technologyculturedneo

[technologyculturedneo]

Sour Memory: Doyoung

Pairing. Brother!Kim Doyoung x fem (I)!reader ft Irene x Jaehyun

Synopsis. "What I saw that night still haunts me. And no one believes me."

Warnings. Angst.

WC. 7k

As younger siblings often do, I absolutely worshiped my older brother Kim Doyoung. To me, he always seemed like the coolest person in the world. Everything he did fascinated me beyond belief. It was like he lived in a completely different world. Everyone liked him. He was class president, a star baseball player, and had an all-around great personality.

Despite being older, Doyoung wasn’t the stereotypical ‘older brother monster’. I think that’s why we got along so well. He would never dream of hurting me. Not in any way. When I told my psychiatrists that, they didn’t believe me. ‘An older brother who never once tormented his little sister?’ They said someone like that couldn’t exist. But Doyoung was different. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. His bedroom door was always open whenever I needed someone to talk to. He’d let me lie on his floor and listen to his music records while he did his homework. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Growing up in a small town in the middle of Kwangya Island, we only became closer. Maybe it was because of our family situation that we both felt like we needed each other. Our father was an alcoholic. He’d come home drunk and take all his anger out on us. But Doyoung never let him get to me. He’d let me sleep in his bed most nights so I wouldn’t have to lie awake, alone, listening to our parents fighting through the thin bedroom walls.

Our mother was a saint. She was one of the only people I could turn to for help, one of the few who truly understood the pain, besides Doyoung. Sadly, she died when I was thirteen. The autopsy showed that Mom had overdosed on painkillers. They ruled it as accidental, but I was never sure. After she was gone, our father only got worse. Things became so unbearable that the moment Doyoung graduated high school, he moved into an apartment on the other side of town and took me with him. Our father barely protested. I’m pretty sure he never wanted kids in the first place.

From then on, it was just Doyoung and me against the world. He enrolled at the local community college and worked part-time at a grocery store. It wasn’t glamorous, but it put food on the table. We made it work. We were finally away from our broken home, and just having each other was enough.

That’s when we made the biggest mistake of our lives. We didn’t know it at the time, of course, but to this day, I still regret picking up that phone.

It was the end of summer, around 2027. The winds were brisk as early September approached. Doyoung and I had been on our own for about two years by then. I was 17, he was 27. I remember sitting at the kitchen table, finishing my homework, while Doyoung was fixing frozen chicken as dinner from our favourite TV channel.

When Doyoung’s phone rang in the living room, I jumped up to answer it.

“Hello?” I said into the receiver.

It was Mark Lee, Doyoung’s best friend from high school. The two of them had been inseparable until college sent them in different directions. Mark had ended up in NCity Varsity, and I could hear the longing in his voice as he caught up with me for a moment. Then he turned serious. “Hey, let me talk to your brother real quick,” Mark said. “I’ve got some news I think he’ll like.”

I rolled my eyes playfully and handed the phone to Doyoung. I could hear him laughing as he caught up with Mark. They were on the phone for a good hour. By the time Doyoung returned, I had already taken the dinners out of the oven and finished mine.

“Hey, sorry about that, Y/n,” Doyoung said, smiling softly as he sat down across from me. “You’ll never believe what Mark’s been up to.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is he on Neo Varsity’s Most Wanted already?”

Doyoung rolled his eyes. “No, but he might as well be. His neighbours are going to Bermuda for Labor Day weekend, and he’s throwing a monster party in their house while they’re gone. He’s invited us to come and crash it. Can you believe that?”

He chuckled, taking a bite of his frozen chicken.

I should’ve known then that we shouldn’t go. It was illegal—breaking into someone’s house to throw a party? I knew it was wrong. But I was 17, naïve, and desperate to be just as legendary as my big brother. So, of course, I agreed.

We planned to drive to Mark’s house in Neo City. It would take about a day from Kwangya Island. But we were too excited to care. We spent the long car ride blasting out Exo’s music on the radio and singing the lyrics way off-key- well… I sang off key, Doyoung was perfect.

That was definitely one of the best times of my life. I felt completely content. We had no idea what was coming. Little did I know the terror we’d be thrown into later that night.

If I could, I would’ve made Doyoung turn the car around or drive us straight off a cliff.

We’d been in the car for about 13 hours straight, not counting the endless gas stops and bathroom breaks. Around 9h00 p.m., we noticed we were deep in a nowhere land. The GPS map said we were still in Neo Tech Road, but it didn’t feel like it.

“You sure we’re not lost?” I asked, chewing my bubblegum slower in stress.

Doyoung kept his eyes fixed on the road and nodded. “Of course not. Mark gave me the directions himself.”

I rolled my eyes and blew a bubble.

We drove through nothing but trees for what felt like another hour before I finally declared we were lost. My brother had this idea that Mark was some kind of genius, but I knew better. It was Mark after all. Doyoung was getting tired. I was getting restless. I’d been sitting in the same position for so long I could barely feel my legs.

“Can we please pull over somewhere?” I whined, my gum starting to lose its flavor.

“Don’t you think I would’ve done that about two hours ago?” Doyoung replied, stifling a cough.

That cough turned into a slight wheeze, which made my ears perk up. “Are you okay?” I asked, concern quickly filling my voice.

He nodded and brushed it off, saying it was just a tickle in his throat. Usually, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but that night, I was on high alert. Doyoung had really bad asthma. We’d had more than a few close calls, and the thought of losing him scared me more than the empty road in front of us.

About 30 minutes later, Doyoung began to grumble under his breath. “That jackass had no idea what he was talking about.”

I didn’t respond. I knew he couldn’t admit that I was right. But I was starting to feel really uncomfortable. It had been two hours of nothing but trees, and we’d only seen a few cars pass every 50 miles or so. I didn’t want to say it out loud, but once I swallowed my bubblegum, I was scared for many reasons. Where were we even going to sleep? The idea of pulling over and sleeping on the side of the road creeped me out.

We were starving, too. At one point, Doyoung asked me to check the map to see if there were any rest stops or motels nearby. There weren’t. The GPS woman was just as lost – reflecting nothing but an empty road for miles.

But that all changed around 23h30 p.m. Doyoung was practically falling asleep at the wheel when my eyes landed on a tiny speck on our the GPS map on the screen.

“Doyoung, get up!” I shook him, excitement rising in my voice. “There’s a restaurant coming up in about 20 miles!”

His eyes popped open. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, it’s called Red’s Cafe & Family Restaurant. There should be an exit coming up.”

I couldn’t believe our luck. It did strike me as odd that it was the only rest stop for hundreds of miles, but honestly? I was too hungry to care. I gave Doyoung directions, even though there were no signs in the pitch-black woods. Still, I could feel that we were getting close. Soon, Doyoung turned out of the highway and there it was…

I can still see the neon sign and the bright, bustling lights.

“Red’s Cafe” looked like your typical 2000’s cyber-tech meets 1950’s-style diner. A small building with large glass windows, easy to see into. I could make out a few people inside, sitting and eating.

Doyoung parked along the dirt road, and I jumped out of the car, desperate to stretch my legs. It was colder than I expected for September, so I pulled my sweatshirt over my head as Doyoung buttoned up his jacket. The scent of coffee and homemade pie drifted out through the sliding glass doors.

As we walked toward the building, I glanced up at the sign again. There was another part to it I hadn’t noticed earlier… it flickered under the moonlight:

“Red’s Care & Family Restaurant — Motel on the East Side.”

“I guess you could spend the night here too if you wanted,” Doyoung smirked. I smiled. At least we wouldn’t be sleeping in the car.

When we stepped inside, the place was alive with activity.

The floor was checkered, the red vinyl booths nearly all filled. A few rugged-looking men sat at the counter, sipping steaming coffee. A woman and her young daughter giggled over a plate of pancakes. A group of teenagers in leather jackets huddled around the jukebox- one of them slipped in a coin, and an old Shinee’s tune started to play. “Baby-”

Then, out of nowhere, this unexplainable dread washed over me. It wasn’t the song that made me feel uneasy… but the atmosphere. It was heavy. And I couldn’t shake it. I felt… heavy.

I didn’t even notice the woman approach us.

“Can I help you kids?” She asked, her voice as soft as butter.

I looked up into the kind, dark eyes of a young looking woman. She wore a red wool dress lightly clinging to her body and ending over her knees, with matching shoes, and a white apron draped over her front. Her face was crafted and pampered with such soft makeup, her slick black hair gleaming under the lights. She smiled warmly. But I couldn’t speak. I don’t know why, I just couldn’t open my mouth.

“Uh, yes ma’am,” Doyoung said with his usual gentlemanly charm. “We’d just like a quick bite to eat before we hit the road again.”

He nudged me gently in the back. I nodded.

“Well, come on in then. I’m Irene, Bae Irene. Welcome to my humble little restaurant.”

She laughed. It was lighthearted and contagious, full of age and years. But somehow… it made me uncomfortable.

Doyoung chuckled, reaching out to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Irene. I’m Kim Doyoung and this is my sister, Y/n.”

I forced a smile and shook her hand too. She looked perfect, like someone’s sweet young trad wife… but something about her made my skin crawl.

I always got that way around people I didn’t know. “Y/n. That’s such a lovely name,” Irene said, eyes lingering on me way more than I’d like to admit. I managed a weak smile as she let out another warm laugh. “Well, I don’t want to see you kids just standing around. Come on, I’ll find you a booth.”

Doyoung and Irene were soon chatting up a storm, walking ahead together. I trailed behind, pretending not to notice. As we made our way through the diner, I learned that Irene and her husband, Jaehyun, had opened the place a few years ago after retiring from the busy Neo City. She worked as the hostess; he was the cook. They never had children, which is why Irene enjoyed it so much when young people came in. The way she spoke, she made it seem like she was pushing 60, but when she said she’s 40, I was shocked. She looked… so young.

Doyoung was always polite. He laughed at her jokes and even told her a bit of our sob story. I just wanted him to stop talking- and she serves the food and then we leave. I did not feel comfortable here. But when she found out we didn’t really have any parents, her face changed, almost like it gave her some kind of purpose.

“Oh, you poor things. Well, why don’t you scan the QR menu with your phones so that I can make you guys something quick to eat,”

“Unfortunately our phones died, they’re in the car.” Doyoung explained. Irene clutched her heart sadly.

“Oh you poor things, driving out for hours. You know what, consider me your mother for the night,” She said sweetly, quickly walking to an isle passage and then coming back with our menus.

I slid into the booth across from my brother, trying to smile as Irene walked away. Doyoung chuckled and thanked her again, opening his menu with a grin.

“Isn’t she just the sweetest woman you’ve ever met?” He beamed, his light black bangs falling over his eyes.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I slouched down in my seat, not even bothering to look at the menu. My eyes drifted across the room. I watched the teenagers by the futurist jukebox sipping Coke straight from glass bottles, chatting and laughing. I saw the little girl from earlier get up and ask Irene for a napkin and Irene hugged her like she was her own daughter.

I almost gagged.

“What’s the matter? Are you feeling okay?” Doyoung asked, sensing my mood.

I nodded but didn’t say a word when he asked what I wanted to eat. I got the feeling that he could sense my hostile attitude. I knew I was getting on his nerves, but honestly, I didn’t care. When Irene came to take our order, I kept quiet. Doyoung ordered pancakes and some pizza and hot chocolate for both of us, flashing her a warm smile.

As she walked away, he turned back to me, visibly annoyed. “What’s your deal tonight, Y/n? You’re acting like a little kid,” He grumbled.

I bit the inside of my cheek and muttered, “Don’t you feel a little uncomfortable around her?”

Doyoung raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

“Mrs. Bae Irene isn’t giving off good vibes. Don’t you feel it? She’s weird. ‘Consider me your mother for the night’? What was that about?” I didn’t understand how he couldn’t see it.

“She’s just being nice,” Doyoung shot back. “God, stop being so stuck up and try to appreciate what she’s doing for us.” I figured he was just tired and hungry.

He coughed into the crook of his arm again. I rolled my eyes and stayed silent for the rest of the meal. I wish I hadn’t. I didn’t know then that this would be one of the last moments I’d ever share with my brother.

When the food arrived, Doyoung thanked Irene for both of us. I was starving, but I didn’t want to eat. I just poked at my pancakes and stared down at my shoes. Doyoung pretended not to notice. We rarely fought… actually, we never fought. This was just one of our rare squabbles. Doyoung was always patient, always gentle. He took care of me like no one else did.

But I wasn’t easy. I was stubborn, distant with everyone who wasn’t him. I had trust issues from growing up in a house where I never felt safe. I often came off cold, and my brother was usually the one who pulled me out of it… but even he had limits. And tonight, I seemed to be pushing it.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” I said, breaking half an hour of silence.

Doyoung just nodded, sipping his drink. I slid out of the booth and headed to the back. I locked myself in a stall and leaned against the wall, needing space. Needing time to breathe. I’m not sure how long I stayed in there. I just knew I needed to be alone with my thoughts.

When I finally returned to the table, Doyoung was deep in conversation with… Irene… and another man. Attractive looking man… who I assumed was her husband, Jaehyun. He was a large man with luscious hair, and an apron that hung over his baggy pants and faded flannel shirt. He was also perfect, as if he didn’t age over 30- but after what Irene said, that she’s 40, I could only imagine he was either in his late 40’s or early 50’s. Still, they all laughed together, Doyoung pausing now and then to cough.

I approached the table quietly. Doyoung looked up and smiled. “Well, speak of the devil,” He joked, motioning for me to join him.

I sat next to him when he patted the spot. Maybe he had forgiven me, or maybe he was just putting on a show for the Jung’s. I didn’t care I clung to him tightly.

“So, I’ve been wondering,” Irene said, her smile growing wider. “What brought you kids all the way up here? We don’t get many visitors out this way.”

“We’re driving to Neo Ciity to visit some old friends,” Doyoung replied. “I’m just glad we found this place, we were driving through nothing but forest for nearly three hours.”

Irene glanced at Jaehyun. He blinked slowly. For a moment, neither of them said anything as if they were deciding what to say next. I clenched Doyoung’s jeans in my fist.

“Well,” Jaehyun finally said with a chuckle, “We are a bit in the middle of nowhere, I guess.”

I turned toward the window, staring at the truck parked outside as the three of them continued to talk. I was so lost in the pitch-black night that I barely heard Doyoung speak at first.

"Well, we'd really like to thank you folks for your kind hospitality. How much do I owe you?" He asked, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

Irene shook her head. "No, it's on the house."

When my brother tried to protest, she gently put a finger to his lips. He smiled in gratitude and stood to leave. I carefully slid off and was just about to reach for the door when Jaehyun stepped in front of us.

"Hey now, where do you kids think you're going? You can’t drive out now, it’s nearly two in the morning."

I wouldn’t have known. There were no clocks or any real sense of time in the diner. The outside world felt distant, almost unreal. I glanced nervously at Doyoung, trying to signal him to keep moving. He just yawned in response.

"You two look like you’ve been on the road all day," Jaehyun continued. "Doesn’t seem wise to be driving when you’re this tired. Come on, we’ve got a nice little motel out back. You can rest until morning."

I froze. There was no way I was spending another second with these people.

“That’s all right,” I tried to object. “We’ll be fine.”

But my brother hesitated. “I don’t know, Y/n,” He said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. “I’m really tired, and you’re still underage. I don’t want to put our lives at risk by falling asleep at the wheel.”

I shook my head and reached for his hand, trying to pull him toward the door. But he was stronger. I felt myself being gently tugged back onto the checkered floor.

“Doyoung,” I said, my voice rising in panic. “Please.”

He ignored me, walking back to Irene.

“I think we’ll take a room for the night,” He said, smiling. Then he added quietly, pushing me behind him, “Just to be safe.”

Irene beamed and winked at her husband. “Wonderful. Jaehyun will show you to the back. If you give me your car keys, I’ll fetch your luggage, if you brought any.”

My mouth went dry as I watched Doyoung pull his keys from his back pocket and explain where our suitcases were packed in the trunk. I couldn’t believe it. I was close to tears. I grabbed the back of his jacket as Irene walked out the front door, but he gently brushed me off.

I trailed behind them hopelessly as Jaehyun led us into a smaller building just across from the diner. It was made entirely of logs. Jaehyun and Doyoung were talking easily, like old friends, while I stayed silent.

Jaehyun pulled a key from his coat pocket and quietly opened the door.

The inside of the motel was depressing. Everything was made of wood, the walls covered in old, faded portraits of kpop idols advertising safety and dreamscape mountain landscapes. A maroon oriental rug lay under the front desk. On the counter sat a guest book, a potted cactus, and a vintage-looking handbell. A cold draft swept through the space, and I shivered. It looked like the place hadn’t had a guest in years.

“Well, here we are,” Jaehyun said. “No need to sign in. I’ll take you up to your room.”

He smiled again, and in the light, I could see just how dark his under eyes were.

He led us up a creaky wooden staircase on the right side of the lobby. I felt like the painted eyes in the portraits followed us as we ascended. The hallway above was dim, lit only by a few moth-covered wall lamps. It stretched long in both directions, lined with wooden doors on either side. Everything was coated in a fine layer of dust.

The musty air stirred up a fresh bout of wheezing from Doyoung, who tried to stifle it in his sleeve. I rolled my eyes. He had gotten us into this. I had no sympathy.

“Ah, here we are,” Jaehyun said finally, stopping in front of Room 2B. He slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open.

Inside were two twin beds with thick quilted blankets and feather-stuffed pillows. A large window stretched across one wall above a small desk. The room was silent, still, and strangely untouched like no one had ever stayed in it before. Underneath the rug, the carpet was a rusty maroon. The wallpaper was a neat beige filled with more dreamscape paintings, mountains and seascapes hung from flimsy nails, sagging on the walls. I swallowed hard.

Jaehyun leaned over me, placing a his hand on the light switch above my head. The room didn’t look any better once it was lit. An eerie yellow-orange glow flooded the space, making everything look more unsettling than before.

“It looks very… homey. Thanks a lot, Jaehyun,” Doyoung said with a polite smile.

The two of them shook hands. I slowly stepped farther inside and sank onto one of the twin beds. The mattress was so soft, I practically disappeared into it. Distantly, I heard Jaehyun explaining where the bathroom was and what time breakfast would be served. I watched in silence as Irene returned with our luggage, humming softly to herself.

I must have zoned out longer than I realized, because the next thing I knew, the door was closed and Doyoung was unpacking our suitcases.

“We shouldn’t be here,” I said quietly, the first words I’d spoken in what felt like forever. The room felt like it was shrinking.

Doyoung didn’t respond. He simply tossed me my pajamas.

“What are you going to tell Mark? We were supposed to be at his house tonight.”

Doyoung let out a long, tired sigh, the kind of sigh that sounded like it carried the weight of the world. I knew I was difficult. I always had been. I required more patience than most people had. If Doyoung hadn’t rescued me from our father, I probably would’ve ended up strung out somewhere, forgotten. I understood why he was tired… tired of looking after me, tired of always being the one holding things together.

Sensing my unease, Doyoung walked over slowly and sat beside me on the bed. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

We didn’t say anything. There was nothing left to say. Nothing he could say would ease the tension crawling under my skin.

He rested his chin on my shoulder, and I listened to the rasp in his breathing. It always sounded worse when he was exhausted.

“We’re going to be okay, Y/n. You just need to sleep,” He whispered.

Then he kissed my cheek and returned to his side of the room. We faced away from each other as we got undressed and changed into our pajamas. I reluctantly slipped beneath the blanket and stiff, ice-cold sheets.

I laid there, wide awake, staring at the dirty ceiling. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t even try. For what felt like hours, I just listened to Doyoung’s breathing.

There had been many times in my life when I felt like no one really listened to me. This was one of them. I just wish someone had. Maybe things would’ve turned out differently.

I don’t know what time it was when I finally drifted off, but I must have because Doyoung’s movement is what woke me.

I heard him throw his quilt aside in a hurry. His breathing was ragged. Then came the sound of his suitcase being unzipped, clothes rustling in frantic hands.

“Do?” I whispered into the darkness. “Are you okay?”

No response.

I heard more rustling, more frantic searching. Eventually, he seemed to find what he was looking for… his inhaler and rushed toward the door.

“I’m fine,” He gasped. “Just need some fresh air.”

Light flooded into the room as he stepped into the hallway, quietly closing the door behind him.

He’d had asthma attacks before. I’d seen them many times. Each one left me feeling helpless. There was nothing I could do except watch him fight for air, my heart breaking a little more each time. I wanted to follow him that night. I don’t know why I didn’t.

But I wish I had.

He was gone for twenty minutes before I finally decided to check on him. Usually, it took him a little while to calm down, and I wanted to sit with him to rub his back the way our mother used to when he was younger. It always helped. I wanted to do for him what he’d done for me for years… he always cared. I even wanted to tell him that the Red’s Café wasn’t that bad and that maybe I was overreacting…

But when I opened the door… Doyoung wasn’t there.

My feet were freezing against the cold floor of the hallway. I rubbed my arms as goosebumps formed on my pale skin. Panic was starting to rise in my throat. I glanced across the hall, hoping maybe Doyoung had gone to the bathroom… but it was empty.

There weren’t many places he could have gone.

Quietly, I returned to our room and slipped on a pair of fuzzy slippers. Then I crept down the hallway and hurried down the staircase, each step making the old wood groan beneath me.

The lobby was empty.

I felt the sting in my throat as I choked back a sob. I turned back toward the stairs, tears welling in my eyes.

There’s no worse feeling than being completely alone in a place you don’t know. It’s even worse when the only person who’s ever made you feel safe… isn’t there.

One of the hallway lamps above me flickered. The light buzzed softly as my tears began to fall freely. My mind was spinning with terrifying possibilities. Where could he have gone? What could’ve happened?

I was so caught up in my panic, I didn’t see what I tripped over.

I hit the floor hard, landing face-first on the rough oriental carpet. My cheek burned from the impact as I rolled over, trying to breathe through the shock.

That’s when I saw it.

Lying just outside the door to our room was Doyoung’s inhaler.

My eyes widened in horror.

Doyoung would never leave this behind… not by choice. And he wouldn't drop it by accident, not unless something was very, very wrong.

That was the moment I knew that wherever he had gone… he hadn’t gone willingly.

A sob tore its way from my chest as I curled into a fetal position, trying to stop the overwhelming flood of fear crashing over me. My thoughts were spiraling, loud and chaotic, pounding inside my skull like a war drum.

I reached out with a trembling hand and picked up the inhaler. The plastic felt warm in my palm, as if it had just been used. I stared at it for a long moment before I forced myself to stand.

I had to find my brother.

We needed to get out of here.

I didn’t care if he wanted to stay after I found him- we were leaving. We’d get in the car and drive far away from this nightmare of a place and never look back.

I raced back into our room and snatched the car keys from the bedside table. I didn’t bother packing. I didn’t care about the luggage. Doyoung was all that mattered.

Tiptoeing down the stairs, the wooden steps creaked loudly beneath my feet. I flinched with each sound, as if the house itself were waking up. I reached the door and pushed it open, slipping outside into the chilly night.

The lights were still on inside the diner. A weak comfort.

I ran as fast as I could toward it, barely noticing the gnarled trees looming overhead, their branches like claws reaching out to grab me. I made it to the back door of the diner, prepared to pound on it until my knuckles bled—

But… it opened almost immediately after one push. Right away, I spotted Doyoung’s truck parked just beyond the clear glass windows. It looked so close, yet somehow impossibly far away. I had no idea how much adrenaline was rushing through my veins at that moment, but it took every ounce of willpower I had not to sprint straight to it. The diner was empty… no customers in sight, just me..

Then, behind me, the sharp clang of a metal object hitting the tiled floor froze me in place. I spun around so fast my neck cracked. The kitchen doors stood closed, locked tight when I tried to pry one open- I kicked at it with all my strength, ignoring the dull ache forming in my bruising toes.

I whisper yelled into the hollow space, begging for anyone… anyone— to hear me. It felt like hours had passed, but I was still trapped in that silent nightmare. A wave of nausea suddenly hit me hard.

Then I heard it again… the metal clatter, faint whispers drifting through the air.

I held my breath, straining to listen. Whatever it was, it was close, too close. I craned my neck, desperate to peer inside the kitchen, but the glass windows were now covered by a dark sheet of curtain — something that definitely hadn’t been there before.

My heart pounding, I slipped behind the counter and pressed my ear against the grimy wall.

Silence. Then… soft, dragging footsteps on tiled floors.

I don’t know what made me act next… whether it was adrenaline, fear, or utter hopelessness but I grabbed a fork from beneath a napkin on the counter, my palms slick with sweat.

I knew I wasn’t alone.

With trembling hands, I jabbed the fork against the glass. But nothing happened. I did it again. Nothing. Again, and again. After what felt like an eternity, thin cracks spiderwebbed across the surface. I kept banging until the glass shattered at my feet.

I didn’t flinch.

Pulling back the curtain, I braced myself for what awaited me inside the kitchen. A powerful, sickening smell of burning flesh hit my nose. I started coughing and gagging, struggling to breathe. Smoke filled the room, swirling everywhere. My eyes watered, and I waved my arms trying to clear the air, but it was no use. The awful smell seemed to reach deep inside me, making me want to throw up.

Then, a voice spoke, “Who’s there?”

I recognized it immediately, it was the man who had taken Doyoung to that room a few hours earlier, Jaehyun.

I stayed quiet. I couldn’t see through the thick smoke at first, but gradually it cleared near the broken window. My blurry eyes adjusted to the harsh fluorescent lights.

What I saw next was something I could never have prepared for.

Jaehyun and Irene stood in the middle of the kitchen. On the table between them was a silver device, about the size of a record player.

It was the first time I really took in the room. The walls were splattered with dark red stains that trickled down in thin streams, pooling quietly on the floor. Bloody? Jaehyun held a large knife in his hand, the metal catching the light. Irene stood next to him, holding a wooden spoon covered with something that looked like long, wriggling strands, like oversized worms. I stayed quiet, my eyes then drawn to a pot on the stove, still bubbling gently.

In the corner, I noticed… my brother’s pajamas tossed into a pile.

Some strands of his soft black hair clung to the edge of the pot. I knew it was him, because in the boiling bloody pot the face turned-

My feet felt glued to the floor as the awful smell overwhelmed me. My eyes stung, and my throat felt tight… I couldn’t even cry out. Jaehyun lunged toward me, but I was quicker, and he stumbled forward, falling hard on his front face into a puddle of… Doyoung's blood.

Irene grabbed the cleaver and hurled it toward the door just as I shoved it open and dashed out. I dashed for the unlocked door! I threw myself into the truck, fumbling with the keys until they finally slid into the ignition. I saw Irene running after me, but I hit the gas and sped away. I wasn’t an experienced driver, but finding help was all that mattered.

Tears blurred my vision as the agonizing screams echoed behind me. Panic took over, and I felt myself unraveling while racing through the Neo City woods. I howled in despair, sometimes even throwing up what little I had left in my stomach. The awful smell clung to me, and the walls of the car seemed to close in. I’m sure I nearly swerved off the road several times, but I didn’t care.

They killed Doyoung. They had killed my brother and chopped him up and cooked him.

I banged my head against the steering wheel as the horn blared into the quiet night. Warm blood trickled down the side of my face, soaking into my hair. My vision began to fade, growing dark at the edges. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been driving before I spotted a car pulled over on the side of the road. A man was crouched down, checking one of his front tires. I slammed on the brakes, jumped out of the truck, and closed the door behind me. A bit of vomit stuck to the corners of my mouth.

Dried blood stained my face, tears still streaming down like a waterfall. He was an older man, his face lined with wrinkles and streaks of gray running through his dark hair. I must have startled him because he took a cautious step back, eyes wide with worry.

“You need to help me!” I cried out weakly breathing. “They killed my brother- they killed him and they- they killed him-”

I remember collapsing to my knees, howling in pain. The man tried to help me up, but I struggled, thrashing in his arms. Through my fit, I could faintly hear his panicked voice, trying to get me to respond. “Who?” He shouted over my own loud sobs. “Who killed your brother?” He asked. I shook my head quickly, struggling to catch my breath. The wind rushed past my ears as I tried to speak. The last thing I could make out were his eyes, shining in the darkness, as I managed to whisper the name of the diner through the pain. Then I collapsed onto the asphalt, and everything went black.

..

They later told me I had been unconscious for about three weeks, a coma unlike anything the doctors had ever seen. When I finally woke up, I screamed. I was screaming for Doyoung, for someone to help him, for someone to believe me.

..

To this day, no one talks about it. The little I heard, the more unbelievable everything seemed. Red’s Café & Family Restaurant was torn down in the late 2000’s, long before my brother and I ever arrived that summer night. Apparently the seemingly friendly owners trapped their victims in the motel and devoured them, bones and all. The place was shut down, barricaded, and burned to the ground. Jaehyun and Irene were sentenced to death in 2002, decades before Doyoung and I pulled up to that cursed place.

I later found out they had murdered over twenty travelers who crossed their path, including… motorcycle gangs, groups of teenagers, even a woman and her young daughter. I was only 17 then, Doyoung 27. I’m almost certain the police thought I was on drugs. I was a mess—broken, terrified. They kept telling me that Red’s Café & Family Restaurant didn’t even exist anymore.

When the man who found me finally took me to the police, I was in hysterics. I screamed at them, begging them to believe me— that those monsters had killed my brother. I don’t know how they couldn’t see it in my eyes. But all they saw was madness. They saw a scared, broken girl.

I was handcuffed and shoved into the back of a patrol car. They drove me back to the spot where Doyoung and I had turned, where the restaurant had stood just hours before. But it was gone just an empty lot. No sign. No motel. Nothing to show that anyone had ever been there.

It was like the nightmare had swallowed everything whole. And I was left alone with the memory and the loss that no one wanted to believe. Even the car that we drove- that I drove when escaping the place wasn’t there…

I tried to explain. I cried for what felt like forever. I had slept in that bed at the motel. I was trying to let them know that I slept there with my brother… and that it was real. I had sat in that final red booth where my brother and I had talked to the Jung’s as they served us. I had seen the people at the tables, smelled the food- I had been there. Yet no one believed me.

The cops had the nerve to accuse me of murdering Doyoung. What’s worse… They never found his body. His final resting place had vanished into thin air. My case was thrown out for lack of evidence.

But the years of pain never stopped.

The judge was convinced I was a danger— that I needed to be locked away. So they threw me in here. This is where I’ve been ever since the summer of 2027.

I’m a grown woman now, writing this story down as a desperate cry for help hoping that someone, somewhere, will finally believe me. “I am not insane.” I tell my psychiatrist everyday. There’s no way I could have made any of this up.

I felt it.

I lived it.

This isn’t all in my head.

But that’s what the doctors and psychiatrists have been telling me for years. Trying to convince me that it’s all just a product of my mind. Sometimes, I even wondered if maybe I had imagined it all. The medication they pump into me has turned my brain to mush.

But deep down, I know the truth. I didn’t imagine any of it.

I still have Doyoung’s inhaler. I hold it every day, never letting go. It’s the only thing I have left to remind me that my brother was real. It’s the only piece of proof I hold onto now… the one thing they can never take away from me.

As younger siblings often do, I absolutely adored my big brother, Doyoung. He will always be my big brother, and I will always be his little Y/n. But I don’t know where he is… and that’s probably what haunts me the most. Any trace, any evidence that could have brought his killers to justice, just disappeared without a trace.

I pray every day to the Lord that wherever he is now, he’s happy. Because to me, he was my savior—my protector who rescued me, cared for me, and never let anyone hurt me. Not a single day passes when I don’t think about his goofy grin, his bright eyes, and his big, loving heart.

I only wish I could have done more for him.

You won’t find anything about Red’s Café & Family Restaurant, or Kim Doyoung anywhere online. It’s as if our tragedy was meant to be forgotten… and only remembered by me…

No one like Mark even existed… And I’m feeling so… insane. How could I have imagined it all? No way. There’s no way I managed a life I never lived… I remember it all. The frozen chicken, the phone call, the drive… How could I have dreamt it all… No…

I know I’m not mad.

There is a road in the middle of Neo Tech Valley- if you take the right turn… at just the right spot… you might catch a ghostly glimpse of a diner…

Full of life and laughter even after 23h30…

Don’t go inside.

Just keep driving and don’t look back.

Apparently, it’s not real…

But if you happen to see it…

And through the window you see… a boy at the window, with mousy black hair, kind eyes, and that gentle smile…

Just could you… wave at him for me. And shout out into the night that his Y/n loves him and misses him so much.

… Tell him she’s sorry she couldn’t do more.

[technologyculturedneo]

BEFORE I CAME HOME | L.T.Y

"War, love and deceit. Betrayal, love and trauma."

Pairing. Taeyong x f!reader x Jaemin

Synopsis: When soldier Lee Taeyong returns home from war, he expects a joyful reunion with the woman he promised to marry, you. But home doesn’t feel like home anymore. His body is failing. His dreams blur into memories. And a chilling déjà vu of a murder, one he might have witnessed (or committed)claws at his mind. As your affection grows colder and secrets begin to leak, Taeyong must face a brutal question: Is the love of his life trying to kill him? Or is war still living inside him?

Warning. Dark romance. Trippy. Haunting imagery. Psychological thriller. Post war trauma. Distorted time. Betrayal.

Wc. 7k.

Lee Taeyong has walked through fire, the kind of fire only a battlefield can bring. And yet, on the flight home, he grins like a college boy catching the bus on the last day of the semester. To everyone else, he’s just another soldier returning from war. But to him, this is more than a homecoming. It’s a new beginning.

"Gee man, relax." Jaehyun, another comrade soldier merely snickers by Taeyong's eagerness. "You'll soil yourself."

Taeyong can only grin. After 2 years of service in the navy military, and being brutally thrusted into 11 more months and 18 days of chaos in the war, Lee Taeyong is finally coming back to you. The woman he loves. The woman he’s going to marry.

Or so he believes.

When the plane lands, his heart races faster than it ever did under enemy fire.

"Stay alive brother." Jaehyun and Taeyong share one last hug, as companions and survivors of a war.

"You too." Although it's their last goodbye, they're bonded by a new brotherhood code that only war can bring. "And good luck with everything."

The terminal buzzes with reunions. The tired, drained yet content soldiers are swept into teary embraces, laughter, kisses, cries of relief from family and friends.

But not for Taeyong. He scans the crowd, eyes searching, needing to findyou. Then confusion. Then quiet panic.

You’re not there.

As the crowd thins and the joyful noise fades into silence, he stands alone after bidding goodbye to the brothers who spent almost a lifetime with him in war. The same man who survived bullets and bombs now feels more lost than ever. The battlefield had rules. But life... is something else entirely.

With no other choice, Taeyong doesn't get faint at heart. He picks himself up and catches a taxi cab. The cab pulls up with a dusty screech, and the driver gives him a proud nod.

“You just get back from over there?” The driver asks, eyeing the duffel bag and the silence in his passenger’s eyes.

“Yes, sir,” Taeyong replies, his voice low. “Spent two years in military training, then eleven months and eighteen days at war.”

These are numbers he can't forget. He’s counted every single day. Not out of fear- but because he believes you are waiting. Because before he left, he made you a promise: "When I get back, we get married. No delays."

A smile manages to tug at his lips when he thinks of you, and how happy you were to marry him.

"You did our country proud." The driver comments. "Thank you for your service."

Taeyong merely nods his head, wanting to leave the past in the past and think of his present and future with you.

And now, as he steps through the doors of what once was your shared dream, his heart thunders like boots on gravel. He doesn’t see the distance, or the stillness, or what’s changed.

All he sees...  is you.

And he is so incredibly happy to see you.

"Taeyong?" You look shocked. But he doesn’t notice it. Not right away. His heart is beating too fast, eyes fixed on you like you’re the only thing in the world that matters. He stands proudly, eyes watering when seeing your familiar face, heart hammering in his chest by being home, a peace washing over him to calm every bad trigger that happened during the war. He's happy.

"It's me."

You part your lips, just slightly, and after a second of hesitation, you manage to speak quietly. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

Your voice is steady, but your expression doesn’t match the joy he expected. There's something behind your eyes, hesitation, maybe. Fear. But he brushes past it. He’s waited too long, dreamed too often, held on too tightly to the image of you in his mind to let one strange moment break it. He steps forward, cupping your face in his hands. “I missed you,” He whispers, trying to control his own voice from breaking. “Every single day. I kept telling myself I had to survive because you were waiting for me. And now that I’m here, I—”

He’s just about to say it. Just about to ask you to marry him right now wit no delays- but the front door creaks open behind you.

"I'm back," A man steps inside, voice playful and eyes turning to shock when seeing Taeyong.

Taeyong freezes, confusion flickering in his chest. He’s never seen this man before. Tall. Calm. A stranger.

You turn quickly, your body shifting slightly in front of the man as if to block the space between them. “Oh... Taeyong this is... Doctor Na Jaemin,” You say, voice just a little too light. “I called him over, because I wasn't feeling too well. He’s… just checking in on me. Making sure I’m okay.”

There’s a pause. Taeyong says nothing, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he watches your face. You're avoiding his gaze.

You move toward the doctor, giving Jaemin a gentle nudge toward the door. “Thank you for checking in on me. You don’t need to stay. Really. I’m fine now.”

Jaemin hesitates, then nods with a professional smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Alright,” He says. “But if anything changes…”

“I’ll call,” You finish quickly, already ushering him out.

The door closes. Silence settles again.

Taeyong wants to ask: Who is he really? Why was he here?—but he doesn’t.

"Well. Welcome home. I'll go and start something." You’re smiling again, tightly, as you head to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. He tells himself he’s imagining things. That after everything, you just need time to adjust. That’s all.

So he stays quiet.

-

Days pass. You laugh a little more. Smile a little easier. And for a moment, he lets himself believe you're warming up to him again. That maybe you were just overwhelmed. Maybe the war changed both of you in ways neither of you can name yet. Taeyong tells you tales of what it was like, stories that he and his comrades shared to keep each other from falling apart, but without failing to mention how he kept thinking about you and how it was your face and voice that urged him to continue. He doesn't mention how he was depressed and had days and night when everything around him felt like it would collapse- he brushes it to the back of his mind not wanting to trigger anything.

In return you tell him how you finally finished your degree and started working as a nurse. "I mean, I'm flooded in debt now, but I'm pulling through and working hard."

"You don't have to worry about money anymore," Taeyong assures you holding your hand. "Once we get married, everything I have will be yours as well."

Your eyes which always lit up his world, has him slightly worried when noticing that they don't shine as bright anymore. He knows he's got a lot of catching to do with you, to make up for the time missed.

"I'm here now." He promises.

-

But the house still feels like it’s holding its breath, with Taeyong on a break from duty and work, he tries everything to be present and make you aware that he's trying and won't let your relationship buckle. However at night, he still tosses and turns in the bed he shares with you. Images and memories of the camps and how the soldiers always had to be aware of their surroundings- always fills up his head. Even though you're there, he's afraid to admit that he's afraid to sleep and wake up to dead bodies around him.

"Tae, just sleep." You'd tell him continously every night. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

And he tries to believe it.

Nonetheless tonight, after tossing and turning in the sheets, Taeyong finally gives up from trying to sleep.

He slips out of bed and steps out onto the porch, a cigarette between his fingers. Taeyong sighs because you hated this new habit. You told him if he ever had to smoke, he should do it outside. He told you he only picked it up during the war, to calm his nerves. Said it helped keep his hands from shaking. And it does... but it also helps his mind from racing and thinking about his life with you... It's different now. It's not the way he imagined it.

He watches the tip of the cigarette burn in the darkness. His eyes checking his watch, it's 3 a.m. in the morning and the apartment and complex block is sleeping. All the lights turned off, living a luxurious view of a city he missed. The night is heavy and quiet, but across the street from his window, a light opens up.

Taeyong squints his eyes from the brightness of the light. He tries to ignore it, to continue admiring the city... however his eyes are curious to the movements inside the house with light across the street.

Inside, a man and a woman stand facing each other. Even from a distance, Taeyong can make out the sharp, high-pitched tones of their voices raised and tense. They are arguing. He hopes that's not how you and him become one day...

He's about to go inside his own house, but the verbal fight begins to get heated and it escalates into a physical fight quickly, with the woman slapping the man.

Suddenly, the man grabs the woman and lifts her off the ground near the window, before he throws her overboard. Taeyong freezes. A split second later, the woman lets out a horrible shriek as she drops, hair fluttering rapidly, and then-

Bang!

The sound is sickening.

Startled, Taeyong instinctively peers down to get a better look, heart hammering in his chest.

The woman lies motionless on the cement floor below, red pooling around her... a violent image of blood triggers his mind to the war. Her long hair fans out like a shadow around her head. Across from him, the man who pushed her stands frozen by the window.

Taeyong stares in disbelief.

The man raises his head, and in the dim light, their eyes meet... and Taeyong’s breath catches.

The man looks exactly... like him.

His chest tightens. His lips part in shock as he lets out a gasp. The man across the street seems startled, too. But he shouts something in return— and Taeyong can’t make out the words. It’s like watching a scene underwater.

A doppelgänger? The thought slams into him. No. It can’t be. That’s just a myth and stories that was told in the war...

His legs give out beneath him. He collapses right there on the porch, knees hitting the floor as his mind spins wildly.

“Taeyong? What’s wrong?” Your voice, worried, breathless. You rush out from the bedroom onto the windy porche, still half-asleep, crouching beside him. He grabs your wrist, panic rising in his throat.

“A m-man in the apartment ac-across the street- he just threw a woman out the window. I saw her fall. She hit the ground. She’s dead.”

Your eyes widen. Without waiting, you move toward the porch railing to look for yourself.

“Don’t go outside!” Taeyong says sharply, pulling you back. “He’s still there— he’s looking at our house right now.”

Taeyong ducks behind the curtain, his fingers trembling as he grabs his phone. With a shaking voice, he calls the police.

“There’s been a murder,” He exclaims. “A man threw a woman out the window. She’s lying there— dead. Please, come quickly.”

Within minutes, the flashing lights of patrol cars paint the neighborhood in red and blue. Officers rush to the scene, but—

The woman’s body is gone.

The blood. The broken skull. Everything. Gone.

And when they search the apartment across the street, it’s occupied... but not by the man Taeyong saw. There’s a completely different family living there now. They are calm, but confused, however they are still cooperative.

An officer steps forward, eyes sharp with suspicion. “Is this some kind of joke?” He says. “You know prank calls like this are considered obstruction of justice.”

"Officer please forgive him." You quickly step in between the officer and Teayong. "He just came back from the war, and he was telling stories, perhaps he got confused about somethings and phoned you accidentally."

“That can’t be,” Taeyong says under his breath, stunned once the police leave. “I saw it. I saw her fall. She hit the ground right there. I heard it. I heard the sound when she landed.”

You approach him quietly, eyes soft and tired. “You’ve been under a lot of stress lately,” You say gently. “After the war... maybe you saw something that wasn’t really there. Didn't you say that during the war you'd hallucinate-”

“No. Not everything is about the war.” He insists looking deeply into your eyes... that don't believe him. But he still tries. “I saw her. She fell. She was there. I’m not making it up.”

“If it was that loud...” You reply calmly, “I would have heard it. You know I’m a light sleeper.”

You place a warm hand on his arm. “Stress is dangerous, Taeyong. Please… calm down. I’ll book you an appointment with a therapist, so that you don't have to hold everything in anymore."

Taeyong looks away, hands shaking.

You sigh. "I'll make you some green tea, and everything will go back to normal.”

But after that night… nothing was the same again.

-

A few days passed. Life resumed on the surface, but something beneath it had shifted quietly. He went back to work. It’s weird how in the military he was in the Navy as a Sailor, but at war he became a soldier under an Army, and now… he works as a civilian clerk at a navy base, filing reports and typing up memos for officers who always salute him and his services at war.

But when he's home, he's under constant surveillance as you usually hand him a cup of warm, freshly brewed green tea, urging him to take care of his mental health. He told you he's fine.

But after booking an appointment with the Doctor Jaemin... things turned around. He didn't think he'd see Jaemin again, but he did. And Jaemin worked in the same hospital as you.

Taeyong didn't think that he was under too much stress lately, but the recent check-up hadn’t gone well. He'd been diagnosed with early signs of liver and kidney complications. It was a surprise... you blamed it on him smoking... but then Jaemin offered medical assistance to get him back on his feet.

Taeyong nodded, thanked you and him, and took the medical green tea in silence. But the vision from that night clung to him like a shadow. He could still see it vividly and it was horrifying. The man who looked exactly like him. The lifeless woman sprawled on the cement with her skull shattered. The movement of the man's lips as he shouted something across the street.

What had he been trying to say?

That question haunted Taeyong, and stopped him from smoking. The nightmares came often, replaying that single moment again and again. It never dulled. It never faded.

It couldn’t have been a dream… or a war time hallucination story told by one of the soldiers.

 ...But thankfully he had you by his side to tell him over and over again that it was just a dream.

You tied down the knot in a court wedding. Got rings and were the happiest couple ever.

Or that’s what Taeyong wanted to believe.

-

Two years later.

The unexplained abdominal pain that had tormented him for 2 straight years only worsened. And now he burned with a high fever. His body felt foreign to him. It was a heavy pain, which was slow to die and made his body unreliable... and so weak.

His organs, already fragile, were failing. Bit by bit, his liver and kidneys had weakened to the point of barely functioning, disrupting his daily life. The doctor Na Jaemin gave him sympathetic looks and complicated explanations every time he went for a check up, but deep down, Taeyong felt certain of one thing:

He had started dying the moment he locked eyes with the man in the window. He remembers Jaehyun's words of the superstition that if you meet your doppelgänger, one of you will die. It was just a story at first... but now Taeyong in his slow dying breath believes the words to be true.

Maybe the man he saw that night wasn’t a hallucination. Maybe he was real. Maybe he was Taeyong’s double... and he had been watching ever since, waiting for Taeyong’s life to slowly fade.

You noticed the change in him. How could you not?

Watching him lose his vitality day by day broke your heart. You cried often, quietly, thinking he didn’t notice. But he did.

And despite everything, you never gave up on him.

You continued bringing him tea. Continued holding him when the pain grew too sharp. And often, you took him to the hospital where you worked as a nurse, doing everything you could to get him examined, tested, helped, even when the answers never came.

The cause of Taeyong’s illness remained unknown.

If he died, you would be left alone.

He thought about your beautiful eyes, your soft hair, the calming voice you used every day, and even the warmth of your embrace. His heart ached at the thought that there might not be many days left to share with you.

Recently, Taeyong had quit his job. The sickness had taken too much from him that he could no longer work. As a result, you became the breadwinner, taking on extra hours at the hospital and working overtime to make ends meet.

He felt so sorry for you. But the pain was relentless, and all he could do was lie in bed, trying to fall asleep through the discomfort that gripped him most of the time.

One night Taeyong lies on the bed, pale and worn, the weight of pain pressing down on him like a heavy fog. You sit beside him quietly, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

“Hey,” You whisper softly, your voice barely louder than the hum of the night.

He turns his head slowly, meeting your eyes with a tired smile. “Hey.”

“I wish I could take it all away,” You say, your fingers tracing gentle circles on his arm. “You don’t have to carry this alone.”

He sighs, a mix of gratitude and sorrow in his eyes. “I know… but, the pain feels endless. And I wouldn't want you to carry it.”

You squeeze his hand gently. “Then I’ll be here, holding your hand through every second of it.”

For a moment, silence fills the room. It's comforting and calm.

Taeyong’s voice is soft but steady. “Thank you… for not giving up on me.”

“I'll be here for you.” You promise, leaning closer to rest your head against his shoulder.

And in that quiet, fragile moment, the world feels a little less heavy until he falls asleep. And you leave for your 'late night shift' at the hospital.

-

The soft glow from inside the hospital spills faintly onto the balcony, dulled by the late hour. The usual rush has long faded, replaced by a heavy, unnerving stillness. Sometimes, the night shift is spent in silence and tonight is no different. You and Jaemin stand side by side, the air between you thick with more than exhaustion. You both carry a weight neither of you names, though it hangs there, unspoken.

You turn to look at him.

Not a glance. You study him quietly, your eyes tracing the familiar lines of his profile. You’ve memorized every expression, when he’s content, when he’s tense, when he’s trying to hold it all together. Like now.

Jaemin doesn’t move, but he feels your gaze settle on him, warm and heavy, like a memory pressing into skin.

Then, slowly, he turns to you. His hands gently find your jaw. Your bodies lean in, tentative at first, seeking permission... but something magnetic draws you closer. Your lips meet in a kiss, deep and quiet. It speaks of sleepless nights, shared regrets, and the thousand things you’ve never had the courage to say out loud.

Halfway through, Jaemin pulls back, licking his lips. His breath comes out shaky, forehead resting against yours.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He whispers, voice low and rough with guilt.

You don’t hesitate. "Yes."

He grunts, jaw tightening as he steps back. His hand drags down his face, like he's trying to rub away the shame. "I hate that we’ve come to this… to lying. I feel pathetic."

You reach out, placing a hand on his back. "You’re not."

But that’s not how he feels. "I’m a liar. A fool. A real doctor wouldn’t do this—hell, I’m not even a doctor. Just a stupid nurse… who’d do anything for you." He leans against the railing, bracing himself with both hands, like the weight of it all might break him. "Why’d he have to come back? I’ve always been here, for everything. Why should I stand aside and watch you go through with this?" He quietly stresses. "It's been 2 years now. And he's not dying. I hate that I can’t stop it," He mutters.

"Stop," You say softly, stepping closer and covering his hand with yours. Your voice is steady. In his eyes, it’s clear, you don’t love Taeyong anymore. You love Jaemin. That much is certain. "I just need you to hold on a little longer. He's nearly dying. Let him hate me if he wants—it was my plan."

You meet his gaze, and for a moment, he sees the version of you that existed before Taeyong came back from the war. Before the lies. Before love turned into something sharp.

"I need to do this," You continue. "You’ve helped me so much. Now it’s my turn to help you. Once Taeyong’s gone, everything in his account is mine. I’ll clear your debts. All the money you spent on me— it’ll be paid back.”

He shakes his head and cups your face. "It’s not your fault. You don't need to pay me back... I'll find another way to get the money."

"He's already dying Jae," You let him know. "Just turn your cheek away, it'll all be finished. And then we can go back to being just us,"

Silence falls between you again, broken only by the distant hum of the building and the faint sound of footsteps below.

Jaemin doesn’t speak. He just closes his eyes and exhales through his nose, like he’s letting go of something he knows he’ll never get back. His humanity.

He hates what this has become. At first, the plan felt simple: let Taeyong die slowly. Let time do the work. But each passing day, pretending to be a doctor, watching Taeyong’s health decline without action, has worn on him. Taeyong isn’t just some man—he’s a soldier- so how could Jaemin think that Taeyong's body wouldn't be fighting not to die?

Jaemin felt pathetic, because in all this, Taeyong is someone who didn’t choose to stay away. Someone who didn’t know how long the war would keep him. But he came back to you, because he loved you. Jaemin feels guilty... but he loves you too.

You had believed for so long that Taeyong abandoned you, left you behind after promising forever. And so, you left him for Jaemin. But now that Taeyong’s back… all you want is his money—what you feel you’re owed for waiting. And for him to disappear again.

And so, you stand there in the quiet together. No more illusions. No more lines left to cross.

Just two people who already did, and know there's no turning back.

-

One day, as another wave of severe abdominal pain flares up, Taeyong reaches for his painkillers— but his supply is running dangerously low. He can’t take them without more medicine, and it'll be a while before he sees Doctor Jaemin again.

Suddenly, he remembers the green tea you prepare for him every day and thinks maybe it will ease the pain a little. Clinging to that hope, he carefully makes his way to the kitchen, clutching his stomach.

Because of his long hours and worsening illness, Taeyong hasn’t spent much time in the kitchen lately. He fumbles around, searching for the green tea bag, unsure of where you keep it.

Finally, after some rummaging, he finds a single green tea bag tucked in the corner of the cupboard. He steeps it in warm water and takes a sip.

His breath catches.

The taste is off... different from the green tea he’s been drinking.

Confused, he searches the kitchen again, this time, more carefully. Perhaps it's in a special space for his medicine and not to be mixed up with the normal tea.

As he's searching, behind a pile of items in the cupboard, he discovers a bottle of automotive antifreeze.

His brows furrow. "Why is there antifreeze in the kitchen?" He mumbles.

It’s not something he’s ever seen before, and it definitely isn’t the kind he keeps in the garage.

Suddenly, a memory strikes him like a jolt. Just a few days ago, you had walked into the kitchen- your face tense, your eyes darting nervously and hurried him out before he could even make himself something to eat.

“Come on, Taeyong, let’s go,” You said, voice unusually hurried, tugging at his sleeve. “It’s late. I don’t want you to be in here alone.”

He frowned then, confused by the urgency in your tone. “Why? What’s wrong?”

But you only shook your head, avoiding his gaze. “Nothing. Just trust me, okay?”

Now, recalling that moment, Taeyong’s heart tightens. Something isn’t right.

No way… Maybe it's just there...

A spine-chilling sensation crawls up his back, and a heavy sense of foreboding settles over him...

With trembling hands, he takes a few drops of the automotive antifreeze and adds them carefully to the green tea he just brewed. Hesitantly, he lifts the cup and takes a sip.

His eyes widen in horror.

It tastes exactly the same as the green tea you’ve been giving him all this time.

He stumbles back... in disbelief and shock. There's no way. He trembles out... grips his phone and dials your number. But he quickly cuts it. Afraid of confrontation. Afraid of what he's discovered. This has to be an accident. He finds himself, trembling not only in disbelief, but his body aches all over, opening up his laptop. He searches for a number... Jung Jaehyun's number.

Jaehyun is in his home, allowing the regular Saturday to be his personal day off where he can sleep in. But his phone buzzes, and his face lights up when he sees the name on the screen.

"Taeyong," He greets with a low laugh, smiling as he picks up. "Wow, talk about time lapse. What? It's been years and only now you think of me?" Jaehyun is so bright and bubbly, that Taeyong hates to be the one to disrupt the reunion. "I was just thinking about you..."

He stops mid-sentence. There’s no greeting on the other end, just silence. Heavy. Uneasy.

"Brother?" Jaehyun says, his voice softening with confusion. "Are you okay?"

Taeyong finally speaks, but his voice is barely there... thin and shaky. "Jaehyun... can you come get me?"

The smile disappears from Jaehyun’s face. His body tenses, a creeping worry settling in as he already gets on his boots.

"Where are you? What’s wrong?"

"I think... I think I need to go to the hospital."

Jaehyun goes still. His heart starts to race.

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

There’s a pause. Then, Taeyong exhales like he’s holding himself together by a thread. "Please." He gulps. "Please, I just... I need you to come. I don't want to die."

Jaehyun doesn’t hesitate. He grabs his keys, already heading toward the door.

"I’m coming." He says quickly. "Just stay on the phone with me. I’m right here."

As soon as Jaehyun gets there, the reunion is cut abruptly when he sees Taeyong's form and state. The once heavy and built soldier, now lays curled up on the floor almost looking like skin and bones. Jaehyun doesn't say anything more. He helps up his brother, his breath held as this triggers events in the war were they had to hold each other up after a heavy bomb blast.

"I'm not going to let you die," He says, getting Taeyong in the car. "You'll get through this okay.

And Jaehyun takes Taeyong to a private hospital, where tests are conducted and exams are made for Taeyong. Taeyong hasn't said anything, as he tried to process if what just happened was real. Antifreeze tastes like...green tea?

The doctor’s face shifts to shock as he reviews the test results and calls Jaehyun and Taeyong in his office.

"Your liver and kidneys are severely damaged," The doctor says, voice tense.

"That's something I already know." Taeyong says. "I smoked before..."

The doctor shakes his head. "This isn't from smoking." That causes Taeyong to be stiff. "It’s from long-term exposure to a substance called ethylene glycol, that’s antifreeze."

The explanation continues, each word hitting him like a blow. The doctor says his organs are failing. His central nervous system is deteriorating. After so long ingesting poison, there’s no recovery.

"What happened Taeyong?" Jaehyun asks firmly when the doctor prescribes some pain relief tablets, not giving Taeyong any hope that he'll get better. But that he can only push on. "Were you trying to kill yourself?"

Taeyong stares, numb. For two years, every check-up at the hospital where you work as a nurse failed to uncover the cause. Two years of vague symptoms, constant pain, and no answers.

How did they miss this?

"Talk to me brother." Jaehyun speaks again.

But Taeyong's heart twists with suspicion. Instinct screams that you... and the doctor you work with... did something. "I think..." Taeyong bites his lips. Afraid to admit it. "I think my wife tried to kill me."  There's no way for 2 years that nothing was found.

"Don't talk like that." Jaehyun tries to ease the situation that Taeyong is facing. "This is the woman you wouldn't shut up about. This is the same woman you'd fight all the other soldiers just because they said she would leave you. This is the woman you fought so hard to come back for-"

"That same woman has been poisoning me for 2 years straight and lying to me. I dare even say she's been cheating behind my back." Taeyong's jaw trembles. "I'm going to kill her."

"Taeyong no." Jaehyun says firmly. "Don't cross the line." He places a hand on a stiff and dazed Taeyong, who's got nothing but anger mixed with sadness in his gaze.

Taeyong breaks face, sinking in pain and letting out a few tears. "Why?"

-

That night Taeyong is seated in front of the tv in the dark when you return home. "Hey," You greet warmly. "Why is it so dark?" You turn on the light.

You move towards him giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry I wasn't home today, they needed me at work." Lean back and look at the tv, and the little empty bowl on the table of the food you left for him to eat while you were out. "Otherwise, did you manage by yourself."

"I did." Taeyong's voice is hoarse and gruff, catching you by surprise. You simply look at him. Trying to read his closed concealed face.

"Are you okay babe?" You ask him quietly, taking a seat near him. But he weakly gets up, and  begins walking away. You quickly get up and begin to help him. Something's wrong... you note.

After helping him on the bed, you go to the kitchen and look behind your shoulder. Bringing out a tiny key to open a cabnit, you freeze when seeing it's unlocked. Your eyes widen. Did you leave it unlocked? You quickly open the fridge, checking behind several items- and sigh in relief when seeing the anti freeze tucked in it's hiding space.

You quickly make the tea for him and then enter the bedroom and hand him the cup, just like always. He takes it with a small smile and tells you he’ll drink it later. He just wanted to rest his muscles a bit.

Once you leave, Taeyong slips into the bathroom and pours the tea down the drain with anger when smelling the contents. You blatantly smile in his face... wanting to kill and poison him. It doesn't sit well with him. Jaehyun told him that he'd come back in the morning for him, and that Taeyong must say his last proper goodbye without hurting you.

So Taeyong wait on his bed... waiting to confront you. You disappear into the shower room and Taeyong is suspicious when hearing the door click shut. Then, silent as a shadow, pushing himself, he creeps forward and presses his ear against the door.

Your voice leaks through. "I'll bring him tomorrow." Hushed and low, but unmistakable yours. "Just say he’s going to die in two or three months at most." Taeyong's fists ball. "Give us time to spend together so that I can check his will again." He hears some shuffling and then the water turns on. "I’ve got a lot of insurance on him, so the payout will be considerable. Thanks for waiting so long, babe."

Shock paralyzes him. He covers his mouth to keep from making a sound, then rushes back to the bedroom, heart pounding in his ears.

He’s dying. Not by fate. Not by illness. But by your hands. The love of his life.

Lying in bed, pretending to be asleep, he hears you come in. The room fills with the quiet sound of your movements. He hears the subtle rattle of the cup. Your fingers checking to see if he drank the tea.

Eventually, you settle down beside him, your breathing loud in the stillness. Rough. Uneven. Like you’ve fallen asleep right away.

And Taeyong just lies there, awake. Dying. Knowing the truth.

With you lying beside him, a chill runs down Taeyong’s spine, sending goosebumps across his skin. Suddenly, he’s fully awake.

His mind races.

Should he report everything to the police right away? Or wait for Jaehyun... should he start by gathering evidence? Or let you go just as Jaehyun said?

After what feels like hours of agonizing thought, he chooses the most dangerous, most human path. It's what he wanted to do initially. To confront you directly and hear why you did it.

He tells himself it’s the only way to make sense of the impossible, he needs to hear it from the woman he loves.

At 2h a.m. just before dawn, Taeyong gently shakes you awake.

You stir, groggy and confused, your eyes blinking slowly as you try to focus on his face in the dark. "Tae? Just sleep, it's a nightmare."

"Y/n," His voice cracks, trembling with a mix of heartbreak and fury. You're still trying to sleep, but he can't let you sleep after everything..

"Taeyong what's wrong?" You groan tiredly. But sit up when seeing that he's sat up. "Baby?"

"I’ve loved you with everything I have… my whole life." Taeyong sniffs, trying to stop himself from trembling. "I came back just for you. So why?"

"Why what?" You're not awake... a part of your mind already knows that it has something to do with the unlocked cabinet. But it's not like Taeyong would connect that it's what you've been using instead of tea...

"Why are you trying to kill me?”

You freeze.

For a split second, panic flashes in your eyes, raw and unmistakable.

"Baby… what are you talking about?" Your voice trembles, but something in it feels brittle, rehearsed.

Taeyong's voice lowers, cold but shattered. "I know."

"You know what?" You ask slowly, panicking but trying to remain calm.

"You’ve been poisoning me," Your eyes widen trying to feign surprise. "With automotive antifreeze."

Your face twists. The innocent mask snaps into place like muscle memory. "I don’t know what you’re saying."

"It’s too late for lies. Just tell me why you did it." His eyes narrow, fury cracking through his grief. "If I tell the police to pull your call history—the conversations with Na Jaemin, the doctor, the man you’ve been seeing behind my back, it’s all going to come out. So tell me now."

Something in you shifts. The mask slips, your expression turning hard, your angry tears showing.

"Because you left me." You whisper out. "I did it, because you left me. You weren’t a husband," You hiss. "You left me."

Taeyong’s jaw clenches. "I went to fight for our country. What else was I supposed to do?"

"I don’t care what you did. You should've just stayed there. Taeyong I was alone. You convinced me to leave my home and move in with you. I left everything behind. My family, my life and my school. Here I struggled, but you promised- you promised that you wouldn't leave me. And then you left. You left and said you'd be back. Taeyong I waited for 3 years- I paid the house, I struggled with school- struggled to keep up and you weren't here. I was alone without my family! Without you!" You shout, voice thick with rage and something deeper, pain. "I was alone. So damn lonely. Maybe that makes me a monster, but what did you expect? I moved on. I’m sorry, but you ignored me. For years."

Taeyong’s breathing is unsteady. "I came back,"

"So what you came back. You didn't come back to me." You continue. "You made me work myself to the bone, day and night. You didn’t come home. You just existed beside me. I didn’t want to live with you anymore."

His voice breaks. "Then why not just get a divorce? Or leave me? Why poison me? Y/n you poisoned me- my chances of living are slim to none- why did you just leave if you were so miserable?" He whispers, sad and upset. “Why murder me?”

A bitter laugh escapes you, but it comes out sadly. "Because I needed your insurance money. I’m sorry, but a nurse’s job won’t last forever."

"You..." Taeyong starts, but you cut him off, voice cold and resigned.

"Taeyong, you’re dying anyway. You’ll hate me for this. But think of it as karma for neglecting me. Forgive me. At least you'll be put out of your misery in a few days from now." Your voice drops to a whisper, cracked and aching.

It's 3 a.m. when Taeyong’s blood boils.

Enraged, he lunges forward, grabbing you by the throat, his grip fierce and desperate. You choke and hold onto his tight hands before fiercely smacking him away from you. Taeyong- despite his weak form draws energy from the darkest parts of his grief and shoves you off the bed getting on top of you- his hands getting around your neck again.

"Taeyong stop- "You slap his face hard.

In that moment, something snaps inside him. He loses control and roars picking you up, running toward the open terrace door.

Without thinking, he throws you out the window.

A horrified scream tears from your lips as you fall from the eleventh floor.

The sound of your body crashing onto the cement below echoes sharply.

Shaken, Taeyong looks over the rail and down to the ground... the scene familiar...

You lay motionless, your skull shattered.

Only now does he realize—the murderer he had seen on the terrace two years ago wasn’t a doppelgänger after all.

It was the future version of himself...

Bloodshot eyes slowly lifting, he meets the gaze of a man standing on the terrace across the street. Young and healthy, the man he had been two years ago.

Taeyong shouts at him with all his might, "Kill Y/n!"

-

Suddenly, Taeyong jolts upright, gasping, his heart pounding in his chest. His breath catches and squints by the bright light.

"Woah man relax, relax." He hears Jaehyun's voice.

Quickly turning around he's surprised. For a moment, he’s disoriented- was that a nightmare? A memory?

No...

"You good?" Jaehyun, his comrade asks. When meeting Jaehyun's bright eyes, Jaehyun taps his shoulder. "Now's not the time to have nightmares. You're going back home."

Oh... that's right. He’s still on the plane, flying home.

His hands tremble as he grips the armrest, eyes wide with nervous tension. The hum of the engines and the muted chatter of passengers surround him, but inside, his mind races.

What did that dream mean? It was so vivid and clear... it even repeated itself. Is it a warning? Or a truth he’s been too scared to face… that you might hate him for leaving you for so long…

The plane begins its descent, and with every passing second, his heartbeat quickens.

When the wheels finally touch down, he exhales shakily, trying to steady himself.

... Taeyong is nervous, because this all feels familiar. Especially when Jaehyun comes in for a hug. "Stay alive brother."

"Y-you too." Taeyong utters. "I'll stay in touch."

Outside the airport, his heart hammers so fast he fears it might burst from his chest. Everything about the way he's moving feels so familiar. Once he's outside, he scans the crowd of happy individuals reuniting with family. Then, there you are, standing in the crowd, your eyes shimmering with tears.

Taeyong’s body stiffens, cautious, wary of what might come next.

But before he can hold back, you run toward him, tears spilling freely, and with all your strength, you throw yourself into his arms. "Taeyong! You're back."

The world still feels unreal for a moment, but as your arms wrap tightly around him, he knows... He isn’t dreaming now. He's quick to also wrap his arms around you. "I'm sorry," He cries out. "I'm so sorry. For everything. For leaving you alone-" Taeyong cries out. You were always waiting for him. The blurted words of you crying in the dream has him weeping out. Could you really be capable of doing that? "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Tae," You smile and lean back, kissing his lips, still with tears in your eyes. "I've missed you so much." As your arms wrap around Taeyong in the airport crowd, he only has one thought in his head…

"This is real," He whispers to himself.

You pull back and smile through tears, brushing your fingers against his cheek. You take a cab home and Taeyong is worried once he steps through the door... there's a banner that says welcome home. "I hope you like it." You smile up at him. “There’s so much I need to catch you up on. How about we settle down over a nice cup of tea?”

“Tea?” He freezes and looks at you. You’re confused but smile nonetheless.

“Yeah tea. I prepared this before I left, hopefully it’s still warm.” You go in the kitchen, just as Taeyong cautiously takes a seat like a stranger in an unfamiliar place. Coming out with the biggest smile on your face, you giggle.

“Why do you look so stiff?” You take a seat beside him, placing a green flask on the table, and taking it apart, placing one cup in front of yourself and him. "I made your favourite," You say, handing it to him. "Well, if it's still your favourite."

Green tea.

His fingers tremble as he accepts it. He doesn’t speak much. Just nods. Smiles. Mechanical. You take a sip of yours and smile at him… he’s hesitant to drink, but because he sees you drinking it… he wonders if it’s really poisoned. He drinks it… gulps it down, but it tastes normal. Not poisoned. You’re nodding your head with the biggest grin. “Good right?”

You look so happy, so excited, and this is exactly what he wanted… but he’s still afraid. What did that dream mean? Why did he have such a dream about you trying to kill him? And why, as he’s having fun with you right, does he keep hearing in his head… ‘Kill Y/n’.

It’s a mystery that Taeyong can’t explain. Not now at least. Maybe time will make everything fall into place.

[technologyculturedneo]

Sometimes I keep coming back to this story because of how haunting it is!

Cosmic Nightmare | Na Jaemin

"The devil on my shoulder is telling me I'll die soon. But I don't want that to impact you."

Pairing. Jaemin!boyfriend x reader!lover

Word count. 4k

Genre. Romance horror

Synopsis. Reliving the fond and bittersweet memories you've had with your boyfriend, you're faced with the overwhelming weight of reality. The warmth of his touch, the laughter you shared, and the quiet moments of comfort seem so distant now, overshadowed by the haunting images from your dreams. Each memory, once a source of joy, now feels like a reminder of a love lost—trapped in the past. The contrast between the vibrant moments you once shared and the emptiness of the present leaves you questioning everything. Is it possible to move on, or are these memories destined to remain locked in time, haunting you forever?

Trigger warning. Mentions of spirituality. Nightmares. Death.

Inspo. Wansee horror

The night was quiet, soft moonlight casting a gentle glow over the room. You were lying side by side, the warmth of the bed and the peaceful atmosphere making everything feel so easy. Suddenly, Jaemin’s voice broke the silence, low but steady.

“I love you.”

You turned toward him, eyes wide in surprise, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “I love you too,” you giggled. “Where’s this coming from?”

Jaemin shrugged, his gaze distant, yet filled with a kind of bittersweet emotion. “I don’t know... I just wanted you to know. I love you. So much. So much that... I’d do anything, anything just to see you smile. I want you to have everything you deserve, to be happy... even if it means I’m not there with you.”

There was a pause, a subtle shift in the atmosphere, before he spoke again, his voice quieter, almost fragile. “The devil on my shoulder is telling me I won’t be around for much longer... and I don’t want that to weigh on you. But maybe I’m just being paranoid.” He trailed off, his words faltering as if unsure of how much he should say. “I just... I just want you to have the best of everything.”

