was making her see red. Hot crimson blood was gurgling past its boiling point in her veins.

Past the understanding of moral values, what the government deemed right and what they accused wrong, the barriers around Jia's heart and mind soared imperishably, hardening like tungsten.

The next few seconds were a blur.

He lunged, bellowing as he reached for Jia's neck.

It triggered a reaction from Jia's instincts. She was already no less than a ticking time bomb, but the sight of him attempting to belligerently seize her unleashed something hideous in her.

Her movements were much faster, and without comprehending it, a gush of cerise blood erupted, soaking everything in the tent with ruddy hues.

Sieun wobbled, dropping the dagger in his hands to clutch his ripped neck. He gurgled once, then twice, wine-coloured liquid spouting from his mouth and the deep slit across his carotid artery. A look of betrayal flashed across his pained features before he defeatedly plummeted to his knees, incoherent sounds slipping from his lips. It only took a few more seconds of agony and the final drag of breath on his lips concluded. The now corpse fell, in slow motion before Jia's eyes, twitching once or twice as the rigor mortis began to set in.

Jia was drowned in silence once again. Her breathing was unstable, lips quivering as she stared at her blood-stained fingers. The mirrors encircled the reflected images of her teetering body as if warning her with echoes of her crime.

Clap, clap, clap

"Park Jia," a voice proceeded to break the hush. "I see you've been a naughty girl."

Jia stilled. The voice made every fibre in her body scrunch up in panic. This was it, nineteen years of living. She spent every day scraping the years of her life solely to retain even the smallest quantity of comfort, only to have everything snatched away in a single night. Her mother's helpless image plagued her mind once again, then the person she had just murdered and now, the remaining years she was sure she would spend rotting in a prison cell.

Amidst the metallic stench invading her senses, an intense, musky scent tore through. Hairs on the back of her neck stood sober like soldiers. Not because she was scared but because of the familiarity that made her heart race adversely.

The person, the witness, now stood in front of her. He tutted, mocking a tone of empathy. "Look at this mess you've made." A chuckle followed right after. "One might think you were out for his blood. Don't think I remember the last time I saw a crime scene so bloody and brutal."

Jia's eyes remained on her hands, staring at the stains abiding as proof of her crimes.

"Would the court believe you if you were to say this was an act of defence?" he tilted his head, entertained by her quietness. "Or does revenge make more sense considering the damage he and a few others have done to your poor, poor mother?"

Her head shot up, eyes meeting the strangers for a brief second. Every pocket of air in her lungs filled with cement.

"Y-you're..." the words died in Jia's throat.

He ruffled his swarthy locks, scrunching his nose. "So you recognise me." He remarked, muttering when he focused on her face. "Ah- this will be such a pain to wash off." Fingers pressing lightly against her chin, the man tilted her head up to inspect her closer.

Jia felt like vaporising in his touch. Her skin sizzled and burned like coal while he was icy, like a glacier.

"Tell me, Jia," he whispered into her ear. In contrast to his skin, a heated puff of air tickled the top of her ear lobe. "What are you going to do about this?"

"I-" sudden fatigue washed over her, causing her to sway mid-sentence. Fire lightly grazed her already sensitive skin, forcing a gasp out of her lips, pushing her over the edge.

The last thing she heard was a sharp snap before she sensed herself falling into a sturdy chest. Her eyes shut, and everything went black.

[ Next ]

[2ohra]

stillwithkook;; Masterlist

author’s note: after five long years on Wattpad, four of them spent writing, publishing, unpublishing, deleting only to publish again, and writing a crap ton of drafts, I’ve migrated to tumblr 😌

Series;

karnivale, kth.

masterpost || word count: tbd (circus, thriller, revenge)

Is it really such a surprise that the country's richest one percent are the one's whose morals are the most defaced. The government grovels at their feet, unable to disperse the same treatment around the country, and the services of Justice turn a blind eye for a mere price. But the common people should no longer worry, for a new soul had risen. He stands as the symbol of the weak, and he does not hesitate to shoot. In his funfair home, a clandestine front, he travels around the country serving victims platters of revenge. All in his own deviant means. Besides, what fun is a simple jail sentence?

