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neocityfics · 4 years

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2096: Zodiac

Chapter: Chapter 1 < ❝ Chapter 2 ❞ > Chapter 3

➥ Chapter List

Genre: Cyberpunk inspired, mafia, not-so dystopian, angst, slow-burn

Pairing: Doctor! Taeyong x Reader (featuring Jaehyun)

Warnings: Moderate cursing, mention of guns, mention of blood, alcohol

Note: I’m making Taeyong blonde in this story, I know on the story cover (?) he has hot pink hair, but I just needed a scientist-looking photo to match the doctor theme. So just ignore it lol ✌🏼

▶ Ambience

My face blanks at his question while his eyes bore into mine. To be frank, I’d been to a handful of parties in college, but they always played terrible music and the stench of booze mixed with sweat filled the musty frat house. It’s a dizzying smell and always leaves me nauseous, though sometimes it’s tolerable, rarely enjoyable, if I’m not so sober. However, I’d never gone out clubbing. Honestly speaking, the concept is a bit enticing. Letting loose your stresses and enjoying even a few hours of being yourself without judgment sounds like something I’ve been needing since I started working two jobs. Not to mention most clubs have professional DJ’s, not some random second year frat brother whose only personality trait is playing his today’s hip-hop playlist on a singular loudspeaker. In response to Taeyong’s question, I shake my head with confusion written all over my face. Without another moment, I ask him why he inquired. I expected him to demand that I throw myself into a gunfight or some other dangerous scenario in the darkest spots of town-- definitely not where the bass shakes the whole building as people jump up and down for hours on end. His approach is interesting. I say nothing, however, as words couldn’t seem to come out of my mouth at the moment. Taeyong speaks up again.

“Whatever your answer is, I have a mission for you,” he begins.”There’s a guy at the club several blocks south from here who I need parts from. It’s for the rest of Lucas’s arm,” he explains, sparing a glance at his job on Lucas. “His name is Johnny, the owner and main DJ of the place called Club Zone. Ask any of the bartenders for a Zodiac special. They’ll direct you to Johnny, and you’ll get information on when those parts will be delivered to the clinic, who he’s sending to do the job, and when the next big rave is. Just for fun.” Pushing himself off his chair, he eyes Lucas again who’s been watching him carefully. Taeyong pats the front of his pants, dust flies off and disappears into the air. “I’m not done with Lucas, not until I replace all of his limbs.”

Cruel. Those words immediately send me into disgust and fury, but I couldn’t lose my cool in front of Taeyong, not when he has a fucking gun and could pull it back out any second. My stomach feels queasy and knees weak from imagining how lifeless-looking Lucas would be if and when he completely turns into a cyborg. Hopefully, I can find a way to dig him out of this mess. For now, I try to keep my composure, a bit of surprise that my voice didn’t come out cracking and soft, “I’ll accept your mission, but on the condition that you tell me what exactly you’re planning to do with Lucas.” In response to my request, he nods, taking painfully slow steps towards me. I hold my ground, but couldn’t stop a little jump as he grabs my chin and tilts my head to the side. I lock eyes with Lucas as he appears ready to knock the lights out of Taeyong but stands there, only waiting to see what’s next. Taeyong’s warm breath grazes my ear as a hearty laugh breaks from his lips. The blood in my body seems to be rushing faster and faster as every heartbeat becomes louder in my head.

“Sure, sure. I’ll fulfill that condition right now.” He forces my face to turn the other side, the pressure of his thumb against my jawline sure to bruise some skin. “Though maybe you and robot boy over there could use a bit of a cool down. I know this is a lot to take in. Care for tea?”

▶ Ambience

There’s definitely a bruise on my jaw where he felt the need to press so hard on, my fingers poking at the spot. Taeyong boils tea and pours it into three cups from the kitchenette. He distributes them to Lucas and me, keeping one for himself. Taking a seat on the sofa across from us who share a couch, he seems to note our suspicion from our faces. This man dared to hurt me in front of my best friend, and he expects us to keep calm and drink the tea? Who knows what it’s laced with. He shakes his head, blows across the surface of the tea, and sips away. A minute passes without the other two of us moving a muscle, patiently waiting to see if something is up with the beverage. But nothing happens, and Lucas goes in. Of course, it seems Taeyong really needs Lucas for whatever reason, so it wouldn’t make sense to poison or kill him. Giving up and feeling safer seeing Lucas take it in, I hesitantly drink from my cup. The soreness becomes more apparent as I move my jaw to adjust my lips on the cup of tea. Not bad. Taeyong takes to an explanation, causing me to shift my attention from the tea back to him.

“You’re aware of the corrupt so-called government, right? We just call them the top. All those dirty leaders, bunch of nasty fuckers with no empathy.” The urge to call out the hypocrisy heightened with how he treated Lucas and me, but my mouth remains focused on the tea, ears on his words. His tone becomes stern as he continues, “There are twelve megacities, right? Every single one of them controlled by a few higher ups. Though broken up, they’re powerful as a unit and will not hesitate to team up. They’ll kick us when we’re already down.” I find it strange how he keeps using ‘us’ as if he’s one of the unfortunate people like Lucas and I who have little to nothing. I doubt he has any taste for the hopelessness that I’ve felt these past two years. Not with all the nice luxuries I see in his apartment. But again, it’s best to keep listening and not aggravate him. “But in all of those megacities, they’re not aware that there’s a collective of us distributed as gangs to keep control and gather information to overthrow the top.” Taeyong finishes off his tea, maybe a bit too fast as he coughs a bit into his elbow, and sets the cup onto the coffee table separating us. I try to cut in with a question, but he elaborates further. “I’m the one leading Neostone’s collective. You’re wondering why your good friend here is part of my work, yes? Short answer is this.” Those same dark eyes drilling a hole through me. He leans forward from his seat, clasping hands and resting his elbows on his knees. “Lucas is a prototype, basically an experiment, as part of the plan to take down the top. He’s the perfect build, very healthy. It makes things easier to work with. Lucas took my offer of a good amount of money and promotion at the clinic once this is complete.”

My jaw clenches. At this point, the screams are threatening to spill. Lucas agreed to follow through this procedure... for money and promotion? I can’t blame him. These times have been very tough on us with little money, surviving on scraps. Getting enough to pay rent every month is like walking through hell and back just to find out you’ll be close to starving for the next week. He’s even been given the opportunity to carry out practice-- as a doctor? A nurse? Lucas wasn’t able to finish his studies, so this would be a dream come true for him. But everything about this is inhumane. Taeyong doesn’t seem to have evil intentions based on his coup d'état agenda which I can somewhat get behind, but in the process, Lucas gets hurt. I raise my voice after a minute of taking things in, “So, about my mission. When do you want this done?” It’s a Saturday night which means places like bars and clubs will be fill up quickly and get rowdy. It’s currently 10:00pm.

“Club Zone really starts to become crowded at 11:00pm. At the latest, be back by 3:00am since Johnny shuts things down at 2:00am.” Taeyong circles a finger around the rim of the teacup. “Be aware of others at that place. I’ve heard horror stories from Johnny, though he tries his best to keep things calm. If I don’t hear back from you...” Lucas gulps when Taeyong stands. Though Lucas is way taller than him, Taeyong’s presence towering over us is no joke. “Lucas loses his job and can’t ever work in the clinic. That’ll be on you, sweetheart.” One corner of his lips lifts as he breathes out a soft, yet daunting laugh. He’s enjoying this, and I detest him for it. I need to talk to Lucas.

“May Lucas and I be excused for a minute? I just need to calm down, and I can’t do that with you right there.” My expression sours, and Taeyong waves us off as he leaves towards one of the rooms. Lucas and I are left alone on the couch. Silence, then a sniffle. At the sorrowful sound, I swivel my head to Lucas whose head hangs low. “Lucas. You should’ve told me all of this. Why did you take the offer when you’re only going to become... not human? We’re doing fine with money, I can take another shift and--”

He slams a fist on the table in front of us, another overwhelming silence ensues. The slight crack in his voice hurts. “Do you think there’s been a day I don’t worry about the costs of everything? Do you think I enjoy being at that damn clinic just to end up cleaning towels and disinfecting instead of applying everything I learned in college? Do you think I tolerate seeing you overwork yourself with two jobs so you can pay for yourself and a bit for me? Fuck you.” The tears in our eyes pour over the rim, hot like the tea we just had. The pain in his words struck me. I never realized he felt this way. I guess I saw him as someone who’s only happy and goofy all the time without seeing what’s truly bothering him inside. He may look and sound strong, but what he’s saying right now breaks the image that my mind latched onto. Lucas removes his hand from the table, a bit of a purplish hue forming from the contact with the hard surface. “I’m doing this not only for myself, but for you, too. You are the only one that’s given me purpose in this fucking dump of a life, and now Taeyong is allowing me a chance at what I love best and to get us out of being dirt poor. Can’t you see that? I know you care for me, but please don’t police my decisions.” He sighs and extends his arm over my upper back, pulling me into a side hug. “I can’t express how sorry I am for dragging you into this. But now that you’re here and on board, I swear to protect you. From everyone. From Taeyong.”

I don’t know what to say other than muttering sorry a hundred times as the crocodile tears soak small parts of my clothes. I wipe away the drops from eyes as soon as I hear a door click. Taeyong comes back into view, seeing the pathetic disarray that was a sobbing session. “Done? It’s 10:30pm now, better get going before you can’t push through the horde. Club Zone is popular.” This bitch, how much more insensitive can he get? Once the remaining wetness of my face becomes dry, I stand up, grabbing my things without saying anything. Taeyong’s getting on my last nerves, and I may snap if I try anything to get back at him, verbally or physically. The only thing that I can do right now is to find out the information, give it to him, and leave for home with Lucas. Do my job and go home. The two watch me leave the apartment, disappearing into the hallway with a slam of the door.

