#min byungyu

[pain-suffering-even]

types of weapons the hunters would use pt. 1

the korean s rank hunters first. this is largely inspired by... the extreme little variation of weapons ive seen lmao there was so much potential... but alas its up to me.

choi jongin:

a whip. it's about as dramatic as he is and i feel like the crackling of it like fire... sort of. it also would just looks sick, and it's clear he uses weapons (from the gauntlet he wore in that one arc) so why not something ranged for a ranged-style like mage? and, i won't lie, i was probably influenced by the ren faire whip guy lmao... i mean, if that level of drama doesn't scream jongin i don't know what does. he jumped out a plane during jeju too

baek yoonho:

his fists seem accurate for him. if i had to choose, a hammer maybe? something reinhardt-esque. it also adds to his slight tank-like abilities and fighting style. reinhardt is like... 7 feet tall too so this hammer would be huge in comparison to yoonho lmao... or, maybe something less tech-y and more of a simple sledgehammer, like harley's

min byungyu:

he studied for the test. we see him have a mace thing so that counts. interesting that a healer chooses a blunt object to fight with... pretty slow way to die, but it allows knock-outs instead of kills. would've been super interesting to see him fight more with it

lim taegyu:

similar to byungyu, he has a unique weapon, a pretty cool looking bow that has an interesting design. but since he's a ranger class hunter, i think he might have a throwing spear as well or something similar. something that uses aim, and is basically just a bigger arrow, but still a ranged attack style

cha haein:

i do love her sword (and her pickaxe) but a scimitar or glaide would be cool (partially inspired by xiaolong from lookism and the guan yu version of the bident from the hades game). it's also interesting that she seems to have a very european sword rather than the usual south-eastern ones we see throughout the draw sword guild - i'm gonna guess it's loot from a dungeon from the way the hilt looks... that should be an interesting story to hear how she got it lmao

woo jinchul:

i think a weaponized shield suits him. something like the chaos or zagreus' shield from the hades games - chaos specifically because of the purple. something about how he's a protector but isn't afraid to choose violence or get his hands dirty...

sung jinwoo:

he's a walking weapons arsenal are you kidding me. he's got literally everything. he cycles through 7 weapons in the manhwa and has collected even more - he gives igris that electric longsword. raska's fang, knight killer, the pair demon king daggers and then the pair of kamish's wrath daggers thomas gives him.

well, anyway, that the korean s-rank hunters (plus jinchul)'s arsenal upgraded. might add on more if i find more cool weapons :)

[the-fic-locker]

The Widow | Part One

Pairing: Min Byungyu x f!reader x Baek Yoonho

Content Warning: character death, grief, mentions of blood, tears, loneliness

Genre: angst, eventual fluff, eventual smut, slow burn

Summary: Yoonho never imagined that his best friend would keep such a monumental secret from him, but after his death, Yoonho is tasked with breaking the news to someone he has never met.

Word Count: 2,685

Author's Note: This has not been proofread, so I will be going back eventually and editing, however, this is also part of a series, so as parts come out, I will be trying to edit. I cannot guarantee how quickly parts will come out, nor how long this series will be exactly. Just bear with me and I hope you enjoy!

next | series info | masterlist

In hindsight, Yoonho supposed he really should have figured it out sooner. Byungyu’s distaste for battle wasn’t new, but the desire to join the contract sector as an average citizen was new, one he didn’t expect. The man’s financial situation was elite. He had participated in enough dungeons that he had a very lucrative bank account. He didn’t have to do anything. Though Yoonho supposed he couldn’t blame the man for wanting to do something with his life, though why he didn’t choose to go into the medical field was, well, confusing. 

When his best friend had denied him the first few times, it was understandable. Jeju Island had already claimed so many lives, including their best friends, but something had suddenly changed his mind. Yoonho didn’t think anything of it; he was just happy to have the talented healer with them. He should have asked more questions. 

“President Baek, exactly how much did you know about Min Byungyu’s situation?” Chairman Go had asked shortly after the fourth and final raid of Jeju Island. 

He should have been paying more attention, but his chest ached with grief, and his muscles were sore. Hunter Sung had managed to heal them somehow, but nothing could take away the stinging in his hands when his claws protruded. All he wanted to do was go home and crack a beer, and sit in the silence of his empty apartment he never had the time to fill with personal effects. He wanted to wallow in pity and self-hatred until a new day dawned and he had to go back to his guild and act like everything was ok; worse, to celebrate the enormous victory. 

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean, sir. He wanted to give up being a hunter all together and go work as a custodian in an office firm,” Yoonho had explained.

The look the Chairman had given him was diplomatic, but there was a twinge of something, perhaps sorrow, hidden behind his eyes. Yoonho had glanced up at Manager Jinchul Woo who was dutifully standing behind the chairman, but as always, the man was more difficult to read than thousand-year-old hieroglyphics written in decayed clay. 

“So you weren’t aware of his private and personal life?” Chairman Go asked, sounding surprised. 

There was another thing to be guilty over. He called himself Byungyu’s best friend, but he apparently didn’t know anything at all about him! He’d only ever been to the man’s apartment once, and he’d since moved. He hadn’t set foot in the new, larger place. He didn’t interact with the man all that much anymore, except for the occasional text, which was usually Byungyu sending him memes he’d respond to three days later. There was the occasional beer, but Yoonho had been so depressed after losing Eunseok in the third raid that he’d let Byungyu slip farther and farther from his mind. 