the rules of attraction, jjk.

coming soon!! (Romcom, psychology, enemies to lovers, contemporary romance)

Dr Jeon Jungkook, an infuriatingly charming psychologist is certain that he’s cracked the code of love, with his “ten rules of attraction”, but when a skeptical journalist takes it upon herself to expose his guide to dating as a fraud, his carefully crafted world begins to unwind.

hot'n cold, jjk

coming soon! (action romance, detectives, police)

He's an arse- utterly infuriating but she has no other choice but to comply. Two childhood frenemies turned high school sweethearts find themselves unlikely partners once again when they're assigned to track down a deserter shrouded in secrets. As they navigate a whirlwind of unexpected twists and turns, their clamorous past complicates their mission, forcing them to confront old wounds while racing against time.

[2ohra]

Karnivale

Chapter II

Pairings: Magician Taehyung! Ring Leader Taehyung!! TaehyungxOC

Word Count: 2.5k

Genre: thriller, horrorish), revenge, slight romance

Warnings: Circus, clowns, death, gaslighting, death, implications of murder, torture, pain, audience, swearing, unconscious, punishments, abuse, implications of SA, addiction

Blurb: Is it really such a surprise that the country's richest one percent are the one's whose morals are the most defaced. The government grovels at their feet, unable to disperse the same treatment around the country, and the services of Justice turn a blind eye for a mere price. But the common people should no longer worry, for a new soul had risen. He stands as the symbol of the weak, and he does not hesitate to shoot. In his funfair home, a clandestine front, he travels around the country serving victims platters of revenge. All in his own deviant means. Besides, what fun is a simple jail sentence?

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, businesses, events and incidents in this book are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I do not own any of the BTS members or any of the kpop idols mentioned in this story. All the idols mentioned, their characteristics are fictional and are different from how they are in real life.

Authors Note: chapter one may be a bit of a bore, I’m sorry guys, but I promise it gets quite interesting afterwards!! (the more I reread this, the more i begin to criticise, please forgive me if there are mistakes!!)

::masterpost::

Chapter II

Jia’s PoV ||

"Park, you're late." Jia's manager barked from the receptionist's desk, shuffling papers in his hold. There was a cigarette pinched between his lips, and his usual sunglasses were perched on the bridge of his nose. Clouds of smoke surrounded his face, hiding the displeased curve set on his features. Regardless of his accessories, the groan in his voice told her everything.

"My apologies," she bowed her head, switching her jacket to one of the motel's uniforms. She tucked the shirt into her black jeans and patted down her thighs off non-existent dust. With an irritated huff, Jia pushed her hair behind her ears and looked at her manager, hands resting on her hips. "Right. What rooms do I need to visit?"

Her manager didn't look up, "One, three, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one. Room twenty-seven is occupied. Don't go in yet. The guest asked not to be disturbed for the next three hours, and-"

The twinkling song of the wind chimes, hanging at the motel's entrance, cut his following words, causing him and Jia to glance up.

A man sauntered in.

Jia's eyes narrowed.

'The Rendezvous' was far off of the fancy hotel two streets away, with rotting floorboards and broken LED signs, but guests still only visited with a not-so-hidden agenda.

Unlike single people, the only reason couples preferred this place was because the owner guaranteed secrecy. Whatever happened in the motel stayed in the motel, which ultimately led to the arrival of more and more affluent folks and their partners.

However, it was Jia's first time seeing such a person arrive at the motel— and she was someone who had seen all kinds.