▶ Ambience, NCT Playlist for the club

So this is Club Zone. The mixture of bright purple and pink neon lights accompanied by dizzying bass make my head hurt a bit. I arrived at 10:55pm with the long line already forming. Though I feel out of place, I fall in and peer towards the front. The bouncer doesn’t seem to have any sort of list. Looks like they just let anyone in. After about fifteen minutes, I get in. Taeyong’s right-- this place is getting quite packed, people already seemingly drunk, probably from pre-game. The bass gets louder, banging against my ears, as I make my way to the bar where less people were hanging out. Everyone else is already swaying and spinning to the deafening beats. It’s hard to see anyone with how dim the club’s lights were. I seat myself at the counter on a high chair, raising a hand and giving a smile to the nearest bartender who thankfully attends to me right away. Upon asking for my request, I answer, “Zodiac special, please.” The bartender stands still for a second, examining me, then nodding and fixing a drink right away. Taeyong didn’t specify in his directions whether the bartender would immediately tell me where this Johnny person is, so I sit and wait for anything to happen. I receive the drink which is rather pretty with a light blue liquid and glowing green swirls. The bartender then slides what seems like a receipt next to my drink. They tell me not to worry and that the drink’s safe to have. Damn, no alcohol. Not sure if I’m pleased with the fact it’s non-alcoholic, but it isn’t important right now. Upon further inspection, I find a scribbled note on the back, “Tonight’s a packed night, please wait until midnight at the bar. I’ll come find you and take you to the back once I switch with another DJ.” I assume this is Johnny’s instructions which I sigh to. Shoving the piece of paper into my pocket, I check the time on my phone. It’s 11:20pm now.

Another tall figure takes a seat besides me despite the other empty seats farther away. I do my best not to make any sort of eye contact as I really don’t want trouble on my first mission. My eyes are set on doing the bare minimum and leaving as soon as it’s done. I almost choke on a sip of the drink as the person startles me with a deep voice, “What drink is that? Looks cool.” I regain a steady breath and turn to face whoever this is and... oh shit. In the little light provided by the overhead beams on the ceiling, I make out a rather handsome visage topped with fluffy, wavy dark hair. Maybe this mission will be alright. “Hello?” He tilts his head to fit onto his palm, elbow resting the table. Fuck, was I staring?

“Oh, sorry! It’s, well,” I stop for a second, realizing this drink is probably exclusive to gang members, so if he asked for one also... that may cause complications. “I just told the bartender to surprise me, to be honest.” I hope that lie is convincing enough, and it appears so as he laughs. He waves and asks for a glass of Manhattan from a bartender who seems to tense up at his presence. I continue just to enjoy the cold drink, which is the perfect amount of sweet and sour. This’ll make up for being in this stuffy space.

“Jaehyun, by the way.” I lift a brow, only slightly facing Jaehyun while my glass is attached to my lips. “I haven’t seen you before, is this your first time? Club Zone’s pretty cool compared to all the other clubs in downtown.” I nod, taking a big gulp of the drink and setting it down. Why not pass time doing something other than sitting around while I wait for Johnny?

I go along with the conversation, “You can call me [Y/N]. This is my first time here, I needed a break from work and such. Jaehyun’s a cool name.” He lets out a lively laugh and takes a few sips of his drink, and much to my dismay, the pace of my heartbeat quickens. I’m not here to flirt, but maybe just a little won’t hurt, right? And I won’t let it get too far. Besides, this Zodiac special is safe. However, this Jaehyun person pushes his own beverage towards me.

“Try it, if you’d like. Have you had one of these? This club’s got the best bartenders and drinks.” Hesitantly, I take the class and bring it closer to my nose to smell it. Well, I am at a club. With the drink in hand, I tilt my head back a bit, letting the cool sting travel down my throat. It burns a lot, a sensation that feels like new. I hand the remaining amount back to him, thanking him. “Good? You took in a lot.” Damn that eye smile and grin. It’s been a while since I’ve felt mesmerized by someone, but maybe it’s just the Manhattan hitting.

Noticing I’m facing him fully, I shift in my seat and go back to my own drink. “Yeah, I’m fine.” In reality, whatever the bartender put into glass is strong. I can feel the fuzzy feeling travel down my throat and spread throughout my body, a bit of a buzz in my head. “What about you, what brings you here?” I ask the man who looks to be inching closer to me, his shoulder almost touching mine. If he tries anything, he won’t be having a great time after I sock him somewhere sensitive. “You’re all dressed up in a suit, too, are you into business?” Jaehyun shrugs, fiddling with a now empty glass, his eyes focused on mine a little too comfortably for me.

He pulls a card with his contact information on it and hands it to me which I take gingerly, flipping it over and back a few times. “Jeong Jaehyun. Real estate. Been dealing with a lot of shit people these days. Feel free to call me whenever, for business or,” he pauses, “things not related to real estate.” He asks the bartender for another drink, a Daiquiri this time, just as another man saunters over. He pokes lightly at my shoulder.

“Hey, let’s chat in the back, shall we?” The man eyes Jaehyun, but doesn’t pay any more attention, swiftly changing his focus back onto me. “You can bring your drink with.” I nod, assuming this man is Johnny and that I’d be okay with him.

Standing up, I feel a bit dizzy, uncertain if from sitting down for so long or the drink that Jaehyun let me have some of. Johnny notices, steadying me by offering his arm which I hold onto. Before we commence our journey to wherever he’s taking me, Jaehyun nudges my side, winks at me, and says, “Have fun, you have my card.” He shoots a wide smile, his eyes trailing down my body as I walk away. Club Zone might have its perks.

▶ Ambience

Johnny and I reach the back which I assume are for private parties and, well, other private activities. The bass hits the walls hard as we enter an empty room. It’s now just Johnny and I, and though there’s less people, I can’t help but feel uneasy. We both take a seat opposite of each other, my sadly non-alcoholic drink starting to dwindle away. Beginning to sober up, I open up the discussion. “You’re Johnny, right?” Just making sure I have the right guy on my first mission, especially with Lucas on the line. I feel relief when he nods and shows me his ID card. Looks legitimate. Johnny Suh, 25 years old, from Chicago. So he was born in the western hemisphere that was destroyed back in 2094. Since I grew up there, it’s nice to meet someone else who would remember it. I wonder how he ended up here in Neostone. “Good, so Taeyong sent me to ask you about parts? I don’t know, I’m new to all of this. I don’t even know what to ask exactly.” Johnny softly chuckles at my predicament.

“Yong’s never had a messenger, he used to do everything himself. Makes me happy he’s got you to carry some work, hopefully you can adjust soon. You’re doing great so far.” His reassurance feels nice, knowing the kind of situation I’m stuck in. Johnny continues, “He can expect Lucas’s parts in a few days, probably in the middle of the week. I’m having Doyoung and Taeil deliver them directly to the clinic for the doctor dude.” I nod. Doyoung and Taeil. I have to remember these details for Taeyong. The way Johnny knows Lucas’s name makes me feel strange. How many people are in each of these gangs and how many know Lucas? They probably know him just as the prototype or cyborg which doesn’t sit right. Johnny’s then out of the blue poses a question that puzzles me. “Are you part of the Dragon Zodiac? Or from another group?” Undoubtedly, my confused face is my answer to him. “Ah, you’re some stranger then, huh. Well, Taeyong’s the leader of the Neostone Zodiac, the Dragons. They’re known for elemental manipulation.” Now hold on.

Without warning, I channel a more intense tone and volume, “For fuck’s sake, I keep learning new things each hour since I’ve met Taeyong. They can do what now?” Johnny bursts into laughter and tears, wiping them away though they seem to keep coming. He’s trying to explain, but it takes him a couple of minutes to finally recollect his composure.

“Did you go into this not knowing anything? Lord, that man cracks me up. Anyways, sorry,” he starts, still dabbing his sleeve at his reddened cheeks where laughing tears stained. “Each megacity is represented by a Zodiac. I’m sure you’ve heard about the story of the twelve animals and some race, yeah? For example, I’m not from Neostone, but I work for the Horse Zodiac based in a city in South Korea, we’re known for enhanced stamina. You know, I made it to state back in high school for track. Almost to the national stage, but I got injured. Those were good times...” This man is so talkative, and I could not take in any more information, but he keeps going on some tangent about his track and field days. So in addition to my best friend completely turning into a cyborg that I have to help out with, I’m also up against others with super powers? The more this progresses, the more I believe I’m living in a superhero comic or film. There’s no way this is all real, maybe he’s just pulling my leg. Johnny continues to detail the whole Zodiac concept. “The Dragon Zodiac is one of the special collectives. Taeyong is kind of like... a metal bender, if you think about it. But he can’t go toppling whole buildings or whatever, their power is pretty limited.”

That must be why his work with Lucas’s arm is so sleek and seamless. He’s able to supernaturally work with metal apparently, but I’m not believing Johnny’s words until I see these supposed abilities for myself. Johnny stares at me, waiting for me to say something, so I do. “Thank you, I’ll tell Taeyong this.” This is all I say. Propelling myself off the chair, Johnny provides me a bottle of water and offers to escort me out through the busy club. Nodding in approval, we take off and out of the back and into the noisiness of the Club Zone. Taking sips of water every now and then helps to recuperate from the fuzziness that Manhattan drink dealt. Speaking of Manhattan, the darkened eyes of the man from earlier lock onto mine, watching me leave with Johnny at my side with a smug smile on his face. Jaehyun stands still with his back against the wall, away from all the activity of dancing and drinking taking place where the other DJ does his job.

Johnny leans down towards me and warns me, “That’s Jaehyun. He’s the Ox Zodiac leader. Might be pretty, but don’t get caught up with him.” The comment leaves me curious, and a bit annoyed. You’re telling me that gorgeous man can’t be messed with? I’ll bring this up with Taeyong and see what kind of dirt is on Jaehyun. I quietly thank Johnny for guiding me as he lets go of my arm at the entrance of the building. He bids me safe travels and turns, seemingly eager to get back to DJ’ing. The guy seems nice, way more entertaining and easy to approach than the damn doctor. Club Zone just might be a new spot for me to frequent. Before I push through the doors to exit, I steal a glance from Jaehyun who’s still looking at me. I’m definitely coming back.

