bryoona

[bryoona]

❛·° — brhyunmin:

a deep exhale was necessary in order for hyunmin to find the right words to explain what exactly connected him and seungjae. no time would be enough preparation for him to carefully lay out just what the other was doing for him without hyunmin taking at least the smallest possible jab at the hunter. he figured on the first encounter between witch and vampire he should sail for the most honest route. at least as long as that was possible. or necessary. “calling him an employee would already imply a fonder relationship than i am willing to admit. let’s say he does things and i happen to write him a good paycheck for it. that’s about it,” he summarized the more than uncomfortable encounters with the hunter. yoona’s own response left many question open but he decided to let her be in control of how much she wanted to share. maybe as time went on and business prospered, there would be more opportunities to dwelve into background stories. “but - sometimes you cannot choose the ones you like most but the ones who do the job best. or should be doing it best.” a flimsy hint, a parenthetical indication of past occurrences hyun would have rather avoided. but that’s what happened once you became in dire need of foot soldiers. the slightest ounce of control starts to slip.

          SHE, IN ALL HONESTY, CARED very little for other people’s business in the hopes of them, in turn, not caring much about hers. she kept her skills hidden like a layer of protection, one she hoped most people were blind to so she could have the element of surprise on her side. im hyunmin already taking somewhat of an interest in her ( or rather, what she was able to do for him ) had her suspicious, but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

yoona let out a chuckle at hyunmin’s comment on seungjae. even if she had grown rather fond of the hunter didn’t mean everyone shared her opinion — and she could respect that. «regardless, he must be somewhat of a valuable asset ?» she asked, moved more by curiosity than a wish to dig for some sort of affection found for the other from hyunmin. she knew better than to look for something that she suspected was not even there.

«seungjae is a capable hunter. if his missions ever go awry i’m afraid i might be cause for it,» she admitted, though her tone remained neutral. yoona lowered her voice even if she suspected no one in their immediate vicinity would pick up on their conversation regardless. «the targets are not always so .. cooperative. even magic runs short sometimes.»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brseungjae:

he tried not to dwell on the choices that led him down the path he was on. he knew he was still paying the price for the mistakes he made. his exile was evident of it. seungjae had never thought that the choices he would make would ultimately put him here, in this room. with a vampire witch of all people. he wonders if his parents or even his old best friend could see him now how would they react? they’d be disappointed to say the least, even the person he was a couple of years ago would sneer at him. 

when he found himself in yoona’s orbit he was just as reluctant to believe her intentions with him were anything other than pure. there were plenty of times much like this evening he had shown up bloodied and bruised at her doorstep, refusing her help out of fear that she would finish him off instead. yoona had made him tea plenty of times before, setting the glass on the table as an offering and he remembered all the times he refused until one time he could barely stand on his own feet collapsing in front of her, she offered him the remedy and he awoke the following day completely healed. 

seungjae knew perhaps it was a bit foolish of him to trust yoona, but the two of them were more alike than he cared to admit. both of them shunned by their peers for their actions. both of them forced to live in the shadows and forced only to care about a singular notion their own survival. so here he was once more, walking to the table he shrugs off his jacket wincing when the leather brushes against the deep wound on his forearm, knuckles purpled and red with bruises from punches thrown to subdue the vampire. he sits in the chair eyes cast down onto the tea watching as the steam curls up from the mug. “i’ll be fine.” he mutters its only when he sits down he realizes just how exhausted he is. “these are just scratches they should heal fine on their own.” seungjae assures her, he raises the mug to his lips taking a sip from the tea the warm liquid soothes his throat and he relaxes from the relief the beverage brings from its first few sips. 

           SHE TRULY COULD’VE HAD it all, and she knew she had wasted it in her attempt to become something she wasn’t supposed to be. she had once had a loving family, a sister who cared for her, a promising future within the vampire society, and still she had chosen solitude. it wasn’t as bad as most others might’ve classified it — she had gotten used to it quite fast, knowing this was what her eternity looked like, so different from others of her kind.

seungjae was a temporary stop in her very long timeline and she knew that. yoona supposed maybe she could’ve found comfort in that, but it was a thought that scared her — out of all her allies, she trusted seungjae the most, despite him being a former hunter and a human. her options were limited after all, and their bond went both ways: she trusted him to have her back as long as she had his. they were two broken souls merging together in hopes of forming a whole.