Even the way this figure stepped towards them, it was like he was announcing the world of his arrival. His vibrant and eye-catching outfit oozed with evident confidence. She scanned his figure from top to bottom, absorbing each aspect of this new man's appearance. He sported charcoal-coloured trousers with blood-red embroidery sewn at the pockets. His shirt, tucked into his trousers, was peculiar too. One side black, one side white and almost unbuttoned completely. It was enough to allow her to see the deep chisel of his torso, each muscle carefully defined like the details on a statue. A thick belt secured the shirt in its place. One that may have passed off more as a thin corset than a belt if it were not for the black, shiny buckle.

Jia's eyes travelled north, even further, along the figure of the newcomer. A single gold earring adorned his right ear, which hung below his jawline, presenting a scarlet ruby that glinted like a snake's eye. And a hat. A hat with a flat top, cylindrical shape, flat crowned and a blood red sash around it. A top hat resting lightly atop his head.

Every logical part of Jia implored her eyes to pull away from the strange man. Ogling at the guests was the last thing that would give her a pay rise, but somehow, there was something hypnotising about the air around him. It was when she met his eyes and a smirk curled onto his lips that she broke away, finally coming to her senses. She instantly averted her gaze to the desk, awkwardly clearing her throat.

"How much for a room?" The stranger rasped.

Jia swallowed hard, busying herself with a stack of Post-it notes at the receptionist's desk. She grabbed a pen and scribbled down the numbers of the rooms she had to visit, doing her best to ignore the flaming eyes, heating the side of her head.

"15,000 Won per six hours. Is that long enough?" Her manager questioned, already filling up a form.

"That would be perfect."

"For an extra 7,000 Won, we can supply you with a warm meal..." He expectantly added, tapping the end of his pen onto the table.

"Add that to the costs as well, then." The stranger sighed, handing the needed amount in cash to her manager. He filled in the necessary parts of the form and took off with a brown suitcase in his grip.

Typically, personal belongings, even the questionable ones, never bothered Jia, but a particular detail forced her to look twice. On one face of the suitcase, tattooed on like a label, was a clown face, eerily grinning at her before, that too disappeared with the owner, around the corner corner.

"Eurgh.." she shuddered, rubbing away the goosebumps that surfaced across her arms. "He gave me chills."

════ ⋆ 🎪 ⋆ ════

"Mr...." Jia paused to look at the Post-it note folded in her hand. "...V, I'm here with your meal."

A few moments of silence ticked by, but nothing happened, causing her to unsurely tilt her head.

"Mr V?" She repeated, rapping her knuckles against the door once again.

This time, she heard shuffling resonate from the other side and eventually a muffled voice called out, "Come in, the I've opened the door."

Inhaling a deep breath, one that she felt she needed very much, Jia twisted the door nob and pushed her trolley in, carefully treading each step.

Now if it were any other guest, Jia's only intentions would be to step in, serve the meal, collect any previous dishes, ask the guest if they need anything, and then leave.

With him, it felt different.

Perhaps it was because of the peculiar impression that he had made on her earlier, that Jia found herself more curious than she was allowed to be. She knew that it was unprofessional of her, but she noticed that his onyx top hat rested on the chest of drawers and beside it his case. Hef focus was drawn to his case, lying open, which showcased a set of very unusual items.

Items that at the sheer recognition of them, she sensed the thudding of her heart hastily accelerate. She was no longer thinking with her head, as her feet hurriedly led her towards the man, Mr V's belongings.

"Oh, my goodness..." Jia marvelled to herself, lifting a wavering set of fingers closer to the case. It was propped open, one side leaning against the wall to keep it standing.

The sight of the items unlocked several memories she wanted to imprisons years ago in the back of her mind.

"Daddy, what's this?" Young Jia curiously asked, lifting her fragile face and showcasing her eyes that gleamed with excitement.

"That's a wand, my dear. If you practice hard enough, you can do magic with it."

"What? No way." Her mouth dropped open, orb-like eyes growing twice their size. Even under the flickering glow of the candle they had lit, her eyes sparkled like precious jewels.

"Watch this-"

Before Jia could let out another sound, she felt two cold taps on her nose, one on her ear and an image of the tip of a wand circling before her very eyes.