“Well, regardless,” Chairman Go sighed, seemingly disappointed. Even Jinchul seemed to be uncomfortable now, shifting his weight from one foot to the other restlessly. “We have a… less than comfortable task to handle. Typically, I’d send Jinchul, but he has been… hugged out… for a while and needs a break, plus he isn’t always as delicate as this situation requires.”

Yoonho wished the old man would get to the point so he could go home. He glanced up at Jinchul, who didn’t seem to care that he’d been called indelicate. Yoonho doubted there was anything about him that was delicate at all. And hugged out? What was that supposed to mean? 

As Yoonho was waiting for the chairman to finish his long-winded explanation, Jinchul disappeared, stepping out of the room to grab something off his desk before returning, holding a small, white box. 

“As you know, upon awakening, we take a memento from every Hunter to deliver back to the family of a fallen Hunter. Byungyu’s token was changed two years ago from a patch from his uniform, a typical token for a bachelor, into this.”

As Chairman Go finished, Jinchul opened the white box. Resting inside, on a white cushion, was a silver locket with a silver chain. There was something engraved upon the top, but Yoonho didn’t feel like using his heightened sight to strain to read it. 

“He has asked that this locket be delivered to the widow he’d be leaving behind, and we thought you should be the one to do it.”

The fact that his best friend was married and he had no clue was another punch to the gut, but what’s perhaps worse was thinking about the grieving woman in their apartment, waiting for her husband to come home. She would know that their helicopter had landed. She’d know that they’d won. She probably wouldn’t know about Byungyu’s death yet. The camera had evidently cut out by then. And now…

“Sir… respectfully��� I can’t…” he mumbled, already feeling numb. 

Chairman Go pulled something out of his pocket and placed it in Yoonho’s hands. It was a letter, folded a few times on otherwise unremarkable paper. As Yoonho unfolded it, his hands shaking, he gasped as he found Byungyu’s handwriting scribbled as neatly as the man could. 

Yoonho, If you’re reading this letter, I can only assume it is because something happened and I have lost my life. First of all, don’t beat yourself up about it. Whatever happened, I’m sure I went out trying to protect my friends, and there is no better way in my book. However, now that I am gone, I am leaving you with a difficult task. I am sorry this has fallen to you.  I have a wife. Her name is (y/n). She pieced me back together after Eunseok’s death, and we got married a year later. I know this is a bomb to drop, and I tried to tell you, many times, but neither of us were in a good state at the beginning and as you feel deeper and deeper into your guild, using the work to keep you from actually feeling the sorrow, I moved on, and I didn’t think you’d understand.  Yoonho, being a Hunter is hard work and it’s messy. I have never regretted my decision to leave, but if something has pulled me back in, I know I died happily for you. Do not let my death pull you into another depression. This one might kill you. You were reckless enough as it is. I am not mad at you for however you pulled me back into the game. Do not let your mind convince your heart that I am. And don’t throw yourself into your work to punish yourself. That’s not doing anyone any favors. Instead, you can atone for my death (if you still feel like you need to) in two ways.  Take the locket and a letter back to my Jimin. Tell her how I died, she needs to know everything. Comfort her. She worries a lot and has habits similar to your own. Don’t let her kill herself through her work. Be there for each other. Stop trying to take the blame for everyone else's decisions. We all make our own. You have never forced anyone to do anything. We make decisions based on your words sometimes, but they are still our decisions. Stop letting yourself be convinced that you’re a god who mind-controls everyone else into doing your bidding. Everything I have ever done has been of my own volition.  I wish you the best in this life, Yoonho. Don’t be afraid to let yourself live life and find love. Hunters are constantly busy, but you can have it all. You can be a Hunter and a life. It’s time for them to stop being one in the same.  I will see you on the other side, my friend.  Love,  Byungyu

The letter had tears pricking to the corners of his eyes and he finally understood the smile Byungyu had given him as Jinwoo had released his shadow. He clenched the letter tightly as looked up at the chairman, only nodding once. He’d watched as Chairman Go fished out the second letter and then he was dismissed, locket and letter tucked inside the same box in his shaking hands as he made his way to the car and punched in the address he’d been given. 

So here he was, standing in the hallway of the apartment building he’d been directed to, staring at the plain white door that matched all the others, reading the number from Jinchul’s text for the third time to be absolutely sure he was at the right door. 

He could hear movement inside and music. There was the occasional clang of something hard slamming into something else that almost made his skin crawl. He wanted to cut tail and run, to pretend this wasn’t happening, but his arm seemed to act on its own as it raised and knocked firmly. 

The music stopped and he could hear bare feet padding across the floor to the door, his ears picking the sound up easily. He heard the door unlock, and a second later, it was pulled open, revealing his best friend's widow dressed in sweatpants and a stained t-shirt. 

“Baek Yoonho?” your voice was full of confusion. He couldn’t blame you. 

“You know who I am?” he asked. 

“Of course,” you said, wiping your soapy hands on your pants. “Gyu has so many pictures of you and Eunseok all over this place. It sometimes feels like a shrine,” you chuckle softly. 

“How can I help you? Is Gyu ok? He hasn’t come home yet and by the look of you, you all just got back.”

“Can I come inside?” Yoonho spoke, voice soft. 

“Uh yeah sure,” you hold the door open wider. 