«can i have a look ?» the witch didn’t ask as much as insist, and before he had even had the chance to reply yoona was next to him, reaching out a hand, fingertips grazing his arm. the smell of blood hit her the second he removed his jacket, sickeningly sweet and inviting ( how she hated that part of herself ), but she swallowed it and closed the space between them anyway. this was her fault — the wounds, scratches, bruises, every unnatural color splattered on his fair skin, and for a second she felt helpless: a rare and particularly uncomfortable feeling for the witch. «oh, seungjae,» she whispered, thumb brushing over his bruise carefully, «i’m sorry.»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brhyuna:

    chaerin made hyuna fake cough into her small fist. never in her life had she experienced the weakness caused by disease. despite the fact that the physique was ailing, the decay seemed to stop after she took over the moon girl. it was a matter of not destroying the vessel she had tended for several months. despite the time elapsed, she never learned to dominate the gestures and expressions that made up hyuna in her entirety. replacing another being was impossible, in the end, she was but a tool to reach her ultimate goal.

❝my current state is not the best. i should stay home,❞ she explained, albeit a bit breathlessly, yet it was all pretend. if yoona was able to discover the truth, she did not know, and she also did not care. perhaps a spark of interest would grow in the other woman, for chaerin-hyuna was a rare creature after all, an implausible chimera. the witches she had met in the past, they all wished for comprehension of the obscure. it was in their nature to tempt unpredictable forces. in chaerin, she would find a very turbulent one.

          YEARS OF LEARNING TO JUDGE from a distance had yoona suddenly questioning the woman in front of her. as a vampire her senses were heightened, but as a witch she had learnt to recognize other people’s energy — and this was nothing like what hyuna had emitted before. something was clearly off, and whilst yoona knew it was futile for her to try and help, curiosity always seemed to win her internal battles. she needed to see, or rather understand, what was happening to hyuna: her insatiable interest for the unknown would not get rest otherwise.

«i see,» she replied neutrally, mind going a hundred miles per hour to decipher the real meaning behind hyuna’s words now. the more she spoke, the less she sounded like the girl yoona had met so many months ago. it only made her interest grow more intense. «would it be too much of a nuisance if i invited myself in ?» it wasn’t really a question as much as it was a demand, and it wasn’t like hyuna could physically stop the stronger vampire from entering regardless.

[bryoona]

wow

[bryoona]

❛·° — brhyunmin:

quite frankly, her words were refreshing. hyunmin’s nature was a generous one, he enjoyed sharing and showering people with things they couldn’t possibly attain at their own expense. maybe it was his best quality, maybe even the only good one he had. he didn’t make much of it, it naturally came along as the zeros of the number on his bank account started becoming more and more. and yet it was exhilarating to encounter someone who wasn’t immediately willing to step into his world and jump into his offered pool of invitations, gifts and favours. in his opinion, it left an open mind for clear judgement on both sides, not blinded by the need to fulfill the pressure of a materialistic give and take. “there are not many of your kind left, the simple girls. it’s a good trait to keep”, he said, giving her a nod of acknowledgement as he studied the menu and pondered whether to try something new or stick to the usual. the waiter sought their table once more with the wordlessly ordered wine and two wine glasses which quickly and elegantly found fulfillment through the red liquid. since tonight seemed to be aligned under the stars of oddity and the non-ordinary, he ventured away from his usual bloody steak and ordered the grilled mackerel. times of change had definitely arrived. the menus were collected and the two of them found themselves alone again. question, thoughts and suggestions were dashing through hyun’s mind and he would love to go like a bull at a gate but figured it was appropriate to keep business manners. instead, skilled fingers wrapped around the stem of his wine glass, raising it at eye level. “to good business”, he toasted, a short but poignant and unambiguous statement. he took a sip, glad about the familiar taste ― at least some things didn’t change. “now, i’ve got a terrible trait and it’s curiosity. so i’ve got to ask ― how did someone like you manage to make the acquaintance of someone like park seungjae?”

          FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOONA, someone living on the very outskirts of the vampiric society, people such as hyunmin were of little importance to her. people that held power in vampires’ lives held very little in hers — she had alienated herself from every last one of her kind, always letting them see exactly what she wanted them to see, and whatever else was tucked away from the public’s eye. she remained neutral in this society, the only rules applying being the ones she made for herself. the council knew better than to bother her — surely she was causing no trouble. she had little use for men like hyunmin.

and still, she found herself by his table, indulging in his company. he was everything she had expected: tall, handsome, well-mannered, charming. but for a witch like herself, those were not generally good news — he wanted something, and whilst she had a hunch about what it could be, she couldn’t be sure. so she waited it out, smiled politely, ordered chicken, and turned her full attention back on hyun. «to good business,» she echoed, the expensive wine tasting sweet against yoona’s tongue.

she had a feeling that somehow jae would appear in their conversation and at the mention of his name yoona put her glass down and leaned in somewhat, voice levelled and calm. «convenience,» she answered simply. «he knew about me and knew i could help, and i was willing to as long as he’d run some simple errands for me.» going out was not exactly as simple for her these days. at least in hyun’s presence she knew she was protected. «he’s an employee of yours, if i’m not mistaken ?»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brtaekyung:

“i am rather busy,” hunting your kind. but he’s sure she’s aware of that, with him being a hunter and all. at the mention of a project, his brow raises, suspicious. by ‘project’, did she mean experiment? “and your… council is aware of this?” he doesn’t know her status within the council. he’s heard of vampires who feel no need to answer to them, but he’s never been sure if that’s for the better. the council had its regulations—would someone not a part of that heed them? most likely not. he wonders what’s stopping her from killing him on the spot, when suddenly the vines spontaneously combust. shit— oh, wait. phew, it’s not burning him.

still eyeing her warily, he shakes his head. “i’m not much of a tea-drinker,” although it’s not exactly a lie, taekyung would’ve rejected it even if he’d been a fan. he’s not about to consume anything this… witch is offering him. he’s been finding a way out since he’d been entwined (ha), but something tells him that even if he tried to leave, something unpleasant would happen. for now, maybe it’s better to follow her inside. besides, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about the inside of her home. ignoring the nagging in the back of his head, telling him not to do this, he walks in after her.

he’s not sure what he’d expected, but again, this isn’t it. the inside doesn’t look like a diabolical torture chamber, but hey, looks can be deceiving. the little witch is a prime example of that. after the recent influx of level e vampires, he’s been even more on guard than usual, but maybe it’d be possible for him to find some answers here. “so. you do this often, abducting your own kind?” he’s careful not to touch anything, already busy mapping the place (more specficially, the exits). “not that i mind, to be honest.”

          AT THE MENTION OF THE COUNCIL, all yoona could bring herself to do was scoff. she wouldn’t grant it a proper answer, knowing they rarely gave her any thought at all — but she had connections in the council and there was little they could do to her as long as she stayed somewhat allegiant to their personal wishes. the wishes of the council as a whole were useless to her: they had never done her much good in the first place, especially not as a witch. being an outcast had its disadvantages, and standing without representation was one.

she knew the hunter would follow her inside given he had little choice, and the door swung shut behind him gently. her home remained a fairly neutral sight for the naked eye — clean and bright when the curtains were not drawn, plants keeping the atmosphere fresh. but upon a closer look her shelves were lined with bizarre ingredients and books that most people weren’t able to read, and her plants could twist themselves into deadly weapons if used right. still, yoona had no such plans for her new hunter friend. instead she beckoned him into the kitchen with a smile.

«they have their useful sides,» she admitted to his question as she prepared him the same tea she served seungjae, knowing the other human had taken a liking to it as it helped him relax. «they’re quite tough to catch without killing instantly.» her voice remained neutral, as if she wasn’t talking about her own species — in truth, she didn’t regard them as such anyway. she put down the teacup in front of the hunter, shrugging slightly. «they’re hard to stumble upon in general with how efficient you are.»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brsong:

if someone were to ask ara to describe yoona, she would quote, quite cheekily, the title of one of her favorite novels: ‘something wicked this way comes’. she’s all too aware that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. over time she’s come to realize that yoona is like a will-o’-the-wisp; leading nighttime wayfarers astray – but ara’s no stranger to wandering off course. if yoona’s interested in her illusions, there has to be a reason. self-interest, most likely. but ara’s here out of self-interest too, so. use or be used, isn’t it?

it’s with interest that she watches yoona perform what she’d affectionately call her magic tricks. she’s always wondered about her powers, but doubts she’d get a straight answer if she asked. so instead she observes, learning. holding out her hand, her palm also ignites. her flame looks as realistic as the one that’d danced in yoona’s palm, as ara had taken quite some time in perfecting her illusions. but there’s one major difference: there’s no actual heat.

if ara truly wanted to, she could show the way one’s skin burns when set ablaze. how the thin outer layers fry and begin to peel off; how it shrinks and begins to split – but what she can’t do is make them feel it. maybe she shouldn’t be fascinated by the prospect, but she is. how far can her powers go? “if you want to show me how to burn…” she starts, her head tilting to look at yoona. she’s grinning. “then teach me.”

