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pieroulette · 1 year

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ROUTE 1: HEESEUNG

A STORY THAT STARTS WITH A TEXT

2023 ・18+ ・15k ・YANDERE SERIES: ROUTE 1 MASTERLIST

pairing: lee heeseung x fem! reader

warning: cursing, panic attack, manipulation/emotional manipulation, kidnapping, mentions of drugs, major character death, descriptive death scene, murder (use of guns), violence, force kiss, mild sexual harassment, implied noncon (sa)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: rest assured my brain are now totally fried ^^ thank you for reading!! and reblogs, comments are always highly appreciated! they're the ultimate motivation fuel <3

| EPISODE 10: CARNIVAL |

The gut wrenching text in your glowing screen never ceases to mock you with each and every word.

[9:05PM] Hee01: sweet kitten, let’s start the game, shall we? Now, now, who do you think is the traitor sweetheart? :)

It fucking hurts that you wanna rip your head apart.

And when you think you've done enough crying and screaming to the top of your lungs—that your tears have gone dried and your voice had disappear into nothing—another one escapes before you can stop it.

As pathetic as you think it can be, you couldn't stop.

Your teeth gritted to its deepest core despite the possibility of it cracking, you didn't mind as your arms were shivering in a menacing pace as you had this another utter disbelief spiralling inside you.

How funny and pathetic you could be to stay fool like this, not aware of who the fuck had betrayed you.

[9:07PM] Hee01: still thinking?

Another piece of you were uttering a horrendous amount of questions in your head — questions that had no answers, going on and on like a broken radio.

Or perhaps, you were the one broken right now.

Broken like your trust.

Betrayal, betrayal.

Who could've possibly betrayed you?

It couldn't be your best friend who you've grown up with and have grown to care and trust — Chaeryeong?. .

But it can't be her! It can't be! I refused to believe this bullshit! There it was again — the same words that you utter and screamed a dozen times in your mind, convincing yourself that this is another game, another manipulation of that bastard.

Because you just couldn't believe that this might be the case.

Raging steps of the officers scattered all over the place which pushes the crowd out of their way to form a free path — those people had their arms caging that of EJ's helpless form, dragging him away from the scene.

Your eyes falling on EJ's pathetic form being dragged away brought you a sudden epiphany.

A shock wave of cold riled up across your entire body.

Jungwon! Where is he? Your eyes searched for the said boy but not even an inch of his presence was nowhere to be found — not even amongst the crowd nor on the stage itself. The boy was never present from the beginning of the festival.

Gritting your teeth in this immense pressure, you couldn't bear to get it wrong.

Your eyes fought it's best to blink away its tears but you couldn't fathom the possibility of how he, too, could be the one who betrayed you and EJ.

Possibilities, possibilities. What could be his reason to betray you? To do such an atrocity?

He was the one who brought the tape to you and EJ, if it was him then why would he even go through all that trouble in the first place?

For what? To fool you? It doesn't make sense.

Not even Chaeryeong herself could've possibly had a reason to turn her back against you.

Nothing, there was nothing! What if?! — Your eyes shoot up searching for him, what if this just another game of his to break you apart? It could be!

Your mind ran like a horde of horses racing through the sea of blood, searching for the corpses reeking in the mud. It smells musty, sinister and awful.

But no matter how you searched through it, the deepest depths contain nothing but an empty void.

You couldn't find a single thing of what one of them could have done to betray you.

Were you really dumb? Or were they too good?

Or have you just really thrown away your trust as if it was a dust within your fingertips?

You snap out of your daze as the crowds begin to dissipate—on and off they go to whatever they planned or wished to.

Out of blue you felt this ominous stare digging on your back.

Glancing over your shoulder to look up to the said group you've been wishing for their demise, yet there's no one but one boy who stood still behind the curtains covering the stage.

You gasped unable to fathom the expression of the brown haired boy—it caught you off guard but you didn’t let his dark gaze controlled you.

Next time, next time. You chanted in your mind, eyes darting from him to the entire place—letting out an exasperated sigh before rushing out of the venue.

A gigantic sea of neon lights along with cold breeze hitting your face as soon as you did so, sprinting to the pathway where crowds begun to leave and there your eyes fell on those who you were trying to chase for— screaming at them to stop at once.

"No! No—" you panted as you pry off their arms from the boy, "P-please he didn't do anything! What fucking proof do you have to arrest him like this?!"

They didn't respond rather throwing you daggers and glares through their dark gaze, red bluish lights illuminating the sharp edges of their face and silhouette.

They were firm, huge and strong — and they didn't seem to care even a tad bit of what you were saying which made you grew desperate.

Yet you tried pathetically once more, begging for them to let go of EJ who has by now given up, teary red eyes and gritted teeth. "Who did this, (Name)?!"

"I don't know! I really don't know!" You whimper, holding on to his leather jacket.

"EJ, please don't do anything! Just don't! They could hurt you or anything so please don't do anything!"

"What else do you expect me to do?!"

"Just listen to me please! I promise I'll get this over with as soon as I can, just— just don't do anything!"

It was obvious that EJ, too, were breaking down in this huge dilemma where he and you are unaware of who could've been the culprit.

This was never the plan! Both of you screamed into the deepest void in your minds.

You whipped your head at the remaining officer who had just finished from interrogating the crowds, "Please it's not him!"

The officer looks at you with confusion written all over his face but soon understands.

"There has been a witness proof, kid."

"Who? Who was it?!" your eyes widened in mild shock, desperate to know who it was.

"We can't say who. But consider laying back, you might be an accomplice as well with your attitude right now, kid." He patted your back before walking past you and there you could only watch EJ's form drooping in utter disbelief.

You knew that you and him had the same question running inside your minds ever since then.

Yet you can't let this pass and so you tugged at the officer's jacket, preventing him from leaving in which he turned to you with his dark eye bags that showed his restless and overworked days.

"Then help me please! My family, someone had kidnapped them!"

His eyebrows creased in annoyance, uttering words so fast you couldn't catch up but he eventually extended his hand asking you about proof and so you hurriedly turned on your phone, the bright screen illuminating the edges of your face.

However, someone behind you grabbed your phone and it made you fumed with anger when you snapped your head around to see the person in question — Taehyun, with a bubblegum sticking in his cheek.

"Hm?" The officer raised his eyebrows at the boy's attitude.

The brown haired boy with a smug grin splattered on his face as the flickering lights from the officer's car from behind you formed a hideous reflection on him that you were unable to fathom but this growing menace aura surrounding him had you frozen.

"Give me back my phone!" you reached out for your phone in his tight grasp but he dodged you so quick that you nearly stumbled to the ground.

“Please don’t mind her, Sir. She got some screw loose in her head after getting a few shots for the day." He suddenly pulled you into his tight embrace much to your protests, "Good job for today though! Didn’t had a single thought that this dearest friend of mine could ever think of to do such a hideous thing, how unfortunate.”

"Fucking liar! Do I look drunk to you?— Give me back my phone!"

"Are you sure bout that? She doesn't look even the slightest drunk—"

"She might not look like it but her boyfriend's are telling us to look after her so no worries!"

"N-no he's lying! Don't believe him!" You keep struggling in his arms and this somehow alerted the worn off officer.

"Kid, get your hands off her."

EJ slowly raised his eyes only to see the commotion outside the car window in which he hissed inside the car, squirming against the metal cuffs over his wrists and pathetic attempts to get off from the car.

Taehyun lets out an irritated sigh, leaning down to your ears whispering something so low only you could hear it, "C'mon now, (Name). Heeseung's waiting, you wouldn't want him to wait that long, aren't you?"

You froze.

Leaning backwards he did as he increased his voice in a normal volume.

You didn't move an inch in Taehyun's cage-like embrace till the officer wasn't taking this anymore as he nonchalantly told you to go off and not waste his time before leaving.

You could only watch as the car drove away and the window had EJ in a panic manner as he shouted for you inside.

Clenching your fists in pure agony is what you did as you threw a glare so deep in hatred at the taller boy.

“Give me back my phone! Bitch!”

“Ah, ah, chill.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying, you should've sharpened the edges of your damn brain first before acting with your pretty little useless plans.” Taehyun mumbled and then lowered his gaze at you.

“Give it back, you son of a bitch! I can’t believe you, he’s your friend and you’re doing this to him?!”

Taehyun’s eyebrow furrowed in amusement, “Friend? Last time I checked a friend doesn’t betray their own friend, unlike yours.”

“Wh-what are you talking about? What did you do!” You pulled his collar, forcing his back to bend to level your height.

“What did I do? I don’t know, you tell me.”

“I’m not in the mood of your games! I knew what you did, what you and all your shitty friends did! How could you? What kind of human are you? I guess, no. You’re not a human or even a fucking sane being. You’re a fucking monster who are all desperate for money!”

Taehyun’s eyes seem to darken at your words in a split moment but it soon dissipates and one more giggle emits in the air.

“So you knew, pfft. Obviously,” He paused, then his lips tugged up in a sinister way, “You speak as if you could live without money, though. I thought you were kleptomaniac, could you be a liar too?"

“Is that all you fucking got to say about me? Bitch, that doesn't work on me anymore."

"You know, I have no idea what Heeseung finds interesting in you that he had to go through all that trouble. But I guess, I can see now."

"Wha—"

"You are just like us, you just don't see it."