He stepped through, admiring the place. The door opened into the front room, living room, where there was a paused Spotify playlist casting from the television. There were slightly mismatched couches pointed at the television, the longer of the two was a thick, plush burnt orange, and the other, smaller one gray with a blanket thrown over the back of it. There was a coffee table with books stacked up on one side and a vase with a handful of roses on the other side. As you led him to the couches, he could see the kitchen from a serving counter window with three bar stools on the end. Inside the kitchen, he could see a strainer full of wet dishes and the sink full of soapy water with a washcloth perched on the side, likely discarded when he’d knocked. 

You motioned for him to sit on the orange couch while you sat down on the gray one, folding your hands into your lap and looking at him expectantly. 

Yoonho’s hands began to shake, and the box in his pocket suddenly felt like it was scorching his skin. He clasped his hands together, trying to hide the way they quavered. 

“Mr. Baek… Where is my husband?” Your voice was quiet, but his accelerated hearing could pick up on the way it cracked on the final word. 

“He…” Yonho had to clear his throat and blink away the tears that threatened to gather. “He didn’t make it… He died… trying to protect me,” his voice came out hoarse and broken in a half-choked sob. 

You were quiet momentarily, processing what he’d just said. When you finally spoke, your voice was strong but uneven. 

“Did he suffer?”

Yoonho tried to think back. Had he? When he saw that things arm go through him… all he could see was blind rage. 

“Not for long. It was over quickly. But he managed…” he swallowed. Should he tell you that his soul saved someone? No. Probably not. And he promised Jinwoo to keep that confidential anyway. “He managed to save one more life before… he was truly gone.”

He looked up into your face. You had silent tears streaming down your cheeks and made no move to brush them away. Your bottom lip trembled, and your chest heaved with labored breathing. 

“I’m not sure if you’re aware… but when becoming a Hunter under the Association, they provide the Association a token in the event they don’t make it back from a raid. This was his,” reaching into his pocket, Yoonho pulled out the box and opened it, placing it on the coffee table. 

You took out the letter on top first and, using his abilities, if against his will, he was able to read the message her husband had left for her. 

My Love,  If you are reading this, I have left you alone in this life and in this world and for that, I am truly sorry. Please understand that if I died in a raid, it was because I will always be there to back up Yoonho and to protect him from himself. He isn’t the best at patiently waiting for the right time to strike, and if no one else is there to back him up when he pounces, I will always be there.  Yoonho scoffed at that. ‘Pounces.’ He wasn’t a cat! He didn’t pounce! Please understand and don’t hate him for it. It was not his fault.  Let him be there for you. You’re going to need to lean on each other. Don’t let the grief drag you down. And don’t let him blame himself.  You both meant so much to me. Know that though I died protecting him in battle, I died protecting you back home. I could not go on living without you and I know that is unfair since that is exactly what I am asking of you. Be strong and move on. Don’t let my death hold you back from living your life.  We will-

You put the letter down before Yoonho could finish reading and buried your face in your hands to cover the wails that left your lips. Yoonho wasn’t sure what came over him. Maybe it was Byungyu’s letter to him, maybe it was the fact that he’d always hated seeing women cry. Whatever the reason, he found himself moving onto the gray couch beside you and placing his hand on your back, stroking it soothingly. He wasn’t expecting you to lean into him, burying your face in his side. It took him a second to respond, but when he did, he held you against his side securely and continued to rub your back. 

You sat like that for a while. You sobbing and Yoonho comforting you in any way he knew how. When your shoulders finally stopped shaking, and you shifted against him, he loosened his hold, allowing you to sit back up. Your eyes were red and bloodshot, but you looked back to the table where the box with the locket still sat. 

Picking up the box, you examined it before lifting it out of the box and opening the locket. There, resting in the two tiny frames, was a picture of  Byungyu giving his most dazzling smile, dressed in his Hunter’s uniform with dirt stained on his cheek. It was an image taken shortly after the first raid under the White Tiger’s guild. The second was you and Byungyu holding onto one another on your wedding day, looking at each other with gazes full of love. 

A sob left your throat as you closed the locket and passed the necklace to Yoonho. 

“Help me put it on,” you said.

Taking it, you turned your back to him and lifted your hair. Yoonho slid the locket around your neck and carefully clasped it in the back. When it was secure, you let your hair fall over the chain and looked down at the jewelry resting on your shirt. 

“Now I guess I have two tokens from him,” you whispered. 

Yoonho was going to ask what you meant until he watched you place your hand on your belly, a sad smile spreading across your face. Yoonho had never felt so sick. 