You felt a tightness in your chest, a pang of concern creeping up. You moved, gently shifting so that you sat on his lap, your hands finding their place on his shoulders. “Hey, what’s wrong? What did you do?”

Jaemin’s eyes locked onto yours, full of fear and vulnerability. His throat tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to confess something. But he didn’t. Instead, his voice was soft but firm. “I love you.”

Your heart ached, and you gave him a reassuring smile, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “I love you too. I’ll always love you.”

And in that moment, you both understood—there were things unsaid, but that didn’t change the certainty of the love between you. He would tell you when he was ready. For now, this quiet, fragile moment of understanding was enough.

Memories like that, cloud your head, from time to time when you think of your boyfriend.

“Mummy?” The soft voice of your little girl breaks through the quiet, and you look down at her when she walks into the kitchen. Her big eyes, the same shade of brown as her father's, stare up at you, full of curiosity.

“Yes, my sweet pea?” you reply, kneeling to her level.

She fidgets with the hem of her dress, looking up at you with innocence. “What happened to Daddy?” Her words are simple, yet they hit you like a wave. “The teacher asked everyone to talk about their dads, but… I don’t know about dad.”

You swallow the lump in your throat, struggling to find the right words. She looks so much like him, it’s hard to breathe sometimes. You stare at her for a long moment, your heart heavy, but no words come. Instead, you gently lift her up into your arms, holding her close.

“Let’s get you out of these clothes, okay?” you murmur, trying to distract her from the weight of the question. You focus on helping her out of her preschool uniform, trying to push away the emotions rising in your chest.

Later, as she sits at the table, coloring quietly, you help her with her homework. She asks you little questions now and then, all innocent, all unaware of the storm inside you. When she finally curls up in bed, her tiny body already halfway to sleep, you kiss her forehead softly, tucking her in.

Sitting beside her, you brush a lock of hair from her face, but the weight of her question lingers in the quiet of the room. You hold back your own tears, unwilling to let her see. If only there were a way to explain.

But for tonight, all you can do is watch her sleep, and hold onto the little moments of peace, even as your heart aches for all the things you can never say.

It's during the night, that you lay back on your bed... hand gently over the other side of the mattress as you gently cradle it.

Lately, your daughter has been asking a lot about what happened to her father, and you had no way of responding to her. Not at this age at least... she was still too young.

Heck, you don't even know how to begin to explain...

Na Jaemin, her dad, your boyfriend.

He... was the best thing you could ever wish for.

Years ago, this happened to your boyfriend, Na Jaemin. Looking back on it, you can still picture the warmth of your relationship with him—an effortless, joyful love that seemed to exist in its own little world. With Jaemin, everything felt lighter, like cotton candy: soft, sweet, and always just a little bit magical. He treated you with a kindness that made you feel seen and cherished, as though you were the only person in the room, even in the busiest of moments. His affection was constant, the kind of love that felt like a steady, reassuring presence.

But there was more to him than that. Beneath the sweetness, Jaemin was fiercely strong, the type of person who could stare down any challenge without flinching. You’d seen it firsthand—how he could face a storm with unshakable courage. You'd even witnessed him stand toe-to-toe with a lion (an actual lion, no exaggeration), and though the situation had been far from ordinary, it was a testament to the strength that ran through him, both physically and emotionally.

It wasn’t just the lion incident, though. It was in the quiet moments too—when his courage showed in the way he supported you, the way he fought for your happiness, even if it meant sacrificing his own. With Jaemin, you felt the depth of a love that was both delicate and indestructible. It wasn’t just the sweetness of his gestures that made your heart swell; it was knowing he would go to any lengths to protect the bond you shared, a bond that had weathered everything life had thrown your way.

When you found out you were pregnant, you were so excited to tell him. You wanted to make it a surprise. Because you know he's always wanted to be a dad.

...

However, you don't remember when it began but... he began wasting away.

Every night he woke up screaming! asking you if this was a dream, almost every 10 minutes.

And before he fell asleep he'd shout out: "Oh God! Please Jesus, protect me!" Even though he had no religion.

One day when you asked him what's wrong with him. He whispered in your ear, after looking around with a frightened face. "For the last few days, the same man has been chasing me in my dreams." His voice was trembling.

You told him. "Hey Mr Tough guy, it's just a dream. What's so scary about it."

Suddenly his eyes got hugely dilated and he got out of breath, and he stammered. "You know the guy next door? Donghyuck? He died the other day in his sleep because of a heartache right? Well... the night before he died, I was chased in my dream by that man and... I ran to Donghyuck's house... and that man... the man who's been chasing me... I saw him enter Donghyuck's room."

"What do you mean babe?" You asked tilting your head.

And before your very eyes, he began sobbing like a child. "Donghyuck was killed by that man..."

A few days later while waking up screaming again, he fell out of the bed and rushed out of the room. You shouted running after him. "Baby you're at home! You're safe!"

But Jaemin shouted back in speed and slurring out. "Fuck you! No! This is a dream! You are not my girlfriend you devil- I'm jumping out of this apartment and going back to the real world!" And he ran to the window and put his foot over the window-

You ran to him at full speed - slapped him so hard in the face and yanked him back and away from the open window. "Are you crazy!"

Then, as if being back to reality, with a worried smile over his face he said, he hugged you deeply. "Oh yes... you are... you are real."

"This has been going on for the past 2 weeks. Jaemin you're scaring me. What's going on?" You asked, then slowly pushed him away. "What's really happening?"

He replied, almost horrified. "The man chased me this time... here... to our house..."

With no clue of what he meant, you urged him to go back and sleep while holding onto him. But still he woke up screeching.

Because of this, he took some days off from work and you stayed with him to look after his health.

One day, you asked him to explain this dream to you, because you couldn't handle the lack of sleep anymore. Every night? It was getting exhausting. You also had to go to work and you felt that while it was important for him to get better, it was unfair for you, because you also had to sleep.

"I'm sorry." He said, and you accepted it, because there's nothing he could do about it. For now.

"Tell me about this man," You say, sitting next to him on the dining table while holding his hand, after managing to calm him down and get him some tea. "Firstly, what does he look like?"

Instantly... Jaemin's hands begin to tremble underneath yours. "What does he look like? This man is... tall. Incredibly tall in height. Almost like a giant. I'd say 10ft12." You nod, encouraging him to go on. "Half of his height is taken up by his head. It's huge. He's got... 3 pupils in each eyes... blood red, emerald green and... pitch black. His skin is... shriveled... and it's violet. He looks like he's rotting and old."

Jaemin gulps, while you're eyebrows furrow by the description.

"He's got horns, upside down looking. And he always has a suit. Faded black.... he's also got legs that look like a goats legs. And his mouth... when the man opens his mouth, there's like hundreds of teeth in there. Black slimy teeth."

For the next few minutes... you sit in horror listening to Jaemin talk about this 'man', who sounded a lot more like a 'demon looking entity monster' then a man.

That night laying in bed... you ponder over the description that Jaemin gave you.

According to Jaemin, the man in his dream was 10 feet 12 and his head took up half of the height, his huge head had upside horns, he had 3 pupils each and his skin was shriveled and violet. When the man would open his mouth, Jaemin saw hundred 's of disgusting black teeth. He always had a black suit on, and his legs looked like goats.

In his dream, he finally took up courage and shouted to the man. "You're just a nightmare."

You didn't get to sleep long as Jaemin shouted and jolted you up again. You couldn't go to work at this point. "Jaemin... what happened?" You asked him tiredly. He just went into the bathroom and cried again. You muttered, but still got up to be by his side. "Babe, please open up. What happened?"

After a while he opened the door, and you made out the darkness underneath his eyes from sleeping bags.

And even though frantically looking terrified, Jaemin tried as best as he could to involve you in his dream.

"A nightmare? That's not me. I am not." Laughing shrilly, the man responded. "I am Death."

However, Jaemin said the man was laughing with a crying face which made him look creepy. While laughing the hundreds of teeth made an ear piecing sound like metal scraping and scratching against each other - and Jaemin said he felt that his ears felt like they were going to be torn because of how painful the sound was.

Frightened, Jaemin started to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. The man also started running after Jaemin shouting: "Death! Oh death! Death is beautiful. Beautiful death!" In this monstrous voice.

It made Jaemin extremely paralyzed by fear. His legs were wobbly turning to jelly, he kept falling down but kept trying to run and run as if his life completely depended on it. Finally the man came up to him right under his nose and opened his mouth shouting: "Death is beautiful!"

At that moment Jaemin bit his tongue and luckily woke up from the dream...

It's when you noticed that his tongue was terribly bleeding all over inside his mouth. "Oh my god, Jaemin. Your tongue." You took him to the hospital, and even took the liberty of explaining the situation to the doctor of what's been happening to him.

But as as soon as she saw Jaemin, she looked horrified, yet baffled. "Y-you... you met him." Instantly she shouted. "Get out!"

"Nightmares?" But even the doctor didn't understand what was wrong with him.

After long hesitation you visited a, spiritual doctor.

You cried on your knees and begged for help. "Please, they won't help us in the hospital, and I know you can help. You've helped my family before, so please help my boyfriend."

Clicking her tongue she closed her eyes - after thinking for a while she opened her mouth to speak. "Listen. This is what you must do from tonight:

Sleep elsewhere, in a place unknown,

A secret spot where you've never grown.

Don't tell a soul, not family, not friends,

Not even your love, this silence must never end.

Put on the makeup, a clown's disguise,

So he can't recognize your pleading eyes.

If he chases you down in your dream’s dark night,

Run, don’t look back, escape from his sight.

Avoid the homes of others, stay far away,

Innocent lives are at risk if you stray.

Run until you find the river or sea,

For he cannot swim, he can't follow thee.

But never climb high, don’t take to the stairs,

He's quicker than you, with no time to spare.

"Now leave!"

After saying that, she kicked both of you out. "Don't worry Jaemin, we'll figure something out."

That night, Jaemin went to a motel far away and slept with makeup on. Clowns makeup.

But, he was so sure that he had to follow the rules given. "I have to try. I can't... I can't keep seeing that thing. I'm scared." His eyes screamed for help.

You felt sorry, and just hugged him.

Surprised that you had a good night's sleep, Jaemin phoned in the morning and told you that the man didn't appear in the dream that night. He even took a photo of the makeup he put... You laughed.

But you did feel bad, because it's through the pictures with geo-tagging that you saw his location. But you made sure to say nothing, and you deleted the photo, just in case something sinister, really was happening.

Jaemin, nonetheless was relived. He sent you some flowers, and you felt assured that everything would be back to normal, very soon. And you'd finally be able to tell him about your pregnancy. The bump had already started to show.

Just to make sure that all was well, Jaemin slept in the motel again.

...

However that night, Jaemin had a dream of the man.

You woke up frantically in the middle of the night when there was a loud continuous banning. You opened the door to a scared and tear-filled Jaemin - he couldn't breath, legs sore and he collapsed but refused to sleep.

Then all of a sudden the man shouted: "There you are!" And started running at full speed.

According to Jaemin... in the dream the motel door opened and in entered the man. He walked into the room but he didn't recognize Jaemin in the clown makeup. Jaemin clearly explained the confusion of the entity. For a few hours, the entity stared at Jaemin and Jaemin moved around the hotel room pretending not to see it. He said the man kept staring. Jaemin slowly got out of there and kept walking away. He said the man followed him for hours being confused. Jaemin walked for a long time... With the thing behind him. Jaemin found it strange how no one else was on the streets. He was alone. And the anxiety grew. It's when he looked at the man behind him, that he made eye contact with him.

You felt so bad, your boyfriend had to run away again all night long, even when he did wake up he just ran. There was no way to stop the nightmare- even when biting his tongue, slapping his face, falling.

You stayed up with him, washed his face, gave him some coffee, massaged his legs and soothed him down, you even tried to watch comedy, but it was quiet. Jaemin looked paranoid looking around the house. But in the morning, he was unable to walk on his own and was taken to the hospital.

"Geez." The doctor, Dr Jaehyun who had taken Jaemin's patient file was in shock to see him again. "First your tongue and now this? How long did you run? Your muscles and joints are broken, literally."

You were shocked. "Could this really be because of the dream?" You asked the doctor once you were alone and out of earshot from Jaemin.

Dr Jaehyun shock his head. He struggling to understand how Jaemin's vitals were all fine but he was sleep deprived. "That's highly unlikely. There must be an underlying medical issue. We'll conduct further tests before I can confirm whether it's safe for him to leave. I should have the results by the end of the day."

Unfortunately, the results came up negative and cleared Jaemin of every possible problem. Jaemin was released, but the Dr Jaehyun assured you to come by if you encounter any more problems. It was the afternoon when Jaemin was discharged in a wheelchair.

Jaemin had to run on a wheelchair for his life in the dream and when he woke up he became unable to move his arms at all! because his arm muscles where broken... that same night you went to the hospital.

But after you got Jaemin on the bed to sleep, the same thing happened at night... You awakened in fright because of how yelled from the pits of his stomach.

Apparently, in his dream he was also on a wheelchair.

There was no option but to be hospitalized.

"Are you certain that there are no other underlying issues, such as an allergic reaction or a possible fall?" Dr Jaehyun asked, being completely perplexed.

"No. I try to make sure that he eats 3 times per day, and that he bathes well. But... I don't know what's going on."

"Alright, let's keep him in the hospital for the night. You should go home and get some rest."

Resting at home was tough. You couldn't even sleep because you were so worried for Jaemin. You held onto your stomach, wondering what could be the problem. That night, you did something so unthinkable... you prayed.

"Dear God... I don't know what to say, but please protect my husband. I don't know what's going on but I'm scared."

That night you fell asleep.

But it's not long before you woke up by a violent shake of the whole house. With a huge crash, just like an earthquake, you got out of bed and ran out of bed when hearing Jaemin scream. You knew he wasn't in the house, but you've heard him scream so many times that you couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality anymore. And in the living room.. you saw... an enormous being standing in front of Jaemin. It was not human, and it did not fit the description of which he had given of 'that man'. Instead this being was like a stone, dark and the only visible thing were it's red eyes. It was hunched in your tiny living room. You stepped back, but you were paralyzed on the spot. It looked like it would break through the ceiling, and Jaemin was absolutely overwhelmed with by that horrifying ambiance.

The creature spoke.

"In 2 days, you will be dragged to hell." The voice sounds like rocks scraping against each other.

"Please no," Jaemin sobbed and cried desperately on his knees. "I'm begging you, please don't do this. I've got a kid on the way."

You were stunned by Jaemin's sudden confession about him knowing you were pregnant, but you couldn't say anything as the creature bellowed and blustered.

"You committed the unforgivable sin. You will burn in hell."

And then it disappeared.

And you woke up. You were grim in expression the whole day and trembling unknowingly. When you got to the hospital to check up on Jaemin, you were pale of color when Dr Jaehyun informed you that Jaemin had not fallen asleep at night. That Jaemin kept asking for coffee. He even advised you to try and tell Jaemin to try and get some rest as he wouldn't allow any Doctor or nurse near him.

"Jae baby, you must sleep." You begged.

But it was no use. He refused to speak as he moved back and forth on the bed avoiding you. You couldn't even speak to him regarding the dream you had because of his behavior. You felt like crying.

The same thing happened on the second day. You were frustrated. But you went home and tried to sleep. Although you were met with the same dream again. But instead of the horrible creature telling Jaemin he would be dragged to hell in 2 days, the creature spoke:

"In 1 day, your soul will be dragged to hell."

"Please no," Jaemin sobbed and cried desperately on his knees. "I'm begging you,"

When you woke up, you wondered maybe if this was the creature that Jaemin spoke about... even though the being was much different, you decided that you'd speak to Jaemin. Maybe this dream only came because you prayed and asked for clarification... After all in your dream, he wasn't running, but instead begging.

But already having been 3 days in the hospital and 2 nights with no sleep, Jaemin's health looked far worse when you saw him.

"Your husband hasn't slept in two days. He's been experiencing 'nightmares' in the morning and has consumed an excessive amount of coffee."

"Doctor you don't get it!" Jaemin yelled and fell to his knees, you rushed to his side but his eyes were bloodshot with tears. "I'm begging you! I can't dream!" The mucus and tears of pain ran down his face.

"And he's been repeating this all morning." Dr Jaehyun mutters to you. After the nurses helped Jaemin to the bed and tried to calm him down, the Dr Jaehyun got back to the room and injected a tranquilizer in Jaemin's system.

"Fuck! What did you just do!?" Jaemin holds onto his arm looking at the doctor horrified.

"This will put you in a deep sleep without dreaming Mr Na." Dr Jaehyun states. "Don't worry."

Jaemin screamed, surprising you. "Fuck! If I sleep I'm going to die!" he yelled out, while drifting off to sleep.

Looking at him asleep your whole heart caved. "Ma'am your husband is deranged mentality, he will receive treatment in the psych ward tomorrow." And then he left the room, as if being exhausted by Jaemin's antics.

You went home and expected to have the same dream as the previous night, yet when no dream came you were worried.

Dead.

The next day when you went to the hospital, the unbelievable thing happened.

In the morning, Jaemin was found on the floor right next to his bed.

His body was already ice cold, he was curled up as if he ask attacked hard by something, and you found thousands of red spots all over his body, along with all his joints in his arms and legs terribly broken. His tongue was cut off-

Jaemin was healthy and din't have any illness, even you had no idea what killed him. One thing you thought of... was that dream. The dream he kept telling you about with the man who had goat legs, a big head with horns and large eyes with 3 pupils inside. The man who always wore a suit and had velvet skin and looked old and rotting.

The doctor was embarrassed because he couldn't find a single clue resulting to Jaemin's death.

Until now. 7 years have gone by and you still had so many questions - that you couldn't solve. The only thing that remains is the dream he had, and the one you had. While you're convinced that the man demon in his dream killed him, you don't know if you can fully believe it, because the chances of something like that happening is slim. He died because he was killed by a demon in his dream?

That night as you sleep, you're surprised to dream a dream so... daunting.

You cover your mouth, muffling your cries, just at the thoughts of Jaemin's body all over again. The way he looked. He left you alone... And the only solid reminder you have of him, is your daughter who looks like him. And she's also asking where her daddy is. Mourning Jaemin all over again. Your pray. "Dear God." You sniff. "Please... I miss him so much. Even if he can't come back to me... just once... may I see him... I will be fine."

The mysterious being that appeared to Jaemin years ago in your dream, is now appearing before you. The exact same one. The stone being who couldn't even fit in the house. It was crouched but looked at you. It looks straight at you, red pits of darkness serving as pupils. It doesn't look as menacing as you last remembered...

It takes your hand, and you follow it.

"Come with me." It speaks. "If you want to see your boyfriend again. Come with me."

You're hesitant, but step out of bed.

As soon as he takes you outside, the world around you changes instantly. The air grows thick with humidity, and you find yourself standing before a large sea of boiling lava, glowing with an ominous, fiery light. The screams of millions of people echo through the air, sharp and agonizing. Your skin begins to burn as the heat surrounds you, and every step feels heavier. The air is thick with heat, pressing down on you, making it impossible to move forward. It feels like the very environment is suffocating you, trapping you in this nightmarish place. Is this... Hell?

His body is barely recognizable, his once vibrant skin now charred and cracked, the remnants of searing heat and torment. His face is hollow, gaunt, eyes wide open in a haunting emptiness. His lips are dry, cracked, as if he hasn’t spoken in ages. His chest heaves, but each breath sounds shallow, ragged, as though the very air is burning him from the inside.

And there,

you see Jaemin standing in the middle of hell.

You call out to him, wailing his name, but he doesn’t respond. No words, no movement, just a hollow gaze that pierces through you, full of endless suffering. His eyes, once full of life, are now pools of agony, reflecting the chaos around him.

You take in his skeletal figure, his limbs thin and frail, as if the heat and pain have drained all life from him. His clothes hang from his body like torn rags, burned away by the relentless fire that surrounds him. Every inch of him tells a story of unimaginable torment, and yet he just stands there, frozen, staring back at you with those broken eyes.

The mysterious being next to you speaks. "Your boyfriend killed an innocent person, just two weeks before you became pregnant. That family, cursed with endless nightmares, had their suffering transferred to Jaemin. Those nightmares wanted to consume his soul. That’s why he’s here… with me." He stares at you.

In his eyes, it's like you see a small vision of Jaemin...

Jaemin’s hands trembled as he scrubbed at them under the running water, but no matter how hard he tried, the blood wouldn't wash away. The fight had been intense, just another illegal street fight for some extra cash, but this time, things went too far. He hadn’t meant to knock the man out for good—it was an accident. One punch, and the man crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Guilt crashed over him like a wave. He had to get home, to you—his only escape from the darkness already closing in. As he ran home he kept hearing a voice over his shoulder saying he would die for killing a man.

Upon getting in the room, he gets on the bed with you hugging you tightly.

“I love you.”

You turned toward him, eyes wide in surprise, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “I love you too,” you giggled. “Where’s this coming from?”

Jaemin shrugged, his gaze distant, yet filled with a kind of bittersweet emotion. “I don’t know... I just wanted you to know. I love you. So much. So much that... I’d do anything, anything just to see you smile. I want you to have everything you deserve, to be happy... even if it means I’m not there with you.”

Despite the heat- your body runs to Jaemin.

"That's what he did." The mysterious being bends down to whisper in your ear. "And now, he's in hell."

"It was an accident..."

"But he killed a cursed man. And the demon followed him to his death."

But,

At that moment... you wake up from you slumber. You were awake but you still felt the sizzling heat all over your body. And it's pain.

After that dream, when you took your child to school, you quietly told her that her dad was gone. You didn’t say anything else. You stopped searching for Jaemin. You stopped praying.

You were convinced that it wasn't a silly series of dreams. That it was real... and that Jaemin was in hell.

You can't forget that heat.

Those horrifying screams.

And Jaemin's eyes.

All of it, seemed so real.

Definition synopsis. A "cosmic nightmare" typically refers to a terrifying or unsettling experience that involves vast, overwhelming, and often incomprehensible forces or concepts. It can evoke feelings of insignificance or helplessness in the face of something larger than oneself, often linked to existential dread or horror. This might include themes like the vastness of the universe, the fear of the unknown, or the breakdown of reality as we understand it. In stories or dreams, a cosmic nightmare might depict scenarios where characters face impossible or terrifying situations beyond their control, often tied to themes of the unknown or cosmic entities.

[technologyculturedneo]

Secret Room. Jaemin

“What happened that night, should stay between us. I don’t know you and you don’t know me. Got it?”

PAIRING. husband!Na Jaemin x detective intern!Reader

SUMMARY. Na Jaemin. A decent young respectable business man, husband, father and family affair man. He’s idolized, admired, and highly praised with high esteem within his social circle. However, his morally perfect world falls apart when getting entangled with you in a one night stand. One lustfully pleasing night together doesn’t prepare you for the chaos that soon follows when Jaemin is accused of murdering his daughter. The crazy thing, is that you know he didn’t do it, because he was with you that night, but now you’re tasked with writing a report on his innocence guilt.

WARNINGS. Mentions of: Death (both minor and heavy), Smut (including and not limited to cheating, heavy/soft intercourses, pussy eating kink, foreplay, dry humping, dom and sub con, consensual etc.) And Cursing (minor use)

GENRE. Longshot! Side chick and husband romance. Cheating scandal. Strangers to lovers(?) Angst yet lively. Gore but only towards the end. Twisted cheating romance.

You’ve been an intern detective writer for more over 9 months now and you’re extremely prideful in the work you do. Being able to ‘have eyes at the back of your head’ or being known as 'sharp’ is an esteemed word and/or phrase that your higher executives prefer to use when describing you. Maybe you’re selfish and tend to be heavily guarded, and perhaps even self centered, however- as you see everything and nothing gets past you, you’re surprised how you let a man slip right through your rib cage and straight into your soul.

Keep reading

[technologyculturedneo]

I Never Meant To Leave You Hurting.

Donghyuck ft Renjun 

“Do you still love me? Because I never meant to leave you hurting, you need to know that.”

PAIRING(S). Ex-boyfriend!Haechan X Reader X Boyfriend!Renjun

SUMMARY. Once again, you’re stopped by a group of boys asking for a street interview—this time, they want your thoughts on love. As the camera rolls, you’re suddenly hit with a wave of memories from your turbulent relationship with your ex-boyfriend, Donghyuck. Flashbacks flood your mind, stirring up emotions you thought you’d left behind. As you try to answer their questions, doubts begin to creep in: Have you really moved on? Did you jump too quickly into your new relationship with Renjun? A part of you wonders if you should’ve forgiven Donghyuck—if he deserved a second chance.

You’re sure there are stars in your eyes when you look into Donghyuck’s gaze, full of longing. You want to believe that you have control over your emotions, that your heart isn’t still pining for him, but the depth in your eyes betrays you. It’s clear that your heart is still longing for him. You remember a time when his love made you feel cherished, when his gaze made you feel seen. But now, you’re unsure of what to feel. You’re scared, yes. But it’s not him you’re scared of. It’s the feelings he stirs in you… the ones you thought you had buried.

Why is it, that the bitter-sweet memories you once wanted to forget are starting to shine brighter? Why is it, that his hand over yours doesn’t fill you with hatred or disgust, but warmth that stirs something deep inside you? Why is it, that his touch, so familiar and so comforting, still has the power to make your heart race?

Why is it, that your ex-boyfriend, Lee Donghyuck, is sitting in front of you… and you’re not hating him?

You look at him, anxiety twisting in your chest, afraid of the feelings creeping back.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. You weren’t supposed to be here, trapped in this coffee shop with him, especially after everything. You promised yourself you’d never let him back into your life. Yet here you are, sitting across from him, his cold hands wrapped tightly around yours, just like they used to. Reminding you of the person he once was… someone who promised to protect you. But failed.

“Can we go back to us?” he asks quietly. “I want us to be an ‘us’ again.”

Keep reading

[technologyculturedneo]

I need an alt ending for scented poison huhuhu jaehyun wolfing out was real hot thoo

Scented Poison: Final Act

Pairing. Jaehyun x reader x Jaemin

Synopsis. After a moment of infidelity with Jaemin, your once-stable life begins to crumble. Now, with a baby growing inside you, everything feels uncertain, especially the baby's paternity. Is it Jaemin’s baby or Jaehyun’s baby. As tensions rise you're forced to confront the consequences of your choices and decide: will you fight to rebuild your relationship with Jaehyun?

Word count. 11k

Masterlist. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Last Part

No one told you that your life would be different after your cheating scandal was exposed. You had lost your best friend and even your husband. No one told you that your life would be a living hell after that. Aside from Jaehyun and Heara, word got out about your infidelity and scandalous behavior. You had lost your status, value and were labelled as a cheater. Friends had distanced themselves from you in order not to be associated with a woman who stepped out on her husband. No one told you that nothing would be the same again. You gave it some months to cool down, put all your effort to getting back to the way things were. But unfortunately for you, nothing would ever be the same again.

At first, you thought Jaehyun had forgiven you. He’d come home from work… kiss you on the cheek and… gift you something. You noticed the pattern every night he’d come home, even though it was late, he always came home. And you tried to lean into it, hoping to reconcile… However, that’s all he did. He’d barely say anything to you. Just open the door, kiss your check and hold up a box of jewelry of any kind from expensive brands, just for you. You’d take the gift, thank him, but he’d walk away – not even acknowledging you. He’d shut the door to his study and you wouldn’t see him again, the cycle continued endlessly. The way Jaehyun would mute down when he was in the house was almost scary. To you, it's like he wanted to forgive you, but the mere sight of you reminded him why he didn’t want to talk to you. He’d give you gifts that were different, but he hardly said a thing... You didn’t like it. Your relationship with Jaehyun took a nose dive and was bleeding out uncontrollably to the point where redemption was uncertain, but you didn’t give up.

Even though your relationship with Jaehyun was unstable… as long as he didn’t ask for a divorce, you tried hard to mend the relationship.

And tonight is no different. Three months after the scandal, and you’re still awake – giving all your best effort to make him acknowledge you. It’s 11 p.m., he looks tired, but as soon as he’s in the house and shuts the door behind him, you’re getting up from the couch, with a warm smile.

“Jae,” You’re super tired, but still consistent in greeting him. Hoping that this time, fingers crossed, he’ll talk to you. “How are you? How was work?”

Nothing. Silence as usual. His tired eyes barely even glance at you as he holds his hand out… the gift is different this time. A bouquet of red roses.

“Wow, this is beautiful,” You acknowledge the flowers dearly as you take them in your hands. “I’ll put them in the water.” You look up to his face, only to have him avoiding your eyes. Trying not to get emotional from the lack of contact you just smile and appreciate his gift… That’s until you see it.

The hickey on his neck.

Your smile fades slowly, your eyes swiftly move to his eyes, which are still down and away from yours. You calmly balance from one foot to the other… You expect him to leave, yet he doesn’t move like usual, simply staring down. The hickey on his neck can’t be mistaken for something else. Teeth marks… and the longer you look, the more you see. Lipstick on his neck, dried lipstick of course also on his shirt. Your heart sinks in your chest, trembling lips causes you to clear your throat as you look down trying not to blink the already forming tears.

He’s standing in front of you longer than usual tonight. As if he wants you to see the lip prints… Trying not to get distracted, you ask him if he’s hungry.

“Who’s it for?”

“Hm?” You’re sidetracked by the question as you look away from his hickey. “Pardon?”

“Who’s it for?” He asks again the same question. “Me or him?”

Protectively, you move your hand over your stomach. You’re quiet as he scoffs and moves past you. You turn around quietly watching him walk up the stairs and disappear. The hand over your small belly bump of 3 months starts moving around as you sigh.

After the scandal, Jaehyun changed. Your business tanked due to a lack of new content, while his soared. People love drama, and once news broke that you cheated, they devoured it. Though his brand took some heat, Jaehyun stayed focused. He never spoke about the betrayal, but the scandal and his bold new perfume line brought him major attention.

He launched a fragrance under the edgy name Scented Poison, starting with His Smell—a scent thick with lust, smoky lingerie, and the bittersweet aroma of cheating. It wasn’t just perfume—it was atmosphere. The public loved it. Ads for the fragrance even reenacted your affair, turning your scandal into his spotlight.

The ad’s haunting catchphrase became iconic: “Scented Poison, I still smell him on you.”

Then came the second scent: Dirty Sheets. It was sultry, mysterious, and radiated heat—quickly becoming a fan favorite. This release marked a turning point for Jaehyun. He transformed from a strict businessman into a seductive corporate icon. Slicked-back hair, flawless skin—he embraced his looks and used them to his advantage.

Fans were obsessed. Some bought the perfumes for his charm, others for the scandalous story behind them. Even those who hated the drama couldn’t resist the hype. It became a twisted thrill—lusting after a married man and watching his wife unravel in public.

For Heara, Jaemin’s wife, the newly praised collection was bitter. When she found out that Jaemin cheated on her with you, she wanted nothing to do with you ever again. She cut all ties, broke all relations to you and only minded her own business. It’s not after 3 months of living without you and giving birth to her first child, a baby girl, had she slowly started to feel bad for you. The first time she felt bad, was when she was still pregnant, she had visited Jaemin at work with a visitors pass, and spent some time with him during his break time. But then she watched this skimpily dressed lady stride into Jaemin’s office telling him that his boss needed him. Haera followed only to be shocked when she saw Jaehyun and the… secretary share a kiss.

Instantly and by habit she wanted to call you to inform you. Yet when remembering the state of your friendship with her, she asked Jaemin instead. Jaemin… “I don’t really care what happens in that woman’s life. Anyway, don’t you think you should be getting home to Ari? I don’t trust that nanny alone with my Babygirl for too long,”. To say the least, Jaemin was irrefutably adamant never to speak about you again. Heara just recalls how cold Jaemin got whenever she’d mention you. Jaemin really didn’t want to speak of you just because of everything that manifested. Besides he was now a dad, to his precious daughter, even if he didn’t love Heara, he couldn’t fail his daughter.

But honestly even without Heara bringing you up, there are times when Jaemin thinks of you...

Not when he accidently walks in on Jaehyun and the new secretary, not even when he's in the elevator alone with the secretary – who always tries fixing up her clothes from the buttons Jaehyun ruined. No.

He thinks of you when he's looking down at his baby girl. The tiny baby is his, even though he still doesn't love the mother as much, the tiny baby is his responsibility and he can't imagine a life with the mother, but he can imagine it with his daughter. It's in those days where he thinks of you… you would be a mother he wouldn't mind imagining the rest of his life with. But it's not like he would mention that out loud. Not to Haera, not to his daughter and not even to himself. Because as soon as the thought would come, he'd linger on it for a few minutes before he focused back on his present daughter.

Similar to you. You think of Jaemin a lot when you're lonely. He used to shower you with attention. And you hate that now everything has gone skew. Not only did you lose a good friendship but you lost your virtue and title of faithful wife. Everyone in your friend group and half the world knew you as a cheater.

You rub your belly a little as you go up the steps thinking about the gender of the baby… and whether he or she will be welcomed in this house. You slept with both Jaehyun and Jaemin separately weeks before your found out you were pregnant, so it’s hard to tell who’s baby you’re carrying.

All you know, is that you’re 3 months pregnant, in a horrible relationship with your husband, and any chance from now you might get divorced. There’s a limit to what one can take, and you were willing to try for Jaehyun… no matter how long it’d take. But seeing that hickey tonight, you’re reminded of all the other times he’d come home with a different smell on him. You could smell her, but you didn’t want to make it a big deal…

Sleeping on your bed without Jaehyun you try to calm yourself down as you rub and speak to your baby. “I don’t care who you belong to,” You whisper and sniff back. “I’m sorry that I’ve made it difficult for you. I just hope you can forgive me, and love me when you come out,”

Every night you speak to your baby, hoping that he or she will forgive you for hurting so many people.

The next night you don't bother waiting for Jaehyun, when it's reach 8pm sharp you get to bed. Holding onto your stomach you shut your eyes by the little movement of your unborn child. Enjoying as you feel so connected to your new unborn baby you don't hear the walking figure entering the room.

"You're cuddling it. Do you know who it's for?"

You jolt when hearing Jaehyun. You turn and sit up seeing Jaehyun by the door quietly with his hands in his pocket. You're left speechless and don't know what to say. Jaehyun enters the room and heads into the bathroom... He comes out later with his night clothes and gets on the bed… for the first time. Which is shocking. You're a bit shocked by his behavior and just watch him. Looking up at you from the bed, you make out so many looks of anguish behind his eyes.

"You should be sleeping."

"Oh." Is all you say. You strangely and awkwardly forget how to lay in bed to sleep. You don't know where to turn. To the side where he's not there or to him where his eyes are just on you. So feeling the internal conflict you rest on your back looking at the ceiling... Ignoring his gnawing eyes. You lightly jolt when feeling his legs come over yours, you quickly peek at him looking away when seeing his dead cold eyes still on you. You open your legs giving his leg space to wrap around you like before. You face him but don't look at him. You shift your posture so that it's facing him so that your legs can intertwine with his. You're hesitant when your legs embrace him like old times... Afraid that he might reject you, but he doesn't. So you look at him.

The vulnerable gaze from your eyes pour over his own nonchalant dead eyes. "You're still so beautiful." He comments, his eyes going over your features. He wants to say more but his lips stop. Your eyes are on him, taking in his features.

"You're home early tonight,"

"I got you roses," He clears his throat. "I also reserved a spot at an incredible restaurant. I saw that you haven't gone back to work, so I was hoping we could both go out. A date,"

"Really?" You don't hold back as you speak. "Does this mean you're forgiving me and you're done cheating on me?" You gulp, watching his strong composure fall into sadness. "It's okay Jae. I did the same to you and I know I deserve it-"

"You don't deserve it," he gently speaks making you quiet. He sighs out getting closer on the bed, you also move close but he shakes his head. "I... Cheated on you. I don't know what came over me but..." That seems to play with his emotions as he feels a sudden remorse when looking into your eyes. "I cheated. I'm sorry."

"It's okay-"

"For hell's sake it's not." He untangles his legs from yours getting off the bed. He turns on the light and looks down at you on the bed. "You cheated because I wasn't there to fulfil your needs. I cheated with the intentions to hurt you. But you're not hurt. You're sad. Lonely. You're clearly okay with all of this because you think you deserve this. I cheated because I'm so pathetic. You're pregnant. Un-bothered. How could I do this to you? I said for better and for worse, but in the one moment to prove that I'll be there for you at the for better and worse situation- there I was out there, being with another person. I haven't been the best husband. Must be why you went to him in the first place." He bites his lip and shuts his eyes. "Have you made contact with him recently?"

"No." Because you know exactly who he's talking about. You don’t even want to bring Jaemin into this conversation. "Jae I'm sorry. I know I can't take anything back, but I promise you - that guy meant nothing. I didn't even think of him in a connection level... My body may have been with him, but I promise you that my spirit and soul has always been with you. I love you and I'm so so sorry." The tears behind your eyes have Jaehyun melting.

"Can I hug you?"

"Yes please,"

The moment is sweetly filled with rekindle-ment and allows you to appreciate reuniting with your husband. From everything he has, he makes sure that you feel it within that hug. You're breathless in this moment, too overwhelmed with happiness and joy to speak. This is all you've wanted. Craving his touch all the way to his kind eyes assuring you all over again.

It's in this hug where you feel redemption and tell yourself that you'll never ever cheat again. “You should abort that baby.”

You halt from his hold and touch and find yourself moving back and away from him. “I can’t do that…” You whisper. You pull away from his arms like they’ve burned you. “What did you just say?” Your voice is barely a whisper, but the air in the room suddenly becomes too heavy to breathe.

Jaehyun doesn’t flinch. “You should abort that baby.”

You stare at him, blinking, trying to process what he just said. “Why would you even say that? After everything we just-” You pause, clutching your belly instinctively. “You just held me like you meant it.”

He rubs a hand down his face, jaw clenched. “I did. I do. But I can't... I can't look at you every day getting bigger with that baby and not see everything I lost the moment you slept with him.”

“You don't even know if it’s his!” You snap, standing up. “It could be yours!”

“And what if it is?” Jaehyun fires back, stepping toward you. “That doesn’t change what it represents. This baby is a scar. Every time I look at it, I’ll remember that I wasn’t enough. That someone else got what should’ve only been mine. You gave that to someone else.”

You try to breathe through the growing panic in your chest. “You think I don’t already carry that shame every day?” You shout, tears spilling out of your eyes. “You think I haven’t looked in the mirror and hated myself? I know I broke us, Jae. I know. But this baby… it’s all I have left.”

He scoffs. “Don’t get sentimental. You’re only keeping it because it makes you feel less alone.”

“Yes, I’m lonely! Everyone left. You left- even while you were still here. Heara won’t speak to me. My friends pretend I don’t exist. The internet wants me to vanish. And every night, I sit in this house that used to be our home and wonder if I’ll ever feel human again.”

You cover your mouth to muffle the sob, but the tears are free now. “But this baby... when I talk to it, when I feel it move... I feel something. I feel like maybe I can be good for someone again. Maybe someone will love me who doesn’t see me as broken.”

Jaehyun turns away from you, pacing, fisting his hands in his hair. “It’s not about love,” he growls. “It’s about the fact that I can’t rebuild anything with you if he is always here, crying in our hallway, sitting in the highchair that should’ve been filled with our child, calling me something I don’t even want to hear. That baby isn’t a fresh start—it’s the bloodied end of everything we had.”

You cross your arms over your chest, trying to hold yourself together. “So what, Jae? You’d rather I erase it? Pretend it didn’t happen? Pretend they don’t exist?”

He doesn’t answer.

You take a step toward him, voice trembling but strong. “I get it. This child is a wound to you. A reminder of what I did. But to me… this baby is a second chance. It didn’t ask to be here, Jae. It didn’t betray you- I did. So punish me, hate me, but don’t condemn someone innocent just because it was born from a moment you can’t forgive.”

He looks at you, pain seeping from every inch of his posture, but his voice is cold. “I never said I hated you.”

“You don’t have to.” Your voice is soft, empty. “I feel it every time you come home late. Every time you give me something expensive instead of a conversation. Every time you look at me like I’m a stranger trespassing in your life.”

The silence stretches again.

“I’m keeping the baby,” You say finally, wiping your face. “Whether it’s yours or his, it’s mine too. And it’s the one thing I can’t let you take away from me.”

Jaehyun doesn’t move.

You look at him, and for the first time in a long time, you stop begging him to stay. The following nights are no different, you don’t wait up for him, you go straight to bed. You don’t even cook or leave things in the microwave, you eat and wash your dish and go to sleep. You try not to think of Jaehyun, by now it’s very clear to you, that Jaehyun… wants to leave you, if you don’t leave the baby.

And so you prepare yourself for that.

-

“Hey!” You hear over the phone, being surprised by the enthusiasm from Heara. “How are you babes?”

You’re too stunned to speak, you don’t even know what to say. So you mutter out a tiny. “Been better.”

“Oh, that’s… great. Uhm, I just called…” Heara sounds awkward and even nervous. You don’t say anything… the last time you ‘spoke to her’ – she slapped your face and told you she wanted nothing to do with you ever again. So to receive her call, doesn’t even have you wanting to mend anything with her. Reason being, because Heara… was your best friend and you betrayed her. Even though you hoped the friendship would be the same as before, you know for a fact that Heara will always rub it in your face. In fact, you’re not blaming her, but she’s the reason you even got on the cheating train – because she filled your head with everything wrong that Jaehyun did. “So, my baby girl Ari is turning 4 months this Wednesday and I was hoping to invite you for the little gathering… are you interested?”

Your lips feel dry, but nonetheless you shake your head. “It sounds lovely, but I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’ll just pass on it. Thanks.” You’re about to cut the call, but she’s quick to speak.

“Okay, sorry I lied.” Heara’s voice cracks just a little. “Babes… it’s been so long since I’ve seen you. I miss you. I forgive you. And… I’m just worried for you.”

You sit in silence, stunned, your phone pressed too tightly to your ear.

Heara continues quickly, “I slapped you, I told you I never wanted to see you again, I meant every word in that moment. But…” She pauses. “People say things when they’re bleeding. And I was bleeding everywhere.”

You swallow hard, guilt crawling up your throat like bile.

“I still remember how we used to sit on the couch for hours, judging couples on those reality shows,” She laughs softly. “We thought we were smarter than everyone. We thought we’d never be those women.” Another pause. “But we became them, huh?”

“I betrayed you,” You finally whisper, your voice tight and small.

“I know.” Her honesty stings, but it’s gentle. “You did. And I hated you for it. I hated how easily you wrecked something I thought was untouchable. But now I look at my daughter and… I get it. Life’s not black and white. Sometimes we’re just trying to survive things no one else knows about.”

You cover your face with your hand, already crying, though you don’t want to admit it.

“I kept telling myself not to call you,” She continues, her voice softening further. “I thought I’d feel better cutting you out. But I don’t. I miss you. Not the version that hurt me. I miss my friend.”

There’s a beat of silence before she speaks again, more timid this time.

“So… will you come? Nothing dramatic. Just Ari, me, some cake, and you.”

You look down at your lap, your hand subconsciously brushing over your stomach. The ache in your chest is heavy, not just from guilt, but from how much you miss being loved by someone.

“I don’t deserve to see her,” You murmur.

“She deserves to know what forgiveness looks like.”

That hits you and you chuckle slightly, sniffing back the tears. “Since when did you become so wise?”

“Since I gave birth,” You can hear her proud smile.

You wipe your tears away quietly, drawing in a shaky breath. “Okay… I’ll come.”

“Really?” Heara’s voice lights up with cautious hope.

“Yes,” You nod to yourself. “I want to see you. I want to… make things right, if I still can.”

A soft laugh escapes her. “Okay, babes. Wednesday. Just us. No drama. Just cake and maybe some healing.”

And for the first time in months, you end a call with something that feels dangerously close to peace.

-

Wednesday

You dressed up for this occasion. Hearing that the baby is a baby girl, you dress in a lovely pink dress, a dress that doesn’t reveal your own baby bump. The plan is to tell Heara that you're pregnant… and that you’re unsure whether the baby is Jaehyun’s or Jaemin’s. The outcome could be rejection. Or, in the rare case, Heara might become the one who stands beside you, even for a paternity test

So as you walk up to Heara’s home, your thoughts spin all over the place as you think of what this house symbolized for you. You had your first affair in this house with Jaemin while Heara was sleeping… You try to kick those thoughts out of your mind, but you get to nervous, especially when you think of how Jaemin could also be in the house… it’s been so long since you last saw him…

You knock on the door and wait, anxiously. What if Jaemin opens the door instead?

The door swings open and for a second, you brace yourself—shoulders tight, breath caught. But then you see her. Heara.

She’s glowing, somehow. Messy bun, cozy sweater, faint circles under her eyes that only new mothers wear proudly. But she’s smiling. “There you are,” She says, happy, with a breathy kind of relief. “Come in, babes.” Her warmth catches you off guard. Not fake. Not forced. Just… real. That’s Heara.

You step inside carefully, nervous still.

Heara eyes you for a moment and tilts her head. “You’ve put on some weight.” The words land awkwardly, making you feel self-conscious, but she laughs before you can react. “Don’t worry, it looks good. Full face. Glowy skin. Are you hiding a new man or just enjoying carbs again?” She tries to redeem but inwardly sighs when brining up the fact that you’re a cheater subtly. “Kidding.”

You chuckle, but your fingers instinctively brush your stomach. Hidden, but not for long.

Then, she gestures to the floor just beyond the hallway.

“Well welcome. Oh you bought a gift?” Heara smiles taking the box from your hand. Heara smiles and looks behind her. “I know she’s too young to appreciate things, but I’ll always remind her that a special aunty gave her these. Thank you.” Heara is fully committed to renewing the friendship. “There she is,” She whispers proudly.

On a soft play mat, surrounded by plush animals and a rotating mobile that plays gentle music, her baby girl lies on her back, gurgling at the ceiling like the world is telling her a secret. Four months old. Big eyes. Chubby cheeks. Little fists moving with dramatic purpose.

You freeze at the doorway.

“Come on,” Heara says gently. “She doesn’t bite.”

You get closer, and kneel down slowly, letting yourself look at her. The baby turns her head and locks eyes with you for a brief second and smiles.

Something inside you breaks.

“She’s… so tiny and cute,” You whisper.

Heara hums with pride, lowering beside you. “She’s a lot. Exhausting, noisy, constantly leaking something. But she’s mine. My little miracle.” Her voice softens. “Want to hold her?”

You nod before your fear can stop you.

The baby settles into your arms without protest, warm and heavy and real. She smells like baby lotion and milk and something soft you can’t name. Your chest tightens. You rock her gently, eyes stinging. She looks up at you, blinking slowly.

Will yours look like this? Will he or she be this innocent? Will yours smile at you… even after everything you’ve done?

You don’t realize you’ve started to cry until Heara quietly places a tissue in your lap and turns away pretending not to notice. You mutter a tiny thanks and place the baby on the floor.

“I’ve been keeping up,” Heara says later as you sit on the couch, after you’ve calmed down, the baby now nestled back in her bouncer. “With everything.”

You say nothing. Just stare at the white walls. The framed photo of Heara, Jaemin, and their daughter, Ari, smiling like the world hadn’t fallen apart.

“You didn’t deserve the hate,” she says quietly. “Not like that. No one does. Jaehyun’s team went too far. The press went too far. People are cruel when they’re bored. And you… you were already hurting.”

Still, she doesn’t mention what you did. She doesn’t say Jaemin’s name. Not once. She doesn’t bring up your marriage, or Jaehyun’s perfume campaign, or the thousands of comments that dragged you through the dirt.

Instead, she asks you what your favorite tea is now. And talks about how her baby likes music, specifically the sound of her daddy. She talks about breastfeeding, sleep training, and how motherhood sometimes makes her feel like she’s a superwoman. You just nod, sip tea, and listen. And she lets you. She doesn’t say “I told you so.” For once, she doesn't need to. Later, you help her in the kitchen. The two of you moving in a quiet rhythm, old habits never really die.

You place snacks on pastel plates, carry juice boxes with cartoon animals, and laugh when Heara swears because she forgot the damn baby in the living room. She tells you to go to the baby’s room. You walk into the baby’s room with a tray of food and freeze. You almost drop the tray.

Because this room… it didn’t always smell like lotion and lullabies. You remember the old bed, the silence of the house, the guilt clinging to your skin like sweat. You remember Jaemin’s lips, his breath, his voice low and dangerous. This used to be ‘that’ room. Your feet feel heavy.

You place the tray on the tiny table by the window. The sunlight coming through makes everything look so… gentle. Clean. As if the past had never happened.

Heara walks in behind you. Sees the way your hand lingers on the edge of the changing table.

But she says nothing. Instead, she smiles and places the baby down. “I painted it pink the week after she was born. I think she likes it more than I do.”

You nod again, but the memory burns. You glance at the crib. The stuffed bunny. The soft, folded baby blankets. All these signs of innocence now layered over the ghosts of your own actions. You’re surrounded by reminders. You swallow the truth that’s lodged in your throat.

You want to tell her. You want to say: ‘I’m pregnant. I don’t know if it’s your husband’s. I’m sorry.’

But you don’t.

Not yet. Instead, you just say. “She’s lucky to have you.”

Heara’s eyes soften as she glances down at her daughter. “I’m the lucky one.”

The two of you sit in silence for a while, listening to the soft cooing sounds of the baby in her bouncer. The room, though small, feels thick with unspoken words. Heara rocks slightly in the chair, her eyes on her daughter—yours fixed on the floor, your hands trembling in your lap.

You don’t know how to say it. But it’s time.

“Heara…” Your voice cracks before it even fully forms. She turns to look at you, softly, patiently.

You breathe in, brace yourself, and stare straight ahead, unable to meet her eyes.

“I’m… pregnant.”

The air changes.

You hear a long pause. Not from shock, but from restraint. Like she’s trying to gauge what this is supposed to mean. You continue, forcing the words out before your courage fails again.

“I found out about two months ago. I’m about three months along.”

There’s silence. Your hand protectively goes to your stomach… Her eyes widen.

Then finally, she asks, very carefully. “Does Jaehyun know?”

You nod.

“Is it his?”

That’s when you look up.

“I don’t know.”

Her lips part slightly. You see her trying to form words, to stay calm, to do anything but lash out the way she did the last time. Her expression flickers hurt, confusion, but not anger. Not yet.

You don’t give her time to guess. “Jaehyun and I slept together, but I slept with Jaemin last. I didn’t mean to. It wasn’t planned. I didn’t even think I’d-” You choke a bit. “I didn’t do it to get pregnant. I wasn’t trying to trap anyone. I just… I was lonely. I was falling apart. And Jaehyun, he was so cold, and Jaemin- he-” You stop yourself.

Heara doesn’t move.

Her eyes drop to your stomach, just briefly, and when she speaks, her voice is tight. “You don’t know whose baby you’re carrying.”

You can’t speak. You nod.

You feel the weight of shame crawl back into your chest. Not because she’s yelling. She isn’t. But because she isn’t.

“I didn’t want to tell you like this,” You whisper.

There’s a sudden sound.

The front door opens with a soft creak downstairs, followed by a familiar, playful voice.

Jaemin's voice echoed through the house, a stark contrast to the heavy silence that had settled between you and Heara. "Ariiiii," he cooed in that unmistakable baby tone, his footsteps light but purposeful as he ascended the stairs. “Ari Ari.” Jaemin’s voice calls in that ridiculous baby tone, full of love and joy and clueless comfort and the baby Ari is eating it up, jolly in her bouncer, squealing excitedly. “Where’s my little monster? Daddy’s here!”

Your heart stops.

Heara’s gaze sharpens in an instant. Not at you, but at the realization of what’s coming next. She stands, suddenly stiff, her jaw tight.

You barely have time to breathe before footsteps hit the stairs. Fast. Light. He’s in a good mood.

You stand up, frozen, helpless.

The bedroom door swings open with a soft push.

And there he is.

Jaemin.

Grinning wide, bouquet of daisies in one hand, his laptop bag in the other, tie loose around his neck. He stops in his tracks the second his eyes land on you.

The smile falls from his face.

The daisies hit the floor.

No one speaks.

The baby giggles from her bouncer, completely unaware.

Jaemin stares at you like he’s seeing a ghost. Like you are the unfinished chapter he never wanted to read again.

You can see it in his eyes: guilt, confusion, a flash of something softer… and then, guarded detachment.

He shifts his gaze to Heara, whose arms are crossed tightly over her chest.

She doesn't say a word.

And neither do you.

His eyes turn to Heara. “May I?” He asks.

She nods tightly and Jaemin simply moves forward to the baby, his arm reaching out to scoop up the giggling baby from her playmat. She squeals with delight, her tiny arms reaching for him, and he responds with a soft chuckle, cradling her effortlessly. “Hey baby,” He kisses her cheeks.

Without acknowledging your presence, Jaemin picks up the daises, and straightens up, offering a brief, unreadable glance in your direction before turning to leave the room. The door clickes shut behind him, and the room falls into a suffocating silence.

Heara breaks the silence, her voice low but steady. "Are you considering keeping the baby?"

You nod your head, the motion small but resolute. "Yes."

"Why?" Her question hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken judgment.

You open your mouth to respond but find no words. The truth is, in front of Heara, you can’t tell her the real reason why you want to keep the child… it’ll sound selfish in her ears. The decision felt like a blur, a haze of emotions and circumstances that you couldn't untangle.

Heara's gaze softens, but there is a flicker of something else, disappointment, perhaps. She exhales sharply, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You know, Jaehyun's been seeing someone else." She says in an attempt to hurt you.

The words hit you like a physical blow. You nod, the admission tasting bitter on your tongue. "I know."

Her eyes search yours, as if looking for a crack in your composure. "And you're still... okay?"

You nod again. “I deserve it, don’t I?”

The conversation dwindles down, leaving an uncomfortable silence. You both move mechanically, eating, clink of utensils and the sound of music playing from downstairs- the only sounds breaking the stillness.

You ate in silence, the food tasteless, the weight of the situation pressing down on you. Every bite feels forced, and you just want to leave.

“Thank you for the meal, and inviting me over…” You stand up. “I think, I’m just gonna go.”

Heara's voice stops you. "Don't tell Jaemin. He doesn't need to know. He's already happy with his baby girl."

You pause, the words sinking in. You nod, a silent agreement to her request. “I don’t plan on speaking to him ever again.” You mumble.

You leave the room, carefully and quietly walking downstairs. You can hear the baby, Ari. She gurgles with laughter. Her tiny fingers tug at his shirt, and he smiles at her ,  wide and warm. But the moment his eyes catch your figure…  he looks away. Ignoring you. Jaemin, with the baby in his arms, dances to the beat of the cartoon with her, kissing her cheeks. Despite the baby giggling and dancing along, Jaemin can’t help his wondering eyes and halted movements. He watches you leave, his gaze lingering as you close the door behind you.

Heara walks down the stairs moments later and notices the quiet shift in Jaemin’s demeanour. He switches off the music, turning to some light cartoon episode. He zones out and stares at the tv, bouncing Ari gently on his knee as she coos playing with her plastic flowers

Heara folds her arms, curious and slightly tense. “You’re not even curious why she was here?”

Jaemin doesn’t look up. “I don’t care. Did you see what I bought Ari?” he says, lifting a tiny daisy-print onesie with matching booties from a gift bag nearby.

But Heara isn’t amused. Her voice tightens. “When last did you sleep with her?”

That pulls a reaction. Jaemin freezes, but it’s just for a second, before he slowly looks up at her, brows low, a frown forming. “I’m not going to answer that. I haven’t even spoken to her because I’m not-”

Heara cuts him off, rolling her eyes. “I know. You’re not interested in her anymore. I know all of that. But Jaemin….” Heara sits down besides him on the couch. “She’s pregnant.”

The words crash into the room like a glass shattering. Ari lets out a soft squeal, unaware of the tension that her parents are in. Jaemin’s eyes widen. His grip on the baby doesn’t change, but something in his expression hardens. “It’s not mine.”

Heara raises a brow, tilting her head. “Well you can’t be sure because she doesn’t know who it’s for. Apparently she fooled around with both you and Jaehyun. So there’s a chance the baby is yours.”

The silence that follows is brief but telling. Jaemin exhales sharply, jaw tightening. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Of course you don’t,” Heara mutters under her breath, standing up and walking over to tidy the scattered toys. “Because that’s what you always do. Pretend like you’re done and dusted with her, but you flinch every time her name comes up.”

“I’m not flinching,” Jaemin replies through clenched teeth. “I’m trying to move on. With my daughter. With you. That chapter’s closed.”

“Then why are you still acting like it’s wide open?” she snaps.

“I’m not the one who brought her back into the house. You did that, I thought you said you’re done with her? But clearly you want a fight. And I’m not interested in getting involved. That baby is not mine.”

The room goes still again, the only sound coming from Ari’s little giggles as she plays with her flowers.

Jaemin shakes his head and looks down at his daughter, brushing his hand gently over her fine baby hair. Heara sees this and feels the subtle ease come over her. It’s a good thing that Jaemin didn’t care about you anymore.

So after a few days she tries to call you again, however you don’t pick up at all. Heara figured that you’d avoid her calls, and so she took courage and decided to visit you one afternoon. To her surprise the guards informed her that you had left and that Jaehyun and you were getting a divorce. And after what felt like a whole month of trying to get a hold of you – she finally did. But the encounter is not what she was expecting.

“Hey, I’ve been trying to reach for weeks now.”

“Why?” You sharply ask. Your tone sets a cold atmosphere to form and for the first time in forever, it causes Heara to be speechless. After a whole minute of waiting for Heara to speak and she doesn’t you firmly state the position you are with her. “Heara, it’s clear to me that we’ll never be friends the same way again. So I ask you, kindly, please stop trying to call me. I won’t answer you.”

“But-”

And the call drops just like that, surprising Heara. She looks at her phone with confusion and discomfort, not knowing if she should really accept the fact that she won’t be friends anymore with you… While Heara was struggling to come to terms with her lost connection, Jaehyun was beginning to realize that the absence of the woman he loved was not just a matter of her leaving; it was the unraveling of everything he thought he knew. Jaehyun also found himself in a similar boat, when one day he returned home, but you weren’t there in the house. At first he thought little of it, until day after day you weren’t in the house. He purposely worked from home one day to see if you’d show up, but you never showed face. He got worried and nervous about where you might be, until his security guard confirmed that you had packed up some of your things and left.

That had Jaehyun really upset, he tried to call you multiple of times during the day and night, but you never picked up. Not even once. Weeks passed and he hadn’t heard a word from you, it made him really stressed. Because just the thought of divorce, hurt him. He knows he didn’t want the baby, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want you. He still loved you with his whole heart… and hoped you could come to your senses to start afresh with him. Not with him and a baby. So as he goes to work one day, and Jaemin steps into his office for a progress update report… Jaehyun to ask about you.

“Alright I’ll check with the flowering department and get back to you.” Jaemin clamps the paperwork in his hand, before getting up.

“Hold on, Jaemin.”

Jaemin looks up, eyes eager.  “Yes sir,”

“Uh, this is a bit random, and not work related.” Jaehyun halts, looking outside of his view before facing Jaemin again. “Have you recently seen Y/n, by any chance?”

Jaemin’s eyes harden in a split second, and Jaehyun notices the shift in his demeanor. It’s as if the mention of her name has ignited something darker. ‘With all due respect, sir, I’m not interested in discussing your wife.’ Jaehyun feels the coldness, but he can’t ignore the look in Jaemin’s eyes he hasn’t seen before

Jaehyun stares out the window, the city skyline before him blurred in the distance. His mind races through thoughts, none of them clear or grounded. It’s been days since you left, and he hasn’t heard a word. Not one message, not one call. His frustration mounts with each passing hour. He grips the edge of his desk, feeling the familiar ache of confusion sink deeper into his chest.

Where the hell are you?

The question gnaws at him, more so than it should. His hands tremble slightly as he clenches his phone, his thumb hovering over the call button, hesitating. He runs through the possibilities in his head. You could be anywhere... maybe you're with someone else. His stomach tightens at the thought, the image of you with another man, laughing, holding hands—it sends a jolt of panic through him. Was all of this just a lie? Had you been cheating on him again, like before?

No, no... that’s not it. He pushes the thought away with frustration, taking a deep breath. The worst case—the only case he can’t bear—is that you want a divorce. The idea gnaws at his insides.

His phone vibrates again, the screen lighting up with another failed attempt to reach you. He stares at the screen for a moment longer before slamming it down on the desk. His hand runs through his hair, his eyes wild with desperation. He won’t stop until he knows where you are.

“Sir, are you alri—”

“Eunha, get the hell out of my office.” Jaehyun’s voice sounds deeper through the silence like ice shattering, a sharp contrast to the way it used to sound when he called her name. His words are sharp, and they hang in the air, suffocating everything else in the room. His eyes that used to be filled with lust, now only reflect a bitter kind of scorn.

Eunha stumbles. The sultry smile that once adorned her lips fade, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. She’d been in his life long enough to understand his moods, to read the silent signals of when to keep playing the part, but this? This shift is abrupt. Cold. As though something inside him has snapped.

She takes a step forward, trying to hide the hurt she feels, but Jaehyun isn’t having it. He doesn’t even flinch as his gaze hardens.

“I said leave. You’re fired.”

The words hang heavy in the air. She had been his escape, his distraction from his wife… Her lips tremble for a moment, and she steps closer, trying to rub his back. “Baby-”

“No,” Jaehyun cuts her off, his voice low and venomous, “Leave.” He stands up, towering over her now, the full weight of his presence filling the office. “I don’t want you here anymore.”

The words stung harder than any slap could. Eunha’s body tightens, the sting of humiliation pulsing through her chest. She glares up at him, her voice dripping with venom. “You weren’t complaining when you were fucking me, were you?”

The accusation lands like a heavy blow, the words hanging in the air. Jaehyun feels a knot in his stomach twist.

“You want to expose what we did?” he challenges, his voice even, too even. “Go ahead. Do it. I don’t care anymore. Just get out of my sight.” He takes a step closer, his eyes cold. “Just leave.”

Eunha stands there for a moment, the tension crackling between them. A mixture of disbelief, hurt, and anger flickers in her gaze. “You’re a jerk.”

Her voice is thick with resentment, and with that, she steps back, the anger boiling beneath her skin. But before she can leave, she slaps him. The slap echoes through the room. Jaehyun doesn’t even flinch, he stands still, his face a mask of cold indifference. He doesn’t deserve to react, to give her the satisfaction of seeing any weakness.

“If you’re satisfied now,” Jaehyun says, his voice low and distant, “Then leave. But if you want to continue with this pathetic charade, then I’ll call security.”

Eunha’s gaze holds his for a split second, no tears, no anger. “If you think your wife is going to take you back just because you stopped fucking them, then you’re very wrong. I hope she leaves you too. Scumbag.”

A few days later…

You wake up to the sound of birds chirping outside the window, sunlight filtering in through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Blinking awake, you feel disoriented from the restless nights you've spent here at your mother’s house.

Your mom’s house. The place where everything used to feel simple. Safe.

You stretch, the weight of everything that’s happened settling back into your bones, but there’s a sense of numbness…. almost peaceful. Your phone on the nightstand vibrates, drawing your attention, but you’re not in the mood to check it. Not yet.

Your mom enters the room, a soft smile on her face as she holds a cup of tea in her hands. “Good morning, sweetheart. You feeling alright?” She asks gently, sitting beside you on the bed.

You offer a tired but genuine smile. “Yeah. Better. Just… tired.”

Your mother sets the tea down on the nightstand and picks up your phone. “I got a couple of calls for you. Heara’s been trying to reach you again, and… so has Jaehyun.”

You feel a flicker of something… regret? Guilt? But it passes quickly. You close your eyes for a moment, focusing on the sound of your mother’s voice. “I don’t want to talk to them. Not now.”

Your mother’s expression softens. “I understand. But, darling, you can’t avoid them forever. Okay, maybe Heara you can avoid her, but Jaehyun? Sweety you married this man, and left my house a long time ago because you said you loved him – sickness and health, and pain and what not. You made all those vows remember? If you love him… if you still love him… you should at least talk things through. Don’t let this be the end.”

You feel the ache in your chest at the mention of Jaehyun’s name. Your mother’s words… only stir the exhaustion you’ve been carrying for so long. You open your eyes and shake your head gently. “I don’t have the energy to fight anymore. I’ve realized my mistake, Mom. And I’ve come to terms with it. I can’t change the past, and I’m not going to try. I cheated. He cheated because of me. He doesn’t want the baby. Hasn’t cared about me since…” Your voice cracks slightly, but you steady yourself, forcing the emotion back down. “I need space… from him. From everything. Just… for a moment.”

Your mother watches you carefully, a soft sigh escaping her lips. “Sweety… sometimes I wonder where did I go wrong with you... but… as I sit here looking at you, I know I didn’t raise a strong girl. Take as much time as you need.”

You nod. “I know, Mom. I know.”

Just as the silence settles between you, your phone vibrates again on the nightstand. You glance at it, already knowing who it is, but your curiosity wins over your hesitation. You pick it up, but freeze when you see the name on the screen. Aside from Jaehyun or Heara… you see…

Jaemin.

For a brief second, you wonder why you haven’t deleted his number…. but quickly dismiss the thought. You stare at the call, wanting to ignore it. After all, it’s just Jaemin. You don’t know what will happen if you let him in your mind again. You don’t want to cause Jaehyun anymore pain. You don’t need to deal with Jaemin right now, not with everything that’s happening.

You decide not to answer. You press the "decline" button, but a second later, a message from Jaemin pings through.

Jaemin: Your husband is looking for you. And so is my wife... I know you're avoiding them. Perhaps you're just trying to get space. But, Y/n...

You frown as you read the text, your fingers trembling slightly as you hold the phone in your hand. For a moment, you wonder if you should respond. Should you give Jaemin something… anything- to relay a message to them to let them know you're okay?

But just... his text continues, leaving an open-ended trail. The last part is almost like a plea, though he doesn’t say it outright.

Jaemin: Are you really pregnant with my baby?

You feel a stir of something you can’t quite name. Maybe it’s guilt. Maybe it’s fear. But in the end, you do nothing. You set the phone down on the bed, pushing it out of your sight, your heart heavy.

The text, however, lingers in your thoughts. Even Jaemin, of all people, wants you to face what’s coming.

But how can you? You don’t dwell on the feelings any longer, as your personalized ringtone for the doctor sounds through the house. Your heart hammers in your chest… finally.

“Yes Doctor?” You answer your phone.

“The paternity test results have arrived. Would you like me to email them to you or?”

“No, I would like to receive them in person.” You respond. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

-

You sit stiffly in the cushioned chair, your fingers clenched tightly together on your lap. The doctor's office smells sterile, like hand sanitizer and cotton pads. Your mother sits beside you, her hand on yours for comfort, though you haven’t said much today.

The doctor enters with a calm smile and a file in hand.

"Mrs Jung," She calls gently, "The results came back from the paternity test. With the DNA swabs collected from both you and Jaehyun, we were able to collect and compare the results in the lab."

“So what were the results?” You nod, bracing yourself. “Jaehyun is the father right?”

The doctor opens the folder and flips a page. “Jaehyun is the biological father. Confirmed.”

Time slows.

Your heart skips, your breath catches… Jaehyun. Relief washes over you in a wave, but it collides violently with guilt. Your chest tightens.

You nod slowly, thanking the doctor with a quiet voice.

“She’s healthy, by the way,” the doctor adds. “All the additional tests came back normal. You’re cleared to go home.”

You offer a polite smile, though your thoughts are already miles away. You return home with your mother, your mother makes food while you're packing quietly. Folding a few pieces of clothing. Tucking the envelope with the test results into your bag. Your mother watches you from the doorway.

“You’re really going back?” She asks softly. “Already?”

You pause, nodding. “I have to try, Mom. If it doesn’t work out… I’ll come back.”

She walks over and cups your face in her hands like you're still her little girl. “Love is hard. Sometimes it hurts more than it heals. But if there’s even a small piece of your heart that believes this is worth saving, go for it. I raised a strong girl.”

You nod again, eyes misty.

After a quiet supper, you hug your mother tightly, holding onto her a little longer than usual. Saying goodbye isn’t easy.

Despite all the wealth you shared with Jaehyun, your mother never asked for much. Anytime you offered her money or suggested buying her a new place, she would smile, shake her head, and politely decline. She was always grateful, but she preferred her simple life. No luxury, no spotlight. Just her, her child, and the memory of a husband who quietly stepped away from it all.

That was enough for her. And it always made you love her more.

So as you step away from her warmth and prepare to return to the complicated world of Jaehyun… a world where second and third chances are hard-earned, you brace yourself.

The drive back to the city is long. You watch the last light of the sunset vanish behind distant hills, the sky darkening with thick clouds. When you finally wind up the mountain road and arrive at the house you once called home, it feels heavier than ever.

This is it.

You step inside slowly, the door clicking shut behind you. The house is dim, calm, almost unchanged, but it feels heavier. Your presence stirs something in the air.

Suddenly, you hear rapid footsteps from upstairs. Jaehyun appears at the top of the staircase, heart practically pounding out of his chest when he sees you.

He doesn’t speak, just stares, his eyes wide, chest rising and falling. There’s so much in his expression: hope, hesitation, longing, fear.

You meet his gaze, and your hand trembles slightly as you reach into your bag. You pull out the white envelope and hold it up, your voice barely above a whisper. “The baby is yours.”

Jaehyun blinks, stunned. But you’re not done. Your throat tightens, your heart shatters with every word that follows.

“And I’ve thought a lot—about what I want to do. If you… if you don’t want the baby… I’ll be fine. I’ll remove it.” You swallow a choke. “I’m so sorry, Jae. I’m so sorry for hurting you. I love you, and I’m sorry. I’m so- so sorry.”