The squeaky giggle that escaped her lips at that moment couldn't be halted. Her cheeks flushed rose and she leaned further into her father's embrace.

"Shhh, dear." He whispered, his voice beginning to fade from Jia's mind. "Your mother can't know."

Blank.

That was all Jia saw as the memories ruptured into shattered fragments, disappearing, to be stashed away in the dark parts of her head once again.

The mere vision made her heart pound against her rib cage and her breath accelerate with each passing second. She could hear her erratic pulse beat in her ears, drumming under her skin.

Jia hadn't felt like this in ages.

Her fingers gently hovered over the items, afraid that they might vanish in a fraction of a breath. They froze over a particular item.

'The upgraded Species Plantae; originally written by Carl Linnaeus, adapted by modern botanists'

(* this book doesn't exist)

The familiarity of the cover caused the ghost of a smile to brush over her lips, and her fingers itched to open the book and admire the pages right then and there. Just as she brought her fingers closer, to see if it was the one, her blood froze over.

"What are you doing?" She heard a voice, hardly whisper into the shell of her ear. Of course, she knew exactly who it was. "Don't you know it's rude to pry?" He questioned once again, this time his fiery breath setting goosebumps alight across the back of her ear and running down the slope of her neck.

This man, Mr V; his voice was deep, dangerous and dark. If it were a colour, it would have been the deepest shade of black. However searing his breath was against her skin, the shock of his sudden presence made every cell in her body frost with fear. This man didn't feel like good news.

"Aren't you going to answer me, little thief?" He inquired once again, letting his forefinger and middle finger teasingly walk up her arm that was firmly pressed onto the table for balance, palms going white from the pressure. His actions were slow, but nothing about them was sensual. The pace of Jia's heart increased with each step his fingers took along her bare skin, completely cementing in her chest when they stopped at her neck.

In mere seconds, he grabbed onto her hip with his other hand, roughly spinning her around to face him. His long fingers wrapped around her neck, like a noose. His grip was not tight enough to kill, but just enough for the air to voluntarily shoot out of her lungs.

Jia's shaky irises met his, face charged with the panicked impulses jumping from neurone to neurone in her brain. Unlike what she expected, a face drawn with sizzling hot fury and anger, his eyes spoke otherwise.

She felt as if she could drown in the amusement pooling in them. Flecks of curiosity were swimming deep inside and the slight raised corner of his lip as they waited in the tense silence made Jia want to stick her head in a tub of cement.

He finds this funny.

She bit her lip, scanning his face for an excuse. His dark hair was wet and dripping from the shower and his face glimmered from the drops of water on his eyebrow and his cheeks. It didn't matter how angry she felt, it was her that was at fault and frankly, she didn't have the right anyways.

Ignoring the way his eyes lingered a second too long on her lips, she cleared her throat, meeting his gaze confidently.

"I work here. I'm here with your meal; I was also looking for any rubbish, used towels, or equipment that needed to be taken back for a wash. I apologise if you felt that I was intruding." Her voice was stable for most of it, she hoped but the little crack at the end did not give her away. "Ahem." Jia coughed, suddenly reminding herself of how she was being held. "I kind of have a job to do."

The man quirked a brow, pursing his lips as he let go of Jia's neck, instead letting his hands rest on either side of the chest of drawers she was leaning on. He said nothing, just watching her, entertained.

She felt suffocated under his watchful eyes. Her internal embarrassment was shooting through the roof and she sincerely hoped that her cheeks wouldn't flush the hottest shade of red that existed as a result.

"Excuse me," hesitantly, she waved her hand in front of his eyes. "I need to go. Besides, your meal is getting cold." She pointed towards the silver trolley.

After what seemed to her like an eternity, he finally retreated, turning to reach for a smaller towel. It was then that Jia realised that he was naked, only a white towel concealing his lower half. Choosing not to stare at the lean muscles his back was made up of, she cleared her throat, deciding to leave.