▶ Ambience

2:30am. I arrive at Taeyong’s apartment, knocking instead of breaking in. The door opens revealing the doctor who appears to have showered, the strong scent of mint pouring into the hallway and the blonde strands sticking in generous clumps to his foreheads. Kind of... cute. “I wasn’t expecting you to come back. At least, not this early.” I take it back. What a way to greet someone. He ushers me in, closing the door behind me. Looking around, I note that Lucas isn’t here, and I look at Taeyong for answers. He reads me well, reporting that he sent Lucas home around midnight to get some sleep. “Lucas didn’t seem too well, probably from lack of sleep. Very worried, like a puppy that can’t stand being away from its owner. Should let him be more often.” I hate that he’s right, but I brush off the comment and take a seat, this time on the comfier and nicer sofa. Taeyong sits across. “So, information. Spill.” Jumping on information already, not even asking if I made it back alright and everything went smoothly-- who does he think he is?

Establishing my perplexity with his attitude, I passive aggressively begin with, “I met Johnny who’s very nice compared to you and explained way more than you did, without a gun or anything.” He rubs the back of his neck which tells me he may regret all that he pulled earlier on me. Or that he doesn’t care and wants to get straight to the information. “Anyways, Do... Doyoung? Along with Taeil will be delivering the shipment sometime, possibly in the middle of, this week. Straight to clinic.” Taeyong nods with the details given to me by Johnny. Maybe I’ll stay quiet about my encounter with Jaehyun since Johnny said not to meddle with him. After I finish my piece, he ponders, his brows knitting together. Is it not enough for him? I’ve given him what he wants. I just need to get home and make sure Lucas is okay.

“Very good except... did you ask about the next rave.”

I fucking loathe him each time he opens that mouth.

“No. Because it’s not important, next. Let me go home.” My arms fold across my chest, an eye roll to top it off. Taeyong chortles at my annoyance.

He gets up, still laughing, and picks up a set of car keys from off the wall near the door. “Easy, easy. Come on, I’ll drive you back home.”

▶ Ambience

Part of me still is fuming over Taeyong’s demeanor, but I’m also thankful for him driving me back to the complex. The rain starts to hit hard against the windows. I’d rather not get soaked after an already wild and mostly upsetting night. The ride is silent for a few minutes until he breaks it. “Hey, I know we’re off to a bad start, but you’re working for me now.” Held me a gunpoint. “As your boss, I’ll be protecting you as I need someone to help divvy up my project, even just for information gathering, so you don’t need to worry about me hurting you anymore.” Bruised my jaw earlier. “All you need to do is follow my orders and you’ll be fine.” Put responsibility for Lucas’s possible promotion to be taken away on me. Aren’t doctors supposed to have compassion and be kind? Whatever his words were, they went in one ear and out the ear because I don’t want to hear him talk anymore. He pulls into a spot and parks against the sidewalk close to the complex entrance, but I needed to hear an apology from him. If we’re working together, I need him to know my boundaries and to treat me with respect. The windshield wipers are the only thing we could hear for a moment until Taeyong reaches into the back. What in the world could he be pulling out? A gun again? My heart races for a few seconds, but calms down after seeing a familiar red box with a cross on it. A medicine kit. He sets it onto his lap, opening it up to reveal the usual items that come with it. Taeyong picks up the instant ice pack, shakes it a few times waiting for it to feel cold in his hands, and hands it to me. I stare at him in disbelief. “Nice bruise.” He points to his jaw in the spot where my bruise is, and I feel at my own face to mirror him. He laughs, a painful ring in my ears to hear him mocking me. “Take care and see you at the clinic on Monday.”

Exiting the car, I hold the ice pack to my bruise, the sting of the coldness causing me to wince. You’re so pathetic, I say to myself. That wasn’t the kind of apology I wanted, if it was even one, but the tiredness is starting to take over me. Before to entering the complex, I peek over my shoulder to see Taeyong still parked, watching me head inside. Sticking my tongue out in displeasure with all he’s done, I put up a quick middle finger and rush inside. He’s probably roaring his ass off in laughter inside his car, but it’s no longer something I’ll pay mind to. My priority is Lucas.

▶ Ambience

Without hesitation, I enter Lucas’s small apartment through the door that’s ajar, and I find him twiddling his thumbs at the table with nervousness riddling his expression. Has he been waiting for me? I reposition the ice pack still on my bruise. “Hi, Lucas, sorry if you were staying up for me.” I reassure him, seeing his shoulders drop and some color rise back in his face. He raises a brow, and I know he’s about to ask about the unpleasant-looking violet blooming along my jaw. “I’m okay, he didn’t do anything else. I told him all the information and he drove me home.” He sighs in relief, stands, and opens up his arms, the good old bear hug whenever something goes down. Embracing him, the familiar sense of comfort washes over me, my lids wavering as the need to be in bed becomes stronger.

“It’s a been a long night, hasn’t it? We both should sleep in a little. Let’s go to Electric Egg later this morning for brunch. 11:30? Sicheng’s working then, too.” I sleepily nod, pushing him away a little to leave for my room. He asks another question, one that fills me with dread, “How do you feel about Taeyong?” I keep my lips shut. “He’s not a bad guy, I promise. Just give him time.” I wonder how long he’s been keeping this from me. If it’s only recent, I can feel somewhat better. If not, then this whole time, he’s been secretive about this and working with Taeyong, that evil man. Though feeling betrayed, I think I can trust him with Lucas. Since all I’m doing is gathering information, this compromise shouldn’t be difficult to carry out. Talk to people, report the details, and repeat. As long as it doesn’t involve harming others, everything will be fine.

A weak smile occupies my face, my head beginning to feel heavy in addition to the rest of me. “As long as you’re okay, I’ll be alright with him. We just have to play along with Taeyong and see what happens next. But I won’t let him hurt you, or me.” Lucas, satisfied with my answer, pushes me out the door with a loud laugh and bids me a good night. I quickly do the same before closing his door and drift over to my own room. After a quick wash and stretch, I sit at the edge of the bed and scan the crumpled paper with all of Taeyong’s information from Pearl Park. My thumbs try to smooth out the wrinkles as much as possible to make it clearer. He’s annoyingly admirable. A very intelligent doctor who’s got a charm to him, plus supposedly a superpower, and can get whatever he wants-- one of those things being my best friend-- is unfair. I look over to the now squishy, melted ice pack on my night stand. He’s not a bad guy. I want to believe Lucas. He’s been in more contact with Taeyong than I have. If he says so, then I should let it be, like Taeyong said. I turn over the document which I did not notice before, probably because I was rushing to get out of the storage room. It’s a list of what I think are names, neatly written in small cursive. Going down it, these names don’t seem familiar which I assume because the document is from an older year. Midway through the list, I abruptly freeze at a name that makes my blood stop, my body ice cold:

Jeong Jaehyun.

17 notes · View notes

ceruleanskies · 4 years

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ignore the emojis lmao the polaroid in my phone has my irl friends in it ajdjjsks also my skin looks v red because i just had a breakdown and it is 25C in my room

this was inspired by taeyong’s amazing eye look from the superm’s ‘100’ teasers i hope i did it justice!! >.<

Products used:

P. Louise Base- Shade 2

Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder- Medium

Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Sultry Palette- shade ‘dystopian’ to mark where the eyeliner went, and ‘cyborg’ on the lid

NYX’s Epic Ink Liner

Fenty Beauty’s Diamond Bomb in ‘How Many Carats?!’

NARS’ Creamy Radiant Concealer- shade ‘Medium 2/ Ginger’

Giorgio Armani’s Rouge D’Armani Matte in ‘400’

#kai talks #kai attempts makeup #don’t rb

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prettywordsyouleft · 6 years

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Becoming Human

Summary: Choi Yerin has been working for Kboys Cyborgs for the past two years. Unlike those who ring her at the customer support desk, she has never had any interest in the robots the company sold worldwide that looked like their idol counterparts. And then she met Leo, a robot deemed as faulty and yet is about to make her realise just how far she was from being human herself.

Characters: Leo (Taekwoon) from VIXX x OC. Guest starring a bunch of idols.

Genre: fluff, romance, humour, angst, personal growth, suggestive conversations

[Masterlist HERE]

Tell Me, If This Is Love

Genre: romance / mature content (18+)

Characters: Do Kyungsoo x female reader

Summary: This is a four part series with a focus on a mature relationship. This series will include: smut, mature conversations, nudity and generally anything else that goes in a mature relationship. And hopefully all done in a tasteful manner!

[Masterlist HERE]

King of Demons

Summary: every two years, the Devil himself is free to roam on Earth for one night. And during his visit he rashly took you with him back to Hell, unsure of why he had done such a thing. With your return to your homeland, you spent time trying to find a way to get back to the man you had fallen in love with.

This is the tale of the journey and sacrifice to make it towards the realm of love.

Genre: demon au / fluff / adventure / supernatural au / god au

Characters : GOT7 x multiple female reader characters (it’s not as confusing as that sounds)

[Masterlist HERE]

Beyond The Palace Walls

Summary: You had always been trapped within the palace and unable to explore anything further than the books you read. One night, with the help of your best friend, you escape the palace and find an entire world waiting for you on the outside.

Genre: royal au / fluff / adventure / self-growth

Characters: Jung Jaehyun x female reader (feat. Ten, Lucas and Taeyong)

[Masterlist HERE]

Destined (To Love You Forever)

Summary: You had craved to meet your soulmate for all of your life. But he wasn’t exactly who you had been waiting for.

** This is an ongoing series with Destined and To Love You showcasing the reader’s and Jinyoung’s POVs. The current final story Forever takes place after the first two.

Characters: Park Jinyoung x female reader ft some GOT7 members

Genre: soulmate au / angst / romance

[Masterlist HERE]

Too Good To Be Wrong

Summary: No matter how much you tried, you couldn’t resist Park Chanyeol, even if you knew it would test everything that you thought family stood for.

Genre: childhood friends & “siblings” to lovers au / romance / older woman - younger man au

Characters: Park Chanyeol x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Through His Eyes

Summary: Losing your sight after your accident was traumatic, and Jaebum’s guilt of knowing it should have been him instead creates an intricate bond between you both, as you overcome adversity and try to find your way in life again.

Genre: angst / romance

Characters: Im Jaebum x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

AIRFORCE7

Summary: Seven different stories set around the elite air force unit, known as AIRFORCE7.

Characters: GOT7 x female reader

Genre: pilot au / 1940-1950s era / romance / fluff / angst

Warnings: Due to the era it’s set in, this will contain minor war conflict in some of the stories. I will not be making the war-zone my main focus in this series however.