"The fuck you saying? You and I are not the same. I'm not like you who are selfish enough to use someone's body just so I can get money!”

Taehyun grins, "Are you sure bout that? You're just as messed up as we are, because if you weren't, then you wouldn't have known Heeseung nor end up in this shitty situation."

You froze.

"Because if you've never knew him, then Heeseung wouldn't have been the maniac he is right now if it wasn't because of you. You just don't understand do you?"

He leans forward, exaggerating each word. "It's all because of you."

"But gotta thank you for that, though. Heeseung won't even bat an eye or help us with our gigs but because of you he changed."

Silence, silence, the cicadas formed a thickening burst of faint claps while your claws dug deeper into the boy’s collar.

Your fingertips finding its way to tug on your white dress looking for a safe haven, was it really because of you?

Taehyun spoke in amongst the soft murmurs of the crowds behind your back, "(Name)."

"You really didn't know, did you?" a giggle escaped from his lips.

You flinch ever so slightly as his fingertips find its way on your hair as if to stroke it, and your expression screams "what are you doing."

"Oh, relax. There's a tiny bug." The grin on his face never disappeared as he showed you the crushed tiny red bug, "But you know, it's quite amusing."

"Heeseung said you were damn smart, and so he thought you would be able to catch up quickly when you saw us."

Still, a slight frown washes over your eyebrows along with the growing glare in your eyes, "The fuck?"

A giggle softly escapes his cherry lips, "Ah~ I shouldn't be saying much. But there's one thing I could say," He slowly leans forward, his boba eyes widened in each passing second as if to devour you alive.

"Sweetheart, don't you remember me? Ha, maybe you don't. But how about this?" an ear-wrenching silence ensues when he finally spoke.

"Don't blame me, I'm only doing what Heeseung told me to do." Taehyun giggled.

Huh? What the fuck is he— your eyes followed the necklace twirled around the boy's fingers as he playfully dangled the object before you.

Your world seem shattered to shatter as it the realisation dawned on you, the view began to dissipate in and out and it felt like it was the two of you in this place despite the enormous crowds cleaning up their mess, leaving through the exit, or still in shock over the previous ordeal.

“Now go and play.” and with that, Taehyun left with a smug grin on lips—leaving you frozen all alone by yourself.

You couldn't move, your eyes stuck in such a way that it starts to get strained because of how long you were standing there.

What the fuck? Knees weak, you fell on the ground as you all the memories from the past crashed right into your mind.

The dark room, a pair of strong arms that immediately pulled you and does unquestionable things to you.

“Mmmhhh!!”

The stranger's hands that found its way all around your skin, heavy cologne that you smelled on him even when you didn't see him because of the darkness.

The voice that you eventually forgot, words that surfaces right back to your mind.

“…….”

No wonder, you felt there was something downright odd by Taehyun's scent the first time you met him in the studio.

"Don't blame me, I'm only doing what Heeseung told me to do."

It was him. The one who had stolen Heemin's necklace.

[9:44 PM]

The sharpened edges of the digits splattering on the top of your phone's screen seem to put you in a deeper dread past another one.

Cold ice bites every inch of your skin as you rushed out further and further away from the venue, heading to the main street where you keep waving for a cab. you stormed off out the exit, searching for any signs of Chaeryeong or Jungwon.

The carnival, carnival. You panted. There’s a carnival situated around this venue’s area. Clowns, arcades, cosplays — everything was there.

Every moment under this thickening darkness — your heart pounded under your fragile ribs—reminding you that you had no one right now but yourself. The sea of neon colours hits your perspective as you looked out from the cab’s window, it’s lights illuminating on the edge of your face, making you tear-stained eyes glow and dance along with each and every reflection of this gigantic insect-like city.

Gripping the phone in your hand as you clasped your hand in despair, you waved your hand in attempts to get a cab but it went on and on and still you were unable to find one, before a police car pulls up before you — noticing your ragged form and your immediate relief.

You rushed over to the car, tapping the window in desperate impatience, “Help me, help me please!”

The officer were stunned by your ragged form, "Huh? What's wrong?"

“Help me please! My family! They had been kidnapped!"

The officer didn’t question much and was quick to let you in and drove you to the location, promising that he’ll call for backup soon. You couldn’t think properly nor answer properly and so you just nodded, scared for your family’s life.

Foot tapping the floor of the car relentlessly, you asked the officer for the third time, "How long are we still?—"

"Don't worry, it's traffic." The dark red hue encircling the edges of his face were something you could only see.

You gulped, impatient. It's okay, it's okay! I still had time, I'm not alone, it's okay! You comforted yourself for the nth time.

Pass, pass. It felt like an eternity.

A blaring noise of bells, roaring music and squeaking shoes overflowed through your ears and it had your eyes shooting up to where the source of the noise came from. This was it, the carnival Heeseung wanted you to go to.

You immediately went out, your heels stepping on the soil. “This is the place! They must be here! Let’s—”

The car door immediately closed before you as if to shut you out from it.

“S-sir? What are you doing inside there? We have to find my family!”

You slammed the car's window pleading for him to pull it down but you could only observe as the officer slips in a cigarette in his mouth, lighting up ever so lightly as he gave you a disinterested look, finally pulling the window down.

"What are you doing? You said you'll help me—"

“Here kid.” The officer pulls out a card from his pockets, a puff of smoke blows through the air as he pulls out his cigarette with his other hand.

“The fuck is this?..”

"Get out, kid. This is least thing we could do for you, be grateful." the window immediately pulls up leaving you speechless after you took the card.

Shaking your head slowly, “I thought you were going to h-help me?”

Then it hits you. Hard as a fucking brick. You scoffed. You let out a mocking scoff, your hand trembling as it clenches.

“No don't tell me.. You’re one of Heeseung's?!—” your face contorts in immense disbelief and yet the officer was not a tad bit faltered by your outburst.

You slammed the car window on repeat, rage written all over your face as you gritted your teeth so hard, “Fuck. Fuck. And here I thought you’re going to help me?!”

You screamed at the top of your lungs at the car driving off—leaving you in this pathetic situation.

It kick you right in your guts.

Clasping your hands over your head, you clenched your fists admits your pouring tears from your eyes, a fit of sniffles here and there until you wiped off your tears—not wanting to dwell in your misery— before heading into the main entrance of the carnival, the lights above overflowed through your line of vision and you felt lost at this vast space. Childrens and adults alike scattering all over this place.

Your eyes burned from all crying you did and the piercing lights from all over the place wasn't helping either.

However, you were most overwhelmed by relentless outbursts of noises coming from the distance and when you look over to the source of the noise; a stall with a wooden hanging board above—tarot card shop— with a long line of gleeful children and people in all age groups queuing with cards in their hands.

That brought you back to the card the officer gave you; a blank white card.

Was this the game Heeseung told you to play?

You went to the stall in a frantic pace—unable to wait in your dreading situation however your hasty actions earned a harsh glare from other people, murmurs echoes and harsh narrow glares were thrown at you.

You couldn’t wait anymore, you couldn’t wait but the staff told you to go back and wait and so you did, biting your lip as you scratch your neck in utter impatience every now and then—your feet unable to stay still, tapping it on the ground as you waited for your turn where the children queued up in a long line before you.

The thickening impatience spiraled over you, the moonlight glows so bright signifying that the night is still young.

Hurry up, hurry up! You shut your eyes as you screamed in your mind.

"Next!"

Your eyes shoot open as you realise it was finally your turn and so you hurriedly approached the counter where a clown stood behind it.

The clown's face were painted with twisted expressions that reminded you of him.

"Card?"

Snapped out of your daze, you blinked in utter uneasy you placed the card on his hand.

The clown seems to take a whole minute in inspecting the card you gave and suddenly he lets out a cackle, hands curled in a fist as if to suppressed himself from cackling any further.

You frowned at his strange behaviour.

It took him awhile as he bend down to get something under the counter, sharp sound of shelves opening and closing, and when he finally fixed his posture to face you again — a pair of cards was what he presented on the table before you.

Cards that presented a drawn out painting of a cat and a fox.

"Pick one card whichever you wish to, however remember that the card you chose decides someone's fate."

"Who these cards reminded you of?" The clown strokes his fingers over the cards with eyes that seems to scratch every inch into your soul.

And then realisation dawned on you, pair of cards—a cat and a fox—eyes that screamed those auras.

[9:05] Hee01: Who do you think is the traitor?

Heeseung's text crashes through your mind like a speeding train.

The clown gave you a long, deep hard stare as he watched you picked between the cards.

"Choose! Who do you think it is? Choose wisely, miss." The clown exclaimed each word as if it didn't hold a heavy weight on you.

Who? Who? Your fingers hesitates to find its way one of the cards. To choose. To pick.

"Remember, if you fail. There will be consequences waiting for you."

Your ears started to tear up to the colossal weight of reality on you. The multiple things from the game centre, joyous screams from children behind you, faint sound of photo capturing, the sea of neon lights dancing in this gigantic carnival that almost resembles an insect with all its legs on all fours.

Eating you up on your insides and fleshing your intestines out, devouring every part of your brain.

Who should you choose?

Bam! Bam! Bam! The roaring clap of crowds, the exploding sea of flowers on the nightsky, the overflowing round colour of lights illuminating on the cards before you had you drowning in downright dilemma.