"You should be more careful." Mr. V called out, pausing to lazily glance over his bare shoulder. His left eye met hers, a mischievous glint making itself known before he turns back. "Not everyone will be as understanding."

Not a single part of her body knew why, but Jia found herself sprinting out of his motel room, an unspoken curse resting on her lips. She hurriedly parked the silver trolley at the end of the lobby, before making a run for the fire exit that would lead downstairs to the reception. It no longer mattered that he was not given a meal, despite paying for one. He didn't seem like he was hungry and with the way he was carrying himself, it didn't seem like a few thousand won mattered.

"Hey- where are you going?" Her manager, hollered called from his seat.

It was crystal clear that he truly did not care because a heartbeat later, he was back to sucking on his cancer stick whilst counting, recounting, the stacks of notes at the register.

"I have to go," Jia mumbled loud enough for him to hear. "I've finished all the work, take it out of my pay tomorrow."

"You bet I will." He grumbled in return, scoffing, "leaving hours before her shift finished."

════ ⋆ 🎪 ⋆ ════

With each step Jia took closer to the place she called home, another hair rose fearfully on the back of her neck and arms. The journey home appeared longer than usual, darker than usual. Every time she placed her foot on the crunchy gravel, one step after the other, the paranoia inside her head told her hers weren't the only ones. Since she met him, there was a looming shadow cast over her heart.

That person, she carefully concluded, is very suspicious

As Jia neared the familiar rusty gate leading towards her home, she bemusedly tilted her head at the slightly alarming sight. Whenever she or her mother went out, they made sure to shut it; whenever Jihyun came as he pleased, he didn't care to shut it so the gate would remain open. It didn't matter anyway, it was a short gate, not an iron wall. However, seeing the tarnished copper thrown carelessly beside where it was supposed to be, the familiar feeling of worry flooded her senses once again and events of this evening were pushed to the back of her mind.

"Fucking bitch!" Words pounded against Jia's ears once she slowly pushed the front door open. "Give her what she deserves. Fucking slut thinks she can talk back to us, eat this you bitch." A harsh smack resonated through the house. The effects of the sound were so brutal to her crumbling heart that she felt the house, no, her entire world, quake alongside it.

Her feet took off on their own accord to where she heard the noise, saline droplets of sweat beginning to accumulate above her eyebrows and on her temples.

Huffing at the doorway of the living room, not because of exhaustion from the running, but from how rapidly her heart pumped blood around her body, Jia felt the final fragments of air knock out of her lungs, the ground silently slipping from beneath her feet.

This isn't supposed to fucking happen...

[ next ]

[2ohra]

Karnivale;; Masterpost

Pairing: Magician Taehyung! Ring Leader Taehyung!!TaehyungxOC

Word Count: TBD

Genre: thriller, horrorish), revenge, slight romance

Warnings: Circus, clowns, death, gaslighting, death, implications of murder, torture, pain, audience, swearing, unconscious, punishments, abuse, implications of SA, addiction

Blurb: Is it really such a surprise that the country's richest one percent are the one's whose morals are the most defaced. The government grovels at their feet, unable to disperse the same treatment around the country, and the services of Justice turn a blind eye for a mere price. But the common people should no longer worry, for a new soul had risen. He stands as the symbol of the weak, and he does not hesitate to shoot. In his funfair home, a clandestine front, he travels around the country serving victims platters of revenge. All in his own deviant means. Besides, what fun is a simple jail sentence?

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, businesses, events and incidents in this book are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I do not own any of the BTS members or any of the kpop idols mentioned in this story. All the idols mentioned, their characteristics are fictional and are different from how they are in real life.

Authors Note: Although I unpublished this fic a while ago, (2022, Wattpad) I could not bring myself to delete it. There are so many parts I like so much and so clearly remember how hard I worked while writing it. So enjoy of what's there and please be patient with me until I get to writing the rest!!