[kandiarus-secret-archives]

Character Ages from Solo Leveling Arise

SR: Anna Ruiz: 29 Han Songyi: 19 Jo Kyunghwan: 29 Hwang Dongsuk: 35 Kang Taeshik: 30 Kim Chul: 25 Kim Sangshik: 38 Lee Joohee: 22 Nam Chaeyoung: 20 Park Boomshik: 38 Park Heejin: 26 Song Chiyul: 57 Yoo Jinho: 22

SSR: Alicia Blanche: 21 Amamiya Mirei: 17 Baek Yoonho: 37 Cha Haein: 23 Charlotte & Harper: 16 Choi Jongin: 38 Emma Laurent: 18 Gina: 28 Gunhee: 87 Han Semi: 21 Hwang Dongsoo: 32 Isla Wright: 18 Lee Bora: 23 Meilin Fisher: 22 Min Byungyu: 28 Shimizu Akari: 20 Thomas Andre: 39 Woo Jinchul: 30 Yoo Soohyun: 25

[pain-suffering-even]

adding more because the brainrot is real

One of the things Jongin and Yoonho bicker about is Jongin being a private school kid - not only that, but boarding school too. He makes fun of Jongin for being rich and Jongin makes fun of Yoonho for being rasied by wolves

Byungyu got a parrot when he retired, just so he would have something to take care of. He is teaching it every swear word in every language. Jongin is highly amused by it. Jinchul is almost glad Byungyu retired

Jinchul learned to mediate and multitask from taking care of his two younger siblings after his mom left and his dad decided not to pick up the slack. He's a little bitter about it still, but that's why he's so hardworking all the time

Haein and Eunseok became friends during their time in the Fame Guild with Ma Dongwook

Jongin makes fun of Yoonho for graying when he's barely 30 - its because Yoonho's hair goes white when he activates his power, but Jongin insists he's graying

Byungyu wanted to be a diagnostician due to not ever knowing what condition his grandma passed away from - he was in school for about two or three years, but when the gates appeared, he awakened as an S rank, so his dream of being a doctor was shattered since his mana was just too high to be around normal people

Haein didn't have very many friends growing up since her family moved around a lot, due to her parents being in the military

Taegyu used to tease Jongin for always having soot on his fingertips from being a mage, until he realized it was the buildup of charcoal on his fingers from drawing so much. Apparently, Jongin likes to draw whenever he can't sleep.

No matter how much Taegyu asks if Jongin has drawn him he will never answer. He knows he won't be able to live it down

There are portrait drawings of everyone, but specifically, Jongin loves recreating photos in charcoal. Sometimes, if he's inspired enough, he tries to recreate them in oil pastels. His favorite project is one of Yoonho's dogs from a photo he posted. Jongin would sooner die than admit it

Haein goes by herself to see as many movies as she can. She always enjoyed watching films when she was growing up, and if she continued school, she would have minored in it. She goes by herself because Jongin is too cynical about the endings

Byungyu loves bug hunting. One of his favorite things to do in retirement is take his pet parrot out on a walk and just see what he can find in the fields of Jeonju, his and Yoonho's hometown

Before the Jeju island fiasco, the island was fought for and traded hands many times before falling into the ownership of The Fiend Guild. Taegyu feels partially responsible for how things turned out, since he could never defeat the gate over the span of those three years...

Jinchul would love to keep up with Byungyu but he is too busy to spare time to go down to Jeonju

there you have it. i finished this draft real quick since i've been on hiatus for so long - something to tide you guys over.

also! i haven't seen the anime yet, but honestly i'm going to ignore it lmao. my headcanons and plots are already pretty insane and i think i'm just going to stick to them and enjoy the anime as it is. from what i've seen, they've changed some stuff here and there, and have made canon certain character designs i made up differently.

various headcanons that i forgot aren't actually canon

just the koreans cause if i did everyone at once, we would be here forever

Jongin and Yoonho were both part of the Fiend Guild, and that's where their rivalry started, by competing for vice guildmaster

Jongin rescued a cat from Jeju during their first raid and smuggled her back in his cape. Her name is Kiwi. He had to get a new cape because she uses his old one to sleep

Byungyu and Yoonho are childhood friends. Byungyu would always defend Yoonho, because he was so much of a softie and a crybaby as a kid

Yoonho has like. A bajillion animals at home. At some point when he's walking his dogs during a hot summer, he goes topless, and the picture reaches the papers so fast. It gets brought up in almost every single argument with Jongin

Taegyu will eat sour candy until his mouth bleeds and it sends Byungyu insane

Eunseok was an S rank assassin part of the Fame Guild, and was best friends with Byungyu and Haein

Haein was first vice of the Fame Guild before Jongin created the Hunter's Guild and stole her (he promised her no paperwork if she joined, and she was sold)

Hwang Dongsu used to be part of the Knights Guild. He joined, thinking as an S ranker he would immediately become the guild leader. When that didn't happen, he began searching overseas, where Thomas Andre ran into him and picked him up

Byungyu felt too guilty to dedicate himself to one guild, and so he freelances for a high price, so this way he can help more people instead of being tied down. It made it easier to retire, too. The running joke is that he wants to join the Hunters Association

Taegyu and Dongwook had a healthy rivalry between the Fiend and Fame guild. They don't know where Jongin and Yoonho learned to be rivals like that

The Fiend Guild used to be no. 1 until Jongin rose to the top by recruiting Haein and gathering a lot of attention by being a guild leader as a mage

Taegyu and Jongin still talk often. Jongin always makes fun of Taegyu for being ancient and forgotten and Taegyu calls him an arrogant brat. They would die for one another

Just before he became no. 1, Jongin had a really bad fight with Hwang Dongsu. It wasn't unusual, because most other S rankers despise him, since he was blatantly power hungry and bloodthirsty. Because Jongin lost, he ended up leaving Taegyu and the Fiend Guild and created his own guild in an attempt to prove his strength

Jongin despises Yoonho for hiring Hwang Dongsu's brother, Dongsuk, because he still holds a grudge

Jinchul doesn't like Taegyu very much, because he kept trying to bribe him to join the Fiend Guild. They're ok now, especially now that the Fiend Guild isn't no. 1, but Jinchul avoids Taegyu still