Your mind once again travels through the passages of memories with Chaeryeong's and Jungwon's presence in them, lingering inside it's episodes to see what went wrong and who did the ultimate betrayal on you.

You trembled— tremendous wave of guilt washes over you as your hands keep switching back and forth — wanting to get it right but at the same time, you don't want to.

Tap!

With your eyes shut tight to prevent your soul from withering inside, your hand finds it way to the one of the cards in a swift speed.

Trying to flip it over, the clown stopped you and pulled the card away from you which made you frown deeply.

I'm sorry, Jungwon. But I never really trusted you in the first place! You screamed inside your head, hoping for it to be true but at the same you can't bear to see the truth.

Silently praying that you were wrong.

"Ah." The clown smiles. Thus, the music box in his hand turns opened and its contents begun to dance like a spiralling loophole of hell.

Were you wrong? Did you make a mistake? Your soul were draining from your body like a soap wiggling its way out of your grasp.

His clown face snickered upon seeing the content of the card and there he flips it over, presenting it before your very eyes.

"You were. .—"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The clown flips the card of the cat and the true form was a fool. You raised your eyebrow in confusion.

His red bob nose bounces ever so slightly, "You're wrong! Deadly mistaken, that is!"

"What? No.. It wasn't him?.." you couldn't form words, "Are you t-telling me it's?"

"We never know, why don't you guess?"

"Don't fucking play games with me! Who was it!" You pulled the clowns collar, your mouth trembling in the process, “You can’t be telling me it’s her!”

"Aw, young miss. Why so upset? This isn't you. Control your emotions."

Utter distress filled you in.

"Relax, the game doesn't end yet, but how unfortunate it is that someone has to bear the mistake you made."

Your hand trembled in a frantic manner as tears instantly filled up the edges of your eyes.

“What?..- so w-what’s going- don’t tell me you're going-”

The clown’s red painted lips curved up in the widest twisted grin as if to mocked you so hard.

“NO! PLEASE DON'T DO IT I BEG OF YOU!” you pleaded, slamming the table.

“It’s not like you can save either one of them, miss.” the clown cackled.

“Now choose one more card! And we’ll see who’ll take your sweet punishment. It’s lose a limb time!”

“I don’t want to choose! I don’t want to! You can’t fucking force me!” you bawled in tears as you clenched your fists.

He tilted his head, “Then if you won’t choose, we’ll gladly do it for you.”

The clown's head immediately picked the card from the table.

“How about this, since you chose that boy, he should take it on himself then!"

"NO! DON'T DO IT PLEASE!"

You shook your head in desperation, eyes widened in complete horror, mouth drooping so hard saliva was streaming down your jaw. Pain, pain it was as it breaks every bone in your body. Scared and desperate, you took out your phone texting Heeseung.

[10:03PM] you: please!! Don’t do anything! Heeseung!

you were typing . . .

[10:03PM] you: HEESEUNG! Heeseung! Answer me!

Bending over your knees, you couldnt stop bawling in tears as you tapped the call button, trying to get to him but to no avail, you were left ignored.

What's going on?

“I’m sorry, Jungwon! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, i’m sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” you keep apologising like a repeated mantra. "EJ, I'm so-sorry!"

Dread consumed your insides as you begin to have a panic attack.

Your cries of pain consumes the place but no one can hear you as your cries were drowning in the roaring sound of the fireworks, the people too deep in their fascination for the booming flowers on the nightsky.

“Hmm? Seems like Heeseung had taken a pity on you.” you snapped your head so fast to look up at the clown with the phone on his hand, exaggerating each word of his. “You know the cafe all of you three went to once? Go there! He might be around the corner! However probably dead! It's just around here, right?"

Laughter echoes behind your back as you didn’t think even further nor hesitate but sprinted to the exit, fists clenching as you keep waving off your hand for a cab to appear.

But it was useless.

You ran around in this massive crowd, suffocating in pure agony as they passed and hit your shoulder in opposite ways.

Yet, even the pain wasn't as much as the pain you're going to feel if something has happened to Jungwon. Even EJ won't forgive you once he knew what you did.

Lips trembling, eyes darting in utter chaos, never faltering nor losing focus — you ran to the park, panting, your entire figure so ragged and tired as your eyes darted all around the park looking for him. “J-Jungwon?"

Soft strokes of rain drops dropping onto a stagnant lake from the distance, clouded and dull sky emitting a faint clap of thunder — a foreboding melody approaching each passing second.

Pit pat, pit pat.

You called out for him again as your foot brings you around, "Jungwon! Jungwon? Where are you?!"

"Please answer me!"

Yet the presence of the boy was nowhere to be seen, almost as if he was never in this place. However you refused to give up, still walking forward looking for the boy.

But something, or someone in the distance caught your attention from your peripheral vision.

Halt.

Your breath hitched, but a huge wave of relief passed through your body as you let your feet raced its way to her. “Chaeryeong? Are you okay?! Chaeryeong! CHAERYEONG!”

"(Name)—?" Chaeryeong's eyes widened.

"Chaeryeong! Thank god you're here— are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? I've been trying to call you for the past few hours, why the hell weren't you answering?!"

Chaeryeong whimper, her eyebrows knitted together and mouth trembling, "(Name).."

"We have to go, it's not safe here anymore! Somewhere, somewhere—" you grabbed Chaeryeong's hand, voice panting so hard as your eyes darted around your surroundings—thinking of what to do and where to go. "Fuck, let's just leave please!"

"How amusing."

Your feet froze, head snapping to the direction of the voice and you swore your heart sank into deeper fear when you saw Beomgyu leaning against the tree. You immediately pulled Chaeryeong behind you, using your figure to shield her away from the red haired boy.

"The fuck you doing here?!"

"Why? Can't I?"

You scoffed, eyes growing wide in such a way as to mock the red haired boy. "Just get lost! I'm not letting you get close to her! So get lost or I'll fucking murder you!"

Panic consumed your entire body that you just want the boy to get out of your sight. Your hands tightening the grip on Chaeryeong's wrist. You ain't gonna let anything bad happen to her.

Not now, not ever.

"Pfft!" Loud laughter emits from the red haired boy as he hold his sides with his arms, mouth wide open and eyes shut as if the whole thing was an entertainment show for him.

Silence finally consumes everything for a brief moment when he open his eyes, staring at you intensely but you soon realise he wasn't looking at you but at Chaeryeong.

"Yah, don't you wanna tell your goodie bestfriend what you did?"

Huh?

Suddenly, you felt Chaeryeong's hand trembled in yours, her fingers now tightening in your hand. "Let's just l-leave. ." she whimper in a very tiny voice, her head low as if to avoid Beomgyu's intense gaze.

This wasn't how Chaeryeong usually act. What's going on?

"What? What's wrong?—" you brushed her hair, worried to death if Chaeryeong was hurt anywhere. "Did they hurt you? Did they give you something?!"

"Fuck, I can't watch this anymore!" Beomgyu exclaimed as he pushed himself forward.

You walked backwards, alarmed by the boy's approaching presence.

"Yah, if you don't wanna tell her then I will." Beomgyu pouted, "(Name), you are too kind don't you think? Or maybe too dumb, pfft. That girl behind you are the reason why your plan are now messed up!"

Stop. You stood still as a stone.

You didn't know what to expect nor think about it. Heck, you don't know what to do about what you heard just now—from the boy across from the street before you.

"Y-you're lying.." stuttering as your eyes blinked in an unstable manner. "You're trying to ruin our friendship—"

"Then why didn't she bring your sweet, sweet family to the concert?" Beomgyu tilted his head in a mockery manner.

You froze in utter horror with every word escaping the boy's mouth—lips falling apart, the tightened grip you had on Chaeryeong's hands loosens as you struggled to accept what you heard.

But the girl behind you refuses to let go, tightening her grip on your hand with both her hands—tears now pouring down her cheeks.

"Is.. it true?" your voice came out more as a whisper laced with downright pain and even though you let it out as a question, you wanted her to say no.

Tears brimmed out of Chaeryeong's eyes as she started to shake her head, softly saying each word which turns into high-pitched at the end “Th-this isn’t what you think!”

It dawned on you and yet part of you refuse to believe it.

Your feet made its way backwards. What is this? What is this? What is this?

“NO! (Name)! I didn’t meant it! I was unable to do anything! I’m sorry (Name)!” she tried to tugged your stone like arms, you could only look at her with wide open eyes that screams pain.

“Wha- what did you do? What- What have you done?—” you choked on your breathe, eyes shooting up to glare at her. "WHY DID YOU DO IT?!"

You shoved her arms away, avoiding her frantic approaching hands in a way that shows how your hatred were growing stronger for every drop of the rain falling on your bare skin.

Chaeryeong shook her head, crying, “I—”

“D-don’t touch me! Don’t you fucking touch me!” you trembled as you avoid her touch like it’s venomous to your skin, “Bitch? How dare you betray us!”

You saw red. Everything was growing red as the pure affection you had for the girl seems to vanished bit by bit.

“Where and how did you betray us?! You knew it was important for us! But, but!” gasping for air as this ugly betrayal surges it way to your heart, "I TRUSTED YOU! WE TRUSTED YOU! I—"

High-pitched scream of yours made the cicadas grew silent, lizards went back to their shelter and only the ominous glow of the yellow lamp was what accompany the both of you.

Now, there was only silence deathly silence.