🎠 Chapters 🎪

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…tbd

[2ohra]

Karnivale

Chapter I

Pairing: Magician Taehyung! Ring Leader Taehyung!! TaehyungxOC

Word Count: 2.3k

Genre: thriller, horror(ish), revenge, slight romance

Warnings: Circus, clowns, death, gaslighting, death, implications of murder, torture, pain, audience, swearing, unconscious, punishments, abuse, implications of SA, addiction

Blurb: Is it really such a surprise that the country's richest one percent are the one's whose morals are the most defaced. The government grovels at their feet, unable to disperse the same treatment around the country, and the services of Justice turn a blind eye for a mere price. But the common people should no longer worry, for a new soul had risen. He stands as the symbol of the weak, and he does not hesitate to shoot. In his funfair home, a clandestine front, he travels around the country serving victims platters of revenge. All in his own deviant means. Besides, what fun is a simple jail sentence?

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, businesses, events and incidents in this book are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I do not own any of the BTS members or any of the kpop idols mentioned in this story. All the idols mentioned, their characteristics are fictional and are different from how they are in real life.

Authors Note: Although I unpublished this fic a while ago, (2022, Wattpad) I could not bring myself to delete it. There are so many parts I like so much and so clearly remember how hard I worked while writing it. So enjoy of what's there and please be patient with me until I get to writing the rest!!

::Masterpost::

Chapter I

Jia’s PoV ||

Park Jia was nothing out of the ordinary. The same as any other twenty one-year-old of her 'social class'. Her education was more or less complete, and now her only focus was maintaining her role as the sole breadwinner of her home. Although she had less than most people around her, she was never ungrateful and made the most of whatever came under her crafty fingers.

There was nothing particularly striking about Jia's appearance either, with straight black hair that fell halfway down her back and eyes the darkest shade of brown. Her figure was ordinary, her chest not particularly busty, her waist not exactly minuscule, but so was everyone else's, so it was nothing new. She never bothered to keep up with the latest beauty standards or to layer her face with much make-up either.

She couldn't afford to do that much.

Generally, she liked to use simple eyeliner, maybe some mascara and nude-coloured lipgloss. It was enough to make her feel pretty, but society thought otherwise. At most, Jia's face caught the attention of middle-aged or older men on the street, but never some modelling agency, like she occasionally daydreamed, that would recruit her and pull her out of the hellhole she had lived in her whole life.

Jia huffed out loud, pressing the tattered piece of cloth, probably an old shirt, harder onto the glass window she was cleaning. As ordinary as she considered herself to be, one thing she irrefutably did acknowledge was that she may have been the only one her age to work at a motel.

Not just any motel; a miserable yet lurid motel where every square inch of the walls harboured racy and suggestive frames. 'The Rendezvous' wasn't just any motel on the end of some lonely road in her obscure town. As the name suggested, most of its visitors saw it as a place to meet up with their lovers. It was hard for Jia to keep her disgusted facial expressions in check at the appearance of a senior man walking in with his arm around a woman hardly older than her, or vice versa. When they did, which would happen more than occasionally, she was lucky her manager would deliver a quick elbow in the rib to fix herself up.

Angry customers meant fewer customers, resulting in less profit for the motel, translating to less money going into her pocket.

You can do this. Jia cheered herself on, somehow more motivated to clean the grimy windows. What mattered the most was how full her pockets were soon to be at the end of the day.

A glimpse of a familiar face in the reflection of the dark glass made Jia pause, and she focused on the reflected image rather than turning around. A shallow gasp escaped her lips.

"Oh my God," Jia whispered, finally recognising who he was. "No way..."

It was a man. She recalled seeing him countless times on TV, but his name didn't come to mind. Not that it mattered anyway. This man was the same man who had pasted pictures of himself on every wall, hoisted banners of his face onto every lamppost, and even mailed everyone's homes in hopes that he would they would vote for him as the new mayor.