          CURIOSITY AND HUNGER FOR POWER MELTED into one where the young witch was concerned. that had been her only motivation for actually getting into magic and leaving everything she knew behind. it was frowned upon within her society, one they all claimed was a progressive one, developing steadily: and yet yoona remained an outcast. she enjoyed the silent lone presence of only herself though, and being on the outskirts of the public had its advantages. she would make sure she was the last one standing no matter the cost.

but occasionally someone came along that even yoona wished to keep around. as a being of magic she fed off of other’s energy, and whilst it was rare there were occasions where she felt herself attracted to a certain type of it. ara had it, the one that elevated yoona’s own magic, and she sought it out like a drug. maybe it was selfish, or maybe it definitely had been selfish if she didn’t enjoy ara’s presence, but the witch’s empathy only went so far. 

«illusions are just mental images,» she started, a monologue mostly as she thought out loud. «now, i don’t have your power, but i imagine the gap between seeing and feeling doesn’t necessarily have to be so big.» it was a bold statement, but yoona knew she had the power to teach ara a trick or two. illusions in themselves were powerful — yoona had seen the oldest song have a level e vampire claw out their own throat for seemingly no reason at all. «what do you think ?» she reached out a hand, smile almost menacing.

[bryoona]

❛·° — brhyunmin:

upon first glance, hyun couldn’t decide if she was remarkable or inconspicuous. the occasion made him recall the countless tales his mother told him about witches and their unexplored abilities. half of them described the women as beguiling vixens, always seductive and armed with the dangerous gift of temptation. the other half were about rotten creatures, with crooked noses and teeth, as powerful as they were hideous. when met with the question about which version was the true one, even his all knowing mother didn’t have an answer and told him not to dwell on it. but this particular witch and her appearance told him that she was a woman who knew when to draw attention to herself and when it was best to seek cover. he appreciated the fact that she didn’t feel the need to wear a cloak of insignificance for tonight. somehow, it signified that he and his presence weren’t a threat to her, which welcomed greatly. “i’m more than glad to hear that.” he tugged on the chair opposite of the one he had just occupied, pulling it back so yoona could take a seat at the table for two. “i hope you had no trouble coming here”, he said while returning to his own seat, unbuttoning his jacket again to seat himself comfortably. a waiter was immediately by their side, passing each a menu with red velvet cover. a seemingly insignificant flick of hyun’s wrist, which could be indicated as a mere flow of nature, was the waiter’s unmistakable sign to bring them their best wine and made him disappear as quickly as he came. “please, don’t feel the need to hold back. no trouble nor expenses shall be spared”, he invited her, a simple dinner for two being the last thing that could negatively impact his bank account. in fact, there weren’t many things that could do that.

          SHE KNEW QUITE WELL THE MYSTERY she was to the majority of the vampire society. she was a cautionary tale told to children to not make them stray – a monster from nightmares, something alien and unkind. but yoona had always known exactly who she was and none of the bedtime stories were true. the fact that no one else dared to go her route only pleased her more — she had no problem holding her powers like secrets she’d never let anyone in on. she would quietly hide herself from the public eye if it meant she could be a queen in her own kingdom — one that no one else dared set foot in. nothing was quite as safe as loneliness.

she shot the man a smile at his gesture, unaccustomed to this type of behavior, but not entirely disliking it. it was new territory for her: her independent nature felt it was too extravagant, yet yoona allowed herself to bask in it for the time being. perhaps it was a game he played with all of his business partner, but the witch found herself not particularly caring — she wanted to see where the night would take them and she was willing to act like a piece on his chess board until she had figured out his intentions. «none at all,» she smiled at him politely.

«oh, i’m a simple girl, mr. im,» yoona assured him as she glanced over the menu quickly. «but i do appreciate the gesture. i seldom go out much.» not for lack of money though — yoona lived humbly but that didn’t mean she necessarily had to.