Chaeryeong clenches her fists while breaking down in tears as she continued to apologized to you on repeat, like a broken radio. Broken radio. But really who’s the truly broken radio between the two of you? Was it you or her? Should you blame yourself or her?

Who?!

“It— it wasn’t easy! I wanted to s-stop! But I really couldn’t escape from him (Name)!” Chaeryeong wailed in pain, hanging her head low.

Pit pat, pit pat.

Silence forms as if mother nature had seen enough.

A soft chime!

Your phone’s screen lights up with another notification from him popping up.

[10:03PM] Hee01: you lose the game. Now your family had to pay the price.

[10:03PM] Hee01 has attached an image.

Your breath had caught up on your throat the moment your eyes fell on the attached image he sent to you.

He was too cruel, too cruel, too fucking evil.

Cupping your mouth with your immense trembling hands as tears overflowed out from your eyes for a dozen times.

"(N-name)?.."

Your parents had their heads tied around on a noose as they were laid on a place you couldn't understand where it was from.

[10:05PM] Hee01: let's play another game, shall we?

You were lost at words as if your system had shut down, the horror of this betrayal was something you couldn't bear to have a thought of anymore and now you had to go through another miserable pain.

Your heels spun around in a throbbing pain in your veins as if you've been standing there for an eternity.

"(Name)! (Name)! I'm really sorry! Please where are you going?!" Chaeryeong tries to to grab your arm but you pushed her away in your solemn state.

“G-get lost. Just get lost..” you nonchalantly said it, leaving the girl behind despite her desperate protests and relentless apologies.

A faint clap of thunder, roaring its wrath to the tenants of this vast world. For some, it’s a joy for the crops to drench in for them to grow to their glory, for some it’s in a form of punishment and that someone was you right now.

One, two, a few almost like a soft stroke of the raindrop fell on your skin — disguising as one of your tears dripping down your face. Your phone illuminates for the nth time, every text from him was a pure hellbound tying you with him and you were hoping to cut it off with possibly a knife or a scissor.

Though how unfortunate you were, as you were fighting restlessly to cut it off — it was pulling you even deeper like a sandman’s lair. His lair.

There, and then in the midst of the roaring thunder and the mother-like pit pats of the rain drop — you stumble upon a kid in a raincoat, swinging his arms as he let out his little hops on the tiny puddles across the street.

Fuck, you thought.

The long and wet, grey pathway. Your dress, hair and skin has been now drenched like you’ve drowned.

Laugh, laugh, how pathetic you were. Was it all coming back to you? The petty game you’ve started from the beginning? Karma has bitten you back, isn’t?

All because you sent a text, with a seemingly petty child-like games of yours and it has now been turned into a bloodbath by the very boy you fooled instead.

All the lamps flickered like a bunch of psychos dancing in a round circular pattern.

“I’m tired. I’m tired. .” a whisper so silent it felt like you had no one in the first place.

A soft chime!

A series of notifications pops up on your phone’s screen and you swore you can’t take it anymore as you read through his texts.

[10:07] Hee01: now let me explain our little game!

[10:07] Hee01: your little family and friend is hidden around in the city and you must find them before ur time ends, you got 1 hr :)

As if your life hasn't been shattered completely, you were proven wrong as you lose your footing on the ground — eyes widening in utter horror as you typed out a text so vigorously.

[10:09PM] you: TF YOU THINKING?? HOW AM ELSE I SUPPOSE TO FIND THEM?! ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!!!!

[10:10PM] Hee01: oh honey, dont worry. I’ll give you two hints. Rooftop. Red flag.

[10:10PM] you: what?.. are you trying to tell me that that..

[10:10PM] Hee01: the night is still young, baby. You got 1 hr, that’s all u have. If u fail to find them all, their fate would end up of their blood dripping from their head on the street :’)

Distress etched all over your face as your knees bring you all around the city. Your heavy white dress that flows along with the cold breeze as you keep running, running and running up and down the stairs.

Wiping off your tears in a vigorous manner as you stride off to the street with multiples buildings around you and you felt that there was no hope for you to ever find them.

An endless labyrinth of misery.

[10:13PM] Hee01: time starts now.

Run, don’t stop, if you stopped — they will die. Don’t stop!

Your eyes shoots up up to see a red flag sticking up on the edge on top of the building's rooftop

Sigh of relief.

Eyes darting all over your surroundings and hasty breathing as you went insidr building, sprinting upstairs and pushing open the rooftop’s door and yet you were met with nothing but the empty voids of the night sky and the sea of neon colours of this gigantic city.

Where are they?..

You almost want to cry again. If you want, you could've jump from this building just so you can end this pure torture that Heeseung puts you in through.

But you know you can't, you can't!

You walked slowly to the edge of the building and there your breath were suck out from your lungs when you notice the numerous red flags sticking on every rooftop you can ever see.

You clasped your head in your hand, bawling so loud that there's no way you could find your parents in all these buildings.

Tick, tock.

[10:19PM]

You should be getting up on your feet right now, you should be but why, why can't you stand?

[10:27PM]

You still haven't got over Chaeryeong's betrayal and here you were on the edge of your life trying holding yourself back together, but everything seems to be useless at this point.

Soft chime!

[10:39PM] Hee01: have you found them?

[10:39PM]

The glowing screen of your phone had by now been drowned by your tears.

The entirety of this huge pressure made you gave up. It was too much to bear. You keep panting and panting, searching for an air to breathe but it your lungs ache, pure fear of what could happen if the timer runs out and you weren't able to save them or more frightening was, not even one of them.

But your feet still won't stand up on its own.

It's all over, isn't?

“(Name)?!”

You slowly look up to see those familiar feline eyes. You burst into tears letting out small apologies for accusing him as a traitor and finally told him everything of what had happened to you today including Chaeyeong — it was too much to bear, apparently.

“It’s okay, I cannot guarantee I won’t do the same thing too if I was in your shoes.” Jungwon comforted you.

You nodded, tears forming in your eyes but then your gaze fell on his bandaged hand. “W-what happened to your?—” and Jungwon seem to catch up fast as his left hand brushes it over.

“Oh, it's nothing! Got on an accident earlier, it's nothing serious.”

“But it seems really serious, are you sure you’re fine?’

Your hoarse voice made Jungwon realise how consumed you were with fatigue but he chose to remain silent.

“Yeah I’m fine!” Jungwon tries to pull up a smile as he helps you get up on your wobbly feet. “C’mon, we don’t have enough time anymore. Let’s find them okay?”

Jungwon and you scattered all around the city searching for the red flags hoarding over the rooftops.

Rush footsteps echoes all over the stairs as the two of you barges into the rooftop. An enormous weight of pressure were suddenly released from your chest when you finally found your parents.

Cry, cry.

“Mom! Dad!” you knelt before them, helping them up but soon you notice that they were given drugs so they’re in an unconcious state.

It took you and Jungwon a sudden realisation that it will take you a horrendous amount of time to carry them both.

However, both of you kept going on.

You carried your mother on your back as best as you can while your father on Jungwon’s, your knees was burning in horrendous pain as you went down the stairs, being careful as you as to not accidentally letting them off.

The circular motion of this stairs are starting to make your head feel light, your eyes forming dust and air.

Jungwon notices you and tried to get your senses back, “(Name)! We’re almost there!”

After dropping off your parents inside a bar with an excuse of them being drunk and that you'll come back later — you and Jungwon once again wander limitlessly across the streets, repeating the same action over and over again in the midst of the joyous music of this city.

“This won’t do, we have to split up.” Jungwon pants as he put his hands on his knees.

You nodded, spinning your heels around but before you do, you shouted for Jungwon, “Be careful please!”

Jungwon was taken aback but nodded in return

You didn’t know why you said that out of blue but somehow you already had this growing fear inside you that he, too, could possibly lose his life for helping you like this. You were afraid that something might happen out of nowhere, you can’t rest nor take a moment to think properly — you were running out of time and you swore your head was about to burst.

Was this what Heeseung really wanted?

You keep searching and searching for them, for EJ and your sister. But you weren't sure whether they're on the same rooftop or being separated from each other plus another problem was the rooftop of each building had no longer red flags on top of them so you were going back and forth, circling each intersection and blocks. But don’t worry, you still had time.

I still had enough time!—

Bam!

A full crowd of high-pitched screams suddenly emits high up in the air which had you clasped your head in your hands instantly but you turned around to see crowds gathering in a certain spot and then you looked up only for your stomach to churned in utter fear.

There it was, the red flag dancing with the cold breeze on the top of the building.

No, it can’t be. You let out an awkward laugh as you brought your attention back to the gathered crowd.

Tap, tap, your heels formed a faint soft clicks as you approached the crowd, looking down to your phone

[10:53PM]

You still had time. . .

You still had 10 minutes left before the timer ends so this can’t be.

This must a pure joke, isn’t? Your hand shivered but you stopped it, still giggling inside your empty void.

Tap, tap.

And as you find your way in to the crowd, you were met with the gruesome sight of the lifeless body on the ground and you found yourself unable to move as if your system had shut down. Your brain unable to hold it’s cells for you to think, your heart unable to move so it can pump up blood to your entire body, your lips had gone pale and your pupils dilated to the canvas of horror laying before you.

You fall before it.

Soft chime!

The canvas of horror holding this familiar and gentle brown hair, eyes that hold sincerity inside it which was now left open as if it’s looking up to the air, lips had gone pale and purple as if he had died instantly as soon as his head hitted the ground.