And despite all of his efforts to be better liked by the public, there he was, walking in with a young girl trailing behind him, whom Jia doubted was his wife. Pursing her lips out of a mix of anger and disgust for the beast behind her, she silently hoped that this man's wife and kids were living well without him around. She lifted the rag back up to finish the remainder of her job, but her grip on the material loosened as she analysed the poor girl's terrified expression.

Her face...

Just as Jia realised her feet inching towards the pair out of their own accord, someone called her name.

"Hey, Park." Her manager called.

"Yes?" Jia answered, freezing.

"Your shift's over." He stated, handing her a white envelope. "Make sure you're here early tomorrow. It's your turn to check up on the guests."

"Of course, thank you." She bowed. Once he stepped away, Jia quickly turned to where she was heading before, a disappointed sigh leaving her mouth when she saw that they were gone.

Maybe I was seeing things...

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"Yes, good night." Jia waved back as she headed out of the convenience store a few streets away from her house.

Lightly swinging the plastic bag in her hold forward and back, a warm feeling of excitement bubbled up in her stomach. As much as she desired to treat her dear mother to the most expensive food in their isolated town, which happened to be a failing three-star Lebanese restaurant, with her budget, she wasn't sure if it meant having a meal for the next day. So she opted for the next option, which, in her sentiment, was even better, and bought her mum her favourite pistachio ice cream.

The desserts brought a fond feeling to Jia's heart, making her smile. Memories of when she was younger and used to go out with her mother every night to buy some cheap ice cream flooded her thoughts, and she wished nothing more than to be embraced by the warmth of her home.

Opening the rickety metal gate that possessed a slim chance of protecting her home, Jia walked up the crumbling stone steps and twisted the door handle. The moment she stepped in, she encountered reverberant shouting and even, to her horror, the sound of glass shattering right after. Not even caring to take her shoes off, Jia ran towards the source of the noise, a sudden worry rising in her heart.

Everything was going so well, she thought. Why did he have to come back?

She recognised the aggressive roar. She could with her eyes closed. It was Jihyun, her mum's boyfriend.

He was a man in his early fifties, but unlike other people his age, who tried to make the most of their lives before their bones began to crack, Jihyun was set on making her and her mum's life hell.

Regrettably, her mum had been dating him for seven years, and every moment was misery for Jia. It was as if she spent those years in hell for sins she had no idea she committed. When she was younger, she could do nothing against his malicious approaches. Thankfully, since she started working, he decided to leave her alone for some reason, only terrorising her mother instead.

"What are you doing!" Jia screamed, eyes widening at the sight of her poor mother on the floor and Jihyun standing over her with an empty glass beer bottle in his hand. She looked around the unkept room, stomach-lurching at the broken fragments of glass littered all over the floor that glimmered back at her. "Get away from her!" She snarled, pulling the bottle out of Jihyun's hand, which surprisingly slid right out. Jia crouched down to comfort her shaking mother, eyes watering at the sight of a dark stream of blood trickling down her temple.

She was confused about why Jihyun wasn't saying anything and only staring at her. His silence made the air frostier. Jia felt her skin dry up under his sickening gaze. She didn't like it one bit. That man was definitely up to something.

It confused her even more when he turned around and left without a word. The only sound was the crunching of tiny glass pieces shattering under his heavy soles. A heartbeat later, the door slammed shut and rattled in its frame for seconds.

"Mum..." Jia whispered, cupping her mother's pale face in her hands. "Are you okay?"

As she waited for a reply from her, she used her sleeve to wipe off the blood stains. Her mother stuttered and hiccuped in tears, attempting to explain what happened. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep on Jia's shoulder.

Like the very people she served at the motel every day, Jia was born as a result of two irresponsible adults in a nameless relationship. She had never met her father. Her mother would always say that he wasn't in their league and that people like her should stay away from people like him. Jia understood her pain. Two decades ago, a wealthy chaebol was having the time of his life meeting other women behind his faithful wife's back. Her mum was one of them. When she found that she was pregnant with Jia, he dropped her, not having the courtesy of throwing at least some money in for his future child.