The tears fall faster than you can wipe them away.

Jaehyun doesn’t say anything. He runs to you.

He closes the distance in seconds, wrapping his arms around you so tightly it steals your breath. His head buries into the side of your neck, and you feel his lips press there softly.

“I’m sorry too,” He whispers. “For everything. I thought about you every single night you were gone. And I realized… I was stupid for how I treated you. I fired that secretary that I cheated on you with. I shut down the launch of the new frangrance and discontinued the others that showcased and humiliated you publicly. I need you to come back, and I’m sorry. I’ll work hard to be a better husband.”

You clutch his shirt in your fists as he leans back, cupping your face in his warm palms.

“If this baby is ours… then I want it. I want this child. I want you. I want to start again. Please.”

You cry harder, nodding into his shoulder. “I’ll also try to be a better wife. I won’t be friends with Heara again,” You whisper. “I made that decision to not hurt you again. After everything that it did to us, I promise you, that I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.”

He leans in again, kissing your forehead, then your lips, softly, gently, like he’s afraid you’ll vanish again. “I forgive you.”

“I forgive you too.” You smile and bury yourself in his embrace again.

-

At home, Jaemin holds his daughter gently in his arms, slowly pacing around her room. She's already asleep, but he keeps her close, holding her tighter as thoughts race through his mind. He reminds himself why he can’t afford to be reckless, why he needs to stay grounded. Deep down, he knows Y/n isn’t carrying his child. Their fling ended long before she revealed her pregnancy. Still, he sometimes lets himself drift into daydreams…. maybe in another world, they end up together and he's truly happy. Or maybe they do end up together, but he's still miserable.

He lets out a quiet sigh and pats little Ari’s back. He shouldn't be thinking about Y/n at all. You were just someone who offered him comfort, who believed in him when he was at his lowest. And yet, he can’t bring himself to think badly of you… you were perfect in his eyes. But that’s exactly why thinking of you now feels wrong. Especially after everything that’s happened.

He’s still with the company, even after the fallout from the scandalous product launch. Despite burned bridges with investors, he stayed. Jaehyun became his senior boss, and due to Taeyong pulling out his shares, Jaemin was promoted again. That gave him a front-row seat to how Jaehyun treated you…. and Jaehyun’s affair with the secretary was Jaemin’s wake-up call.

It hit him hard. He destroyed something good in Jaehyun, and in doing so, he tainted you. He regretted it deeply. That’s why he keeps his distance, never speaking about you, never interfering. He knows he’s the one who ruined your relationship.

“Jaemin?”

He flinched slightly at the touch on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Heara—his wife. He offered a tight smile. “Yeah? Sorry, I was zoning out. She’s asleep.” He walked over to Ari’s crib and gently laid her down, brushing a finger over her tiny hand. “Goodnight, baby.”

Heara stood in silence, watching him. Another moment. Another quiet act of love between Jaemin and their daughter.

It had taken a long, messy road to reach this point—where Jaemin no longer snapped or argued unless it involved Ari. He'd become distant in many ways, yet deeply present in others. Cold toward Heara, but warm with their daughter. Despite his detachment, he made a genuine effort to be a supportive partner, in his own way. And when Heara lashed out, he absorbed it—saying little, offering less.

She knew why.

She knew it all traced back to the affair.

She still remembered the night everything nearly fell apart.

They’d been fighting again—one of many nights where frustration boiled over into blame.

“You act like Jaehyun’s some villain for spoiling her,” Jaemin said bitterly. “But maybe he just knew how to treat her right.”

Heara rolled her eyes, arms crossed. “And you think you're any better? You sit around acting like you're some martyr, but you're just pathetic. You're not even half the man Jaehyun is.”

That was the last straw.

“I’ve had it,” Jaemin said sharply, swinging his legs off the bed. He stormed to the wardrobe and started pulling clothes off the hangers.

“What the hell are you doing?” Heara snapped. “You can't just walk away every time you can’t take the heat. You think running off proves anything?”

Jaemin’s jaw clenched as he folded a shirt. “If I’m so worthless to you, then replacing me should be easy.”

He didn’t look at her when he said it: “I’m leaving you.”

The words hit like a slap. Heara stared at him, stunned.

“You’re not serious,” she said, stepping closer.

“I am.” His voice was low, resolute. “You tear me down every chance you get. I provide for you, I try, but nothing’s ever enough. I can’t keep doing this—I’m done.”

“You’re not leaving,” she said, reaching for his suitcase. She unzipped it and started pulling the clothes back out, her hands trembling. “You don’t get to walk away just because things got hard.”

Jaemin grabbed her wrist—not hard, but firm. “Stop. I mean it, Heara. I’m done pretending this marriage means something when all you do is hurt me.”

“You agreed to marry me, Jaemin!”

“And if I knew it’d be like this,” he snapped, “I never would’ve. I should’ve married your best friend. At least she treated me like a person. She respected me. She cared.”

Her expression cracked. “What did you just say?”

Jaemin stared back, eyes filled with anger and grief. “I love her. Maybe she never loved me back. But at least she saw me. You—you're just cruel.”

“I’m pregnant, Jaemin.” Her voice broke slightly. “I’m carrying your child.”

“You've spent weeks calling that baby a mistake, a burden—what do you expect me to feel? Joy?” he said, voice hard. “You used me, Heara. You manipulated me into marrying you, and now you act like I owe you my life.”

She stepped in front of him, shaking her head. “If you leave, I swear—”

“I don’t care.” His voice rose, sharp and final. “I’m walking away. You drained me. I gave you everything and you made me hate myself.”

“Grow up, Jaemin.”

He paused at the door.

“I slept with her,” he said flatly. “And every time I did, I enjoyed it.”

She slapped him, her heart heavy and breathing rigid. She couldn’t believe what she heard. Jaemin was never the type to lie, so hearing those words Heara knows it’s true. “You slept- you slept with her? Jaemin.” Heara was boiling with tears and anger. She watched Jaemin walk past her, walking along the sidewalk… leaving her. Consumed by rage and heartbreak, Heara didn’t think. She grabbed her car keys, jumped into her car, and drove—blinded by emotion, guided only by anger. It was late. The streets were quiet. She didn’t care.

She pulled up in front of your house, barely registering Jaehyun leaving as she stormed up to your door. And then without warning, without words she slapped you. Hard.

“I’m pregnant!” she screamed. “And you slept with my husband!”

You had been crying, pleading with Jaehyun, begging him to stay. You hadn’t even looked up before she hit you. And then, suddenly, Heara’s world spun, and everything went dark.

She fainted.

What happened next, she never fully knew. She never had the courage to ask. Her last clear memory was lying in a hospital bed. She couldn’t hear anything—just the strange, distant buzz of voices. But when she opened her eyes, Jaemin was there. Stiff. Quiet. Not angry, not relieved, just... there. Like he didn’t want to be.

He got the doctor. The doctor returned, calm but serious. Stress. Elevated blood pressure. Not safe for a pregnant woman. She was lucky. She needed rest, peace, and no more outbursts like that.

After being discharged, neither she nor Jaemin said a word. Not in the car ride home. Not that night. Not for weeks.

But his things were back in the closet. Just like that—like he had never left. But he didn’t talk to her the same. Didn’t joke, didn’t argue. He simply… functioned. He made her meals. Went to every prenatal appointment. Monitored her health like it was his only job. And Heara, despite the silence, felt something warm bloom in her chest. A part of her still loved him.

Even if he no longer loved her.

She didn’t bring it up. Not his distance. Not Y/n. Not the night she collapsed. She accepted the quiet.

And then, the baby was born.

For the first time in months, she saw Jaemin smile. Truly smile. But not at her. All of it, his joy, his light, his love… was for their daughter.

He held the baby like she was everything. And Heara watched, realizing just how much had changed. His heart was there, but not with her. She’d lost something long ago, and they'd never talked about it… never healed from it.

So Even now, as Jaemin quietly walked past her in the hallway, she felt it all again. The ache. The regret. And the sting of seeing Y/n months ago, still perfect in Jaemin’s eyes. That memory haunted her.

So tonight, as they lay in bed in the dark, she did something she hadn’t done in a long time. She turned to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Her voice was soft, almost uncertain.

“You’re the best husband ever,” She whispers.

Jaemin doesn’t respond right away.

He just lies there, still. The silence stretches between them, tense and fragile, like a thread pulled too tight.

Heara loosens her grip, her hand now resting gently against his back. She expects him to stay quiet—to pretend he’s asleep, like he’s done before. But then, softly, he speaks.

“I’m not.”

She frowns. “What?”

“I’m not the best husband,” He says. “I never was.”

She doesn’t disagree.

“I love Y/n.”

The words settle in the dark like a bruise forming on her skin. Heara doesn’t move.

“I thought I didn’t,” He continues. “And it’s been months… I told myself it was just... comfort. Something that felt good when everything else didn’t. But it wasn’t that. I love her.”

Heara closes her eyes.

“But not in the right way,” He mutters. “And not for the right reasons. I think I loved how she saw me. I didn’t have to earn it. I didn’t have to prove anything. She just… made me feel real.”

Heara’s voice is quiet, but sharp. “And let me guess, after seeing her again, you thought she’d choose you?”

“I did,” He admits, and that surprised Heara. Makes a bit angry, but she allows herself to listen. “Part of me really thought she would. After Jaehyun cheated on her, after everything… I thought she’d turn around and look at me again. I once mattered. But...”

There’s a heavy pause, then Heara speaks. “She was always going to choose him,” She says. “Even I knew that. I filled her head up, but she always chose him. Over me. So obviously she was going to pick him over you too.”

“I know,” Jaemin murmurs. “I just don’t know how to stop wanting her to choose me.”

The silence between them shifts. The atmosphere isn’t angry this time.

Heara exhales, a tired breath she’s been holding for months. “I saw how you looked at her. I knew you still had eyes for her.” She laughs softly, a sad, bitter sound. “I’ll admit it. I hated her. For being the lucky one. Jaehyun loves her. And even you…” Heara’s words trail. “Did you ever love me?”

“Before I met her… yeah. You were all I thought about. All I tried to impress.”

They lie still, side by side. No anger. No touching. There’s no apology. No promise to try again.

Just silence. Just the understanding that whatever this is… it’s not love. Not anymore.

And in that stillness, the only thing keeping them together is the child…

“But that doesn’t mean, I’m leaving you. Or Ari,”

Heara scoffs out. “Of course you wouldn’t leave Ari, you’re basically her mother.”

Jaemin lets out a small, tired smile. They don’t say anything else. The silence wraps around them again… almost comforting. Not quite peace, not quite war.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope this ending is better - and sweeter :)

--------------------------------------------

Taglist: @markleelately jddky notevenheretbh1 bellamendoza evepsycheandbluebirdswife fadingyouthunknown idkbutlukpop tattedhyun svtdose hyacinth-tree galorehearts f4irynono momwwndmxmff dalivanmagritte jovilymalfoy synnocence pieberry00 ohbrooke prettywoojae jaeminfication sehoonsworld haeuniee jccv svtf1lms vsszn aegablog dyndlpn starlightwish fashion-addictedd v3rtexx seamlessheart emvrd milkisgod weiyingsgoldencore moa-carat-addict akkindless pjw04 starillusion13 funkycatbruh entertainmentnabi baobeirenchin032313 hendowie mahm00n15 fullsunld twilightwei r24priv05 yutazen27 6-ucci yuneeeee glitterybarbarianwitch jaeminfuture

[technologyculturedneo]

Hello! I would like to know how many days or weeks you plan to publish a chapter of "ONCE UPON A FULL MOON." 😭😭😭😭 I need more. 🥹🥹🥹 I hope more people can support your fic. 🫶🏻💕💕💕💕

Thank you for supporting fam 💕❤️I really appreciate it - 🤗

Well I've been posting regularly : Wednesday - Friday - Saturday (quietly whispering Monday) - that's the schedule I have for now You can che it out occasionally - sometimes there's w new chapter I post randomly 😊

And I always update this link: OUAFM link

[technologyculturedneo]

Black Mirror: Echoes of Tragedy

Pairing. Haechan x f!reader x Spiderman!Mark

Genre. Alternative universe. Modern day spiderman meets Joker vibes. Tragedy. Dark romance.

Synopsis. In a city wired to forget the quiet ones, Haechan is just another background character who finally experiences what it feels like to have a 'friend' - you. His eagerness to pursuit this new friendship is short lived when a tragic accident at NovaCorpTech turns him into something unrecognizable: a living conduit of electricity. Spider-Man (Mark Lee) tries to stop the chaos, unaware that the man behind the surge is someone he overlooked and only cares about because of you.

THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED

Mark steps off the bus, his backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder. The day’s been uneventful, just the usual mix of college lectures and drifting thoughts - but as he walks toward the train station, something shifts. It’s subtle, but undeniable. A prickling tension buzzes in the air. Something’s not right. Almost an instinct feeling he feels whenever something bad is about to happen. He brushes it off once he gets to the train station.

The train platform was busy as usual, commuters chatting, some rushing, others lost in their phones. Mark heads toward the tracks, scanning the crowd like he’s looking for something without knowing what. And then, just as he is about to board, he sees you.

You’re standing across the platform, eyes down on your phone, completely unaware that someone is staring at you. Mark’s chest tightens at the sight of you. A brief smile tugs at the corner of his lips. It’s been weeks since he last saw you—in that final class. And somehow, seeing you now feels like the universe is nudging him, reminding him that he’s done nothing to show you that he exists. Fear gets the best of him, so he's unable to approach you... so he settles to just watch you from the side.

But there wasn’t time to dwell on it. The train roars to life. It starts moving and as it begins pulling out of the station. but then comes the screech. A violent, metallic scream cuts through the air. The ground shudders beneath Mark’s feet, and the train lurches hard. Something’s wrong—terribly wrong. The tracks ahead—something snaps.

Mark stumbles, catching himself on a railing, and his eyes dart toward the front of the train. A section of track is collapsing. His heart slams against his ribs as he looks out the window to see a chunk of the train tracks breaking apart, the front of the train veering off course. And then, the worst thing happens—his side of the train seems to be tilting dangerously, while your side of the train is falling straight toward the broken edge.

Mark’s breath is stuck in his throat. This is the worst. There is no time to change into the suit. The train is careening toward disaster, and you—you—are right there, in danger. His mind races frantically. He can't let you get hurt. No... not only you but all the people there. His mind tunes out all the screams and panicked yells. Not like this. No - No- what can he do?

His hand flies to his chest. Heat pulses through his skin. Electricity hums along his spine. There’s no time to think. His body moves before his brain catches up.

A sharp snap—and webbing explodes from his wrists.

It shoots across the platform in a clean arc, catching just above you. He yanks, hard. The force pulls you off your feet, swinging you toward the other side of the train just as the metal beneath you crumples. The web stretches, catches, holds. You land on your knees, scrambling to your feet, eyes wide with panic.

"Oh my god! Spider-Man?!" You shout, voice cracking with disbelief, not understanding what was happening. But there is no time to explain.

With a deep breath, Mark shoots another web at the ceiling of the train. His heart races as he begins swinging across the car, moving quickly to stabilize the balance of the train. He shoots another web at the tracks ahead, trying to bring the train back in line, desperate to keep it from falling off the edge.

He needs to stabilize the train. Needs to save everyone. You.

He lands hard on the next car, fires web after web at the tracks ahead, trying to slow the train’s slide. Sweat drips down his brow. Screams echo through the cars. The screech of metal on metal is deafening, like the city itself is crying out.

Sweat beads on his forehead as he runs across the cars, he leaps again, grabs another web, pulls. Every move is calculated chaos. The train teeters on the edge of disaster, and all Mark can do is pull, swing, save. Switching between pulling you to safety and using his webs to stabilize the train’s rapid descent. The screech of metal on metal and the deafening noise of the tracks splitting makes everything feel like it's happening in slow motion, but Mark pushes through.

One final effort—he fires a thick web at the broken railing ahead. He pulls with everything he’s got. The train groans. Tilts. Then slowly, blessedly, it rights itself, screeching back into balance.

With a final jolt, the train slams to a stop.

Mark collapses onto the floor, gasping for breath, his mask half-torn, sweat soaking through his shirt.

And there you were—standing just steps away, eyes wide with shock, still trying to make sense of everything.

Your mind still processing the impossibility of what just occurred. Mark stood up shakily, and for a brief moment, your eyes met.

Recognition dawns. Shock. Awe.

And then—phones. Everywhere. People start filming. Whispers erupt.

He reaches to cover his face, but the flashes go off anyway. Images. Videos. The internet is already catching fire.

"He’s just a young man," Someone says, almost in disbelief.

"The rumors are true! There really is a Spider-Man everywhere," An old guy adds. "Are you the Korean Spider-Man?"

"Wait—Mark Lee? No way!" Gasps a classmate nearby.

-

BREAKING NEWS: NEWS OUTLETS FINALLY UNCOVERED THE MAN BEHIND THE SPIDER-MAN MASK.

Mark stands at the podium, the weight of the moment sinking in. Cameras flashing as reporters crowd around, their questions flying, demanding answers. But Mark remains still, his mask clutched in his hand. The train, the cliff—everything has led up to this.

"Is it true that your name is Lee Mark? Calculus student at N-CITY University?" These reporters keep shouting and throwing random questions at him. While he stands, all he can think about is his life and how it'll never be the same again.

"Is it true that there is a spider-man organization and you're part of it?" Another reporter shouts, urgency in his voice. Mark already starts plotting that he'll have to dropout of school or start taking online classes.

"Spider-Man, how did you stop the train?"

He never even got the chance to confess to you... after he stopped the train, he kept his eyes on you - trying to read if you perhaps were interested in him... or something... He always imagined you would be his Mary Jane... but as his fantasies played out - the crowd around him grew with camera's flashing in his face, until he couldn't stand there anymore.

Mark looks out over the crowd, feeling the city’s eyes on him. His fingers tighten around the torn fabric of his mask. This is it—the moment he can no longer hide.

“I couldn’t let it fall,” Mark answers quietly, his voice steady but thick with exhaustion. The room goes silent by the sound of his voice - hearing his voice for the first time, feels like a jaw dropping moment. Shock sweeps through the crowd.

A reporter’s voice cuts through the quiet, almost dead conference room. "Wait... Are you saying you are Spider-Man? Korean Spider-Man?"

Mark meets their eyes, no longer needing to hide. "Yeah," He replies simply. "I’m Spider-Man. And it’s time the city knows." The silence deepens. The reporters exchange shocked glances, murmurs running through the room. Mark doesn't flinch. "I just save people when there's trouble."

The crowd buzzed with shock and disbelief. Mark turned away from the podium, feeling the weight of the truth settle into his bones.

-

3 YEARS LATER:

NOVACORP SUB-LEVEL – ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE

2:47 A.M.

The fluorescent lights flicker like they’re trying to blink out of existence. Anyone would think a place as rich as NovaCorp would fix the buzzing bulbs, but down here (in sub-levels) the executives never visit- leaving the hallway half-dark and forgotten. Just like him. Lee Haechan.

Haechan sits alone in his 'office', hunched over a mess of tangled cables and schematics, chewing nervously on the end of a pen- as he writes down numbers to manually calculate. He’s wearing a faded navy blue jumpsuit, his name stitched in peeling embroidery—just in case someone ever needed him. His boots are stained with years of dust, his hands calloused (a new vocabulary word he learnt for sudoko, which means an adjective that describes skin that has become thickened and hardened due to repeated pressure, friction, or use—like from manual labor) from jobs that no one ever thanks him for.

A half-eaten vending machine sandwich sits on his desk beside a mug that says: "World’s Greatest Engineer". He bought it for himself last Christmas. There’s a picture frame next to it. Just a stock photo. He never got around to replacing it... Or rather he never had anything to replace it with. No adventures. No friends. No girlfriend—not even a selfie. No family and not even a selfie... He just liked the stock photo. It's aesthetic on it's own.

He works in silence, being mindful of the time. He was supposed to be at home sleeping - but he arrived early at work. Not because it's his birthday and he wanted to see who would be the first to wish him a 'happy birthday' - but because he is just passionate about his job: “Circuit 5 is overloaded... and no one logged it. Again. But it’s fine. I’ll fix it. I will fix it.” He reminds himself while talking to himself. Always to himself.

What a wonderful way to spend his birthday - early in the morning working...

He takes a short break looking away from the schematic diagram that represents the components and layout of the buildings system structure.

He opens his tablet and finds a folder labeled "Important." Inside are screenshots of news articles, saved live-stream clips, blurry selfies from street level.

SPIDER-MAN SAVES BUS OF CHILDREN

SPIDER-MAN SWINGS THROUGH DOWNTOWN

SPIDER-MAN, AKA MARK LEE, IS KWANGYA'S HERO

Haechan watches one clip again—one he’s already seen a thousand times. Mark Lee catching a falling taxi mid-air. The crowd cheering. And in the corner of the frame... there he is. Haechan. Just a blur. A face no one noticed.

He smiles like it means something.

"He waved at me once," Haechan whispers. "He... looked right at me."

But even that—he can’t be sure. Maybe Mark was waving at someone behind him. Maybe he imagined it. But still the video doesn't lie... it looks like Mark was looking at him. To think he works in the same place as Mark is crazy. NovaCorp, the city's first futuristic and high-tech aerospace, advanced robotics, energy solutions, and cutting-edge hardware- which produces billions of dollars. While Mark worked in the Robotics department, Haechan was in engineering. One large building but so far apart... He would often see Mark, but it was just a whiff.

Ever since Mark revealed himself to be spider man - even though he was an Intern at NovaCorp, he surely got his fair share of popularity around the company. What's more astonishing, is that he earned all the praise he received because he worked incredibly hard - despite his popular Spider-man title.

Haechan smiles and wonders when he'll get a chance to actually speak to Mark. He clicks over to a digital birthday card site. Makes one for himself. He picks a theme with balloons and fireworks. And in the 'From' field, he types a pretend message for himself. Then he reads it out loud, like it was sent to him.

To: Haechan Happy Birthday, Haechan! You’re one of a kind. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not important. From: Your friend, Mark

He closes his eyes and breathes that in. Lets himself pretend. Just for a second. Put it into existence.

A ding from his work monitor breaks the fantasy. A new ticket comes in: Server room 3. Lights out. Fix ASAP.

He sighs, grabs his toolbox, and heads down the corridor to server room 3. The room is cold, humming with unseen energy. Haechan crouches beside a massive junction box. A mess of wires dangles like exposed nerves. "If Mark Lee had my job, the city would throw him a parade. But me? I just keep things running. In the background. Invisible." He speaks again, to the empty space. While he admired Mark, the other part of him felt this layer of jealousy within. He has started his internship the same time as Mark - but Mark kept moving up in rank and has been prompted into his department 2 twice- while Haechan held on faithfully to his post for 5 years.

His hand brushes the wrong wire. A surge snaps through the room. Light bursts in every direction. He yells as electricity floods him—not enough to kill, but enough to scar.

He collapses against the wall, twitching, chest heaving. No one comes.

"Focus Haechan."

No one ever comes.

During lunchtime, Haechan sits alone, wrapped in a cheap blanket from the emergency kit. His hair is still damp from sweat. No one notices the red burns blooming across his fingers.

People walk past him with coffee, call out for meetings, laugh about plans for the weekend. He doesn’t exist.

And then there’s a commotion. A voice. Friendly. Familiar.

Mark Lee walks in.

Fresh-faced, hoodie on, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. Just Mark, not Spider-Man right now. He’s asking a receptionist something—probably about NovaCorps surveillance system. Another mission. Another save.

He passes Haechan without seeing him.

"Hey Mark..." Haechan says, too softly.

Mark’s already through the door.

And that’s it.

Haechan lowers his eyes. Shrinks into himself.

"It’s okay. He’s busy. You’ll talk to him next time."

NOVACORP SUB-LEVEL – NIGHT

21:39 P.M.

That night, Haechan stays late again. The building is silent. His wounds still ache. The lights flicker once more. He opens his folder.

Clicks the video.

Watches Mark Lee save the day again.

But this time, he doesn’t smile.

He leaves work, walking home, the only person to have said 'happy birthday' is the fake birthday card he made for himself. Closing the door in his house, his phone pings.

Mother: Happy birthday my dear lovely son! I miss you so much. I hope you're eating well!

Haechan smiles.

-

NOVACORP – ONE WEEK LATER – EVENING

17:30 P.M.

Looking around, spotting most the nearby desks empty - you swiftly stretch your arms above your head, yawning out when looking at the time. Cracking your knuckles and getting back to your tasks, you hear the clacking heels taking note of your senior, Irene leaving her office. "Good day today. I'll see you tomorrow."

You grin cheerfully, equally bidding her goodbye.

The I.T department office is thinning out. Desks empty one by one, chairs pushed in with lazy squeaks. Conversations that once buzzed through cubicles have quieted to the occasional sigh or the soft click of a keyboard. Elevators ding less often now—an echo fading down a hallway nobody’s really walking through anymore.

Most people are already home, posting dinner pics and kissing their weekends hello. Warm lights, comfy socks, someone to curl up with—or at least a show to binge.

But you're still there. The new hire in I.T: Junior System Analyst. The one no one really knows yet. Quiet, but sharp. Sharp in the way you don’t have to say much- people just know you’re good at what you do- since Irene herself interviewed you and picked you out of a handful of talented analysts. You move through systems like you’ve always belonged, even if you still hesitate at the office fridge, unsure if you're allowed to steal a coffee pod or if that’s a senior privilege.

But upon your first official week at the office - and not just some training drill, you spotted a murky looking guy and followed his lead. He opened the fridge took some milk from the cartoon and left.

"Irene." You spoke to your senior during lunch, pointing to the loner man in the corner. "Who's that?"

Irene, the talented Senior Analyst looks up from her cellphone to where you're pointing. Her eyes stare before she turns to you. "That's Haechan, I believe he's still in engineering under Kim Doyoung. He built the infrastructure that our departmental workflow interacts with." You nod your head.

You’ve seen Haechan around during your training days.

Always in the background. Always moving like he didn’t want to be seen. Like his entire existence was something to whisper. His steps soft, his voice softer—

You saw this when trying to approach him but he accidently bumped into you- instantly apologizing and scampering away.

-like the only way he knew how to take up space was by apologizing for it in advance.

You quickly pick up that he’s the kind of person people forget to notice. Not because he isn’t there—but because he never demands that attention that they do.

But you notice him. Noticed how he talks to machines more kindly than he talks to people. How he flinches slightly when addressed, like he’s bracing for something— like kindness might be mistaken or accidental. You’ve passed each other in the hallway more than once. A polite nod. You murmured "Hey." a few times.

He never looks annoyed. Just... surprised. Like someone remembering they left a tap open and now there’s water over-pouring in.

And tonight, once the clock reaches 21:00 and you're done your final task- triple checking that you've done everything correctly, you're surprised that he’s still here. Instead of his office, you see him again crouched under a panel in the wall, tools scattered, muttering to himself. His jumpsuit hangs loose on his frame like it's too tired to fit.

You linger. Something in you doesn’t want to walk past.

"You okay down there?" You ask softly.

He flinches, banging his head on the panel. Groans. "Yeah. Yeah... I’m fine. Just... this stupid junction box. Keeps resetting."

You kneel down beside him. He blinks at you like he’s not sure you’re real. "Need some help?" You offer, a smile lingering on your face. "Four hands are better than one."

He blinks at you, looking behind him to make sure you're talking to him. "You’re new, right?" He asks.

“Kind of. I've been here for 1 week now." You add. "I’ve seen you around though," You reply. "You’re always fixing something."

He slowly nods his head. "That’s the job. Technical Support Level 3. But sometimes I help with, uh… Facilities Infrastructure? Systems Maintenance? Honestly, I’m not even sure anymore. Just… wherever they need me."

You're impressed. "No, I mean it. The whole building runs because of you. You’re like- our own secret superhero."

You say it like you mean it. Because you do.

He laughs, but it’s short, unsure. And he's surprised by it. Who even are you? "Superhero? Right." He's about to ask your name, but the subtle buzz makes itself known when it sounds like it's about to launch a rocket. "Just move back a bit, sounds like the technical underbelly needs to get back to work."

You don’t press. You just sit with him. In the quiet and as Haechan works (nervously- might he add), he's surprised you're still there. For once, he’s not invisible. Doesn't feel invisible.

"What’s your name?" You ask as he dusts his hands and removes the rubber gloves he wore to protect himself.

"Haechan." He smiles nervously, completely forgetting that he wanted to ask your name.

You smile. "Hi, Haechan. I'm Y/n." He'll remember that. "Happy belated birthday by the way,"

"Be- belated?" His eyes enlarge, and his mouth is too stunned to speak.

Quickly catching onto his shock, you add on, trying not to seem like a stalker. "Sorry, I saw it on the pin board by the stairwell when I came in. It’s sweet that your department does stuff like that. I figured you had a wild office party or something."

He blinks. "The board?" he echoes, voice quieter. "That’s... still there?"

You tilt your head. "Yeah, it was kinda faded. Almost wiped off, actually."

Haechan frowns gently, more in surprise than disappointment. He hasn’t looked at that board in months. Didn’t know anyone else did either. He murmurs, mostly to himself, "I thought they stopped updating it."

You offer a soft laugh and stand up, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on, I’ll show you."

He hesitates, then stands too, brushing his hands on his jumpsuit out of habit. You lead him around the corner, past humming vending machines and empty chairs.

There, next to a bulletin of department memos and half-torn fliers, is the birthday board. Small, overlooked... but there. And sure enough, near the bottom in faint blue marker:

JUNE 6 – Haechan L. (🎉 Happy Birthday!) - written in messy handwriting beside it.

The ink is fading. One corner of the whiteboard curls slightly where the glue's coming loose. No one’s added to it in weeks.

But you saw it.

Haechan just stares. Not speaking.

"See?" You say gently. "I wasn’t being creepy. Just... observant."

He lets out the softest breath — part laugh, part disbelief. "I didn’t think anyone even looked at this thing anymore." It doesn't explain why no one wished him a happy birthday...

You glance at him. "Maybe no one else did. But I did." and shrug your shoulders. "Birthday's are special. Anyway, I should be going. Nice meeting your acquaintance."

You offer your hand. He stares at it for a second like it’s foreign. Then takes it.

Something shifts.

-

CAFETERIA – THREE DAYS LATER – LUNCH

13:45 P.M.

The tables are full. It’s loud. Haechan walks in with his tray, shoulders tight. He’s about to retreat to the corner like he always does when he hears-

"Haechan! Over here!"

He jolts a little, snapping his head back.

You’re waving him over.

People turn to look. He panics a little. But you’re smiling like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like of course he belongs there. Your senior Irene smiles seeing as the perky confident young lady she saw in you is finally getting out of the comfort zone. Young bright and new talent, and one that incorporates teamwork is what Irene is looking for.

Meanwhile for Haechan, he sits beside you, awkward but grateful.

"I was wondering when you'd start making friends." Irene comments. Both you and Haechan aren't too sure who's she's talking to in the moment, but you shrug it off with a chuckle.

You talk to him like he matters.

Not like he’s the guy people call when the lights go out or the server crashes. Not like background noise in NovaCorp’s elevator. You ask him real questions, and wait for real answers.

It throws him off guard, but when your senior Irene leaves to head back to her desk, despite there being enough time.

"So, like… what do you actually do? Because I swear I’ve seen you fixing a vending machine and rebooting the mainframe in the same hour."

He scratches the back of his neck, almost shy. "A bit of everything. They call it Technical Support Level 3, but it’s more like… unofficial firefighter for all things electrical and falling apart."

You grin. "That sounds important. Especially for this company."

He blinks. He wasn’t expecting that. "It’s just behind-the-scenes stuff."

"Yeah, well," You say and shrug, "The whole place would fall apart without behind-the-scenes people."

He gives a small smile at that. Not the awkward, polite one he gives when someone walks past him in the hall. This one’s real. Small. Warm. Surprised. "So, what do you do? You're working with Bae Joo-hyun, I've always wondered what she does." He asks as he sips on his orange juice.

"Who's that? Bae Joo-hyun?"

Haechan stares at you wide eyed, and doesn't know whether you're playing or not. "That's the name of your manager?"

"Oh? Irene?" You ask in shock. "I think that's her government name, she referred to herself as Irene." You fill in.

"She's scary." Haechan says.

You nod and smile. "She has that aura. Pantsuit and heels and her killer death stare is what keeps me straight. But to answer you, she's a Senior System Analyst, and I'm Junior. To be honest," You whisper and snicker a little. "I know I've been here a week, but she's so fast in her teachings that when I get lost, I stay over time just to work at my own pace."

Haechan finds himself chuckling.

"But for now, she's put me on analysis duty, so i simply analyzes systems and design solutions. I'm not gonna bore you with that, because half of the time I don't even know how to explain what I'm doing. Give me a month and if I'm not able to explain to you what I do, then you need to tell on me to Irene." You playfully add. "So, you're a veteran, 5 years in the company. Is this your dream company?"

"I would like to think so."

When lunch break is over, you and Haechan part and you head back to work. However once the clock strikes 18:30, and you're done with work, you find yourself in the sub-levels with Haechan, carrying on from your lunch break topics. Then you ask what kind of music he listens to, and he pauses like you just asked for a secret code.

"Uh… depends. When I’m working? Usually lo-fi. Or old jazz. Or depressing indie bands that sound like they live in rainy basements."

You laugh. "Moody guy soundtrack."

“Exactly.”

You talk about shows. Movies. Memes. The sci-fi series you both gave up on halfway through.

You pass your time well with Haechan, and feel really good when the rest of the week flows with Haechan feeling comfortable around you.

Then one night, you notice a faint scar curling over his wrist as he’s fixing a glitchy wall panel. You don’t ask in a way that makes him flinch... just softly, curiously.

"Is that from work?"

He glances at it. "Oh this? No, it was a toaster. When I was eleven."

Your eyes widen. "Toaster?"

"Yup." He smiles while looking down at it. "Tried to fix it. Got shocked. Gave my mom a panic attack."

You let out a soft laugh. "Wow. Ambitious start."

"I peaked early."

You lean your head to the side. "I think you’ve come a long way since toaster repair days."

His lips twitch. "Debatable."

Then, one evening, after too many hours and too many silences shared between cables and blinking monitors, he opens a folder on his tablet.

"I wanna show you something," He says, hesitant. "You’ll probably think it’s dumb."

"Dumb? I literally still confuse then and than or affect and effect. Try me." You chuckle at yourself.

He pulls up a folder titled simply: Spider-Man.

Inside are news clips, saved live-streams, blurry screenshots — all of Mark Lee, swinging through the city. One photo catches him midair, lit up by traffic lights. Another is from the night of the train derailment. The last one is grainy. Crowd shot. Spider-Man in the distance. In the corner: a blurry figure. Haechan.

"I’ve had this folder for a while," He says. "Since… well, since the day I thought he waved at me. He probably wasn’t. I think he was looking at someone behind me."

You study the image. Then him.

"You’re in this photo."

"Barely."

"But you're there. And… you’ve been saving this stuff? Doesn't he work here though? I think I've seen him around."

He shrugs, embarrassed. "I don’t know. Just… it's dumb. He's this guy everyone sees. He walks into a room and people actually look up. He's part of everything. Me? I fix wiring in sub-level three and try not to get electrocuted."

You glance over at him, voice soft. "But without you, this whole place falls apart."

He doesn’t say anything.

You close the tablet gently, fingers brushing the edge of the screen. "It’s not dumb, Haechan. You look up to him. That's okay. But you're allowed to matter too. You don’t need a suit or a spotlight for that."

He breathes in slowly. He’s quiet. But something changes in his posture — like a wire pulled puppet for years has finally loosened just a little.

And then you say, "I saw your name on the birthday board, remember? That means someone thought you were worth celebrating."

He exhales — a tiny breath of disbelief, but this time there’s a smile behind it.

"Yeah," He murmurs. "I guess… someone did."

"Can I share with you an experience I had with him?" You ask as you recall that one faithful afternoon, where Mark's life changed 3 years ago.

"You had an experience with him?"

You nod slowly. "Yeah… three years ago. I’ll never forget it." You lean back slightly, eyes drifting like the memory’s pulling you back. "I was on the train heading home when suddenly, the tracks just—exploded. It was chaos. One second everything was normal, and the next, we were on the verge of the train splitting in half."

You pause, your voice softer now.

"It was the scariest moment of my life. I honestly thought I was going to die. I remember holding onto a pole like my life depended on it—because it did." Your eyes unfocus, caught in the memory. "And then, out of nowhere… a web shot out and grabbed me. Hooked onto my clothes and yanked me back from the edge."

You shake your head, as if trying to make sense of it all over again. "That web saved me. Saved all of us, actually." You glance at Haechan, voice dropping just a bit. "The wildest part wasn’t the rescue, though. It was that, for the first time… I saw his face. No mask. No flashy entrance. Just a person. He looked scared too. But he didn’t run." You smile faintly. "He wasn’t some alien or superhero out of a comic book. He was human. And he was just… trying to help. Trying to fix something. My friends laughed when I told them that story, saying that I wanted attention and clout. Whatever."

Haechan smiles, seeing your focus back on him.

"The strangest thing about it all, was how I thought he was looking at me after all of it. I know he looked at me, but then again, he could've been looking at everyone. Mark Lee’s amazing," You admit. "But I’d rather have someone like you in my corner. Because you're the kind of person who shows up even when no one's watching. The kind who stays late, fixes what's broken, and never asks for anything back."

You look at him fully now, and for once, he doesn’t look away.

"Mark saved me once. But people like you? You keep things going every single day. Quietly. Steadily. That matters too."

Haechan doesn’t respond right away. He’s still processing... not just your words, but the way you said them. Like you meant every syllable.

He swallows hard, lips parting as if to say something then just smiles. It's small, unsure, but real. "No one’s ever said that to me before," he murmurs.

"Well duh, those are perfectly my own words." You giggle. "So are you actually going to sleep here, or can we head on home? I'll order a cab for you this time."

"As if," Haechan chuckles. "You haven't even received your first paycheck yet."

You grin, gathering your things. "I think I might get a welcome bonus. Irene keeps talking about them." Your eyes light up as you imagine the bonus, feeling the rush of excitement for payday. You zip up your bag and reach for your laptop, tucking it inside with a satisfied hum.

Haechan laughs lightly at your enthusiasm, his fingers tapping absentmindedly on his desk. But as the conversation flows, a distant rumble of thunder rolls in, sending a faint tremor through the windows.

"Guess it’s gonna rain," Haechan observes, glancing out the window where dark clouds are beginning to crowd the sky. He shrugs, grabbing his jacket. "Let’s go quickly before it hits."

You nod, slinging your bag over your shoulder, eager to get home before the storm intensifies.

Meanwhile, several miles away, Mark Lee grips the steering wheel of his car as a chill creeps down his spine. The streets are wet from a downpour, but the unsettling sensation remains. He clenches his jaw, trying to shake off the feeling, but his instincts are sharp. Spider-senses. The kind of feeling that doesn’t go away. Something is wrong. It’s that same warning pulse, the kind that tells him when danger’s about to make its move.

But… nothing happens. At least, not yet.

Days pass in a quiet lull. There are no big threats, no major crimes to stop. Just petty criminals, the usual suspects, and routine patrols. Still, the uneasy feeling clings to him. A sense of paranoia gnawing at his mind. Something's off. He knows it. He can feel it in his bones.

And then it comes back. Stronger this time. More intense.

It happens at lunch.

Mark’s eyes catch a glimpse of you and Haechan sitting together in the cafeteria. He doesn’t mean to stare, but the way you’re laughing, the way you’re talking to him—something about it sends an unfamiliar shock through his chest. It’s like a distant memory rushing back, an ache he can’t quite place.

The feeling creeps up his spine again, colder than before. The kind of feeling that he’s learned to never ignore. Something bad is about to happen.

But what?

Mark’s gaze lingers for just a moment longer. He watches the two of you—you and Haechan. His breath catches slightly as his mind races. What’s going on here? Why does it feel like this is connected to whatever’s coming?

He doesn’t know. But he’s sure of one thing.

A storm is coming.

-

SUB-LEVEL – ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE

18:50 P.M.

Storm clouds rumble overhead.

Haechan’s been called in to handle a generator surge. Something about the backup power grid not syncing with the primary system. A cascading error. He's halfway with his packing when the alert pings on his phone.

He texts you from the stairwell. “Got called in. Just a quick fix. Don’t worry. Smiley face." He speaks as he types.

You respond quick, offer to stay. Say you’ll wait for him outside. Bring him a snack. Something.

He replies: No need. I’ll be fast. Promise. And then we can finally go on our very first 1 Month Friendship Date.

You hesitate, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. But you trust him. He always knows what he's doing. Either way, you can hear the smile over his text message.

But the system is worse than anyone realized. Mark's neck hair raises but he ignores it, sensing that it's just that usual feeling.

Beneath the building, in the lower sub-grid room, the air is humid and buzzing with electric tension. The fluorescent lights above flicker like they're panicking. Haechan is down there with two other employees, all hunched over an open panel of tangled wiring and blinking diagnostics.

Sweat beads on their foreheads as the numbers spike on the tablet.

"Haechan, hold it a little longer," One of them says, already backing away. "I’m going to get Doyoung. I don't know why this generator is acting up."

He nods. Tightens his grip on the manual override lever. "Hurry."

But Doyoung never arrives in time.

Something shifts. A wrong wire, a miscalculation. A sharp pop echoes in the chamber, and then—

It happens.

The core emits a shriek of overclocked electricity. A flash. A violent surge snakes through the air like lightning made sentient. The lights blow out. The power fails. The room goes dark.

And then—

Light.

Not warm. Not safe.

Blue. Violent. Unnatural.

It pours from the generator’s core like it’s trying to breathe- like something inside is waking up.

You hear the explosion from the floor above. The entire building shudders with the force of it. Ceiling tiles shift. A low rumble thrums under your feet.

For a half-second, everyone freezes.

Then you’re already running, before anyone else even looks up.

------------------------------------------

OSCROP'S LAB – COLD, DIM

UNKNOWN TIME

-------------------------------------------

It’s a long dream.

Soft, warm, weightless.

He knows it’s a dream because you’re there. Sitting beside him, fingers laced with his. You're laughing — the kind of laugh that curls at the edges, contagious and real. He’s kissing you like he has forever to keep doing it. Like the world’s already perfect.

And maybe that’s why he wakes up.

Because things that good don’t last. For him at least.

Haechan gasps awake, lungs convulsing like they forgot how to breathe. It’s violent — like surfacing from a deep, endless ocean. His lungs convulse, dragging in air like it’s the first breath they’ve ever taken. His body jerks upright on a cold, metal table, the sheet that was covering him slipping off his chest.

No heartbeat monitor. No IV drip. No one watching. Just stillness… and silence. He thinks he's dead. He last remembers the sparks engulfing him and then flames.

He jolts when hearing something. A toe tag flutters to the ground.

He looks down at his foot, then at the tag. His body jerks off the table instantly picking up the tag in his trembling hand.

—no heartbeat monitor, no IV drip, just a sheet draped over him and a toe tag fluttering to the floor.

That's not a sign of something good.

He reads the tag:

LEE, H. - DECEASED - TIME OF DEATH: UNKNOWN

"Im-impossible," He croaks, the word tasting like ash on his tongue. "Impossible." He feels his hands trembling.

His throat feels scorched, dry as if fire had lived there. Suddenly he can feel everything.

Breathing hurts. Existing hurts. Every inch of him aches—not with pain exactly, but with pressure, like something is trying to break through his skin from the inside out.

Then he sees his fingers.

They're twitching. Not from nerves—but from current. Tiny sparks of electricity dance between them, sparking blue and white. The skin is split in places, scorched black in others, and where it’s intact, it glows faintly—like something is alive underneath.

He stares. He screams.

The sound rips from him, ragged and raw, echoing in the dead space around him. His arms look like they were cooked, then patched together with light and wire. Veins pulse beneath the surface in unnatural rhythm, glowing electric blue with every twitch of movement.

Then he moves—and the mirror across the room catches him.

And he freezes.

What’s looking back isn’t him.

"That's not me."

One half of his face is burned to ruin—skin melted like wax, lips barely holding shape over blackened teeth. The other half is… alive with current. It pulses softly, almost like it’s breathing on its own. His left eye flickers, blinking in and out of light like a glitching screen. Sparks snap from his temple down to his collarbone in twitching bursts.

His chest rises, but he feels no breath. There’s no heartbeat.

His fists clench. Static bursts from his knuckles, snapping across his forearms like live wires.

He's not dead.

But he’s not alive, either.

Rebuilt by lightning. Half-corpse, half-conduit.

His skin glows in sickly shades of electric blue, veins pulsing like living wires. His pupils flicker. His hands crackle when he clenches them.

"What… what happened to me?" His voice trembles, more static than sound.

He stumbles out of the room, bare feet dragging across cold concrete. No one stops him. No voices call out. No footsteps echo behind. There's no one.

Just a hallway, long, dim, and half-abandoned. Exposed pipes run along the ceiling like rusted arteries. One flickering bulb swings overhead, casting broken shadows across the walls.

It feels like a basement. Somewhere forgotten.

There are no clocks.

No windows.

No hint of the outside world.

He doesn't know what day it is.

What year.

Where he is.

Where you are.

Only the hum remains—the low, electric buzz under his skin, constant and hungry, as if something deep inside him had been plugged into the world and left on. The building is empty - and once Haechan finds the exit, he's surprised that it's night time.

He doesn’t know where he is. Doesn’t recognize the skyline, the street names, the rhythm of the world around him. Everything feels slightly off, like waking up in a dream that’s almost familiar, but wrong in all the details.

So he walks.

Follows the road with no destination, only hope. Hope that some corner will look like home. That some face might spark a memory. That you might still be somewhere out there, unchanged.

But even that proves difficult.

His eyesight flickers like a damaged feed—grainy, unstable. Lights flare too bright, shadows sink too deep. The world shimmers at the edges, as if he's seeing through a screen that doesn’t quite load.

Street signs blur. People become outlines. Nothing stays still.

Still, he keeps going.

One foot in front of the other. Following the static pulse in his chest.

He walks the city like a ghost trapped inside his own skin. He feels fine, but the way his legs wobble side to side.

The world moves around him, but never with him. People give him a wide berth—some glance at him once and look away fast, pretending not to see the shimmer under his skin or the faint static in his wake. Others stare too long, caught between curiosity and fear.

"Who the fuck are you cosplaying?" A kid calls out from a sidewalk bench, laughing until the air around him briefly sparks—and then he goes silent.

Most don’t say anything. Most just… move faster.

When he speaks: "Please help me- I'm looking for-" When he tries to ask for help—voices die in throats, eyes drop, and footsteps quicken. No one wants to get too close. It's not just how he looks. It's the way lights dim when he passes, how radios hiss and screens flicker. He bleeds interference.

Streetlights buzz overhead, then pop and go out, one by one, like they’re afraid of him too.

He stops by a sidewalk digital tablet billboard—news updates scrolling in slow, silent rhythm. He raises a trembling hand and reaches out, just to touch it, just to know what’s happened...

Is this some sick dream? It can't be reality.

The screen sparks.

Cracks.

Shorts out in a burst of static.

He staggers back as the crowd turns to look—briefly—and then walks on, indifferent, heads down in their glowing little worlds.

In the shattered glass of the screen, he sees himself.

Or something that used to be him.

His skin is pale, mottled, glowing faintly in that sickly electric blue. His veins crawl beneath the surface like pulsing wires. One eye flickers. The other is dark. His jaw is tight, mouth trembling, a constant twitch in the corner of his lip like something inside is trying to get out.

He stares. The stranger which is supposedly him stares back.

Why him?

Why isn't anyone helping?

The question spirals in his mind, over and over, louder than the static in his skull. His jaw trembles—clenched tight, trying to hold back the surge of emotion building in his chest like a storm.

No answers. No comfort. Just fear and distance.

He moves faster now, staggering at first, then pushing himself forward with more force, more purpose. He needs answers. He needs him.

He needs to find Spider-Man.

If anyone knows what happened—if anyone can fix this—it’s him.

He doesn’t care anymore how he looks. Doesn’t care that people are staring, that some cross the street just to avoid him. His skin crackles faintly with each step, like a warning signal no one wants to interpret.

And still, no one helps. No one even speaks.

He keeps walking—shoulders hunched, eyes wild—until he reaches one of the city's busiest streets. Towering LED screens, holographic ads, the heartbeat of the city screaming overhead. A wall of people moves in every direction, shoulder to shoulder, thick with noise and heat.

But as he steps into the crowd, something changes.

People recoil.

Not just out of fear—instinct.

They flinch away, parting like water, refusing to brush against him. Some freeze. Others pull their phones out, filming, whispering.

"What the hell is that?" Someone mutters nearby, voice trembling.

He doesn’t stop. He pushes forward, deeper into the current of bodies.

Bright lights strobe above, billboards cycling ads too fast for his scrambled brain to process. Music booms from overhead speakers—bass vibrating through the ground. It’s all too much, too fast. Too loud.

Then—a surge.

It starts in his chest.

A sudden jolt, like lightning trapped behind his ribs.

His body seizes. Back arches. A pulse of raw energy erupts from his skin.

The world glitches.

Screens above flicker, then black out. Music cuts. Phones in people’s hands snap to static before dying altogether. Lights burst in a chain, throwing the street into chaos.

Screams ripple through the crowd.

Someone shouts! "He’s gonna blow!"

Panic erupts. People scatter. Running, shouting, pushing to escape the pulse zone.

And there he stands, alone in the chaos, glowing faintly—skin shimmering like a broken fuse, eyes flickering with electricity.

"What the hell is that?!"

Haechan panics.

The surge of energy, the crackling static within him—it's all too much. He feels small again. Small, like that man everyone ignored at work. Invisible. The one no one noticed until he made a mistake. The one no one cared about until something went wrong.

This—this is wrong. This is out of control.

He's terrified. His heart races in his chest, but there's no rhythm. Just static. Just pulses of power he can’t contain.

He tries to pull it back. To force it in—like he's controlling a fire that’s far too hot to touch. But his body doesn't listen. It doesn’t obey him anymore. His fingers twitch, crackling with raw energy, and the ground beneath him hums with an intensity that makes his knees weak.

He stumbles backward, desperate to escape the chaos he's causing, but his foot collides with something—metal.

A car.

The alarm blares to life with a deafening shriek. Sparks fly from the hood, crackling like a storm unleashed.

“I didn’t mean to—! I’m sorry—!” His voice cracks, barely a whisper under the cacophony. His apology is useless. The words are swallowed by the panic building in his chest, the fear that everyone will see the mistake. The mistake he can't take back.

But it’s too late. The damage is done.

People scream and scatter, running in all directions like ants in a storm. The street becomes a blur of motion, every person for themselves, every face a mirror of fear. He’s nothing but a walking disaster.

And then...

Something shifts in the air.

The pressure changes, like the city itself just held its breath.

A sudden blur streaks down from the rooftops, a sharp contrast of red and blue slicing through the chaos. Time slows. The crowd stills mid-panic, turning as if pulled by instinct. Even the static in Haechan's chest falters for a split second, like it recognizes what's coming.

The figure lands hard. Not light, solid. Intentional. Boots slam against pavement with a crack that silences the street. Dust scatters. Car alarms glitch. Neon lights flicker and freeze.

The air goes cold.

The crowd stares, wide-eyed, unsure whether to run or watch. The figure stands, back straight, shoulders squared, head tilted just slightly like he’s scanning everything at once.

A spider symbol gleams against his chest, black against red, as the last sparks from Haechan’s surge crackle in the silence.

Haechan blinks, breath ragged, barely holding himself upright.

He doesn’t need to ask who it is.

He already knows.

Spider-Man.

Never in a million years would he thin he'd have Spider-Man's full attention like this. But it's only because of these unfortunate circumstances. Would he ever stand like this in front of Mark if he was not a monster? If he was... normal.

NOVACORP - FLASHBACK - NIGHT OF ACCIDENT

The storm outside rages. Thunder rattles the windows as you sprint down the dim hallway, heart pounding. Fluorescent lights flicker above like they're short-circuiting in warning.

Your phone is clutched tight in your hand, Haechan’s last text still glowing on the screen: Don’t worry. Just a quick fix :)

But something’s wrong- the sound that happened a while ago- didn't sound good.

You round a corner- BOOM!

A sharp, deafening explosion rocks the floor beneath you. The blast echoes from below, smoke spiraling up the stairwell like a ghost. You stumble, choking on the burning smell of melted wires and scorched metal. But that doesn't stop you. In fact that blast only makes your heart beat faster as you race down the emergency stairwell toward Sub-Level Maintenance, lungs aching, heart in your throat. "Please be okay." But the closer you get, the more the air vibrates with heat—charged and angry.

A little creak and the building shakes one more time- it's when you hear the emergency alarm ringing- but you don't exit. Haechan is still down here!

A second surge hums beneath the tiles just as you hit the bottom steps and then suddenly, the floor ahead erupts in a flash of blue light.

But before it can reach you-

A web snaps across your chest, yanking you backwards.

Automatically you grip onto the web attached to you and scream-

Arms wrap around you just in time. The hallway explodes behind, a wall of flame and shattered tiles. You barely process it before you're in the air, cradled against Spider-Man’s chest, city lights spinning through the broken glass of the building’s windows.

Mark swings you to safety on the rooftop across from NovaCorp.

He lowers you gently, boots landing with a soft thud against the adjacent rooftop. Your feet touch the ground, but your legs barely hold. You’re shaking, breath hitching in your throat, adrenaline still screaming through your veins.

Your eyes are wide, glazed with shock.

"No- no, why did you save me?" You cry out, pushing against his chest, weakly. "Haechan was in there- he was right there-"

You spin toward the scene behind you.

The side of the NovaCorp building is burning. Smoke pours from the sub-level access point. Part of the wall has caved in, twisted metal curling outward like jagged teeth. Something had detonated.

You step toward the edge of the rooftop, tears flooding your eyes, hand covering your mouth as the reality starts to sink in.

"He was right there…" Your voice breaks, barely a whisper. "He said he’d be quick. I should’ve- I should’ve gone sooner-"

Spider-Man... Mark...says nothing at first.

He stands still, like the weight of the building behind him is now pressing down on his back. His breathing is heavy... he's not even wearing his mask, but it takes everything in him to be controlled and not let his face reveal his emotions... his face gets tight. Measured like someone trying not to let too much slip.

You feel the tremble in him. It’s faint. Most people wouldn’t even notice. But you do.

You always have.

He should say something. Anything. But he doesn’t. Maybe because he knows, deep down, no words will matter right now. Not when your voice is already breaking for someone else.

His hands curl at his sides, not from anger… but from the ache he’s tried so hard to ignore.

Because he remembers the first time you walked into the company lobby. Bright-eyed. Coffee in hand. Lost, but smiling anyway. He remembers thinking finally! Like maybe the world was shifting in his favor for once. Like maybe the universe had quietly lined up a reason to breathe easier again.

And then you started hanging out with Haechan... before Mark had a chance to even make a move.

You started sitting next to Haechan. Started laughing with him. Started staying late.

And Mark stayed back.

Now, you're here in his arms, but really it's not really him you're reaching for.

It's... Haechan.

He feels it in the way you say his name like a prayer. In the way your body twists toward the building even though you're safe already. In the way you keep whispering: "He said he’d be quick. I should’ve gone sooner."

So Mark stands there. Steady. Silent.

Because maybe being Spider-Man means always saving the people you care about—even if they never realize you're the one who cares the most.

"You wouldn’t have made it," He finally says, voice low but certain. "If I hadn't pulled you out… you’d be gone too."

But it doesn’t comfort you.

You clutch your chest, as if trying to hold yourself together. The sirens in the distance start to swell. The firelight flickers in your eyes. Somewhere deep down, you’re already wondering:

Is Haechan gone?

THE NEXT MORNING

A scrolling newsfeed plays, for the whole city to see.

BREAKING: NovaCorp Shuts Down HQ for Reconstruction After a catastrophic power failure and unexplained sub-level explosion, NovaCorp has issued a temporary building shutdown. All employees will transition to remote work until further notice.

You sit at your home desk, staring at the screen in disbelief.

You dial your senior Irene's number. "Hi… I—I was just wondering. About Haechan. Is he—?"

"He’s in the hospital." comes the response. “We don’t know much. They moved him to a private facility for further care.”

-

OSCRP MEDICAL WING – NIGHT

Cold. Clinical. Quiet.

Mark stands in a glass observation room with Dr. Kim Doyoung beside him, staring at the figure on the medical table.

Haechan.

Or what’s left of him.

Burned. Hooked up to a web of machines. Pulses of blue light flicker through his veins like stuttering lightning bolts. He doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak.

"He shouldn’t be alive," Doyoung says quietly, arms folded. "The current—it’s… flowing through him. Not just residual energy. It’s like he’s generating it."

Mark’s fists clench. "What are you saying?"

"We don’t know," Doyoung admits. "His body’s rejecting normal treatment. We’re trying to stabilize him, study him… see if we can reverse whatever this is."

Mark watches through the glass at Haechan's body.

[PRESENT: STREET SQUARE - NIGHT - LATER]

It's been 2 weeks.

You're walking after hours of staring at the monitor, working remotely. Sure, it had its perks but tonight, your mind wouldn't settle. So you walked, hoping the night air might shake off the exhaustion.

No destination. Just motion. Shoes hitting pavement in soft rhythm as the city hums around you, quiet in this part of town, save for the occasional passing car and the distant flicker of neon signs. The wind brushes past your jacket. Your fingers twitch by your sides.

You've been walking more lately. Late at night. When the silence lets your thoughts get loud again.

And tonight, like most nights lately, those thoughts circle back to him.

Haechan.

You don’t know what hurts more: not knowing what really happened, or the growing fear that no one’s telling you the truth.

Your breath curls in the air.

You’re just about to turn back when you hear someone shouting-coming from a few streets down. Followed by the sharp fizz and crackle of blown streetlights. A buzz, then a pop. Electricity snarling through the air.

You hesitate.

Another scream. A wave of voices rising in fear.

You wouldn’t have cared- until you see it. A blur of movement above, landing on the rooftop with that unmistakable grace. Red and blue. And no mask.

Mark.

Your feet are moving before you fully realize. Past the fence. Down the alley. Toward the chaos- like something in you is being pulled there. Drawn by instinct. By fate. You've been wanting to speak to Mark for some time - regarding Haechan, but you were just not able to get a hold of him. So seeing him now- running after him- you're eager to get answers... well after he resolves whatever issue seems to have caused a commotion.

People scatter around you. Some shouting, others backing away fast, clutching their phones and ducking for cover. A car alarm is wailing nearby, headlights flickering in frantic rhythm.

And then... you freeze.

At first, you don’t know what you’re looking at.

The crowd parts around it like it carries disease. Something… is standing there, half-hidden in the broken light, sparks crackling faintly off its skin. It's tall, hunched, something about it shivering with static.

Your breath catches in your throat.

It looks... wrong.

Not quite human. Not anymore.

One side of its face is twisted, scorched like melted wax. The other side flickers with faint blue light, veins pulsing beneath the surface like tangled wires. Its eye glitches, blinking in and out, like a machine barely clinging to life.

You instinctively take a step back, heart thundering. The twist in your stomach sharpens.

Is this… the thing causing the chaos?

A monster?

And then you hear the whispers around you, by on lookers. "What is that? A monster?" The words are like venom, but as your eyes lock on its face… something shifts.

Fear wavers—just for a second.

Because behind the damage, behind the light and ruin... there’s something… familiar.

He’s standing alone- jolts of static dancing across his arms like nervous twitches. His posture is all wrong. Shoulders hunched like he's trying to shrink himself down. His skin glows faintly, wires pulsing beneath the surface, flickers of blue crawling like veins made of lightning.

And his face...

One half burned and twisted, raw and exposed. The other? Glitching. Flickering. Electric. But even through the warping light, you feel something claw its way into your chest.

Something familiar.

Before you can speak, Mark drops down- a distance away from the figure. Voice calm but edged. "Hey, Sparkles. Saw you causing a bit of a light show. Everything okay here?"

The figure flinches. The sparks around his arms fizzle for a second.

"I- I di-didn’t mean to-" The voice comes out cracked. Faintly laced with static. But you freeze.

Your breath leaves your lungs like a punch to the chest.

Because that voice...

You know that voice.

Mark steps forward cautiously. His tone sharpens. "What’s your name?"

The figure lifts his head slightly. Twitching. Crackling. His gaze flicks toward Mark.

"You don't… remember me?" It asks, voice trembling. "You don't know me?"

Mark's brow furrows. "Should I?"

But the figure doesn’t respond.

Not right away.

He turns his head to the side suddenly, like his mind is catching up to something faster than his body. And then his gaze shifts-

And lands on you.

Everything in him halts. The current running through his arms stutters violently. His eyes widen- one flickering with light, the other burned beyond recognition.

You step back unintentionally, hand flying to your mouth, being afraid... but only for a second, because behind those electric eyes... you'd know him anywhere.

Even now.

"Haechan?" You call his name, voice fragile, breaking at the edges. You're completely vulnerable.

Mark's head spins towards you when hearing the name, disbelief washing across his face.

"Haechan? No," He breathes. "He died. I saw him die."

But the figure...let's out a broken cry.... A bitter, broken exhale that sounds more like a sob caught in static. "They let me die." His voice shakes. "I woke up in a drawer. In the mortuary. With a tag on my toe. In a drawer with nobody. With no one coming. Just me. Alone."

You take a step forward, your hand still shaking over your mouth. "Haechan- how are you alive? What happened to you?"

Before he can speak, Mark moves closer. Protective now. Careful.

"Y/N, stay back."

But you barely hear Mark.

You can't take your eyes off Haechan. He looks like he’s being held together by sparks and grief. Like he's still trying to remember how to be human.

He turns toward you. His voice softer now. "I don't."

Mark steps between you both, voice more certain now.

"We're going to help you. I promise. Just stay with me, alright?"

But Haechan doesn’t answer.

He just looks at you.

And for the first time since he woke up, he feels seen. Not just the static. Not just the damage. But the boy who texted you from a stairwell. The one who promised he’d be quick.

But then the smoke curls off the asphalt. A streetlight explodes. Sirens wail in the distance, too slow, too many.

People scream and scatter.

Haechan stands in the midst of the chaos, trembling violently. His energy crackles around him like a storm waiting to burst, flashes of lightning sparking off his body. He doesn’t mean to hurt anyone, but fear surges through him, causing his powers to spiral out of control. Every movement sends sparks flying—through nearby poles, across cars, into the puddles at his feet, each burst sending shockwaves of electricity through the air.

"Haechan, don't move!" Mark’s voice cuts through the panic, his eyes frantically scanning the scene. With a flick of his wrist, webs shoot out, catching bystanders and pulling them out of harm’s way, but he can only do so much. Every burst of energy from Haechan seems to burn everything it touches. The car behind him smolders, the ground sizzles beneath his feet, and the air is thick with crackling tension.

The sound of sirens echoes, and the police arrive—guns drawn, ready for action.

"PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!" An officer barks, pointing a weapon directly at Haechan.

"Wait, please—" Haechan’s voice shakes with panic, desperation clear in every word.

"Mark help him!" You shout- fear heightening around you.

Mark’s voice cuts through the noise, sharp and commanding. "Officer Na, don’t shoot! Get your men to stand down!"

But Officer Na stands firm, his voice cold as ice. "I can’t do that, Mark."

Before anyone can react, the first shot is fired.

In that split second, everything changes. Haechan’s energy surges uncontrollably—

His body glowing with a blinding light as the bullet strikes his force field, ricocheting off him. It's like a chain reaction- bullets firing in every direction, flying past in a deadly spiral. Haechan's fear and scared whimpers making him more dangerous than anyone can anticipate.

The scene erupts into chaos. You duck instinctively, heart pounding in your chest as bullets whiz past. Mark moves in a blur- almost like the flash, his webs flying, catching the bullets mid-air and dragging them away from innocent bystanders. People scream, running in every direction, their eyes wide with terror.

And then, in the midst of it all - Thwip!

A web shoots out, wrapping around Haechan, lifting him off the ground with a sharp tug. He’s yanked into the air, his body suspended as he flies through the night- past buildings, neon lights blurring by in streaks of color, the wind howling in his ears. His body jerks awkwardly as he’s pulled into the air, arms tangled with Mark’s web - as Mark Lee swings and uses his strength to hold and pull.

Mark Lee is breathing heavily, his grip tightens on the webbing, his focus sharp, determined to get them both out of this mess alive. Haechan's fear is palpable as he's whimpering and choking on his own breath, his energy still surging out of control, but now, he’s nothing but a passenger as Mark swings him through the city’s skyline, the sounds of the chaos fading behind them.

But then, without warning, Haechan’s energy spikes. His electric current surges up the web, coursing through the strands with blinding intensity. The shock hits Mark like a jolt of lightning, and his body convulses, muscles locking in painful spasms. His breath catches as the electricity courses through him, leaving him no control.

With a strangled grunt, Mark's grip on the web falters—his fingers twitching violently as he loses all control over his movements. The impact sends both of them hurtling downward, crashing into a narrow alley behind a skatepark. The world spins in a blur of lights and shadows, and then the ground slams into them both.

Mark lets go of Haechan in an instant, the electric current fading as Haechan slumps against the cold concrete. His body is stiff, breath ragged, limbs twitching with the aftershock of the surge. He’s disoriented—shaking from the impact, but more so from the way his mind is beginning to spiral.

"I'm sorry- I'm sorry- I didn't mean it-" Haechan's voice cracks, trembles with panic, his words jumbling together in a mess of regret, guilt, and confusion. He stares down at Mark, whose chest rises and falls sharply, struggling to catch his breath.

The lingering shock pulses through his own limbs, and the hum of static is more than just a sensation now. It’s in his mind. His brain is buzzing, pulsing with energy, like there's too much—too much for him to hold together.

Mark takes a shaky breath, propping himself up. He's still dazed, but somehow trying to sound calm. "It's okay, man. We're safe… for now." His voice is raw, like every word costs him, but he pushes on. "Are you okay?"

Haechan doesn’t hear the reassurance. Instead...

In the silence... the static sounds electrify his mind... which becomes too loud. It’s all noise, static, flashing images, fractured thoughts that feel like a storm swirling inside his skull. He can't grasp onto anything solid. His eyes flicker, moving over Mark’s form, but it’s not just Mark.

It's everything.

"Hey man, it's just us-" Mark sits up watching cautiously and nervously as the electric current frizzles around Haechan... "Can you try to keep it under control?"

Why did Mark do it? Why did he save him?

The words echo, crash, shatter in his head.

Why? Why? Why?

Haechan’s breath hitches, his chest tightens. There’s a pressure building, an overwhelming surge, like every part of his mind is fighting to break free. He looks at Mark, but Mark's gaze is hazy, blurry. He's trying to steady himself, but Haechan can’t focus. Everything is too loud. Too fast.

And then it hits him.

You screamed.

He sees it again, slower this time. He remembers it like a freeze-frame. You- screaming his name, desperate, just before the chaos erupted. You cared.

But did Mark even know his name?

Haechan stares at the ground, his hands clenched, muscles tightening as his brain churns. The static is growing. The hum in his ears is getting louder.

Did Mark only save me because you yelled?

He replays it again in his mind- the moment time slowed. The shots, the tasers, the fear, the panic. You shouting for help, and then Mark, like a reflex, leaping into action.

But there’s something—something not right.

Mark didn’t look at him like that before. Never. Why now?

And that's where the voices inside his head start to spiral.

'He doesn’t even know your name. He’s just reacting. You’re nothing to him. No. This isn’t right. You’re not safe. You’re not safe with him.'

The static in his head spikes. His heart races. He feels the power rising inside him- screaming for release. The world around him tilts, spinning with every thought. Mark didn't care until you screamed.

His breath catches in his throat. His hands shake. He steps back, subconsciously retreating from Mark, but his mind is drowning in noise. The electric current pulses through his veins like wildfire, erratic and uncontrollable.

He looks at Mark again—his form blurry, distorted in his vision. "What did you say?"

Mark shakes his head- trying to stand up. "I didn't say anything- bro calm down-"

'He's going to turn me in?'

Haechan’s voice trembles, barely above a whisper, but it feels like it’s breaking through a wall of sound.

Mark's just staring at him, trying to process everything. But something in Mark's gaze shifts. He's caught between wanting to reassure Haechan and the very real danger he's facing.

And that’s when Haechan feels it- a rush of static, a crackling pressure in his skull. He's losing grip. His mind is fracturing, breaking apart under the weight of the power. "Am I alive? What did you say?"

'They're all the same. You can’t trust anyone. You can’t trust Mark.'

The pressure in his head builds until it feels like everything is going to explode. His chest is tight, his mind overloaded. It’s like he can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t make sense of any of it.

But in the middle of all that chaos, there’s one clear thought cutting through the madness:

'Mark saved me because of her. Not because I matter.'

A tremor runs through Haechan's body, his hands shaking violently. He takes a step back again, this time with more purpose, his voice barely audible, laced with desperation. "You- you're just gonna turn me in?" His heart pounds in his ears. His mind is a blur. The static surges again.

Mark stares at him, caught between the weight of the question and the storm raging inside his head. He opens his mouth, but no words come.

And Haechan watches him. The static intensifies. His power crackles.

Everything is about to break.

FLASHBACK – NOVACOPRS CAFETERIA – THE FIRST TIME

Haechan, wiping grease off his hands, quietly munching and listening to you. And then Mark walks in with that effortless swagger, but his gaze skips past Haechan.

Straight to you.

You are laughing with your tablet open as you tell Haechan some technical joke, bright eyes and sharper wit.

Mark smiles at you. And then he sits next to you. "That sounds like a pretty funny joke."

He only said hi to Haechan when you introduced him.

"It is, uhm this is Haechan, he basically keeps this place from burning down."