EJ.

—Soft chime!

You couldn’t stop yourself from shaking violently nor held yourself together from falling apart on this cold, rough street. You couldn’t cry, though. The crowds had gathered around the lifeless body of him you couldn’t open your eyes for.

You spoke silently, breaking down inside, “I- still had 20 minutes l-left. .”

You couldn’t stop choking on your breathe, clasping your head when you look up to the rooftop from where you left him initially. W-what’s going on?..

You couldn’t see Jungwon, you couldn’t see him. But there he was, with the expression mirroring yours as he approached the lifeless corpse on your arms. This enormous weight pulling you down even deeper into this empty void.

“Why. . why are you here?” your hand frantically brushes over EJ’s face, a complete contrast from your dead expression, “No, come back. C-come back.”

Too deep in your labyrinth of despair, you failed to notice Jungwon falling behind you—emptiness circulating in his eyes. But he tries to quickly regained his composure, wiping off his tears before pulling out his phone to call for the ambulance.

His hands trembling with the phone within his grasp, his voice stuttering as he tells them your current location.

Another soft chime! And yet you ignored it, eyes with dried tears staring into the empty space hold EJ's freezing hands in yours.

"Why are you so cold?.." you choked on your throat, the freezing weather making your nose aches with every tiny sniff.

Your ears were muffled with this drowning and growing bass and yet despite all of that you could hear ambience Jungwon's desperate voice calling for the emergency.

He's dead.. Why are you still trying? You asked Jungwon deep inside your mind. You couldn’t believe either, was that really the last time you would’ve ever talk to EJ?

“EJ! Remember don’t do anything! Just stay calm! I’ll save you later, I promise!”

Another chime, two, three, four, five, countless of tings emerges from your phone which then results in the gaze of the gathered crowds on you.

Ha, you failed. You failed to keep your promise.. to him.

“(Name)! (Name)!” Jungwon tugs your shirt in hopes to get you back.

Snapped out from your spiraling anguish, your look at the boy beside you with heavy eyes.

"Your phone."

Shaky fingers taps the numerous notifications from him. You're unable to comprehend the texts on your screen as your chest and heart were overflowing with too much anguish from the body laying before you.

This familiar name. Another enormous weight falls on you just after another.

[11:06PM] Hee01: attached an image.

[11:06PM] Hee01: I miss u :( I'm sure your sister miss you too so u better hurry up

From the distance, something caught your attention. A dark, black car pulls up across from the street and you instantly recognized who it belongs to.

Heavy eyes falling back on the lifeless boy on the ground before you, your lips trembled as your fingers stroked his cold rosy cheeks and down to his dry chapped lips that was once full of life.

"Just go, (Name). I'll handle this, just leave your parents to me." a voice like a stroke of a feather as Jungwon's head lies low, you knew that he too were unable to cry nor scream as you both have thought that you two could've save him.

That you still had time.

Silence, silence.

You remained silent throughout the entire drive to the church where Heeseung and your sister was. Curling into your knees, head buried deep inside, only hearing your slow breath amidst the sound of the radio of the car.

Though, the radio seems to be broken.

Broken like you are.

The enormous weight and heavy pressure this snowy dress you had on you is so painful you couldn’t bear to take another step to the colossal church waiting for you across the path.

But you still did, you still kept going on — pushing the enormous main door and there your eyes met his.

The same eyes you grew to despise, love, disgust, loathe, despair for.

Small, slow steps you took as you cross the aisle. The church was so high up to the intricate patterned ceiling, the dark brown painted walls, the holy statues and the entire vibe of this place that was supposed to give you serenity feeling but the devil himself was standing across from you with a wicked smile adorning his face.

“Ah, at last, my darling. You’re here.” Heeseung opens his arms wide for you.

But the only person you had your utmost attention for was your sister, Chaewon who was laid against the wall, blood dripping from her head all the way down to her cheek. For awhile, you thought she was unconscious but you realise that it was far from that by her heavy eyes and fatigued form.

“Unnie!”

Before you could approach your sister, Heeseung stood before you with a smug grin on his face which turn into a pout, “How rude, don’t you miss me though?”

Seeing his face made you wanted to punch him and curse at him for eternity but you can't, not when your sister were right there, a few more meters away from you.

“You fucking dare even ask me that?” your face contorts into utter disgust which doesn’t affects him a tad bit.

"Feisty, I like that." Heeseung grinned as he wrapped his hand around your wrist, pulling you into his embrace despite your protests. “Look at you, so ragged and so tired. I must have made it so hard for you to enjoy your night out, did I?”

It was only now that you notice the presence of an old priest in his all-black attire when you glance over Heeseung's shoulder It gave you a uneasy feeling. What is this. You just wanted this bullshit to end for once and for all.

“You did such a good job playing the game I made for you, now let me see,” He strokes your face with his fingers, eyes scanning every edge of your face, “I’m glad your face is as pretty as it is, all mine.”

His voice caressing your ears irked you so much— Pretty. Mine. All mine.

Your hard and cold demeanour finally broke over his softened ones, you seriously can’t take this twisted words of his.

You suppressed the need to choke on your throat and gather your courage, your lips unable to control itself anymore. “W-what do you want? Please. Let’s just get this over with.”

“Oh, darling. Why are you rushing? We all had the time we needed in this world! Don’t we?”

“I don’t have any fucking time to play your little games!” Finally, tears spilled from your eyes as you pushed him away, “Tell me what do you want me to do just so you can let go of my family!”

Broken you were, helpless you felt as you dug your claws beneath your palms. You just wanted to fall on the floor and crouch in your little world because you were so betrayed by what she did, by what Chaeryeong did. By EJ's death, his lifeless body flashing through your mind. Your sister's worn out form against the wall.

Everything, everything fucking hurts as you shoot a glare full of hatred towards the man standing before you.

A mocking sigh emits from the young man. “How impatient. But fine.”

Your teary eyes shooted up to meet his lovesick gaze, “What?”

“Darling, you’re too dense, aren’t you?” Heeseung giggled, gesturing to the priest standing before you, “Remember? You agreed to marry me.”

You shook your head in a pathetic, small way. "No.."

“Marry me, and then we’ll leave this place, let’s live somewhere where there’s no one but us!” He took your hands in his, voice growing desperate every second, eyes brimming in utmost affection as you shook your head vigorously, “If you do that, then I might be kind enough to leave your family and friends alone. I guess, it’s fair right? You can’t ask for something without giving something darling.”

“But why? Why! We've only known each other for seven months! Why—” you bit your lip so hard.

A spine chilling chuckle escapes Heeseung's cherry lips, “(Name), Isn’t it obvious enough? It is because I love you that I’m doing this for you, for us!”

"For us?! Us?! You're fucking insane!" You yelled at the top of your lungs.

"I wouldn't be this fucking insane if you didn't text me in the first place! And then fooled me as if I was a mere game to you! You knew I like you and yet you gave me fake name! Fake face! Everything is fucking fake!"

Heeseung's voice echoes through the church's hall that had you shuddered in utter fear.

Blood drained out from your face as your lips trembled with the words you let out, "Y-you knew..?"

Raising his eyebrow in a cocky manner, "You think I wouldn't knew? Oh god, darling! You're so smart and yet so dumb!

Air. You need to breathe. Breathe. You need to say something, something — the fear of being caught consumes your entire being.

Shutting your eyes tight you did as you screamed out every single words. "I know i’m sorry for doing such thing! But this doesn’t make sense, you couldn’t have possibly love me — someone you’ve never met! I’m really sorry! I’m really sorry! I'm sorry for doing that to you!”

A gut-wrenching silence consumes the insides of the church.

You slowly opened your eyes to look at him with so much fear spiraling in your wounded heart.

“Shh, shh.” He pulled you into his embrace, brushing your hair in a loving manner, his mouth pouting ever so slightly but in contrast to his dark gaze, “You don’t have to apologise, it’s true it pissed me off that I wanted to rip you to pieces once I met you but when I finally saw you with my own eyes.. I didn't think it would make me you made me fell more harder than I think I could've been.”

You remained silent in fear.

“But I just thought I still had to teach you a lesson.." Heeseung stroked your cheeks with his finger, "The game was fun isn’t? That’s how you made me felt all this time, wandering like an insane and looking all over the places for you. Remember the card game? Choosing between two people whom I never know which was the real person i’m looking for? That was how you did it by choosing your sister as your face, how funny. And the betrayal part? Now you know how it feels, that’s how you made me go through it. It hurts, didn’t it? All these games was what you put me into.”

You gritted your teeth, suppressing your tears as you look down ashamed of what you did.

“Now it’s only fair, that we had gone through the same thing. It’s settled, love.” Gripping your jaw, forcing your eyes to met his intense gaze, "So marry me darling or else.. you wouldn't want your sister to end up like that, do you?"

“If you want, your sister could be our guest, the witness to our love.”

You gritted your teeth. “You’re insane..”

“Yes I am, insane for you and my love for you, isn’t it so obvious at this point?” A devilish smirk adorned his cherry red lips as he reached out his hands for you, “C’mon, (Name).”

"Heeseung, do you take (Name) for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

What is this.. You trembled within his grasp and suddenly his fingers find its way to your neck, softly stroking your skin—so sickeningly sweet.

"I do."

The way he said it was dreading you.