Go Gunhee used to pretend actually entertaining the idea of letting Jinchul join a guild until Jinchul told him it was causing problems on his end (Thomas got sad Gunhee said no and Jinchul was terrified that sadness would turn to anger)

During the holidays, Yoonho always takes his dogs and one cat back home with him. Byungyu also goes, so it's become a sort of yearly roadtrip for them. Yoonho usually asks Taegyu or Haein to pet-sit the rest of his animals while he's away

Haein likes fast food restaurants. Neither Jongin nor Dongwook understand why, but she drags them there all the same

Jinchul appreciates Byungyu and Haein, since they always mediate Yoonho and Jongin whenever he isn't around to stop them. It doesn't always work, but at least they tried

Haein doesn't know Jinchul is the origin for her nickname, The Dancer, because he was creating her hunter profile and was mesmerized by the way she fought. He mentioned it to Go Gunhee, and it kinda spiraled from there

[the-fic-locker]

The Widow | Part Two

Pairing: Min Byungyu x f!reader x Baek Yoonho

Content Warning: character funeral, grief, panic attacks, dissociation, bottling up emotions, early pining

Genre: angst, eventual fluff, eventual smut, slow burn

Summary: He knew the memorial service was going to be hard on you both, but what he didn't expect was to witness just how kind-hearted your soul really is. No wonder Byungyu had been drawn to you. There might be a little part of Yoonho that's a little jealous, though, can you be jealous of a dead man?

Word Count: 2,790

Author's Note: I must say, I have never seen so many activity notifications! It felt like I was constantly getting more and more activity, and that was so heart-warming! So much so, I had to hurry up and finish part two! This one has also not been proofe read, but I still hope you enjoy!!

previous | next | series info | masterlist

Due to the sheer number of deaths that occurred during the raid, there was a mass memorial service was held a week later. Part of Yoonho felt (y/n) got cheated. Another part of him was glad they did it this way. You wouldn’t have wanted a bunch of mourners circling you, crying over you. You’d always hated that thought.

The news of you leaving a widow behind had hit the news the day after they returned. The Association was still unsure of who could have let the information slip. Jinchul had started mercilessly interrogating everyone working in the office, resulting in lots of sick days for those who cracked under his intense pressure. As a result of the leak, Yoonho had been sleeping on the burnt orange couch in the living room. He was there as moral support when you woke up screaming or vomiting in the middle of the night, but he was also there to scare off any reporters who had come in search of their next big headline. The memorial ought to keep them sated for a few days.

At the service, you were dressed in a solid black dress with a small hat with a veil covering your face. It was old-fashioned, but it looked good on you, plus it hid the redness in your eyes well. Yoonho accompanied you to the funeral and sat by you, but he gave you a moment of your own to mount the steps to the memorial to pay your final respects to your late husband. When you returned after laying your flower at his picture along with a letter of your own, he got up and made his way up.

Yoonho didn’t know why he was surprised seeing Jinwoo Sung coming down from the frame where he’d laid his flower with the ever-growing pile. The man looked utterly dejected, his face pointed to the ground. Yoonho knew from experience that great power came with great responsibility and an even greater amount of criticism from the public, who never really understood the weight of what Hunters did. The country had seen what he was capable of. Maybe not everything, but they’d seen enough to wonder why he wasn’t there to begin with. Yoonho was sure he was feeling responsible for not just Byungyu’s death, but for the deaths of everyone, and that weight wasn’t good for anyone to carry.

So he stopped him and relayed the words of wisdom that Byungyu himself had once laid on him three years ago. He made Jinwoo promise to wait for him at the bottom, and then he kept climbing.

“I’m sorry you never got to live your life with (y/n) or meet your child. I should never have brought you back in, but without you, we’d all be dead. Thank you for your sacrifice. And I promise I’ll take care of your wife and child,” he whispered, eyes caught on Byungyu’s smiling face.

He laid his white flower down on the pile and gave the man one last smile before walking down the steps and joining Jinwoo at the bottom.

“Come with me,” he said. “I want you to meet someone.”

Jinwoo looked hesitant, and Yoonho half expected the man to disappear like he was never there, but he let Yoonho lead him to the front where you were waiting. Jinwoo’s body locked up upon seeing you.

“(y/n), I’d like for you to meet Jinwoo. The man who helped save all our lives and end that nightmare,” Yoonho said.

He didn’t know you well enough to know how you’d react. Part of him was screaming that this was an absolutely horrible idea. The other part was hoping heavily that this was the right decision. That you could help one another find peace.

You turned around to look at them, your eyes watery beneath the veil. Jinwoo looked like he was near collapse, so Yoonho carefully, without touching his shoulder, guided him to have a seat in his spot beside you.

“You ended it?” your voice was weak as you spoke.

Yoonho could make out a subtle nod and he wished he could grab Jinwoo and express just how grateful he was– they all were– that he had showed up when he did. It didn’t matter that he was late. They all had their own lives, and he was no affiliated with any guild. He had a responsibility as a Hunter, but that responsibility was not commanded. He wasn’t there on the first, second, or third raids. He didn’t have a stake in the game. He simply showed up, however he did so, because he knew they were going to die. He is the only reason they all hadn’t lost their lives like so many of the Hunter’s from Japan.