[bryoona]

❛·° — brtaekyung:

he shouldn’t be here, of that taekyung is completely aware. at least not without back-up, who have yet to arrive. but hey, when the level e vampire you’ve been following abruptly trips over seemingly nothing and is then pounced on by a tiny woman, who’s even able to carry it without breaking a sweat… well, you get curious. he’s already set foot in what looks like an incredibly bare garden, trying to secure the perimeter for when his fellow hunters arrive. everything appears to look safe— snap. shit.

within seconds, he’s been ensnared up to his waist in vines with a life of their own, and to his frustration their hold on him is so tight he’s barely able to move. this is great. obviously, the garden isn’t bare. oh, look, there’s quite a few pretty yet suspicious-looking flowers, too. taekyung’s kind of grateful for the fact no one’s here to see this; the entire hunter society would laugh right in his face if they knew he’d fallen into one of her traps so carelessly. in his defense: he has no defense. at least he’d sent them a message with his last coordinates, so they’d know where to start looking if he goes missing.

now where is this damn—oh, there she is—? uh. he’d only seen her once, vaguely and from a safe distance, but she is distinctively… well, whatever he’d imagined a crazy vampire to look like. she’s it. very evil and ugly. definitely. “i usually don’t make appointments with your kind,” he points out, drily. “but i’ll talk to your assistant, the dead vampire i saw you haul back here, when you’ll release me. how’s today in about five seconds sound?”

          NOW THIS WAS SURELY A sight: the small woman standing in front of a much taller man, entangled in a web of harmless plants. she didn’t appear as a threat to him ( though she could had she wanted to ), yet she eyed him curiously — it wasn’t often, if at all, she found herself in the presence of a hunter working for the order. it was with that curiosity present that she took a step closer to the man, hands behind her back as she all but skipped towards him.

«why ? are you in a hurry ?» she feigned a pout, obviously so, not really caring for the hunter’s reply — or his life, really. then again, that didn’t differ from her view on vampires either. life was fleeting even for the immortal, and she had no heart to feel for any of her own kind or humans: it was how she survived. «oh, well .. i can’t give you the vampire,» she explained, shrugging as she did so, «you see, i need it for a .. project of mine.» it was all the explanation she was willing to give anyone, hunter or vampire. with a simple flick of her hand, the vines stood in flames, but she was sure not to let it damage the hunter. surely enough, the plants were ashes by his feet and he stood untouched and unscathed.

«can i interest you in a cup of tea instead ?» her voice remained light, though there remained something in her tone to let him know that he really didn’t have the choice. if he was wise he would follow her inside, but if he decided he’d rather attempt to find a safe way out of her garden, he would have to stay for a while regardless. she walked away, steps light as her door swung open seemingly without her command, and she didn’t wait to see if he was following before disappearing into her home.

[bryoona]

❛·° — brhyuna:

     chaerin never got used to hyuna’s impotent body. the girl could barely command the freezing point of water in her delicacy. if she made her cross the limit, she always ran the risk of turning the vampire into dust. her strange disease served to mask the real identity controlling her mind and limbs. plus, her urgency to get better made her the perfect vessel to take over. at least she had a pretty face, just the way she liked them.

haneul and her father made sure to tell chaerin everything about hyuna. however, not much was found concerning her social life. the moon girl could not brag about having many acquaintances. her house was a golden cage that protected her from the outside world — a story she was familiar with. this is why when the knocking announced a guest, she experienced surprise. it would not be correct to ignore the person behind the door: yoona.

❝one like me judges every day in a similar way,❞ she replied in a monotone tone, using hyuna’s sheepish voice. according to the previous investigation, the sickly child had looked for a solution to her fragile health in the sorceress, but no effective result was found. hyuna found the witch interesting, then again, she usually spotted wonders in every individual she met. the perks of a self-imposed isolation, she guessed.

❝how is the weather? is it adequate for me?❞ chaerin asked her in return, out of mere politeness. it took her years of practice to learn small talk. mistakes were still a thing. yoona’s answer did not mean anything, for she would take her parasol with her in any situation.

          NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT, YOONA couldn’t admit to feeling particularly surprised when hyuna spoke. she sounded different, her choice of words strange and unfamiliar coming from such a young visage, but yoona was not one to judge based on unconventional traits in anyone else. she wasn’t exactly a textbook vampire herself. 

the witch had taken a neutral liking to the other vampire, but at the very least it was a liking nonetheless — or rather, a curiosity she sought out to clench. yoona knew she was not invincible and that there were many things she had yet to master — curing a vampire had never been on her agenda as she only cared a lukewarm amount for her own species, but hyuna had convinced her to at least try. and so she had: and failed.

she remained suspicious, but kept her countenance near expressionless as she took in hyuna’s small frame and bright eyes. she wasn’t sure if she looked better or worse, or if there had even been any transformation at all. «cloudy. the sun shouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience,» yoona replied, eyes still following the other vampire curiously. something was off — the witch seldom rested until she had answers. «are you going out ?»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brseungjae:

he hadn’t meant to barge in on yoona in the manner in which he did, his frustration with his meeting had been less than pleasant for him. yoona hadn’t deserved his displaced anger at that infuriating hwang but he was peeved to know that a mission that should have been simple had gone so horribly wrong. all of which could have been avoided had the proper precautions been taken. he knew of yoona’s capabilities he had heard of the witch even when he was still with the order. she was someone that they had told him not to trust.

seungjae never imagined he would be standing her home like this, and that the two of them would have formed a mutual alliance. he stood looking at all the shelves that housed books and vials filled with different liquids and plants, the scent of incense always burning in her home that filled his nostrils. the scent was lavender and it reminded him of her each time he smelled it. 

he had been frustrated entering and now seeing her deflate, jae felt his own anger begin to dissolve. a headache forming in the front of his head. he expels a sigh. “very well, i just… can’t have this happen again. if i have to deal with the hwangs again  i’ll take that dagger and gouge my own eyes out with it.” he speaks bluntly, never missing an opportunity to bash his boss and his bosses family. 

          HER LOYALTY, IF EXISTENT AT all, remained ambiguous. she had even left her family behind for a life spent in her own solitude, deciding that loyalty was something saved for one person, and one person only: herself. she stood alone in everything she did for a reason — or at least, she had until he had come along and become a necessity in her life. she had always been fine on her own, never craving another figure’s presence, and yet when jae had become a more permanent part of her existence right now she found she didn’t completely loathe it.

she didn’t do it just for him, of course: every act of magic was selfish before anything else, curiosity always driving yoona to wield her powers until she had bled herself dry. she’d do it again until she had burnt the last star out, and then she would move on to other galaxies — that was her insatiable hunger. still, jae’s safety was important to her not only because he was essential to her own existence, but because she found herself caring: an unwise choice that she had no say in.

«then i suppose i’d have to make sure you wouldn’t be able to,» she pointed out firmly. she walked past him, pulling out a chair by her dining table as she did so, and within the blink of an eye she had a hot cup of tea waiting for him on said table. «sit, please,» she insisted as she inspected him, head cocking to one side. «you weren’t hurt on your mission, were you ?»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brsejoo:

― was that a habit or an addiction? he couldn’t really tell. his entire life sejoo had been surrounded by vampires – his reality was one very much different from others around him. at school, he didn’t have many friends – having to commute absurd hours to the nearest school, and when he finally reached high school, he had became the mysterious guy every one wanted but that nobody seemed to get the attention.

and he didn’t mind, much. he liked that aura, he liked to be untouchable somewhere, unreachable to someone; and then he met her. 

at first, sejoo only heard stories – of some witch not so subtle,not really trying to hide her powers or rituals; and then, his best friends had told him that the vampires had a witch, and her powers were unfathomable. curiosity, as always would get the best of him – but everything inhabited the unbelievable, until he had seen her with his own two eyes. 

and then, never left her since then. 

she always warned him no to touch her stuff, so, he roamed around her room with hands behind his back, walking slowly so his head wouldn’t hit any of her herbs hanging on the ceiling. it was funny how somehow he would always end up there – as if he was pulled towards her, every time. “ so, you’re not telling me what you need from me, again? ”

 he was so used to the pull he felt whenever he was around her, that he didn’t even need to turn to see she had entered the room. “ and, is this some sort of, i don’t know? hidden message speall? how do i always know when you want me to be here? ”

                                                                                            closed ↘ @bryoona

          OUT OF ALL THE MAGIC SHE HAD performed, nothing quite compared to that which she did whenever his mundane yet strong presence was around. it was by chance that she had even noticed that this boy was of use to her, and ever since she had decided to keep him — as if it was that easy ( and when you were a witch, everything was ).