The priest then turns to you, "(Name), do you take Heeseung for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Your lips felt like it had been sewed by a thread, choking on your saliva in this unnerving situation because of his lovestruck eyes that was observing your every bit of action which was so extremely disturbing and unsettling.

It was as if his eyes were screaming— say it! Say it!

You knew there's no turning back right now as your sister were on the edge between life and death, and more specifically being hanged on a noose that's decided by the choices you made.

Hissing in almost like whisper, "I— I do."

When you let such an answer, only then you notice how his sharp expression of waiting you to say that one sentence turned into a sheer satisfaction—absolute exhilaration consumed his eyes.

His teeth came into view as his cherry red lips tugged up in the wildest grin you've ever seen—so wicked and terrifying that you whimper in utter fear.

"Till death do us apart."

Bloodcurdling scream erupts in the empty air—you on your fetus like form with your trembling hands clasping your ear in attempts to recover from what you've seen.

The lifeless corpse before you.

With a gun in his grasp, one loud shot ended the priest’s life as he fell on the floor in a loud thud — his blood scattering all over his face, the holy status on the table and the floor all being stained in red.

"W-why did you have to kill him?!"

You couldn’t process everything, it was too much! it was too much, too much to take.

Heeseung finds it rather amusing to see your state, tilting his head as he blows off the smoke from the gun’s tip. “One out, darling. We don’t need another damn pest crouching into our life.”

"W-why.. Why would you do that?! He didn't even do anything!" You bawled in tears once again.

Witnessing death one after another, wooden like eyes once the soul left it's host, blood sucking out from their once vibrant skin—every single time, your soul are sucked out along with them—one more time, and you are sure to death that you will be only a living doll void of a heartbeat in the end.

Approaching your pathetic wailing form in a light hearted manner as if nothing had happened—brushing your hair in the utmost affection he can give to you because he loves you so much that it hurts, “Hush, love. You'll very well forgot it soon, how about we grab some dinner while we're on our way to our honeymoon?”

The witness to all of these absolute madness had remained stone cold this entire time.

“Fuck, stop crying. I get it that you're adorable but atleast save your tears for later. Hm, how about this? As a present to my lovely wife, i’ll let your sister live. I’m just that kind, right?” Heeseung smiled so sickeningly sweet at you.

It caught you off guard as you sniffed frantically, you find it unbelievable that he was willing to do just that for you but are we still surprise? This guy is a living form of mental derangement but if this is what it takes for your sister to survive then you won't mind a single bit.

Not when you already lose someone so precious to you.

You nodded in a quick hasty manner with your eyes filled with burning tears—darting all around the space, blinking in utter anxiety as he wrapped his arms around your waist — gleefully telling you all the future he could think of with you, to you.

Anyone would've had their hearts swell in pure bliss with his every confession of love and loyalty—but for you, he's akin to a mad dog disguised in an innocent pup image that will eventually devour you if you ever dare so to rebel against him.

Heeseung looked over his shoulder to look at the girl laid against the wall with so much contempt in his eyes.

"So much for all that trouble, I’m letting you live, happy?” was what he said before dragging you away with him to the entrance, his arm wrapped around your waist as it finds it way to your hair, brushing it affectionately like there's no tomorrow.

Only hanging your head low and obedient all for the sake of your sister.

Rain had by far vanished in a silent manner outside the church, yet the clouded sky remain firm and steady.

Nails dug on the carpeted floor resulting in a slow burn screech.

“I’m..” Chaewon clenches her fist as she raised her head up to look at you and Heeseung.

“Huh? Still able to talk?” Heeseung scoffed in amusement.

“You—” you couldn’t bear to see your sister like this and you notice that even though Heeseung had this cold demeanour up, his tense grip on your hand says otherwise.

“You fooled us.” Chaewon cried out in pain, face contorting into immense pain.

Taken aback by her simple cries of pain, Heeseung just laughed. “What a joke, c’mon love. She’s just wasting our time.”

“I’M NOT GOING TO BACK DOWN WITHOUT A FUCKING FIGHT! LEE HEESEUNG!”

—Shriek!

The scene before you was downright a scene of dreadful horror.

Eyes stretched out in such a way you couldn't believe what had happened; an excruciating and agonising outcry of pain emitting in the air and everything happen in a split second when Heeseung fell before you, his grip on your hand loosening as it returns to cupped his forehead pooling out a waterfall of blood.

"Unnie.." you called out for your sister who was shocked to death by what she did as she look down at a holy statue in her grasp, the blood of the boy dripping from the statue's head down to her fingers and staining the red carpet into deeper shades.

"Fuck! Fuck— Fuck! IT FUCKING HURTS! BITCH!—"

You couldn’t move. The loud shriek of Heeseung screaming in pain and Chaewon standing just right there. It all feels like as if death has truly starting to tick it’s bell.

Chaewon immediately recovered from her frozen state and tugged your arm, pulling you with her out of the church.

A menacing glare shoots up to you and your sister's form.

"YOU— ARGHHH! . .FUCKING RUN THEN!" the boy's bloodcurdling scream had you and your sister frozen in an instant and you don't want to look at him but you did and you regret it.

His body trembling so wild while his knees on the floor, hands miserably cupping his forehead which was pooling down half of Heeseung's face in a waterfall of blood had your stomach churned in disgust and not only that—rage, hysteria, madness, agony—eyes widened in such a way it would crawl out to peel your skin alive and mouth contorted into the wildest form of unnerving laughter. "Once I catch you, you'll fucking regret it."

Run.

Run!

Breathe in, breath out, breath in, breath out.

In this empty labyrinth in which you and your sister desperately tries to search for an exit; the way to the city. Every step you took feels like an approach to death instead to freedom, it was starting to drain you and out and your sister was losing it too.

Heeseung had really planned it all too well.

Your knees begin to burn and lungs tightening with each breathe you took and your sister was no different—air sucking out from her face and it dawned on you that Heeseung might've given her drugs.

Ushering her to rest—you two hid behind the tall and overgrown bushes just nearby.

"Are you okay?"

Your hand finding its way to tuck her hair in the back of her ears, voice like whisper that soothes her being, that same affection never vanished into empty air despite everything — it broke Chaewon's insides to pieces, into something she wasn't able to fathom— was it shame? Was it embarrassment? Was it regret?

Every way she think of it, memories from the past crashed right before her eyes—reminding her of every single thing she did and said.

Ah, I'm such a fucking fool. . Chaewon whispered in the back of her mind, wanting nothing but to slap herself, for not fulfilling her responsibility as an older sister to you.

And even more foolish she was that even after that entire ordeal back in Heeseung's mansion that day—she still refuses to believe that Heeseung would've never done such a thing if it wasn't for you seducing him. How funny.

Only then when she was left laying against the walls of the church, forced to take drugs and left to observe the true colours of the boy she grew to love—did she truly accept that everything she had ever felt from the boy; be it affection, sweet words or candy like smiles—unfortunately was only the result of her own delusion.

Or she had been simply fooled.

Witnessing your worn out form had her wondering how of an awful human being she turn out to be for the fake love she was dying to protect this entire time, not realising that the true love has always been standing still and firm just behind her from the very beginning.

And still is here, right in front of her.

"I-I'm okay.." Chaewon stuttered, suppressing the urge to cry and then because what right does she have to cry after all the things she did to you?

Pathetic indeed, isn't?

“Where’s mom and dad?”

“They’re fine, I’ve hidden them somewhere.” you gave a small smile to your sister.

No words were exchanged any further — as too many harsh words, words that cross the line and hurt so bad had been blurted out so many times you two couldn’t count it.

Shame, shame was all Chaewon felt. Yet she couldn’t find words to form nor find the courage to say sorry, and the only thing she could do was take your hand in hers, tightening her grip onto yours which formed warmth, as if she was telling you that she was sorry while she’s avoiding your gaze.

Rustle!

You snapped your head to the sudden rustling noise of fallen leaves far from behind you.

"Did you hear that?!" You whisper yelled at your sister in which she raised her eyebrows in confusion but was also alarmed.

“Gotcha!” a dark and alarming giggle emits from the smiley red haired boy who starts to approached you both. You and your sister walked backwards, panicking— not sure of what to do in this downright despair.

“Stop running. It’s getting tiring and so fucking useless, you know? Heeseung’s coming. Just. Give. Up.” Beomgyu tilted his head, gesturing behind him.

"As if. Fuck you, bitch." Chaewon spat out which earned an amusement scoff from the boy.

Approaching danger.

"You speak as if you had the favour right now." Beomgyu shakes his head and in a deep breathe he took, "GUYS, THEY'RE HE—"

Before you and your sister could spun around to run or before he could finish his words, someone jumped out and punched Beomgyu.

Pure shock splattered on your face, "Jungwon?! How did you?—"

“The fuck?” was Beomgyu’s reaction when jungwon appeared. Trickles of blood dripped out from the corners of Beomgyu's mouth, his eyes screaming insanity.

“Not you too? Fuck are you all traitors then?!”

Jungwon gritted his teeth, using all his strength to overthrow the other boy and yet he won't stop screaming for his group. "Fucking stop— screaming!"

He punched the red haired even harder until it resulted in his unconsciousness.

It went on for a horrendous amount of time that felt so long but in reality it wasn’t.

Your feet couldn’t stick to the ground, eyes darting to the distance and the commotion before you over and over again.