He didn’t really know what he was expecting from this interaction. He didn’t truly know how you would react. Maybe for you to reassure him that you didn’t hate him. Maybe to slap him for being late. Maybe to promise him that your husband had given his life with purpose. Whatever there was, he definitely didn’t think you would throw your arms around the man’s neck and weep into his shoulder.

Jinwoo was hesitant. He never struck Yoonho as much of a hugger or someone who liked to be touched. He’d always brushed Yoonho off when the man grabbed his shoulder, then again, their very first meeting was less than ideal. However, Jinwoo wound his arms around you, holding you against his body and something inside of Yoonho’s chest rumbled.

This was his idea. The hug was an added bonus, but as he watched the tears drip down your cheeks, landing on Jinwoo’s black dress jacket, he couldn’t help but wish he was the one soaking up your tears. As quickly as the jealousy presented itself he forced it away. He had no business feeling protective and possessive over his best friend's widow. Especially when you were hugging the man who’d made his death mean something.

When the two pulled away, Jinwoo hid his face shyly as he rapidly wiped at his eyes. He was more affected by Byungyu’s death than Yoonho had expected.

He stood up, whispering his condolences and farewell to the both of you before departing and Yoonho took his seat again.

“Thank you for that,” you whispered.

Your hand found his, resting on his knee. You gave it a soft squeeze before folding your hands back in your lap and looking forward and the speeches started.

When the ceremony finished, everyone filed out slowly. Yoonho, hand resting protectively on your lower back, guided you through the crowd to where his black SUV was parked next to Jongin’s much more expensive and flashy red Corvette. He opened the passenger door and helped you in before closing it behind you and walking around to his side as Jongin and Cha Haein were approaching.

“How’s she doing?” Jongin asked, voice low even though the doors were shut.

The question was honest and earnest. As soon as Yoonho had learned about the full severity of the situation, he had phoned Chairman Go. From there, he wasn’t surprised that someone, likely the “indelicate” Jinchul had made the S Rank Hunter’s aware as they were all still shaken up and affected by the death.

“She’s… grieving, but pretending she’s ok,” Yoonho answered as best he could.

He didn’t know you well enough to be sure, but he suspected you were hiding your emotions when he was around, something he hoped to help you with as you got to know each other a bit more.

“I can’t believe he…” Jongin started, then, seeming to find it as indelicate as Manager Woo, paused. “I’m glad she has someone she can lean on. Let me know if I can do anything for either of you.”

This was not the Jongin Yoonho was accustomed to. Choi Jongin was an arrogant, selfish man who constantly held an annoying smirk across his face, but as he stood in front of Yoonho dressed in black with a red tie, there was no trace of that persona. Could it be possible that there was more to Jongin than Yoonho realized?

“Would it be alright if I came by tomorrow? I’d like to meet her,” Chaein spoke up.

Her voice was soft and delicate and Yoonho found himself giving her a respectful smile.

“I think having another female around to talk to about things like her feelings might do her some good. I’ll text you the address.”

He climbed into the driver's seat eventually and turned the ignition.

“Friends of yours?” you asked.

Yoonho nodded as he backed out amongst the traffic.

“Yes. They were there… and Chaein, the girl, would like to come over tomorrow. Is that alright with you?”

You thought for a moment before nodding.

The rest of the ride was silent. When Yoonho pulled into the parking lot of the apartment, you unbuckled and grabbed your purse from the floor.

“Are you coming inside?” you asked.

“If that’s alright with you.”

You nodded and climbed carefully out of the SUV as soon as he turned off the engine. Yoonho stayed back a moment, watching you head into the apartment building before he climbed out and followed you. You met again in the elevator, refusing to look at him, and eventually, you made it to the apartment where your hands were shaking so bad you couldn’t hold the key straight to unlock the door. Gingerly, Yoonho eased the keys from your hands and slid it into the lock, twisting it until it clicked and he was able to push the door open. You walked through the door, your whole body practically trembling now. Yoonho saw all the signs. His background as a firefighter was enough to queue him into a panic attack. He himself had experienced it a time or two. Quickly, he shut and locked the door before spinning around and placing a hand on your lower back. You barely seemed to realize he was there, and as he gently pried the purse from your hands, he caught a glimpse of your clouded eyes.

“Hey,” he spoke softly but firmly. “Look at me.”

He came around in front of you, one hand still on your back and the other now lifting to your chin. He tilted it carefully, guiding your face up from where you’d been looking ahead, and forced your eyes to meet his. Your pupils were dilated and your irises clouded over. He knew you couldn’t see him. You couldn’t see or process anything. He doubted you could even hear him.

Both hands came to rest on your waist and he gently guided you forward as he stepped back, his heightened senses allowing him to look behind him without taking his eyes off yours. He guided you over to the orange couch and grabbed the blanket that was thrown over the back of it once you were seated. He threw the blanket over your shoulders, tucking your arms into it gently and swaddling you in it as best he could.

“(y/n)?” his voice was soft and calm, but it didn’t seem to jar you back.

He sat down on the couch next to you, slipping an arm around your waist and drawing you a little closer.

“(y/n)?” still nothing.

He could see unspilled tears gathering in the corners of your eyes and he finally closed the distance between your bodies. He drew you into him, spreading his legs and pulling you to rest between them fully, your body pressing into his chest. When you still didn’t respond more than letting him maneuver you, he cupped your cheek in his hand, his other arm wrapping around you tightly, keeping you pressed hard against his body as his calloused fingers stroked over your cheek.