[Masterlist HERE]

Could You Marry Me?

Summary: Marriage was something you dreamed of reaching after falling in love with the man of your dreams. Yet the romantic in you is thrown out the window when you end up having to fake your engagement with your personal assistant.

Genre: office au / ceo x personal assistant / co-workers to lovers au / romance / fluff / fake dating

Characters: Son Hyunwoo x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

The Right Choice

Summary: You had hoped going to Korea to look after your estranged grandmother would allow you to connect in some way to your mother’s culture. However, being half-Korean and a single mother meant you would face the stigma of a narrow-minded society instead. Had you really made the right choice to come here?

Genre: single mother au / strangers to lovers au / angst / romance / self-growth

Characters: Mark Tuan x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Spiritual Connection

Summary: Ever since you were a child, you had known the five men who lived in your Grandmother’s house. What you weren’t expecting upon returning as an adult was that they would still be there - and look exactly the same.

Genre: ghost au / fluff / romance

Characters: Brian Kang / DAY6 x female reader

** The Spiritual Connection world has evolved and has several other stories in it now too. Please check the masterlist link for more on this world.**

[Masterlist HERE]

You Didn’t Let Me!

Summary: It took you three guys to realise you had been running from love all along. When you finally meet up again at a university reunion, you weren’t prepared to answer the question of who you wanted most.

Genre: romance / angst / self-growth au

Characters: Yoo Kihyun x Park Jinyoung x Lee Seunggi x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Reconciliation

Summary: You had allowed yourself to be undervalued for too long, as a business partner and lover of Im Jaebum and so you left him for good. When you crossed paths again, not all was how you imagined it to be. Could you reconcile after all the pain?

Genre: ex-lovers au / angst / romance / business au

Characters: Im Jaebum x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Down By The Lake

Summary: It was only meant to be a stolen moment between you and your lover Daehyun and ended with him framed for murdering your best friend. With the assistance of your aloof friend Inspector Bang, could you find the real culprit called The Pauper, in time to clear Daehyun’s name?

Genre: murder mystery / periodic au / horror-ish

Characters: Jung Daehyun x female reader ft. Bang Yongguk

[Masterlist HERE]

What A Tease [M]

Summary: A collective of suggestive smut stories with Got7

Genre: smut / suggestive

Characters: Got7 x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Band Sessions

Summary: The band’s studio was home to many things. Instruments and assorted sound gear, not to mention a multitude of cords running all around the place, connecting the power of Day6 to each other. But it wasn’t just music that rocked these walls. Friendships and love confessions found their way into the mix, sounding around the room and creating the memories of Day6′s youth.

Genre: band au / university au / romance / fluff

Characters: Day6 x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

10 Dates

Summary: Kim Junmyeon was the epitome of a perfect catch - he was successful, handsome and everything you currently didn’t want in a man. Yet after agreeing to his request to give him 10 dates in total to change your mind, you realised you might have been looking for someone like him all along.

Genre: dating au / romance

Characters: Kim Junmyeon x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Forsaken

Summary: As one of the Forsaken, Jinyoung had no right to covet anything as his own. When he stumbles across you standing in the middle of the village he had plundered, the memories of old make him risk it all, clutching at the past in hopes for a better future.

Genre: warrior au / star crossed lovers / angst / romance

Characters: Park Jinyoung x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

MonX Hospital

Summary: MonX Hospital is bustling with activity between patients and the health professionals who work there. This series looks at the different professions within the hospital and how they deal with personal feelings and professional ones.

Genre: romance / fluff

Characters: Monsta X x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Bloodstone

Summary: You knew all about the ring your grandmother had told you about and yet when the stone fell from it one fateful day, you weren’t truly prepared for its return, nor who it came back with.

Genre: romance / fantasy / a little angst

Characters: Kim Namjoon x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

To Be Continued

Summary: As an author, you had created Brian Kang for your current trilogy series to represent the ultimate man that everyone would love, along with Charli Evers - your female protagonist. What you hadn’t expected was for him to find a way out of the story and begin shaping up your world instead

Genre: writer au / romance / fantasy

Characters: Brian Kang x female writer (ft. Park Sungjin)

[Masterlist HERE]

The Cowboy

Summary: Leaving the city for a rural area called Blayne seemed simple enough. Your task was to convince the people to agree with selling their land for a resort redevelopment. But once there, you soon realise that your city ways are entirely different to theirs. Winning their trust was going to take some effort, and when you start to fall for a local cowboy, you wonder if you really needed Blayne more than the city life after all.

Genre: cowboy au / drama / romance / if you squint there’s some enemies to lovers up in here.

Characters: Jung Jaehyun x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Magnetic

Summary: You and Kihyun hadn’t worked as a couple. The fighting was endless, and no make-up sex could repair the damage unfolding between you. Years on, you cross paths with the man again. Will it be the same as before?

Genre: exes to lovers / angst / romance

Characters: Yoo Kihyun x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Someone Real

Summary: You had nurtured a crush on Brian Kang since high school. So, when he asks you to pretend to be his girlfriend for a family gathering, you jump at the chance and your fantasies start to come to life. However, instead of how you imagined your feelings to bloom, your new neighbour Jae shows you another path to love.

Genre: romance / fluff / angst / fake dating + fwb au / neighbours to lovers au

Characters: Jae Park / Brian Kang x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

The Caretaker

Summary: Ever since moving to this township, you had been curious about the abandoned quarry home. Everyone else saw it as a haunted and creepy house, but as an up and coming interior designer, you were entranced by the intricate details. And once you met the caretaker of the property, you were determined to find out all about the house and the man who guarded it.

Genre: romance / angst / sad-fluff / ghost au

Characters: Son Hyunwoo x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

The Trial Period

Summary: When the perfect studio space comes up, you leap at the chance to take it. Except, so has Park Jinyoung, someone you have hated for the past three years. Given three months to share the space before deciding who will claim it, can you push Jinyoung out by the end of your trial period, or will you find that the tactics you both use leads to something unexpected?

Genre: romance / suggestive / enemies to lovers au

Characters: Park Jinyoung x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Reignite

Summary: You had expected married life to be more exciting than it had become only a few years into being Mrs Byun. Deciding to work on reigniting your passion with your Baekhyun, you find along the way that being comfortable with your husband wasn’t so bad.

Genre: romance / married life au

Characters: Byun Baekhyun x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Out Of The Shadows

Summary: Singing was the only thing that kept you breathing. To Kihyun, you were too talented to step away from. And by a cruel twist of fate, because of him, you became a singer - except you only sang in the shadows.

Genre: idol au / angst / drama / romance

Characters: Yoo Kihyun x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

Conveniently Yours

Summary: You knew better than to enter a marriage of convenience with your boss’ grandson. But you wanted that senior partnership, and it wasn’t as if Jaebum was a stranger - you knew him rather intimately. It was only a year together, and then you could divorce him and achieve your biggest career goal. But would it be as simple as that?

Genre: romance / marriage of convenience

Pairing: Im Jaebum x female reader

[Masterlist HERE]

#series masterlist #prettywordsyouleft masterlist

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deukaeloveclub · 5 years

Note

If you were at SM and you had full control over the NCT concept what would be your plans for each subunit and NCT as a whole?

WOW. WHAT A QUESTION.

I don’t know if I have an exact idea but I have thought about this in the sense that I try to understand what SM is trying to do with NCT.

I think I watched a video where someone said they thought that the concept of NCT is something that SM has been working towards since Super Junior and EXO. And there were some things they said that made sense. But at the same time to me it kinda just feels like SM had two (2.1/2.3?) boy group lineups they wanted to debut but didn’t want to debut as separate groups to reduce competition? Because NCT U, 127, and Dream debuted the same year and there was no new units until wayv, which technically isn’t nct now?, in 2019. So in a sense it feels like we’ve had the same big group since 2016? If they had staggered their debuts it wouldn’t. That spiel has nothing to do with answering the question I just wanted to get that off my chest. But if SM were to really commit to their own concept.

I think I would limit the units about 7? Idk it’s not a super important thing but in theory these are all subunits and 10 people feels like too much to call a sub unit anymore?

I feel like they should give each unit more specific niche concepts to differentiate them. The alternative is to promote the individuals / group dynamics more???

Better line distribution SM trains their trainees well so might as well use them. If you’re ready to debut them, then give them lines.

No unit gets a back to back comeback. Let the units rest and give others a chance to shine

Unit interactions/collabs sometimes they group feels very separated? It does necesarily have to be anything as big as NCT 2018 but maybe like a youtube dance cover with members of dif units esp wayv because you can post their mvs on your official label channel but letting their friends and technical members talk about them is a no????

NCT U

I’d rename NCT U to NCT R or Rotate or Intro or Sleep or Waking. It’s main function would be to introduce new NCT members. Hence the possible intro name. Sleep or Waking cuz that’s part of nct’s concept and sleep is the beginning of a dream but waking up is when you start your real life. Or rotate since it’s a rotational unit. If I want a subunit larger than the number of debut ready trainees then I would rotate in members from other units, (and not just the popular members). They would probably comeback at least once a year to introduce any new members.

Since it’s a rotational unit I would want the unit to change concept and genre each comeback so that it allows new members to shine in their debut

NCT Dream

I guess I would leave this and allow it to be like an NCT U Jr. The intro group for any minor aged debut ready trainees. Put more of an emphasis on the graduation thing? Like every year have some way of signifying that they’re “moving up a year”. They’d keep doing youthful concept

This is more of a selfish thing than a business or concept thing but i would prob want to make ot7 dream a new permanent unit once they all graduate? The graduated members would just have to be rotate thru

NCT 127

I kinda want to dub them the official beat-heavy performance team? And let them continue what they’ve been doing except they’d just comeback less.

NCT Japan

I was quite surprised when 127 put out a full Japanese album bc the nct goal is to have subunits around the world and 127 is the seoul unit(their name is even based on that). With japan being so close and their already being a Japanese member I assumed there would eventually be a Japanese subunit. So I’d make one

WAYV

I will give them that it’s probably not possible to promote in the exact same way bc the relationship with China but can we at least get an official schedule? So whatever few things are happening we can know about. I would release a full version of this (and make that their core sound?) Put Winwin upfront more, he’s so wildly popular and yet it rarely gets seen? Give Kun a chance to at least work on some b sides he’s keeps talking about how he can write and even posted that video of something he wrote (I know SM isn’t as big on having their idols involved in the process but a girl can dream)

Now that I’m thinking about it I’m wondering if the point is simply to have multiple units around the world with the same concept. I’m assuming they should be different bc that’s usually how subunits work but maybe that’s not necessarily SM’s goal.