perhaps it wasn’t fair to him, and she would be lying if she said the thought hadn’t crossed her, but many things in life were unfair — she would put no shackles on her powers because of injustice, and for that she would not apologize. he was valuable to her, and to an extent the witch had come to care for the human — he was beautiful, helpful, willing, and she had decided she enjoyed the company.

it was why he was there, always a welcome presence in her humble home. one second she was standing behind him and the next she was seated on the couch in front of him. «sejoo,» she cooed lovingly, her easy smile of honey and venom all the same, «a magician never reveal their tricks.» and whilst she was more than card tricks and rabbits in hats, the premise remained the same: yoona would never reveal how many lies coated her tongue. 

it had been a simple spell whispered into his ear once and ever since that, the wind made sure to carry those words back to him no matter how far he was from her. it was a calling, a mark of sorts she supposed — he belonged to her now. she was proud of it. «am i not allowed to ask you here simply because i wanted to see you ?»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brsong:

to be honest, she doesn’t remember how they’d met. it’s as though one moment she’d never seen her before, and the next they’d become close. or at least ara thinks they are; it’s difficult to tell with yoona sometimes. but that’s her charm, isn’t it? of course she’s heard the rumors. she’s heard the warnings. yoona’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a witch; but ara’s played with fire before and realized there’s nothing to it.

the songs are neutral: she is neither here nor there when it comes to sides. thus, no one could hold it against her if she chose to fraternize with someone who, like her, is a middle. besides, yoona’s fun. she’s never without a tale, her home full of interesting objects. vials filled with different colors, all looking incredibly enticing. she wonders what’s in them, eyeing one that’s a particular odd shade of blue.

but then her attention is back on yoona, bringing her tea. her powers—? they’re a part of her, inherited from her mother. she hasn’t given them much thought lately. as a child, she’d used them often, creating imaginary friends made up of illusions. she’d never used them to inflict harm, only to distract. “an enemy?” her smile is brief amusement. “i don’t have any.” at least none that she’s aware of. she’s been a nuisance to some, but not to the extent of them wanting her gone. “what’s so fascinating about them? i’d rather be able to manipulate an element.”

          THE SONGS WERE A RESPECTED family, the girls among the more known vampires in their society. yoona had meddled little with them, the oldest being too uptight for her liking, and whilst she found the youngest fun and bright their views of the world differed to an almost enormous extent. ara, yoona had decided, was her best bet of finding out just exactly how far the power of illusions could go.

she had offered it a thought of course, that posing the suggestion of ara being able to cause harm could be a threat to yoona herself, but the witch was not concerned — there was no vampire that knew the extent of her own powers, and she had no intention of letting them know that she was more than potions and spells. she had been in the game long enough to know its rules — and long enough to break every single one of them.

«oh, but there are only so many ways to burn someone,» she explained, a flame flickering to life in the palm of her hand as she spoke. it danced there for a second or so before yoona closed her palm and opened it again to reveal only ashes. throwing the ashes absentmindedly over her shoulder, the black dirt turned into silver and vanished before it could ever hit the floor. «and you know, what hurts is never the fire; it’s the burning.»

[bryoona]

❛·° — brhyunmin:

as a businessman, hyunmin’s mind was always working. sure, he announced his occasional returns to seoul as vacation but in reality he was scoping out the environment. catching up on developments, interrogating his snitches. he had no interest in the exhausting family drama and yet wanted to be up to date. he was working, constantly. it was no different when seungjae nearly casually dropped the name bae yoona. hyun had no interest in meddling with the bae family but her merits lit up a spark in his head. he had squeezed her contacts out of the confused and yet somehow shit talking hunter and orchestrated a business dinner for the two of them. grateful that she had made space in her schedule on a friday evening he reserved a table in a high demand restaurant in seoul ( really, his assistant mentioning his name was more than enough ). one of his best suits had been popped on for the occasion, a first impression was essential. as always, hyun arrived in a timely matter, eager to have a drink prior to their first meeting and go through his mental check-list like he frequently did. preparation is key. a gentle piano accompanied the restaurant’s guests, hyun ordered a whiskey which was promptly brought. he swirled the ice cubes in his drinks and before he could even take a sip, a female figure approached the table with such determination that he could only imagine it to be his guest for the night. only now he thought this was kind of like a blind date. a blind business date. the glass was quickly put down on the table and he rose from his seat, closing the jacket of his suit in the motion. “im hyunmin”, he introduced himself with a smile like always, even though most times it was redundant to even mention his name. he extended his hand for a hand shake. “thank you for taking time to see me tonight.” / / @bryoona​