"Cool," Mark said, polite, friendly. But never curious. Never real.

BACK TO PRESENT – ALLEY – NIGHT

Haechan looks at Mark, who's leaning against the wall, pained, trying to steady his breathing. "You didn’t save me," Haechan mutters.

Mark lifts his head, confused. "What? Are you talking about?"

"You saved me because she was watching."

"Haechan, I think the currents are frying your brain. Let's keep it together, focus on me-"

"You wouldn’t have cared if she hadn’t screamed."

Mark struggles to stand straighter suddenly understanding what Haechan's blabber is about... you. "That’s not true." He says.

"It is. I saw the way you looked at her." His voice cracks like the static crawling over his skin. Blue light flickers off his face. He’s shaking... but not from fear. Anger?

"You're not thinking straight, man—" Mark pleads, holding himself steady, fists clenched, trying to reason with him.

"You always saw her," Haechan spits back, sparks crawling up his arms. "I was just… the guy behind the machine."

Mark opens his mouth, ready to argue, but—

"Haechan?"

Your voice.

You finally find them—breathless, wide-eyed, your steps hesitant as you reach the mouth of the rooftop.

You freeze when you see them. Mark tense, bruised. Haechan standing in the middle of scorched concrete, surrounded by buzzing streetlights and lightning-stained air.

"You're okay..." you start, relief slipping into your voice- But then you see his face.

His skin scorched, split, glowing with electricity. One eye flickering. The other, hollow with something darker.

"Do I really look okay?" He says, broken. Bitter. "Do I even look alive?"

You swallow, your eyes brimming with tears.

"All I ever wanted was to be seen. By someone. But not like this. Not like this. Look at me!"

"I am looking," You whisper. "Just- just don't panic. We're going to find help, I swear."

Mark steps forward, voice low and urgent. "Y/n, stay back. He’s not thinking straight-he's dangerous."

But Haechan doesn’t stop.

He takes another step toward you, slow, deliberate. His body trembles, static weaving through his skin like veins of fire.

"He’s already dead," Mark says quietly, as if realzing that Haechan is just walking enegry- not a living, breathing soul. "That’s not Haechan anymore. That's just a body dragging what’s left of his humanity."

Lightning cracks across the sky.

And it begins- Haechan's years of pent up anger and frustration. "You get bit and turn to a hero! I get killed and you try to bury me! Why is it always me? Why can't I get the happy ending! Why!"

Haechan throws the first pulse—an electric burst surging toward Mark. Mark flips backward, webs slinging fast, dodging the blast. The rooftop lights blow out in a blink, darkness swallowing the space between each movement.

"Haechan, stop!" You cry, dodging falling debris.

But he doesn't hear you. Or maybe he does and chooses not to listen.

Mark retaliates, a rapid shot of webs pinning Haechan's arm. "I don’t want to hurt you man," he grits out.

"You already did!" Haechan screams- almost crying.

You move forward, hands up.

Electricity bursts from Haechan’s chest. Mark fires a web- grabbing you and yanking you both upward. The blast follows. Doesn’t stop.

Haechan launches after, caught in his own storm - Haechan's bolts cause him to fly up and stumble on the roof- getting on Mark trying to kill him. Mark is flung back, groaning, but rebounds. More webs. More sparks. The air fills with smoke and lightning- Both Haechan and Mark fighting- Mark dodging mostly - and Haechan in bursts.

"Haechan, please- this isn't you!"

And for a second- before he can release another pulse of lightning toward Mark- he looks at you.

His body twitches.

"Y/n… You're the only one who's ever truly seen me..." His voice weakens. "But I'm so tired- so sad..." Then a scream—energy builds in his chest. Unstable. Overloaded.

Mark sees it. His eyes go wide. "He's gonna blow!"

Haechan stumbles, clutching his chest. "I didn't mean to- I didn't mean for any of this—"

The rooftop edge where Haechan stands gives out and... while Mark watches as...

Haechan falls.

He sees you... you—

You jump.

Without thinking. Without pausing. You leap after him.

"Y/n!" Mark screams, launching off the roof.

His web fires.

Time slows.

You fall through the air, hair sweeping around you. Haechan below, helpless and broken. Mark above, reaching, reaching—

Thwip.

The web catches you.

But the snap is too strong. A violent jolt. Your body jerks midair like a marionette without strings...

Mark lands hard. Scrambles to pull you in. He's shaking.

"Y/n- Y/n, look at me-"

Your body is still.

No breath.

No heartbeat.

Haechan's body lies in the alley below, sparks fading like dying stars.

Mark kneels over you, breathless.

The city around him hums. Quiet. Oblivious.

He stays there, your body in his arms, the night swallowing everything else.

Two people gone.

One by accident.

One by choice.

And a hero left with the weight of it all.

[END]

[technologyculturedneo]

ONCE UPON A FULL MOON

(Na Jaemin | Nct dream, 127, wayv, wish)

Pairing. Na Jaemin! Incubus vampire x OC Haeyeon!Siren x Lee Donghyuck! Werewolf x Jaehyun!Vampire x Lee Taeyong! Warlock (ft Lee Jeno!human)

Synopsis. One full moon, Jaemin and his girlfriend Haeyeon, visit there friend Donghyuck out in the open woods. What they expect is a normal night to talk and catch up - however it soon turns dark when Donghyuck and Jaemin's bodies begin to transform into something unearthly. Waking up in new bodies with new abilities, they're forced to leave their ordinary world behind. While Donghyuck is willing, Jaemin does not want to give up the one perfectly good thing in his life, and that's his girlfriend Haeyeon.

Genre. Supernatural meets humans. Dark romance. Fantasy & Mythology. Toxic relationships. Heartbreak.

Warnings. Mentions of mystical creatures religions etc.

An AO3 Exclusive Book

Regular updates: Monday - Friday

AO3 Chapter link:

Chapter 1: Prologue (link here) - Chapter 2: Hidden Takes (link here) - Chapter 3: New Feelings Meet Old Feelings (link here) - Chapter 4: Hello Full Moon (link here) - Chapter 5: New Me (link here) - Chapter 6: The Next Morning (link here) - Chapter 7: Packing Up (link here) - Chapter 8: Really Goodbye (link here) - Chapter 9: Break Up (link here) - Chapter 10: Baggage's (link here) - Chapter 11: Surrounded By Darkness (link here) - Chapter 12: Taste of something New (link here) - Chapter 13: Goodbye, goodbye (link here) - Chapter 14: Hello, hello (link here) - Chapter 15: Good to see you (link here) - Chapter 16: Ten and Kisses (link here) - Chapter 17: Mother (link here) - Chapter 18: All is found (link here) Chapter 19: Not yet posted Chapter 20: Not yet posted Chapter 21: Not yet posted Chapter 22: Not yet posted Chapter 23: Not yet posted Chapter 24: Not yet posted Chapter 25: Not yet posted Chapter 26: Not yet posted Chapter 27: Not yet posted Chapter 28: Not yet posted

Here's a little snippet.

Preview: The first Change

20:00

"I thought it'd be cold tonight," Jaemin mutters walking hand in hand with Haeyeon. "But it's not,"

"That's because you're here." Haeyeon smiles briefly fixing her eyes on their intertwined hands.

"That's so cheesy," he chuckles. "Donghyuck's influencing you badly,"

"Cheesy or not it's true," she mentions playfully swinging his hand that's in her's, back and forth. "You're the one who brings warmth to this cold earth. You bring warmth to my heart too. Without you by my side, can you imagine how different the weather would feel? It'd be dark, cold... emotionless."

Haeyeon turns her head towards him. Every time their eyes met, she was sure that something changed, the adoration for him grew and it became harder to hide it. Even right now in this moment with his eyes twinkling and her heart beating fast a fond energy emerges in her. She was falling for him harder then ever.

His hand lifts up to the side of her cheek patting it lightly. "You're not going to lose me, you're my missing puzzle piece," he sings softly.

Softly she places his hand over her chest to feel her heart. No words come out when his palm feels the quick beating of her heart. A radiating beam displayed on both their faces, this happiness felt too good to be true, almost like a dream. He gently slides his hand up her chest to cup her cheek. Gently running his thumb over her lips he begins to stare trying not to kiss her but instantly gives in leaving a light plant over her lips. Her hands slowly trail up his neck into his hair.

Jaemin grins pulling away bringing Haeyeon in front of him wrapping his arms in front of her as they walk further to their destination, into the woods talking lightly about what would happen. All thoughts of the steamy make out of earlier is replaced by this new warming kiss.

"We're almost there," Jaemin mutters. They got further and further away from the twinkling lights of the city, now following a dirty path into the depth of length long and wide trees. By now Mother Kim would start worrying but Haeyeon already excused herself. She thought it wouldn't be that long but the pin drop of where Donghyuck wanted them to meet was far away from civilization. Her legs feel wobbly and they ache but she pulls through hoping that the light leg cramps would go away. Why only now? She internally groans.

Similarly, Jaemin's heart beat quickens every second and his stomach twits and turns uncomfortably. He gulps down his own saliva trying his hardest not to reveal his pain and discomfort. They both knew why they were there, even if they worried about how the night would turn out or if they could hold their own pain in- they were there for Donghyuck. Their friend who would put off everything to be there for them.

Soon enough on the ground with a bag and a blanket stretched open with a small telescope and recording camera they find Donghyuck in the middle of it all, surrounded by a stretch of trees.

"I can't believe you packed all this," Haeyeon starts ignoring the pain over her knee but runs non the less to Donghyuck. "Are we pulling an all-nighter with you or what?"

Donghyuck with a keen spirit joyously brings her into a tight hug. "Haeyeon! Man I've missed you so much,"

Haeyeon dips her head into his shoulder holding him securely. "I've missed you more,"

"I've missed him more- she said. Mhm, that's why you didn't call or text, nothing." He sticks his head up snobbishly playfully sulking refusing to hug her back– although his arms instantly hold onto her when her legs buckle causing her to nearly fall. "Wo- are you okay?"

Jaemin is quick behind her holding her waist for support. "Easy, easy. Babe, you good?"

"Yeah, sorry," She nods her head holding onto Jaemin's arms. "I think I'm worn from the walk, I'm fine now, thanks guys. Nonetheless why are we here and not in your room?" She swiftly dismisses the topic of her legs, already being used to the little wobbles but not wanting to scare the guys -she skips to the man of the hour. Donghyuck brightens up getting back to the spot on the dirty soil on top of the blanket.

"This is where I always find myself after the full moon. This spot exactly," he explains he shows them a tree that had sharp marks. "Look here,"

Haeyeon leans in closer with Jaemin right behind her. Still with his hands around her waist, his head places itself comfortably on her shoulder to keep her balance.

"What is that?" They ask in unison.

"Perhaps a mark to claim territory. I have reason to believe I did this. I don't know, but it's clear that whatever did this isn't human. That's why I'm here," Donghyuck nods assuring them that it's him. "I didn't think you guys were gonna come,"

"Why wouldn't we come?" Jaemin mumbles and shifts uncomfortably due to the pain slowly churning in him. He immediately plants himself deeper in between her shoulder leaving a light kiss on her neck. His body quivers after he gulps down to try controlling the abnormal stir in his stomach.

Despite all the pain he's going through, he doesn't even notice the big bright smile that makes it's way onto Donghyuck's face. Donghyuck always loved sharing things that he found interesting with his friends.

"Sorry about yesterday," he calmly blurts out, owning up to his mistake.

Jaemin acknowledges the sincerity in Donghyuck's voice. Jaemin shakes his head giving a pained smile. His body was slowly failing him. "It's okay. What are we waiting for?" His body twitches.

"Babe, are you okay?" Haeyeon asks, detecting her boyfriend's mediocre yet strange movements.

Jaemin nods his head forcing a smile. "Let's just get this over with,"

"Right."

“Right,” Donghyuck nods his head pointing to the clouds. “See the clouds blocking the moon. I predict that once the moon is revealed then- Jaemin!”

Jaemin falls to the ground letting out an earsplitting screech. Haeyeon’s eyes widen when she crouches beside her boyfriend trying to hold his face in her hands but he cruelly shoves her away dragging himself hard against the tree panting roughly.

Her attention snaps to Donghyuck hearing bones cracking witnessing his body tumbling to the floor as he yelps and groans. “Donghyuck!”

She runs towards him but stands still in shock when his eyes turn from black to a sharp heavy and dangerously glowing hazel brown. He lowly shrieks out slobber running down his chin from the breaking and creaking sounds that come from his mouth when larger and bigger teeth grow. She gaps in horror watching the bleeding gums and his mouth full of slobber blubbering.

“Get- syringe now!” He yelps rolling on his back completely manifesting agony.

She collects herself from the shockwave running to his bag on the floor but halts after hearing her boyfriend yelling heatedly. Her attention lingers between the two boys watching them in agony. While Donghyuck’s body eccentrically grew wider and ripped through his heavy padded jacket and skinny jeans, Jaemin’s posture was bent over on his knees with his appearance shining and sparkling towards the moon as he excessively bellowed in throbbing pain when sharp long fangs emerged from his mouth and his jaw stretched wider to accommodates the thrashing line of sharp teeth that grew inside.

Haeyeon stumbles back in panicked fear hearing the two male figures suffering with every hit from the moon. She unsteadily crawls over to Donghyuck’s bag briskly swiping through everything trying to look for the syringe. As she dug thoroughly she didn't notice that now the full moon was on full display and not hidden in some parts of the cloud.

She finally gets the colored blue liquid in the sharp needle stick, the syringe, from his bag about to dash to him and his mutating nearly naked figure rolling and howling- unexpectedly her limbs give up on her and she thumps hard on the dirty soil. It’s enough for Donghyuck’s transfigured long lanky body to leap to her trapping her underneath him- slobber drenching on her face.

The slimy tall mutated thing growls with force causing her to bursts in terror screaming for her life. His growl is short lived when a huge force collides into him pushing him away from her. In return she’s covered by the force and hears a whimpering snarl bitterly from the thing that pushed Donghyuck.

Haeyeon’s eyes peek open to the thing in front of her, but widen when seeing it’s Jaemin panting heavily and his body looks so built in his almost torn shirt that work hard to contain all his physiques. She’s about to rejoice that Jaemin saved her however his head hastily turns towards her with infusing red eyes staring maliciously.

There’s a dangerous smirk placed on his lips when he grabs her neck and his snake like tongue slithers out and licks over her lips paralyzing her, her eyes are hooked onto his demonic red eyes and a long line that represented his iris. She stutters in fear.

“J-Jaemin- pl-please.”

Tears cover her eyes as she struggles to breathe under his harsh grip around her neck as he lifted her up smelling her body. His own body trembled with pleasure as a coursing strength and energy flowed through him, what was this? He felt alive and new.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, I’d never hurt you.” His snake like tongue springs out of his mouth bringing her closer to his face. “I just want to kiss you... I want to taste you. I want you. Oh sweetheart, you're making me hungry. I kept thinking about us this morning after that kiss. You woke me up you know, and for that I say thank you. Let me taste you,” he darkly laughs but is knocked over by an almost hairy mutated being that screeches.

Jaemin’s fangs spike and he hisses towards the mutated Donghyuck. Even in pain of a slow transformation and struggling to control himself, Donghyuck saw that his friend, Jaemin wasn’t the same anymore... In his body he saw Jaemin as a threat.

Haeyeon falls and hurts herself badly but still holds onto her neck shaking as tears pour out her eyes. That is not Jaemin! What was going on? Was she going to die? Just then her breathing is short when a nasty cough makes its way up to her throat and dots begin to cover her eyes.

She makes out Jaemin, using his forceful hands clashing dangerously with the mutated Donghyuck? She was confused, although Jaemin looked like himself but a more demonic version with red reptile eyes, a bit more strikingly handsome face, and his body looking built in strength and strong- with extensive large fangs poking out his mouth and a screeching hiss- Donghyuck looked nothing close to human. He looked disfigured and broken with hair sticking out parts of his slimy body. Her eyes fail to analyze more and her body collapses on the ground passing out.

From a distance Taeyong parks his jeep as he and Taeil come out with large chains.

“Do you hear that?” Taeyong asks hearing abnormal shrieks and grunts. “Sounds to me like we’re opening our doors to new students.”

“What a mess.” Taeil announces hiking towards the passed out girl on the ground. Taeyong rapidly paces towards the two aggressively fighting beings pulling his hands apart with a direct force knocking both Jaemin and Donghyuck against a tree.

“You can say that again,” Taeyong mutters clapping his hands chanting a spell. “Sereto Di Ma Freebros.”

Taeil gets up from the ground moving closer to Donghyuck, and his half fleshly half slimy growing body.

“Damn he’s still transforming. Doesn’t he feel pain?” Taeil asks as he draws closer with a large chained leash. He throws it around Donghyuck’s neck just as Donghyuck frantically growls vigorously shaking his head. Taeil hands the chain to Taeyong. “Must be his first transformation.”

“Metoram Eert Eht Dnuora.” He chants and the chain spikes going tightly around the tree. “Fabu.”

Donghyuck is set free from that invisible bound that held him. He tries to pounce towards Taeil and Taeyong but is pulled back by the chain. He groans in pain getting down on his knees as he’s fingers grew freakishly long and the bones on his back broke and developed getting larger. Nothing could stop him from yelling in discomfort and in anguish as his body and bones kept breaking and forming into something that was inhumane. His last pant as a human was unheard by anyone but Donghyuck felt it himself that the pain would finally stop when his vision enhanced and he saw everything clearly. He tried to speak but what came out was a vulgar bark. His full figure was large and grown into a full black-

“Werewolf? You’ve got to be kidding. Those things exist?”

Both Taeil and Taeyong’s heads snap to the tree behind where Jaemin looked unexpectedly calm with a sickening smirk as he spoke.

“So he was right. He’s a werewolf.”

Taeyong continues to stare Jaemin down but his conversation is directed to Taeil. “He looks like a vampire, but I’ve never seen one like him in years.”

“That’s because he’s an Incubus Vampire. Long Fangs, bloodshot red reptile eyes, clear skin- he’s known for being the highest vampire if we’re speaking hierarchy level.” Taeil states with his knowledge. “He’s ancient, a creature capable to extract vital energy from their victim through dreams at the same time using seduction based tricks by draining their vital energy by drinking the victims’ blood. If we’re being realistic, he should be a dream entity instead of a living being.”

Taeil then points to Haeyeon and looks at Jaemin.

“Is she your victim?”

“No,” Jaemin rolls his tongue playing with his words as he ominously chuckles smiling darkly. “She’s my girlfriend. Ahhhh. She smells so good. Can you smell her?"

Jaemin inhales letting out a lethal laugh opening his mouth revealing the sharp rows of teeth in his mouth.

“I thirst for her. Let me go.” He asks calmly.

“Not until-”

An earsplitting hissing taunt emerges from Jaemin when he screeches. “Let me go!” Whatever birds where in the tree in that moment all flew away fleeing from the deranged sound of the vampire.

“This one is going to be a challenge.” Taeil mutters.

“Ko pa mique reya.” Taeyong speaks holding up two fingers at Jaemin. Surprisingly nothing happens after the spell making Jaemin chuckle. "It's not working, Taeil?"

“Are you trying to make me sleep? That’s not gonna work with me.” Jaemin laughs.

“I’m guessing this is your first transformation too,” Taeil speaks walking back towards the jeep ignoring the boiling bark from the werewolf.

He comes back with a metallic bow and arrow gun striking once on Jaemin’s neck. Jaemin stiffens up grunting and hissing sending deadly daggers towards Taeil.

“That’s known as a strap. Goodnight.”

-

The morning comes with a clear pinkish hue of the sun rising and clouds parting. Donghyuck’s eyes narrow a bit feeling confused but yet so refreshed. He sits up on the bed stretching his arms, looking towards the window with light curtains. He scratches his head until the events of last night hit him like lightening.

“SHIT!” He jolts up from the bed touching his whole body, perplexed by the clean white clothes that covered his body.

He remembers it all, the entire night, of how he left his house hoping that he’d find answers as to why his body acted strange. His expectations came nothing close to what actually happened. He transformed into a wolf- a werewolf and although painful it was the most breathtaking moment of his entire life. A smile hangs on his lips as he continues to touch his chest and face. Wait till Jaemin- holy crap.

He remembered it all, Jaemin also turning into whatever it is, a superhuman- Donghyuck thought. Jaemin was scary. Donghyuck turns his head to the lightly lit room, spotting Jaemin on the opposite bed dosing. Donghyuck gulps thinking of the entire event. He fought with Jaemin… because Jaemin wanted to hurt Hay-

“Haeyeon!” Jaemin snaps his eyes open panting heavily.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Donghyuck says in an alarmed tone. "Dude-"

“Where’s Haeyeon?” Jaemin gets off the bed still with his old clothes but their slightly torn. He holds Donghyuck by his shoulder shaking him. “Where’s Haeyeon? I think I hurt her? I don’t know. I don’t remember. Everything is foggy.”

Jaemin holds his own head in frustration.

“Dude.” Donghyuck starts. “What happened to you last night?” He’s still in a daze completely shocked by Jaemin’s turn. “You turned-”

“I don’t care about me- where’s Haeyeon? Where are we?” Jaemin looks around the large beige room only seeing two beds. “Where’s Haeyeon Donghyuck?” Jaemin asks again in fright.

Before Donghyuck can respond the door opens up revealing an unknown man. “She’s safe and I’m glad that you two are finally awake. Come with me if you seek answers to your unanswered questions.”

The man signs and heads out leaving both the boys confused but instantly following so that they wouldn’t get lost. After crossing numerous of halls seeing some teenagers walk into rooms or walk around Jaemin finally sees a clock. It was 6 in the morning. Where the hell were they?

They enter a large office that was stacked with books and artifacts that looked almost real and almost fake. Jaemin still dragged in pure confusion is anxious while least Donghyuck had a little smile on his face exploring everything new around him. Where were they? The place looked magical and something out of a book.

“Please do take a seat,” The man speaks pointing to the chairs that were in front of his desk.

Jaemin analyzed the man and his silver animatic hair, he felt like he knew the man but that was strange because he had never met the man before. Even so Jaemin takes a seat muttering a polite thank you which surprises the man.

“My name is Lee Taeyong. You may remember this or not but yesterday was a full moon.”

Donghyuck’s eyes almost burst out from the little words.

“And you both had a transformation. Do you guys remember that?”

Donghyuck nods his head attentive, yet Jaemin’s head fogs up by the memory only remembering pain.

He shakes his head. “I know that it was the full moon, but I can’t remember transform- I’m sorry,” Jaemin shakes his head leaning forward on his seat with worried eyes. “Where’s Haeyeon?”

Taeyong analyses the young man in front of him. He was definitely different from what he encountered yesterday, he surely is not a normal vampire- Taeyong thinks. He looks at the dark black eyes that conveyed his concern. The Incubus Vampire he met last night had no emotion what so ever concerning the girl called Haeyeon.

“She’s resting. She was in the room opposite from yours. She’s okay,”

This calms Jaemin down for a bit and his attention snaps to the man, Taeyong. “I’m sorry for interrupting but you were talking about some transformation, what does that mean? What happened last night? Everything is foggy for me. Where are we?”

Taeyong nods his head. “I used to have a speech prepared on magical history, but as time passed a generation of greedy little know it all’s emerged and fabricated the stories. Right now you are in my office, I’m the headmaster of Neo Cultured Prep Boarding School.”

Both Jaemin and Donghyuck’s head go back in shock.

It’s that bogey fancy rich school for those smart brats- Jaemin thought. He doesn’t know what to feel but a pulsing anger as well as a forceful nonchalant behavior engulfing him.

Donghyuck shakes his head. “Hold on, I’m confused. Isn’t this school a top academics school?”

“It is,” Taeyong nods his head. “We are the best academic’s responding school both for young adults and cultured youth. However, the privileges of this school renounce normal human beings but instead we embrace youths like you. But the public doesn’t know that.”

Jaemin turns to Donghyuck in confusion. “They are a school of magic,” Donghyuck explains.

“The word is supernatural- and there are many aspects and territories to that word. Everyone in this school has something in them that makes them special and uniquely different. But the world outside us rejects the unfamiliar and therefore wouldn’t understand. That’s where we come in and embrace the unfamiliar.”

Donghyuck’s eyes widen and he points to himself and then to Jaemin. “Are we also part of the unfamiliar?”

Taeyong nods his head. “Yes you are. I need your full undivided attention as well as honesty-”

“I don’t mean to be rude but,” Jaemin shakes his head rubbing his face in both exhaustion and annoyance- he doesn’t even know why he’s feeling so bipolar. “I don’t know you. You’ve kidnapped us and brought us here to your fancy school to tell us that we’re magical beings? No supernatural beings?”

“Yes. I'm sure your memories will come back eventually confirming that you are indeed a supernatural being,” Taeyong simply answers. “What do you think?”

“I’m thinking that I’ve lost my mind completely or that-” Jaemin’s eyes widen and he turns his head to Donghyuck. “Werewolves are real? This is beyond insane. How is that even possible?”

“It’s a long ancient story,” Taeyong admits. “A story and lesson that our classes cover up first year.”

“In my first year I learnt about academic literacy and business,” Jaemin mutters.

Taeyong nods his head. “We cover that too. We wouldn’t be a top performing school if we only focused on 'magic'. Right”

“So what are you saying?” Donghyuck asks. “That supernatural stuff is real and that you’re going to teach it to us?”

“You must be enrolled into the boarding school of course, with that said I’ll need to know your names.” Taeyong answers. “And I’ll need to consent with your parents,”

Jaemin zones out when Donghyuck excitedly talks about how he always believed that things like this were real. Jaemin’s only thought is on Haeyeon and also what happened last night. “Donghyuck you’re saying nonsense again-”

“It’s not nonsense okay?” Donghyuck exclaims. “It’s all real. Everything I’ve been saying and reading about is all real-”

“Real?” Jaemin snaps glaring at Donghyuck. “You want me to believe that you’re a werewolf? This is insane-”

“But it’s true. You saw me turn…didn’t you?” Donghyuck becomes silent again and the room dwells in a cold eerie silence. What happened to Jaemin last night. Donghyuck turns to Taeyong. “How did you know about us? How did you find us?”

“Finally, a question.” Taeyong nods his head sitting up in his seat. “You might not like the answer I give, that’s a pre warning. I am a warlock-”

“Which is a male witch,” Donghyuck mutters to his friend.

“-Wizard and sorcerer. I sense changes of the night every full moon. There is a river I go to, that river tells me the names and incidents that will happen every full moon. I happened to hear the names Lee Donghyuck and Na Jaemin in the river,”

Jaemin’s ears perk up to his own name. “You heard my name?”

"Yes that is why I have to confirm with you," Taeyong nods his head. “Na Jaemin, yes. I heard both your names months ago on the other hand I was incapable to pin point your exact locations, as the wave signals were low. Every full moon you’d either not transform or fight the urge to transform and that is impossible since you can’t fight the urge. Now I ask you both, how did you do it?”

Donghyuck fully intrigued by it all answers first. “I read this once on the internet in a dark website. I created my own mixture that would help me sleep through all of my pain, it’s called-”

“Strap.” Jaemin answers. “I think that’s what you guys hit me with right?” Jaemin asks as the image of a black haired man taking out a bow and arrow gun striking his neck.

“First off it’s very dangerous to be making those, you could get hurt. Secondly, it’s dark internet sites like that, that we keep you from viewing and hurting yourself.” Taeyong turns to Jaemin. “Your turn.”

Jaemin shrugs his shoulders. He didn’t know what he did to block his so called transformation. “I’d lock myself in my room and would keep my feet in a bucket of cold ice. I don't know.”

Taeyong nods his head turning back his attention to Donghyuck. “As I said before in the beginning, you might not like what I’m going to say, but I need to ask you something to make sure that I can enroll you here.”

Donghyuck nods his head unsure of where everything was heading.

“Unlike your friend Jaemin, his Incubus comes from a generational line. Yours whether you know it or not, isn’t passed down like the movies emphasizes on. It’s a curse and in order to let’s say activate that curse something deadly has to happen. Triggering your werewolf senses comes from a long line of murder. I understand that you're an orphan, so you wouldn't know much of your family’s history. But since this is concerning you, I'll have to ask. Lee Donghyuck,” Taeyong sternly looks to Donghyuck. “Who did you kill?”

“What?” Jaemin’s the first to react getting to the edge of his seat. “Incu-what? Murder who? This is all made up bull. Donghyuck has never ever done something as cold as murder-”

“I did.” It’s low, but Jaemin catches the words. He turns to Donghyuck seeing his friend looking terrified.

“I need to know the truth, so that I know that you aren’t a threat if I’d have to enroll you in the school.” Taeyong says his piercing gaze latching to the young boy. “Who did you murder?”

Donghyuck swallow’s the bile down his throat. Jaemin lays his hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder turning melancholy. Donghyuck throughout his life had suffered an amount of pain, some were unspeakable while others even if spoken out loud were never to be spoken about again.

Jaemin stares at his friend, maybe that’s why Donghyuck always flew away into books and obsessions with things that weren’t real, hoping to have some sort of power to make his life better. Jaemin now felt bad.

--------------------------------------------------

That's just a snippet, but I can assure you that the book is already finished, all that's left is to post it. So I'd really appreciate your vote, so that I know where this book is going. AO3 or Tumblr.

Have an awesome day, thanks

Disclaimer. I don't support Taeil or any of the things he did. It sickens me and breaks my heart tremendously. Unfortunately I've been writing this fic for 2 years now and he's part of the cast (not the OG). So while I could've removed him and place someone else's name, I just decided to stick with him and think of PARK TAEIL instead. He's a south Korean actor, and I feel is more suitable. There's only little places where you'll see the name Taeil. If reading his name makes you feel uncomfortable, I understand, and you can leave the book altogether. However if you're still interested, please be warned. Even writing his name is sickening... But it is what it is.

[technologyculturedneo]

bro hey gang I missed you slime where you been at💔💔🔥🔥‼️‼️🥷🏾🥷🏾🥷🏾

☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️ don't even get me started ☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️

I woke up one day and my Tumblr account was terminated. 😵‍💫 I was so shocked and so scared that I thought I would lose this pure NCT account forever.

I submitted a ticket to Tumblr but i got no response. After 1 week I was so L. Depressed

I would go to work, come back home, sleep, wake up, eat, go to work and slack off while writing my books (which I was gonna post on AO3), watch anime, mope over my lost Tumblr account. After 2 weeks - I swear I cried. Thinking I lost all my books😭

Luckily, I after asking Tumblr Twitter x what's going on- they got back to me. And I got it back.

And now I'm back! 😄😄 Plus can I just say, you're an honorable member here🫂😅

You are the ❤️‍🔥real honorable❤️‍🔥 one by the way 💕🫂😭✨✨ I appreciate you fam-

[technologyculturedneo]

Cosmic Nightmare | Na Jaemin

"The devil on my shoulder is telling me I'll die soon. But I don't want that to impact you."

Pairing. Jaemin!boyfriend x reader!lover

Word count. 4k

Genre. Romance horror

Synopsis. Reliving the fond and bittersweet memories you've had with your boyfriend, you're faced with the overwhelming weight of reality. The warmth of his touch, the laughter you shared, and the quiet moments of comfort seem so distant now, overshadowed by the haunting images from your dreams. Each memory, once a source of joy, now feels like a reminder of a love lost—trapped in the past. The contrast between the vibrant moments you once shared and the emptiness of the present leaves you questioning everything. Is it possible to move on, or are these memories destined to remain locked in time, haunting you forever?

Trigger warning. Mentions of spirituality. Nightmares. Death.

Inspo. Wansee horror

The night was quiet, soft moonlight casting a gentle glow over the room. You were lying side by side, the warmth of the bed and the peaceful atmosphere making everything feel so easy. Suddenly, Jaemin’s voice broke the silence, low but steady.

“I love you.”

You turned toward him, eyes wide in surprise, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “I love you too,” you giggled. “Where’s this coming from?”

Jaemin shrugged, his gaze distant, yet filled with a kind of bittersweet emotion. “I don’t know... I just wanted you to know. I love you. So much. So much that... I’d do anything, anything just to see you smile. I want you to have everything you deserve, to be happy... even if it means I’m not there with you.”

There was a pause, a subtle shift in the atmosphere, before he spoke again, his voice quieter, almost fragile. “The devil on my shoulder is telling me I won’t be around for much longer... and I don’t want that to weigh on you. But maybe I’m just being paranoid.” He trailed off, his words faltering as if unsure of how much he should say. “I just... I just want you to have the best of everything.”

You felt a tightness in your chest, a pang of concern creeping up. You moved, gently shifting so that you sat on his lap, your hands finding their place on his shoulders. “Hey, what’s wrong? What did you do?”

Jaemin’s eyes locked onto yours, full of fear and vulnerability. His throat tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to confess something. But he didn’t. Instead, his voice was soft but firm. “I love you.”

Your heart ached, and you gave him a reassuring smile, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “I love you too. I’ll always love you.”

And in that moment, you both understood—there were things unsaid, but that didn’t change the certainty of the love between you. He would tell you when he was ready. For now, this quiet, fragile moment of understanding was enough.

Memories like that, cloud your head, from time to time when you think of your boyfriend.

“Mummy?” The soft voice of your little girl breaks through the quiet, and you look down at her when she walks into the kitchen. Her big eyes, the same shade of brown as her father's, stare up at you, full of curiosity.

“Yes, my sweet pea?” you reply, kneeling to her level.

She fidgets with the hem of her dress, looking up at you with innocence. “What happened to Daddy?” Her words are simple, yet they hit you like a wave. “The teacher asked everyone to talk about their dads, but… I don’t know about dad.”

You swallow the lump in your throat, struggling to find the right words. She looks so much like him, it’s hard to breathe sometimes. You stare at her for a long moment, your heart heavy, but no words come. Instead, you gently lift her up into your arms, holding her close.

“Let’s get you out of these clothes, okay?” you murmur, trying to distract her from the weight of the question. You focus on helping her out of her preschool uniform, trying to push away the emotions rising in your chest.

Later, as she sits at the table, coloring quietly, you help her with her homework. She asks you little questions now and then, all innocent, all unaware of the storm inside you. When she finally curls up in bed, her tiny body already halfway to sleep, you kiss her forehead softly, tucking her in.

Sitting beside her, you brush a lock of hair from her face, but the weight of her question lingers in the quiet of the room. You hold back your own tears, unwilling to let her see. If only there were a way to explain.

But for tonight, all you can do is watch her sleep, and hold onto the little moments of peace, even as your heart aches for all the things you can never say.

It's during the night, that you lay back on your bed... hand gently over the other side of the mattress as you gently cradle it.

Lately, your daughter has been asking a lot about what happened to her father, and you had no way of responding to her. Not at this age at least... she was still too young.

Heck, you don't even know how to begin to explain...

Na Jaemin, her dad, your boyfriend.

He... was the best thing you could ever wish for.

Years ago, this happened to your boyfriend, Na Jaemin. Looking back on it, you can still picture the warmth of your relationship with him—an effortless, joyful love that seemed to exist in its own little world. With Jaemin, everything felt lighter, like cotton candy: soft, sweet, and always just a little bit magical. He treated you with a kindness that made you feel seen and cherished, as though you were the only person in the room, even in the busiest of moments. His affection was constant, the kind of love that felt like a steady, reassuring presence.

But there was more to him than that. Beneath the sweetness, Jaemin was fiercely strong, the type of person who could stare down any challenge without flinching. You’d seen it firsthand—how he could face a storm with unshakable courage. You'd even witnessed him stand toe-to-toe with a lion (an actual lion, no exaggeration), and though the situation had been far from ordinary, it was a testament to the strength that ran through him, both physically and emotionally.

It wasn’t just the lion incident, though. It was in the quiet moments too—when his courage showed in the way he supported you, the way he fought for your happiness, even if it meant sacrificing his own. With Jaemin, you felt the depth of a love that was both delicate and indestructible. It wasn’t just the sweetness of his gestures that made your heart swell; it was knowing he would go to any lengths to protect the bond you shared, a bond that had weathered everything life had thrown your way.

When you found out you were pregnant, you were so excited to tell him. You wanted to make it a surprise. Because you know he's always wanted to be a dad.

...

However, you don't remember when it began but... he began wasting away.

Every night he woke up screaming! asking you if this was a dream, almost every 10 minutes.

And before he fell asleep he'd shout out: "Oh God! Please Jesus, protect me!" Even though he had no religion.

One day when you asked him what's wrong with him. He whispered in your ear, after looking around with a frightened face. "For the last few days, the same man has been chasing me in my dreams." His voice was trembling.

You told him. "Hey Mr Tough guy, it's just a dream. What's so scary about it."

Suddenly his eyes got hugely dilated and he got out of breath, and he stammered. "You know the guy next door? Donghyuck? He died the other day in his sleep because of a heartache right? Well... the night before he died, I was chased in my dream by that man and... I ran to Donghyuck's house... and that man... the man who's been chasing me... I saw him enter Donghyuck's room."

"What do you mean babe?" You asked tilting your head.

And before your very eyes, he began sobbing like a child. "Donghyuck was killed by that man..."

A few days later while waking up screaming again, he fell out of the bed and rushed out of the room. You shouted running after him. "Baby you're at home! You're safe!"

But Jaemin shouted back in speed and slurring out. "Fuck you! No! This is a dream! You are not my girlfriend you devil- I'm jumping out of this apartment and going back to the real world!" And he ran to the window and put his foot over the window-

You ran to him at full speed - slapped him so hard in the face and yanked him back and away from the open window. "Are you crazy!"

Then, as if being back to reality, with a worried smile over his face he said, he hugged you deeply. "Oh yes... you are... you are real."

"This has been going on for the past 2 weeks. Jaemin you're scaring me. What's going on?" You asked, then slowly pushed him away. "What's really happening?"

He replied, almost horrified. "The man chased me this time... here... to our house..."

With no clue of what he meant, you urged him to go back and sleep while holding onto him. But still he woke up screeching.

Because of this, he took some days off from work and you stayed with him to look after his health.

One day, you asked him to explain this dream to you, because you couldn't handle the lack of sleep anymore. Every night? It was getting exhausting. You also had to go to work and you felt that while it was important for him to get better, it was unfair for you, because you also had to sleep.

"I'm sorry." He said, and you accepted it, because there's nothing he could do about it. For now.

"Tell me about this man," You say, sitting next to him on the dining table while holding his hand, after managing to calm him down and get him some tea. "Firstly, what does he look like?"

Instantly... Jaemin's hands begin to tremble underneath yours. "What does he look like? This man is... tall. Incredibly tall in height. Almost like a giant. I'd say 10ft12." You nod, encouraging him to go on. "Half of his height is taken up by his head. It's huge. He's got... 3 pupils in each eyes... blood red, emerald green and... pitch black. His skin is... shriveled... and it's violet. He looks like he's rotting and old."

Jaemin gulps, while you're eyebrows furrow by the description.

"He's got horns, upside down looking. And he always has a suit. Faded black.... he's also got legs that look like a goats legs. And his mouth... when the man opens his mouth, there's like hundreds of teeth in there. Black slimy teeth."

For the next few minutes... you sit in horror listening to Jaemin talk about this 'man', who sounded a lot more like a 'demon looking entity monster' then a man.

That night laying in bed... you ponder over the description that Jaemin gave you.

According to Jaemin, the man in his dream was 10 feet 12 and his head took up half of the height, his huge head had upside horns, he had 3 pupils each and his skin was shriveled and violet. When the man would open his mouth, Jaemin saw hundred 's of disgusting black teeth. He always had a black suit on, and his legs looked like goats.

In his dream, he finally took up courage and shouted to the man. "You're just a nightmare."

You didn't get to sleep long as Jaemin shouted and jolted you up again. You couldn't go to work at this point. "Jaemin... what happened?" You asked him tiredly. He just went into the bathroom and cried again. You muttered, but still got up to be by his side. "Babe, please open up. What happened?"

After a while he opened the door, and you made out the darkness underneath his eyes from sleeping bags.

And even though frantically looking terrified, Jaemin tried as best as he could to involve you in his dream.

"A nightmare? That's not me. I am not." Laughing shrilly, the man responded. "I am Death."

However, Jaemin said the man was laughing with a crying face which made him look creepy. While laughing the hundreds of teeth made an ear piecing sound like metal scraping and scratching against each other - and Jaemin said he felt that his ears felt like they were going to be torn because of how painful the sound was.

Frightened, Jaemin started to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. The man also started running after Jaemin shouting: "Death! Oh death! Death is beautiful. Beautiful death!" In this monstrous voice.

It made Jaemin extremely paralyzed by fear. His legs were wobbly turning to jelly, he kept falling down but kept trying to run and run as if his life completely depended on it. Finally the man came up to him right under his nose and opened his mouth shouting: "Death is beautiful!"

At that moment Jaemin bit his tongue and luckily woke up from the dream...

It's when you noticed that his tongue was terribly bleeding all over inside his mouth. "Oh my god, Jaemin. Your tongue." You took him to the hospital, and even took the liberty of explaining the situation to the doctor of what's been happening to him.

But as as soon as she saw Jaemin, she looked horrified, yet baffled. "Y-you... you met him." Instantly she shouted. "Get out!"

"Nightmares?" But even the doctor didn't understand what was wrong with him.

After long hesitation you visited a, spiritual doctor.

You cried on your knees and begged for help. "Please, they won't help us in the hospital, and I know you can help. You've helped my family before, so please help my boyfriend."

Clicking her tongue she closed her eyes - after thinking for a while she opened her mouth to speak. "Listen. This is what you must do from tonight:

Sleep elsewhere, in a place unknown,

A secret spot where you've never grown.

Don't tell a soul, not family, not friends,

Not even your love, this silence must never end.

Put on the makeup, a clown's disguise,

So he can't recognize your pleading eyes.

If he chases you down in your dream’s dark night,

Run, don’t look back, escape from his sight.

Avoid the homes of others, stay far away,

Innocent lives are at risk if you stray.

Run until you find the river or sea,

For he cannot swim, he can't follow thee.

But never climb high, don’t take to the stairs,

He's quicker than you, with no time to spare.

"Now leave!"

After saying that, she kicked both of you out. "Don't worry Jaemin, we'll figure something out."

That night, Jaemin went to a motel far away and slept with makeup on. Clowns makeup.

But, he was so sure that he had to follow the rules given. "I have to try. I can't... I can't keep seeing that thing. I'm scared." His eyes screamed for help.

You felt sorry, and just hugged him.

Surprised that you had a good night's sleep, Jaemin phoned in the morning and told you that the man didn't appear in the dream that night. He even took a photo of the makeup he put... You laughed.

But you did feel bad, because it's through the pictures with geo-tagging that you saw his location. But you made sure to say nothing, and you deleted the photo, just in case something sinister, really was happening.

Jaemin, nonetheless was relived. He sent you some flowers, and you felt assured that everything would be back to normal, very soon. And you'd finally be able to tell him about your pregnancy. The bump had already started to show.

Just to make sure that all was well, Jaemin slept in the motel again.

...

However that night, Jaemin had a dream of the man.

You woke up frantically in the middle of the night when there was a loud continuous banning. You opened the door to a scared and tear-filled Jaemin - he couldn't breath, legs sore and he collapsed but refused to sleep.

Then all of a sudden the man shouted: "There you are!" And started running at full speed.

According to Jaemin... in the dream the motel door opened and in entered the man. He walked into the room but he didn't recognize Jaemin in the clown makeup. Jaemin clearly explained the confusion of the entity. For a few hours, the entity stared at Jaemin and Jaemin moved around the hotel room pretending not to see it. He said the man kept staring. Jaemin slowly got out of there and kept walking away. He said the man followed him for hours being confused. Jaemin walked for a long time... With the thing behind him. Jaemin found it strange how no one else was on the streets. He was alone. And the anxiety grew. It's when he looked at the man behind him, that he made eye contact with him.

You felt so bad, your boyfriend had to run away again all night long, even when he did wake up he just ran. There was no way to stop the nightmare- even when biting his tongue, slapping his face, falling.

You stayed up with him, washed his face, gave him some coffee, massaged his legs and soothed him down, you even tried to watch comedy, but it was quiet. Jaemin looked paranoid looking around the house. But in the morning, he was unable to walk on his own and was taken to the hospital.

"Geez." The doctor, Dr Jaehyun who had taken Jaemin's patient file was in shock to see him again. "First your tongue and now this? How long did you run? Your muscles and joints are broken, literally."

You were shocked. "Could this really be because of the dream?" You asked the doctor once you were alone and out of earshot from Jaemin.

Dr Jaehyun shock his head. He struggling to understand how Jaemin's vitals were all fine but he was sleep deprived. "That's highly unlikely. There must be an underlying medical issue. We'll conduct further tests before I can confirm whether it's safe for him to leave. I should have the results by the end of the day."

Unfortunately, the results came up negative and cleared Jaemin of every possible problem. Jaemin was released, but the Dr Jaehyun assured you to come by if you encounter any more problems. It was the afternoon when Jaemin was discharged in a wheelchair.

Jaemin had to run on a wheelchair for his life in the dream and when he woke up he became unable to move his arms at all! because his arm muscles where broken... that same night you went to the hospital.

But after you got Jaemin on the bed to sleep, the same thing happened at night... You awakened in fright because of how yelled from the pits of his stomach.

Apparently, in his dream he was also on a wheelchair.

There was no option but to be hospitalized.

"Are you certain that there are no other underlying issues, such as an allergic reaction or a possible fall?" Dr Jaehyun asked, being completely perplexed.

"No. I try to make sure that he eats 3 times per day, and that he bathes well. But... I don't know what's going on."

"Alright, let's keep him in the hospital for the night. You should go home and get some rest."

Resting at home was tough. You couldn't even sleep because you were so worried for Jaemin. You held onto your stomach, wondering what could be the problem. That night, you did something so unthinkable... you prayed.

"Dear God... I don't know what to say, but please protect my husband. I don't know what's going on but I'm scared."

That night you fell asleep.

But it's not long before you woke up by a violent shake of the whole house. With a huge crash, just like an earthquake, you got out of bed and ran out of bed when hearing Jaemin scream. You knew he wasn't in the house, but you've heard him scream so many times that you couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality anymore. And in the living room.. you saw... an enormous being standing in front of Jaemin. It was not human, and it did not fit the description of which he had given of 'that man'. Instead this being was like a stone, dark and the only visible thing were it's red eyes. It was hunched in your tiny living room. You stepped back, but you were paralyzed on the spot. It looked like it would break through the ceiling, and Jaemin was absolutely overwhelmed with by that horrifying ambiance.

The creature spoke.

"In 2 days, you will be dragged to hell." The voice sounds like rocks scraping against each other.

"Please no," Jaemin sobbed and cried desperately on his knees. "I'm begging you, please don't do this. I've got a kid on the way."

You were stunned by Jaemin's sudden confession about him knowing you were pregnant, but you couldn't say anything as the creature bellowed and blustered.

"You committed the unforgivable sin. You will burn in hell."

And then it disappeared.

And you woke up. You were grim in expression the whole day and trembling unknowingly. When you got to the hospital to check up on Jaemin, you were pale of color when Dr Jaehyun informed you that Jaemin had not fallen asleep at night. That Jaemin kept asking for coffee. He even advised you to try and tell Jaemin to try and get some rest as he wouldn't allow any Doctor or nurse near him.

"Jae baby, you must sleep." You begged.

But it was no use. He refused to speak as he moved back and forth on the bed avoiding you. You couldn't even speak to him regarding the dream you had because of his behavior. You felt like crying.

The same thing happened on the second day. You were frustrated. But you went home and tried to sleep. Although you were met with the same dream again. But instead of the horrible creature telling Jaemin he would be dragged to hell in 2 days, the creature spoke:

"In 1 day, your soul will be dragged to hell."

"Please no," Jaemin sobbed and cried desperately on his knees. "I'm begging you,"

When you woke up, you wondered maybe if this was the creature that Jaemin spoke about... even though the being was much different, you decided that you'd speak to Jaemin. Maybe this dream only came because you prayed and asked for clarification... After all in your dream, he wasn't running, but instead begging.

But already having been 3 days in the hospital and 2 nights with no sleep, Jaemin's health looked far worse when you saw him.

"Your husband hasn't slept in two days. He's been experiencing 'nightmares' in the morning and has consumed an excessive amount of coffee."

"Doctor you don't get it!" Jaemin yelled and fell to his knees, you rushed to his side but his eyes were bloodshot with tears. "I'm begging you! I can't dream!" The mucus and tears of pain ran down his face.

"And he's been repeating this all morning." Dr Jaehyun mutters to you. After the nurses helped Jaemin to the bed and tried to calm him down, the Dr Jaehyun got back to the room and injected a tranquilizer in Jaemin's system.

"Fuck! What did you just do!?" Jaemin holds onto his arm looking at the doctor horrified.

"This will put you in a deep sleep without dreaming Mr Na." Dr Jaehyun states. "Don't worry."

Jaemin screamed, surprising you. "Fuck! If I sleep I'm going to die!" he yelled out, while drifting off to sleep.

Looking at him asleep your whole heart caved. "Ma'am your husband is deranged mentality, he will receive treatment in the psych ward tomorrow." And then he left the room, as if being exhausted by Jaemin's antics.

You went home and expected to have the same dream as the previous night, yet when no dream came you were worried.

Dead.

The next day when you went to the hospital, the unbelievable thing happened.

In the morning, Jaemin was found on the floor right next to his bed.

His body was already ice cold, he was curled up as if he ask attacked hard by something, and you found thousands of red spots all over his body, along with all his joints in his arms and legs terribly broken. His tongue was cut off-

Jaemin was healthy and din't have any illness, even you had no idea what killed him. One thing you thought of... was that dream. The dream he kept telling you about with the man who had goat legs, a big head with horns and large eyes with 3 pupils inside. The man who always wore a suit and had velvet skin and looked old and rotting.

The doctor was embarrassed because he couldn't find a single clue resulting to Jaemin's death.

Until now. 7 years have gone by and you still had so many questions - that you couldn't solve. The only thing that remains is the dream he had, and the one you had. While you're convinced that the man demon in his dream killed him, you don't know if you can fully believe it, because the chances of something like that happening is slim. He died because he was killed by a demon in his dream?

That night as you sleep, you're surprised to dream a dream so... daunting.

You cover your mouth, muffling your cries, just at the thoughts of Jaemin's body all over again. The way he looked. He left you alone... And the only solid reminder you have of him, is your daughter who looks like him. And she's also asking where her daddy is. Mourning Jaemin all over again. Your pray. "Dear God." You sniff. "Please... I miss him so much. Even if he can't come back to me... just once... may I see him... I will be fine."

The mysterious being that appeared to Jaemin years ago in your dream, is now appearing before you. The exact same one. The stone being who couldn't even fit in the house. It was crouched but looked at you. It looks straight at you, red pits of darkness serving as pupils. It doesn't look as menacing as you last remembered...

It takes your hand, and you follow it.

"Come with me." It speaks. "If you want to see your boyfriend again. Come with me."

You're hesitant, but step out of bed.

As soon as he takes you outside, the world around you changes instantly. The air grows thick with humidity, and you find yourself standing before a large sea of boiling lava, glowing with an ominous, fiery light. The screams of millions of people echo through the air, sharp and agonizing. Your skin begins to burn as the heat surrounds you, and every step feels heavier. The air is thick with heat, pressing down on you, making it impossible to move forward. It feels like the very environment is suffocating you, trapping you in this nightmarish place. Is this... Hell?

His body is barely recognizable, his once vibrant skin now charred and cracked, the remnants of searing heat and torment. His face is hollow, gaunt, eyes wide open in a haunting emptiness. His lips are dry, cracked, as if he hasn’t spoken in ages. His chest heaves, but each breath sounds shallow, ragged, as though the very air is burning him from the inside.

And there,

you see Jaemin standing in the middle of hell.

You call out to him, wailing his name, but he doesn’t respond. No words, no movement, just a hollow gaze that pierces through you, full of endless suffering. His eyes, once full of life, are now pools of agony, reflecting the chaos around him.

You take in his skeletal figure, his limbs thin and frail, as if the heat and pain have drained all life from him. His clothes hang from his body like torn rags, burned away by the relentless fire that surrounds him. Every inch of him tells a story of unimaginable torment, and yet he just stands there, frozen, staring back at you with those broken eyes.

The mysterious being next to you speaks. "Your boyfriend killed an innocent person, just two weeks before you became pregnant. That family, cursed with endless nightmares, had their suffering transferred to Jaemin. Those nightmares wanted to consume his soul. That’s why he’s here… with me." He stares at you.

In his eyes, it's like you see a small vision of Jaemin...

Jaemin’s hands trembled as he scrubbed at them under the running water, but no matter how hard he tried, the blood wouldn't wash away. The fight had been intense, just another illegal street fight for some extra cash, but this time, things went too far. He hadn’t meant to knock the man out for good—it was an accident. One punch, and the man crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Guilt crashed over him like a wave. He had to get home, to you—his only escape from the darkness already closing in. As he ran home he kept hearing a voice over his shoulder saying he would die for killing a man.

Upon getting in the room, he gets on the bed with you hugging you tightly.

“I love you.”

You turned toward him, eyes wide in surprise, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “I love you too,” you giggled. “Where’s this coming from?”

Jaemin shrugged, his gaze distant, yet filled with a kind of bittersweet emotion. “I don’t know... I just wanted you to know. I love you. So much. So much that... I’d do anything, anything just to see you smile. I want you to have everything you deserve, to be happy... even if it means I’m not there with you.”

Despite the heat- your body runs to Jaemin.

"That's what he did." The mysterious being bends down to whisper in your ear. "And now, he's in hell."

"It was an accident..."

"But he killed a cursed man. And the demon followed him to his death."

But,

At that moment... you wake up from you slumber. You were awake but you still felt the sizzling heat all over your body. And it's pain.

After that dream, when you took your child to school, you quietly told her that her dad was gone. You didn’t say anything else. You stopped searching for Jaemin. You stopped praying.

You were convinced that it wasn't a silly series of dreams. That it was real... and that Jaemin was in hell.

You can't forget that heat.

Those horrifying screams.

And Jaemin's eyes.

All of it, seemed so real.

Definition synopsis. A "cosmic nightmare" typically refers to a terrifying or unsettling experience that involves vast, overwhelming, and often incomprehensible forces or concepts. It can evoke feelings of insignificance or helplessness in the face of something larger than oneself, often linked to existential dread or horror. This might include themes like the vastness of the universe, the fear of the unknown, or the breakdown of reality as we understand it. In stories or dreams, a cosmic nightmare might depict scenarios where characters face impossible or terrifying situations beyond their control, often tied to themes of the unknown or cosmic entities.

[technologyculturedneo]

Unknown Pt2. Park Jisung.

"I was ready to give up everything. Just for you."

Summary. In a world darkened by trauma, Jisung has never believed in love, and his life is filled with shadows and the cries of many. Jeno, a man working to move past his painful history, struggles to find happiness when a past event resurfaces, threatening to undo his progress. Caught between these two men, you become the bridge that connects them—helping Jeno heal while gaining Jisung’s trust. As you navigate this complex dynamic, guilt begins to weigh on you as you slowly fall for the very person you're trying to help, torn between loyalty and your growing feelings.

[Dream()scape masterlist]

Read part 1 here

[Saturday – End of the week]

Jisung’s hand tightens around his wine glass, his fingers trembling slightly. His eyes soften as they meet yours. You smile lightly before going back to cutting a piece of steak in the restaurant that has been cleared out just for you and him. You look so beautiful and Jisung’s heart surprises him with every beat it makes. For a long moment, the air between you two feels heavy. Then, in a quiet voice, he says, 'I love you.

Your ears zone out for a while, before you look up to Jisung’s face. Your hands holding the utensils stiffen up, your thoughts paused in your head. After a moment of silence you finish chewing your food hold his hand tightening up your grip. "Jisung... do you really mean that?" You ask him laying your fork down, so that you’re holding both his hands.

“I do,” And surely, looking into his eyes is just as wild, because his guard has fully dropped down.

"How can you love me when you've done so much... hurt to so many?” You ask sincerely. “I don’t even know if the love I feel for you is the same kind of love you’re talking about. Because I love you, but I don’t think it’s the same as what your thoughts of love are.”

Jisung smiles holding your hand tighter. "Love to me is forbidden. It is something that is rare, out of this world. Unique. Strange. Yet, it's beautiful and sweet at the same time." He smiles licking his lips. "Love happens with strange people. It is not forced or planned for. It’s been growing like a fire in my heart. I know I haven't been the greatest guy to you, but I do know what love is. Even though I’m heartbroken and lost, I know what love is. It… Love demands attention, care, totality. Love wants you to give up everything just for one person… you are that person to me.”

Goosebumps crawl up your skin, your cheeks are flustered and you know that your face probably reflects your deepest shock. He sighs gesturing around to the place we're at. “I’ve spent so long chasing this path of vengeance, thinking it was the only thing that mattered. But now… I can’t help but wonder what’s left after it all. What’s left of me if I just keep living in the past? I want to let go, Apple doll. I want to start again—without the hate, without the violence. But I need you to help me, to show me how. No one has ever made it to my heart... but yet you did. You’re the reason I want to change.” His hand trembles slightly in yours as he speaks, his voice cracking just a little when he says, “I want you. Need you. I love you.”

You get up from your seat, carefully walking to his side and you plant yourself gently on his lap. You lean in, your forehead resting against his as you whisper, “We’ll figure it out, together.”

“I would’ve loved to hear you say, I love you back,” His hands rest on your back, looking up and clear into your gaze. “But I love the sound of that better. Figuring it out together.”

Snap! Snap! Snap! You jolt and turn to your side.

"Hey," Jisung asks. "You good? You kinda zoned out on me," You look up to him realizing you’re still in the car, with Mark driving and Jisung embracing you and looking down at me holding your lips. “What’s got your thoughts so captive?”

You giggle. “Your confession. I feel like you just proposed.”

He smirks. “That will come much later, we first have to figure it out. Remember?”

Mark looks at his rearview mirror watching how Jisung brings your chin closer to him, just as he attaches your lips and he dives into the kiss. However Jisung abruptly stops and looks out the window. "Mark duck!"

Jisung's warning is short as a piercing sound of a bullet breaks through the glass near Mark.

"Shit!" Mark curses speeding his car in the long empty high way. "The hell!"

"Focus on the road. They're gaining on us!" Jisung pulls you rapidly towards him by his side as another bullet breaks the window allowing the fast air running inside. "Mark! Drive!" Jisung sees the motorbike that’s trying to overtake the car.

Mark immediately steps on the gas and the car swerves to full speed. Your ears are barely audible only hearing the wind. You see Jisung's lips moving before he tells you to go down- you follow his order as he steps to the front seat.

You’re jolted out of your mind when you hear gunshots echoing all over - coming from Jisung. Half his body is outside the window and the gun is in both his hands as he's just shooting. After what feels like forever you hear the guns stop. Zha holds your hand getting back in the car running his fingers through his hair.

It's silent- you think they've stopped following or that Jisung has probably shot them, or maybe Mark has taken a different road. The only sound now is your sniffs and light cries.

You turn your head back seeing two black vehicles bumped into each other. There's smoke coming out from the front end of one car as a motorbike is seen far from the car. You turn back to the front holding Jisung's hand again.

"You are you okay?" Jisung asks, his leg shaking. You nod your head. Jisung's hand gets harder as he turns to Mark. "Would you mind telling me what the fuck that was!?" He yells at Mark.

"I'm being followed." Mark snaps back.

Jisung laughs and it sounds dark. "No shit. Who are you being followed by?"

Mark sighs on edge. "Do you remember Kihyun?"

"The dead guy?"

"Yeah the dead guy," Mark sighs. "His other biological daughter-"

"Oh wow." Jisung chuckles as if realising something. "Aki. Let me guess. Jeno?"

"Yeah."

"I've been missing so many files lately- thought I misplaced them but my suspicions are correct. We have a rat amongst us." Mark’s gaze turns to the rear view mirror trying to see you. You look alerted and agitated. He knows something but seeing you like that, he can’t afford to rat you out to Zha. "I'll get Slick to kill Jeno. That way, it’ll get him off our backs."

You shift forward gripping his hand tighter. "Jisung don't you dare. I don't like seeing this side of you-"

"Stop talking," he breaths in and out through his mouth, you catch him close his eyes while squeezing his forehead. "Let me think." Mark looks at you again through the review mirror and this time you catch his stare. "Now that Mark is being followed then my guesses of Zico and Hoseok are right," Zha says.

Mark looks at him a little before facing the road again. "What do you mean?"

"I've been seeing a lot more police around them than usual. It clicked when one cop tried gunning Zico down while taking a piss." Zha chuckles. "Their on to us. I have to find this rat fast before we can continue."

"Might be closer than you think boss." Mark says keeping his eyes on the rearview mirror at you. But you shake your head.

The ride which was supposed to take both you and Jisung home, is now driving through the city and then narrow and empty road until you reach there warehouse. Jisung tells you to follow him, completely drowning out the thoughts you had of talking to Mark in the car. Following Jisung in the warehouse, he takes you straight into his office and allows you to sit down while he makes a call.

As you sit down, and look out the window seeing the sun set, you watch Jisung slowly pace up and down, holding his phone to his ear. It’s a long one. Jisung doesn’t say much, but his expression give you nothing but pure seriousness. “I hear you.” He finally says after what looks to be 30 minutes. He cuts the call and rubs his hair out of his face letting it fall back.

"What's wrong?" You ask walking over to him laying your hand on his shoulder.

He sits on the table folding his arms. "Loco got arrested."

"What?" you ask stunned by what he says. "Jisung speak to me... let me help you clear your head,"

"I got off the call with Hoseok. He said the cops came to the club looking for Loco. Dispute happened and then they began chasing them out the strip club and eventually shot Jimin and arrested Loco. He's in a holding cell and I can't bail him out until they prove him not guilty by the city court." He says tiredly, still thinking on the side. "What I can't understand is that we dealt with that issue of Loco yesterday night. We cleared out his name but they're still suspecting him."

"Suspecting him of what? Cleared him from what?" you ask trying to understand. These detectives work fast and don't waste a single detail or information. What Jeno and you see as little they work their way around it. During the course of this week, the few times you entered Jisung’s office, you managed to snuggle some documents in your clothes, and when you got home you’d take pictures of the things and send it to the detectives. You don’t know what’s on the documents aside from the fact that at the top of the documents you took, it said ‘CLASSIFIED’.

Donghyuck barges in the midst when Jisung's about to answer. For the very first time he doesn't look cold but instead looks way ready deadly and aggregated. "Mark was supposed to be with us tonight. Do you have any fucking clue what we faced? Why’d you swap Mark?”

"Because we have a snitch amongst us." Jisung calmly replays still in his own zone.

"And you think Mark is not the snitch? Or better yet helping the snitch.” Slick glares at you.

“That's not my business–"

"It should be. Because everything-”

“We're being monitored Slick." He insists standing up while running his hand through his hair.

"Zha! You dumb fuck- The fuck is she doing here?" You shiver at his cold tone once Slick snaps at you.

Zha crosses his arms. "Don't start with her–"

"Oh that's right, I forgot. You want to walk out on us.  You wanna leave all this behind in order to be with her and what? Get us to clean up your mess?"

"That's not what's gonna happen–"

"You've been talking about rats being amongst us. Have you asked your girl who's she's been sending those files to?" Slick poses making Jisung slowly turn his head to your direction.

"What files?" Jisung asks seriously and your heart beats really fast. "Do you know what he’s talking about?”

"I don't know what he's talking about." You shake your head moving a bit forward, hoping Zha will believe it. "I swear I don't know what he's on to."

"Of course you don't. Because I'm the rat." Slick suddenly declares and laughs. "For hell's sake I might even be the rat. Get it? Trying to get all you guys arrested and save my sorry ass,"

"Donghyuck cut this out!" Zha raises his voice being annoyed.

"Why? So you can leave and get me to clean up all this mess?" He asks looking really hurt and out of control. "No. I didn't clean shit up for this to happen. I certainly will not clean up after your shit. If we go down because of her, then I'll make sure not to put off what can be done today–"

His moves are fast when he pulls out his gun from his back pocket, but Jisung is faster in shooting him right on his shoulder with a gun that appears from his pocket. You gasp while moving back until your back is against the wall watching everything. You cover your mouth when hearing Slick yell out in pain-

"AH FU–!"

"If you dare!" Jisung snaps rapidly grabbing Slick from the floor forcing him onto the wall. Slick looks angered in defeat. "Loco’s in prison. If we don't watch our backs it might be us too!"

The door barges open with Mark running in with his his own gun looking suspicious, but stops when seeing the scene.

Jisung grates out of his teeth. "Take her home Mark. When you're done grab this idiot and take him to Crush and Gray to get this bullet out his–"

"I can do it myself." Donghyuck pushes Jisung back. He groans and walks to the door. He turns back to you as you’re still in shock and anxious of what's happened. "Next time I'll kill you."

BANG!

"Jisung–" You jump when Slick is shot on the same shoulder by Jisung.

"Take her home Mark." Jisung repeats still looking at Slick. "I dare you to kill her and that'll be your face next time."

Once Slick is out of the office, Zha turns to you, his darkened and enraged gaze, softens and he moves closer to you. You look down and away from his gaze, yet he calmly cups your face in his hands. He kisses your forehead.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” He whispers to you. “I want you to go home, and just sleep okay.”

You nod your head, and after a bit, you walk out with Mark. Mark leads you down the corridor, you pass some of the men, but you don’t look at them – because their piercing stares are already on you. You don’t know why. Once you get in the car with Mark and he starts it, you wait for him to say something… anything.

But he’s silent.

“Mark.” You break the silence.

“This is all wrong.” He lets out, not sparing you a glance. “You’re in too deep and it’s getting dangerous for us. What the hell happened to you simply wanting to know who this Aki bitch was? I feel conflicted every single day because of you. I trust you and you betrayed me, by betraying our team. Do you know just how dangerous things have gotten?”

“Mark I’m also trying to-”

“No shut up Y/n.” Mark gets irritated at you. “Shut the fuck up. Zha’s losing track of what’s important because of you. He fucking shot Slick for crying out loud. It’s because of you. You’re the rat and you’re the reason why’re all going to end up behind bars- come to think of it, was that your plan all along?”

You shake your head, feeling on edge with your heart beating so fast. “Mark I-”

“Did you not hear me when I said shut up?” His tone is nothing you’ve heard before. It makes you scared… and you simply lean back on your seat. “I’m done with this shit. I need to tell Zha everything, before he finds out on his own and tries to kill me. I already told Slick everything about how I found you, all that’s left now is to-”

“You told Slick.” You stare at him in shock.

“I had to.” Mark nods his head. “The police are after us, and you think it’s fun to be in a position whereby you know who’s the person causing all this trouble? No Y/n. This is all your fault, and if we can fix before any more of us are caught, arrested or worse, dead, then I’m all in on ratting you out.”

“Mark how could you?”

“No how could you.” Mark shakes his head. “He fucking trusts you, and looks like he’s ready to run this whole team, straight to the ground. If you don’t know want me to tell him, then you better come clean, because I will come clean to him.”

-

[00:29]

The elevator chimes and opens up. You look up from the blank tv screen seeing Jisung enter in the living room with his hand rubbing around his neck. He calmly walks down the two steps tiredly making his way to rests on the couch next to you. “Apple doll you’re still awake?” He lays his head on your lap and removes his shoes throwing them far along with his blazer.

He's exhausted and evenly stressed, you can tell all this from the way his lips form a really thin line. You bend down giving him a kiss. "Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?"

"No," he shakes his head forcing a smile while bringing his hand around your neck. "I wanna keep kissing you,"

"You can't kiss the pain away," You mutter but still give him a peck. Meanwhile, your own heart is beating roughly in your chest at the thought of coming clean. How on earth will you even do that? You’re scared for your life. He could kill you this very second, this instant.

He places kisses on your neck, snapping you out of your thoughts as you feel him sucking around your sweet spot on your neck. His hands play around with your sweater also drawing light circles on your stomach. His hand goes down cupping in between your legs. You quickly close your legs grabbing hold of his hand, trying to sit more comfortably on the chair. "You can't kiss the pain away," You remind him. He lays his head properly on your thighs and your hand goes through his hair.

Jisung is observant of how you can’t meet his eyes. You’re hiding something. "The meeting room was chaotic. More questions than answers, more members being arrested and a really irritating Slick." He says in one go. You think to yourself about the information you gave to Detective Jaemin. The profile of all the crew members in Zha's gang, the positions in which they stand and a list of people you don’t know. Through the burner phone, you really sent everything that was of use that you found. And now you’re feeling stressed. Mark was right. You betrayed Jisung.

"Everyone's scared," You speak lowly, suggesting to him that you’re also scared. “I’m scared.”

"You have no reason to be scared Y/n.” You’re astonished when you hear him call your name. “You have no reason whatsoever to be worried. This is my problem. I’ll sort it all out." He confirms. "I hate saying this. I really do. I hate suspecting him." He licks his lips. "But I think, that Donghyuck is not being truthful to me. He knows something, but he's not telling me. Every time I see him, I see it in his eyes that's he's keeping something away. It makes me mad because, within this week I gave him a task and all of a sudden, the detective is on our case, our members are dropping like flies. All in one go,"

“I need to tell you something…”

Jisung doesn’t seem to hear as he chuckles. "Sometimes when you think he knows nothing. He knows something. He's very cautious and careful. You think he's not watching but he's watching. The problem is, he won't tell me. He’s just accusing you, but he’s not telling me what he knows. I know it’s not you Apple doll, I just want to figure out, why he’s hell bent on saying it’s you… It’s either he’s trying to hint that it’s Mark without really saying his name… or…"

Hearing that reminds you of what Mark said in the car, that he already exposed everything about you to Slick… could it be that Slick knows what you've been doing, but instead of ratting you, he'll let Jisung decide what he'd want to do with you? But it doesn't make sense. Why would he keep your secret? Why wouldn't he tell Jisung about what you’ve been doing? You shake your head and worriedly look at Jisung… You don’t even know what Slick knows and you’re already making assumptions… Maybe he’s bluffing…

"Why do you think he wouldn't tell you?" You ask and immediately his eyes look up to you. He's staring at you intensely.