"They're coming, Jungwon! We have to go!" You cried out, your hands sweating as you tighten your grasp with your sister in which she did so as well.

Panic, panic, panic surged inside you and it's not only you. It was evident that it was eating Chaewon and Jungwon as well.

Your head shoots up along with the other two, shouts and screams — voices of men, familiar voices approaching from the distance.

Jungwon immediately gets up, almost stumbling on his feet before backing off before you and your sister.

"We have to split up." Jungwon said.

"Wait why? Wouldn't that be too dangerous?!"

"It's better this way, if they couldn't catch one of us, we could call for help."

"But—"

"We don't have any other choice. Chaewon, you have to follow me."

"No why my sister?"

"(Name). It's so obvious that he wanted no one but you! Give me a piece of your wedding dress and I'll lure them over."

"It's too dangerous!!" You cried out as you dug your nails on your dress, clenching a fistful of it.

"We have no choice!" Jungwon gritted his teeth, as he, too — was in pure fear and desperation. The atmosphere, the situation, the reality of where you three are in right now was a call for death bell.

You two eventually split up after a much hard decision to do, racing into different directions within the woods hoping to reach for the city soon. You turned on your phone, desperately looking for a line to call for the emergency. Someone, someone please pick up, you screamed in your mind.

"Agh, fuck Beomgyu." Yeonjun lightly kicks the unconscious boy on the ground, "You lose like a bitch."

"Your face really gotta be the first thing I see in this broad fucking daylight."

"I'm so sleepy, ah." Kai whined from the distance, slipping his hands in his pockets to avoid the freezing weather.

"They're not so far, I guess." Soobin muttered, "Right, Heeseung?"

There the boy appeared with a fresh red scar on his forehead, the same disinterested and dead look when you're not in his presence.

Looking far in the distance in the woods, he sighed but instead in a dejected tone, it was amusement lingering in the air. "Huh, hide and seek I see."

Run! Run!

Fatigue overwhelmed their body as ragged and unstable patterned of breathing filled through the empty air in this isolated woods that never seem to end like a labyrinth of maze—sweat trailing down their forehead and neck, wide opened eyes growing heavy but ears never faltering from any incoming noise that could be danger.

A torn out piece of your dress had been thrown to the trail they just came from a few minutes ago—all just to lure in the demons away from you.

"Agh!"

"Chaewon!"

The girl fell onto her hands after stumbling upon a laid branch on the ground—yelping in pain as fresh wound on her leg pools out a small amount of blood.

"Are you okay?!" Jungwon knelt down to inspect the wound.

"It's n-nothing—" stuttering and gulping on her throat as she snapped her head to the distance from where they just came from. "We gotta h-hurry, Jungwon."

Frightened, frightened they were as they took each others' hands, heels continuing to sprint forward and away from the devil himself.

Racing forward as faster as they could with their hands interlaced tightly than ever—suddenly a silhouette came into their line of vision—ultimately stopping them right in their track.

"Ah fucking finally!"

Outburst of joy and a series of whistles echoes through the air, those that sang a sheer melody of danger.

"Found you two! Ugh— do you think there's a way out of this place? Dumb you are, aren't you?" Yeonjun sing sang.

The boys gathered around the two, snickers and giggles emitting up in the air – the bluish grey sky that signify morning’s about to come.

The two hissed not knowing what to do at this point; fighting won't be in their favour as they were outnumbered.

Cautious eyes watching each others' every shift of movement.

—Leaves crinkling!

Heels sprinting into the opposite direction resulting in one of the boys' abrupt shift of position, preventing the girl from escaping.

“Where do you think you’re going, huh?!” Taehyun raised his eyebrow, licking his candy in the process.

Kai giggled, a smirk splattered on his face, “Fuck, what a waste of time. Just give up, will you? I could’ve used my time to practice right now!”

“Bitch who cares?!” Chaewon scoffed, eyes and eyebrows widened in such a way as if to mock the younger boy before her, “You could’ve been dead and I won’t give a fuck!”

Her head snapped to the boy she grew to love this entire time.

“And you? How dare you. How fucking dare you? You messed up our family and I did nothing but to believe you!” punching her chest on repeat as she gritted her teeth, wanting nothing but for the boy to understand her pain but she know he won’t.

For the disinterested look in his eyes never ceases to amazed her in a frightening way. Why she’ve never noticed all this time? Was she really too blind?

“Don’t you fucking touch her!”

“Huh? Do you actually think you’re excluded? How stupidd!” Taehyun punched the shit out of Jungwon which causes him to stumble backwards to one of the trees however Jungwon didn't back down without a fight.

Downright chaos erupts as Jungwon threw a hard punch at Taehyun, hands tugging and nails digging in each others' skin—fighting and fits of screams and yelling at top of each others' lungs.

Soobin ushered Yeonjun and Beomgyu to hold the Chaewon down and they did so without much hesitance as they begin to approach her.

And yet, the two won't give up and the horrendous cycle repeats over a dozen times.

Chaos, chaos—a downright spiral of madness.

Heeseung only stood there to watch the chaos he himself had created and he wasn’t the least affected by it. How funny, he thought.

At last, the pair were separated from each other; their arms caged in such a way that only their legs could kick in the air in a pathetic attempt.

The clicks of his leather shoes crinkled the sea of leaves beneath him as he approached them.

"What's so hard about staying away from her? Why are you so fucking stubborn, huh? Was it too hard?" Heeseung bend down to their level with his face screaming a twisted expression and the dried blood on his forehead wasn't helping either.

Twirling the knife between his dainty fingers, humming a song within the depths of him of what should he do with them.

Whose thread of life should he rip apart? Whose heart should he pierce with the sharp edges of this weapon in his grasp? Should it be one or two? Should he spare their lives or not?

Those are the questions that run through his mind and yet, and yet— Heeseung couldn't care less about their pathetic heartbeat as he stared at the two with absolute contempt.

Grey, clouded skies.

As the round source of light refuses to rise,

Those round of life finally fade out of sight.

Blood, blood at last adorned the skies.

Through the silence of the deep woods, leaves beneath goes roaring with every hum escaping from the young man's twisted grin as the soul within his grasp had by now perished to the sky.

“Told you to stay away from her, bastard.” burying the corpse under the ground, relieved that another pest was out of his sweet darling’s life. "Just what's so fucking hard about that."

Low, low sigh of relief. What wonderful day it is.

[ 4:08 AM ]

Woods.

The burning marks of the branches hitting your skin kepts reminding you that this was reality, this wasn’t a dream nor a wild imagination you had while you were having a nap in your sweet home, on your sweet bed. That this would all end after the clock strikes signifying that dinner is ready and you’ll go downstairs, to eat with your mother, father and sister like always.

Yet, you could only hope.

Church. Another abandoned church came into view. It caught your attention.

You sprinted to the nearby abandoned church that came into sight out of nowhere, in this vast and isolated place. Panting, you pushed open the huge main wooden door and use up all your efforts to close it off.

The roaring clap of thunder made you jolted in surprise, the grey cloud sky mocking you with it’s relentless raindrops.

You gulped nervously, striding off to the aisle, eyes darting around in complete anxiety. You cant breathe but you must breathe and yet, you were catching that breathe that seems to go away everytime you reach for it. The dusty air were mixing with your panic breath, it’s only presence that were heard in this silent place was you and your breathe.

Without further hesitance, you turned on your phone — the object that holds the key to your freedom and yet also holds the sword to mercilessly chop off the wings of your freedom.

This cold and hard object that has been the start of everything, the one that bears the story of the fallen fruit, the fruit that you’ve eaten and therefore had summoned the serpent himself.

You hated this, you regret it, you wanted to scream and pray for everything to end all at once, this object that has been in the grips of your hands for awhile and the mocking result was the overbearing print mark of it’s edges gracing your palms. You don’t want think much anymore, you don’t want to for there’s only one thing, only one thing you wanted so bad to do.

To save yourself! You wanted him to go away! To get rid of your unfortunate red thread with him that has been now stained with so much blood, those that scream insanity and morals of his that made your stomach churned in utter disgustment.

The emergency dial — you tap, tap, tap and so on however your slippery fingers as the result to the mixture of the rain and sweat was making you pressed all the wrong digits for eternity.

You gritted your teeth in pure annoyance wanting to throw off your phone, but you can’t.

You can’t, you can’t, you know you can’t.

You have to call for help before they can get you, before he can find you, before your tear-stained and burning eyes drowned even more in this hell called him.

You took a huge deep breathe, your nose sniffing the dusty air of this abandoned church. Looking up, your eyes met those soulless eyes of the holy statue that everyone knelt before, prayed to their heart’s content and begged for when disaster or tragedy befalls upon them.

Worn out and devastated you were as you finally gotten the right number but it was out of line because of the once soft rain that turns into roaring thunderstorm. How unfortunate you were, (Name).

Bawling in tears is what you did, your voice broke and you choked on your saliva as you fall on your knees, weeping silently in your pathetic form and without much thought, your feet bring itself to kneel before the holy statue itself.

The sky that was supposed to had been adorned with the sunrise has now hid due to the grey clouds forming and mingling together, and raindrops returned to it’s glory and within a few seconds.

Lightning strikes and along with it thunder roared. An ominous sign that never ceases to fear you to your core.

But you still keep praying in silence.