          SHE, LIKE ALL OTHER VAMPIRES, KNEW who he was, and to say she hadn’t showed the slightest sign of interest when his name was mentioned would be a lie. he was a powerful vampire, and whilst yoona knew she was no easy target herself, the prospect of having the protection of such a prominent figure in her society was enticing. she got many alluring offers in exchange for her extraordinary powers, and she took all of them as compliments — still, if it wasn’t beneficial for her, she had no interest in doing business with anyone, no matter how big their name.

hyunmin, she knew, had many things she could be interested in, and it was how she found herself draped in a short black dress that clung to her figure flatteringly. her heels created the illusion of long legs and a powerful walk when in reality she didn’t stand many feet above the ground, and she had little need to impress him — the fact that he had reached out to her told her she needed him more than she had any need of him. but the witch was seldom out in public like this, knowing her back had a target on it, and it was of the essence that she appeared somewhat intimidating. yoona was no victim — she had vowed never to live long enough to see herself become one either.

she noticed him immediately, for whilst her own identity was kept secret and few actually knew what she looked like, his existence was one in the spotlight. they differed in many ways, but yoona had a feeling they’d be able to find common ground. smiling, she took his hand and gave it a firm shake. «yoona,» she introduced herself, the bae always sounding wrong when rolled off of her own tongue — so she opted to leave it out. «pleasure’s mine. you’ve got my curiosity piqued, mr. im.»

[bryoona]

queen of legendary close-ups

[bryoona]

❛·° closed — @brhyuna.

          COMPASSION WAS NOT ONE OF yoona’s most prominent traits, but no one could accuse her of not trying. it was a world of kill or get killed, and she had never been a prey — maybe that had been why she had turned to magic in the first place, curiosity mixed with that lingering want of becoming something more than she already was. it was an obsession, and she knew the dangers of obsessions, but along the way yoona had ceased to care much for consequences at all. she knew that with every wish came a price, and her insatiable curiosity was not so easily fed.

she often failed, she knew that was only a part of her work that couldn’t be avoided, but in her search for a particular cure had she formed something akin to a liking for hyuna. it had been a while since she had last seen the younger vampire and as she was in that general area on that very day she had decided to pay her a visit. her work had been futile, hyuna’s body fighting all of yoona’s attempts, and whilst she was now deemed a lost cause in yoona’s eyes a visit could hardly hurt. 

the small vampire knocked on the door, waiting patiently for any answer even if she most likely could’ve unlocked the door and entered had she wanted to. she was nothing if not patient and polite though, and when the door opened yoona greeted with an easy smile. «sorry to swing by unannounced, i was in the neighborhood,» she explained, «i figured i’d see how you were doing.»

[bryoona]

❛·° closed — @brtaekyung.

           IT WAS A LOT LIKE FISHING. of course, yoona had never fished once in her life, but she could pretend — years had made her quite good at that. she had laid out a snare, one that was invisible by a spell she had quite recently mastered, and now she was looking into how to apply it to vampires. she would, naturally, not use herself as a subject, which was why she needed an involuntary assistant. she knew the level e vampire was close as she had deliberately lured it here, and she sat patiently waiting by the snare, playing with her hair absentmindedly.

everything had gone according to plan — the ex-human had fallen over and given yoona the amount of time she needed to hotfoot it to the vampire and inject it with a venom that wouldn’t kill it, only temporarily render it lifeless. vampiric strength made it easy for her to carry the level e vampire from the spot she had picked it up to her humble home, all the while being alert of being followed from a distance. yoona wasn’t concerned — she seldom was. having secured the perimeters of her property, she knew no unwanted guest would ever cross it.

rightly so, minutes after returning home, a groan was heard from her backyard as a human man found himself tangled in a web of vines that hadn’t been there until he had set foot onto her lawn. a snap of her fingers and she would turn it all to poison ivy, and yet she didn’t as she strode over towards him with a mischievous smile. «hello, hunter,» she chirped happily. «don’t you know you need an appointment to see me ?»