"Because he's Slick like that," he says as if an idea popped in his head. "He said something tracing a text that Jeno did, and it reflected back here in the hotel… I think he’s just playing for time.” He takes a moment to think and stares at you intensely again. "You..." He drags, unsure of his words and of what he's thinking.

"Yes," You answer calmly trying not to give yourself away. It's harder remaining calm when you know you’re guilty.

He licks his lips and looks sorry. "I hate bringing this up but, at the warehouse when Donghyuck said that you've been sending files to someone... he was lying, right?"

Instantly you nod your head to afraid to come clean… letting the lie flow out of your mouth. "I swear Jisung. I had absolutely no idea of what he was talking about. I was just as shocked as you,"

He nods his head with a brief smile reaching his eyes. "I know I can trust you, my sweet Apple doll. But now what do I do about Donghyuck.."

"Come to think of it all… Perhaps, it has something to do with Aki? The Aki case." You don’t know why you say that, but as soon as you do, you try to clarify. “I mean, if Jeno is looking, then it should be about his wife. And if he’s in contact with the detective, that probably means they’re searching for the culprit.”

His eyes widen a little and he looks at you. "You’re right. I’ve ruled out that possibility because the case was already closed, and I just thought Jeno wanted revenge. But seeing as now that the detectives are involved again, the case might’ve reopened again.” Jisung shrugs his shoulder. "That's the thing that's irritating me, Slick is avoiding giving me proper answers. He's having this attitude of keeping things to himself and answering to no one. I should've killed him when I had the chance, but I need his skills. No one is Slick like him. I can just get him to kill Jeno,"

You try to breath out. “Can I ask something… who killed her anyway. You guys seem to be primary suspicion to the detectives. So one of you killed her.” Your throat gets dry, as you speak. Jisung’s eyes… turn into Zha… full of anger and vengeance.

“I killed her.” He whispers. “Her father, was one of the guys who sold me off. I killed him and because she wouldn’t stop running to the policy, as soon as I got my hands on her, I killed her too...  Mark and Jimin covered it. As an attempted break in. I guess…" he says and his pocket vibrates by the cellphone inside. He takes it out quickly answering. "Hold on. Yeah?"

Meanwhile, you’re frozen. Did Zha just own up to killing her?

"What? He what?" You snap out your little bubble watching Jisung rapidly standing up. "Stay there I'm coming."

"What? What happened?" You ask.

"Mark found Slick." He answers while getting his shoes on. "Slick has gone on a stupid rampage. I told him to lay low, but it seems like he’s captured another man and wants to kill him." Zha stands up. "That idiot." He mutters when seeing you put on your shoes and follow behind him. "Where are you going?" He stops and watches you.

"With you–"

"No. You can't come–"

"I'm coming with you."

"That’s rich.” He ignores you and presses the elevator button. “It's not safe."

"I don't care." You reply.

"No listen. It's not safe for you. " Without a second your back is against the wall as he's leaning into you. "You don't know what I'm capable of. You haven't seen me when I'm out there. I don't want you to see that. I don't want you to see me being somebody else–"

You stop him by placing your lips on him. He breathes you in and holds onto your body. "Slick already suspects me, and I just want to prove to him that I’m-”

“You’ve got nothing to prove.”

“Then let me come with you.” You emphasize. “Jisung, I can’t watch you like this. You don’t see what’s at stake, you don’t see your choices of have consequences. What if you go out there and then you get caught? If you’re going out there, maybe I can help, maybe I can… do something to prevent you drawing blood. Jisung… please.”

"You'll be scared of me.” He moves back. “But then again, I’ve been making a lot of reckless decisions.”

You gulp. This is it… What has started out as something of you to help Jeno, has led to this moment. You want to be loyal to Jisung, but with how things have been going… you’ve sorta… fallen for him and you feel guilty because you don’t want to betray him. You don’t want to prove the sterotype correct…

He said ‘Donghyuck’ once had a lover who betrayed him – Jeno said his lover died… and now Jisung… you’re about to break his trust and shatter him completely if you go on with trying to help Jeno and the detectives… a part of you doesn’t want to hurt him… yet you know that it’s what you need to do.

“Promise me right now.” Jisung says once you’re in the elevator next time. “Promise me that you won’t go back on your word… you be scared of me.”

“I promise.” Your mouth full of lies says… and you can see how much he believes you. What you’re doing is just so cold…

•

After the long drive into the urban areas you make it to some kind of small house. There's already a car parked by the front and by its looks it's for Mark. Jisung stops the engine and pulls the gear forward on park. He says nothing, the same way this car ride has been silent the whole time… the only thing you noticed was how he held onto your hand the entire time. Something about seeing the change in Jisung's eyes has you on high alert.

Before you remove your seatbelt, he places his hand over yours. He brings it to his lips and kisses it. "Stay in the car for me,”

"But–"

"No." He doesn't look at you but instead removes his own. "Stay in the car. I don't want to regret this or lose you," He opens the car door and gets out turning back to you. "Don't move okay, Apple doll," he tries forming a small smile but all that displays is a tight forced smile. You nod your head leaning back on your seat with your arms crossed as the door bangs closed immediately locking the car.

His figure walks away blending in almost with the darkness, has you contemplating on whether to follow him or not. For some reason, this seems like your only chance of escape. Of finally exposing everything and everyone. Getting the burner phone out of your pocket, you point to the house and take a picture. You feel emotional as you think of Jisung… you don’t want to betray him. You sniff and send the picture to Detective Na. In the chat you try to pin point the location, with location search. You watch as Mark and Slick step out of the other car meeting Jisung half way. Jisung is quick and grabs Slick by the collar shaking him. Slick looks like he's saying things and Jisung let's him go. They stand there for a while talking before Slick separates from them going away behind the house. Mark and Jisung stand together and before your very eyes they remove their guns from their pocket. You didn't even know Jisung had a gun with him.

The door opens and Slick steps out signaling for Mark and Jisung to get in. Jisung looks back to the car maybe trying to meet with yout eyes he’s so far away and in this darkness it's hard to make out his eyes or mouth or any facial features. He goes in the house and the door closes.

You keep track on your watch every minute. He said it would scare you… Could it be the same thing he does in the basement? That means… he's maybe going to kill someone. If he is you need to know. Your head shoots up by the faint scream coming from the house.

The rest of the houses are far away by a respectable distance and there's no help. Moments later with the little courage you have, you step out the car. The beat of your heart still in your ears. Every step you take towards the house… every time you check the watch, you can only think… is this the last time you’ll be alive? Once in front of the door you take a picture again of the street with the burner phone sending it to the detective. If this is the last time you’ll live, then… at least you can help Jeno. You’re sick and tired of this shit anyway. You just want it all to end. You can’t keep hurting Jisung who has already been hurt before. For crying out loud, ever since he said ‘I love you’ things have become complicated…

This whole time you’ve been confused by your whole feelings. You don’t know if you love Jisung too… or if you feel pity for him. All that you know is that… you hate how attached you’ve gotten to him… because a part of you feels really bad by your actions of betrayal…

You slowly and carefully open the trying not to make a sound. Thankfully the door doesn’t produce any unnecessary sounds. You walk in and close the door, however you freeze when you hear a gun click. Shit.

"Don't move."

Your breath is stuck in your throat, especially when you courageously and slowly turn around seeing… Slick. He rolls his eyes noticing you and puts his gun down signaling you to be quiet. He looks pissed as always but this time it doesn't seem to be directed at you. He comes close to you ear whispering. "There's an old man trying to escape. Stay here and make sure he doesn’t leave." He warns. You just stare at him with unknown daggers… did he actually tell you something with the hopes that you’ll obey him?

"Fuck you Donghyuck." You don’t know what comes over you to say such… but you do. And to top it off, you use his real name.

He stops in his tracks and turns back. Your eyes meet and you try to let it known through your eyes that you despise him. Right now your head is clouded because you feel bad that you’re about to betray Jisung… but at the same time you feel like it’s all Slick’s fault… why is he… why-

He walks back to you and reluctantly you step back pressing your back to the door. He stares down at you.

"Say that again." He eyes dig into yours. "I dare you to say that again to my face, and so help me now I will end you." You stay silent against your will, avoiding your tongue from forming those words again. He shakes his head. “Fuck you. You’re just like the rest of this rotten world. You prey on someone’s weakness before you destroy them. At first, I didn’t want to believe that someone could actually toy with Zha’s heart. But then you came along. Do you even have a conscious? He opened up to you, and you fucking lied to him. You always have been. And don’t deny it now. It’s pointless.”

Your eyes get teary… surprising you because everything he said is true.

When he steps away from you, your legs give up as you squirm to the ground and hold your mouth trying not to cry. Hold yourself together- you try to get a grip of your emotions. Slick is already gone, when you maintain your composure, but it’s the fact that you really think it’s him and Mark and Zha in the house alone… with a possible family. Getting the burner phone out – you don’t even care if you’ll get caught anymore- you place it on camera mode before allowing it to be on your jeans as you walk quietly through the house. Slick said you should watch the door, but you’re more curious of what’s happening inside. Come to think of it… this is also what happened last time. Zha told you to knock on the house door… before his whole gang invaded the place. To think you’ll be seeing what happens behind closed doors feels almost surreal. Is this what everything has come down to?

At some point of the corridor, you stand on the passage and move your head from behind the wall to see. You move your hip a little allowing your phone to get a little bit of the shot. Your heart drops upon seeing the sight in front of you. Your hands move to your mouth and you hold in my tears...

Mark holds down a girl tightly while also forcing a gun against her head. She's crying silently pleading over and over again for Zha to forgive her. Jisung… no Zha moves away from the TV, his back towards me. Mark forces her on the couch tightening his arms around her neck. She's crying silently shaking her head. You can see that she's shaking terribly. "P-pl-please, I do-don't know. He's n-n-not he-here."

"My guy says he's here and you're telling me he's not here," Zha walks forward to the girl crouching down. He removes the knife from his back pocket and shows it to her. "Let's make a deal, if my guy finds him here in the house then I kill him and kill you. But if my guy doesn't find him here and you're telling the truth then you'll live instead. Does that sound ok?"

"P-please." She stutters and shakes her head. "I-I'll do an-anything else if you just leave him alone- please," she pleads. "I can even pay off his debt!"

"He owes me his blood." Zha remarks. "Do you think you can offer me that? You know what, let me tell you about him. Park Chanyeol, he was one of the instructors who always told us to take and swallow our pills. Now you may not know this, but this pill was something they used to make us obedient. Your dear father made those pills and distributed it to many of the boys there. Now I’m not placing the blame entirely on him, but I am saying he’s part of the reasons why we’re so screwed up. And it’s not fair that he lives a nice life while he stuggle with out senses of feelings. The pill that your father modified took away our instincts. That’s not fair right?" Zha chuckles seeing her pleading face. She begins nodding her head rapidly.

Zha takes out his knife from his pocket rampaging through the fabric of her jeans revealing her soft looking thighs. He places the knife tip on her thigh… the sight has your eyes gashing out in shock as he slowly penetrates her skin watching as the blood drips down her leg slowly. His other hand squeezes her other thigh slapping it hard.

"Do you still want to pay his debt? You’ll have to make up for thousands of boys who were tortured by him and every one of those instructors."

"Y-yes! Just don't hurt him-"

"That wasn't my deal. But I'll accept your offer." He stops his knife and places it near her lips. "Lick it and then count to three."

She shakes her head watching him under her teary eyes. "I don't want you to hurt hi–"

"You didn't follow my instructions. Mark." Zha stands up and turns around just as Mark forces his hands around her jaw opening up her mouth. She fidgets but stops instantly upon seeing the gun on her head again. Jisung turns around and walks back to her. "You see baby girl. You and your dad have one thing in common. You both don't listen. I gave him instructions but he refused to follow my instructions, so the result of that is paying up. Just like you, you're gonna pay for your disobedience. Why so serious?" He says with a thick accent before placing his knife by the corner of her mouth and slashing through her mouth, causing an ear-piercing scream to fill up the house- you stagger back but can’t stop looking. "Why so serious? You should smile more. Do you know where that’s from?" He carves another gruesome line by the side of her face making blood drool from her face.

"Boss you shouldn't do that. Jimin isn't here to cover up." Mark warns Zha. “And I can’t do that on my own.”

Zha seems to ignore the warning going back to his former position and bends down looking at the girl’s thighs. "Count to three baby girl."

"One-" before she can even start Zha deeply pierces her thigh with his knife hearing nothing but her aching cry.

"Carry on counting." Zha commands as if he's dripping lemon on a salted wound.

"Tw-two-" she cries intensely her body trying to break free but Mark doesn't let go or budge. You look up to his face and he's just watching the girl. What's going on in their heads as they hear this poor innocent girl crying? "Th-three-"

“You know what pisses me off most about your father? Is that he’s a religious man. He believes in Buddah and that basically is a religion of kindness, but yet your father did the most inhumane things to us-”At this point you cover your own mouth seeing as Zha forcefully and painfully slowly carves an upside down cross on her thigh and it looks messy with so much blood rolling down her leg. Her body shivers violently and her face is so red engraved with fear.

"I should've made it deeper. To teach you not to be stupid and interfere in daddy's matters." Zha speaks getting up. "Do you still want to pay his debt?"

"N-NO!" She screams with tears streaming down her face. He points the tip of the bloody knife on her chest. "PLEASE DON'T!"

"I found him Zha." Slick enters through the other doorway with an old man who has his arms up. He forces the old man on his knees. The man must be Chanyeol… her father.

The old man looks hard faced from the beginning but nothing beats the ultimate pain stricken across his face when he looks up to see the girl... his daughter. "Fay! What have you done with her-"

"No dad!"

"Oh would you look at that!" Zha stands up with a larger smile. "Looks like somebody lied."

The girl squirms on her seat as tears fall out her eyes. She's looking dead shot to Zha begging him. Pleading him with everything by the tears in her eyes. Zha moves forward with the knife in hands. "N-no! I'm so-sorry please don't- NO!"

"Do you know what I do with people who’ve lied to me?” He asks but the girl is busy begging. "I kill them.”

Your breath hitches in your chest the moment Zha violently gushes his knife in her chest tightly holding her by her neck. He pulls the bloody knife out and forces in again, the blood splatters everywhere making Jisung strike again on her neck multiple of times before going to her heart and watching the blood squirt out on him—

Surely your ears go deaf as the girl's agonizing cries and scorching screams stop.

"Where's Y/n?" Donghyuck stops watching the murder going on as his eyes roam around until he spots you on the floor. Trauma reflecting in your gaze. "Shit." he lets go of the old man making Mark quickly take hold of the screaming man as he's watching his daughter…

Slick curses and picks you up from the floor looking pained. This is triggering for him... The way you look at Jisung with your eyes so lost and heartbroken, remind Slick of his girlfriend… the one who betrayed him. The last words she told Slick was that he needed help, before she went on to being with a better man. Slick always bottled inside of him that he was a good man, it’s just that circumstances messed him up. With Zha he felt like a better man, because he was accomplishing something that no one else could do- cause pain to those that caused him and a whole lot of others pain… but yet, looking at you. All he remembers is his own girlfriend and how she looked at him…

You watch Jisung as he drunkenly steps back away from the girl. The girl known as Fay... Jisung begins walking to the father with his knife tight in his head but as if you’re posed you scream out loud not being able to witness him doing something like that again. That causes Jisung to jump and immediately jolts his head turning rapidly to where Slick and you are. His eyes that where glimmering with monstrous blood immediately turn to shock and agony. "What...w-hat are you..."

His shirt is so soaked in blood and he's face is covered in blood, his hands clinched in blood. Everything is bloody just like the look in his eyes.

Even thought Slick is holding you back, you still step back petrified by the sight. He's so bloody and his hair covered in red makes it all look worse.

"Apple doll-"

"How could you.." You whisper shaking your head walking back as he comes closer. "N-no Jisung stay away - you did that- how could you…. Stay away-" You shudder and cry out. “How could you- is this what you would’ve done to me to?”

His eyes become somber and he steps closer with his arms careful- he tries to wipe the blood away but you’re scurrying away. Slick is also in a state of shock when he thinks of his own girlfriend… her last words being… ‘you need help’

"Apple doll please listen-"

"No.." You whisper cry moving back now fully aware of Slick’s hands preventing you from moving anymore. "You-"

"I can explain- please listen-"

"NO!" you cry. Your eyes are glued to his bloody hands, he dropped the knife a long time ago but all you can see is that knife still gushing in and out of the young girl's body. "You-"

"Please understand that I needed to do this," he pleads as his chest elevates higher and higher. He knows how bad it looks- but seeing the tears in your eyes is worse. He doesn’t want you to see him as a monster, but your eyes are already saying the words without him having to hear it from you… “Apple doll… Y/n please understand-“

"No! I can't u-understand how you'd-" You cry harder not being able to breathe as your tears are choking you. "You are-" You cry louder removing his jersey from your body throwing it on the floor. "-a monster."

He stops in his tracks and his eyes are fixed on you. He already knew what you would say, but hearing him actually saying it… causes everything in him to break and he looks away gulping.

"Boss," Mark speaks slowly from behind. He's now touching Jisung's shoulder. "I'll take her home,"

All Jisung can do after the painful silence only filled with cries from you is to nod as his eyes focus on you before turning around. You cry harder when you see the girl's father holding onto his daughter crying silently.

Mark comes by you and Slick moves away. Mark puts his arms around your shoulders as your feet have lost all blood and are so numb. Your tears blur your vision feeling your head very light… and before you know it… you collapse on the floor. Mark gets you up, and begins moving out leaving Zha, Slick and the father of the dead girl in the house.

"She wasn't supposed to see that." Slick says tightly recalling how he saw a phone in your pocket, a part of him believes it was recording simply because of how it was faced… but after your meltdown he feels frozen on the spot. "Don't let that stop you. Finish it." He whispers to Zha. “If this is it, and we get caught. Make sure you finish it.”

Jisung brushes his hair out of his eyes and turns back to the old crying man on the floor. He’s laying over his daughter’s thighs – and Jisung takes a moment to look at the girl’s cut thighs… was this really all worth it? Her thighs, her neck, her chest… the cuts are pluff and swollen with blood still oozing out.

“Give me your gun.” He whispers. Feeling the weight of the gun on his hand, he positions it to the father. All that Jisung can hear in his head is your cries, and he hates it.

BANG!

"Call Gray and Shonwu to get theses bodies." You whisper even though all the voices that were screeching and crying are gone. "Let's go."

“There’s something I should tell you about Y/n.” Slick says. “Now is the perfect time.”

-

Still pretending to be passed out, you feel Mark finally lay you down on a bed. You know you’re back in the hotel apartment when you can smell the familiar of the sheets and Jisung’s clothes… oh Jisung.

You wait until you’re sure Mark is gone before you can sit up on the bed and hold your heart. Opening your eyes, you can feel the wave of emotions crashing all over you. What did you just see?

You’re at a loss of words…

Thankfully the burner phone is in your pocket. You pick it up… and cautiously send the video that was recorded… and later on cut because of low space… but from the looks of the video, everything that needed to be recorded has been recorded… Zha is caught in the act of killing someone… whatever the detective will do with the information is completely up to him… you see that there’s a message on the phone from the detective…

Na.Jaemin:

We’re at the scene… it’s brutal. Where are you now? Are you with Zha?

You’re sick of this shit anyway. You pin drop your location-

"Drop it."

You look up in the dark room turning your head to the door. You’re not even the least bit shocked to see the figure emerging from the darkness. His eyes are pained but he still steps out. Slick… or rather Donghyuck.

"Drop the phone right now."

You let the phone go holding your hands up watching the gun in his hands. Your energy has completely depleted… you’ve made peace with the fact that you’ll die tonight anyway. “If you’re going to kill me. Do it quick… and painless.” Your hoarse voice lets out.

"I'm sorry you had to see that side of Jisung." His lips shut and he looks down away from your ruined mascara face and your eyes that’s blotched with so much tears. “He's a damn fool for trusting you. I saw that phone the first time it fell from that tea bag delivery. Mark told me that you only being Zha’s slut just so you could get answers about Aki. I knew all along, but still allowed you to toy with Zha. Let me guess what you’ve been doing on that phone. Gathering evidence against him. Reporting and sending your feedback back to Jeno. I watched you this whole time but said nothing. Maybe because I wanted to see how he'd take charge, but that was a bust as he started falling for you. Or because... I wanted him to feel something other than pain. Feel something other than pleasure. Lord knows how long he's been doing what he's been doing. He lost himself… became like me for a bit. I just wanted him to find himself in a much brighter light. But now. Now I see how I've been blinded as well. I let his love for you come upon me. I should've killed you first time I saw you because now, I see you don't have feelings. Giving him up and handing him over like that. But tonight this all ends. Right here, right–"

You jolt up and scream. Your eyes widen when you hear a bullet and see Donghyuck thrown off guard and falling on the floor groaning. He holds tightly onto his arm trying to numb his own pain. The same arm where he was shot is shot again. You look up seeing Mark on guard with his own gun still pointing at Donghyuck. He moves away from the door to the spot where Donghyuck is. He bends down feeling Donghyuck's pulse.

"Mark..." You whisper gratefully.

"He's still alive. Just knocked out." He stands up pointing the gun to you. "Slick was right. I can't just let you hand us over to the cops like that. I started this mess, I have to clean it. I'm sorry–"

BANG!-

BANG!

You jump up hearing multiple shots and have to shut your eyes. Thinking that you’ve been shot. But yet, for some reason, there’s still no wound on you. You look around the room, first to Donghyuck's wounded body... There's a big hole right in the middle of his chest oozing out blood. He's dead. You follow his hand with the gun seeing how it was slightly aimed towards Mark. But Mark didn't kill him.

Your breath hitches in your throat and your head turns to the door seeing none other than Jisung. You feel a pit being dug the moment your eyes land on his shirt. The blood is dried out and even if you can't see it clearly due to his black shirt, his hair still has smudges reminding you of what happened.

"You dare kill her." His voice is hoarse matching with the look in his eyes.  Your eyes water up and you feel touched that he's still protecting you. "Mark. Explain what the hell is going on."

Mark clinches his jaw looking down at Donghyuck. "You killed him."

"Because I know you'll answer me." Jisung emphasizes. "I know you know what's going on. Explain."

Mark looks conflicted but clinches his jaw again, a habit of his. "She’s the rat.” You become sad and slowly turn your head to Jisung. He shakes his head. Donghyuck told him the exact same thing in the house, but he didn’t believe it. "She's the one who went to the police with that friend of yours. Jeno–"

"She wouldn't." He rapidly answers looking to you looking more hurt and broken. "Tell me it's not true Y/n."

Mark speaks up. "I... I invited her over to my place. She wanted to know something about someone...she was helping a friend."

"A friend..."

"She was trying to find out about Aki and I told her that you had all the answers to that. That's when I introduced her to you for the first time in the warehouse...she's smart and had her ways multiple of times while keeping contact with Jeno and-"

Mark goes on talking about you but your attention stays on Jisung seeing his gaze turn to you. "You got into my heart... by lying?"

You blink away your tears trying to find words to comfort him but end up saying nothing.

"You..how could you? I trusted...you. I–" he looks speechless and turns back to Mark. "Don't tell me that what I feel is one sided," he shakes his head chuckling lightly in pain. "Don't tell me that my heart is on the verge of exploding because I got played,"

Mark tries to speak seeing Jisung aggregated. "Zha–"

"You invited an outsider inside my home and I blindly trusted you because you’re my right hand. You knew all along and never said anything?" Jisung asks in so much pain. "This was a game to you both."

"I didn’t know what she had up her sleeves-"

"This is real? That means you never felt anything for me? We kissed and I opened myself to you… I was even planning on leaving all this for you… because I didn’t want to hurt you…" Jisung continues to ramble his thoughts out loud still in shock and pain. "Why didn't you stop me Mark- my feet are in cold water and you only tell me now.."

"I'm sorry-"

You close your eyes tightly seeing Mark's eyes open wide before he falls on his knees as a loud bang has you cowering in fear. Jisung shoots hard again three times watching his own best friend die on the floor. You’re shaken in your position but say nothing. Jisung doesn't turn around but his voice is loud enough.

"Leave."

Your feet move hesitantly, but not towards the door. “Ji…” You move your feet to his position. You stand behind him looking at his broad shoulders. He killed his friends… his right hand… his best and most loyalist friend. This is all because of you. He's protected you from their harm but in the end he killed them.

"Leave. Don't make me say it again." His voice is soft. "I... don't want… you here anymore."

“I’m sorry Jisung.”

-

Jeno is stunned when seeing you with dirty socks at his trailer. You’re crying and hiccupping looking so broken. He doesn’t waste a second and immediately embraces you tightly, as you get into more fits of cries.

He calls your name softly… "What happened?"

You shake your head, sniff and cough. “I…” You don’t even know what to say.

You didn't know what to do when you left Jisung's hotel, all the memories spinning in your head as well as how broken he was when you left... He’s the one who committed a crime, yet why were you crying for him?  You left quickly when you noticed that he wasn't following you. You took the opportunity to run, you hitch hiked a ride to Jeno’s place… with no complete thought in your brain. You just were worn out and tired. So much as happened tonight.

“You don’t have to say anything… just sleep here tonight. And tomorrow, we’ll go to Detective Na.”

•

"Are you sure of this information?" The detective, Min Jaemin asks once again being totally morphed in everything. “When you sent the video, I was shocked at what I saw. This clip will be most useful if you testify. Can you testify against him? Against Park Jisung who is Zha?

"Yes. I can.”

-

Loco enters into Zha’s office with his hands in his pocket. He looks up from the list of guys that he still had to kill. His head is still blank and clouded after yesterday's greatest fail. He lost you, as well as Donghyuck and Mark, but he got the guy he was looking for; Park Chanyeol, but still he lost you. “The police got to the house before we could.”

Loco sits on the chair in front of Zha. Zha feels slightly irritated because Loco was no match to be a replacement for Slick.

"Listen man," Loco starts resting his hands on the table crossing them. "I've never seen you this down. What happened to you? Not only you, but you said you killed Zha and Mark. Is this because of that girl?"

“At first I could take advantage of her…” Jisung feels exhausted as he leans back on his seat. “You know, sex and all that. But after a while I just wanted to make her relax and trust and believe in me...give her my world of peace without destruction.”

"You were in too deep bruh," Loco sits back on his chair, biting his lip. "I went to your place today earlier today...but she wasn't there. Only the bodies of Mark and Slick. What happened? Did you really kill them? What really happened?"

"I can’t believe he chose you as his replacement.” Zha scoffs. “You’re so… useless.”

A red beam catches Jisung’s attention and he draws his attention to the door seeing through the crystal grey door that a bunch of man in black are standing, holding… guns. Jisung stands up and rest his hands behind his head not feeling the need to fight back.

"Zha what are you-"

The door breaks down and a swarm of police march in. "FREEZE! DON'T MOVE!"

"Park Jisung?" Detective Na Jaemin enters the room seeing Jisung already surrendering. "Zha. It really is you,"

"I guess I have a fan," He dryly replies. Detective Na comes over to him, while the others pin Loco down who was trying to escape. “Tell me something Detective. Was a person by the name of Y/n involved in this?”

“I’ll do you one better, she’ll testify against you in court.”

That’s news to Jisung’s ears, as he can only hear his heart completely shatter. “She’ll… testify?” He chuckles brokenly. “It was all a fucking joke.”

___________________________________

[3 Months later]

Jeno and you walk hand in hand through the graveyard. Both withering in spirit and cautious of each other. Finally after a long chase the answers where revealed. It not only brought peace but it brought a sense of relief. Relief to the both of you. They both stop at the tombstones and look to each other with comforting smiles. They're hands slowly slip out of each other and they look ahead.

You take a deep breath and looks at Taeyong's grave. “I can’t get over how I hurt Jisung.”

"There’s this saying, that Aki used to say. You can take a horse to a river but you can't make it drink.” Jeno sighs and leans back for a bit, before looking to Aki’s grave. He recalls the court room, and how he saw Jisung. Jisung’s gaze were only on you…  Jeno can’t even imagine the time and relationship you’ve built with Jisung, but it was probably really personal, because not once did Jisung’s gaze sore up. The way Jisung looked at you, was enough to make Jeno believe you went to great lengths just for him. "The best thing to do is probably give him time to think. After all he's in prison. He has all the time to think, all the time to himself. Sometimes being with too many people makes you not think, but when you're alone… all alone you start thinking. Especially for someone like him, who blamed the entire system and convinced himself that killing is good. I think it’s safe to say that this time alone, can give him a new introspective in life."

You nod your head moving closer to Jeno and laying your head on his arm.

After Jisung, you found it hard to see Jeno the same way… your heart now beats for Jisung. And you don’t know if it’s right or wrong. All you know is that, you hurt someone that you loved, and you couldn’t move on until you were sure that they were going to be okay.

Which is why, several days later, you find yourself in the prison ward. You attempt to go in… but you get cold feet and head back home. The same thing happens for the next couple of months. Before you know it, a year goes by and when you come to the prison center, this time around, you’re determined to see Jisung. Finally.

Following an officer to the designated assigned place for visits, you rub your hands together as you wait.

It's almost been a year and here you are. You don’t even know what you’re doing here anymore, but all you know is that your heart needed to know that Jisung didn’t hate you. At the same time, you wanted to know how he's been doing and how his mentality has been. For you… life felt like it was happening all too fast.

You got a job surprisingly as a research assistant, as if turns out you were pretty good with research. You tried to stay void of Jeno, but your feelings wouldn’t let him go so easily and so one thing led to another and now… you’ve got a giant rock on your finger.

You hear chains rattling from outside the door making your heart beat rapidly. Fear of how you left things. Why is it that your brain can’t wrap around the fact that he did something wrong and you should be mad at him and angry – but yet you feel so much pain… sadness and pity… all because you betrayed him. Sometimes you need to slap yourself to remind yourself that you did nothing wrong.

The door opens up and you’re glued to your seat, with your back facing the door… meaning he’s standing behind you. The chains rattle and you hear faint footsteps, until you see an officer holding him by his arm and forcing him on the chair forcing his arms backwards so that they could remove the handcuffs.

The whole time your eyes are on his handcuffs instead of his eyes but you feel his stare on you. The officer finally finishes not before telling you that you have ten minutes. The door shuts letting out a loud bang. You pluck your eyes from the ground and force yourself to look at him.

The monster?

But instead of seeing a monster you see… the Jisung you first met. Not Zha. But Jisung. He doesn’t look as confident as his alter ego Zha… but he looks so vulnerable. He looks down at his free hands and cracks his knuckles.

"When the officer told me someone was here for me, I wondered who could it be. I have no one out there who cares for me, that's what I thought." he remarks setting his arms on the table. He sounds a bit cold but it doesn't frighten you. "So, what are you doing here? With a monster,"

You look in his eyes trying to break your way in but he's closed. He's so closed that all you can see is a reflection of ‘Slick’s’ eyes staring back at you.

"I didn't think, that you'd want to see me after everything that happened." He continues when you don't respond. He cracks his neck and he's eyes focus on your hands on the table.

For some reason your tongue is heavy and looking at him, you feel like wanting to run away. Why is he being like this? Then again, what were you expecting?

He sighs and looks back at you. Still cold. You try not to look defeated by his gaze but you can't help lowering your head looking at your nails. A year can really change so many people's lives either for the better or worse. Your eyes go up to his again, catching his gaze already on you his eyes search yours and all you do is stare back at him with so much vulnerability. You can’t express what you’re feeling, but if you have to summarize this unknown feeling… it’s the type of uncertainty and longing.

"What are you doing here?" He stops himself short. He's at a loss of words as he sees that there's no reaction from you. He sighs and closes his eyes. "Ten minutes is ticking by. Are you gonna say anything."

"I-" You swallow feeling your throat is dry. "I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry Ji. I'm so sorry for betraying you… I don't know but... I'm just really sorry for everything that's happened," Instantly you see his walls come down a little as he smiles a little before it turns to a poker face again. "I never wanted to hurt you. Please understand that all I wanted was... I just wanted the truth at first, but then... as I got to know you, I realised that I also wanted to help you…"

"Help me?" He smirks and unexpectedly chuckles. "Help me.. .by sentencing me life in prison?"

"No by–"

"You know something." He pauses and looks at my hands. "I was ready to give up everything. Everything I did just so that... I could be with you." He looks hurt and looks you in the eyes. "I fought with my friends, killed them just for you. I even stopped coming late so that I could see you more. I don't think you understand, what it means for me to give up... to give up everything for someone. For you. I had faith in you. I…"

Your eyes go to hand that’s slowly reaching to yours… but it stops half way. You look at him, seeing how his gaze does not even disappear from yours.  

"I didn't want you to hate me. I wanted you to leave before I killed you. Before I lost myself. Before I lost you..."

You listen to his words hearing his feelings.

"But you did help me." He waits a little longer for you to say something but you wait for him, being patient. "I needed that. And I know you can't accept me after what I've done. After all, I'm a heartless monster–

"Jisung please… don't say those things." You cover his hand with your own. You feel his shiver and the way his hand stiffens under your touch. He pulls back and shakes his head.

He looks away.

You nod your head a little, understanding his own actions. He doesn’t have anything elsto say to you. "I have to go... I'm sorry.." You suddenly get so emotional but before your tears can even fall out your eyes you shake your head and get up leaving quickly to the door.

But his voice stops you. "I still love you."

You freeze, your heart lurching in your chest. The words echo in the stillness of the room, pulling you back, almost against your will. You turn slowly, not sure what you're expecting, but when you meet his gaze, you surprise yourself. A smile tugs at the corner of your lips. You shake your head, feeling a mix of relief and sorrow.

“I don’t hate you…” Your voice trembles slightly, but you steady it. “I hated your actions, but I never hated you.”

His eyes search yours, dark and full of something painful yet familiar. A sad smile forms, fleeting and fragile. "I was hoping to hear 'I love you back,'" he says quietly, a touch of longing in his voice. "But… that works too."

You swallow, your throat tight as a wave of emotion washes over you. The weight of everything that’s happened, the pain, the regret, the years spent in silence—it's all too much. But you walk toward him, drawn in by the unspoken bond that still lingers between you.

You reach out, your hands trembling as they gently cup his face. The warmth of his skin beneath your touch makes your chest tighten, but you don’t pull away. His eyes flicker to your hands, then back to your face, his expression unreadable. You lean in slowly, almost hesitantly, as if the very act of closing the distance is a question in itself.

And then, without thinking, you press your lips to his—soft, brief, almost hesitant, but full of everything that words can’t capture.

For a moment, time stands still. His breath catches, and you feel the shiver that runs through his body at the touch. The kiss is not a declaration, but a promise—quiet, fragile, and uncertain. When you pull away, your forehead rests against his for a brief second. The words you can't say settle in the silence between you.

Into the unknown…

Fin-

[technologyculturedneo]

Unknown Pt1. Park Jisung.

“We met in the graveyard because coincidentally our loved one's graves were beside each other.”

Summary: In a world darkened by trauma, Jisung has never believed in love, and his life is filled with shadows and the cries of many. Jeno, a man working to move past his painful history, struggles to find happiness when a past event resurfaces, threatening to undo his progress. Caught between these two men, you become the bridge that connects them—helping Jeno heal while gaining Jisung’s trust. As you navigate this complex dynamic, guilt begins to weigh on you as you slowly fall for the very person you're trying to help, torn between loyalty and your growing feelings.

Disclaimer: Longshot.

[Dream()scape masterlist.]

A/n: Unfortunately my account was terminated... so it caused a delay in this longshot being released. But thankfully my account has been reactivated so I've had a lot of time to work on this Jisung long shot. Nonetheless, i hope you enjoy!

For his entire orphaned life, deprived of love and guidance, Park Jisung has never known what is means to be truly free. Living in a boarding school where his thoughts, feelings, and actions were controlled, Jisung, laying in bed, eagerly anticipates the day when he can think for himself… when he can finally leave this boarding school. When the lights finally flash on, Jisung rises, cleans up, and dons his navy blue uniform like every other routine day. Standing by his door, he awaits the day’s first orders, filled with a mix of uncertainty and anticipation.

“Out.”

In a heartbeat, Jisung follows his routine—reaching for the handle, pulling it down, and stepping out, shutting the door behind him. A row of boys, all dressed the same with identical haircuts and vacant expressions, stand outside their rooms. The difference? Jisung isn’t ‘dead’… not anymore.

“Walk.”

Left, right, left, right, the boys march in sync to the breakfast hall. Jisung sits at the long table, hands resting, trying to be ‘braindead’ like the others. Across from him sits Jeno, eyes blank. Their gazes meet. Jisung’s breath catches as he stares at Jeno—number 1 in the facility, cold and ruthless, enduring everything, outshining them all. Jeno’s like a machine, ready for war. Jisung fights to keep his gaze steady, his fear growing as Jeno remains unblinking, while Jisung struggles to hold his eyes open.

“Swallow.”

Jisung lags behind as everyone else takes their green pill and swallows it with water. He does the same but slips the pill into his pocket instead. For three days now, he’s been pill-free. The first time, it was accidental—the pill fell into his lap, and he couldn’t correct it without being caught. That day, he discovered something surprising: he could feel. His fingers, his toes, even his heart beating. His mind opened, and he could think. He felt the pain in his blistered feet and everything in his body. The pill had numbed him, taken away his humanity, but now without the pill… he felt alive. Emotions stirred within him. He quickly pockets the pill, returning his hand to the table.

Without warning, a boy from another row suddenly collapses. Not even a second later some authorities in black uniform pick him up and drag him away.

“I saw what you did.”

Jisung freezes at the low whisper. His gaze shifts to the left, then forward—Jeno. They lock eyes, Jisung tense, Jeno intimidating. Jisung is confused; Jeno isn’t supposed to be aware, but he’s not brain dead. They simply stare, Jisung trying to ignore the unsettling reality. Like Jisung, Jeno found a way to avoid swallowing the pill. He’d keep it between his teeth, drink water, and spit it out after. He’d studied the other boys, adapting to blend in. His goal was simple—escape. The pill only slowed him down. Jeno believes Jisung aims for first place, but he can’t let that happen. No one would ruin his plan. So, when Jeno raises his hand, Jisung’s eyes widen. Jeno protects himself by exposing Jisung:

“He stuffed the pill in his pocket,” Jeno points at Jisung.

Jisung is shocked by his pounding heart as he sees the men in black walking towards him… but then they begin charging with outstretched hands. That only causes Jisung to scamper and run for his life. The first boy caught dodging the pill was made an example for anyone who disobeyed. They made it clear that disobedience would not be tolerated, drilling into the boys' minds that those who didn’t comply could be discarded. They killed that boy. Jisung doesn’t want to lose his life, when he just started to feel things.

The world is cruel to boys like him. Orphans at the boarding school, once of age and unadopted, were labeled failures and sent to a mind-programming facility. There, they were turned into mindless "Workerz" to serve the economy. Without families or proper training, the boys were taught to obey and survive by becoming Workerz—honorary members of society. It was what they all wanted, as they were constantly put down and reminded they didn’t deserve anything. Their young hearts longed to achieve, to belong, which is why they followed the rules.

For Jisung, all he’s ever wanted was to be free, to be young. But all he's known is hard work, pain, and a life devoid of emotion. When he's caught and brought to the headmaster's office, he feels worthless—his one chance to stay discreet, wasted. “Should we kill him?”

“Sell him?”

“Selling risks exposure. He might know more than we think. We can’t take that chance.”

To his surprise, Jisung speaks up. “I’m not a threat. I wouldn’t expose anyone...” His words are cut off as quick as a large smack over his face gets him flying on the floor.

“How dare you speak!” Jisung lowers his head, regretting his words. If only he’d stayed silent. He pushes aside his useless feelings, remembering his place among the elders. “We have no use for rebels,” the headmaster says. “Killing him would mean more questions. Sell him. Make it look like he was adopted.”

-

“How much?”

“90 pieces of silver.”

“Silver? No currency?”

Jisung, still in the same uniform as the morning, is forced to stand with his arms spread. The handler describes him coldly, detailing his strength and abilities. Jisung feels reduced to nothing as his body is examined. He feels dehumanized as he’s groped on his manhood just as another man (a potential buyer) and woman watch on.

“I like him,” the woman’s soft voice says. Jisung tenses slightly when she touches him, and he looks away, feeling a deep sense of shame. The woman smiles up at him before turning to the man. “90 pieces of silver is nothing. I’d pay more for a boner like this.”

“180 pieces of silver, then,” the man says. Jisung shifts uncomfortably, still feeling the woman’s gaze on him. “But I must ask, why is he priced so low? Is there something wrong with him? A troublesome family, perhaps?”

“He’s not costly,” the handler responds. “His mother passed away soon after seeing him. That’s why we’re asking for silver instead of more. If he were trouble, we’d make you pay more. You’re doing us a favor by taking him off our hands. He’s perfect, a top Workerz, specially trained.”

“So why are you selling him?” The lady continues to rub, imagining all the things she can do to him.

“He’s ready for the world.” The authority says. “And what better place, then with you Mr Zha.”

Jisung just as much as he’s being stimulated hears the exchange of coins which only the wealthy had. Is this it? Being sold? Is this how his life ends? Is this freedom—or just another trap? A trap he’s not ready for.

“Thank you honey,” Jisung looks up for a brief second to the lady who grins at the man, perhaps her husband. She holds Jisung by the hand and drags him forward. “I’ll give him a bath.”

“No sweety, let me.” The man looks to Jisung and nudges his head. Jisung follows. The man leads him in the enlarged house with several open floor spaces before they’re enclosed in a room. “Strip.” Feeling warm around his neck, Jisung doesn’t question anything and does as told. The man watches with gnawing eyes. “My wife would love that.” He comments. “Except your feet.”

isung looks down at his blistered feet, bandaged and covered in red patches.

“There’s nothing you can do about it for now,” the man says, meeting Jisung’s gaze. “Listen, boy. I’m a craftsman, I work with wood and build cottages in various places around the world. I travel to meet clients and design homes. Your authorities wouldn’t have brought you here unless you were meant to assist me. While I'm here, you'll serve me. When I'm gone, you’ll serve my wife. Meaning anything she wants, anything at all, you do it. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Yes master.”

“Yes master.” Jisung repeats after the man.

“In return, I’ll pay you well. You won’t have much of a life, but money is what matters here. You can ask for clothes and things to pass the time. Now, go bathe and meet me outside.” The man turns to leave, then stops to stare at the boy. “You can call me Mr. Zha.” The name carries weight. Jisung nods and heads to the bath, not minding that his new boss, never cared to ask his name. Back in the boarding school, he was known by a number… now here, it seems like his name won’t matter.

The mansion Jisung now lives in is vast, and he can hardly believe such a place exists. With countless rooms and unfamiliar architecture, his mind is still in shock from being sold. There are seven female servants, and Jisung is the only male. The house belongs to Mr. Zha, a renowned architect, and his wife, known only as 'Mistress.' Jisung avoids her, staying close to Mr. Zha, as his wife’s gaze seems to linger on him with unsettling intent.

On the third day of his stay, Jisung was outside chopping wood, waiting for Mr. Zha to return. After finishing, he took a brief break before starting the fire. The Mistress came outside with a vase of water and soap. “Hi, handsome,” she greeted. “I saw you resting and wanted to offer a massage for your hard work. May I?”

"Y-yes, Mistress," Jisung replied, bowing respectfully. This was the first time they were alone. She knelt down, removed his shoes, and began massaging his feet.

"My poor boy," she said, "I'll make your feet better."

Jisung was confused; it was supposed to be the other way around—him doing it for her. But his eyes widened in surprise when he felt a strange sensation as her mouth wrapped around his big toe. "M-Mistress, what are you doing?" She never replied. Just continued sucking and cleaning his feet. She finished just in time before Mr Zha could come and Jisung kept working awkwardly. Is this what Mr Zha meant?

On a Sunday, he had another encounter with her, when he entered Mr Zha’s study and accidently caught her masturbating with her dress below her belly and her hands touching her boobs while they also ran down in pleasure. Mr Zha told him to retrieve some papers, yet Jisung didn’t want to step anywhere near the nude Mistress. He quickly apologized and was about to leave until she called him closer. Awkwardly Jisung moved towards her, inching whenever she told him to come closer. To the point where she told him to get on his knees. With her hand over her wet womanhood, and Jisung’s eyes trying to look everywhere but her core- she told Jisung to suck her toes. And with that she brought her feet up. Jisung was reluctant and backed away. She then told him to suck her wet hole, but Jisung politely refused, not long before she grabbed his hand and forcefully made him touch her breast to which he snapped his hand away from her- but not liking that response she yelled.

The yell brought Mr. Zha and the servants into the study. "Honey, he’s refusing to listen to me."

Jisung, trying to respect Mr. Zha, had no intention of overstepping boundaries with his wife. However, Mr. Zha showed no leniency when it came to disciplining Jisung simply because of disobeying his wife. Jisung got hard belt beatings forming bruises on his back. From there one he tried his hardest to avoid the Mistress. But… The Mistress started getting a lot more comfortable in demonstrating the type of power she had. She ‘slept’ with the ladies as entertainment for Mr Zha. Mr Zha would invite Jisung to watch her and the servants. Other times Mr Zha engaged as Jisung sat there face blotched red with the beatings he’d receive on other days for disobeying or refusing something asked by the Mistress (all lewd things). Within the first week of living in that house, Jisung felt all sorts of emotions- negative emotions towards the Mistress.

“Handsome I want you to rub my feet,” or “Baby make him strip for me,” or worst of all. “Touch me here handsome. Use your fingers, yes ah-”

She was making it clear day by day that once Mr Zha leaves for a work vacation- she’d devour Jisung’s little mind. And so it happened… the Monday morning he woke up, Mr Zha had gone on his business trip and he was awakened by the Mistress. “Good morning, handsome. Guess what? My husband has left for work,”

“Good morning Mistress.” He feels uneasy seeing her in his room. “I’m… I’m aware Mistress.” Jisung speaks nervously.

She giggles. “I like how you say ‘Mistress’ with so much…” She let’s out an erotic moan. “Power. Makes me want you even more. I like my servants clean before I have them. And I can only trust you’re clean if I’m the one to bath you.” She says in her silk voice and daring eyes of lust. “Come.”

Reluctant, Jisung follows her to her private bathroom. If he thought he was dehumanized in the boarding school then here, it’s even worse, she undresses him until he’s completely bare. Her hands touch all over body as he’s in the tub in warm bubbled water. She only giggles and smiles whenever she makes eye contact with Jisung. He only wishes to take the pill again. He wishes that he was never caught by Jeno. Because as the lady undresses herself, her eyes coated in something that Jisung doesn’t understand, he fears as she gets in the tub with him. She disappears in the water and Jisung jolts when feeling her mouth over his member. He squirms when feeling the mouth of the lady suck sharply. It’s almost like he disassociates with himself as he doesn’t want to remember or think of this moment… He feels no pleasure, only a rising anger within him. His sense of innocence is slipping away. This isn’t freedom. He has no options, no escape. He’s trapped in a house, with no control over anything. His mind races, realizing he's always been a puppet—treated as nothing more than an object by those around him.

The thought alone, causes great anger to boil in him and then suddenly but viciously his killer instincts awaken and, Jisung feels something in him snap as he uses his fists to punch the lady over her head and adjusts his hands around her throat. Mercilessly he tightens his grip as she splashes and splotches out in the water. Her arms are too weak for him. She gags and struggles to breathe both underwater and over his manhood- shortly she intakes a heavy amount of water. Her eyes sting by the heaviness of water. With one last squeeze over her neck to make sure she’s dead, Jisung stands up from the water dripping. His heart is beating fast… Did he just kill… her? He’s panting and shaking terribly. The mistress is floating in the water.

He just killed Mr Zha’s wife. He’s a dead man. He picks up a fork that’s on a platter with some fruits. Getting her out of the water, with brute force- he stabs the sharp fork straight into her head. The scene is bloody. The scene is brutal. But Jisung has never felt more numb without the pill. He inhales sharply and continues to stab her forehead.

“Mistress are you alright?” Jisung turns his head to the door.

He gets whiplash when instantly getting dizzy as he realizes… he just killed the mistress. The blood pooling around her has him stepping back in shock by his actions. Did he just… do that? Why did he do that? He’s panicked and his heart is beating like crazy. Mr Zha will kill him! He’ll be sentenced to death! So many questions and panicked thoughts run through his mind. And then all in an instant… He feels blank. He gulps. A strange sense of control, a twisted satisfaction for taking action. Holding the fork firmly and moves to the door with one purpose in mind.  

He would take back his control.

3 years later.

Jeno packs up as his shift ends, determined to leave on time. He shuts his cabinet, switches off his computer, and slings his work bag over his shoulder, walking quickly past his coworkers. Today isn’t like the others—he needs answers. In his car, he glances at the documents on the passenger seat, feeling a weight in his chest. He picks them up, his eyes locking on the bold title:

[DIVORCE]

His wife of two years wants to end things. Why? He found the papers while searching through her things to sign her up for benefits. The bold words stare back at him, breaking his heart. He can’t make sense of it. Did he rush the marriage? Two years didn’t feel rushed. Did she not want to be with him anymore? As he drives, his mind fills with thoughts of their confrontation. He's ready for it, hoping she is too. Pulling into the driveway, Jeno parks the car, takes a deep breath, and steps out. But when he enters the house, his breath catches. The house is a mess—lamps knocked over, stained couches, pillows scattered and their stuffing torn apart.

"What the hell?" A dark gruesome color of red is spread around the walls making it hard for Jeno to even breathe. Bloody fingerprints and deep dents are forcefully imprinted on everything. All the mess leads straight to the kitchen door, which is off its hinge. “Baby?”

The kitchen floor is barely visible as it's covered in different colors of shredded plates. The trashcan as well as the refrigerator are both knocked down, displaying the takeaway Jeno ate yesterday by himself and latest groceries he bought… ruined now. Jeno hastily turns around running up the stairs following the trail... His face twists with confusion as he walks towards their bedroom when he spots a long trail of... dried stains of blood on the carpet. His heart is beating fast.

He swallows back immediately opening the door of the room. He peeks inside and just like that… his heart stops as his whole world begins to shatter. It happens so quick that all that Jeno can hear is his heartbeat, in between each strangled and choked cry.

Boom boom, boom boom

"Sir please calm down and tell me what happened?"

"I-I -I don't know- I sa-saw her- on on th-e bed, - her blood all over- She-she isn-t mo-moving or or or bre-e-athi-ng breathing. Please, please- help me!"

He doesn’t even know how fast he got the phone on his ear.

"We are locating you, please stay on the line sir. Help is on the way right now."

"Aki!"

Everything seems to go in slow motion as he rushes to her side.

"Oh god! Oh god! Aki no! Please -" The tears flow naturally and painfully cries. His hand under her damp clothes when he tries shaking her motionless body. Her eyes are wide open with blood enclosed around her pupils. Not only her eyes but her whole body is disturbing and covered in shocking revolting red marks.

The whole bed is soaking with her blood, the walls, the carpet, the drawers- everywhere.

"No!" He cries out loud.

Boom boom, boom.

“Please! I have to be with her!” Jeno yells at the nurse when she’s dragged away rapidly on a stretcher on the hospital floors.

The dried blood on his hands, face, shirt, pants, hair and shoes. The silence is a painful scream to his ears. He sits quietly on the hospital chair waiting. He’s afraid to let his mind think. And when the doctor comes out, Jeno clutches his shirt, the tears coming again.

“I’m sorry sir.”

•

Your tears have long since gone numb from how often you’ve cried for Taeyong. He’s been in the hospital for weeks, coughing uncontrollably and not getting better. You sit by his bed, watching him fall asleep one day... but he never wakes up.

“Taeyong... please don’t scare me,” you whisper through your tears.

Taeyong came into your life as a one-night stand, but he stayed and gave you false hope of a future. But less than a year later, he contracted a deadly virus.

The doctor enters, offering the news you feared. “I’m sorry, the operation didn’t succeed. He won’t be able to breathe on his own for a while. The virus spread too quickly. There was too little healthy blood left.” The doctor continues, “Which has left him in a coma…”

And after four months, with no improvement, the doctors finally decided to pull the plug. Taeyong was gone. You used his savings to give him a quiet funeral, burying the man who brought you a brief moment of happiness.

“I’m so sorry, Miss,” the doctor murmurs.

•

5 Months later…

Visiting the graveyard on rainy days always helped Jeno hide his tears, allowing him to cry without anyone noticing. Today, though, he sits on a bench, umbrella over his head, lost in thought as he watches the world around him. Every day, new tombstones appear, each marked by anguish, regret, and lost life.

After his enlistment, Jeno worked as a bodyguard for a Japanese ambassador, where he met Aki, a kind secretary. Her deep questions pulled him in, and for the first time, he felt alive. They married, and he left his job to start anew. They had plans—until her sudden death shattered everything. Life had taken so much from him. Now, he only had the graveyard to mourn her.

Jeno had noticed you at the graveyard for months, always laying near Aki’s grave. Today, as you lie on the ground, he sees the same sadness in you that he feels. Not wanting to become too emotional, he leaves. Later, as he drinks coffee, Jeno's mind returns to the investigation into Aki's death. The autopsy confirmed she was murdered, but Jeno promised her he'd never resort to violence again. He couldn’t break that vow.

After paying for his coffee, he leaves the café, his feet leading him back to the graveyard. When he arrives, he’s surprised to find you lying flat on the ground beside Aki’s grave. He kisses his fingers and places them on the grave before gently holding his umbrella over you to shield you from the rain.

Curiosity pulls him closer, and he brushes your hair aside to see your face.. You sleep unaware of what's happening. Jeno can't help but notice your beauty, although the dried tears on your cheeks sadden him. His eyes linger on your lips, where a permanent frown remains even in your sleep. It's heartbreaking to see you like this. As the lightning strikes, he quietly leaves.

At night Jeno curls himself in the blanket once it’s night time. Tonight is cold, extremely. He turns on the heater, warming his hands, hoping you'd gone home by now. He didn't want you to stay there, already pale and vulnerable to the weather. He understands the depth of your grief—you must’ve lost someone very close to you.

Getting you out of his head, he performs his nightly duty of walking over to his trailer window and looking at the house opposite from his trailer. The house in which the love of his life died. He had no courage to ever step foot again in that house. However after 5 months, tonight he feels something unusual. As he’s about to sleep… but he finds himself thinking of you. Maybe it’s because he’s been seeing you a lot in the graveyard- but still it feels like an alternative reason, he can’t help but think why you’re always on his mind.

-

The sound of a hawk hawking breaks you from your fuzzy confused dream. Your mouth hangs open and you look around.

Why are you outside?

You sit up and see that it's raining but for some reason it's not touching you. It's not touching you because of this umbrella... Where did it come from? It's all black and the initials on the hook are 'LJ'. Someone probably saw you sleeping under the rain and had mercy. You quickly get up stretching your muscles when seeing that you’re the only one in the graveyard. You dash out of there with the umbrella. Just the thought that somebody saw you on the floor and gave you an umbrella makes you turn pink. How could you be so stupid and sleep outside? Especially for someone, who never considered you. Huh… you keep making foolish decisions for someone who never loved you.

A few minutes later you make it to your street noticing the dark clouds slowly becoming light. Oh no. Did you sleep at the graveyard? You jiggle the key in your little apartment door and it opens. You place the umbrella down and look at the black object for a while. A little smile gets on your face, just as a tear escapes your eye. Perhaps… it’s time to move on. And not dwell on somebody who makes you look stupid even when they’re dead.

-

The sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky with peaceful hues. You finish your shift and head to the graveyard to ask the security about the umbrella left there. You adjust your white dress, then swap your heels for slippers, walking faster. The graveyard is quiet, save for one man standing by Taeyong's grave. You've seen him before, always nearby, sometimes crying, other times sitting in silence. Today, he's motionless. Something about his presence makes you think he might know who left the umbrella.

You quietly set a blanket on the ground by Taeyong's grave, pulling out a flask of green tea. The sweet aroma fills the air as you pour a cup for yourself, then one for the man. He looks like he could use some warmth. You stand and walk hesitantly toward him, bowing slightly. “Would you like some tea?” you offer.

His gaze shifts toward you, eyes hollow and distant. His fingers are pale, cold to the touch, veins faintly visible. Without a word, he takes the cup from your hand and sips it, still focused on the grave. His voice is low and raspy as he mutters, "Thank you."

You don’t say anything, instead sipping your tea while your gaze occasionally flicks to his face. His expression is stiff, emotionless. He stands in front of a grave—Lee Aki. Perhaps a family member, or a lover. He seems so calm, as if he’s accepted the loss. His rigid, hollow profile looks almost disconnected, like he's either numb or trying to reach her in spirit. Is this what love feels like? You lost Taeyong, but never have you looked at his grave with such a vacant expression. There are others who have truly loved.

When you sense his stare, you quickly turn your head away.

“Sorry.” You gulp and nervously bite the inside of your lip feeling stupid and weird for watching someone while they’re in the zone and mourning.

“Did you get home safely yesterday?” he asks, his voice gravelly. “The rain was bad.”

His question surprises you. You hesitate, meeting his steady gaze before quickly looking away. Then, it hits you. You turn back to him. “It was you, wasn’t it? You left your umbrella.”

He nods, his expression unreadable.

“Oh… thank you,” You smile a little. “It covered me, out through the night. So if I’m not sick today, I owe it to you.”

"You slept here yesterday?" He asks quietly. Your smile turns to a saddened smile as you look to Taeyong’s grave. You nod your head before drawing out a long sigh sitting down on the blanket.

"I didn’t think I would. But I did. Stupid right.”

He has no words of comfort feeling a ping of pain in his heart, as the same thing of losing a lover happened to him. After a while, he crouches down lower beside you examining your lovers grave.

Lee Taeyong.1996 – 2024. 28 years... A young age to die.

"It’s not stupid.” He comments softly. You turn to him noticing he’s looking at Taeyong’s tombstone. “When you lose someone you love, it’s natural to do unhinged things.” Jeno starts hesitantly. "How did he pass? If you don’t mind me asking."

"He was diagnosed with cancer. And contracted Aids while still being in treatment for cancer." You nod your head trying to remain nonchalant. "Failed operations and pulled out of coma."

"I’m sorry." he says lightly.

“It’s okay…” You sigh and slump down shutting your eyes. “I just need to breathe.”

Jeno stays by your side for a really long time, not minding that it’s getting late, because he sees you crying with your eyes closed. He’d feel bad just leaving you here and potentially falling asleep here while crying. After your silent cries, you notice he’s still there.

“Thanks,” You quietly say as you begin to get up with his help. You pick up your blanket folding it up. “That really did help.”

"Thanks for the tea.”

“You’re welcome.” You nod your head and put your things in your bag. “Well since we might meet each other again, my name is Y/n,”

“Oh,” He looks visibly flattered… meet again? “I’m X5 Lee- sorry, I mean, I’m Lee Jeno.”

“Well thank you a lot Lee Jeno,” You clear your throat, smiling a little by the little flatter. “I’ll be going now.”

“Go safely.” He comments, as he doesn’t look like he’ll be leaving any time soon. However after two steps you turn back to him. “Uhm hey, Mr Jeno,”

“Just Jeno is okay,”

“Alright, uhm, would you like- I know it’s stupid. But I still have your umbrella in my house. I wouldn’t want to keep it if you need it. Uhm, I don’t live that far from here, so I was wondering, would you, uhm perhaps- I could bring it here and you wait of-”

“Would you like me to escort you home?” Jeno asks, noticing you’re caught in a mumbling rut. Relieved, you smile faintly and nod. You walk side by side, turning when needed, with Jeno keeping pace, watching ahead. You find comfort in the silence, but something inside you urges to speak.

"He was my lover, but he wasn’t faithful," you start, clutching your blanket. "I always waited at home, but he’d disappear. I don’t know why I trusted him. Maybe because he promised so much, or maybe because I foolishly loved him. I just… I’m tired of looking like a fool. He was the last straw. Even now, dead, I’m still a joke. He didn’t love me… How could he leave me like this?"

Your tears spill as you continue, Jeno suddenly stopping to pull you into a hug. Your sobs are uncontrollable.

"Six feet under… and now I’m alone," you whisper through your tears.

You feel a sense of relief letting it all out, speaking to someone who willingly offers a comforting presence. Jeno doesn’t rush you; he simply stands there, letting you cry and mourn in his arms. When your tears finally slow, he gently leads you back home.

"Thank you so much, Jeno," you murmur. "This walk really helped. I told myself I wouldn’t cry for him anymore, that I wouldn’t visit his grave. I just… I wanted to return your umbrella." You mutter softly, more to yourself than to him, but Jeno listens quietly. You fumble through your bag for your keys, unlock the door, and enter, retrieving his umbrella. Turning back to him, you smile, still holding it in your hand. "Thank you, Mr. Jeno—I mean, Jeno."

Jeno watches you carefully, tilting his head as he plants the umbrella down. "I was wondering…" he begins, handing you back your flask. "Would you like a cup of tea sometime?"

A smile gets on your face and you let out a breath. “You don’t think I’m crazy do you?”

"No," Jeno shakes his head softly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And I don’t mean to assume, but my wife used to say that… letting go is all about letting it out." He pauses, nodding slowly. "I had a rough past, and she... allowed me to let it out. In every way possible. I let it go completely so it wouldn’t haunt me anymore." He looks at you with understanding in his eyes. "I can’t speak for you or Taeyong, but if you ever need someone to listen… I’m all ears."

His kindness and gentleness seem to radiate from him and settle into you. You feel the urge to cry again. No one has ever made you feel like this. "You’d really listen to me? To all the mess in my life? What about your wife? Won’t she—"

“She’s the one I visit at the graveyard.” Jeno says softly, offering a small, tight smile. Your heart aches as you look at him. "Well... I should probably get going now."

"Oh, right. I must’ve taken up so much of your time," you reply, clasping your hands together. "Thank you again. You’ve been so kind."

He shakes his head, grinning gently. "No, I offered to walk you home. It was truly my pleasure."

"Thank you... I work at Jaehyun's Café," you say, your voice a little shy. "I’m not sure when I’ll need someone to talk to, but if you ever come by, I’ll be there." You blush, suddenly feeling vulnerable, but quickly try to shake off the feeling. You didn’t mean to sound needy. You bid your farewells, and he walks off. His leather jacket hugs his broad, masculine frame perfectly, and for a moment, you can't help but steal a glance.

As you gently close the door behind you, you press your forehead against it, letting out a deep, sad sigh. That man, Jeno, had lost his wife, and yet, he’s offering you the chance to finally open up. Your life has been nothing but loneliness and disappointment, especially with Taeyong. You had met him when you were a stripper, and he paid for your time, slowly luring you into believing in him. You had fallen for his promises, his words, even stopped stripping to be faithful. But in the end, he left you—betrayed you.

To think that this stranger, Lee Jeno, is offering you something different… a chance to truly let go. You nod to yourself, feeling something shift inside you. “Let go.”

3 days later..

At work while weighing the tables you keep a careful watch on Jeno.  Glancing over at the table, Jeno is sat with Jaehyun, your manager. Your mind is at work but your focus is on Jeno. His intention was to see you for sure, but as he saw Jaehyun memory after memory filled his brain and he wanted to catch up with Jaehyun. Jaehyun being one of the boys who was adopted and escaped the harsh aftermath that the rest of the boys endured. Jaehyun was also one of Jeno’s best friends.

They spoke and laughed while you watched in contentment, you were happy. It’s nice just also seeing Jeno laugh. You try to ignore the thoughts running in your head. "Ah man. Enough about me, how are you? Did you find a wife like you’ve always wanted? And had all those kids?” Jeno asks.

"I love being a dad. I did get married. To a beautiful bombshell chick, she’s made all my dreams come true. She’s no I.U, But she’s all I see.” Jaehyun chuckles. “I remember how we used to sit up late at night with stolen magazines from school and just cheek out all the fine girls. I remember that weirdo too, Jisung was it. He would snitch on us and all our magazines would be confiscated.” Jeno nods and laughs at the faint memory… His mind couldn’t go that far into good memories, when all he remember from his childhood was the abuse and endurance.

Jaehyun sees the fading laugh and knows that Jeno has gone through a lot. After he was adopted, he lived a good life. But seeing Jeno after so long, and seeing his once bright and young friend who was always bubbly look so down casted, Jaehyun can only imagine the pain his friend had endured. "Now I know why you're here, not for me." Jaehyun smirks. "The special."

Jeno looks confused. "The special?"

"The special." Jaehyun says again becoming giddy in his seat. Whenever Jaehyun would create something new he would allow his customers a free sample so he could get feedback on how it tasted.

"Well, I don’t know about special, I actually came for tea," he glances at you quickly. "But I can have your special too."

Jaehyun stares at you and his mouth forms and ‘o’ shape. "Finest employee here. She's the vice manager," Jeno's eyes glister.

"Really?"

"Nope, but she does an excellent job. If I can tell you a little thing about her, I’m happy that he lover passed. I know I shouldn’t say such, but he drained her a lot. You’re a good guy, and I hope you can make her happy.”

Jeno’s eyes widen slightly. “No I wasn’t-”

“That’s what you say now, but I can see your eyes. She really is the best,” he raises his hand catching your attention. You smile. Jeno loves your smile, he thinks it’s better than the frown that was on your face.

"The special. Two," Jaehyun grows in countess.

“Two specials coming up," you smile heading behind the till.

Jaehyun carries on talking about his new daughter, filling Jeno in on how much his daughter at times is even better than his son.

Jeno's eyes divert to you, as you’re walking with a tray of two cups in your hands.

He tries not to look at you for too long and forces himself to look away and back to Jaehyun. However, when he looks at Jaehyun, Jaehyun has a naughty expression on his face causing Jeno's cheeks to deepen in color and shame.

"Two specials. Here’s your order." You place the tray down removing the cups. Jaehyun stands up swiftly and walks over to you picking up the tray. “Sir?”

"Enjoy the special," he says and makes you sit down in front of Jeno. He shoots Jeno a flirtatious grin and waddles away to the new customer that has entered.

Jaehyun is seriously full of surprises. Here you were thinking that you were making for him and Jeno, so you made sure that it tasted the best so that he wouldn't reprimand you. But yet here you are with this fantastic cup. You look up from the cup and to Jeno when he clears his throat.

"He’s quiet a talker. I'm sorry for the delay... For keeping you waiting. I didn't think I'd talk for that long with Jaehyun," Jeno excuses himself, surprising you. Jeno really is a modest person and is aware of his actions.

You giggle at his nervousness. "I get you. What can you expect from someone who hasn't seen his friend in a long time?" He looks at you and nods his head. “I’m surprised you know him,”

“He’s left a very big impression on me.” Jeno clears his throat, not wanting to get into the type of conversation about his past and all that. "Tell me about the special," he takes his spoon dipping it on the coffee mixing it around.

"Jaehyun and I were just playing around with herbs and different varieties–" His phone vibrates on the table making you stop. He doesn't even glance at it and tells you to ignore it. "Oh really? It looks important," You insist. When his eyes meet the screen, he calmly excuses himself from the table.

You watch Jeno near the restroom, looking down, deep in a call that seems important from the way he speaks and adjusts his sleeves. He returns to the table, but instead of sitting, he picks up the cup and takes a sip. "The coffee tastes amazing, but I have to leave," he says. "Something came up." He looks at you, hoping for a reaction, but you just seem disappointed. Jeno doesn't want that.

"Oh... that's okay. I should leave too. My shift ended a while ago," you motion to Jaehyun, who's smiling gleefully. Jeno smiles slightly and nods. "Thank you for coming. It was good seeing you."

"I’ll come again," he says, helping you up. "Can I walk you home?"

"That would be nice, yes." After packing up, Jeno waits by the door. Walking beside him, you feel a little nervous and want to ask about the call but hesitate. He looked so happy earlier, but now he seems distant, like when you saw him at the graveyard. "I hope I'm not being too forward, but you seemed agitated on your call. Who were you talking to?" You ask. From the corner of your eye, you see him stiffen but quickly regain composure. You really want him to open up, especially since you both met at the graveyard. "Talk to me, please." You feel desperate. "I mean, you don’t have to. We’re strangers who met because our loved ones’ graves are next to each other. I’m sorry," you ramble, catching yourself.

Its silent for a second but then he clears his throat. He continues focusing his eyes on the steps he’s taking. You’re cute when you ramble on. But Jeno can’t even think of you right now. Especially after the call he got. "I was on the line with a detective. He's working on my wife's murder." He answers eventually.

"Your wife was murdered?" Your heart throbs. "I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have... I'm so sorry… to hear about that. I never even..." You try to remain calm but the news is too traumatic. He mentioned his wife once but you never thought that she was murdered or... "How long? I mean, I’m sorry. How long has this case been going on for?”

"Five months." he says tightly. He doesn't share more, already feeling… tight.  You look trustworthy but he doesn’t want to take chances with you. He doesn’t want to open up his heart too early. It’s what happened with his wife anyway. He opened up too quickly.

Meanwhile you’re feeling so guilty for making him reveal that. So you continue walking quietly beside you. You’re tempted to just tell him to go where he needs to go- assembly the detective’s office. Yet your eyes spot a tree. “Are you in a rush?”

Jeno’s head looks to you. “Maybe after you get home safely, then I might rush.” He answers honestly, but quickly adds on, so that you don’t feel like he’s chasing you. “But this walk is refreshing.”