The effects of loneliness on a person were scary. She knew herself and could never bring herself to see a fault in her mother for doing so. Jihyun had been just a man Jia's mum met whilst she worked as a waitress seven years ago. With time, his presence infested their lives, silently like a plague, slowly terminating any traces of happiness present. He once filled the empty hole inside her mum's heart, but with a kind of cement that no matter how hard she hammered at it now, it refused to break.

Jia slowly moved her shoulder under the weight of her mother's head, shuffling closer to a pillow and blanket folded up in the corner of the room. It was clear that Jihyun wouldn't return until the next night, so she decided to make the most of her free time and clean before her mum woke up. Slowly laying her mum's head on the pillow, Jia draped a blanket over her body and sighed out loud. It didn't matter how often she needed to come home to the sight of her helpless mother like this. Nothing would make her get used to how Jihyun would storm into their lives like a raging tsunami every night.

Once everything was in order, she headed to the kitchen to find something to eat. Her appetite had long refused the melting ice creams in the forgotten bag in the other room, and her stomach craved something filling. Jia huffed, feeling too lazy to cook something for herself and prayed there would be something waiting in the fridge.

Please, God. Even if it's plain rice, I'll take it.

Fingers itching with anticipation, she swung the fridge door open, immediately feeling sick at the sight. Never in her life did she ever think that she would feel such crimson rage resentfully surging through her veins, hot and mixing with her blood, at simply the sight of glass beer bottles stacked on top of each other. Hate was a potent word, something Jia acknowledged, so she always used it carefully, choosing to go for 'dislike' or 'despise' instead. However, the cyclone of emotions she felt in those few seconds burned more furiously, dangerously, more blazingly than hate could ever. Her poor mother had starved the entire day under her so-called 'boyfriend's' nose.

"Relax, Jia, Relax." Jia breathed. "Don't let that man's stupid face ruin your night."

She looked around for something else, eyes lighting up when she realised the corner cupboard was slightly ajar from when she used it last.

Bingo.

Jia set a serving of the ramen in front of her mother, covering the top of the bowl with a metal plate so it stayed hot until she woke up. Her own one, she kept in its cardboard packaging and took it with her upstairs to finally indulge in some alone time.

Skipping the room she and her mother shared, Jia turned the corner and silently approached an ancient-looking door at the end of the corridor. She carefully pushed down the rusty handle, wincing when it squeaked as she hurried it open. Her mother never liked her going into the storeroom. It always made Jia curious as to why because there was not anything dangerous in it. The room was perfectly stable like the rest of the house and always the most peaceful. Even Jihyun disliked entering, so he never stepped foot in.

It was a dusty room with boxes covering almost every square inch of the creaky wooden floor. Several cartons that had been untouched for the past decade and a half were left to collect dust and cobwebs. Countless times, Jia had offered to throw out her mother's old belongings, but whenever she brought it up, her mother slipped into an uncontrollable frenzy. One that would usually conclude with a panic attack before she fell asleep. Jia reminded herself to never ask again.

Nudging a few boxes to the side, Jia lumbered to the window where there was already a blanket, and the moonlight generously poured in. She placed her pot of ramen and dug under the pillow, eyes lighting up when her fingers closed around a leather-bound book. Making herself comfortable, she leaned back on the pillow, and using the moon's gleaming glow, she flicked through the thin pages.

Although she had read every page before, excitedly memorised every word, each time she turned the cover, it was like her first. Several years ago, someone very dear to her had given her this book as a parting gift.

After that night, she offered each night of her childhood to memorise all the plant species in the world. It was a thick book, the kind that most people usually ignore in a library or bookshop, but it interested Jia so much. Every time her eyes ran across the printed words, her heart drummed with a thrilling sensation.

Five years ago exactly, when she decided what her dream job was. Only her heart knew how deeply she desired to lock herself in a room and study these creations all day, but her situation never allowed it.

Perhaps, she thought, longingly staring out of the window, in another life..

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