Pray, pray. They said pray when you need something, pray when you want to be grateful, pray when you need guidance — pray, pray and pray. That’s what you did, you whispered yelled in the oblivion of your prayers like a repeated broken radio.

Holy sweet grail, holy sweet love.

And yet as you were begging for the enormous holy statue before you, deep you were into your despair of oblivion, you failed to notice the silent and grim arrival of the boy who had you as his image of goddess and love, his lover, his one and only, his soulmate.

Feathery like steps that were left unheard as he approaches and halts behind your praying form.

No amount of prayer would make this incarnation of devil himself to refrain away from you for you had been a part of him since the day he declared so.

“What are you praying for?”

Sheer sound of deathbell in a disguise of an angel’s voice, you whipped your head to the boy in question and no words could express the utter fear in your body upon laying your eyes on his angelic features yet sinister smile on his cherry red lips.

You wanted to scream, yet your breathe were caught on inside the depths of your heart, you couldn’t move yet your shivering nails dug the carpeted aisle, resulting in a sound of like when you tap your laptop’s keyboard.

Heeseung seems to be amused at your reaction, lovesick eyes spiraling into madness as he looks you up and down, eyes that adores every inches of you — bending over to be as close to you as he wishes, this grim situation were eating you alive and yet to him, it was a breathe of satisfaction and achievement.

His dainty fingers that were stained with dry blood made it’s way to the locks of your hair, brushing it in a soft and loving manner, his dark gaze never leaving yours, never breaking nor faltering.

His face graced with dried blood that you knew belongs to him—a menacing glint of the metal object he was holding, his exquisite suit holding the flattering rose that only holds a sweet nightmare for you from now on. His lush black hair sticking to his forehead due to the efforts he had gone through for you, his doe eyes overflowing with loyalty and immense affection for you.

Feverish eyes that held so much madness in its depths. Then you notice his blood stained hands which made your breath hitched.

You couldn’t talk.

He hummed utterly delighted that he found you as he approached you—grabbing you to his side.

"Have fun running around like the doll you are?"

Heeseung yanked you playfully like a mere ragdoll, laughing so hard, bliss splattered on his face. Mouth wide, big grin and eyes crinkled like half moons. His lush wavy hair were drenched by the raindrops and yet it’s still so fluffy. His eyebrows furrowed in complete amusement—eyes so lovesick and so sadistic. Blood from god knows whom painted over his rosy cheeks.

Mixing altogether in a perfect shade.

But nothing can be more perfect as this breathtaking sight that he was patiently waiting for are now standing before him—all his to take.

A silly grin adorns his lips, "But still, it's kinda amusing how you think you can escape so easily with your dead friends."

“W-what—?”

“Hm?” Heeseung brushes his finger over his cheek, seemingly satisfied over the red liquid on the tips of his fingers, “Try to guess, who do you think it belongs to?”

You stumbled backwards but he managed to pull you back by wrapping his arms around your back, you shivered within his touch — compared to his big stature, you were smaller and weaker. Yet that wasn’t in the least of your worries right now as your mind were running through that one and only question.

“W-who?..” your face contorts into the deepest form of despair, lips trembling.

“Why don’t you guess? Is it your lovely sister, Chaewon? Or my friend, Jungwon? Or your bestfriend, Chaeryeong? Or is it our dead buddy, EJ?!”

Your world shattered over and over again.

“Guess who? Of course, we only had Chaewon and Jungwon right? Oh god, only if you weren’t such a brat and listened to me like the obedient girl you were then it wouldn’t have gone this far! Now who do you think i’ve skinned alive?! Or possibly crack their dumb brain until it spilled off for trying to take you away from me!”

You screamed in pure horror, mouth gaping in attempts to heal the overflowing wound in your heart— fingers curling to cupped your mouth.

"It's all your fault, babe. Only if you listened to me earlier."

“How dare you! You’re fucking insane! You’re insane, you’re fucking insane!” Yelling at the top of your lungs you did as you punched him on his chest on repeat.

Lightning and thunder roared into it’s highest void yet.

“WHO? HOW DARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS TO ME?” you screamed and screamed, “if you touch them, if you fucking touch them i swear, i swear—”

“Swear what?” Heeseung raises his eyebrow, “(Name), darling! Don’t you think it's too late to threaten me like this? But I don’t mind, it’s so cute seeing you so weak and helpless. It makes me want to protect you even more–”

“Don’t touch me!” you yank his arm away, walking backwards away from him.

Gripping your white dress, you shut your eyes. “WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?! Why you didn’t follow what you said, you told me as long as the timer don't end, you won’t do it anything! So why?! Why did you kill him?! WHY DID YOU KILL EJ?!”

A glint appears in Heeseung’s eyes which you weren’t able to fathom what it was as it soon dissipates into the dark deep void and instead that same smirk adorns his cherry lips again and giggles soon follows.

“Hm? I've never said I'd play fair.”

You hissed in bitterness. That's right, why did you ever thought he'd play fair?

“Why?..— why are you so damn cruel to me, huh? You said you love me then why are you doing this to me? What kind of love is this?! This is not love at al!”

An eerie silence forms in the void of this church.

“It’s not love? You still don’t understand, do you?” Heeseung pouted, but his eyes had pain lingering in it, “What should I do to prove my love for you? I fucking killed them all and you told me it isn’t love? I hate it so much when people stick to you like a damn pest and you’re telling me it isn’t love? I stayed patient even when you go around like a dumb slut, touching other bastards as if you weren’t mine, being so fucking oblivious but yet so adorable and you’re telling me it ISN’T LOVE?!”

The ground beneath you seemed to sway under your feet as the fear emitting from this boy was too ominous, too big, too dangerous.

And before you could try to avoid his grasp, he pulled you in closer to his embrace.

“Look at us! You and I, in this world — nothing could tear us apart anymore!” His words gets even more maniacal with every passing second. “Look, look! The the ring I specially made for you, the dress i’ve been dying to see you on, your goddamn face that I couldn't even fucking forget for a second”

His finger lovingly stroke your cheek, “So fucking gorgeous, fucking sweet, adorable. All mine, all mine! After all that patience i’ve been through, all that troubles I've willingly put myself in just so I can have you like this in front of me, you had the guts to tell me it wasn't love?"

Remaining silent you did as you were horrified by everything he says to you—he was far too inside his inner world of chaos.

Your hands trembled frantically within his grasp and he felt that, scoffing so slightly as he raised it up to his cherry lips—planting an affectionate kiss on the top of your hand which had you frozen.

However his short and brief kiss turns into a rabid mode; like a starving mad dog feeding on your skin.

Eliciting a pure scream of horror, you struggled to pull your hands and arms away from his teeth and lips and even when you use your little bit of strength left in continuously hitting him with your left hand—your efforts were to no avail as his hands caged yours within his suffocating grasp.

"Stop! Stop!"

Your outcries of disgust engulfed the entire church like an echoing choir, still everything fell to deaf ears for the boy himself as he continued his morbid and disgusting deeds to you—his tongue licking every inch of your hand, teeth biting and sucking your fingers.

You were forced to witness it before your eyes, feel it against your skin and still so helpless and frail before him.

Heeseung finally let go of your hand, his face twisted in such a way that screams absolute satisfaction and exhilaration itself.

Feeling your hands that has been violated for god knows how long, you yelled at the top of your lungs at him, "YOU'RE INSANE!"

You had nothing left to say anymore; mind empty and broken, eyes strained with so much tears and your body aching with all that had happened.

Yet, the boy before you wasn't even the slightest done with you at all.

Heeseung laughed, "My darling, it’s only wise that I ask for something I deserve, hm?”

You didn't understand what he said, confused you were but then the realisation dawned on you. "Wh-what do you mean? Stay away!"

Your eyes widened in utter horror upon understanding his words, stomach churning into throbbing pain when his hand tries to tugged down the sleeves of your dress.

“No! N-no! Get off me— get off me!” You thrashed around, kicking him to his chest which made him stumble backwards. "Heeseung, let go! I beg of you!

Yet, he only laughed. "No, darling. I must be making it sooo hard for you to understand my love for you isn't?"

You panted, you screamed, you whimper — all because of fear, all because of what he’s about to do to you in this isolated church.

Heeseung crashed his lips into yours within a blink of an eye.

A long and deep, hungry kiss that left your lungs burn in pure pain of suffocation. Your hand slapping his back, pulling his hair and scratching his neck, doing everything you could to pry him off away from you and yet it lasted so long that your feet lose it’s footing making you fell on the floor on your but with a loud thud and yet—

And yet, his arms wrapped around your waist never loses its grip and foremost, his lips never leaves yours. Your eyes begun to teared up due to this harsh kiss of his, no, this isn’t a kiss.

It felt like he was devouring you — his prey, alive— wanting nothing but to taste you deeper and deeper till he can get ahold of your soul to taste it as well.

Someone! Help! Drowning in your despair you did as you were forced to feel every inch of him.

He pulled back at last and you catched for the air that was there for the entire time however before you can do even more so, he gripped your jaw with his long and dainty fingers — forcing you to meet his oh so innocent like eyes that scream pure horror of insanity and twisted love.

“Now who’s gonna save you from me, hm?”

🐱AUTHOR'S NOTE: thank you sm for reading! <3

🖇️ TAGLIST: -> @mimikittysblog , @zanyduckkitten , @skuiall , @teugiie , @naddii , @bloodline1632 , @duolingofanaccount

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