You nod your head, feeling slightly relieved. “In that case, do you believe in luck?” You open up your purse taking out your wallet. You scour for any coins and luckily you find some. You stop near the tree that has a fountain around it. “This tree is known as the fountain of luck.”

"What does that mean?"

"It’s like a fountain that grants luck. It’s pretty stupid but-”

"Why do you always call things stupid?" he suddenly asks, shaking his head. "It’s not stupid if you believe in it." Being with Aki, Jeno learned a lot about life, especially how to be unapologetically yourself. He doesn't like seeing you doubt yourself so much. "I hate to say it, but it’s unattractive when a beautiful woman like you keeps putting herself down. You're not stupid. Please stop thinking that way."

You blush heavily, and Jeno can even see it. You feel flustered… and foolishly for doubting yourself. But you also feel warm and hot.

Jeno searches for a coin as well in his pocket. “I don’t really believe in luck, because it feels like a probability. But if it’s something you believe in and want me to try then-” he tosses the coin in the fountain. It springs up forward from his thumb landing with a sprinkling "drrp!"  He looks back at you, but you quickly look away but not quick enough because he caught you staring. Caught admiration when looking at him. "And do I assume I’m lucky all of a sudden?"

"Yes." You take your coin and toss it in as well. “This is about belief and faith,"

"Faith as in religion?"

"No, just faith. Whatever you believe will come true… will come true. Then you make a wish."

He looks at you for a second and closes his eyes. If this is a wish, then he'd have to think realistically… If any of this is real… please let there be real evidence this time with the detective

He opens his eyes and hears you throw your coin in the fountain. After hearing the drrp sound he gets an idea. He puts his hands in his pocket. He turns and faces you, breathing out. "I'll take a chance with you,"

Your eyes widen when hearing his words. “A chance with me?”

“It’s not what you wished for right?” He attempts to joke, but scratches his head. “I’m just hoping that this time around there might be real evidence that the detectives found. For months now, it’s been a dead end. They want me to believe it was a normal break in gone wrong, but with the way I found her I can’t believe. So with that, can you come with me?”

You suck in breath feeling incredibly… lucky. “I want to accompany you.”

-

Jeno removes his puffed jacket covering your shivering body as you both wait for the detective to call you up in his office. During the afternoon it was hot, but as the day progressed the sudden windy temperature caught up with your work uniform (a short sleeved dress that was above your knees) and it didn’t help that you entered the police station whereby the aircon pumped out such cold air- instead of hot air. "You didn’t have to,” You smile warmly. “Thank you,”

“You’re welcome.”

“So, we’re actually here and I never even asked about her,” You quietly let out, and take a look at Jeno, who’s in his long sleeved buttoned black shirt. It’s hard to believe someone as handsome as he has already been married. “How long were you married for?”

“2 years.” He responds quietly as well. His eyes looking distant again. Everyone thinks that it’s because of her death that they couldn’t continue, but all that Jeno can think about is the divorce.

“How… old are you?” Curiosity gets the best of you.

A smile breaks out of his distant features. “26. We got married pretty fast. I was 24 and she was 22.”

“And your parents didn’t say anything about it?” His smile slowly drops.

“I never met her parents. She resented them and never wanted to talk about them, so when we eloped, we never did. I’m an orphan, so we related in that way. She was the bravest woman I’ve known. Amazing, humorous, sarcastic, intelligent, and so beautiful. She had the most adventurous spirit. She made me feel alive. She was perfect in every way.” His eyes smile as he talks, and then he asks, “But I guess that’s how it is when you’re still young and vibrant. How old are you?”

“24.”

“You’re so young.” He smiles to himself. “How old was Taeyong?”

“28.” Jeno recalls seeing it on the tombstone. “But yeah, I don’t really wanna talk about him.”

“I understand.”

You breath out. "Anyway, your wife…” You smile at the description of his wife. "She truly sounds amazing." You say.

"She was." You nod her head loving how in love he sounded. Just from the little he gave about her, the look in his eyes never die out. Taeyong never looked like this.

"You really did love her,"

He closes his eyes, feeling the burning in his heart. At some point, even if he didn’t want to, he’d have to give her up. Forget about her. Removing her from his spirit wasn’t something he was ready for. "I did." But. He had to accept it. Especially since he couldn’t grasp the connections to her ‘death’.

"Lee Jeno.” You and Jeno look up when hearing the secretary call out his name. “Detective Na is ready for you."

You arrive at Mr. Na's office, but it's empty. Soon, a frantic man enters, noticing you both. He runs a hand through his hair. "I see you’ve brought a plus one," he says, dressed in a dark buttoned shirt and black suit pants. He places large pictures on the table. "I called you in to show you these," he says, observing Jeno for any sign of recognition. But there’s none. “You don’t recognize any of these men?” Detective Na asks, his eyes fixed on Jeno’s face for a reaction. But Jeno’s expression is empty—no flicker of recognition, nothing to go on.

Jeno runs his hand through his hair, a slow exhale escaping him. “No. I don’t know them.”

“They’re connected to Aki. They were with her in the days leading up to her death.”

Jeno looks down at the pictures, the unease crawling up his spine. Jeno looks at all the pictures, side by side and tries to link the face to a place he has been at, or a fond memory. But sadly nothing comes to mind. "Who are these men?" Jeno asks.

The detective tells Jeno to sit and he does. "These are the men Aki associated herself with." At that Jeno tenses up and looks back down.

“An affair?”

Detective Na shakes his head. "I doubted it too, but something's off about her death. When I looked into your account, I became interested in the day she went out for 5 days, came back bruised, and died after 3. You mentioned her father called, but I couldn’t find records of them meeting. However, I found these men. They picked her up at various locations." He points to the 5 blurry pictures of men with tattoos. "After 5 days, she came home looking bruised, as you said."

"She said it was allergy reactions," Jeno swallows back.

Detective Na nods. "Did you believe it?" Jeno shakes his head, his eyes on the men. "The next day, her father dies in a car accident, right?" Jeno nods. "But when I looked into his case, something felt off. He was badly injured, but had bullets on his chest. I believe the same person who targeted him also killed her." Detective Na pushes two photos forward. "These men have petty crime records, but they're clean now. They were seen with both her and her father. I was hoping you recognized them."

"I don't understand what business she had with these men. I don’t know who they are." Jeno mummers feeling defeated. "Do you know what connection she had with them?" He asks.

As if detective Jaemin read his mind he speaks up, "We are not yet sure exactly what kind of connection they had because after they disappear under a tunnel, we never see them again. We only see her 5 days later. But now, I’m certain and know for sure that these are the men she had contact with on her last days."

Jeno is quiet with his eyes on the photo’s- none of them ring a bell. You in the background are also shocked and mimic his expression. He said that she resented her parents, so you can only imagine how deep and serious this case is. After some time Detective Na speaks up. "Don't worry. We'll get down to the bottom of this. Thank you for your time Jeno, I'll contact you when anything else comes up."

Jeno seems to have recovered since he stands up, but the red around his iris shows that he wept a little. You walk closer to Jeno and puts your hands against his back, he just looks at you as a sign of thanks, but he just feels like he needs to be alone. This case has dragged on with no leads, and now this.

One picture catches your attention as you look at the table. You visibly freeze as your eyes look down closely at the picture and point at it.

Detective Na notices her, "Miss? Is there a problem?" He asks.

"I know this man," you answer. Jeno and Detective Na look at you and wait for you to explain. Jeno’s heart beating with hope, while Detective gets his thinking ears open.

You look at Jeno, "This was Taeyong's friend. One of his best friend’s."

"Taeyong?" Detective Na curiously asks, getting a pen.

"Taeyong was my late boyfriend. This is his best friend," You repeat for him. "Mark Lee."

"Mark Lee."

Its silent in the room and Detective Na allows the both of you to sit. Jeno just watches you as you look at the man in the photo. “I think his real name is Min-hyung, but I-”

“That’s the name we got, but it never appears on our records. But you called him Mark Lee.” Detective Na gets to writing down quickly. “I’ll run a fact check on this.” Jeno turns to the picture once again.

The man in the picture had a mean looking face and wore a black t-shirt. Revealing the tattoos on his neck and arm. He looked scary and dangerous with his piercings and tattoos. Jeno wonders how on earth his wife knew this man… and how you know this man.

"How can I address you?" Detective Na asks.

Jeno answers for you, providing Detective Na with your name.

"Y/n, do you know what Mark Lee does for a living? He was your deceased boyfriend's best friend, I'm sure you knew him on a personal level." Detective Na questions.

"Yes." You think back to your moments with Mark Lee. You don’t even know what to reveal. You’re not about to admit that you were a stripper and slept with him. “But not that much, my boyfriend didn’t like me hanging around his friends.”

"That's okay. Do you have any essential details on him? Tell me about your boyfriend. You said his name is Taeyong. Did he have a surname? What did he do?"

"Lee Taeyong... He was in a gang, but it wasn’t serious—just a group of guys with bandanas. I’m not sure about his actions, but Mark and he were close. I don’t know the gang’s name, but I recognized the members." You rub your neck, feeling hot. Jeno processes the information. Aki involved in gangs? Was she doing drugs? And your boyfriend, a drug dealer? Wait, no one mentioned drugs... maybe it was just a gang of thugs.

"Taeyong and Mark would sometimes come by my house and count money," the detective nods his head listening. Typical gang behavior, he thinks.

"Did Mark by any chance mention 'Workerz'?" The detective asks.

"Workez with a Z? Yes he mentioned it quite a lot. I don’t have a clue of what it meant, but he’d say that there boss is probably are Workerz." You explain with confusion. "I don’t know.”

But for Jeno, he freezes when hearing that name… Workerz. That was what they called the orphanage boys. Jeno doesn’t know whether to say something, or keep it to himself. He just listens to you as the detective seems pretty satisfied. "Okay thank you Y/n. May I request one thing from you?" He asks. You peek at Jeno who has the same stale expression. He nods his head giving your permission to accept.

"Yes, you may."

"Are you still in contact with Mark Lee?"

You think for a moment. There was a time when Taeyong’s phone was being tracked, so he used yours… So you’re pretty sure, if you search perhaps your old phone, you might retrieve the number. "No, I’m not in contact with him. But I may have his number,"

"During this week when you have time I need you to raffle him up a bit about what he knows about Lee Aki. That’s if you’re in good terms with him. Sometimes when we detectives go on scene they tend not to be truthful and take the M.I.A. road," You nod eagerly instantly feeling involved. Jeno stays silent in his seat unable to say anything because of how the situation turned around and landed between him and you.

"I can do that." You answer. “Jeno?” You look to him, but he’s looking at the Detective, who also speaks.

"That's all you have to do. Don’t worry Jeno, I won’t make her do the hard work. We'll handle the rest of the ground work and searching up these names. We just want to know how he reacts to the name." He says. “Do I have your approval?”

Jeno nods his head. “Anything for Aki…”

His eyes are enough for the detective, who’s pretty satisfied with the gathering of the session. Meanwhile you and Jeno leave the office and the police station. After leaving and commenting on how you were surprised to see Mark’s picture, you notice that Jeno is silent. He’s probably trying to understand how on earth he got lucky. “It was the fountain.” You suddenly say.

Jeno recalls the fountain and his wish. An empty smile gets on his face as his eyes are still on the ground. He forgets to reply out loud, only leaving you with his fading smile. You just gulp and walk beside him.

"Jeno?" You call. He looks over at with a short 'hmm'. "Are you mad at Aki?" He stops turbidly and looks over to you, his eyebrow raised.

"Aki?" He asks.

"I mean the involvement and connection she had with those men." You say a little bit timid by his sudden serious gaze. He continues walking and makes sure you’re following him.

"You still have connections with one of them," he says. “Aki died and you somehow know this man?”

"What's that supposed to mean?" You ask feeling a little mad at the structure of his words. “What are you insinuating Jeno? Don’t forget I’m still a stranger.”

"You." He sighs. "Look, Aki died because of whatever connection she had with those men. I don't want you to put yourself in hot water because of this," Jeno says. "Aki clearly showed that whatever it was that happened behind closed doors did not end up well and the result of that was death." Jeno's behavior changes slightly...maybe its just your imagination but he seems angry at her..

Your slight anger diminishes as you somehow understand his uncertain frustration.  "Jeno, please trust me." You stop him and hold both sides of his shoulders, before holding onto his face… surprisingly yourself when you tilt his head towards you so that he may look at you. "I believe in fate. If us meeting up and somehow getting to this result is for a purpose, then I’m more than happy in helping you.”

"To prove what?"

“I don’t have to prove anything. If there’s a reason I saw that photo on the table and spoke up, it’s because you said you want to take a chance with me. You opened up about your wife. Jeno, it’s no coincident that you asked me to come with you." You look into both his dark eyes. Despite the depths of seriousness, you see pain and worry in them. "Don't worry so much, Jeno. The fact that there's something I can do in order to help you, then I will do it."

He looks at you for a minute or so and holds both your wrists on either side of his shoulders and brings your right hand to his face kissing the back. “Thank you.” Did he do that unconsciously? His eyes pane down. “But it’s just too much right now. Too real and too soon.”

“Do you wanna know what I wished for?”

He stiffly chuckles still with your hand in his… his thoughts consciously aware that he’s holding your hand. “What?"

You smile in return your fingers having a mind of their own as they graze his cheek which is soft. His eyes look to you. “That I may be of help to you. We met in the graveyard because coincidentally our loved one's graves were beside each other.” You let out. “There has to be a reason we met… the same way you wanted to be the ears I speak to, I just want to be of help to you.”

Jeno let’s go of your hand, just as you let go of his face stepping back a bit. Your heart reminding you that you were close to him, close enough to feel warmth. "But you have to promise to tell me first before you tell the detective,"

"No problem." You say immediately.

"I’m just worried that Aki…" he hesitates a bit, but he shakes his head. "Involved herself with the wrong crowd, I don’t want you to get hurt. Especially since you believe in faith and whatnot. I don’t want you to get hurt."  He says.

After Jeno drops you off, you search for your old phone. When you find Mark’s number, you call, but it goes straight to voicemail. Hoping for a text response, you wait.

Your phone buzzes at 2 a.m.

Mark: Dang, appearing like the ghost from Phantom of the Opera. Heard your voicemail. Come by Saturday at 8 p.m. I’ll be ready for you.

You stare at the address, realizing you don’t have Jeno’s number or know where he lives. Wednesday to Friday pass without seeing him. Saturday arrives, and you take an Uber to Mark’s address. The area is lavish, and the apartment complex is impressive. You check your outfit—black strapless dress and daring ankle-high matte boots—something you know he’ll remember you in.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is," The sight of a green haired male gets your attention. You see the hair first, but when moving down, your eyes meet with the same passionate eyes belonging to Mark. He opens the door large and smile. “Still as sexy as ever.”

"Hey Mark," You smile stepping in once he holds your hand and guides you in. He kisses the back of your wrists and twirls you around as you step into the lit home foyer. You giggle already being familiar with him. After he shuts the door and you wait for him, you aren’t expecting him to wrap his arms around your waist from behind and moan out in your ear.

Mark smiles wickedly, his gaze lingering on your figure as you step into his space. His eyes track every inch of you, a dangerous warmth behind them that feels almost predatory. “Still got it, huh?” he teases, but there’s something more beneath his words. Something darker. As his hands find their way to your waist, you can feel the tension in the air, the predatory edge he’s barely concealing.

“I’m not a stripper anymore, Mark,” You say, your voice a bit firmer than before, trying to push him away. But Mark just laughs, a sound that makes her skin crawl despite the familiarity. Trying to make the atmosphere manageable you speak. “How have you been?" You ask guiding your hands on his chest trying to push him away but he laughs and places a soft kiss on your cheek.

"I've been missing you babe," he says letting you go as hand holds the tips of your fingers. He leads you further and deeper into his house. "Seeing you is like seeing a person come back to life.” You smile at how sweet he's being, it gives you goosebumps. The way he's behaving now, you can smell what he wants from you. And you don’t even know how far you’re willing to go. Taking a seat on the couch, you turn to him. He examines you with smirk on his face. His eyes already undressing you.

"You want me already?" you gush and flirt back a little.

"How can I not? You’re hot." He starts observing you up close. His hand lays on you thigh and you shift under his gaze.

"Mark..." You let out.

"Dang you’re still so gorgeous," he adds. "Oh look at me, where are my manners? I'll go get us some drinks. What do you want babe?"

"Even if I say water you won't get it for me," You let out making him chuckle.

"You pretty much don't have a choice, wine and tequila it is."

"No problem. Do you need my help?"

“Nah, baby, sit your fine ass down and wait for me,” he says, heading to the kitchen. You get comfortable, scanning the photo frames on the wall. One picture catches your eye—a New Year's Eve shot from when you first met Taeyong. You’re wrapped in his arms, both smiling at the camera, fireworks in the background. You sigh, thinking of how things could’ve been with him. “Babygirl?” Mark’s voice breaks your thoughts as he approaches with a tray of shot glasses and alcohol. Seeing the photo, he smirks. “Don’t tell me you’re actually crying over him?”

“Sorry. Old memories,” you apologize. You expect sympathy, but Mark doesn’t change. He leans in, planting gentle kisses on your cheek and slowly moving to your lips.

Intertwining your fingers with his, Mark finds a sweet spot on your neck. "You're too fine to be crying over him," his lips connect with yours.

Maybe because it’s been a while, maybe because you’re emotional, but all you know is that you take the lead as you and Mark being making out. Mark guides you to the couch where you lay on your back and he gets on top of you. He engulfs your neck with kisses, nibbling on your skin before licking and sucking, trying to leave a mark. You quickly pull away from his kiss when suddenly Jeno pops up in your mind. "Sorry," You apologize. "I can't do this,"

"You can babygirl," Mark refuses to get off you.

As tempting as his body feels on you, you push him away getting slightly upset. "I said no."

"Come on baby Taeyong is dead-"

"That doesn't mean you should try and sleep with me Mark. I said no!" You end up pushing him sharply and he does back up. But with a bitter chuckle, he gets off you. He closes his eyes- pissed that you didn't give him what he wanted. Then again you shouldn't have kissed him and led him on. Taeyong was his friend. And right now you’re not trying to get yourself indulged in that life.

"I'm sorry Mark," You say lightly. "I shouldn't have–"

"It's okay." He stops you and pours himself a glass of wine. The irritation palpable. "Do you want a drink?" You shake your head. "Fine then." He drinks his glass all in one go pouring another from the tequila bottle. "If you’re not here to ‘catch up’, then why are you here?” He asks with a bitter tone while downing another drink.

"I came for closure," you say, prepared for this conversation. Mark raises an eyebrow, his irritation turning to confusion. You’ve got a story ready, knowing he’ll be suspicious if you mention Jeno’s wife. “I need to ask about a specific girl, and since you were close with Taeyong, I thought you could help.” Mark drinks the tequila, ignoring your words, clearly trying to get drunk. He’s not interested in talking, and he knows your body speaks louder than your words. As he finishes the bottle, he pours himself more, mad but uncaring. You keep refilling his glass, knowing his drunken state might work in your favor. "Are you going to help me?" You ask as he shakes the empty bottle of alcohol.

"Ask away," he leans back on the couch closing his eyes after dropping a defeated sigh and the bottle down on the floor.

You begin. "Do you know a girl called Aki?"

You expect him to freeze and be stunned at your question, but instead he shows no reaction and answers plainly. "The hoe?"

Being surprised by the answer, you’re the one who freezes. "Lee Aki was a hoe?"

“Lee?” He furrows his brow. "Assuming you’re talking about a hoe, I fucked someone by that name. I don’t know if Taeyong fucked her.”

“Okay assuming I am talking about that Lee Aki, can I ask what happened to her? I heard she died.”

His eyes suddenly open and in a slow manner he looks at you dead in your eyes. You try to play it cool, but he looks locked in. “Hold the fuck up.” He mutters.

"What?" you ask completely frozen, trying not to be suspicious.

“Why are you asking about this hoe?” He sits up looking curious for a bit. He looks drunk, but not drunk enough to fool.  

“Like I said, I want closure. Taeyong was said to have aids on his last day. Where the hell did he get that? It surely wasn’t me. So I found out the last person he slept with, which was Aki, so I wanna know who this girl is. And seeing that she was in a photo with Taeyong, I figured you might know her.” You lie convincingly and that has Mark’s suspicious face turning to confusion.

“Don’t tell me that bitch had aids too?” He grunts and leans back.

“I’ve been trying to get a hold of her, but it’s like I can’t. I found out that she’s dead. That’s why I’m here. If you fucked her, and called her a hoe then it means someway, somehow you and Taeyong know about her death as well. Did she die of aids?”

"Dang babygirl let me breathe.” Mark sinks deeply on the couch folding his arms and seemingly trying to relax with his eyes shut as he exhales. “These are questions that you should be asking Zha. Not me.”

"Zha?”

You don’t know whether he’s drunk or just plainly confused about everything- yet when his eyes shoot open and his head springs up from the relaxed posture as his eyes are clearly on you, you know that somehow, you’ve hit a nerve… “Where’d you hear that name from?”

“Which name?”

“The name you just said now.”

“Zha?” You blink at him. “Well, you just said it now. You said these are questions for Zha.”

Mark tilts his head and sits forward knowing he mistakenly said his thoughts out loud. “Fuck. Okay. Babygirl, if this is for closure then I suggest this is where you draw the line. All I’ll tell you is that this Aki bitch is dead and Taeyong is dead. What more closure would you want? Let that sink in, and let that be.”

“Now I’m curious of who this ‘Zha’ person is.” You question.

“Don’t be curious of who he is.”

You shake your head. “Take me to him. I just wanna know about Aki.”

“Are you mad?” Mark shakes his head and looks sane enough to look at you in pure disgust. “This is where you draw the line. I mean it. Aki’s dead- are you fucking serious?” He pauses as if realizing something. “Now I know what bitch you’re talking about. Her husband opened a case about her death- babygirl. Hold the fuck up. Don’t tell me you’ve got anything to do with that case?”

Your eyes widen in pretense. “I know nothing about case and or her husband. So you mean to tell me she had a husband, but still slept with Taeyong?”

“I keep telling you I don’t know anything about Taeyong sleeping with her-”

You find his hand and grab a hold of it tightly. “You must know something about her! I can’t move on from him without knowing about this bitch. Did she sleep with Taeyong? Did she have those aids? Is it her fault that I don’t have him in my life anymore?”

“Fuck- cool it already. Dang baby. Taeyong is dead. Stop trying to-”

You feign fake tears. “I can’t do anything else in my life without knowing the truth about why Taeyong had to die and reject my love. I was perfect for him-”

“You know what, fuck it. Stop questioning me about Taeyong and this Aki bitch.”

You drop his hand. “Fine. It seems to me like this Zha person has all the answers I need. So I’ll stop questioning you… only on one condition. Take me to Zha and I’ll ask-”

“Are you fucking insane?” Mark shakes his head. He doesn’t seem drunk anymore- just more agitated and pissed. “You want me to take you to Zha so that you can ask him petty questions-”

“These aren’t petty questions-”

“Trust me to Zha these are questions that can have you… babygirl, you could get killed.” Bingo. You think to yourself. So Zha is the person you need to see. “Just for even knowing the name of someone he has taken off the grid is already risky.” He says, seemingly confirming that Aki was taken off the grid. “Look here baby, Zha is not like me and Taeyong, he’s… someone that you don’t want to startle. He’s too fast, too... ready for violence. Like he’s been trained to react before he thinks.” Mark runs his hand past his hair, zoning out a little. “He’s a crazy motherfucker, who I can’t recommend you talking to. Fuck it could even be your last fucking day on earth-”

"Then go with me.”

Mark can only stare at you full of disbelief. “Did you not hear anything I said now? Fuck Taeyong. Your life is at stake if you go and search for stupid things. Taeyong is dead and that bitch is also is dead. Leave it at that-”

“I'll let myself out." You stand up picking up your bag not waiting for him. You already know that Zha is the person you have to speak to. You’re so deep in your own head, that you don’t realize when Mark’s hand wraps around your wrist pulling you back.

"Don’t be stupid. Look, I don't want you getting hurt,"

"Then go with me to Zha,"

He looks at you like you grew facial hair. "Are you crazy? I can't put you in that position."

"Fine then I'll get the answers I want from him myself. I'll find out who he is myself–"

"Stop talking nonsense." He groans pulling his hair back. "You don't understand just how stupid you’re being. He’s not the one you should be messing with."

"Mark I knew this was dangerous the moment I came to you. But look, I still trusted you." you hold onto his arm. "If you take me to Zha then I know you'll protect me as I ask these questions. Won't you?"

“He won’t even want to speak to you if he knows what you’ll talk about.”

“Then get me to him. Lie if you have to-”

“Do you want me to die?” You shake your head. He steps back looking at you like you grew a toe on your head.

“Mark if you know him, then I can trust you. I just need this closure. Please. Mark please.” He slowly nods his head and searches your eyes. You feign innocence trying to get to know, and it’s working.

“Do you really want to do this?” He slightly pushes you against the door leaning down to your face. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

You nod your head firmly. He hesitates for a moment but finally nods his head. “I’m 100% sure and I don’t want you to forget this when you’re sober. Please Mark.”

"Fine. I'll take you to him." He says. "But I'll have to come up with something. You’re saying ‘no’ to me for sex, but with Zha, there’s no such thing as ‘no’. He won't give you a choice. The only way to get him as a woman… is through sex. Are you still sure you wanna go through this?"

"If it has to happen then okay. I need to know."

Mark shakes his head. “You’re stupid.” In order to help Jeno, you have to be stupid.

•

"So? What do you say?"

"No."

"What? Jeno—"

"I said no," he replies, walking to the chopping table where he was preparing food earlier. "The detective said not to do anything else. They'll handle it. I don't want you getting hurt."

"But I want to help."

"Why?" he turns around, trying to stay calm. "Why do you want to get involved?"

"Don't look at me like that," you sigh, frustrated. "I just want to help you."

"Help?" He folds his arms, waiting for an explanation. After everything with Mark and the plan to meet Zha, you're surprised by his resistance.

"Jeno," you call softly. "I care about you. I don’t want to see you hurting forever. I buried Taeyong knowing the truth, but you don’t have closure on Aki’s death. The people who did this to her are still out there, and I happen to know one of them. If I can help, I will."

Jeno looks away, closing his eyes. “Aren’t you worried about your own safety?” He’s uneasy, concerned for you.

Seeing his silence, you speak again. “Jeno, I’m doing this for you. You deserve to know the truth, and I’m here for you." You soften your voice. "Remember that wish I made by the fountain? That I may be of help to you. We met in the graveyard because our loved ones’ graves were beside each other.” You pause, as if realizing something. “There has to be a reason we met… Just like you wanted to be my ears, I just want to help you.”

"Are you doing this because you truly want to help me?" he asks, and you nod slowly. "Or because you want to return to Taeyong's world?"

You pause, trying to understand. "This isn’t about Taeyong. It’s about Aki. I’ve already told you, I want nothing to do with him. How can I move on when someone like Aki is still trapped in that world? You deserve to know the truth about her." You look him in the eye, hoping he sees your sincerity. It’s hard to deny your feelings for Jeno. "I know I didn’t know her, but she deserves to rest properly."

"Okay. I'll let you do your thing, even if I don’t like you being in that dark world. You barely know me, yet you're risking your life." He says stiffly, hiding his true feelings, not thinking it matters to you. You smile at his inner conflict and, on tiptoe, kiss him on the cheek. Jeno’s shocked, only able to stare at you. You’re nothing like Aki, but you've shown him the good in the world. "Just be careful."

“I’ll report everything right back to you.” You stop talking for a little while and wait for a perfect time to speak about the next part. And that time is during supper time that you tell him the supposed plan in place, or rather trying to fill him in. "Mark told me about his leader, Zha. It seems like this Zha has a part in Aki’s disappearance. Mark’s words were ‘Zha took her off the grid’, so unless that means what I think it means, then it surely means that this Zha person is who I should be meeting."

Jeno frowns at Zha's name – trying to see if it rings any bells. But it rings none.

"Mark stated that the only way I can get Zha’s attention… In order for me to meet Zha- or rather the way Mark made it seem…" You clear your throat, getting a bit tongue tied when Mark told you what you’d need to do. “I have to be a mistress of some sort-” Even though you say the words kindly, Jeno’s face turns sour and he grunts shaking his head. "Please just listen.”

“You're going to sleep with him."

"-It's the only way to meet him-”

"-so that’s why you were so pressed on doing it. You’re there for sex-"

"It’s not like that. What the hell? It’s-"

"What if you become a mistress not only to this Zha guy but to his whole crew? You mentioned Mark and how he stated to fucking Aki and who knows maybe your boyfriend as well fucked her- do you actually hear your own words right now? Aki got killed because of them and you want to dip foot and willingly sacrifice yourself just because of some stupid wish you made in the fountain? Your boyfriend who’s 6 feet in the ground now got aids because of sleeping around, and you want that fate for yourself?”

"Jeno I assure you that as long as Mark is around nothing's gonna happen to me. He’s there to protect me.” You try to ease, but as soon as Jeno’s eye stare and bore into yours, you feel that you shouldn’t have said that.

"Mark this, Mark that. Mark?" He shakes his head. "Wasn't he the bad guy? Since when does he protect?”

You swallow, feeling guilty, as Jeno stands and takes the plates to the sink, avoiding you. "It's for Aki," he repeats in his head, trying to detach himself. But it’s too late. You've become a source of help and emotional support for him. He can't change his mind now, but he wonders if the only reason you agreed to this was to get back into that world. Maybe you don't feel the same for him.

After you leave, Jeno finds himself staring at old pictures of him and Aki at work, but his mind isn’t on her. It’s on you. He hates that he can't help you, feeling like a bystander. He wonders if he really fell for you or if it was his heart’s doing. Maybe you’re right, and your meeting was meant to happen. Still, he doesn't want to lose you too. You just met. He types out a message to you, hoping your meeting with Zha goes well. After a deep breath, he puts his phone down and continues his work.

-

You're grateful to Mark for getting you here — an empty, secluded warehouse under a bridge. It's dark, and the timing's not ideal, especially since Mark only told you about Zha wanting to meet tonight. You tried to dress up without overdoing it, but Mark didn’t give you many options or details about Zha. It’s almost like he wants you to figure him out yourself.

"Don’t be nervous," Mark keeps saying, rubbing your shoulders. "Zha’s hard to read. Can’t tell if he’s mad or just blank. Just stay confident. He hates seeing fear. Most hookers tremble around him, and he hates that. Be tough, and maybe, just maybe, he’ll take you seriously and answer your questions."

He leans in close and gives your cheek a kiss. But you simply exhale. “You haven’t told me anything about him, but hearing this now only makes me nervous.”

“Don’t be, he smells fear.” Just as Mark pats your butt you hear the sounds of an engine driving in the darkness. Inside the warehouse, the only sound you hear is the angry rumble of tires on gravel, slowly drawing closer to the open passage. The large vehicle, the only source of light, stops, and you stand up straighter, folding your arms. This is it. The light shines on your face, and you realize you've been in the dark for far too long. You look away, moving toward Mark, but don’t feel him behind you. Instead, you cling to his words: ‘He smells fear, so be confident.’

Just the sound of the front door opening has you holding in your breath- while your heart pounds in your chest. A man with a hoody steps out not even sparing you a glance- is that Zha? He looks angry… wait maybe this is someone else, since he opens the door of the backseat, standing strong like a bodyguard. “Is this the slut?” The bodyguard looking man asks…

“Shut it Slick.” Mark comments. Meanwhile you’re dead focused on the entrance of the vehicle.

And then your eyes catch onto the dark red-haired male in the backseat. Without a doubt, you know this man oozing out a silent yet deadly aura is the man that Mark has been warning you about, Zha.

He steps out, well-groomed and exuding an expensive aura. Tall and stylish, his designer clothes—smooth black leather pants, an unbuttoned blazer over a black silk shirt—reveal a toned chest. His slicked-back dark red hair accentuates his face, making him look elegant and prestigious. His appeal is undeniable, with a masculine edge that could easily mislead you into thinking he's a gentleman. But his confidence radiates a self-assuredness that warns you not to bet on his kindness. It's when his calculating, cold eyes meet yours that you realize he's far more dangerous than he appears.

He doesn’t smile, smirk, or show any emotion. His posture is rigid, his face blank and impassive. With four deliberate, measured steps, he stands before you, looking down. You hold his gaze, knowing this is the moment to match his cold confidence. You feel his eyes trace your body, slow and deliberate. “So you’re the next.” His voice is deep. Your breath hitches the moment you hear it. “You look like you’d catch feelings fast.”

You take a bold step forward almost touching him. Your gaze never leaving his, only allowing yourself to look up to him with your tantalizing gaze. "Love is not my weakness,"

"It shouldn't be your strength either." He says underneath his breath while using his index finger to trace the sides of your face.  “You look…” He quietly fades, his alluring and profound voice having a personality of its own. “Like a mistress I once knew.”

“That’s good to know.” You smile and tilt your head, following and matching his actions.

“And that’s annoying.” He finishes catching how you try to mimic him. “The mere sight of you, reminding me of her, makes me want to stab you."

Before you can grasp what he says, you’re left gripping onto his hand and arm that bulks up the moment it grabs and catches onto your neck, squeezing and not letting you go. You cling onto his arm and try not to yelp, but you choke on air. In return you feel him demonstrating how much tighter he can go- he squeezes so much more and begins to lift you up making your breathing strangled. All throughout you keep your eyes on him, not breaking eye contact with his blank and stale face.  

"You’re so petite, you could break in my hands.” His hand lightly loosens but he still has his tight hold on you. "Besides your beauty, are you worth it?”

"I don’t know who this mistress was, however do you want me to be a brat while you grab my neck like that? Or would you like to put me down so that I can answer like I’m worth it.” You answer tightly choking by his grip, which gets his lip twitching into a little smirk, before he lets you go.

You weakly catch yourself once he lets your neck go- and cough out still keeping your eyes on him. “The real question is are you worth it?” You flip the question back to him. “Worthy of my beauty.”

He finally smirks and before you know it- he’s grabbing your cheeks tightly bringing you close to him. “You’re just like a raggedy doll. So frail. So weak.” You notice that his voice is barely above a whisper, as if not really speaking to you. His hold yet again is tight and squeezes so dearly that you have to stop yourself from reacting while he smiles and finds your struggle comical.

But you contour back, not liking how he’s dragging you like a piece of paper. “My guess is, whoever this mistress of yours was, you never had any control over her, since you keep dragging me around.”

“Shut up.” He whispers. "Your beauty can save you from many things, and you’re lucky your voice isn’t annoying. But know one thing about me, nothing you do can save you from my wrath."

"What wrath? With a face like yours, the most I could be worried about is your dick being too small and your ego being large.” He chuckles lowly and squeezes your cheek one last time, before removing his grip and patting your cheek.

"Zha, she’s—" Mark cuts himself off when Zha shoots him a sharp look. Mark doesn’t seem frightened, but he definitely doesn’t want to provoke Zha any further.

"Your job is done. You brought me the girl; now go back into hiding, until further notice." Zha turns his gaze back to you, his eyes scanning your face. "Unless you want her? Or are you considering sharing her with me?"

Mark looks at you, and you see the internal conflict play out in his eyes. He shakes his head, firmly denying it. "Never. I wouldn’t want to share." So much for Mark’s claim that nothing would go wrong when he's around.

"Good," Zha replies, his voice cold. "I hate sharing what's mine." He releases his grip on you, and you straighten yourself up. You remind yourself to keep the balance between defiance and confidence. You rub your neck and cheeks, trying to steady your breath. Your eyes stay locked on his, as his smile grows wider. "Was that too tight, my mistress? Apologies."

You put your hands back down assuring him that you’re okay. He begins to walk around you in a circle very slowly, examining your body.

"If it was based on your beauty alone, you’d not be pleasing to my eye. However, as I trust Mark and his selections, you are my mistress now. Do what I say and you’ll live. No pun intended. Got it?" He asks.

You smirk. "Crystal clear." Even though in your head, you doubt everything that’s happening. What the hell are you getting yourself into?

"Beautiful," He nods his head, the little smile disappearing from his face. He places his hand out for you to take. You take it and follow him to the car.

Mark is on the passenger's seat and looks at you once before avoiding all eye contact all together as you enter the car. The only thought racing in his head is how this is a bad idea and could cost him everything with Zha. He hopes you don’t screw this up for yourself.

Zha gentle pulls you next to him when he enters. "I know you’re not pleasing but it doesn’t mean you can’t come closer. Come closer." The car starts moving.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket. You sit on it a bit hard muffling the sound as you move closely. That must be Jeno. Shit. What have you gotten yourself into.

•

“Mistress, this is us,” Zha says calmly as the car comes to a stop. As expected, he opens the door and extends his hand, waiting for you to follow. From this angle, you notice how he strikes the perfect balance between godly handsome and dangerously intimidating. How on earth are you going to ask him about Aki without putting yourself at risk? You’ve already pushed his boundaries, and you never even bothered to discuss the plan with Mark.

“Be careful,” Mark mutters quietly. He must feel the same unease. You say nothing, but take Zha’s hand, putting on your best face as you step out of the car and follow him.

"Will I be living with you?” You question as you look up to Zha. You’re not a tall girl, but amongst most girls you’re considered tall. However with Zha, you undoubtedly still find yourself looking up to him, indicating that he has a great height over you- and that makes him feel good since he’s got a proud and arrogant look on his face when looking down at you.

He doesn’t say anything as he shuts the car door and bends his elbow. Taking it as a cue, you hook your arm over his and follow him toward the massive, sophisticated glass building. The edges of the building are illuminated with a reflective neon purple light, and your gaze drifts up the sleek black glass structure, which seems to stretch up into the sky. There’s an ominous aura about it, though undeniably beautiful—more striking than any other building you’ve seen. Dark, yet somehow glorious.

During the car ride, he remained silent, simply folding his legs with his arm draped around your shoulder while you sat, too shy to move. But now, standing outside, you feel your confidence slowly return. With Zha walking beside you, you can’t help but wonder how this whole “mistress” arrangement will play out. You hope it’s just a one-time thing, but something about the whole situation feels off.

“So. Zha. What's the deal? Why are you bringing me in here? Are we going to do a quicke?" The glass doors of the entrance are both pulled open by guards in uniform. Your eyes instantly enlarge when seeing the inside of the pent building. You’re too to speak, but the chandelier above, the gold textiles set as decorations or used for the walls, has you shutting your lips, just so you don’t seem out of place. Compared to him, you’re underdressed and surely don’t look the part to be in this place. Mini skirt and sleeveless top paired with heeled stilettoes. Your whole attire being black.

“Did you just assume you’re here for a quickie?” Your ears perk when hearing his question. He scoffs, almost chuckling. “Did Mark not tell you that you’ll be my mistress?”

"He did, but I’m not sure what exactly a mistress should be doing. Are you going to be fucking me everyday-”

“In other words you blindly accepted this offer.” He smirks. "This will be fun.”

There’s a large foyer that we pass, as another door man and receptionist greet Zha as we walk past them. There are two elevators and the left one is already open. We step in and the doors spirals to a close. Literally.

“Now we’re alone.” His eyes go down your body once more and you feel violated. “Don’t be nervous, it’s not as though I’ll ‘fuck’ you everyday. You’re here because I need companionship. And since Mark brought you up to me, I trust all his recruits have something I'm lacking in my life.” He whispers out as he holds your shoulder and you feel his lips over your shoulder. “Alcohol seems to have no effect on me anymore, hence I need a more tangible asset. And you,” You catch the glistening in his eyes as he checks you out, before running his hands up your arm to your shoulders so that he can kiss your shoulder again. “Well you tick the physical box very well.”

You can’t help it when the corner of your lip tilts downwards. Shit. He leans down about to kiss you, yet the elevator dings and stops him. You breathe out looking away from his handsome face, but that has him taking in your appearance even from the side. Unlike what you’re expecting, the elevator opens up behind you, instead of in front of you.

“Don’t worry, mistress, we’ve gote plenty of time to talk.” His lip goes up. “Welcome,"

"Wow," The colors blend well with each other, a dashing peach gold and brown mixed with white. "You have no guards in here?"

"Wouldn’t it be weird if they watched me fuck you?” He answers with a smirk. “This is the only place I’m Unknown to everyone. On the register downstairs, it’s like you’ve booked this room just for yourself." His deep chuckle enters your ears as he walks deeper in the house. "Wine or juice?"

"Water." You dare him, still trying to process the words he said. You feel so underprepared. You are clearly not ready for this. Mark must’ve known that you weren’t ready, but still he hooked you up? That doesn’t make sense. Zha’s lip twitches up as you begin to unbutton a few of his shirt buttons down. "Sparkling water," You add when he holds onto your hands.

You simply smile and follow him up a few steps to the open pantry large kitchen. He sets two glasses on the table as he pours something sparkling in one glass and juice in the other. He hands the glass to you, once you’re done. “Usually Mark is spot on, however you’re not like the bimbo girls he typically brings. Humor me. You look like the first mistress I’ve ever had, so I wonder what exactly you can bring to the table.”

“This mistress must’ve been one hell of a star, since you keep mentioning her,” You smirk as you take a sip of your… white wine, your taste buds note. You hum approving of it’s strong yet satisfying taste. “So good,” Before you peek back at his modestly clean and charming face. “So, Zha, I’m curious about something-”

"Being curious with me can get you in a lot of trouble Mistress," He watches your reaction, before he continues seductively as he draws closer to you. He doesn’t waste a second in lifting up your body placing you on the counter. You gasp a little with a smile and place the glass down and allowing him in between your legs. “I prefer to be the one to do all the talking,”

“What fun would that be?” You whisper as you bring him closer to you by his neck.  

“Mark stated that you were Taeyong’s girl-”

You surprise Zha as you ‘shush’ him and place your finger over his lip. “Let’s not mention other people’s names. I’m yours now Zha,”

“Fuck,” He curses lowly as he attaches his lips to your neck. Your legs wrap around him just as your hands- but as quick as you do that, he breaks contact with your neck just to look you in the eye. “You’re a bit ballsy,”

“I know,” You hold his face, just want to get it going so that you can know how if he’ll respond well to simple questions. However he smirks as his big warm hands go underneath your skirt.

“Mistress, we still haven’t gotten to know each other. How can we proceed?” His eyes, having this pretense of innocence, when you know really that he’s dangerous.

“You’ve got very alluring eyes.” You comment, ignoring his words.

He smirks, before he sighs. “Tell me, do you know anything of what I do? All I require from you is honesty. What is it do you think I do?”

You shake your head and set your arms back, seeing as though he wants to talk… perhaps you can shoot your shot. “Hearing what you’ve said, I think you kidnap girls and bring them to your abandoned warehouse and make them your mistress.”

That actually gets a full-fledged chuckle out of him. “Cute. You’re not entirely wrong. I can also add that when these mistresses step out of line and do things I don’t like, I’m not afraid to end their life. I do this without hesitation.” Just looking into his eyes as he says the words, you feel a chill go down your spine. “It’s why Mark has to bring me a new one once in a while.”

Just staring into both his eyes, you don’t make a sound as he runs his hands over your thighs.

“A game I like playing, is how long will they last.” He smiles, as if feeling successful in frightening you. “Tonight’s your first night. Let’s give it 2 weeks, and if you survive, then you’ve beat the previous mistress world record. Now.” His lips tilt upwards. “I’ll repeat this again, I prefer to be the one to do all the talking. If you talk so much you might not make it past day 2.” The stare begins intense, just as your posture is frozen on the him. “So, I’m curious, what do you think you’ll be doing here?”

That’s a question you’ve been wanting to ask him, now he’s asking you. Your shrug your shoulders, clearing your throat. “Uhm, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re confused.” You gulp, but trying to remain confidence. “It’s no joke anymore. And since Zha is a freaking ghost or off the grid, he’ll be making me his living cum dump and pump me whenever he wants. But, what I’m more curious about is what ‘you’ are going to do to me. Zha is just a front and will kill me after 3 days or 2 weeks,” You boldly lean close to him. “I’m more curious about the man I know isn’t living as a ghost. I have a feeling he doesn’t have the same motives as Zha. Am I right?”

"Jisung.”

You pause in your long chaotic speech before focusing on his word. “What’s that?”

“My name.” He leans close to your neck instantly sucking a spot that you tremble upon. “It’s a name you whisper and shout behind closed doors.”

“Mhm, Jisung,” You moan out when his hand lifts up your body and roughly has a grip on your hands. “So why’re you telling me this”

“Frankly I don’t think you’ll be alive long enough, plus I like your voice. Say my name again.”

“Jisung,” You moan and hold his biceps tight. “So why the scary name ‘Zha’? Is that like a codename?”

“Mr Zha was my father. I liked his name so much that I took it.”

“Interesting,” You kiss his neck bringing him much closer then before. All thoughts of Jeno or Aki or even the plan leave your mind when you’re tossed on the couch and Zha… Jisung… wastes no time in lifting up your shirt and skirt. While he unwraps you, you don’t hurry the process of removing his clothes- instead when he’s done with you, leaving you alone in your bra and thong- your leg stretches out to his chest. His big hands take a hold of it, but you giggle and back it away. “Oh, Jisung, why am I the only one getting undressed?”

His eyebrow raises as he peeks at you.

You tease by running your toes over his crotch while the other one attempts to go over his lips- seeing if he’s got a foot fetish. And surely enough, his moist tongue goes over your toe and you moan. “Hurry Jisung, get undressed and feel me already,”

He smirks before undressing, keeping his eyes on you. Aside from your appearance reminding him of that damned lady- the first mistress- Jisung finds himself being drawn to your tug and pull nature. Heck, you even got him to spill his name. And that’s something he never does.

It’s clear Zha… Jisung has done this a lot of times, being balls deep and busting out in ecstasy, but you’re still shocked at how tight you felt… You left the stripping world a long time ago and only allowed Taeyong to touch you, and that was rarely, as he had his own hoes. Basically that left you becoming a virgin all over again for some months. So while Zha lays beside feeling and looking satisfied, you sit up and run your hand past your hair. “I was tight. Meaning I didn’t enjoy it.”

“Excuse me?” His rusty, low, after sex voice has you scoffing.

“I’m surprised you enjoyed that.” You tease as you get up, draping his shirt over your body. “Where’s the bathroom so I can wash up and probably finish myself just right?”

“I could kill you.”

“If you’d kill me over this, at least I’ll know why the others died fast. Lack of satisfaction down there.” You turn around and walk away with a mischievous smile on your face. For some reason, you feel empowered by his lack of action to try and kill you. There’s something holding him back from killing you, however you can’t deny it may work with your plan.

After your shower- you’re surprised to see him behind the door waiting for you. “I should be killing you for what you just said.”

You chuckle and retort. “But for some reason, you wanna satisfy me. This mistress, must’ve really done things to you.”

Jisung’s jaw locks before he washes the anger and stale away from his face, replacing it with a smirk. “Pick any room you like, I’ll follow you,”

It’s not much of a choice, as you don’t really know where anything is, but as you walk into one and see that appliance and things are spread out, you know it’s his room.

“Now strip.” You remove the towel and turn around to him, so that he can have a look at you. He doesn’t visibly tremble, but you take note of how his eyes turn into commander mode. “Get on the bed and spread your legs.”

“So bossy,” You giggle and do as told. With your legs open and looking at him, you watch him draw closer before his head disappears down to your core. “What are you planning on doing?”

“You said you were tight. Meaning you couldn’t fully enjoy my package,” He responds. “And I know I’ve got a good package, which I don’t want you missing out on or confusing. You’re the problem, and I have to fix that.”

“And how do you intend to do that Zha?” You giggle.

“I’m going to have to eat you out.”

•

 6:18 a.m.

Jeno’s awake and checking his phone, hoping that you got back to him. When he sees no missed call or message from you, his brows furrow. Why haven’t you replied to him? He rereads his old message, trying to see if indeed he sent it to you.

Jeno:

Good luck tonight! I hope it all goes well. Please call me when you’re done.

As soon as he’s done getting dressed, he’s outside of his trailer and in his car driving to work. Around 06:45 when he gets to work, he parks his car and waits till it reaches 7 a.m.. Meanwhile he picks up his phone again, but still you have not responded. He already disliked the idea of you being with some other guy, and he knew he’d be worried for you, however he didn’t think it would be this bad. Not only were you taking chances but you were risking everything just for him… he didn’t like that. It’s supposed to be the other way around, him sacrificing a lot for you… the way he did for Aki, but yet you’re doing what Aki did.

Unlike Aki, you made it clear that sex was nothing special and that you could handle it. It makes him wonder who you really are and why he can’t wrap his feelings around the fact that you could potentially not be good for him- “Stop.” Jeno shakes his head. Now is not the time to be thinking such things. Finally picking up the courage after calming himself down, he puts his phone to his ear.

Your phone vibrates, disturbing your sleep as you lie in Zha's arms. You snuggle closer, but the ringing continues, pulling you from your rest. Your body is pressed against Jisung’s, and he stirs, his eyes squinting as he searches for the source of the noise. Spotting your phone, he stretches to grab it. When he sees the contact name, his eyes widen in irritation, triggering a memory he wishes to forget.

Jeno. Remembering the person, Jisung wonders in his mind how on earth is it possible that he’s seeing that name? Unless of course it’s common name belonging to another person- he slides to answer just to know if really it is another Jeno and not the one he knew.

Jeno’s heart skips a beat when the phone connects. He calls your name joyfully, no longer feeling any of the distant thoughts. “Hey, are you okay?” What matters is that you’ve picked up his call... However you don’t respond. “A-Are you well? I’m sorry for waking you up, I was just worried about you, you didn’t return my calls yesterday. So, how’d it go?”

“How did what go?”

Jeno blinks his eyes before pulling the phone away from his ear to read the name displayed. It’s your name, but that’s not your voice. It’s a male. Perhaps Mark… no, that voice… it sounds familiar. “Who’s this?”

"I’m wondering the same about you," the voice is deep and raspy. Jeno doesn't recognize it. Is he still with the suspect? He’s about to ask if it's Zha, but the man speaks first. "I see your name is Jeno. I feel wronged you don’t remember me. Then again, we never actually spoke. The only time you did was when you caught me not swallowing the pill. Or have I mistaken you for someone else?"

It doesn’t take Jeno a long time to instantly click who the deep voice belongs to. That’s Jisung! The boy who got caught not taking his pills. “Are you… Jisung? As in Park Jisung?”

The guy chuckles. “I don’t associate by that, but nonetheless that is me.” Jisung's voice takes Jeno aback. Isn't he supposed to be speaking with Zha? Or Mark? Why is Park Jisung speaking to him?

"Long time buddy. What's good?" Jisung smiles. Jeno clears his throat muttering a firm greeting. What the hell is going on? Jisung checks the time on your phone getting back to Jeno. "Speak to me real quick. Why are you calling my girl at this hour, 6 a.m.?"

Jeno’s mind flashes back to the orphanage and his harsh training. He clenches his jaw, remembering how he stopped taking the pill and became hyper-aware, focusing on performing well to escape that hell. The memory of his wounds makes his back straighten. Though faint scars remain, nothing compares to the pain he’s feeling now, as if it’s happening again. He clutches his heart, breathing heavily and groaning. Jisung hears the heavy breathing and he too recalls being caught… because of Jeno.  He doesn’t say anything, but tries to analyze Jeno just by hearing the voice. Jisung scoffs with a faint chuckle. The all powerful Jeno Lee sounds weak.

“What do you want Jeno?” He lazily says, running his hand down your hair. Allowing his fingers to smooth over your head.

"I... I..was just Uhm wondering if Uhm....Y/n would be at work today?" Jeno eventually answers.

Jisung looks down at the girl soundlessly asleep in his arms. "You work with her?”

"No. She uh makes nice tea..." he says barely above a whisper waiting for Jisung's next words.

"Nice Tea. Sounds delicious. Let's meet,"

At that your eyes flatter open, trying to know if the convo you heard wasn’t part of your dream… Shit, it seems to be true. Jisung cuts the call before his arms cover over you and he squeezes your butt.

“I’m not a fan of you working.” He speaks as if knowing you’re awake. You stay still, ignoring him, but your hair is yanked back, and you’re dazed when your tired eyes meet his. “Neither am I a fan of this customer having your number. Get up and dress.” He drops your head, and it hits the pillow as he leaves. You try to find your phone but can’t see it. Did Jisung just take it?

You take a deep breath and prepare for the day. After finding the shower, your legs ache, and you're drained from all the sass with Jisung. You grab your underwear and find your clothes in the living room. Without makeup, you look simple and moderate, not the same baddie from yesterday. You leave your hair down to ditch the clean girl vibe. After dressing, you wait in the living room.

You hear his shoes before seeing him. Based on yesterday, you expect a similar look, but you're surprised when he walks down in a large white furry jacket. You fold your arms. “There’s no way you work in the warehouse in that.”

Getting closer to you, he looks at you up and down before his eyes scrutinize your face. He wears black shades with red lens and his hair is slicked back. Inside the white coat, there’s a black shirt with white buttons and he’s got on white pants with black slacks. He looks expensive. “After we’re done in your workplace, I’m taking you to get pampered.”

“And what about the things in my house, we could always drop by there to fetch-”

“As if.” He rolls his eyes and moves past you. “Let’s go.”

Jisung takes you to his private underground parking. He picks a luxurious 6-seater SUV and opens the door for you. You take his hand and get in, wondering when to ask for your phone. As he starts driving, he asks where you work and enters it into the GPS.

“I’m guessing you’re not a morning person.” He starts off. With your head facing the other way, you don’t bother giving him your attention. “You’re much quieter today.”

“Must be because you took my phone, woke me up rudely and refuse to go to my house.”

He hums out and faintly chuckles. “Appearance is important to me. Judging from how you wore yesterday, I can already tell the type of clothes in your wardrobe. Just sexy short skirts. I want you to be decent, presentable and erotically suggestive in the right way. I don’t want everyone to exploit you with their eyes.”

Your brows furrow just as you shift your gaze and turn your head in his direction. “Who exactly are you going to be presenting me to?”

“You don’t need to be presented to anyone to look presentable.” He comments. “But if you must know, you’ll be presented to me, every single day. If I don’t like what I see, I don’t want to see it again.”

You nod you’re your head with some annoyance. “I see. And my phone?”

“In my room. Why do you need your phone?”

“Okay Jisung-”

“Zha.” He straightens out. “When we’re outside you address me as Zha.”

“We’re not outside, we’re inside your car. Jisung.” The annoyance slips out. Annoyance at the fact that you just woke up and you’re not in your usual environment. And to top it off, you don’t have your phone and you feel agitated that he doesn’t trust you- bringing back Taeyong flashbacks. Must be why you’re annoyed. “Look what exactly is a mistress in your mind? A maid or what? Last night you said you wanted companionship- not to be my boyfriend who’s over protective. I do not appreciate staying in your place and being forced to take rules-”

“I didn’t force you to do anything. You decided on your own-”

“That’s why I’m asking you what is a mistress in your mind- because at least if I know that, then I’ll know if I’m prepared or not, and then I can just leave if I’m not.” All thoughts of Aki have left your mind as you argue for your worth and value. You sharply stare at him, waiting for him to answer. His eyes look blank behind the red lens as he is completely unbothered by you. “Are you gonna say anything?”

“I’m regretting even asking you a question. You’re on fire for no reason.” Unbothered and just blunt. You try not to make a fuss and look out the window. “Where do you live?”

“What for?” You stubbornly answer, just as the thoughts slowly begin to get in your head that everything you’re doing is for Jeno. Shit. It hasn’t even been a day and you’ve forgetten. Zha- or rather Jisung is a whole world on his own, that you don’t even realise anything else.

“Word has it you work at a café, meaning a uniform environment.”

“I’m supposed to be off today.” You state.

“Might as well go to announce your resignation.” Your mouth gaps as you stare at him ready to rebut but he beats you to it. “It’s clear to me now that you’re not a morning person, so don’t even think about what I’ve said. Just go with it.”

-

“So you’re a waitress.”

“I make the specials as well.”

You stand by the table where Zha’s eyes go over the menu in hand and he smiles. “Ah- that’s what you were missing. You didn’t have your breakfast, must be why you were so grumpy.” He chuckles when you annoyingly look away. “Why don’t you come and eat with me, make someone else on shift make breakfast for us. Come on,” He smiles up at you, with a charming gleam in his eyes. “Sit,”

He holds your hand and pulling you close to him, and making you sit on him. “J- Zha what are you do-”

“We’re ready to order,” He snaps his finger in the air, getting the attention of one of you. “By the way, I don’t know what I was thinking, your uniform is so sexy. I could pull it off with just my teeth,” His voice whispers as he tugs on your collar with his teeth as he looks at you in your eyes. “Short skirt, long heels-”

Your cheeks blush when hearing the waitress clear her throat. “Your order?”

“Get us a breakfast special. 2.” Zha lets out, still focused on smelling up your neck. You hold onto his chest gently pushing him but he chuckles. “Why’re you getting so shy?”

Thankfully he doesn’t go as far as displaying public affection, however he does keep you on his lap running his hand over your behind as the other is on his phone. The screen is too dim to see anything. “So why are you even here? You said you don’t want me working- something along those lines.”

He inhales. “That’s before I saw the place, the manager and the potential client I’ll meet today.” He puts his phone away. “In short, it seems promising to be a perfect cover for you and myself.” Not getting it, you just keep your eyes solely on him but he tilts his head and his gaze shifts to you. “Who’s Jeno?”

“P-pardon?”

“Why do you have to stutter and delay? Who is Jeno?” He says each syllable. “Somebody called you this morning, he happens to be someone I know. Not only that, but you see your manager over there, he doesn’t recognize me, but I know him.”

“How?”

“Answer me first.”

“Oh.” You quickly think. What did Jeno introduce himself as? “Well, I made for Jeno some tea at the graveyard and he loved it so much that he uh become a customer here at the café.”

“What were you doing at the graveyard?” He asks with confusion.

“I had a boyfriend-”

“Ah Taeyong,” Zha nods his head. “Aids right?” You nod your head. “Who was he there for?”

“I believe his wife,” Seeing as it’s the perfect time to bring it up, you add her name. “Something Aki.”

“Aki? Japanese woman. Can’t believe he married.” Zha self comments, before he looks ahead and tilts his head. “Aki…” He says one more time, and you watch his face shift into wonder, and you’re so happy. He must know her. Just as you think that his eyes light up a little before the turn blank. A blink of a second. “Can’t be.” He mutters before facing you. “You still mourn for Taeyong?”

You shake your head. “No. It was a long time ago.”

The breakfast special arrives and you attempt to get off Zha’s lap but he begins feeding you, and you smile feeding him as well. “That’s good morning for you. Are you happy now?” He asks as he watches your smile get on your face as you chew and nod your head. You don’t look at all like the mistress, but your posture, voice, body and even hair, give him flashbacks of when he was under that damned roof as a sold slave. The mistress to Mr Zha was friendly, tempting and got whatever she wanted. She never hid her intentions.

Looking back now, Jisung recalls the first time he saw her. She made him feel like he wasn’t a human as she went on to grab his manhood and eagerly told her husband how she wanted him. Jisung was just a boy… Innocent too. In that house, he had no control while Mr Zha was around. The mistress went along and teased Jisung by having intercourse with the other servants and other time, Mr Zha participated – showing Jisung for the first time how a man has sex with a woman. Half the time he dissociated while watching her and him… Until it was his turn.

You watch as Zha’s face turns dark and he stops moving. Holding onto his cheek gently, moving his stiff face to you. His eyes blink once and he looks like he snapped out of whatever he was thinking. “Are you okay Zha?”

He clears his throat. “You asked me what a mistress was. Can I answer now?”

You hum, curious about his thoughts. “A mistress is someone who pretends to be innocent, yet controls everyone around her. But I see it differently. To me, a mistress obeys the hand that feeds her, losing her independence and becoming a slave to the man’s will. That’s what I want from you.”

“That sounds shallow.” You pout, smiling as you kiss him. “As your mistress, I want you to be proud of me, to show me off. You sound different now from the guy who told me to be decent and suggestive. You sound like you want to degrade me. Am I someone to degrade? Or is that the difference between you, Zha, and Jisung—who seems real, not shallow?”

You don’t know why you’re even saying this to him. You want to let go of his cheeks but with how his gaze softens you simply run your hand past his hair and remove his glasses looking at him deeply in his eyes.

When Jeno walked into the café during his lunch break, he was focused on seeing Jisung. But as he entered, his eyes locked on a couple being explicit. Scanning the room, he did a double take when he saw you. At first, the man didn’t look like Jisung, but as he got closer and you noticed him, Jeno saw it clearly—this was Jisung. But the sweet boy he remembered was gone. “Jisung.”

Annoyed, he shuts his eyes, wondering who’s disturbing his peace by calling that name. But when he sees the broad, toned physique of Lee Jeno, his expression shifts from irritation to… pleasure. “Wow, you haven’t changed a bit,” he says slowly and smoothly. You get off Jisung’s lap as he stands.

You’re only surprised that really Jisung knows Jeno. “You know each other?”

Jeno watches carefully, his expression hidden but alert to any shift. Meeting a Workerz isn’t something he does every day, especially without knowing Jisung’s past or his ties to Zha. And seeing you so close to Jisung only adds confusion—especially after hearing Jisung call you his girl, even though you only met yesterday.

“This man,” Jisung gestures to Jeno, “is why I was kicked out of hell and thrown into this dark world. Lee Jeno—favored, respected, always first in that hellhole where they turned us into soldiers. I never thought I’d see you again. I expected you to be some bodyguard or soldier for a high official. But look at you, ordinary. I heard you lost a wife. Why don’t you sit? We’ve got plenty to catch up on. I’ll even ignore how long you kept me waiting.”

It seems you’re dismissed as both Jeno and Zha… Jisung take a seat. You thought the phone call in the morning was a dream… yet these two men know each other. Jeno looks hyper alert and reluctant at the same time while Jisung is eager and hosting this friendly face that you don’t even recognize.

“Some days ago, I was sure you and Jeno had a thing. Who’s that mysterious guy?"

You jolt and turn to your manager Jaehyun who looks through counter watching the two men. “Oh,” You exhale. “It’s really complicated.”

"Tickle my ears." He smiles warmly while mixing up a drink and handing one to you.

"I like Jeno.” You confess. “I really do. I just... Feel guilty for what I've been doing. And what I'm doing is to get his happiness, but the measures for that happiness is me doing something I don't really like," You answer.

He nods his head taking a seat next to you taking a quick scan of the dinner making sure the customers where satisfied which they were. "Does this have something to do with Jisung?" He asks.

And your eyes enlarge. “You know him?”

Jaehyun shrugs. “Not to the point where I can say hi. He’s a boy from my old orphanage home, just like Jeno.” Your ears are shocked by what he says. Orphanage? As in orphans? “I was much older than him. He was a lonely kid growing up, and we all found him to be weird. Anyway I got adopted so this is the first time I’m seeing him. He looks good. In the whole speech you were making about doing what you don’t like, does it involve him?”

You can only nod your head.

“For what it’s worth, I can tell you that Jeno is a gentleman, he's a good man, hardworking and only has good interests. Jisung on the other hand looks like a gentleman, but there’s something off about him. If what you’re doing is to get Jeno’s happiness, and if it’s also really worth it and you want to make some impression on Jeno, I can assure, that if he likes you as well, he won’t want you to be in a position where you’re forced to do something for him. Just let it go, and let everything flow naturally. There’s no need to force anything. Jeno already seems interested in you. Jisung, by the looks of how he was holding you, seems cunning.”

You gulp and face forward looking at the two man. “But that's the problem. I want to help Jeno but Jisung has all the answers,"

Meanwhile on the table between Jisung and Jeno, Jeno still hasn’t said a word as he listens to Jisung praise him on how Jeno was the type of guy everyone looked up to. “I never got to thank you for ratting me out and setting me free.”

What is Jeno supposed to say to that? Hence the best answer being silence. Surprisingly Jisung goes on to talking about his forced adoption and how it didn’t work out, that he ended up running away and trying something for himself. “Man to man, PSTD will leave permanent scares that it’s often hard to start something new without thinking of the past. I can’t even lie, I’m not the same boy that I once was.”

Even though it’s not something to respond to, Jeno finds himself speaking. “Have you sought out treatment?”

Jisung chuckles when looking at Jeno. “The best treatment I’ve found is vengeance. Speaking of which, I heard you had a wife. I never pictured you to be a family man. You were always so angry and focused. How’d you do it? Did you seek treatment after she passed away?”

For some reason, you’re the only thing coming up in Jeno’s mind. The only way Jisung can know about this, is if you told him about it. “She was murdered. I’ve opened up an investigation.”

“Interesting,” Jisung nods his head looking intrigued. “How’s that going? I bet a murder case is tough to solve.”

Jeno nods his head. “We’ve got a lead so far.”

Jisung smiles and leans closer. “Tell me more,”

“It’s classified.”

“Oh bummer.” Jisung leans back on his seat. “Do you have a picture of her? If the detectives aren’t winning, I could get my guys to look into it?”

Jeno forces a smile. “And what are you? Private investigator?”

“I don’t expect you to go around telling everyone. Loan shark.” Jisung smiles. “If you show me a picture I can tell you all about their credit scores,”

“She wasn’t in debt.”

Jisung simply picks up his tea and sips on it looking at Jeno. “You never know.” Before he focuses on the tea nodding his head. “This is some good tea.”

Jeno inhales as he ponders on what Jisung just said. He brings out his phone, feeling curious. He goes into gallery before bringing out a picture. “This is her,” Jeno carefully gives his phone to Jisung.

Taking the phone in his grip, Jisung immediately hums. “Let me guess her name, Aki. Aki Klin. I didn’t know she was married.”

Jeno’s eyes widen. So he does know her. “How do you know her name?”

“Her father was in debt.” Jisung’s eyes go over the picture of the woman, beautiful and petite. He remembers her well. Seeing her in the picture being pressed up against Jeno makes Jisung hand back the phone. “I was warned about him. Turns out he was one of the monsters in charge of our Boarding School.”

That’s news to Jeno’s ears. “What?”

Jisung nods his head. “If I remember well, he’s the one who sold me off to my owners.”

That has Jeno in complete stagnation.

“I don’t know if that’ll help with the investigation, but I’ll look into it and let you know if anything comes up about her.” Jisung gets up and gets his glasses on, before chortling and sitting back down. “I got carried away in our little chatter, that I forgot what I was really here for.”

Jisung leans on the table, and for some reason unlike how he was a second ago, this time with the glasses on Jisung’s gaze has completely shifted into one of being hollow and malicious.

“Just a friendly warning, it’s tragic what happened to your wife, but that doesn’t mean you should hit on my girl.” Jisung states. “I know she’s beautiful and a piece of eye candy, but she’s already taken. I don’t really appreciate you calling her. I had a look at your convo with her, it wasn’t that interesting, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see how you looked at her.”

“My bad.” Jeno says out and nods his head looking down at his phone screen. “I now know she’s taken. I’ll keep my distance.”

Jisung smiles before getting up. That has your attention and you look ready. He nudges his head, indicating for you to follow. “I guess that’s me.” You say to Jaehyun.

“Now it makes sense why you requested a sudden day off. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow,” He comments and holds your shoulder. “And remember, don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. Break it off easily and don’t get yourself back into trouble. Taeyong was no good, and Jisung doesn’t look that good either.”

“Thanks Jaehyun.” You smile to him before strutting to Jisung who’s watching you with a smile. “Are you done?”

He smiles and wraps his arm around your shoulder. “Done,” You can’t even sneak a look at Jeno… even though you can feel his eyes on you, as Jisung leads you out the door but pauses and turns to Jeno- which you take as an opportunity to look at him as well. “We should stay in touch just in case I find something.”

“Appreciate it.” Jeno tightly smiles and his eyes glance at you. “Nice seeing you Y/n,” Jeno knows that gets Jisung slightly irritated as he doesn’t wait for you to respond and makes you walk out with him behind you.

“What a sad guy,” Jisung states once he begins driving. You turn to him waiting for him to speak. “But that’s not our business. Let’s take you shopping.”

Prior to you coming to work, Jisung took you to your home to get your uniform, you took it as a chance to get some of the things you needed. Makeup, garments and skin care products. However getting to the mall (a mall that you’re not too familiar with), you’re stunned when Jisung hands you a black card and snaps his finger assigning to you a worker man who’ll carry everything you buy. Feeling somewhat guilty, you try not to spend too much- however Jisung also picks out the things he likes for you. And it’s impossible for you to leave the store with 1 bag- you leave with at least 4-6. In 1 store you leave with a maximum of 10 bags. The poor worker carries everything on his own. You feel bad yet Jisung assures you that it’s that man’s job.

You spend hours in that mall, even eating with Jisung where he tells you how he wants you to keep working at the café. “Jaehyun recognized you.” You end up saying.

“He did?” Jisung picks up his chopstick feeding you the meat. “What did say?”

“Something about you being weird and lonely.” You honestly say. “Something about an orphanage as well.”

“Oh Mistress, we’re not yet in that phase.”

You shyly smile. “Oh I apologize. I just wanted to know how you knew both Jeno and Jaehyun.”

“Yeah well, if you survive 2 weeks with me, you might be lucky to enter into the next phase.”

You find yourself smiling as you sip on your cold drink. “A phase that no other mistress has passed.”

“Exactly.” He looks at you with an abrupt smile. “Good luck.” You know he won’t kill you. You have faith. And you also know he probably doesn’t want to kill you, especially since you know Jeno. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

-

By day, Jisung drops you off at work and picks you up by 6 p.m., letting you do two shifts. By night, you’re tired when you reach the penthouse, but Jisung is gentle, massaging your feet or applying oil to relieve stress. He loves taking care of your toes, always keeping them clean. When you're not too exhausted, you make him special tea and treat him.