“You don’t have to hold it in,” he spoke softly. “You don’t have to pretend like you’re not hurting. You can bare yourself to me. I won’t judge you. I’ll be right here beside you through this whole thing.” As they sat there, Yoonho talked to you as his fingers continued to stroke your face and his arm held you secure. He talked to you about his own feelings. About how he missed his best friend and where the White Tigers were heading. Then he talked about his days before his awakening. The days when running into a burning building had been so normal, and how crazy it was that those buildings had become gates. Then he talked about nothing. Blabbering nonsense to fill the silence. And finally, after what felt like an eternity but was really only a few minutes, he felt your body mold into his, your face coming to rest on his chest as tears spilled freely.

“What just happened?” you sobbed.

He brought his hand up to gently stroke your hair.

“You had a panic attack that turned into dissociation,” he said. Your body shook against him, but not like before. You turned in his hold until you were face to face with him, hot tears streaming down your face freely now.

“How am I going to do this… any of this… without him?” you asked through broken sobs.

Yoonho secured you against him with his arm and drew you to him tighter until you rested your head against his chest and sobbed against his white button up shirt that had long since become uncomfortable.

“I don’t have all of the answers. I don’t know what it’s like to be in love or to lose the person you’re in love with, but I do know a thing or two about losing loved ones. It’s hard, unbearably so at first, and you never really get over it, but it becomes easier to bear over time,” he said.

He lowered his head to press a soft kiss against the top of your head.

“You will not forget him. You will always love him, and even though he isn’t here physically, and even though this is cliché as hell, he’s always in your heart,” he muttered against your hair and pressed his knuckles softly against your chest over your heart.

“And you don’t have to do this, any of it, alone. I will be here with you throughout it all. You’re not going to have to do anything alone if you don’t want to. I am here to comfort you, to get you ice cream in the middle of the night, to drive you to your doctor’s appointments, I am right here with you no matter what,” he said.

“W-what about your guild?” your voice was weak and cracked, but he could understand you clearly.

“They can manage without me for a while. I may have to check in on occasion, but they’re always telling me I work too much, and they’ll understand. If nothing else, I can ask Mr. Sung to step in as guild master for a while. It’ll be good practice for him,” he said.

You nodded against him and your shoulders finally stopped shaking.

“I want you to move in here. I feel better when you’re here, like he’s somehow here… And when you’re here… I know that everything’s going to be ok,” you said the last part at a whisper.

Without thinking twice, Yoonho nodded. “Then I’m not going anywhere.”

You nodded and nestled deeper into his chest, making yourself comfortable as your tears slowly dried on his shirt. It wasn’t long after that that your breathing slowed to a steady rhythm, soft snores leaving your stuffed nose. He smiled down at you fondly.

It had been a long time since he’d held a woman in his arms like this while she slept. Most women he met nowadays were eager to get into Yoonho Baek’s bed in hopes of witnessing the beast within, but they all left before the morning, leaving him unsatiated and hungry for a closeness he didn’t think he’d ever find. With you in his arms, his heart swelled. You were what he’d been missing. The piece of the puzzle that had yet to be put together, but you were his best friend's widow. You were not his missing piece. You couldn’t be. And he’d never tell you that you were.

He carried you to your room, careful not to wake you up. He laid you down on the bed and tucked you in carefully. You ought to change out of the dress and remove your makeup before sleeping, but he didn’t want to wake you, so with a kiss to your forehead, he crept out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

What the fuck was he going to do?

[the-fic-locker]

The Widow | Yoonho Baek

Pairing: Min Byungyu x f!reader x Baek Yoonho

Content Warning: character death, grief, mentions of blood, tears, loneliness

Genre: angst, eventual fluff, eventual smut, slow burn

Summary: There were a few things Yoonho was certain of. 1) His best friend had a wife he'd never told him about. 2) That same friend had died before his wife could tell him something that would change their lives forever. 3) He owed it to Byungyu to look after and protect his wife, even if it meant denying himself for the rest of his life.

Author's Note: This is a series I am just starting. I had this idea ironically when I was joyriding around the block, screaming the words to "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston, which really has nothing to do with this story, it just sort of popped into my head. I will update as often as I can!

Notes on the genres: 😘 - fluff, 😭 - angst, 🥵 - smut

"Take care of her, Yoonho. And let her take care of you." -- Min Byungyu

Part One | 😭

Part Two | 😭 slight 😘

Part Three

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Masterlist

[stormdragon23]

from the ask game lol: 14 Eunseok! 20 Cha Haein! 9 Lennart Niermann!