Possible concepts

NCT Crooner Unit

r&b and soul concept. Maybe this would also be rotational unit bc I need a unit where vocalists can really shine.

NCT Rap

Also rotational? One could argue that 127 is already rap centered enough but they also are doing full out dances when they perform so I’d like to see a unit where they could focus more on their rap deliveries while performing. Also Mark and Taeyong wouldn’t be allowed for at least 2 or 3 releases.

NCT Scientists/Engineers

This is more of a visual concept but I think it would be fun to really explicitly play with the technology in neo culture technology��like they could be engineers building new shit or they could like be time travelers who actually move technology forward in each era by gifting someone with technology or knowledge. They could do a cyborg concept. Actually if they incorporated technology into their lyrics it could be more than just a visual concept too. Think if Black Mirror were a music video.

NCT Culture

Same thing as the Science concept but basically with like art and fashion. Traditional Korean concept, theater concept, high fashion concept, museum v street art concept, foodie concept, etc.

To be fair to SM this is an incredibly complex concept to manage and it’s never been done before so they are making it up as they go along. Realistically not everything I mentioned is implementable and at least not immediately but there are definitely things I think they can improve on. I think that’s all my thoughts for now.

#wow #i spent hours on this #it's such a huge question #i wanna hear everyone else's thoughts now #key talks #theindividualist #ask #answered #sweet sweet moots #czennies

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alien-ct · 7 years

Text

{Intergalactic AU / Mark}

By: Admin Zar

Requested By: Anon

Jaehyun Ver. / Taeyong Ver.

Geox, located in the Riko Mors system

The planet’s known for it’s forest of gigantic mushrooms

Extensive, but deadly, cave systems

And one of the clearest skies in the galaxy

You could see every star, nebula and planet within close proximity

The ceilings of these caves were home to Urlian, small bugs that light up different shades of blue and purple, creating a galaxy effect

The caves contained rives with strong tides as well as fast and strong currents

But the land inside, was filled with rocks with green moss a top of them

This is where they would be hosting the Titania-Calypso Championship Games

Although these games were dangerous and illegal, it was still popular across the galaxy

People would travel from millions of light years away just to come and watch

And tickets where hard to get, they sold out in less than 24 hours

Luckily for you, your friend Haechan, had a friend completing in the games, So he got an extra ticket for free

There were different types of games but the top two were between Combat and Racing

Combat has two different divisions: One on One and Tag Team

Different species would fight against each other: Cyborgs, Titans, Humans, etc

There weren’t many rules in these games, so there has been cases of Death

Space Racing was more your thing

Space Racing was also dangerous due to the lack of rules in the game

Due to this people who competed had weapons installed in their space crafts to help during competition

The Space Race would be held in the caves

Fast cameras followed the race and broadcasts it on the sidelines where the audience stood

You pulled Haechan’s hand to the last two spots near the finish lines, so you could see in person who won

There were large, thick plastic sheets from ceiling to floor to protect the audience but also on these sheets, is how they broadcast the race

“So you’re friend is competing in the championships today?” You asked Haechan who sat next to you, texting someone

“Yeah, he’s pretty good at it. Kinda bad ass, I must admit.”

“Aren’t you worried? He’s pretty young to be competing in this kinda thing?”

“Y/N, Mark has been doing this his whole life. He’s a 3 time, winning Champion. Plus he has a partner who helps him. They all do.”

“Aren’t you guys best friends? Why aren’t you his partner?”

“Ah, I don’t remember you asking so many questions before. So annoying.”

You stuck your tongue out at him childishly and he did the same to you

“Remember to look out for the dark red space craft with yellow stripes,” Haechan started, “That’s Mark and Winwin”

“Ladies and Gentleman,” A robotic voice spoke loudly, “Welcome to the 65th Annual Titania-Calypso Championship! The Space Race will be starting in 1 minute. Remember refreshments are near the entrance and we hope you enjoy the show! Racers, ready?”

The screen appeared of the plastic sheilds. You show 10 space crafts floating in mid-air

They were all lined up next to each other, ready to start the race

You immediately spotted the red and yellow craft, directly in the middle of the line

“On your Mark... Get Set...”

Fire lit up the back of some crafts, showing that they ran on gasoline

“START!”

Within 30 seconds of the announcer starting the race, All of the crafts took off

Mark stood back at the finish line putting him in 10th place

But he sent off metallic looking torpedoes towards the space crafts that ran on gasoline, causing them to explode

That knocked out half of the competition

He then turned his Nebula booster up to 100%, pushing him past at least 3 other crafts, putting him in third place

You watched on the screen as the other 5 blown up space crafts starting floating against the river

The game was intense, the crafts dodged falling rocks and other people in their way

“Damn...” You spoke softly in amazement

You’ve watched space races, but ones that were completely legal with rules

This was in a completely different ball park

Another crafts bumped harshly against Mark and Winwin’s causing them to his a wall of rock

The bottom part of their craft opened up, revealing a large laser

It spouted out sparks of light

The crafts in front of them dodged left and right

But eventually they managed to knock out 2 other competitors, leaving them and 2 others

Mark’s crafts suddenly stopped floating and fell into the water

Everyone waited for them to come back up but after 1 minute, nothing happened

This caused pandemonium in the crowd

Your and Haechan’s hands latched onto each other, squeezing each other tightly

“Haechan...” Your voice wavered

You could feel your heart beating loudly

The whole crowd fell quiet

Then suddenly, right in front of your eyes, a red and yellow craft zoomed past, crossing the finish line

They finished in first place

Your shoulders fell in relief

Haechan threw his head back and let out a content sigh

“Thanks the fucking crab nebula” You both spoke in unison

Haechan pulled your arm, “C’mon let’s go”

He brought you to the back, where Mark and Winwin was waiting for him along with a few other boys you didn’t know

“MARK! OH, MARKIE” Haehan spoke loudly in a sing-song voice

The boy with large round eyes, rounded eyebrows and light brown hair that very lightly covered his eyebrows

Mark dismissed himself from the group of boy and walked over to the both of you

“Mark congratulations! I raised you well!” Haechan spoke as he ruffled his hair

“Stooop! I’m oLDER THAN YOU!”

“Time isn’t real”

You watched the cute exchange with a small smile of your face

“Oh! This is Y/N, the one I was telling you about! The one you wanted to meet!”

“HAECHA-”

“SUDDENLY I HAVE TO LEAVE! HAVE FUN YOU CRAZY KIDS!” Haechan ran off the the group of boys Mark was talking to

An awkward silence fell over the both of you

You moved your leg side to side until one of you finally decided to speak up

“That was cool- what you did back there.”

Mark began scratching the back of his neck as he spoke, “O-oh ya think?”

“Yeah! How long have you been training?”

“About 9-ish years, Jaehyun and Taeyong both trained me. I wouldn’t say I’m better than them now, but I guess I’m kinda good? right?”

“You’re a 4 time champion now, you’re amazing!”

Your comment made him smile, his cheekbones became prominent

His smile was contagious so you began to do so as well

He was such a little cutie!!

“I always wanted to do something like that, but my parents wouldn’t let me. I’m pretty good with stardust and photography though. I know a few things that could improve the power of your craft and I guess take some good pictures of it??”

He laughed at your comment

You weren’t trying to be funny, but I guess it’s pretty easy to make him laugh

“Would you like to come and look at it sometime?? And then we could grab something to eat afterwards? maybe? i don’t know, you don’t have t-”

“Like a date?”

His cheeks flushed, “Yes like a date.”

“I would be honored, 4 time champion, Mark Lee”

He smiled widely at you, glad he gave an extra ticket to Haechan

I hope you enjoyed! Request are open!

#mark lee scenarios #mark lee imagines #mark lee headcannons #nct u scenarios #nct 127 scenarios #NCT 127 reactions #nct dream scenarios

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neocityfics · 4 years

Text

2096: Zodiac

Chapter: Prologue < ❝ Chapter 1 ❞ > Chapter 2

➥ Chapter List

Genre: Cyberpunk inspired, mafia-esque, not-so dystopian, angst, slow-burn

Pairing: Doctor! Taeyong x Reader

Warnings: Moderate cursing, mention of death, vague description of surgical practice, being held at gunpoint

▶ Ambience

Pearl Park is packed with patients. Rarely do I take weekend shifts or visit on Saturdays, but a certain someone left early for additional hours at the clinic. I couldn’t help but follow him especially after yesterday’s events. The thoughts would not let go, an unpleasant growth at the back of my mind. It’s hard to know if I can trust him right now. I need more answers. Last night, he barely gave details, only rambling about how he had to wake up at ungodly hours for today. As difficult as it was, I urged him to go to bed to leave him alone. My own state of being was, and still is, disturbed by what I saw. The intricate design of circuit lines running down in strategic pathways down his arm, the broken-up metallic plates that replaced muscle, the seamless transition from a human shoulder to a mechanical limb, fingers cold to the touch. Something out of The Terminator movies.

There’s something odd about making myself wake early to get ready and coming after Lucas. Saturdays are for sleeping in, I always say to myself, a day to rest. Nevertheless, here I am slowly trailing behind him as he steers through the countless turns on the way to work. His thin light blue scrub stood out against the brown puffy jacket, making it easy to keep my distance without losing track of him. The pit began to form in stomach again. Please, let the destination be Pearl Park, nowhere bizarre. Whoever did whatever to his arm must have a reason to pick on Lucas. Granted he’s very strong and healthy, he’s the perfect candidate... for what? To become a government experiment? No, hopefully not. The top couldn’t give a damn about us, but when it comes to picking on the less fortunate to go farther with their lives in luxuries and power, they do so in under a heartbeat. If they have hearts, that is. It doesn’t make sense though, why would they want to make cyborgs? Or what if some random person just wanted to try their hand in robotics. Some grand experiment in trying to take over the world? Maybe I’ve watched too many sci-fi movies. The endless possibilities thoroughly occupied my head-- but that train of thought comes to a halt when I bump into the clinic’s entrance. Pressing a hand to my forehead and the other hand on the door handle, I steady myself. I’m already here?