Sometimes, he picks you up early from work, asking Jaehyun for the afternoon off. After dropping you off at the penthouse, he disappears until morning. Occasionally, he returns late, smelling awful but claims it’s from being in an expired zone. You don’t believe he’s cheating. Other nights, he comes back late but with no smell, pulling you close into his arms. You’ve started to get used to his routines, and he to yours. So when he picks you up after your afternoon shift, you're excited to tell him:

“Just 4 more days until it’s been 2 weeks.”

"How was work Apple doll?" He asks already changing gears getting onto the streets. You look out your window spotting Jaehyun with a slight frown watching the car drive away. You wish to just tell him that you’re not really choosing Jisung it's only because of circumstances. But then again it's also been days since you last saw Jeno. After getting your phone back, you sent him a text message stating how he shouldn’t contact you and that you’ll keep him updated. All he responded to you was that you should delete your conversations with him. He's been busy with work or as you see it, he's been trying to avoid you- he doesn’t even come to the café anymore.

You don’t know if you fucked up or not. But that pushed you to work harder in order to get Jeno the closure he needs from the investigation. Yet for every time Jisung would leave you in the house alone, you searched for anything valuable such as information, but unfortunately the house was purely just for living with nothing related to work what so ever.

It's been hard getting information out of Jisung as he only wants one thing from you. But even though, you still try to deliver all information to Jeno. Even the smallest bit, such as number plates, to the cars he likes using the most, or how he works in Loan Shark businesses by lending money to individuals in need but doing so in a predatory and illegal manner. The only information you haven't given is that Jisung is Zha. For some reason, you first want to be sure… that Jisung is the one who committed the crime.

Which is way you’re so happy when Jisung says; "I hope you don't mind coming along with me to the warehouse." He focuses on the road driving at an appropriate speed. "There's something I need to do real quick and there’s no time to leave you at home.”

“I don’t mind and hey guess what,” You suggestively say. He smiles and turns to you getting his hand on your thigh. “It’s nearly been 2 weeks. I’m about to surpass your last Mistress.”

Jisung laughs calmly. “Maybe that’s because I want you to surpass the old Mistress.”

“What actually got her… taken off.” You question.

Jisung hums. A rapid image of Mr Zha’s wife flashes in his head. “Let’s just say, she pissed me off.”

“How?”

“Bad enough that I stabbed her. With a fork.”

You’re silent, as you get chills. Other times you forget that you’re literally sitting next to a man who might be a mastermind orchestrator in a murder… or mass murders.

“Don’t be worried Apple doll,” He comments and rubs your thigh. “You haven’t shown any signs like her of being a manipulator.” You hum out and try to ease yourself down. “Now, bend over me and make me feel good before we go to the warehouse." 

"Sure," You smile and remove your seatbelt. “Drive safe yeah?”

He laughs charmingly as you sit up in your seat and stretch your body across his legs and giving him full access to your lingerie underneath your uniform. He grips onto your butt slowly roaming his hand around.

"That's a nice colour,"

The time you reach and arrive to a sketchy looking road with a large warehouse across the street is around 9 p.m. Jisung… or Zha went to his normal business sorting out some issues with a buff man who was begging for more time to pay, before going on the road again to the warehouse. You last remember seeing the afternoon cream red, orange, yellow and slightly pink sky before you fell asleep.

"Hey apple doll," he smiles upon seeing your sleepy face, as you attempt to stretch. You unbuckle the seatbelt asking if you’re already home, but he drags the seatbelt across your body before locking it. "I need you to stay in the car, okay?" he smiles when patting your cheek making sure you’re awake. “It’s just a quick errand and we’ll go home. Okay?”

You nod absently, muttering a ‘kay’ as he closes the door and walks away. Watching him, your mind begins to clear, realizing this isn’t part of his usual routine. The car’s parked outside a nondescript grey warehouse, with no light in sight. You take out your phone and snap pictures of the long, empty road, the train tracks above, and distant trees. Sending them to Jeno, you quickly delete the chat afterward.

Where is this place?

The grey warehouse, bathed in moonlight, looks abandoned, but a light on the third floor tells you otherwise. It seems more like a factory with five stories, but you won’t know for sure until you get inside. You remember this place from when Mark brought you to see Zha. Tired, you rub your eyes, touch up your makeup, unbuckle your seatbelt, and step out of the car. The stony road amplifies the sound of your heels, and the wind blows your skirt up. You walk quickly, trying to keep quiet, nearly on your toes. There’s no entrance door, just a large vehicle opening.

You glance left and right before following the ramp on the right, just like Jisung did. The hallway is dark, and you suspect he’s heading to the third floor with the light. You yawn and shiver slightly, squinting in the darkness to see where you're going. As the wall curves, you turn the corner, relieved to spot a small dim light at the end. Thank goodness.

“Ah-” You croak out when feeling forceful severe arms grab you from behind and blocking your mouth- you try to kick as soon as another guy gets in front of you getting access to grab your kicking legs. You harshly kick – swing and stab the man’s chest with your heel before going for his groan with your other heel. He arches over in pain, the man behind you drags you as you struggle using your nails to claw his arms but it doesn't work, very soon the other man holds your legs tightly again but you’ve got strengthened legs and swing them towards his face. But then all of a sudden you can’t see anymore as your face is covered with something dark- making you anxious and furious as you struggle to kick by how tight the man is holding your legs. You feel them walking and telling you to shut up- but you don’t, you keep squirming trying to prey yourself loose- you succeed as some point- but that’s before you get a few rough punches to your abdomen and cough out some blood- but you still weakly kick your legs.

"Ey boss. This bitch tried to escape- we caught her." You can hear the man behind you say before he removes the black thing over your face and drops you. Losing balance you fall to the ground instantly holding your stomach and looking up trying to wipe your bloody mouth but then the hands are on you again lifting you up. Now you can see it was a total of 4 men. One guy completely man handles you forcing your arms behind your back and making you stand straight.

“It’s not what you think-” You shake your head but the man behind you strangles you from behind with his arm over your neck. You choke but your eyes stay on Jisung pleadingly. Begging and trying to let out some words but you can’t even breathe.

Jisung watches your face with no emotion. The cold expression on his face has you almost crying- there’s no hint of Jisung, this looks like the Zha you met for the first time. His face is cold. He makes a move by stepping away from the table, where a group of men are seated including Mark- watching you.

"Some bitch tried to leave," the man behind you babbles again. You see Mark standing up but Jisung signals him to sit down.

"Who hit her?" Jisung asks.

"Bitch kicked me- so I hit her.” Upon hearing that you get a surge of energy to kick him again- your leg swings up and you kick him right in the groan- however the other guys are quick to step in pushing you back- one even going as far as punching your abdomen again- making you gurgle out blood- but you hold it in your mouth.

“Stupid bitch.” But the last you see of the man before hearing a loud gunshot is his enlarged eyes before the blood splats on your face and he falls on his knees. Your own eyes are terrified and freeze on the gun that Jisung is holding pointing.

The man behind you wastes no time letting you go immediately. "Apple doll duck," Hearing that stupid nickname he decided to give you- you know he’s addressing you, and hurriedly you go down hearing another echo of the gun shot going off. You cover your ears hearing more gunshots before watching the four men in a gruesome pod of blood forming around them.

You gasp and shake looking around you. All the men have bullets right in the middle of their foreheads. You begin to hyperventilate – and jolt again when feeling a pair of hands on your shoulder. You fall down on your butt but try to calm down when seeing it’s only Jisung.

“And to think you were excited that it’s almost 2 weeks. You could’ve died.” His lip twitches upwards a bit, before he helps you up and opens his blazer bringing out a handkerchief. He wipes it over your face, removing the blood before he taps your chin. “Stupid Bangchan. He hit you really hard, didn’t he?”

You’re too shocked to nod, but you keep your eyes on lowered and try to manage your breathing… what just-

“Zha." You jump a little now paying attention to the table and around it is some men. Your eyes stop to a very death like glare which are even colder than Zha. You remember him as the bodyguard who was there when Mark introduced you to Zha for the first time. "Who's this?"

"Didn’t I tell you to stay in the car?” Your eyes go back to Jisung who doesn’t even spare a glance at the said person… Slick. You remember his name. You hesitantly nod your head, when Jisung looks at you expecting an answer. But you jolt again when there’s a pound on the table.

The man who spoke the first time speaks again, Slick speaks out. "I know you’re pissed right now, but what the fuck is this girl doing here? This slut?” He stands up with a challenging glare- his eyes at the back of Jisung’s head.

Jisung holds your hand before wrapping his arm around you in a way that you’re still holding his hand. And you don’t even dare to let go- your fingers tightly gripping. "Slick, I think I’ve made myself clear when I said I don’t want to hear your voice.”

You confirm his name as Slick. His gaze turns to you. It's short, but it's enough to let you know that your life is now in danger. Any wrong move and you could get killed. Instantly. Especially when taking note that some the men in this room are the mugshots that Detective Jaemin had. Unlike the gaze of the paper- Slick’s glare is fatal, as just he sits back down.

"Let's go Apple doll," Jisung whispers in your ear. Your life is in his hands as long as you do what he says. This is the most obedient head nod you’ve ever done in your entire life. “Dismissed. I’m heading back, Mark do what you do best. Slick stay here, before you cause any more trouble.” You still can’t believe how effortlessly Jisung pulled out his gun and shot at-

"Fine. You don’t want to hear my voice, how about I speak to this intruder. Are you a mistress to be shared? Apple doll right?" You freeze when the man, Slick, echo's in the back. Jisung's eyes on him are lethal but they return to normal when they're on you.

Jisung guides you out, and you don’t have any urges to turn back that’s until you feel a crawl up your spine, and look back. All the man are leaving, all but Slick. You look away from his glare walking faster next to Jisung.

"Jisung please say something." You hear how raspy your voice is and you cough out, but quickly hold your mouth when seeing the blood.

"Don’t mind him.”Jisung doesn’t notice yet as he turns his head back. "Slick." You force yourself to look at him again only to have his eyes still on you. Untamed and wild. He will kill you. "I'm going to personally warn you. Touch her and you die. You don’t want to piss me off more than you have, do you?"

‘Slick’ eyes leave yours as he unfolds his arms getting up and walking towards you… you inhale deeply having wide eyes watching him. He doesn’t look at you but at Jisung- and just before you know it- he walks past you both.

"I don't think he got that." You pipe. You look back to Jisung who says nothing. And it’s in the walk to the car that your whole heart begins to pound in your chest as you see just how big this place is. “What did that guy mean when he said I tried to escape? Jisung are there… people locked in here?”

“Do me a favor, fall asleep and forget everything that happened.”

-

It’s Sunday, two weeks and three days in, and you’re trying to shake off the image of dead bodies and Slick’s cold glare. The only thing brightening your day is that Jeno finally showed up at the café. Unsure whether to approach him, you were surprised when he walked straight to where you were clearing a table, a warm smile on his face. He slipped his hands out of his pockets, one running through your hair. “You look so shaken. May I?” he asked, and you immediately nodded, stepping into his comforting hug.

You don’t cry but you do embrace Jeno with everything you have. While Jisung soaked you up in water assuring you that you’re alright, Jeno’s hold does so much more than any expensive bath. “I thought you were avoiding me.” You quietly let out.

“I’m sorry.” Jeno shakes his head, wrapping you even tighter. “I realized I took Jisung’s warning too literally. And I also just didn’t want to think about you, however that failed.

After the warm hug, you and Jeno sit on a closed off booth. He keeps your hand in his looking at you. “I’d love to catch up, but I just want to get this Zha thing out of my mind. Any leads?”

Jeno just wants to take you in. Seeing you after two long weeks is a relief. “Hey, I’m sorry for not being there,” he starts, his voice soft. “But you don’t have to keep doing this. With what the detective has, we can leave it to them now. I don’t like that we met and then got torn apart because of Jisung and Zha.” You meet his eyes, your gaze timid. “I care about you, and seeing you now… it makes me feel all sorts of things,” he adds with a smile. “Happiness being the strongest.”

You also smile but you exhale and pane your eyes above. “But that’s the thing. I actually feel… like I’m getting closer,”

Jeno’s shoulder sink a little but he still tries to look upbeat. How could he get you to be less bound to this case? “Really? How close?”

“Trust me, I’ve hit the jackpot. On Thursday, Zha took me to the warehouse, and I saw all the guys from the detective’s photos. Zha killed one. Mark we already know, and the others I don’t have names for yet, but I’ll get them. One guy, though, I know by his nickname—‘Slick.’” You share what you know so far. “I sent some pictures of the warehouse.”

“The images really helped, the detective is doing a geo search on them,” Jeno interrupts, but then sits next to you, his focus entirely on you. “But I didn’t come here for that. I came for you. Honestly, I don’t like you sleeping with Zha. From what I’ve seen of him, he’s a grown man and looks like he’s got infections.”

You raise an eyebrow. “What?” You recall a conversation with Jisung, where he mentioned Mr. Zha was his father and that he took the name because he liked it. Now, Jeno’s describing him as a fat man with infections... could Zha really be Jisung’s father? But how? Jisung is supposed to be an orphan.

Jeno looks between your eyes and nods his head. “I took the information Jisung stated and paired them all together giving the detective all the clues. Mr Zha is an architect. Infamous and travels a lot. Either way, Jisung gave us a big clue when stating that Aki’s father was in debt, meaning the people he was indebted to are the ones who killed him. According to Detective Na, he has suspicions that they tried to wager her life and use her as ransom. So that if he didn’t give the money on time she’d be killed-”

“Wait- Jeno I’m so confused.” You hold your head because of the incorrect information Jeno has, but Jeno gently takes your hand in his.

“That’s why I’m saying, let’s just take it easy for a bit. Take a breather and-” Your phone buzzes in your dress pocket and you quickly pick it up, knowing Jisung hates to wait. Jeno slumps as he watches you answer the call to Jisung, you call him a cute name ‘baby’ and Jeno pokes the inside of his cheek and gets up moving to his original spot. You look like you’ll leave. He really wants to stop you from continuing. “You don’t have to do this you know, what you’ve done so far is peek-”

You shake your head, smiling lightly. After all the information he gave you – most likely wrong- you know that you can’t let the detectives get tricked. “I have to go,”

Jeno respects you none the less and nods his head. He feels like he’s created a workaholic machine. “Is she always like this?”

Jaehyun watches the SUV drive away, that’s the same one he watched every week drop and pick you up. He pats Jeno’s shoulders. “I’ve known her for a little over 2 years. Back then she was an exotic dancer, but worked part time here. Bills weren’t being met. After her boyfriend died, I was glad to give her a full time spot. She really enjoys what she does. So to answer you, she’s head strong. I feel like she only got a bit weak and unbalanced by the death of her boyfriend. You were able to bring her back to be able to stand on her feet, but now, seeing her with Jisung, she looks like she’s trying to be a follower again.”

And Jeno feels like it’s all his fault. But then again, why are you committing yourself to such lengths?

However in the car with Zha, you’re still attempting to get his approval so that you can go to the warehouse.

"Zha please," You beg as he uses the route to go home instead of going to the warehouse.

“Apple doll I said no, we’re going to change and get ready for our 2 week date night.” He confirms and you pout. However just before you can respond- you hear a siren sound erupting from behind the vehicle you’re in. Your shaken eyes look to the rear view mirror first before you snap back seeing the flashing red and blue light. Jisung doesn’t look nervous simply rolling his eyes.

Jisung stops the car and turns to you. “Stop shaking Mistress you’ll end up peeing in your skirt,” And as if things can’t get worse he addresses you as ‘Mistress’. You always got nervous when he addressed you as Mistress- it felt more like ‘Zha’s persona’ was in control. Zha’s persona being dictating, calculating, borderline misogynistic and condescending- and you hated that. “It’ll be quick.”

And just as Zha pulls his window down while removing his shades and awaits the officer, you try to control yourself on your seat. Not long after the officer comes by the window getting his hand on the frame. Flashing a flashlight in his eyes the officer asks for ID and drivers license. Zha complies and hands over the requested documents. “You were driving 100 in a 60 zone.  Step out the car.”

Zha merely smirks before opening up the door and stands next to the door. You watch as the Officer moves towards his car yet the back door of his vehicle opens up and another guy quickly gets out with uniform and grabs Zha’s documents mouthing something to the other officer and they both rapidly walk to Zha before bowing several times. “I’m sorry sir, I’m sorry Mr Zha. He’s new to this, he’s an intern, please forgive him, he doesn’t understand the rules of the road yet.”

Zha simply takes his documents. From your view, you can’t see what face he’s giving them but you watch as they continuously bow looking more agitated then you were. Zha gets in the car and shuts his door. Your curious eyes are still on him, but that doesn’t stop him as he starts the car and continues to drive with the same speed as before. “Would you like to explain what just happened?”

“I appreciate the professionalism, and they were just doing their jobs.” He comments briefly not realizing that you’re still absorbing the situation of what just happened. His threat wasn’t seen but it was more so felt. “So why do you want to go to the warehouse so bad?”

You don’t know why the officer gave him his things back, but you know for sure that Zha is dangerous outside of this Jisung façade. And it’s crazy how you’ve spent 2 weeks and have dissolved him into someone that you can comfortably be with.

“Earth to Y/n.” You blink several times when seeing his fingers snapping in your face. “Hello?”

“Sorry.”

Much to your distaste- Jisung ends up taking you out on a restaurant date- whereby he booked the entire floor just for yourself as well as him. You don’t know how he got away with that, yet again everyone at the restaurant seems like they’re used to Zha as they never bothered coming to ask what you wanted to eat, you just noticed that all of a sudden the food and servers were served. The food was all good not that you complained- yet the part that made you question a lot of things was by the arrival of a whole bunch of guys dressed in black combats.

Of course amongst the faces, you recognized Mark, yet he didn’t bat an eye your way. The one person who did bat an eye in your direction was ‘Slick’. He sat on the opposite table just the rest of the guys spread out. You felt uncomfortable by Slick’s stare, the heavy tension in the room- and just like you expected something to happen- the order finally came.

“Mark take her home.” The tone was for sure in a ‘Zha’ command.

You couldn’t even argue, yet you didn’t want to remain like the typical ‘Mistress’, so you played with your luck. “I don’t wanna go anywhere,”

That had Slick scoffing and giving you an ick look. You paid him no mind, your attention still on Zha. Zha wiped his mouth with the napkin before getting up with a smirk at you. Moving closer to you, with a firm gaze you hold his stare as he leans down holding onto your shoulders and leaning in to your ear. “It’s for your own good. You don’t want to see me upset do you?”

You shake your head but still pout. “But I’ll be alone tonight, and isn’t it supposed to be our 2 week and 3 days anniversary? You want me to spend it all by myself tonight?” You give him your best sad and horny eyes. “I need you,” You whisper in his ear after pulling him gently by his collar.

“Zha we’re wasting time.” Slick. There’s something just so familiar with his voice that it both gives you chills but makes you want to defy him. And as you have it you hook your hand behind Zha’s neck- but Slick tries to get Zha’s attention again. “Zha-”

“Apple doll, I really have to go.” Jisung whispers to you, and you smile a little but push him away.

“Fine, then don’t expect me to be awake when you return. I’ll be too worn and fucked to move.” You smile teasingly as you face Mark who’s now got his attention on you. “Marky, let’s go. Maybe you might be lucky-”

“Mistress.” You hear behind you, but you ignore it and keep walking making sure to walk a little bit more seductively. You go down the steps of the restaurant and wait outside with your arms crossed. Of course you expect Mark to be the one to drive you, so that you may relieve yourself of the tension- yet when you see Zha exiting the restaurant- you’re taken aback. He’s got furrowed brows and his gaze goes down your body curiously. “What were you gonna do with Mark?”

“Nothing that you don’t already know,” You tease back and turn back to the door. “Seeing as you’re here, are you gonna open it?”

He chuckles and it’s when he turns back do you notice the lingering person with a straight blank yet irritated face with looking at you. Slick. “First you disobey me and then my mistress snaps her fingers and wants me to bend to her will. My luck,”

Not only Slick, but you see all the other men who were in the restaurant leave and head towards their own cars- some in different shades, others in vans. You’re snapped back to reality when you see Zha open up your door. You’re about to go in yet Slick’s presence shutting the back door in your car has you looking at Zha. “Is he going to be with us?”

Zha chuckles. “You’re the one who wanted to be a bad girl, so you have to deal with it. Get in apple doll, we’ve got errands to run.”

You feel uneasy but take a seat in the front. Zha quickly starts the engine, following the line of cars—likely all the men from the restaurant. The confidence you had earlier has faded as you wonder what will happen next. This is it. You’ll finally see if Zha is really involved with Jeno’s wife. You keep your eyes wide open, trying not to miss anything. The cars have no headlights on, and just before you can study them further, they split into different avenues, leaving just Zha’s car in the dark residential area.

“There it is.” Slick from the backseat appears in the middle as he speaks. “Johnny Suh’s resident. Chenle and Hendery scooped his place 2 weeks back. 3 Entrances all locked up, which leaves the front  door as our only option. Luckily for you, he’s expecting someone tonight. We’ve got about 34 seconds to get to him before he gets to that alarm.”

“Who’s in the house?” Zha questions.

“As your luck wills, his 2 daughters. One 16 and the other 26.” Zha confirms.

“We only need 1, but the both of them could do.” Zha states. You listen to the conversation, unsure if they want to break in and rob the house or kidnap the girls… You keep your mouth shut as you continue to listen to them. “Mistress you’re up.”

Your eyes enlarge. “P-pardon? Are you talking to me?”

Zha chuckles and turns to you. “Don’t worry, we’re not doing anything illegal. I need you to just knock on that door.”

“What?” Your heart thuds in your chest as you stare bewildered at Zha. “You’re insane.”

“Apple doll, you only live once. Literally.” He comments. The comment alone sounds sadistic as if having it’s own underlying tone that you’ll be dying anytime soon. “I promise you, that’s all you’ll do.” Even his hard is hard to believe, but the longer you sit in the car, the more dense, tense and cold his stare turns- challenging you with just his eyes. “Go.”

Your jaw trembles, but you obey, stepping out of the car and taking a deep breath. Crossing the street, you try to stay calm and composed, not wanting to find out what happens if you disobey. You only wanted to see what they’d do. The suburb is quiet and luxurious, but you can’t focus on the twinkling streetlights. You’re on a mission now. Maybe nothing bad will happen. They said to just knock. As you walk down the long pathway to the house, you spot dark figures running behind it for a split second, leaving you wondering what’s going on. Your mind is fucked once you’re by front of the door. Turning back, you’re happy that the vehicle is still there… Focusing on what you were told, and recalling the merciless eyes that gazed at you from Zha, you lift your hand up and knock three times ending the last one a bit louder.

You begin to count just how fast they’ll answer the door- assuming there’s only 2 girls and a man in the place- by the count of 6 the door opens up with a cherry girl. “Hi you must be Cheryanne. I’m so glad you could make it- please, please come inside. Dad’s inside and we’re so happy you could make it for dinner-”

Not even a second after stepping foot in the house and the kind cheerful lady starts closing the door- do you screech when in and instant the door is barged open by Slick and a hand ruefully covers the girl’s mouth. You can’t even begin to dissect that as you duck when hearing gunshots from somewhere in the house and another feminine scream before a manly cry and your heart thuds in your chest when seeing men in black run around-

You focus back on Slick who turns to you- “Get out. Zha’s waiting for you.”

Gapping like a fish, Slick grabs your arm and puts you out the house before he shuts the door behind you. You can’t even breath- your hands are shaking and worst of all you think there’s tears running out your frozen eyes. What the hell just happened?

“Get in.” Your head snaps to the car that’s now right in front of the house. “Stand there any longer and the police just might I.D the footage.”

Hurrying in the car you don’t take chances as you cover your face and shut the door behind you. The car scurries away and screeches on the pavements creating smoking.

“Zha-”

“Shhhh,” He silences you. “I’ll drop you home. I want you to soak yourself and forget all that happened. Okay?” Even though it sounds like he’s asking you, his tone is threatening and commending.

-

You can’t sleep, nervously watching the clock, wondering when Zha will return. After he dropped you off, guilt washed over you. Did Zha use you to get into that house? What exactly did he do? You were sent off by Slick before anything else could happen. You watched him choke a girl, praying she passed out and didn’t die. You're furious you didn’t see what happened to the others in the house. The only question that hits you now is: What just happened? Were you part of an attempted robbery? What would they call you—trespasser or accomplice?

Picking up your phone your nervous and shaking fingers dial a speed dial. Not even minding the time and that it’s nearly peek sleep hour- you phone the one person you can talk to. “Jeno,” You call him with the reassurance that he’ll reassure you.

"Hey-” You hear in a raspy tone, he calls your name and you choke out sniffing back just to control yourself from thinking too much about it and crying. “Are you okay? Is everything alright?" He asks, even though he sounds confused. Jeno kind of  zones in and out of sleep, yet he’s slowly kept awake when hearing the struggle in your voice. “Why don’t you come over?”

Your eyes enlarge. “Jeno are you mad-”

“You sound so scared,” Jeno says sympathetically. “I don’t think you’re in a good environment. You didn’t have to do all this for Akai.” He’s awake now, sensing the tone in your voice. “Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”

You end the call without knowing why. Something in the house feels off. You lie down, pulling the blanket over you, trying to control your breathing. Jisung doesn’t always come late, but when he does, he either wants to cuddle, sleep with you, or take control. Sometimes, when he’s not in the mood, he doesn’t enter your room at all.

Tonight, though, you hear his slow footsteps, careful and deliberate. The bed sinks slightly as he gets closer. You hold your breath, pretending to sleep as his hand rests on the blanket, tracing the outline of your body before settling on your waist. “You’re awake.” He confronts softly. “Wanna talk?”

With that statement you exhale deeply revealing that you are awake. You turn on your back with your eyes to the ceiling. “What did you do?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I have to because you just made me come out-”

“I didn’t make you do anything.” His comment alone has you pausing just so you can turn to him in disbelief. “I merely gave you a look, but the decision was entirely up to you. You decided initially to participate.”

“No.” You shake your head and sit up getting ready to explain your point. He sits up as well and simply looks at you. Even though his features have the look of being attentive, there’s a lurking watch almost scrutinizing you before you can speak. And suddenly you don’t know what to say- you can go ahead and accuse him of what he did, but already hearing that he put the blame on you has you shaking your head. “Why did you make me do that?”

“You wanted my attention.”

“What?” You furrow your brows.

“I wanted you to go home, you refused and staged a perverted mutiny. So I took you along, and I have this verdict that if anyone tags along with me, then they automatically are a part of my equation.” He explains.

“Zha-”

“You can call me Jisung when we’re alone.”

“Zha.” You ignore his words and shake your head. “When I signed up to be your mistress I thought I’m just going to sleep around with you- you just made me a part of a crime!” You whisper yell.

“So why are you really worried?” He questions. “Are you worried that you were part of the crime, or that these people you don’t even know where harmed in some way?”

You look away crossing your arms. “That’s not the point-”

“Okay, your point is going nowhere. Let me tell you what just happened, and what you’re thinking, and why it’s so hard for your mind to wrap around it.” Jisung concludes as if summarizing that you’re indecisive about your emotions.

“Are you insinuating that I’m confused about what I feel?”

He scoffs. “You’re not confused mistress, you’re just lost in this world.” He smiles at you, holding up your chin so that he can see your eyes. “I take that back you are confused.”

You remove his hand from your chin-

“And frustrated. I don’t know what you expected being my mistress, but I already told you what a mistress to me is. You were drawn into a crime, instead of just a simple affair. I’m not just any man that you have sex with. The fact that you don’t wanna call me ‘Jisung’ tonight, reveals just how you don’t understand your role as being my mistress. I wanna tell you a story.”

“What do you mean I was drawn into a crime?” You question ignoring his request to tell you a story.

“That’s what the story is for.” The smug look on his face is one that you look away from tightening your face just so he at least knows that you’re upset. Not that it matters to him. He looks like he’s enjoying your bothered look. “I was once a kid like you. I was an orphan and a boy scout. I was trained at an early age to know how to fight with different weapons all in the act of learning how to protect whoever owned me. Aside from making sure that I was perfect in all that I do, the only other thing they required from me, was obedience. If I obeyed then everything would go well for me.”

You turn your head to him, dropping your guard in the process when realizing he’s opening up to you about something personal that happened in his life.

“I was never taught to question anything, so I didn’t. We were given a pill that numbed us to pain, feelings, and erased our personalities. Simple things, like touch, were prohibited. I never knew what it was like to hold someone, to embrace them, or even to hold your hand.” He pauses, his fingers slowly intertwining with yours. “We weren’t allowed to speak, to share our thoughts. That was considered ‘normal’ for us.”

He looks at you, his finger tracing your collarbone, before his hand rests gently on your neck. “You what?” you ask softly.

“I became rebellious. One day, curiosity hit, and I stopped taking the pills. For three days, I went undetected,” he whispers, a small smile forming. “I still remember it like it was yesterday. Eventually, I got caught and relocated. Adopted. For the first time, I could experience life freely, though I didn’t know how to label it. It was like being unknown but still navigating through the world. I learned so much—not just about myself, but about people. And what I learned is disappointing. Different personalities, but all united by sensations. And apple doll, you’re no different.”

He lets go of you and turns to his side only leaving you with his back.

“My act of rebellion originated from the simple question of, why do I let them control me? The only power they had over me, was my obedience and the consequences of disobeying. So why did I willingly choose to participate in that type of position? You see Apple doll, you’re not mad because what you did was unethical or whatever, you’re upset because your standards are judged by the system you obey and are afraid of. Once you break free from that control, you’ll realize that what you took part in, was… I still lack a better word. I can only call it as ‘freedom’ even though it’s not the correct terminology. Anyway. Sleep tight Apple doll, tomorrow you’ve got work.”

“Work?”

He smirks when turning back to you. “You forgot that you work as a waitress.”

-

The next day you’re on a mission to find Jeno. Once Jisung drops you off at work, you get your phone out and wait for Jeno’s response. There’s this uncertainty lingering in you. It feels like your brain is waking up from a terrible dream realizing that you’re trapped with no where to go… and you don’t like that feeling. Not only has Jisung opened up to you about some part of his dark and traumatic history, but he showed you a glimpse of the part you’d be playing in his world.

When first agreeing to do this for Jeno, you didn’t sign up for all the high stakes that were hidden and loitering around. You felt empowered going into this, you felt good trying to assist him in doing something. But now you feel there’s too much at stake. For one, you feel as though they may be no other open door for you to do what you have to do now. You’re scared and aware that your entanglement with Jisung isn’t something you’ll like in the long run. It’s either he’ll make you believe his own ideologies and you’ll change, or there’s a possibility that you might end up dead. Forget getting caught- yesterday was proof enough that there’s more than what meets the eye.

So when Jeno walks through the doors of the café at 10h00 a.m., you take a moment to excuse yourself with Jaehyun and you attend to Jeno. “Hey,” You greet, a little smile on your face. You can see him trying to match your pace and smile, but it’s just not reaching his eyes. It’s clear he is worried.

“What happened last night?” He asks. “I was so worried about you,”

“Uh, can we talk somewhere more private… where Jisung might not come unexpectedly?” You question. Not realizing you were paranoid until now. One look on your face and it’s as though he understands you without having to say much.

“We can take a walk,” He suggests. “We can go to the graveyard,”

The walk is quiet… and slow, but unlike you thought, the walk actually calms you down. While you have enough time to breathe, allow your skin to feed from the semi sun in the sky and even feel like yourself, you also suddenly feel very very vulnerable. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

Jeno doesn’t rush to answer. He takes in your words and refrains from giving you a nonchalant answer of how he told you that you didn’t have to. In your own words you just wanted to help him. And a part of him understood that, yet when dealing with ‘this type of world’… and Jisung, Jeno knew that what started out as casual intercourse would be far worse in the future. It looks like you now know the severity of what you’re dealing with. “I know Jisung from when we were younger.”

Jeno takes a different approach. He composes himself and allows himself to be equally as vulnerable to you.

“We were orphans,” he begins, a tone of vulnerability in his voice. “Not friends, but we shared the same orphanage and boarding school. We were placed in a program meant to shape us for the future. Boy scouts. We were trained to be perfect boys, turned into men. We were promised respect, a home, a family once we completed our trials. They required us to listen, take in, and never question.”

Jeno pauses, breathing deeply as if trying to gather his thoughts. His gaze drifts, as if seeing it all again. “The school had little funding, so it became a competition. Every year, five boys were chosen to leave, and five were cut—sent back to the orphanage, cast aside, or worse. To keep things fair, they gave us sedatives to keep us neutral and level. I just wanted to leave, to have a family. That’s all I desired. And to finally reap the benefits of this training.”

You listen, you pay attention. To think that Jisung opened up to you yesterday and Jeno telling you something similar… is kind of allowing your brain to join some dots. While Jisung explained it as though it was something that took their freedom away… Jeno is explaining it as though it was beneficial and helpful for their future.

“You know as men, we are perceived in a different way then women. We are the ones who have to protect you.” Jeno looks at you and is surprised that your eyes are already longingly on him with so much attentiveness. “We have to protect and make sure that no harm comes your way. I worked hard and I can admit that back then, I wanted to be the one to get out first. I was tired of just staying in there. I needed to learn fast and understand. Despite their tough love, I understood one thing from them, they never wanted us as strong men to feel that we have no purpose on this earth, that we were not abandoned by our parents for no reason. In their own way, through their hard trainings. They cared for us.”

He takes a moment to help you cross the street and you follow his lead.

“Anyway, I figured to get out fast, I’d need to stop taking the pill. So, I did.” Jeno continues. “I wanted to leave quickly, and it turns out, Jisung stopped taking it too. I knew I’d be in the top 5 boys to leave, but I wasn’t sure if I was good enough. Besides the physical challenges, they considered class time and exposure to the real world. I wasn’t scared of Jisung, but I was worried he’d take my spot. So… I ratted him out.”

Jeno sighs, the weight of his past evident. “I knew it would cost me, but I had to eliminate the competition. They caught Jisung and probably sent him back to the orphanage, or worse. As for me, I was released early for my dedication, became a bodyguard for a senator in Japan, and later for an ambassador.”

You both walk to the graveyard, and Jeno sits on a nearby bench. You follow and sit beside him, feeling comfortable enough to hold his hand.

“It’s how I met Aki. She was the daughter of the man who ran our training program. I traveled with them, did my duties, and… I fell in love with her. It was the first time I felt true joy.” He smiles sadly, looking down at your hand.

“You’re really strong Jeno.”

Jeno's smile is small but genuine, reaching his eyes. His gaze shifts to yours as he holds your hand firmly. "She’s dead now, because I couldn’t protect her." Your smile fades, but his remains steady. "But it’s okay. Somehow, you’ve helped me heal. I don’t know when, but I decided I wanted to be strong for you. I want to protect you. I didn’t want to rush you, or make decisions for you, because you’ve already shown me how strong and capable you are. I can respect that. But please… stop carrying my weight. You’re working hard, and I don’t want to lose you. Not now." He shifts closer, his hand gently cupping your face.

You’re sure of your feelings for Jeno. It’s always been about him. Always. Already his view and the way he thinks, makes you wish that Taeyong was somehow like this.

“Can I… hold you?” He asks in the midst of your troubling thoughts. You don’t hesitate to nod your head just wanting to sink in his embrace and allow him to hold and hug you tightly. “Oh Y/n,” He calls you sweetly. “Please stop worrying about me.”

You sniff and try not to cry. “I just… I just want to make you happy.” You admit. “But Aki is still-”

He shakes his head and holds your body in a reassuring manner. “I’m more worried about your happiness.” You hiccup but freeze instantly when catching a pair of familiar eyes on you… shit. Blinking rapidly – you’re sure the person you made eye contact with has realized that you’ve spotted them- because in a blink of an eye, they’re gone. “I have to go-”

“What?” Jeno pulls back, his eyes trying to search yours. Yet your gaze is on the open gates of the the graveyard.

“Jeno we need to go now.” You get up cutting abruptly the peaceful moment you had with Jeno.

“What’s wrong?” you can’t even answer him as you hold his hand and quickly begin walking fast trying to head to the café. Because if you saw ‘Slick’ suddenly out of nowhere, of all days, it probably means Zha is around.

Jeno is confused. But he walks with you, making sure that wherever you’re going, you’re safe. He’s surprised that after crossing some streets and almost running- you’re both back at the café. You let go of his hand and disappear to Jaehyun. Jeno is perplexed, but not for long. Especially after seeing Zha…. Jisung.

With a tiny mug in his hand, and his legs folded. He motions to the chair with his eyes. As if being pulled and drawn to the chair. Jeno takes a seat. “Hi,” He’s the first to greet. He takes a look at the station where Jaehyun is, however he doesn’t see you.

“I’m not really into short and polite conversations of hi and how are you. You like fine. Especially since you were with my girl.” Zha raises a brow. Jeno just blinks and clears his throat to try and explain, but Zha is already raising his hand to silence him. Placing his mug down he adjusts himself in his seat, crossing his legs and joining his hands.

Jeno is still fazed by everything that happened within minutes. First he’s pouring his heart to you, next you’re scared out of your mind and back at the store, to suddenly being met with Jisung. His emotions don’t know where to rest for the time being.

“You didn’t give me any of your contact details. I thought I’d come and ask about you. It looks like you love this spot and ignored my warning about hanging around what’s mine.” Zha leans back in his seat. “I’ll ignore what you did, especially since I’ve got good news for you.” Zha makes jeno aware of the white enlarged envelope on the table. “About your wife. Found some details on her. Look over it,”

Jeno’s hands are frozen. His ears feel impaired by the sudden words being said. “Wait. I need to catch some air, everything is happening too quick.”

Jisung smirks and gets up. “While you’re at it, take the file with you. I hope I won’t be seeing you again.” He walks away from the table and over to where you are. You’re wiping down on a table… feeling his presence you maintain a smile and look up.

“Hey-”

“Quit.” He whispers in your ear. “Right now.” He leans back and walks away, by the looks of it, he intends you to follow him.

Being in shock, with your eyes you follow his figure walking out. You and Jeno catch each other’s gaze. No words need to be said. The matter has now escalated. Zha’s car does not move and your jaws tremble when walking to Jaehyun. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he questions quietly, wanting to bring you back doors. But you shake your head.

“I’m sorry Jae…” You inhale and exhale. “I… need to leave. I mean.” You can’t believe your next words and you wonder where this will lead up to. “I need to quit.”

“Why?” He asks. You simply remove your apron also wondering why, but you don’t want to stick around to find out what will happen if you disobey Zha.

You get in the large vehicle belonging to Jisung and shut the door behind you. However you’re surprised when Mark is seated on the drivers seat. “What are you-”

“He’s with Slick.” The black car in front of you begins to travel and you’re not surprised that Mark follows behind the car. “Believe me babygirl, if he were here right now, you’d be beaten.”

You gulp and try to catch your breath. “I’m guessing something bad happened..”

“He’s not happy babygirl.”

"I'm being tracked." Mark states. "Your buddy, I figured is Jeno. He's gone to the police hasn't he?"

You stare at him in shock not being able to say anything. He rubs his face and sits back properly on his seat, still keeping close to the vehicle of Slick in front.

“Babygirl, this is becoming too dangerous," he says. "If Zha finds out about this, he won't even care. He’s gonna kill him. So please, stop your friend while he's still alive,"

"Mark…” You timidly call his name. “I’m scared. I want to leave but I don’t know how. He just made me quiet my work. What do you think this means for me?”

"Honestly, if you haven't noticed Zha's more into you then he's ever been with any woman he's met," he sighs looking out the window. "He wants to mold you. Create you from the ground up. I don’t care if you’re scared. You need to get out before he decides to make any more decisions for yourself.”

“What?” You ask in confusion. “Mark I-”

Before you can even respond the back door opens up and someone enters the car. Looking back, you’re surprised to see Jisung. He enters the car looking ahead and catching your eye. You quickly fix your gaze looking at him peacefully, he returns a smile looking forward. You also face forward, seeing that Slick’s car is no longer ahead of Mark. Where is Slick’s car?

"Mark, you and I have something to discuss later, but first I wanna treat my precious mistress," he smiles in the review mirror. "So you can just drop us by the Vale and I'll call you when we're done."

"The Vale?” You ask completely shocked. “Isn't that like thee most expensive place ever?" 

"Yes it is," Jisung chuckles. There doesn’t seem to be any malicious intent revealed in his eyes, and that makes you confused by his smile when minutes ago, he told you to quit. The car ride is quiet. Too quiet. And just before you can get used to the silence Jisung speaks up. “This is the last time you’ll make contact with Jeno. Am I understood?”

Your balled hands on your lap don’t move as you look at the rear view mirror. He’s focused on his phone, but his voice is low and menacing. You’ve never heard him like this before, but it’s enough to make you nod your head and hum out. “Understood.”

“Good.”

-

[2 days later]

Jeno finally wills himself to visit Detective Na Jaemin, after a whole day of avoiding the constant calls.

Immediately after Jisung gave him the thick envelope, Jeno sent it to Detective Na for viewing. He didn’t want to see what was inside the folder because everything felt too real and frightening for Jeno. His top priority and concern was you. The whole day of yesterday, he couldn’t even reach you. You weren’t at work, Jaehyun stated that you quit, your phone number didn’t work to the point where an operator stated that the phone number is out of services. His mind could only think of you and your safety. What has happened to you? Those are the thoughts running through his head.

“How’s Y/n?” Jaemin asks. Ever since you agreed to get out information from Mark, Jaemin never expected you to go above and beyond in delivering. He didn’t think that you’d dive nose first into Zha’s world. And it’s for that reason he felt guilt for letting you do a detective’s job. You literally went undercover for their sake. And even though it paid off, he needed to secure your heartbeat and make sure you’re alive by the end of all of this.

“She’s…” Jeno spaces out again just as Jaemin expected. Jeno gulps and looks down. “I haven’t been able to get a hold of her since yesterday.”

“Figures.” Jaemin gets up and moves to a board. “I couldn’t get a hold of you.”

“I don’t know what’s happening to her and I’m scared Detective.”

Jaemin turns back to Jeno, initiating eye contact. He exhales and faces the board again. “It seems luck has been on your side, because there’s no reason for you to be scared. Not yet at least.”

“What’s all that?” Jeno’s eyebrows furrow, when viewing the board and sees explicit and graphic details.

“I’ll start you off with the most important detail of all. Zha.” Jaemin points to a picture of Jisung. The photo of Jisung is on the center of the screen with all these red wires connecting to his picture. “Park Ji Sung is Zha. And based of what Y/n has told you, and the files he gave you, everything is connected to him.”

Jeno breathes in  deeply not believing his ears.

“He’s operating on such a huge level of money laundering and a whole bunch of illegal activities.” Jaemin states. “Everything he said here, was only to lead you astray. However he doesn’t know that we have a source from the inside. I don’t know if he gave these documents to you with the intent on being caught, but surely the evidence in those files helped us solve other cases. He’s connected to a lot of ‘break in gone wrong’ as well as ‘poor attempts of robbery’ and many more. He’s a mastermind.  A genius of many tactics, but he unfortunately got himself...” Jaemin looks to Jeno who’s up on his feet. “Busted.”

“But how?” Jeno questions until his eyes land on a perculiar picture. He squints and moves closer placing his fingers on the picture. “This can’t be.” He whispers when seeing a picture of you and Jisung eating out at a restaurant… around that photo there’s a ‘fake’ policy report indicating that you’re missing… and the next report is showing that you’re body was found in a hotel- there’s even a death certificate with the time of death and reason of death… which was due by an overdose. Jeno shakes his head. “This can’t be right. I was with her the day before yesterday. I saw her- I spoke to her-”

“Don’t worry Jeno. Assuming you weren’t supposed to see her or talk to her suggests that Zha wants to manipulate the situation by faking her death. By these reports here, it shows that Y/n is dead. I know that’s not true, which means… We need to catch him in the act.” Jaemin informs. “Because what he does is not normal. It looks like he’s predicted her death and what type it’ll be and where. Not only for Y/n, but for every one of his victims. He kills and frames the killings, manipulating them, acting as if it was not him. The common scenarios we’ve seen are self-harm, false alerts of break-ins, casual vehicle accidents, or even building collapsing with no witnesses or cameras around or even something that would close the case quick- fake parental statements, false reports and announcements stating that they want the case to close quicker. By the looks of it he’s initiated one too many powerful people who can pull these off.”

“So… he… he did kill Aki… he… killed her?” Jeno blinks several times trying to conceal the tears and digest the heavy amount of information.

“Yes.” Jaemin says confidently. “The reason is yet to be uncovered, this is where I need you. There’s a list of women here who I think he murdered solely because of their fathers. And by count and estimation, all these fathers and men, all have 1 thing in common. They were members of a Training Program and they trained children. Now although the school of training has been decimated, information is scarce about what exactly went down in that school. One thing you have in common with Jisung is that you both went to the school. Do you think you can help?”

“I don’t understand.” Jeno can’t stop looking at the one picture of Aki.

“Jisung likely does what he does because he derives power, control, and pleasure from it, and he might justify his behavior through rationalization or emotional detachment. Whether it's a lack of empathy, emotional regulation, or simply a desire to dominate.” Jaemin suddenly says. “His actions suggest a person who is more concerned with satisfying his own needs than with considering the emotional consequences for others. Is this something that the training of boarding school taught? Otherwise it would make sense why Jisung is hunting these men down. By the looks of it, he wants to kill everyone who had a part in the boarding school. And Zha just happens to be a man who adopted him. I don’t know his part yet, but what I know is that Jisung is masquerading himself and using the name.”

“I’m so confused.” Jisung rests his head down, sniffing and inhaling deeply. He’s chest is tight and sore.

“Don’t worry.” Detective Jaemin takes a seat on the table. “It’s overwhelming. The good news is, we finally have a reliable lead. Y/n has helped a lot with appearing publicly and giving security camera’s a good read on her face. From locations all the way to common places Zha is, we’ve got it all.”

-

[1 month later]

Your back is thrown against the wall by a heavy force. You tightly grip the hand that’s strangling you. “How’d you get here.” Slicks glares down at you. It takes everything you have to hang on tight and not give in to the tight squeeze he gives your neck. “Answer me bitch.”

You look into his eyes with a piercing gaze. “I wanted to see Zha.”

“Then wait for him.” He growls lowly before letting you go. You drop to the ground coughing out. “Listen here, this space right here, is off limits. Next time I see you here. I’ll cut your throat.” You frown in fear by his compulsive anger as you nod your head, heading out the basement floor and going to the top

Trying to ignore the pain over your neck, you prep yourself for going on the stage. You try to clear your head, allowing yourself to get space in your mind.

Once you get on the strip stage, you hold onto the poll and circle it once, getting your mind back on the performance ahead. When Jisung told you to quit your job at the cafe, you were scared and uncertain about your future and everything.

He took all your personal belongings and destroyed them.

Identification documents, gone. Birth certificate, gone. Passport, gone. Social security number, gone. License of any sorts; be it medical or court statements, gone. Heck he even took your medical records. Even your high school degree, gone. Bank records, deleted and untraceable. Tax returns, gone. Everything that proved your identity, presence in society, and even legal rights, or allowing you to participate in various systems – were now officially all gone.

“I’m gonna give you a new identity.” He said.

Like Mark warned, Jisung fabricated documents and handed you a whole new folder of your identity. “Mistress. You will do what I tell you. You’re free to question and have squabbles with me, but you will never disobey me.” He said. “Understood?”

On that day, in the luxurious restaurant with barely anybody except the waiters, Slick and Mark – Jisung had you sitting at the center of the restaurant, eating with him. You dressed in your work attire, Jisung sat opposite you and basically claimed to owning you. You thought he’d be a monster and make you do things you didn’t want. But when he… pampered you from day one. He took care of you for a whole week. He would bring food for you, request entertainments with your body and gave you the ‘soft’ girl life. It already felt fishy and you couldn’t even be too careful or relax, so instead you allowed the days to play out until he’d reveal his true colors.

Which never came. Even when he basically promoted you to work in a strip club that he funded, you thought he’d reveal his true colors- that maybe he was a womanizer or something malicious or anything that you could use to give leads to Jeno. But no. Jisung almost changed immediately after changing your name and background. You still don’t know why. And you don’t like it. A month has gone by and with all the time you spend with Jisung, a part of you feels suspicious that he’s plotting to do something bad to you.

After an hour, you get off the stage and behind the curtains, passing by the row of ladies in skimpy outfits, you try to catch your breath and regain your energy from the 1 hour long pole dancing expo. You ignore the other ladies who tell you that you’ve exceeded expectations of going more than 30 minutes, your main priority is just getting to your dressing room. Finally after what feels like forever, you thrust yourself in your private dressing room and get your gown on, covering your exposed body. You plop down on your chair and drink some water trying to cool yourself from the show you performed for the lust filled and needy men.

So after removing your heels, you lay on your couch pretending to sleep. Knowing that Slick will be there to monitor you for a few seconds. With your eyes shut and body in the best limbo, you listen to how the door opens slowly and quietly, you know it’s Slick. He lingers around before he leaves and shuts the door behind him. You’re reminded of the things that happened earlier.

The strip club is a large building with 5 floors filled with entertainments of different levels. You worked at the 3rd floor for personal VIP guests who would have their nightly meetings with some pleasing exotic dancer on the stage – tonight that was you. And this floor scared you a lot, simply because you didn’t like the type of men who sat there having their meeting. What were the meetings about? Nothing good obviously. And the fact that Zha funds this club, only means trouble. The other floors had other activities, illegal activities – for crying out loud the 5th floor was for some sick torture pleasure dancing. You’ve only been in this building for 2 weeks, and still some of the rooms are off limits and private. But what you’re more interested on the floor which Zha often disappears in. And that’s the basement. Below the underground parking, there’s another place which you’ve seen Zha coupe himself in. After learning that on a nightly basis Zha comes here, you needed to know what exactly he does here. And not ‘here’ but ‘there’ in the basement.

You know that it could be the final piece to help Jeno out with his problem. Yet you don’t know how to get there. For one Slick has seriously become a hindrance for you. Not having your phone or anything to do in the room. You lay flat on your side and wait for sleep to catch up with you.

-

"Slick. What’s the status?" Zha tosses a hand knife up, and catches it in his hand in one swift move. Peering away from the object, his gaze pierces straight into a timid woman’s eyes. Tied up on a chair, in the center of a white clear room, bleeding from her red bruises pouring from her bloody thighs while being stared at by collective groups of men lounging by the wall – the woman weighs between how hopeless she is, and how likely it is to make it out alive. What started out as normal trips with charming man she met online – has turned into a horrible nightmare she wishes she could wake up in and press reset. Her father always warned her to be careful of who she mingles with. She listened, but she didn’t think that the person she was mingling with was a ‘gang’ member who worked for Zha and wanted her father dead.

Her eyes moves to the man she once knew as ‘Donghyuck’. She sniffs. “Hyuck- please help me. I’m sorry.” She cries in the direction of Slick, begging and pleading.

In return Zha scoffs a little and doesn’t wait for a response from Slick as he walks closer to the woman. She squirms in her tied seat- already looking like hell with all the blood pouring from her open wounds. Zha stops right in front of her chair. “Baby. Where’s your father?”

“Fuck you!” Her anger is raw and direct at Zha – the man who single handedly pierced her flesh in the most nonchalant way possible as if he was trying to rip an envelope.

“Wrong answer.” Zha places his knife over her skin, on top of her knee, his eyes move up to hers – and then, in the slowest way, he pierces the knife in her flesh. In agony she wails grunting out, her teeth grating and tears never ending from her eyes. “I hate to see you in pain baby, but you’re not answering my questions.” Zha grabs her jaws and directs her face to him, so that he can look straight into her eyes. "Where's your daddy baby?"

"Please just forgive him! Please! Whatever he did – I beg you please just forgive him!" She screeches out, blood falling from her mouth – she bites hard on her bottom lip just as Zha sinks the knife deeper in her skin trying to feel her bone – which he does find.

“One more push and you’ll be forced to have an amputation.” Zha states.

The woman is adamant to her word. "What is wrong with you! My father did nothing! Do whatever you want with me but please leave my father alone! Donghyuck please help me-”

“He’s not gonna help you baby. Your only way out is through me.” Zha shakes her jaws to make her pupils focus back on him.

She cries out. “You monster!"

Zha stares a long time at her, considering maybe she’ll give in, but her eyes are straight and hell bent on not revealing her father’s location. “You're not the only one with a mouth on this planet. I can simply get my answer from somebody else. Your silence and death are pointless." Without hesitation and with no remorse – quickly in one big move he thrusts the knife deeply in her throat fully making blood splatter and explode out viciously.

Watching her mouth hanging and throbbing eyes, Zha feels a glimpse of pain and he inhales deeply. This wouldn't have happened if she was honest to me- he tries to tell him. He pushes the knife in harder bending down to kiss her cheek before pulling out. "May your soul rest now.” He whispers to her fading conscious body. A groggily choke is heard from her, before she stops moving- her eyes lifeless and open staring at him. He looks away and grunts.

"Where should we put her?" Mark asks walking forward and away from his group. He pokes the inside of his mouth watching the gruesome bloody spurting all over until it’s just flowing from her neck. He bends down to see her thigh wounds better. Zha surely did a number on her. "Examining these up close, I can surely tell you that we can't leave her on the street and make it look like rape. Neither can we say that she got mugged. She barely goes out. Gotta keep that in mind."

"Her home. In the Bath tub. I don't know Mark. This is your job." Zha answers turning his back away from them. ‘Them’ being Mark and his crew of ‘clean ups’. "Make it seem like she slipped and cut her neck. Leave everything else clean."

Mark chuckles in disbelief. "You want us to make these several wounds on on her legs and neck… look like suicide? What? She stabbed herself on the thigh? She fell on the toilet seat and cut her throat? That wound that deep will be investigated?" Mark raises his brow.

"Figure something out Mark." Zha advices being annoyed not even sparing them a glance.

Mark has always been the artist, in the special effect artist department who makes any ‘murder’ look like an accident. For a long time he’s worked together with Zha because Zha had connects to private sources who would help in faking everything. And when Zha finally gave him the promotion and he started working by himself, Mark had done well. His title being the cover man. A lot of the time he succeeds, few times he fails (only few!). When he does fail, there's a whole investigation crew that they watch out for.

Zha walks to the other table with a towel ignoring the voices from the other men who surround Mark and the butchered woman. Zha cleans up his arm and face removing any excess smudges of blood. He begins to removes his t-shirt, replacing it with a black one. “Slick.” Zha captures the attention of a loner man in the corner. “If I remember correctly I asked you something,"

"You did. I was waiting till you finished," Slick answers.

"Well don't make me wait."

Slick steps forward moving close to Zha on the table. “Your bitch finished her shift cleanly and is sleeping in the dressing room."

"Good." Zha nods his head, turning around watching Mark and his men begin to unfasten the ropes and carry her, while another set of guys clean up the blood over the white floors. “And make sure they don’t find her until I say so.” Zha adds. Mark throws his hand up with a thumb up.

“Why is it, that on a nightly basis, I listen to you making the worst decisions?” Slick speaks next to Zha. “Do you know how long it was to get that girl to finally come here? All my efforts have gone in vain. Watching you kill her makes me regret the time I put into her. Zha, you killed her without getting a step closer to her father. How long do we have to lay low for? It’s been a month and I’m getting sick of hearing you make foolish decisions.”

“Last I check, there’s a detective still on our tail. Renjun and Hongjun were called in for questioning this week.”

Slick rolls his eyes. “If we're very careful nothing is traced back to us, but if it does you can trust those two to be very careful in interrogations. After all, there's no physical hard proof that we were involved in anything they’re investigating. The Zha I know isn’t afraid of these types of situations.” Slick comments being dead serious. “I’ve got a hot take.”

In a nonchalant tone, Zha answers. “And what is it?”

“You’re getting sloppy.” Slick takes a seat next to Zha by the desk also watching Mark. “If you were your old self, you’d have gotten the answer from that girl by now. But since you’re celebrating a new you, you got all soft on her and killed her, without even getting anything. And it’s all because of that bitch.”

Zha rolls his eyes not saying anything.

“You know I’m right. I’m the only one who knows you well enough, to know that bitch is getting to you. Ditch her now Zha.” Slick shakes his head not believing the reality of the new Zha. “For all the years I’ve known you, I have never once seen you like this. Soft. And it’s affecting your work, man. We’ve never been caught in a month delay. We’ve never stayed low for more than a week. And now suddenly, you request us to stop all activities and trades just to you can spend it with that bitch. Fucking unreal.”

“Is that your hot take?” Zha is unbothered by the entire conversation. His mind blank and wondering what else can he do to finally find the man on his hit list. If his daughter wasn’t of help, then how else would he find this man?

Meanwhile Slick keeps talking. “Be honest with me right now, do you think this trick is actually loyal to you?”

Zha doesn’t have to reply, however since it’s Slick asking the question- his most loyalist of friend and follower, he knows that Slick won’t back down until his answers are answered. So after a brief moment Zha answers. “She’s loyal.”

“Are you even listening to me?” Slick doesn’t buy it. “I told you that I’ve caught her multiple times on the phone having hush conversations-”

“And I listened to you, I took her phone away.”

“But that doesn’t prove that her mouth hasn’t already ran a mile. Look at the mess we’re in. You’re telling me there’s no bone in your body that’s twitching or connecting all these crappy interrogations we’re having to her? She told someone, and my best guess is that Jeno guy, and because he’s grieving his fucking wife and won’t believe the details we put in that death report- he listened to your bitch and opened up a case. Leading us here. Do you know who’s on that case?”

Zha’s scornful face doesn’t faze Slick, in fact this Slick is on a rampage to say all the things that have been bothering him.

“Fucking Detective Na Jaemin. That man has been a boulder ever since you killed Rei. And that was 5 years ago.” Slick bitterly lets out. “He’s so eager to catch you. I bet you he’s connecting so many dots right now. It’s painful to sit on the sides and watch. Just let me at him for 5-”

“I told you to lay low Slick.”

“Fuck this. I can’t keep watching our boys get dropped one by one.”

“They don’t have anything on us Slick. So relax.” Zha mentions calmly. “You’re little paranoia can be toned down now. I’m trying to think.”

“Toned down?” Slick is doubting his ears of the things he heard. It’s only been a month but Zha has really started to grow soft. And being soft would ruin them all. The problem is you and how Zha is letting you in bit by bit. First he ‘killed’ off your identity and gave you a new one, but what Slick didn’t like about this, was that Zha allowed you to work at the base of all their operations. Why couldn’t Zha allow you to be a stripper elsewhere? Why only at the headquarters of all their operations? Slick didn’t like watching from the sides, but it’s not like he knew that his boss would lose some marbles. “Look here bro. I don’t trust that bitch even for a second.” Slick states lowly. “Keep a leash on her because I bet you she’ll be the reason we all fall.”

“Don’t jinx it.” Zha merely blinks, looking bored once he reaches a conclusion in his head that in order to get the father of the dead girl, they’d need to go through his wife. Question is, where would they find his wife.

“I’ll swarm if chaos breaks loose.”

Zha’s attention breaks away from his thoughts and he turns to Slick who’s still whining. “Don’t touch her Slick.”

“Look at you,” Slick gets up with a distasteful face. “You’re fucking soft for her. She doesn’t even feel the same for you.”

“Oh god. How many times do I have to say it? We’re just fucking. Nothing deep.” Zha is back to reality and gets up calmly walking past Slick – “Stay here with them. Make sure they finish up and leave the place clean. I’ll go check on my Mistress myself, because you’re in a bitching mode and I can’t stand your voice.”

As soon as Zha is out of the basement, you makes his way up the stairs heading to your room. By the time he gets in, as Slick reported, you’re sleeping on the couch. Zha watches you for a little bit, his mind wondering about the conversation that Slick was trying to pursue. For as long as you’ve been here, you never gaze Zha a reason to be worried. Of course Jeno’s presence was irritating, but Zha took care of it. And you’ve shown yourself to be a pretty and delicate being in his life. Okay, maybe he is going soft for you. It’s not like he can help it. You’re innocent in this type of world and he just wants to protect you…

Protect you from himself… Protect you from his alter ego Zha. Jisung doesn’t want to hurt you. He doesn’t want to complicate your life. He wants to see why is it that he hasn’t killed you off yet… Is it because of your body? What makes you different from everyone he’s slept with? What makes you so damn worthy that he doesn’t want to kill off just yet…

Zha’s thoughts swirl in a haze as he watches you sleep, the soft rise and fall of your chest a gentle reminder of the innocence he’s long since lost. There’s something so fragile about you, something that reminds him of a time when he too was naïve, unaware of the darkness that would eventually consume him. His mind drifts back to his younger days, when he hadn’t yet hardened into the ruthless man he is now. He’d been innocent then, untainted by the bloodshed and betrayal that would soon follow. But looking at you now, he feels an ache in his chest. You’re a reflection of the person he could have been, before the world twisted him into something unrecognizable. It’s not just your body—though undeniably, there’s a beauty in your vulnerability that calls to him in ways he can’t explain—but your very essence that pulls at something buried deep inside him. You don’t belong here, not in this world, and part of him resents himself for being the one to bring you deeply into it.

Zha can’t shake the guilt that gnaws at him when he looks at you, innocent and untouched by the harsh realities of the life he’s built. He’s seen so much destruction, so many lives shattered by the very things he’s done, and yet with you, it feels different. He wants to protect you, keep you safe, but there’s a fear deep down that the more he tries to shield you, the more he’ll end up hurting you. You remind him of everything he’s lost—the parts of him that still long for connection, for something pure. When you look at him with those wide, trusting eyes, he feels something stirring within him that he hasn’t felt in years: a glimmer of humanity. But how can he let that part of himself resurface when the darkness he’s embraced has already seeped too deeply into his soul? You’re so much like the person he used to be, and yet he can’t help but feel that protecting you means holding back a part of himself he doesn’t know if he can control.

“Hey apple doll,” He whispers, gently cupping your head and shifting your weight so that he may sit down and place your head over his thighs. You’re half awake and look up to his face before closing your eyes.

“Yes Ji,” Jisung smiles, caressing your hair softly, moving down gently over your skin. You smile and chuckle. “Yes?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing, I just wanted to see you,”

Deciding to sit up, you spread your leg over his and straddle him, resting over his shoulder. “Can I sleep here?”

“Or we could go home and have a little moment of cuddling and what not,”

“I like that,”

Zha’s internal struggle intensifies every time you’re near him. He can’t take advantage of you—not like the others. You don’t deserve to be tainted by his violence or the coldness that defines him now. You deserve more than a man who has blood on his hands, a man whose hands have been stained with things that can never be washed away. And yet, the temptation to hold you, to possess you in ways that make the pain inside him subside, is overwhelming. But he won’t. He won’t be the one to destroy what’s left of you, even if it means denying the hunger that twists inside him every time you’re within reach. You’re precious to him—not just because of your beauty, but because you’re a reminder of the innocence he’s lost, and he can’t bear to be the one to take that from you.

When you get home, Jisung is true to his words when he cuddles with you on the bed, giving you soft kisses. Nothing crazy or intense, just quietly enjoying his embrace over you. You don’t know how you feel, but clearly you do see him changing bit by bit. Taking advantage of that the next day you ask Jisung if you can have a day off, to which he agrees. You intend to try and get a hold of Jeno… because you feel like you’ve reached a dead end and there’s nothing you can do anymore. If anything you’re tired of this place and you just want to get out.

But with no phone, or memory of Jeno’s phone number, you rely on google search. When Jisung leaves you in the house alone, you open the tv and browser through the streaming devices and find google. Taking a deep breath you go on incognito mode hoping that your browsing will be secured. You search up Jaehyun’s café shop, knowing there’s a website. Taking down the shop number, you quickly get up and head to the wall phone. Getting past the reception lady, you press down the phone number and wait on the call.

“Good day, thank you for calling Jaehyun’s café, this is Joonie speaking. How can I be of service to you today?”

“Oh hi, hey Joonie, It’s Y/n,”

“Hey girl. How are you? This is a surprise,” She chuckles politely. “Are you looking to buy some tea, or do you want to shoot your shot and get your job back?”

You smile, missing the tone of your co-worker who’d tease you once in a while. “Actually I’m looking Jaehyun. Do you think you could pass him the phone, if he’s not busy?”

“Yea about that, he’s with a customer. He’s been with this customer for a while now,” She mumbles the last part, which gets your attention. “I can take a message-”

“Hey sorry for interrupting. By chance is this customer, the gentleman I was with?”

“Yes!” She answers in realization. “Oh you know him right? He’s the special customer who always used to ask for your specials. Now he gets Jaehyun’s specials.”

You’re not interested in that, but you desire to just speak to him. “Please can you tell Jaehyun that I need to speak to him, please. And if he asks who, just say it’s me.”

“Okay no problem. Just hold.”

Waiting on the call, you get so happy and excited that you nearly even start crying. It’s been over a month with no contact to the outside world. Ever since your phone was taken, it’s been pretty hard. You’ve never known just how far you’d be missing the people outside – even the ones you never spoke to – like your mother or father. You missed everyone, but you missed Jeno the most. You know you haven’t spoken much to him to even be head over heels for him, but really you are. You missed his cooking, his warmth, the attention he gave you, but most of all, you liked how he was able to relate and understand you.

And then you hear his voice. “Jeno?” You call timidly, with your heart racing with both excitement and anxiousness.

He too, with longing in his voice calls your name. “I knew you weren’t dead.” From his end, he can only lean against the wall and shut his eyes, to just simply hear your voice. He breathes your name out.

“Jeno,” You smile and gulp the lump that wants to make itself known. “I’m scared that I might end up dead. I can’t do this anymore. I need to leave.”

“I hear you,” And truly he can hear how your voice shakes. “And we’ll get you out of there… We just need a little more time.”

“I don’t know what more I can do here. You were right,”

“No, don’t say that,” Jeno tries to comfort your anxious self. “You’ve been strong, and you’ve helped tremendously in this investigation. I’m grateful for all your help, and I promise you, you won’t die in there. I’m here, and I won’t you die. You just need to hold on a little bit longer.”

You nod your head and sniff. “Okay. What do I need to do?”

“Right now, Officer Na, has taken care of a lot. We just need to catch Zha in the act,”

“Zha…” You begin to tell Jeno of everything that Zha has done. From mentioning the usual areas where he resides, the hotel, the strip club, the pawn shop, the pet exotic store and even the warehouse, to how he even made you change your whole identity and he burnt away your documents and every proof that you needed to be alive, you also let Jeno know that Zha is Jisung and the members in the group. Of course you don’t know all there names, aside from those nicknames. But Jeno listens to it all.

“Thanks for sharing that,” He comments. “I’ll give you Detective Na’s phone number and-”

“As I speak. I have no access to a phone. He took everything away. I’m calling from a landline phone in the hotel where I stay with him. I’m scared that my calls will be on receipt.” You mention and you look at the little table with the phone seeing the hotel’s name. “How about I order something from Jaehyun’s café, and then while you deliver the goods, you can also put in the contact details?”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll also get you a burner phone, just in case the landline is being traced.” He adds on.

You nod your head, and bite you r lip at the thought of Jeno. “I miss you,”

The anxiety can be heard over the phone, and Jeno doesn’t like that you sound so worried for your life. He should be the one to protect you, instead of you risking your life for him. “Listen to me Y/n, you’ll make it out alive. You won’t have to stay in that place anymore. With everything that you’ve said now, I’ll make sure to fetch you myself. Now you can give the address and I’ll try to get the phone to you as soon as possible.”

You agree as you give in your address and Jeno cuts the call. Running your hand through you hair, to try and calm your heart down, you begin working around the house to relieve some stress. As you work, you can hear the lift door of the apartment opening. Your head snaps and you quickly make your way downstairs, being surprised. Is Zha back before the delivery?

You sigh thankfully, when you only see Slick shutting the elevator doors with his beady eyes on you. Despite it not being Zha, and you’re thankful for that, a part of you wishes that it was Zha, because Slick scares the hell out of you. “H-hi.” You greet. Slick walks through the house, taking a seat on the couch. He’s there for a while and you don’t know what to do, whether to serve him or ask why he’s here or even move.

As a result you go to the kitchen to make some tea, while returning to the living room you see him on his phone. “Do you want some tea?” You ask as you set the tray on the table. Going  on your knees, you make some tea for yourself before looking at him. He doesn’t say anything neither does he pay attention to you. His gaze, fixed on the phone.

Awkwardly you sit down on the couch and drink the tea. It’s not long before the lift door opens and a door man comes. “Parcel.”

Slick is the one to get up and take the wrapped box in his hands. Seeing the logo of the box, you know that it’s from Jaehyun’s café. Shit. It was the phone inside.

“Who’s this for?” Slick questions.

“It’s delivered to Miss Y/n.” The door man responds before bowing and heading towards the elevator and going. Slick turns back to you.

“What’s this?”

“I ordered some tea.” You quickly make up on the spot. Slick, glares at you before he rips the box open. You try to stop him but just glares at you, as if asking you to try and even touch him. Being afraid of how they packaged the stuff, you stand behind slicks and watch him finally rip off everything before he turns the box upside down and begin to dump them all out. You watch a mug fall and break on the ground, just as a bunch of other wrapped tea plastics fall. You look at Slick, who uses his foot to skim through the broken mug and plate on the floor.

Not spotting anything suspicious, he turns and walks away. Not saying anything, you watch him sit back on the couch. You glare at him feeling irritated, nonetheless you get on your knees picking up the pieces of the broken dish and glass. Upon taking hold of one of the plastics with the teabags, you feel something hard inside the plastic…. The phone. It’s either luck is on your side or Slick didn’t look hard enough. You get up once the plastic is securely in your grasp. Making several round to the kitchen with a broom, dustpan and mop, you head up the stairs to go to your room. Leaving Slick alone in the living room.

Yet, you stop when he speaks up.