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character. (Eunseok)

I already answered this one and struggled so much with it 😭 I'll look for another outfit for him alksdjfsdf

Something casual, maybe like what Min Byungyu wore in his first appearance

Maybe something like this

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter? (Cha Haein)

Oooo, this is a really good question. This is a little out of nowhere, but since I think she would get along well with the Draw Sword Guild, I would like to see her friendship with Mari Isihida. I think they're both on the more mature side and are more protected by the S-Ranks around them

I see them like this (Mari being on the left)

9. Could you be roommates with this character? (Lennart Niermann)

Based on personality, I think so. He seems considerate and knows when to take a hint. He speaks English too (I think), so that would be good

Based on height, no. Man is a head shorter than Thomas Andre according to the novel. That is still like. A foot taller than me if not more. I don't think we would find a place suitable for both of us height-wise

From the ask game here

[stormdragon23]

5 for Yoon-ho. 14 for Eun-seok. 25 for Jin-woo (even though I already knew the answer) :3

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them? (Baek Yoonho)

Monster by Skillet, but I feel kind of bad about that alskfdslf I think a softer song would suit him better

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character. (Eunseok)

I'm not so good at fashion aesthetics alskdjfsd You asked the wrong person about this

Whatever this is

Something casual with multiple layers but can still be worn when it's warm out

Someone help me-

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now? (Sung Jinwoo)

You could have chosen Min Byungyu to make this just about the trio, but you didn't :<

I really liked Jinwoo at first. I found his thinking process logical when it came to fighting, the small moments where he was goofy were amusing (I missed those moments; there are so few of them nowadays), and his powers are cool. Physically, I think he was my type at some point, and I like the relationships he had with other people

Now, he's fairly average to me. I don't have any particularly strong opinions about liking him or hating him (any hate I do say is made in jest), but I started to dislike his perspective in the later half of the story, and I didn't like how he became less expressive later on (that's more of an author critique, but I still don't like it)

I think I still like Jinwoo before the second double dungeon. After that, there were very few moments where I still liked him as much as I did before

From the ask game here

[pain-suffering-even]

headcanons: Baek Yoonho

Quick headcanons - 

Name: Baek Yoonho

Age: 29

Gender: Male

DOB/Place: February 18th, 2031 in Jeonju, South Korea

Rank/Type: S Rank Fighter

Guild/Occupation: White Tiger Guild Leader

Past Occupation(s): Fiend Guild

Skills: Beast Eyes

Weapons: Claws

Family: Cho Garam (mom) (alive)

Baek Jongdae (dad) (alive)

Baek Namgil (older brother) (alive)

Core headcanons - 

Hidden talent: Really good with tying knots (not because hes into anything funky, but because of boy scouts) 

Favorite food: Rice and mushroom curry

What motivates them: Proving he’s better than just a country boy from a small town, internal sense of justice  

Treasured possession: A picture reel of him and his pets in the pool (he keeps it in his wallet all the time) 

Deepest secret: He has trouble connecting with people and socializing and he's always self conscious about it (it's the undiagnosed autism)

Best/Worst thing to happen to them: His brother being there for him when he was younger/His parents misunderstanding him  

Random memories: Hysterically crying over one of the chickens pecking him when he was younger not because he was hurt but because “McQueen didn’t like him anymore and now he's sad that he lost his chicken friend,” meeting Byungyu at one of the summer camps of his and becoming best friends, his older brother taking him out of town every time there was a festival so that Yoonho wouldn’t have to put up with the loud fireworks, volunteering at one of the animal shelters just outside of Seoul and slowly falling in love with Moscow and Black Magic before finally adopting them together as they’re the best of friends, Byungyu introducing him to the hidden lakes and ponds in the woods and going swimming in them, 

Best friend/Worst enemy: Min Byungyu/Choi Jongin (not really)

Good/Bad traits: Strong, thoughtful, observant/Defensive, competitive, insecure, 

Things they’ve done/like to do: Wash his pets in the kiddie pool, playing basketball and swimming with Byungyu, getting fouls in basketball, volunteering at animal shelters in his hometown, 

Personality type: “Entertainer” ESFP-A (89% extraverted, 11% introverted; 33% intuitive, 67% observant; 23% thinking, 77% feeling; 49% judging, 51% prospecting; 76% assertive, 24% turbulent) 

Nervous habit: Cleaning/fiddling with his nails, drumming his fingers on the table, picking/biting his lip, pulling at his hair/threading his fingers through it, 

Things they’re afraid of: Being misunderstood or misinterpreted, the dentist (sensory hell), 

Things they want to accomplish: Buying a house out in the country, volunteering more, 

Additional headcanons -

4 dogs, 1 cat, 4 hamsters , 3 rabbits, and a chinchilla

Pixie dust, the creamy colored Scottish terrier; Scooby, a large grey/blue great Dane missing part of his hind leg; Baggins, the giant and old saint Bernard; Black Magic, the blind rottweiler he got as a puppy; Moscow, the deaf Prussian blue cat; Cappuccino (light brown), Americano (dark brown), Macchiato (red brown), and Frappuccino (white with spots), the hamster sisters; Zeus (fluffy and white), Poseidon (brown with white patches), and Hades (mottled blue/grey), the rabbits; and Mama, the partially blind chinchilla

Likes sweet and sugary things in general

Always knows when it's gonna rain. Always. He's always correct, too (He’s got a pre-awakening knee left injury that aches when it rains plus his animal like senses confirming it)

Their Timeline -

Age 16: hurts his knee in basketball

3 years pass

Age 19: gets his rank

Age 20: moves to Seoul from Jeonju + joins the Fiend Guild

Age 21: gets Pixie dust + Mama

Age 22: gets Scooby + Baggins

Age 23: gets Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades

Age 24: gets Moscow + black magic

Age 25: first red gate experience

Age 26: first Jeju raid + creates the White Tiger Guild

Age 27: second Jeju raid + gets Cappuccino, Americano, Macchiato, and Frappuccino

Age 28: third Jeju raid (Baggins + Scooby pass away)

Age 29: now