Spotting the familiar scrub rounding the corner, I come close behind only to see Dr. Lee shoot a glare at Lucas. “You’re late,” the doctor’s voice raises sternly, “I expect better next time. We have important things to do later.” Later? My shoulders tense. It must mean he won’t join me for dinner with Sicheng. I wonder what kind of work Dr. Lee means. The doctor in question beckoned Lucas, in the middle of removing his coat, towards a darkened room meant for surgery. I sometimes clean equipment in that room, so it doesn’t make sense to meet in there when the clinic has designated meeting rooms. The two men walk inside and the door closes shut, and I stand there baffled. Hoping I could get by without looking suspicious, my feet slowly move closer to the room. All staff members seem busy with other things, some not sparing a glance as they rush stretchers to rooms. Thanks to that, no one questioned my actions, but it still feels risky. My body sticks tightly to the wall as I lend an ear towards the room. Taking a peek would be risky since my head would be visible and blocking light from outside, so I keep quiet and attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation, but to no avail. The bustling clinic muffles the dialogue between Lucas and Dr. Lee. Giving up, I relocate myself to the reception desk where I know they leave out a bowl of candies and chocolate for visitors. A little burst of serotonin never hurt anyone. Right?

▶ Ambience

As I work on a candy of choice in my mouth at a bench near the entrance, Lucas walks close to the reception desk and stops when he notices my presence. For a split second, his expression was shrunken in discomfort. Yet, in a flash, he paints that goofy smile to replace the former visage. “When did you get here? Did you even have breakfast? It’s not even 7:00am,” he shouts despite him standing a couple of meters away. Though embarrassing as it is to see annoyed nurses and doctors look our way, it’s nice to see his fun side come out despite the tension between us remaining thick.

“I’m just here to chat, you know, talk with some of my coworkers. See if anyone wants to hang out after their hours are done. I don’t really have anything else to do,” I lie through my teeth. I could be sleeping, but there’s too much I want to ask about your fucking cyborg arm, is the reality of my purpose here. But obviously, this is a public space, he’s working a job, and this is slowly becoming to feel like an obsession. The last thing I want is to worry about nothing, but I couldn’t help myself. Lucas is starting become more suspicious, I can’t lose him to something dangerous. Without thinking, I stare at his left arm. He’s wearing another long-sleeved shirt under his scrub to hide his arm. Realizing my intense gaze on him, Lucas takes long steps to the bench and sits down next to me, ensuring that his human arm nudged my left arm. It’s definite that he’s uncomfortable. “Sorry.” He shakes his head and lets out a hearty laugh.

A couple of pats on the top of my head remind me of my stiff posture to which I reply by relaxing. Lucas knows how to comfort others. He would’ve been a great doctor. Succeeding him clearing his throat, he softens his tone, “I’ll be at Sicheng’s tonight after my shift. I’ll only have half an hour to eat until I have to go somewhere. Tomorrow, I promise, I’ll tell you everything, but today isn’t a good time.” A pause ensues, the both of us holding our gaze at each other until Lucas breaks out in a grin again. “I’ll pay for dessert, too. My treat!” Nothing like paying for my snacks. There’s no way to win against this man and his kind heart. A short moment passes by after I scan his face. I scoff at his comment, mumbling a ‘fine’ while a laugh escapes and my smile matches his. Just as he opens his mouth as if to say more, a nurse hurries to Lucas asking him to help with getting clean water and towels for a pregnancy in one of the rooms. He leaves immediately after shooting me a gentler smile, my own quickly reciprocating it. There goes Lucas again, I think to myself. But as swiftly as Lucas left, another figure of interest comes into sight at the front desk. And here comes Dr. Lee.

On the inside, I want to trust him. From what all the nurses and staff tell me, he’s a top notch doctor from the best medical university in Seoul who decided to leave South Korea for Japan to join one of the Tokyo hospital teams. Things obviously didn’t turn out so well after 2094, and he’s stuck here in Pearl Park. He seems to be well-off, too, showing up in designer brands you’d see before the disaster. Makes you wonder how such talent ended up in the ruins. Though I feel bad for him as I do with Lucas and his crushed dream, the inexplicable hatred in me keeps expanding and it has everything to do with that damn robot arm. Since last night, it’s been taking up all the space for thought, eating away at me. I wouldn’t have woken up before 7:00am and walked all the way to the clinic if this never happened. Nevertheless, the surreal circumstances in front of me are reality. I suppose now’s my chance to wring out any more information of Dr. Lee since my Saturday schedule is free of activity. It might be best to avoid Lucas for answers given how he dodges my questions regardless of the well-known fact that my curiosity is ultra strong. The first thing to pop up in my brainstorm is the document storage room on the second floor. As an employee of a not so high-end clinic, it’ll be easy to get in. Staff won’t question me going through the second floor and security’s a joke. Of course, there are possibilities of getting caught especially trying to read classified or private information, but it’s worth the risk if I can start to understand Lucas’s situation.

I take to the staircase leading up to the second level, a quick minute up to another floor busy with patients. Today, it seems a lot of them have either a cold or a broken bone, judging by swarm of people by the x-ray room accompanied by the continuous symphony of sneezing and sniffling. Eyeing the room at the end of the hall and taking in a long breath in, I casually make way to the door, weaving through nurses pushing wheeled beds. This hallway is long, I tell myself as clinic members make beelines toward their next destinations and form a difficult sea. Before reaching the door, I peak over my shoulder at the other employees. No one seems to be suspicious, and no Dr. Lee anywhere. Perfect, too perfect. A sign next to the door reads “Staff Only,” making me feel better about what I’m doing. Assistants are considered staff, right? The musty smell of old papers and cigarettes of the room cause me to cough a little. I wonder where to even start when there’s hundreds of files stored in here. It could take all day to thumb through all of these files. Luckily for me, the file cabinets are labeled with categories, albeit some oddly named like pets. I don’t think we have a veterinarian sector or have partnership with one. After a few minutes scanning all the potential cabinets, one catches my eye. Medical staff, the label reads. Dr. Lee’s file must be in there, and to my delight, he was indeed part of the records.

▶ Ambience

With a small gulp, I pull out the bulky, tattered folder as the other files begin to expand and fill the now empty space in the cabinet. Curiosity leads my widened eyes to glide across this important folder containing a book of history and records for each staff member. Confidential. Maybe I’m in here, and Lucas, too, except this seems to be an older record. We probably didn’t make the cut because it only contains Pearl Park medical staff that have been serving for a long time, from before the disaster, in this folder. Flipping to a table of contents on the inside of the cover, I search for Dr. Lee’s name under Orthopaedic Surgeons towards the back of the pages. That’s definitely him from 2093, a year before the disaster. Handsome, frankly, but ugly for what I assume he’s doing to Lucas. With all fibers of my being, I swear this man is my enemy. Realizing I’ve been holding in my breath for a while, I let out some air and try to release the tightness in my muscles. I continue reading.

Lee Taeyong. Born July 1st, 2071-- he’s the around the same age as me at 25 years old. Graduated from an international high school in 2087. Graduated from a top Seoul university with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences in 2092. So he was done with high school at 16 and university at 21. Started Pearl Park 2093 as a starting job, and of course he still works here due to the disaster. Quite a remarkable career especially having an average of 426 surgeries a year since he started at this clinic. Absolutely phenomenal... that’s at least a thousand surgeries so far, depending on how 2094 impacted his work. Though so young, he certainly has the experience and professionalism to perform surgeries that could’ve been life or death. So perhaps he really is a force to be reckoned with, not some random scientist who just wants to fool around with an experiment. Especially with human life. With this information at hand, there must be a reason behind turning Lucas into some type of mechanical entity. Scrunching my face as my thoughts go into overdrive, I try to come up with a conjecture on this man’s motives. Do I go the route of the worst or the best case scenario? My session of attempted reasoning suddenly ceases as a booming voice hits against the door of the room. I’m not sure what he’s saying, but I burst into action as I rip out Dr. Lee’s page, shove the folder back into the cabinet sloppily, and hide myself behind a tall cabinet away from the door. At the sound of a loud click, I still my whole body, frozen as I listen for any more noise. The door seems to close behind the person with a loud thud. Instant recognition. The person’s voice is, with no doubt, Dr. Lee.

“Why don’t they clean this piece of shit room up, it’s a fucking dump in here... Let’s see.” The opening and closing file cabinets, shuffling papers, and soft, incoherent mumbling permeates the room. No more than a few minutes and he leaves. Before I move from my position, I puff my cheeks and push out the air from holding my breath again for what felt like eternity. Making sure for another thirty seconds that absolutely no one is there, I come away from my hiding spot and examine the medical staff’s cabinet. There’s one more thing that should be checked-- if my file and Lucas’s are in there. If we do have a record and his is missing, this could be an issue and a surefire sign I can’t trust Dr. Lee. Leafing through the files again, to my surprise, there is an updated 2095 folder towards the back of the cabinet for newer medical staff. Pearl Park isn’t considered a big professional clinic to come to. It’s dingy at best, so this comes a bit of a shock. I’d been expecting no records after the disaster as the clinic is critically understaffed. Teeth grasp at my bottom lip, my hands hovering over the binder cover. Here we go. After turning many, many pages, I find the Assistants page and see our names. My file doesn’t look like much as it contains basic information, when my shifts are, and the duties I originally had appointed to me when I started working. According to the list of all employee names, Lucas should be in here, supposedly a few pages after mine. Wong Yukhei. However, there is only remnants of paper stuck to the binder’s rings

Dr. Lee ripped his page out.

▶ Ambience

It feels strange to act like everything’s normal. Here I am, sitting next to Sicheng and Lucas as we make fun of pissy customers at Electric Egg and laughing ourselves silly. While our outside conversation makes me feel a little more at ease, the fact that Lucas’s information could be used for no good is begging to be released from my thoughts. I want to spill so much at this very moment with Lucas right here, but dragging Sicheng into this mess isn’t necessary. I’ll have to wait until dinner is done. Lucas distributes his tea eggs between the three of us, and we devour them before he has to leave for, well, whatever he needs to go to. Now’s my chance. As Lucas stands, I raise my voice, “I’ll stay behind with Sicheng for a bit. Come back home safely.” He beams at my comment, patting me on the back to comfort me. Without another word, he heads out of the street, turning the corner as Sicheng and I watch his shape slowly disappear. Sicheng taps me on the hand to get me to stop spacing out.

Sicheng takes on a soothing tone as he expresses his concern, “You sure you’re okay? You’ve been spacing out randomly...” Through the slightly sweaty bangs from cooking all day, I take in his worried face. Tilting his head after a moment of no response, he sighs. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but you’re not this quiet with us. You can tell me what’s wrong.” I nod, my eyes holding their focus on the table where the last tea egg lies.

“I can’t tell you anything more than except...” I delay the rest of what I want to say, I wasn’t without doubt if I should even bring up the conundrum. But alas, the bottled up information in me needed some form of freedom from my system. I decide it may be alright to let him know what’s happening at the surface of it all. “There’s something odd going on between Lucas and one of the doctors at the clinic. I can’t shake off the bad feeling I’m having, and I don’t mean to be nosy. But Lucas is important and I want to make sure he’s okay. You know he’s typically an open book, but I can’t read him anymore.” That was a lot to knock out of me, but to have someone else see why I’m so worried creates some kind of validation for the emotions rushing through my head. I realize how selfish I sound. I shrink into myself, waiting for Sicheng to say something. Anything.

Instead of silence, he scoots his chair closer to mine and I force myself to hold in a laugh because of the embarrassment from the loud noise. “I’m sure he has his reasons. You, him, and I. We’ve been friends for a couple of years now, Lucas isn’t the type to just leave anyone hanging without reason. Whatever it is, we need to be patient with him. As for you, you need to let things be from time to time.” He sits up straighter, leans forward, and continues, “You work hard with two jobs. Take care of yourself first and foremost. He’s his own person, you are your own. Don’t add to your mountain of stress.” Those are words I needed to hear, though they hurt. This whole idea that my best friend is turning into a cyborg seems to be a big deal, but for the sake of Sicheng’s safety, I can’t disclose that. Nonetheless, it does feel a bit... obsessive in retrospect. It’s a complicated state of affairs, and I don’t think Sicheng would be able to follow. It’s a see-for-yourself kind of deal. Not at all blaming him, his heart is in the right place. I give a simple head-shake, turning my attention to the last tea egg again. Gingerly, I pick it up and hand it to him.

His eyes open up in confusion. I let out the repressed laugh from earlier, a little heartier than I expected. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to dump this all on you. And I’ll work on focusing on myself more, you’re right. Lucas is a grown person, he can act on his own and tell me when he’s ready.” Sicheng loosens up, his hand extending to take the tea egg cupped in my hand. After taking a small bite, he gleams a big and toothy smile. As thanks, he lets me have the rest of the treat as one of the other employees at Electric Egg call for him to come back and work the stall.

▶ Ambience

Removing himself from his seat to stand up, he delicately flicks my forehead. He bids me a good night and says, “Take it easy, okay? It’s still Saturday, go get some sleep or go dance in your room, whatever it is you do these days.” We both send each other a tender laugh before parting ways. With a goodbye, I get up from my seat and head towards the direction of the apartment. It’s all smiles walking for a few minutes, reflecting on Sicheng’s words. My body felt a little lighter from releasing at least a small portion of my feelings. It starts to drizzle, a feeling I’ve always liked in Neostone but never when it pours too hard-- especially without an umbrella. I reach the last corner leading to my place when a downpour manifests. At the ping of my pocket, I quickly reach for my phone and take cover under a nearby entryway into a convenience store. Shit. Acid rain right now? My thumb gravitates to my messages. I should text Lucas and Sicheng to make sure they’re okay. I call Sicheng first to see if he’ll pick up. He does, sending a wave of relief through me as he says he’s safe in the closest store. On the other hand, Lucas did not pick up. I’m starting to wonder if this will be the new normal from now on. Panicking a bit, I text him and hope for the best, that he’s somewhere safe from the rain. The rain today is sort of acidic, I got an alert on my phone. Make sure you’re in a building. Send. We both keep the read receipts on, so if he doesn’t respond but sees my text, I might have to scold him the next time I see that annoying guy. I shove my phone back into my pocket and promptly took out the piece of paper that holds Dr. Lee’s information. I gawk at it, contemplating why I ever took it, and look back up. Fuck.

Staring in disbelief, the world around me slows. Cars pass by in slow motion and the neon signs twinkle in harmony by blending together. It’s the very same apartment establishment listed in the file. It’s a bit fancier than ours, which makes sense. Dr. Lee makes a bit more money than the rest of us. Fuck what Sicheng said, I need to see what’s happening with that suspicious doctor. Without further ado, I trudge through the acid rain, though I know it stings a little on my skin. It’s not too bad. Taxi cabs flip their middle fingers up at me, passersby calling out to warn or scold me, all while I snake through the lines of vehicles and cuss words thrown all around. The crackle of bright neon flicker crescendos as I come closer. Finally, I step foot onto the other side of the street, finding a heightening urge to find out the truth. Inside the lobby, the interior also seems to hold more life and care in it. This is definitely a more well-off micro-apartment complex than the one Lucas and I live in. The receptionist greets me warmly, a stark contrast from the subtle waves from the one we have. She doesn’t seem to question where I’m going or if I needed help, however, so I come to the staircase and take myself up to the tenth floor-- a very long way up.

▶ Ambience

Good grief, that was worse than the staircase at ours, I complain in my head, heaving heavy breaths as my feet begin to feel sore. I’ve reached the top. The address claims that Dr. Lee lives in room 1027. The gold colored plates on doors boast numbers in a sophisticated font, ascending as I progress the halls. Here it is. I approach the door, careful not to be any louder than I am right now, and I press an ear on the door. Muffled voices, one of them has to be Lucas. I can recognize his deep voice from a mile away. He has a tendency to mumble if he talks for too long, words becoming muddled. It’s like when he’s tired from work and almost crashes in my room, talking nonsense until I finally kick him out. From my pocket, I pull out a couple of paperclips and begin to bend them. Sicheng taught me this trick when we stole a bottle of painkillers from one of the pharmacies in Neostone’s uptown. One of my friends got injured during a fight between food stalls, and we were desperate to help him out. These kinds of skills really help out in this kind of life though I never imagined it was going to be this way. Click, click, click. The soft pop of the lock makes my heart race, and not in a pleasant way. Carefully, I turn the knob and push, using all the strength in my body not to cause a ruckus with my entrance. The sound of an electric drill becomes more apparent as the door swivels to give way to the apartment. It’s a lie when I said it’s a bit fancier. It’s way more lavish with a retro-futuristic style with warm colored furniture and decorations. There has to be some reason Dr. Lee can afford to continue living here since Pearl Park isn’t the biggest clinic and is located in quite a rough area. They don’t pay employees much, only an ample amount to get by with food and shelter. Maybe he was able to get a lot of money before the disaster happened. Enough with the admiration, I thought we’re past the need for capitalism, I reprimand myself.

There’s no Dr. Lee or Lucas in the parlor, but the whine of the drill grows as I explore further into the apartment, noticing the several doors. One clearly has lights on as the door is open, bingo. It must be them. Inching closer as quietly as I can, I hear Lucas lightly groan. Heart beating faster, I reach the room and squeeze through in case the door would make noise. Half of the room is blocked by a bulky bookcase which I hide behind, peeking through one of the cracks to look at the other side. What I see is horrendous-- Lucas sits on a reclined chair, thankfully unrestrained. Profusely sweating and wincing from pain, his jaw tightens as he clenches his teeth while Dr. Lee works another screw into his shoulder. In the most monotonous voice, he says to Lucas, “That should be enough for the shoulder. Think I’ll add more joints in your fingers so they have more flexibility. I was able to design more realistic-looking phalanges the other day, want to try?” Lucas simply nods at the notion, much to my disgust. Should I make my next move? Should I leave? I stand a bit higher on the tips of my toes to see more clearly.

Suddenly, the arm attached to Lucas begins to beep alarmingly. “The heat sensor... who’s there?” Lucas queries. Dr. Lee looks around the room, spinning in his chair while Lucas stands and starts to wander around the space. The staccato tones rapidly sound as Lucas takes long strides towards the bookcase, pulling out a few books to expose half of my face. His face crumples into anger at my presence. “Why are you here... Did you follow me?” I gulped. This is not good. Behind Lucas comes the other man, swiping books off the shelves to get a better sense of who’s behind the bookcase. His eyes open up more in surprise.

“You’re from the clinic.” he says firmly and quickly balls up the shirt on my shoulder into his fist, pulling me from my spot. The other hand reaches at his back behind a tattered lab coat to reveal a revolver, the one often seen in old classic films. Our eyes lock on each other, his fired up with murderous intent and wrath. The cold metal presses onto my forehead, but I keep my focus on his face. Lucas yelps on the side, but doesn’t come closer as to not escalate this whole situation. “An assistant. Why are you here? How did you get in?” My hands drift in the direction of the ceiling, a signal of surrender. Visibly shaken, Lucas taps the doctor on the shoulder and interrupts.

“[Pronoun] is a good friend of mine. Please don’t do anything rash, [pronoun] can be put to good use.” Lucas claims. I examine him with confusion written all over my expression, though he holds his guarded stare at Dr. Lee. I’m beyond dismayed that Lucas would try propose that I can be made into a pawn in whatever the motherfucker is planning. That might mean taking Lucas’s place with substitution of my flesh with peculiar machinery, or being the one to help out with Lucas’s... transformation. In any case, there’s no way I’d accept those fates. Dr. Lee maintains eye contact with me, but moves the gun from my face to his side. On cue, a sigh exiting my mouth.

He laughs rather nonchalantly, the clutch on his gun tighter despite being on the side. He’s ready to kill someone. “It’s tough doing things on my own, I do need another hand. Human hands, I must add.” Another chuckle echoes through the room, the unbearable discomfort consuming my emotions. Continuing on, the man adds, “I’m appointing you as my messenger. Send information to my other colleagues, then you may stay alive and see Lucas everyday. However.” Always a catch. The fist that kept me in my place releases the fabric that was bundled in it. It travels to the gun, the cock of the weapon raising my alertness. Though physically there’s no restraint on me, one wrong move and I’m dead. “If you can’t follow through with my instructions, expect a bullet wound or worse.” Absolutely out of his mind. But he leaves me having to accept this offer. Briefly, I steal a glance at Lucas whose angrily knit brows now angle upwards in a worried manner. I can’t die here, and the need for strength increases knowing Lucas might not be able to handle the pain of seeing me shot. He needs me.

Dr. Lee tilts his head, waiting for a response. The loaded gun taunts me, his impatience showing when he starts tapping it against his waist. Pursing my lips, I come to the only choice I could make. Shakily, my voice raises to both Lucas and the doctor’s surprise, “I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.” Speaking it into existence is the last thing I want, but I’m already neck deep into shit that doesn’t directly involve me. Might as well drown in what I’ve started. He snickers in delight, earning puzzled looks from Lucas and me. Leaving us near the bookcase, he saunters to his chair, taking a seat. His grip on the gun subsides, putting the small killing machine on his desk littered with papers with the big red classified stamped all over them. The silence weighs down on us before it’s broken by the doctor, his hands folded together with the most poisonous smirk playing across his lips.

“Just call me Taeyong.” He fiddles with a pen from his desk and continues,

”Question-- have you ever gone clubbing?”

17 notes · View notes

promisesox · 4 years

Text

orginal written works

compiled list of long stories written by this creator

most series can be found over at oxhaven with more features like drabbles and requests. you can also talk to these muses!

✧ Peter Pan

pairing - peterpan!baekhyun x reader

word count - 12.270k

genre - peterpan!au | angst | fluff

rated - pg 13

warnings - mentions of death | implied sex

summary | playlist | status : finished

✧ The Wolves Of EXO/WOE

pairing - separate exo wolf!member x reader

genre - smut | angst | fluff | wolf!au

rated - 18+ | NSFW

warnings - 18+ | NSFW | smut | gory death

status : i ain’t done yet

✧ bts hybrid!au

pairing - separate bts hybrid!member x reader as oc’s

genre - hybrid!au | smut | angst | fluff

rated - 18+ | NSFW

warnings - smut | 18+ | NSFW | cuteness overload |

status - nowhere near done

✧ Our Single Error/OSE

pairing - cyborg!taeyong x reader featuring cyborg!nct-u

word count - ongoing

genre - angst | fluff

rated - pg-15

warnings - death | violence | robotic body altering

status - although a lot of you think this is discontinued, it’s not. I just be fucking around.

✧ Engraved Stigma

pairing - blackbutler!kyungsoo x reader

word count - ongoing

genre - smut | angst | blackbutler!au

rated - 18 + | NSFW

warnings - gory death and kill scenes | deals with a demon | smut | NSFW | 18+

status - still going

✧ Kalon

pairing - vampire!wayv x reader as oc!keira

word count - ongoing

rated - 18+ | NSFW

status - we just getting started over here

✧ tinkerbell

pairing - hyunjin x reader

word count - ongoing

genre - university!au | angel!au | tinkerbell!au | fluff | angst

rated - pg-13

warnings - mentions of death | profanity

status - ehh almost done i suppose

✧ Kawaakari : Last Light On The River

pairing - samurai!yongguk x reader

word count - ongoing

genre - edoperiod!au | samurai!au | smut | angst

rated - 18+ | NSFW

warnings - smut | death | gore | NSFW | 18+

oneshot | status - just getting started

#written stories #kpop scenarios #kpop stories #promisesox

11 notes · View notes

prettywordsyouleft · 6 years

Text

Becoming Human - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Welcome to KBoys Cyborg Call Centre, you’re speaking with Yerin, how may I help you today?”

The caller let out an exasperated sigh and I knew already what pathways I needed to head down on the computer, preparing for how it would be described to me. Every day working in this company came with surprises, but it was all for the same undertone. Most would call for simple things, like how did they turn their Taeyong into friend mode after charging him or trying to un-train their Jackson from rapping loudly in the middle of the night. Most callers had innocent issues, and they were normally easy enough for me to solve.

It was clients like this though that I anticipated the most.

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Can you explain your situation?” I glanced at the screen in front of me, noting the caller was from Busan and had purchased her Jungkook model three months previous. From the readings on his current status, he was in lover mode, and I pursed my lips together, waiting for how she would respond.

“He, he stopped working.”

“How so?”

An awkward cough came from the caller and I tried hard to keep a straight face. “His er, thing, his part. It’s not working.”

“I’m sorry, but you will need to be more specific so I can guide you. What thing or part has stopped working?”

“Aish this is so frustrating. His male part, okay!”

I composed myself, a little disappointed by her wording. She had been less creative than others in the past, admittedly. “Ah, the male appendage has stopped responding. Have you tried pressing the button at the back of his neck for ten seconds to reset him?”

“No, am I meant to do things like that? He was working completely fine, well, almost too fine, and then just stopped midway. I am very frustrated, so I called you immediately! How am I meant to know to press the damn button?!”

I could tell her embarrassment had led for her anger to rise in response and so I tried not to respond how I initially wanted to. Instead, I smiled at my computer monitor, as if it would resettle my own thoughts. “Customer, on page two hundred and thirty-nine there is exact troubleshooting advice for this situation. Could you please hold down the button for me for ten seconds?”

“I was meant to read that novel?! Fine, I’m pressing it!”

After counting to ten, I waited for her to comment back, noticing no call status change on the computer my end. Nothing was said at first and I waited a couple of seconds more. “Customer?”

The line remained silent and then I heard it. A squeal sounded into my headpiece and then was followed by a groan. “Yah! How could you do that to me Kook-ah! You left Noona waiting in a bad predicament!”

Eyes widening, I listened only a couple of moments longer to the male response and then ripped off my headset, my breath hitched in my throat.

“Yerin-unni?” I was nudged from the cubicle beside me roughly and blinked. “Are you okay? You didn’t end your call in the proper protocol.”

“There was nothing in the training book that would prepare me for that.”

The petite girl beside me frowned, leaning closer as if it would help her understand. “What?”

“Instead of responding, the client went back to her previous happenings,” I said slowly, hoping it would give me some kind of solace. Instead I kept hearing the same words over and over, shuddering a moment later. “Honestly!”

Sohyun finally came to the realisation and gasped. “She went back to having intercourse?!”

I nodded, getting up weakly from my desk.

I had been working for Kboys Cyborg for the past two years. It was a company that specialised in creating artificial intelligence within the form of the most popular Korean idol male groups and distributing their bots worldwide. As someone who didn’t quite understand the concept of worshipping the ground of a bunch of idols so much that you needed to have your own version in a robot form, I had to admit the job had some insane perks that made my moral compass less important. The pay and job security were more than decent, and higher than any job my psychology degree could conjure up currently. Despite the capitalism on fans, the science and revolution behind the faces was highly intriguing to me. It was 2018 and robots were becoming more and more advanced, with Kboys being one of the most successful in their AI systems. All cyborgs were programmed with set characteristics that matched their real-life counterparts, with the ability to be trained by their owners to suit their needs. Most fans who purchased one would enjoy the boyfriend aspect of the bot, with the perks of having help with cleaning, cooking, and using their SMART controls, they could easily access knowledge from all areas of the internet. The most perfect boyfriend was sent right to their door, and through trade-ins, if they changed biases or a new group came out and captured their attention, they could send it back and have it go through a face-up calibration to match their new interest, all whilst withholding their vital data chip with the stored memories of their previous settings and training. Owners of a Kboy could do so much with their robots, except real responsive human interaction and emotions.

However, there was the lover mode aspect that always made me feel uneasy. It did provide a bit of amusement at times as clients tried to explain the awkward situation of their cyborg losing function of their male parts suddenly, usually from overuse. Knowing that these fans were able to truly sexualise the idol counterpart through their robot generally sent me to the edge though. It wasn’t something I could ever imagine being comfortable with, knowing there was a real-life version out there whilst there was up to 100 counterparts made somewhere around the world in action with a fan. I wondered about the psychological impact and disinterested behaviour this could create in them towards actual people. My psychology background was a blessing and curse in this role, wanting to help these people find their way towards real-life connections and out of their homes. Most seemed to be people who suffered some kind of social phobia or anxiety and it saddened me that I was in no position to help them, if anything, my role was only fuelling them on to continue their fantasies with their lifesize doll.

“Yerin, where are you going?” Sohyun called out as I walked away from my desk, in desperate need of a break from this crazy environment. It wasn’t every day that I became shocked in my position, in fact, I had become so used to the way the clients spoke, that my previous naivety to some aspects of relationships had been fully overridden. But this client had managed to shake my composure enough to have me considering a resignation.

Had she been that pent up from being stopped in her lovemaking with her Jungkook robot, that the fact she had rung a human to help with her troubleshooting was completely forgotten as soon as her fake lover had risen again? Had she blurred all lines of real and make-believe? As I reached the staff kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water from the refrigerator, I gripped the bench to steady myself.

“This wasn’t what artificial intelligence should be used for, right?”

“It depends on what you’re referring to,” a voice answered and I looked around the room, finding him sitting in the corner. I frowned, noticing no badge on his plain clothing, moving slowly towards him so I could see if I recognised him. I stopped, dropping the bottle of water out of my hand.

He moved fast enough to catch it before it spilled everywhere, his eyes marvelling at his hand now holding the bottle, wondering how he had been able to capture it so perfectly. His dark eyes then connected with mine, an indescribable expression crossing his all too perfect complexion. “What must AI do to be considered right?”

I didn’t answer, I couldn’t, Instead, I stared at him with intense disbelief, wondering just how on earth one of the cyborgs had left the lab and was now standing in front of me, looking more relaxed than I had ever seen one appear before.

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A/N: Well, I hope you all enjoy this first chapter!!

Next chapters: 2 |

[Masterlist]

#vixx #vixx fiction #vixx imagine #vixx scenario #vixx leo #jung taekwoon #taekwoon fiction #taekwoon imagine #taekwoon scenario #pwyl; becoming human #prettywordsyouleft writes

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