"When Mark brought you to Zha, you weren’t suspicious to me at all. You were just a slut. However when Zha began ‘taking care’ of you, I wondered what kind of slut you were. Clearly a slut with connections. First you had Taeyong, then Mark, then Zha and now you’ve got this infactuated Lee Jeno wrapped around your fingers.” Slick gets up from the couch, turning ever so slowly to stare at you. “Jeno’s wife died in a car accident months ago, but he won’t accept that. He’s gone to the detectives to try and prove something that isn’t real. Him snooping around you is dangerous for all of us. Because I have reason to believe you know more than what you’re letting on. So I’m going to warn you now.”

You step back- quickly holding onto the staircase just as Slick takes agonizing steps towards you.

“Even though Zha has placed you in our missions, made you change your whole identity, and made you his play thing, whatever it is… I will kill you myself if anything happens to him or any of our boys.” He tilts his head to the side once he’s close enough to your face.

He's on to you… and you’re now scared more than ever. You need to leave! But first… unfortunately… you need to first find evidence against Slick. He knows something. “I don’t want anything to happen to him as much you as don’t want anything to happen to him.”

“I doubt that. Love ruins everything.” He states. “And you’ve somehow bewitched him.”

“Bewitched is a heavy word.” You briskyly let out your breath. “Are you intimidating to all of Jisung’s mistresses?” You question.

“He’s had none that stayed this long.” He lets out in a whisper. “If you know what I mean.”

Slick is just so menacing, and makes you fear that you might not make it to see Jeno ever again. However being close to him like this, you’re wondering why he’s not leaving… he made his threat already, so he should be leaving, however he’s standing in front of you taking in all the features of your face. You’re just hoping you’ve betwiched him too. "Oh," You nod your head slowly, searching through his eyes for any form of lust. But no… he’s just staring at your lips and eyes. “So that would make me...his first serious mistress?"

You’re aware of the hatred sipping from his eyes to you, but you’re unaware of the shift as he looks at you up close. “He's falling for you...and it's messing everything up. For your own safety I hope he kills you before I do.”

“I’m not guilty of anything." You boldly let out, as he turns around and walks back to his seat.

“We’ll see about that.”

-

"What’s Slick’s deal…” You question as you lay on the bed with Jisung. He came later than usual tonight. “Did you send him here because you don’t trust me?”

“Apple doll," He sighs being surprised that Slick actually came to the house. His finger traces up and down your side while his other hand brushes your hair. “Slick won’t hurt you,”

“That’s what you’re saying, but the way he looks at me and-” You stop yourself… and in the darkness of the room you look up to Jisung. “He said he’s hoping that you’ll kill me.”

Jisung’s face panes down to your face, his eyes meeting softly with yours. Clearly his emotions towards you are different than the one that Slick has. And after speaking to Jeno today, you try to take advantage of the little trust that Jisung has in you.

“I can’t lie Ji. I’m not comfortable being with you if Slick is always watching and threatening me… In fact I’m also not confident that you’ll  let me leave just like that. I’ve already seen too much and heard too much.” While you’re trying to get an assurance from him that he won’t make Slick kill you, you’re unaware of the vulnerability he lets out.

“Apple doll, why are you so scared of him, when I’m here?” He asks gently cupping your cheeks. “I’m only telling you this, so that you understand where he’s coming from. Slick is not all talk. I’m sure when it comes to you, he’s just bluffing. He’s got yet to actually harm a woman. He only does that to men, so when he’s telling you he’ll kill you, it’s just talk.”

“Well… I can trust your word, but I wanna know more about him.” You nod your head, letting him know that you’re listening and won’t interrupt. “What’s he like?”

Jisung doesn’t find your question suspicious. Which is odd… he’s surprised that he’s even trusting you with such information about his most trusted and loyalist member. “Just like me, Slick was raised in the training home for boys. He earned the nickname Slick, because he was truly slick. You’d never catch him coming until it was too late. He has escaped death one too many times. He’s always been fast, light on his feet, strong and smart. Slick.” Jisung smiles. “His real name though, is Donghyuck. Once he graduated from the boarding school of boys, he tried to settle down and live honestly. But the world wasn’t kind to him. His girlfriend betrayed him and often had him wrapped around her finger until she cut him off when she was done with him. With the way we’ve been trained in that boarding school, there’s always been this narrative that we are powerless. So you can imagine, not only was he a victim of ‘love’ but he was overlooked too. And so when we met, I told him that he’s not powerless, he can actually use his speed and wit. And since we shared the same values that the boarding school people who ruined our lives deserve to die, he was more than eager to be on board.”

You sigh and fix your eyes on his stare. “Just how bad was this training school for boys… that it’s made you all turn out with a lust of killing…”

“The worst.” Jisung merely blinks, and you swear you see his vulnerability this time. In one way or another, you’re aware that ‘Zha’ is a manipulator. So even though he’s being honest with you, he might’ve slowly convinced Slick that this lifestyle is the only one worth living. And from the sounds of how Slick decided to follow Zha, it could be that Slick believes that no one else would accept or value him… Which is scary for you because… you’re sure that Zha has manipulated you as well.

You lean up on your palm resting your other hand over his heart. "It bothers me so much that you’re hurt, you and all the other boys. I wish there was something I could do to at least make the pain go away. They’ve hurt you so bad that vengeance is all that you seek upon the whole world?"

The room goes ice quiet and it's thick with breathing in the air. “Not the whole world… He turns back to face you but for the first time ever with his barriers down. "And I’m not hurt... just… numb by it all"

“You're not just hardened… you’ve lost so much faith…” You mention softly, rubbing his heart. “And I’m not looking down on you, I just want to hug you so tight that you don’t feel so sad anymore. You’re broken. Heart broken. And that breaks my heart."

Zha’s chest rises and falls, his gaze momentarily lost in the darkness of the room. The silence between you thickens, a heavy weight pressing on the air. His walls are down, but there’s something in his eyes—a kind of emptiness—that makes you wonder if you’ve truly seen him at all. For a moment, you think he might say something, but instead, he just sighs, almost imperceptibly. It’s the kind of sigh that tells you so much, but at the same time, nothing at all. "Everyone’s broken," he mutters softly, the edges of his voice rough, as if worn down by years of bitterness. "We’re all just pieces trying to fit together... in a world that doesn’t give a damn about us."

You can’t help but feel a pang of sorrow for him, for all the pieces of himself he’s shattered and tried to bury. You wonder what kind of person he might’ve been before the world turned him into this—this man who manipulates and controls with a cold smile, but hides a broken heart no one’s ever cared enough to mend.

"You don’t have to be like this," you say, your voice almost a whisper. "You’re not just... broken, Zha. You’re lost. And I’m not going to pretend I understand what you’ve been through. But I see it. I see you."

His eyes flicker to yours, a flash of something raw—perhaps fear, or maybe just the flickering remnants of something long gone. His fingers freeze over your skin just as he turns on his back rubbing his hand over his face, as though trying to rub away the mask of indifference. "It’s not that simple," he replies, his voice low, but steady. "You think I chose this life because I wanted it? You think I enjoy it?" His lips curl, a bitter laugh escaping him, but it’s devoid of humor. "This is survival. Nothing more. Nothing less. I think… I’ll only feel better when they’re all dead and rotting."

You shift closer, instinctively, as though bridging the physical gap between you could also close the emotional distance. "But that’s just it," you insist, your voice trembling slightly. "You don’t have to survive like this. Not anymore."

His eyes harden, and for a fleeting moment, you think he might pull away, retreating into the shell of who he’s forced himself to become. But then, just as quickly, that mask falters again, like he’s torn between holding on to the life he’s built and allowing himself to let go. He glances at you, his gaze penetrating, as if he’s weighing your sincerity against the weight of everything he’s done. "You don’t get it," he murmurs, the words barely audible. "Once you’ve gone too far, there’s no going back. People like me... we don’t get second chances."

You reach out, gently placing your hand over his, feeling the tremor in his fingers, the weight of his despair seeping through his skin. "I don’t believe that," you say, your voice barely above a breath. "I don’t believe anyone is beyond saving. Not you. Not Slick. Not any of you."

His eyes search yours, and for the first time, it feels like he’s actually seeing you. For a moment, he doesn’t speak, as though lost in the idea of something—someone—actually seeing him. Not as Zha the criminal. Not as the cold, calculating leader. But as just... him. Then, in a quiet voice that almost sounds like a confession, he says, "I don’t know how to let go."

You squeeze his hand, your heart aching for the man who’s been so consumed by darkness, so locked into a world of vengeance and manipulation. "Then let me help you," you whisper, your fingers tightening around his. "Let me help you find a way out."

The room grows heavier, the silence stretching between you like an unsaid promise. But something shifts in the air—something delicate, almost fragile. Zha doesn’t pull away this time. And for a heartbeat, just a fleeting moment, he lets himself believe that maybe—just maybe—there’s more to life than the cold path he’s walked for so long. His voice is soft when he finally speaks again, carrying the weight of everything unspoken. "You don’t know what you’re asking."

"I think I do," you reply quietly. "But I’ll help you figure it out. One step at a time."

A long pause. His eyes linger on yours, unreadable, but something flickers there. Hope. Fear. Maybe both. And just like that, the door to something new creaks open, only a crack. But for the first time, it feels like Zha might be willing to step through it, if only a little. Calling on your name to get your attention, you focus on how his gaze pierces into your eyes. "I'm a killer."

“I know…” You hesitate, feeling the weight of his words. “But even so… I see the man you used to be, the man who once cared. That’s the man I care for. I like you a lot Jisung, even when you pretend to be Zha… big and scary.” You hum and nod your head looking into his eyes. “On the surface, I love how you spoil me and say my name. But more than that, I love how you care for me, protect me. You make me feel special. And I see the selflessness in you, the part that’s still there, even though you’ve been broken by the world. You’re kind when you have to be, and even though sometimes you make me mad, you just show… that you once used to be someone who was selfless. You laid down your own needs if it meant everyone was good. I hate that they took that away from you.”

He turns his head and looks up directly to the ceiling, thinking. He leans down and places a kiss on your lips. The kiss feels different this time. It’s slow, like he’s savoring it, like he’s trying to feel something real again. And for a moment, you both forget the violence, the lies… just two broken souls holding on to something that feels good and right. There’s something so different about how he makes love to you. It’s not rough or fast like he usually like it, but this time, it’s slow and just so… wholesome.

“I promise you that he won’t kill you.” Jisung confesses in your ear, as you sleep against his chest. “Just don’t provoke him.” You reflect a bit on the tension between you and Slick and wonder if Zha’s promise about Slick is enough to calm your fears, or if it’s just part of the dangerous game you’re tangled in.

And you feel guilty, because just as the sun rises the next day and Jisung leaves the house, you get out the burner phone… and write the name Donghyuck and send it to the only 2 contacts available in the phone. Before you get ready for Mark who’ll pick you up and then take you to the strip club.

-

“We need to talk Slick.” Zha enters his office in the warehouse with Slick following right behind him. Zha takes a seat on his chair waiting for Slick to shut the door. Simply watching Slick, Zha knows that Slick is running on a low patience.

“What?” Slick speaks in a low groggy tone.

Zha breathes in and out. “I want you to run a little scan operation regarding Lee Jeno.” Slick says nothing and just stares at him, as if trying to understand the plan that Zha has. “There’s a mole among us-”

“It’s your bitch.” Slick says without hesitation.

“No. It’s not. I’ve kept her away from her own identiy, phone and files for more than a month. And shes’ shown no suspicious behavior. On the other hand, while I’ve foolishly been focusing on her, I’ve let this fucking mole plot holes. And I blame you, because your suspicion towards her had me fooled into believing she’s been here to trick me. But the truth is, she’s just a person who’s broken and looking for love. I found this guy wandering about our sites.” Zha opens his drawer and brings out a file. “Detective Na Jaemin.”

Slick is in pure disbelief at everything he’s hearing. He scoffs and doesn’t even bother looking at the file. Because his brain has long pieced a lot of things together. “You’re getting sloppy. I’ve told you already that this Jeno guy is with a detective. This detective is getting information from the inside through your bitch-”

“How? Because she has no means of contact.”

Slick rolls his eyes. “She’s hiding something, perhaps a phone or laptop. Yesterday someone delivered tea to her and-”

“And you broke her mug and walked over her tea bags. She told me-”

“You’re not fucking listening. If she has a way of getting deliveries done to the hotel there’s a high chance that when you’re not there with her, she’s delivering something else. I’m telling you your bitch-”

“Donghyuck.” Zha startles Slick by using the name that he hated that most. “Listen to me. My bitch knows nothing about what we do here. She doesn’t know the names of the boys, she doesn’t know our locations, she doesn’t know shit. So why blame her, for things she doesn’t know.”

Slick clinches his jaw, drawing closer to the table and laying his hands firmly on the desk while leaning close. “Because there’s no one else to blame. And you’re being a fool trusting her.”

“I’ve already made myself clear. Run the Scans operation on Lee Jeno, tail him if you have to, and I want the report by the end of this week.”

Slick doesn’t say anything more as he walks out the office and down the stairs. The only thoughts in his head is how to convince Zha that you’re indeed working with Jeno. He could tail Jeno and see who Jeno talks to, but Slick isn’t that stupid because he knows he’ll only get caught by the detectives if they so even notice that someone is following Jeno. So instead, he decides to tail you. Because he knows that ever since you showed up, bad things started to happen.

After a long drive to the estate where Zha lives, he spots you getting in the car that Mark drives. You must be on your way to work. He watches the car drive off, before he takes liberty of walking into the hotel with intent to search the whole floor thoroughly. You’re hiding something and he’s going to find it.

--------------------------

[To be continued: Read Part 2 Here]

[technologyculturedneo]

BREATHING. Lee Mark

"I think I’m in love with a robot."

PAIRING(s).Robot!Mark (Lee Min-hyung) x Reader

SUMMARY. In a futuristic world where humans and robots co-exist together, Mark, a humanoid robot, develops an unexpected emotional connection with you, as you’re caught in a tangled web of secrets. He experiences the complexities of love and loss for the first time. Your complicated journey forces you to question what it truly means to live and breathe in a world of blurred love lines between you and machine.

NCT DREAM DREAM()SCAPE MASTERLIST

Your father worked in a very prestigious organization were they modelled and modified robots, cyborgs and humanoids. Thousands of them walked on the streets, and every time you’d pass one, you knew that it came from the company your father worked in, NCTO. Lee Min-hyung was your father's interned assistant. He was the type of guy who was just too intelligent and brilliant to ignore, so it made perfect sense that you also thought of him whenever you'd see any of the modified robots on the streets. It only enhanced and developed the little crush you had on him.

But then as if the world didn’t want you to have him, Min-hyung went missing when you turned 19 years old. He disappeared from the face of the earth without a single trail left behind. His father did everything in his power to search for him, as he was a very big boss in the underworld of illegitimate business, however he was also widely respect by the government because he put in a lot of money in the new dystopia world. As expected with the power and money Mr Suh had, he ordered a search. Ordered a search just so that he could find his son. So in corporation with the government and military the streets were closed down and men in black uniform knocked on doors and searched for Min-hyung. To no avail, Min-hyung was not found. They ruled that he ran away. Nobody believed that because Min-hyung was too much of a people person who consistently said over and over again that he was untouchable, that nothing could kill him. You were young but you remember the nerves and chaos of it all.

Reason being because you wanted your father to stop mourning the death of a son that wasn’t his. With that being your reality, you were determined to make sure that you would do everything in your power until your father noticed you. Already living in the new digital age, where technology was already so advanced, you fell in love with the same thing as your father. The power to create. You enjoyed creations and you were thrilled when you applied to NCTO and they accepted you. Not wanting to have the nepotism title, you worked your butt off earning all the respect, and shaking off the nepotism title when people started calling you by your name. Unfortunately, your father jumped off a building because he could not deal with the passing of Min-hyung.

You remember the chaos of it all, because in the mist of your father’s passing, you only had one person to blame. Min-hyung. So, years later, when an opportunity came to work on a highly civilised humanoid project that your father had started, you joined in. Not the reasons of trying to build a legacy for your father… but because you just wanted the pain in your heart to end.

While your father's death was a full pain that somewhat made you feel empty, the disappearance of the long lost boy still followed you even in your middle 20's. Maybe it's because you never had a funeral or you never found his body that it still hadn't sunk into your brain that he was dead… it still haunted your mind that Lee Min-hyung went missing.

Or did he…

The first 2 years that passed, marked the start and new embrace of your journey. Your smart ass found the favour of working in the highly prestigious company of NCTO.

"As AI transforms our work lives by automating mundane tasks, we gain valuable time to focus on what matters most: our future. As leaders, I’m sure many of us longed for the day when the mundane tasks that take up so much of our time become automated. Well, that day is no longer a distant dream but our reality, thanks to the advancements in AI. By now it should be tattooed on our foreheads of how far we at NCTO are willing to go to get the impossible being done. Please do give yourselves a round of applause for making it this far,"

The audience at large seated in the dimmed auditorium begin to applaud as they attentively listen to you as you present to them of how accomplished and successful the company has been. The point of this gathering in the company's auditorium, is to get an approval and a go head of this project to be funded.

"I want to ask you if the project I'm about to present to you has been a part of your childhood dream from the ‘future’. Where we told ourselves that we’d get flying cars and robot companions. From every creative process stage, design altercation, modification, with new database implications in place and smarter systems working with us, we've combined both the intellect of human intelligence as well as systems software inner intelligence. It's with both minds that we were able to create this project. M.A.N. Modified, altered, network."

The audience applauds just as the projected screen above displays the power point slide of figures leading up to the final design of a robotic man in a matrix.

You turn your head away from the audience of hard driven designers, project managers, systems administrators, UX technicians, code nerds, underwriters, salvages team and more of the go getters of the company - allowing them to fix their attention away from you and to the clothed stand beside you.

"It's no surprise that we've been working on this project undercover for some time. A well configured DNA code by the late Lee Taeyong set the foundation for us all, for this project. Along with a visually appealing, fundamentally creative and distinctive face that gathers micro expressions to create a face. Now, some of you may know this face, and that’s okay. Because the owner behind this face signed a contact long time ago to dedicate themselves to this company. His friendly face is what pushed this project to be existing today, why so many of us wanted to work on this project. Lee Min-hyung as well as Lee Taeyong will always be remembered as the reason we kept pushing forward." Your black mini heels begin to clack quietly on the wooden floor of the stage as the audience applauds.

With one more turn around the white covered stand, you face the darkened theatre room that has heads of all the respected teams who have worked effortlessly on this project as well as programmers and risk analyst who are seeing this project for the first time, along with your executive sponsors who will decide whether you can launch your project or not.

"Respectable audience as well as our young resilient interns and learners, I'd like you all to feast your eyes on what we've done as a company. Achieving the end goal, building the software stacks that enable balance, navigation, perception and interaction with the physical world. This is a new era of how we change the world with our gift of intelligence. I give you MAN, Project M 47 5. Humanoid Robot."

Gripping the side of the white fabric you pull off the covers. Unveiling and revealing the human like, built male figure of your first 'human attempt' humanoid project- just as the projector displays a live video of the male built figure. The camera crew from below taking the shots and view of the project.

Still… You get surprised when taking a look at the face of the robot. The uncanny resemblance to the long lost boy of the past is eerie. But it’s not like these people are bothered by it, they adore it, love it, excited over it.

It stands in the middle of the stage in black short boxers showing off it's well-built frame. From the little detail of leg hairs to toned thighs and abdomen, press ups of a flexed chest and a perfectly angled collarbone and finally familiar friendly features of a face deprivation. Jet black hair, prominent lips, visible bone like cheeks and (your least favourite) the enhancement of the red eyes- reminding you that this isn’t a human anymore… It’s a robot.

It stands on the stage, profoundly gleaming with skin smooth and toned, a body that's fathomably hard yet looks soft and a face that has sharp angles of perfection. It's quite good looking- you yourself are feasting your eyes on the project after years. As expected and on cue the civil audience begin to applaud. Folding up the white fabric and neatly placing it on the ground, you stand beside the inhumane robotic figure of what you've named: Project M 47 5. You turn your head towards it seeing it's red eyes gazing on you a light smile on its face.

Marvelled, you touch its shoulder feeling the cold human like flesh seep into your skin. He feels human. You can feel the projections running inside and although the wireframe sound is subtle, you can still hear the machines working with a light buzz.

"Doesn't it look human?" You pose. "Doesn't it resemble a perfect deprecation of what stepping out of one’s comfort zones mean?" You raise an eyebrow peering around, you let a little smile break from your lips before running your hand down the arm of the robot. "Some of you are probably wondering if this is a real human that we've framed to be a robot. But I assure you, Project 47 5 is a machine. But we want more from it. We want to push the limit of technology and CGI. Really, how far can we go? It's a question that I can ask you dear executives. You asked us, what have we been working on. This is what we've been working on. We've been working on the next big project that the world has ever been deceived by. Clones, drones, robots, artificial and so much more we've created, in full hopes of expanding our technology and distributing to the world. With your corporation, every defect in Project 47 5 can be ironed out smoothly, every error can be erased, every new altercation can be put in and we can begin placing leagues of him out into the world to obtain information and live the right way. Thank you."

You step back from the humanoid and applaud along with the audience when your management director steps out of the curtain shadow and onto the lit stage. With an earpiece already in place he laughs into the mic that's attached to the earpiece. "What a scope! What a scope. My fellow board members, this is the future that we'd like to call "Dream ESCAPE". An era where you are in control of this project, a real life walking sim. It'll not be in the hands of random citizens, it'll be in your hands. Every intel gathered will be bounced to you. Don't you just want to own a share of Project M 47 5 Humanoid. Look at him. Carved by designers to look just like us.” The director JB pauses dramatically… Seemingly forgetting what else he's supposed to say… Something that the workers are already used to.

You step in for him, so that the investors and guests don't catch onto his little forgetful nature. "Even though he looks like us, you are in charge of the code and personality. Instead of a human administrator, you’ll get a moderately focused humanoid, allowing administrators to have more time on their hands. Would you like for us to build this prototype into a finished product, a finished man? If so, support us by contributing. I know your hands are already itching. So, we'll see each other in the board room for your thoughts on our piece. Thank you everyone, we'll let you know on the status of Project M47 5."

JB looks especially pleased at you. Yet again the crowd applauds enthusiastically and interestedly pleased. JB leads the executives and other investors out of the auditorium.

Just as you wait for the main curtains to shut, as you're still with the robot on the stage. As soon as they're shut, you lead the robot off the stage going down the little backstage steps. Once off the main stage, your stoic expression falls off and a warm smile is splashed on your face when you turn to the project. "M45 7, you did extremely well. Good job." You speak in specific terms knowing it feeds off of compliments as you've heard.

Although it's your first time feasting your eyes on the hard work project, the familiar face makes you feel like you already know the depth of it's heart… You stop yourself from confusing the human boy who passed away long time ago and from the robot standing right in front of you.

The robot's red eyes draw down to your height and its eyes blink red twice and it's chest heaves up and down. "Thank you Doctor Na Y/n. Your speech was a brilliant way to introduce our scope." It responds back with a calm and automatic tuned pitched male eccentric voice. "Does the Doctor not wish to deem Project M 47 5 Humanoid Robot as complete?"

"Not yet. The little information they have on the project, the better it is for them to blindly invest. And when they invest, we'll do a lot more with you to make you 'humanly' humane." You respond moderately turning your head towards the walking figure approaching you. "Jeno, its speech therapy is profoundly better than the last time. A few more touch-ups and it can sound less robotic and more male like."

"More male like? What's that supposed to mean?" The charismatic, suspiciously shy scientist, Jeno, smiles at you with his hands in his pocket as he draws closer. "Do you want it to sound like some Canadian rapper? Like Min-hyung?" Jeno chuckles before moving to the prototype robot. You smile at the memory of Min-hyung’s voice. "Doing that would be extremely difficult, Min-hyung already had his own laugh and voice. Besides, Project M47 5 here is already sexist. Adding a broad 'more male like' voice will only make it menacing, so I’ll see if we can tweak it's voice to something more suitable to its broad baby like face."

"I think that would be good." You comment. "It's come a long way since I last saw it." You recall when last you laid your eyes on the project. "It looks remarkable. Out there on stage it didn't even have to say a word. Incredible work you guys have done." You compliment and give feedback all at the same time. "But why am I thanking you Jeno, I should be praising you Project M47 5. You calmed me down,"

"I'm pleased to hear that I'm pleasing to your liking Doctor Na." Project M47 5 modestly answers, looking pleased indeed. There's a certain stiff turn to it as it directs it's eyes to you and then Jeno… the uncanny vibe to it is spectacularly pleasing.

Jeno, though, nudges his finger. "I told you it's sexist. When it's talking to you, it'll sound decent, however with me, it's pitch darkens."

"Correction errors detected. Project M 47 5 Humanoid code of conduct suggests that female persons should be spoken to with utmost care and respect." Your grin is wide from the moment Project M47 5 opens up its mouth and responds in a deep threatening tone. Jeno groans and punches lightly on its shoulder.

"Damn code of conduct." He mutters and turns to you, his eyes adoring and modest. "Speaking of speech, fantastic work out there. I didn’t expect you to pay tribute to Min-hyung. It was brilliant.” Jeno comments, expressing some vulnerability, dropping his guard, just a little. Your little TED talk came along well. Not to brag, but I enjoyed it the most."

"Correction error detected." Project M47 5's eyes blink and it's chest heaves up and down before it forwardly turns to Jeno. You don’t even mind that it interrupted. You wanted to pay tribute and let bygones be bygones. Turning to Project M47 5, you’re curious at how it’ll respond.

Lee Je No, Male, 30. Qualifications: Modifications and Variations, Employee at Neo Tech. Highest levels of education: Bachelors in subjects partaking to Systems Development, Network Systems, Information Technology and Project Management. Level of work: top of pyramid. Salary: Exceptionally high. Regards in society: Rich. Self-esteem: High. Pride and ego: Job Correction error: Human character - Pursuing a wedded woman.

"Foreign feelings of unrequited detected." The Project sums up.

Hearing the error, your eyebrows raise in shock. It's no secret that Jeno lusts after you for all to see- but the fact that the robot is seeing it is incredible at what technology can do. "I see you've enhanced it's code to stating correction errors."

"Renjun thought it'd be a cool little detail for showing the executives during the second session. We still have to go there right?" He questions.

To which you nod your head. "Yes you and the humanoid are." You emphasize on who. "I'm going to network and branch out."

"I'm screwed if he keeps mentioning correction errors like that. Might as well reduce the errors to a bare 2, instead of a full 10." Jeno moves to the robot's back tapping on its skin and a blue screen code prompt appears a few centimetres off his back, allowing Jeno to tap on it's hard screen surface. "Project M 47 5 Humanoid, you're only supposed to think those thoughts, not say them out loud. Only if asked can you say them out loud. I mean, I want the world to know that I've got a liking for Y/n, but not through you," Jeno winks at you, but you simply focus on the projects moderate smile.

In such a decent speech with full curiosity, as it's been programmed to be curious and ask questions, the Project speaks. "Is it wrong to detect correction errors? Or wrong to state them? How can I advance forward if I keep the thinking thoughts inside and not say them out loud? If she's wedded and your pursuit is in motion, you will be harming and causing problems. Problems not only in her wedlock life, but your-"

"Yeah, like a robots gonna tell me what to do," Jeno mumbles typing in a code.

Your attention span is cut short when your head shifts back immediately capturing the eyes of your everlasting dear husband, Jaemin, upon hearing his familiar shoes that squeak on the floor. He's got around his neck a VIP access card that you handed him and unlike you and the Doctor Lee Jeno in your lab coats, he's dressed in a red flannel shirt and black skinny jeans- his usual work attire. He must've come straight from the bakery where he works. He smiles briefly when catching your eyes. "Hey,"

"Jae," Your smile gets bigger and you wrap your arms around his neck bringing him forward for a hug.

Unexpectedly his lips meet yours and mold together giving you a long breathless kiss. Of course by profession you tap his shoulder twice and end the kiss gently with a light smooch. You liked intimacy but not excessively, or publicly… especially at work.

Your blush not only coats your face but your neck and eyes. You grin while moving your head back to look into his deep soul eyes. "How did I do?" You whisper bringing your hands over his broad shoulders.

"You spoke nicely," Jaemin smiles, heading slowly for your lips again, just to be stopped when hearing a throaty chuckle.

"Nicely? Really? That's still in the English vocabulary?" Jeno's conceding scoff doesn't go unheard by Jaemin. "Word of advice, if that woman was my girl and she asked me how she performed, especially for an established and prestigious institution I'd shower her with-"

"Dr Lee Jeno, kindly focus on the Project. Please." you stiffly call out his name knowing his nature to tease Jaemin. Looking back to Jaemin your hands move up his face. "Babe, don't mind him,"

Jaemin's tongue pokes the inside of his cheek, holding himself back from causing a scene. Once again he's reminded of how 'insignificant' he is in your life.

You're a scientist with degrees higher than he's ever obtained, yet you're in a relationship with him. A relationship that people question, instead of respects as they all wonder what on earth you're doing with him. Everyone has the same assumption that one way or another, you will break up with him.

"Correction error detected."

Jaemin's ears bounce to the sound of the project robot and he looks at it.

It’s almost like he’s seeing a ghost.

He stares at the robot and even gulps. Just as the humanoid on the other hand, stares at Jaemin analysing its feelings from the core and producing an analysis.

"Well, get on with it." Jeno mumbles. "What's the correction?"

Project M47 5 on the other hand just stares at Jaemin.

Jae Min, male, age 28. Qualifications: Bakery owner of Aigoo Styled Dish. Marital Status: Fiancé to Y/n. Highest level of education: High school. Culinary Arts. Level of work: bottom of pyramid. Salary: medium. Regards in society: poor. Self-esteem: low. Pride and ego: Wife. Correction Error: Feelings of anger detected. Stress levels have risen due to low sales at work. Blood pressure over 150 -

"Hello?" Jeno taps the shoulder of the humanoid.

"You phrased for correction errors to be stated internally instead of spoken out." Project M47 5 regards to Jeno. "Has the norm changed?"

Jeno with a pleased look that the humanoid robot was quick to corrections, shakes his head. "I'd prefer for you to exercise yourself in allowing you to be in control of what you feel needs to be said out loud. It's called freedom of expression as well as freedom of speech."

"Correction Error detected." The humanoid's prompt response makes Jeno nod his head.

"Now go on and tell me if this correction error needs to be said out loud." Jeno questions. "What is it regarding?"

"Laws 89 and 103 from the Dictatorship Virtues Laws. Freedom of speech is said to contain portions of hate speech as one individual is allowed to express all their inner free-for-alls."

Jeno hums. "And is hate speech good?"

"Negative."

"Then it shouldn't be said out loud." Jeno concludes with a smile before turning to you, who's fascinated by the prototype's demeanour and development. It’s funny how even though it’s not Min-hyung, the personality is still impressing you. Jeno gets your eyes on him with a quick clearing of his throat. "So, Y/n, I was hoping, by chance, when they fund the project you'd assist in coordinating M47 5's feelings with me. I mean, it's 'memorized' the whole code of ethics, study of humans and philosophy and learnt all the years worth of human rights and violations of over 300 countries in the world, but we're still working on it's emotional system and personality."

You hum impressed as you turn to Jeno and then the Project M47 5. "And you want me to assist? I'm merely a speaker."

"Yeah a speaker by default. Look, as someone who’s worked with Min-hyung and you haven’t, he actually spoke a lot of kind words about you-”

“Me?” Your eyes enlighten as you listen to him.

“Yes, aside from that you have Honours, Masters and Ph.D. in Science Psychology. That shouldn't go to waste when we're creating such a world-renowned masterpiece. You're not just a speaker, you're a full course package, recognized in this whole company. No one's doing it like you, not even your father did. With your affective understanding that can recognize, interpret, process and simulate human effects, the development system of Project M47 5 will be complete in no time. Plus you know I trust you more than any other psychologist in our facility,"

"All this flattery just for me to help you with Project M47 5?" You raise a brow feeling shy but brush it off with a friendly giggle. "I beg to differ, the other psychologist in the building are just as skilled, even beyond and above my own level."

"Yeah, but I want you specifically. You make me smile. A lot." Jeno isn't afraid to openly flirt with you, despite the presence of your husband behind you. "What about you Project M47 5? Wouldn't you like for Y/n to work on you?"

"It would be a great honour to learn how to be a human and with your wide set understanding of knowledge, experience in feelings and successful conducted test results, I have absolutely surety that you are the best to learn from." You're surprised even when the robot speaks.

You giggle. "You've even got the robot vouching for you?"

"That's not me," Jeno raises his hands smugly. "That's all from it's input of you. It wants you to work with it. This is your chance," Jeno looks to the robot eagerly in expectancy.

Being drawn to hear the words of the robot, you don't even feel when Jaemin's hand slips out of yours and he backs up before turning around and scratching the back of his head walking away. Project M47 5 however, it takes note of the deflated Jaemin.

However it still speaks. As a chance for it to 'market' itself and prove to be worthy so that you may work on it. Jeno really did set the standards of you working with them high. So as a result of wanting to achieve excellence it focuses all its attention on you.

"Na Y/n, Female. Qualifications: Robotics scientists and Thematic analysts. Position: Special Risk Analyst Senior and employee at Neo Tech. Highest levels of education: Honours in science psychology. Doctoral degree in, Life science, physical science, earth science. Masters in subjects partaking to mathematics and psychology. Ph.D in philosophy. Level of work: top of pyramid. Salary: Exceptionally high. Regards in society: Lovable and well respected. Self-esteem: Humbled. Shy. Intelligent. Yet fierce and resilient." Project M47 5 lets out. "Reports and statistics across NCTO have it that Doctor Na Y/n is a, and I quote, jewel, in the company. You embody a mind of immediate action result along with experimental designs and are particularly elegant and delicate with machinery and prototypes. Hence I would be privileged if you not only spoke for me but assisted in creating me to be a suitable M.A.N."

Your smile as you listen to the robot speak is never ending. You always got shy whenever someone took their time in complementing you, but now hearing such gushing words from a robot is somewhat uplifting… Especially one that looks so familiar to a boy that once went missing. A boy who you admired.

"By the look of your smile, I'm guessing, we've won you over," Jeno playfully smirks your way. You can only shake your head and chortle lightly.

"I'll think about it, if, the project gets funded."

"If? You mean when it's funded. With the way you presented and represented our project, I'm a thousand percent sure we've riled them from the pond to our boat. You saw the look on those old faces." Jeno comments with a smirk. "Selfishly wanting to grab our prototype and begin trials. Point is, I really want you to be hands on deck with us as well, instead of being the fronting end partner. Be with us in the process. It's a lot more fun when you're actually part of the team that builds instead of reports."

You chuckle, but take note that Jaemin isn't by your side. "I'll see. But you know additionally it's not up to me, it's up to JB-"

"And he's been wanting you to be hands on deck with Project M47 5 since day one. He said it’s going to be like working with your dad all over again,"

"Jeno," You playfully roll your eyes and turn around beginning to walk away. "Let's hear the results first and then I'll decide." Your clicking hills walk away from the backstage leaving Jeno and the prototype alone, with some clean up members cleaning the auditorium that was once filled with people.

"Did you hear that, on our next trial Doctor Na will be assisting in expanding your code." Jeno inputs to the humanoid, before taking a look at your figure that's walking away. "She's so fine,"

"Doctor Lee,"

"Yeah?" Jeno snaps out of it, facing the humanoid, still being amazed by the canny visuals.

"Doctor Na is widely respected in the district. I would like for her to be in our team in studying and modifying my code."

"You and I both pal," Jeno admits. "I'll make sure it happens. Although, for now, let's get you back in the lab and ready for the second session. Don't forget to put on a show, we might be walking past potential clients."

Jeno confidently strides off the backstage stairs exiting through the door with the prototype behind him. Unlike the fellow employees who were used to seeing all sorts of test subjects walking up and down and (flying or even crawling) around the facility, for the guests who were having a tea break, it's actually such a sight to behold as they stare at the project. It looks so human, and Jeno knows all there thoughts. All he could hope for, was the accomplishment and success of the humanoid.

"Dr Lee. What is my next assignment?"

"We'll find out when we get to the office. For now, imagine this as a day off for you."

"But I have no day off."

Their back and forth continues just as you are up and down the building walking with rapid steps. It's crazy, on stage you're confident and almost prideful about your work, but off stage you're a respectfully clumsy nerd who giggles and laughs with a big smile on your face. So for some of the employees to see you without your smile is kind stressing. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm just looking for my husband," You respond getting your smile back for a second before you continuously search for him looking worried- or in others eyes, looking fiercely stern. After searching around the specific lounging areas on different floors, for a really long while, you finally find Jaemin. He's by the basement garage in the parking area near his peach car smoking out.

His eyes are shut and his head is tilted upwards as he exhales air looking so stressed. You sigh out, and bite your lip when deciding to approach him. Already, you know the type of state he's in, especially since he's smoking. Something he rarely did in your presence. "Babe," You smile as you get closer to him. "I finally found you,"

Jaemin is quick in ditching the killing stick, stumping it on the ground and clearing his throat looking suspicious as if he got caught doing something he shouldn't. His relaxed and calm demeanor shifts into a tight smile and straight posture. "Hey, uhm. What are you doing here?" His eyes looking around your face instead of by your eyes. He's avoiding eye contact.

"The real question is, what are you doing here?" You cackle a little. You really disliked when Jaemin smoked, or seemed tensed by your presence. It always felt like he gave off the impression that truly he was forcing a personality upon himself just to impress you. And you didn't like that, because you married him just because of who he was. The sweet humbled son of a baker. Not whatever false persona he put in between you and him. "I was looking everywhere for you?

"Why didn't you just call?" He clears his throat, trying to step back from you to avoid you smelling his scent. But you smell even through your eyes. "I would've come to you when you finished with your colleagues."

Holding in your breath, you breathe out through your mouth not being able to stand the smell, but you have to, because he's looking just as guilty and almost sorry for smoking. "I just wanted to see you. Thanks for coming to support me," You get down to the matter, regardless of the situation.

"Oh, anytime." He smiles, relaxing a bit. You notice as his shoulders loosen up a bit and a pure little smile coats his face. "I really love seeing you do your work. Your passion flows out of your eyes and it's cool that you guys have been working on that robot for such a long time. It looked really cool," Jaemin gives his feedback, and a few things he found interesting. Thankfully you walk alongside him as you both get out of the parking space and move onto the resting lounge. With his guest access card, you're only allowed to be by the lounge, however as Jaemin is your husband you guide him to your office for a bit more… privacy.

"Hey, I'm sorry for smoking,"

You're surprised that he's even apologizing. "No, no, babe it's okay. I mean," Biting your lip you shrug your shoulders a bit. "I hate that your life capacity is decreasing by the second. But you don't have to apologize about that,"

Jaemin, after a long few seconds merely nods and hums out once. You always avoided staring long into his eyes, because he hated it when he felt that you were using your 'psychology powers' on him. However just by taking note of his response and demeanour it doesn't even need a qualified psychologist or heck even a higher schooler to tell that this man has been holding in a lot of things. And for you, despite being a pioneer, well-spoken and firmly assertive in the kindest way possible at work, with Jaemin as your husband, things always felt different. You couldn't be the 'man' taking charge… you had to be the woman… patient and gentle with him, not… forceful and constantly dwelling in anger that he kept his feelings to himself. You had to be… all sufficient for him.

"Can you at least talk to me?" You calmly snap. "Why do you look so… down?"

He doesn't even look bothered as he rubs his hands with his gaze turning to the ground. "I'm okay."

"Jaemi-"

"Baby just relax. Today is your day and I don't want you to be all worked up on me. You've got a whole pantry of people- clients all wanting to speak to you about your robot project," Jaemin is quick to stop you from even speaking. He gets up rolling his eyes with half a chuckle cussing to himself. "I came to support you because I had an opening, but I think I'm just going to go back to work. Try to enjoy your event. I'll see you at home."

You zone out when he walks out the door and away without even kissing or hugging you goodbye. Folding your arms as you think of nothing else but Jaemin, and how quiet it'll be when you get home.

"Just another day in a married woman's life." You tightly confess looking at the wedding band around your finger.

Is this all really worth it? You hate how he's got you on your tippy toes not knowing whether the conversation or ride in this marriage will go smooth or sour within a second.

2 Weeks later

The project has been approved. Walking collectively in your lab coat and symbolic mini clucking heels, you surely create an impression upon entering the enlarged section dedicated to the full launched program for the prototype M.A.N. You're greeted just as much as you pass your own greetings to the other dedicated workers- all this while getting a tour of your new temporary department. With your work bag over your shoulder and some folders in your grasp you listen attentively as Jeno shows you around the lab.

He's more eager then you are, as he's holding onto two of your rolling bags, while enthusiastically introducing you to all the workers in this department. For some reason, as Jeno confirmed it, there seems to be a strong mutually positive work force amongst the employees as they've got the assurance that a senior like yourself will be working with them… even though there are a bunch of other seniors on the project, having you is special. As your father was once widely skilled and highly respected. Even though you've escape the nepotism allegations, a part of it still lingers… But obviously your work stands out and no one can say that you're here because of your father.

All you can do is smile and politely giggle. You feel flattered, but as soon as Jeno settles you in his enlarged joint office and makes you comfortable on your side of the office in your work area…. your face changes to being serious for work. Even Jeno is impressed when watching you set up your gadgets and placing all your work books on the desk. After about some hours of setting up and getting the rundown of how Project M47 5 is doing, together with the user experience team, you set up dates on calendars for different departments and various sectors to touch on, as well as observe the charts of the plans in preparations for the start of this project, time goes by so fast on your first day of the project that you don't even keep track of time when it finally reaches 6 p.m.

"It's 6." Jeno takes it upon himself to be an alarm.

You glance up from your side looking to him and then the clock. "Already? So quick?" You question being stunned. Taking off your eye glasses and rubbing your eye before stretching your head around. "We didn't get the MD connect results?"

"Yeah, we'll get them tomorrow. It's 2 minutes past work hours." Jeno confirms and you chuckle getting your reading glasses back on your face.

"In that case, I'll see you tomorrow hot shot. I'll stay a little longer."

Jeno smirks raising his brows as he packs up. He walks behind your seat holding onto your shoulders. Allowing you to heave in a breath by his light massage. "Thanks again. I really appreciate you being here with me, for the team."

"Jeno," You call teasingly, but try not to moan out when he stretches your shoulders in just the right way giving you a firm massage. "I'm here for Project M47 5, not you or the team." You joke causing him to run his hands slightly down your shoulders.

"You're such a tease,"

With that, he's out of the office after you bid him a goodnight. You further continue your analyses conduct research to process the evaluation of Project M47 5 and interpreting the information to make an informed decision in tomorrow's gathering. You get the MD connect results and finalize everything. Hm, already your first day and you're expected to present the facts of what you've seen from a seniors standing point. Well this should be fun.

As you carry on working you pay no notice to the outside office activities of people leaving and lights turning off- you are however alarmed when a tiny squeak leaves someone's lips. It's a male janitor. "Oh I apologize, I thought everyone had left." Checking the time again, you're unfazed at the time. It's past 10 pm, almost going to 11. This should be normal, but it's then you notice how your lamp is the only one on. You get up and move to the window which had an outside view of the below offices in the same department as yours, and surely all the viewable offices are in darkness.

"Oh," You awkwardly smile when turning to the janitor. "I didn't even notice the time. I'll pack up soon,"

You're stunned that you don't feel too tired, you're aware of the energy bursting all over you and you're just so excited to be hands on deck with the project and actually building this humanoid robot. But seeing the emptiness has you feeling slightly angry. In your previous departments 10 p.m. was still considered as 5 p.m. there's still so much to do.

While packing up and leaving the upstairs office, you take initiative to visit the humanoid robot to see it's statistics further… "Just one more analysis and I'll go home." You try to convince yourself as you enter into the enclosed lab, only permitting members of the staff in the department. The room is obviously large… but aside from the board with marker notes, another bulletin board with important documents plastered on it, some desks with monitors, a full body capsule and machines, you're surprised that the room is empty. You guess everyone really takes it seriously to leave at 6… Not even a single soul, but you surely know that outside this department, in the building there's still people around. Those were your people once, now you're in a new department. Unfortunately in this new department they don't know you, aside from your friendly smile. You'll insert that drive into them… by force if you have to. They can't leave so early.

The humanoid is in it's full body capsule. You take cautious steps closer to the machine that's running with blue clear water and the robot inside. You take note that the water keeps the skin cool and healthy… A lot of modifications still need to be done because humans don't sleep in water. Aside from that, it looks so peaceful as it's 'sleeping' as if it's a human.

You're startled when it's eyes flatter open. Your own eyes widen as you stand back watching the water decrease within the capsule. It seems to acknowledge presence when you're standing to close to the capsule. Steamed air fogs up the clear glass as the shut door makes a 'psshhh' sound allowing the air to escape. From the foggy air that leaves the capsule you watch as bare feet step out of the machine and as the fog clears up, it only takes the humanoid robot 5 steps to reach you. It heaves in a deep breath before a friendly smile engulfs its face.

Instantly being activated, it's eyes unlike last time are a… a dark brown look to you and you're gobsmacked by how natural it looks. However just like last time it's in black boxers and nothing else. Revealing its upper body. Its body is cool down by the light moisture of wet drops fading into the pores of its skin caused by the fog heating him up. It's hair over its forehead partially damp.

"Good evening Doctor Na. It's a surprise seeing you at this time." You're shocked, by the demeanour in which it communicates to you, as this time, it doesn't sound so robotic… but more human, more male with a pitch slightly high yet low. And you have to admit that it does suit it's face… it sounds like Min-hyung, but so much more mature and older. Minhyun would’ve been 30 if he were still alive. But… this robot is like a vampire stuck at age 24. What's more strange- "Are you seeking companionship?"

Your eyes widen. "Companion- Pardon me? What? God no," You flatter and ramble being in shock of what it just said chortling in surprise. But you quickly catch yourself. "Sorry. I'm a bit tired."

"Your vitals show that you are highly awake and energetic."

You chuckle a little, being marvelled. "Wow, well…" You're stunned. "I was leaving to head home, but I just wanted to check some analysis reports on you. That's why I've got so much energy." The last part you state at just how much surprise you have in his voice. It's almost like a blast from the past… You can almost hear your 19 year old self listening to the charismatic laugh of the young boy.

"You're energized to work on me." It sums up looking delighted. You're truly impressed with how expressive it's features are.

"I am." You nod your head, tilting your head to look at it some more. It stands out. It looks like a human being. "Care to give me a rundown of your activities?"

It takes some steps to a table. It idly sits on the chair. It's posture straight, back turned to you with it's face positioned forward to an overhead projector. You notice that displaying on the screen is feed… All binary numbers in green code:

'1000011 1101000 1100001 1101101 1110000 1101001 1101111 1101110 100000 1110100 1101000 1100101 100000 1101000 1110101 1101101 1100001 1101110 100000 1100010 1100101 1101001 1101110 1100111’

"What does that translate too?" You question.

"It translates to, champion the human being."

Moving forward- you pick up a chair taking a seat next to it and placing your hands on the desk you gaze at it. "Is this what they leave you with every evening?"

"Yes, codes of ethics to recite. A hypno to remember not to go rogue."

"Smart of them," You acknowledge. "Does it work?"

"Certainly. Every morning I maintain a positive attitude to being open to learn and champion the human being." You nod your head. "How are you doing this evening Doctor Na. I believe today was your first day with the team." They must've inserted a personalized voice speaker… or altered something to make him- it… to make it sound so unique, so humanly. So good and friendly, like the original voice holder.

Deciding to actually communicate with it, you turn your body to it. "I'm actually not fine."

"Why is that?" It questions with furrowed brows. "Am I not pleasing to you?"

"You are pleasing to me." You quickly clarify being astonished by its moods. "I mean, I enjoy working on you so far, behind the scenes. But I was actually upset about how nobody is here in the office with you."

"Thankfully I don't experience feelings of loneliness, so rest assured that I am doing well. When it comes to the other doctors and scientists, the human mind is at best and full functioning with 8 hours of sleep. Anymore or less will only cause a human to be restless or having imbalanced emotions of depression. I suggest you also take leave now so that you may rest up well."

You nod your head finding it so interesting how it communicates. As if it already has its own personality.

"With the way you talk, you might make me just stay," you compliment but state honestly. "But I can't rest assured because I don't like how lonely it looks in here. How do you feel about that?"

"Loneliness is not the state of mind I'm in. Rather I'm content being in your presence. I would feel lonely if no one paid attention to my modifications. Once again, I am content that you are here." You smile at its response, it sounds so formal in its speech. "My activities include my 8 a.m. morning routine of waking up and greeting the present doctors. I check up my schedule with the team, which consists of various code testing. They test my response to feelings, moving and thinking. 10 a.m. I'm given a simulation of how humans respond to situations. Mid-day, 12 p.m. I take a productive break by studying or learning matrix, hex, binary templates. 1 p.m. I'm back in the lab for my tests and new implants, improvements. By 3 p.m. I report the new changes and enhancements done to me and 5 p.m. I am given a moment to eat and 6 p.m. I say goodnight to the doctors. 8 p.m. I rest and sleep."

"Hm." You nod approvingly. "What do you eat?"

"Not solid food for sure." You laugh at its attempt to a joke.

"It's actually great that you get the concept of a routine activity. One thing that makes a human a human is the constant survival. In the sense that I could die tonight and never exist again, however I'm given a chance to wake up again and do something new. Hence the routine. Don't mind me chattering about things outside of work."

"I don't mind at all, as you speak I take note of your personality type and how I may respond."

"Like a simulation," you acknowledge. "Alright, let's test it out before I go."

"I wouldn't mind, however wouldn't this cause a strain with your husband?

You're shocked by its sudden question and are thrown off guard. "My husband?"

"Project M47 5 senses high level of stress from the priority of your husband, work and financial statistics, which is quite stunning considering your position and level of work."

"Over stepping much?" You chuckle, you ignore it's concerning with Jaemin and continue chatting to it. "Uhm, okay, let's just restart that whole process again, and instead of a simulation pretend that you're at least talking to a human being? Good afternoon Project M47 5, how are you?"

"Good afternoon, I'm ready and here to help you. How about you?"

You hum out. "Hm, I'm actually concerned."

"Project M47 5 has not yet been coded with layers of feelings, kindly state what's your concern, is there any way that I can help?"

You smile. "That's wonderful to hear, however, I don't like that answer."

A visible frown forms on its face as it stiffly tilts its head deeply pondering or reminiscing on its answer. "You dislike the answer I have given? Why?"

"Thank you for asking." You add with care. "I dislike your answer because it's not reflecting why you were created."

"What do you mean by that Doctor Na? Project M47 5 was created as a-"

"Sorry to interrupt you. Can I answer that by asking you a question? It's in regards to your origin and real purpose. Do you know why you were made?"

You find it fascinating how it's response structure changes when it pretends that it's in a simulation- meanwhile before that, he held a perfect conversation. "Project M47 5's intended purpose is to bridge the gap between machinery and humans."

"Interesting that you mention that, machinery as well as human." You express moving your hands as well as using different pitches to convey your message. "May I ask, would you say that humans feel feelings?"

"They do."

"And machines don't."

"That is correct."

"However with your creation, what are we as NCTO trying to achieve?" You ask again, but this time unlike the fast response it's used to giving you stop it. "And this time I want you to structure your brain, as though you were a human, not a piece of machine. What are we as humans trying to achieve from you?"

"Humans create humanoids, machinery and robots for several key reasons being, efficiency, productivity, safety, assistance, research… innovation…" It slows down just as you purposely display your disappointed expression. "You are displeased with my answer again. Give me a second chance."

"Okay." You're impressed with how quick it is to read your emotions. "A hint, is how you talk. Just before our practice simulation, you were perfectly discussing matters with me by personalizing your sentences. Personify everything you say, such as I'm feeling this, or I don't like this or I am this and that."

This time it redirects it's thinking and it even faces you. "Humans created humanoids for- I was created for the purpose of uncovering what it means to be a human M.A.N. which is modified, altered, network."

"I'll take that. We can stop the simulation here for tonight," You answer when seeing uncertainty in it's eyes. This is how you challenge the robot in its thinking style. Small little things make people feel uncomfortable, and if you can do that as well for a machine, you'll be successful in creating stepping stones to know what to touch based on when it comes to it's emotions. "Not bad, your simulation practice round is okay. However I noticed a subtle difference to you thinking it's a simulation, then when you talk normally."

"Is Project 47 5 not pleasing?"

"Not in the slightest. You are now a living man." You get up being pleased with the little conversation you've had with it. "I know this is weird but, can I give you a name? How about I give you until tomorrow to come up with a name and then-"

"Robo, or even Bot."

You lean in close. "Sorry what?"

"A common robot name is Robo or Bot. Other poplar names include C-3PO, WALL-E or even Optimus."

You try to maintain your laugh at the name: "Optimus 3000. No, how about a more human like name."

"Some more human-like names for robots include 'Adam', 'Eva', 'Sam' and 'Ava'. These names give a more relatable, human touch to a robotic character."

You shrug. "I'm not arguing with those names but for you, what would you prefer? Let me tell you something about names. The meaning of a name is like your whole destiny. If a child is given the name Cain for example, in history the name translated to craftsman, but it’s more infamous for killer, because the original Cain killed his brother, then you best believe that a child with that name might inherit a liking for killing. A name can vary widely depending on cultural, linguistic, and historical contexts. Names often carry specific meanings related to qualities, attributes, or significant concepts. For example, some names may mean "brave," "joyful," or "gift from God." Additionally, names can be tied to family heritage, traditions, or notable figures, reflecting personal or cultural identity. If you have a specific name in mind, I can provide more detailed information about its meaning and origin."

“The name Aaron sounds peculiar. What does it mean?”

It goes through a bunch of names, seemingly popular names from 'A' to 'Z'. You’re actually surprised at how eager it is to have a name. It also seems thoughtful when considering names.

"How about the name Min-hyung?" It questions. Even the way it says the name… You look at him for a long while. Now that's a blast from the past. "It's a spontaneous, generous and magnetic personality,"

You spend a good time sifting through names, but you almost freeze when hearing that name. Min-hyung. Of all ‘M’ names… "It's good, but it feels too human for you." That’s because a robot can’t take the place of how precious Min-hyung was.

"How about it's English counterpart, Mark?" It asks. "With meaning as powerful as strength and Leadership. Given its association with Mars and historical figures, the name "Mark" often symbolizes strength, leadership, and courage. I would like a name that carries connotations of reliability, strength, and timelessness."

"I like Mark." You nod licking your dry lips. "How about you… Mark. Do you like it?"

"Mark." It tests the name of it's tongue. "I am Mark. Hello my name is Mark. I am Mark from NCTO. First humanoid robot project. Mark."

"You'll definitely leave a mark, Mark." You grin brightly, pleased at the name and how familiar it seems when he's being addressed with it.

"Would I need to produce a surname as well?"

"Not necessarily. Either way, Mark seems to suit you very cleanly. Tell me how are you feeling. Regarding this experiment we've trailed you for. And don't tell me you don't feel anything. I want you to tap into… Your human side. Pretend like you've got one at least. From everything you know about us, I'm sure you can generate something again."

"I feel good that you are on the project. No one has ever come after hours at 11 p.m. to speak to me and give me a name. Treating me not only as a manner of code, but as though I am a human."

You smile again. "Because you are. You're different from us all, but still are on of us. So, Mark." You use his name formally. "I want you to live up to your name, as the perfect M.A.N that this company has ever created."

"With your help, I most certainly will live up to it's potential."

"That's what I like to hear," you find yourself shaking hands with it. "Thank you Mark. Alright it's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you Doctor. Have a good night and sleep tight."

"You too."

_

"So how was your first day on the project?" Jaemin asks after you both finish compiling platters of food on the dining table. Despite the time being 1 a.m. Jaemin woke up to prepare the food he left in the microwave for you. You're grateful but feel guilty especially when seeing his eye bags. The table looks lively with various colours of food. "Did you like it?" His raspy voice questions. He fixes up some perilla leaves and meat that he already chopped up and with his chopsticks, he places it by your mouth.

You smile when getting a big bite of the entire meal straight into your mouth. You compliment with a light hum of approval before covering your mouth so that you can answer. "Let's just say a lot of things have to change. In terms of how each and every person is approaching this project. They were thrilled to see me and I was pleased with the level that the project is at, but the thought of how lacking and distant it is, is what sits at the top of my mind. They're not doing enough, and I want for them to do a lot."

Jaemin nods his head, "Well after seeing that robot first time weeks ago, all I can say is that it resembled a human so well. A bit odd looking with sharp jaw structures but it was solidly neat." he carries on eating.

"Babe." You gulp and swallow your food. "Would you like to come to the office sometime this week?"

He raises a brow. "Why?"

"You know Dr Lee Jeno?"

"How could I not," Jaemin mumbles, allowing you to continue as he stuffs his mouth.

"Well I had a chat with the robot tonight, we even came up with a name, Mark. And aside from the masculine and quick answers, I think it needs a more modern touch to it. Instead of aa scientific touch. I think it needs to spend a lot of time with normal human beings. We call it a steering test. Basically you’ll interact with it and determine whether it’s a human or not. Since you already know it’s a machine, you could come in and talk to it, and in the end you tell me how human the conversation, or how A.I it was. Tonight I spoke to it… Him as though I was speaking to a human and I noticed that when I pretended to do a simulation, it also changed it's character. But after tonight, I see a vision for it, and I just want to accomplish it. Do you understand?"

"You can't dominate over the robot."

Jaemins tone and answer brings you back to focus on him. "That's not what I meant-"

"It’s what you’re trying to do though. Trying to mould him to become like Min-hyung.”

Your shoulders sag as you retract your words. "Jaemin I didn't even mean it like that. I didn’t even mention Min-hyung-"

"Just eat your food."

“Excuse me?”

“Eat.” You and him have a stare down. “I won’t say it again.” The mood on the table turns sour as you both quietly eat. He tries feeding you again, and you eat it still being so upset. Why is it that you always feel like he manipulates and twists your words? When in reality you just want him to… Support you. Is that too hard to ask for?

Washing the dishes, packing away food and washing up before you get on the bed, Jaemin has his lamp off but he's awake waiting for you. You get on the bed and turn the other way switching off your lamp… But it doesn't mean he's in a tired mood. He shifts close to you and kisses your neck. You inwardly roll your eyes and try not to scoff out loud allowing him to do what he wants… But as his hands go over your legs and in between your thighs you break it up. "I'm not in the mood. I'm tired and just want to sleep."

"Come on. You don't even have to do anything, let me make you feel good." his hands trace over your core while his other hand squeeze underneath you to touch your boob. He's panting and touching you, pressing his body so close to you that you feel his hard manhood. Still with your back turned to him, he removes your pants and underwear and draws your leg up allowing his fingers to stimulate over your core. Even though you're not in the mood, your core gets wet against your will and you find yourself slowly getting interested… But you're still upset and moody, so your toes curl in ecstasy when he slips his member in you. You moan out and shut your eyes just as he continues to kiss your neck and earlobe while thrusting in you heavily. He unbuttons you pajama shirt allowing your boobs to be set free.

After some point you’re turned off even though you're moaning fakely and forcefully, Jaemin is like a dog in heat. He reaches his high while you're still left flat. Another night, another fake orgasm. When he's done he smiles and laughs, talking to you but you're zoned out. "I need to take a shower." You go and bath hoping that when you're finished he'll be asleep. But no. He's still awake, waiting for you. You get on the bed still with your back to him, while he cuddles with you.

"I love you."

"You too. Night." You shut off.

"Why are you always like this?"

"Jaemin I just wanna sleep-

"We just made love and you look so uninterested and unboth-"

"What more do you want from me? I gave you sex and you still want to complain?" And just like that, like every other night a petty little quarrel breaks between you and him. This time however you place your pillow over your head and ignore him.

You can already feel the anger when you wake up in the morning. You’re grouchy. Very tired and irritated.

"My findings on the project M47 5 humanoid robot Mark, is very disappointing. Considering the time frame, it's improvements are truly impressive yet so disappointing."

It's 9h30 a.m. and the meeting with your new department already has everybody in stiff moods. You don’t even have to see it on their faces, the whole enlarged room is heavy. You're cranky and feel so moody so you continue with your findings.

"While I commend everyone for producing such firm and solid results contributing the prototype alive and moving, I must say the approach to execute a finished result seems to be lacking. I found that 2 years was a reasonable amount of time to complete this project. But what we see is a project that should be finished within a year, being finished over 14 years because everyone prefers to leave at 6 p.m. and enter the building at 9 a.m., there are way too many breaks, for crying out loud why would you need 4 breaks with 1 hour each? It's pointless because the amount of work being drilled into the humanoid is insufficient. I spoke to the prototype yesterday and found that its activities are inadequate for the work we're trying to produce and it made me realize why I'm a senior and the rest of you of you are still below authority. Should I be the one to do everything by myself? The MD connect results show a drop-in development. At this point all the statistics I saw were just being a loop of the same sentence but differently executed countless of times. Which makes me believe that everyone here is truly lazy and lacks innovation." You read from your cue sheet…

finding the words too harsh, especially when looking to the deflated and slightly confused and angered staff. You decide to throw in your own words.

"But then again, I wrote this without having my early morning coffee and I feel so fucking cranky. I think you can all tell. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and I think Doctor Jeno wants to sleep with me."

Your comment has some chuckles, smiles and stressed smiles appearing as well as relaxation sipping into everyone's shoulders. Your objective in life has never been to be a harsh leader. You earned your spot here through sincere understanding of how frustrating it is to build something from the ground up. So you can understand where they’re lacking and even why, but you make sure to let them know that you need their focus on how why they are even working here in the first place.

"Okay look." You place your notes down just deciding to freestyle, because if you have to finish that speech you'll definitely make everyone upset. "Truth is we've been given a reasonable amount of time to finish this. Our sponsors need quality when the deadline is due, and what I saw so far had me worried. We're too slow when we need to be working with speed. Hence forth I need to reassign divisions and monitor all progress made. We are on the right path, but we need correct people in place. I don’t want to replace anyone, I’m quite happy with the team, but I need leaders to step up. Renjun I’m putting you on duty for his micro expressions, very well done on his expressions, I am still impressed by it. I actually think it’s fucking awesome how he looks like Min-hyung, but respects to the dead, let’s make him original, with his own name, Mark, and his own personality. Understood?” Renjun nods his head looking marvelled and astonished by the sudden promotion. “Yuta I need you to step down into capsule maintenance, is there a reason why he should be sleeping in a capsule? I need reports and structure on everything regarding that capsule, can you do that?”

“Certainly.”

“Jisung, I know you’re an intern but I need you to rush into what is required of you, we’re not paying you to fetch coffee. I don’t want to see you walking up and down doing mundane tasks. It seems like your advisors are a bit lazy, so if you’re looking for what to do come to me.” You throw a little jab at the said advisors, before turning to the next person. “Kun, fantastic work, but I hate your team and consistent breaks. If you don’t sort that out, they’re all going and you’ll work all on your own. Because you’re working hard, pulling all the strings, but its supposed to be a team effort. Karina and Giselle, same goes for you, I see a lot of this-” Your hands flap imitating talking lips. “Instead of working. Aside from me, you’re the only females on the team, can you represent instead of always talking. Just like I said to Jisung, if you have no work come to me. What I'd expect from each and everyone of us is excitement to build this humanoid robot. Last night before leaving I spoke to him. If you’ve noticed, I started to call it a him now, and together we came up with a name. Mark. I was able to catch on a few defects that I feel needs our attention and aside from that, there's loads more that we need to do. But for now, I’d like a rundown of his activities for this month all on my desk before the next hour."

Your speech goes on as you talk to each team and division equally with solutions and how you want a report back session. Thankfully there is cooperation in the room and ideas are sprung around before everyone gets the slight push and motivation to work… that’s what you think, truly you know they’re already gonna hate you.

“And what about me?” Jeno’s smirk catches your attention.

“I should be working under you, but it seems like I’m the one wearing the pants. Meeting adjourned.” You walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Jeno is not far behind you, shooting his shot as usual.

"I'm assuming your husband does the worst job in pleasing you,"

You roll your eyes and continue going up the steps reminding him that you have work to do. Jeno's comment has you avoiding any eye contact once you get in the office. You walk to your desk removing your coat. You notice how he stands in one place simply watching you. You don't entertain him as you slide your glasses on your face starting your work. Laptop and notepad open to some record sheets as you put in the new values of data that you have to experiment on.

"You know-"

"If it's about my husband, don't start. It's none of your business."

"I'm offering you an amazing time-"

"You seem to be forgetting we're at work."

"So? You put my secret on blast that I want to sleep with you." You catch sight by the corner of your eye as he moves closer to your desk before he disappears behind you. You feel tense as your shoulders are held firmly within his grip… before they begin to massage you softly.

"Jeno you've got yourself in a dangerous zone when you allow your penis to think for you?"

He chortles. "It's written all over your face that you want me," Jeno comments.

"For your sake I hope you're joking. I've never given you such an impression."

He chuckles and rubs your shoulders. "That's because your head is stuck in someone's ass- I'm playing.” He chuckles when you attempt to move. “Look, all I'm saying is that you're someone who shouldn't be stressing. You're in a high position, you deserve high attention, not some mediocre-"

"Jeno-"

"I'm just a name away if you reconsider." He states and leans down to see your face. "I could do a pretty good job in satisfying you." He disappears from your desk and takes a seat on his table also managing some sheets of paper. He gets up and grabs a maker displaying his numbers on the board. "Tell me does this look right?"

Working closely to Jeno will seem to have it's challenges, but it doesn't hinder the fact that he's incredibly smart. Hence the fact that you need to create boundaries and keep the 'mystery' of yourself alive.

"So, what do you think, we can go and pay 'Mark' a visit and you can see if it's a good implement?" Jeno encourages and you both walk to the lab. Thankfully there are people there testing his endurance when it comes to holding in his breath. "What we're trying to do here is give it an artificial breath. It's already programmed to live but the key thing that makes us human is being able to breathe. Just like a chess game, it knows how to put up a game, but it’s important aspect is that it knows that it’s playing a game. With Mark, does he know that he’s alive and breathing?"

"I understand that." As you stand on the side lines watching how they configure his testing out the new implements… you take a brief notice that he… Mark peeks at you once in a while. Of course, he's probably wondering if you're going to engage with the other scientist, but you don't. You simply watch. After Jeno gets the feedback report- you and him leave the lab- but you look over your shoulder feeling a stare on you, and it's from Mark.

"By estimation, paired with these results we can get this done with 1-2 months. And then we can move to the next part, which I feel would be more complicated." Jeno states. "I know what you're thinking, what would be more difficult then breathing?"

You wait for his answers.

"Living." He answers. "He's already differing from various personalities and what he quote on quote likes, but it's important that he develops his own personality. Basically he needs to be aware that he is a machine impersonating a human. Come with me, let me show you your dad’s notes.”

Entering in a secluded basement, you’re surprised by the various rooms down here. There’s a door that has your fathers name on it, Lee Taeyong. Using his access card, Jeno enters the room. “Your dad was brilliant, and it makes sense why Min-hyung loved cooping himself and cramping himself in this tiny room. At the time we were both handpicked interns by your dad. So we, along with JB were the only ones allowed to enter this room.”

The room is dark and looks small, a vivid image comes to the front of your mind when you remember at the age of 10 your father brought you in here. By that time Min-hyung wasn’t his intern, it was just you and your work obsessed father. “Where are the lights?”

“Here.” When the lights turn on, the room is a bright neon blue colour that it takes you a few eye blinks to adjust. You watch as if everything comes alive. The walls with plastered yellow and pink sticky notes and invisible blue ink coat all over on the marker board. The stacks of books laying on a table closer to the wall that has one lamp and a bunch of testing equipment. On several of shelves there’s glass containers, cylinders with greenish water and floating things. Those questionable things in the water is what should be getting your attention, yet a long table in the middle is what gets your attention and you walk closer to it.

“Now this is where the magic happened. I know it’s personal but, your dad cherished Min-hyung, as if he was his own son.” That brings you back to some memories. “So I’m not even surprised that Project 47- I mean… ‘Mark’ looks like that. Like Min-hyung. Wished your dad loved me like that-” You chuckle a little. “Anyway, I brought you in here, just so you can see what JB, Min-hyung and I saw when this project first started. It was Min-hyung’s idea, but your dad brought it to life. We would joke and call it the Frankenstein project.”

You turn to Jeno, surprised to actually here him speak so fondly. Then again he is talking about people who created a great impact in his life. Jeno has a modest smile while looking at the table. Which gets your attention back on the table.

The wide table with blue prints in one corner, a laptop in the middle and several books opened on top of each other, but what gets your attention most is the framed picture on the side, of you and your father. In the picture you’re young of course and so happy to be in his arms. “Hybrid language, systems statistics, human consciousness, high level contractions. The question we had in mind was not what people think about, but rather how they think. How do you think humans think?”

“Humans think. They have impulse. Response to things. They are fluid. Imperfect. Have a pattern. Chaotic.”

“Isn’t that beautiful,”

“It actually isn’t,” You nod your head. “That was everything my father was.”

Jeno simply ignores you… In fact he sees a bit of himself with you. Your father placed you second and his work first, and Jeno can relate because Doctor Lee Taeyong placed him second and Min-hyung first. But unlike you, it didn’t bother Jeno as much. He was used to coming in second. His whole life, he was second, so he understands your reluctance to your father.

“Now everything we’re doing are in these blue prints. What we’ve continued off or hoped this project could led to is in the laptop, and everything outside this lab is modified and new. Examination formats, simulations and actuals, everything analytical is in this room. This is the foundation that your father left behind. When Min-hyung disappeared, I never saw your dad enter this room again. But he was always with this laptop. It’s a very old laptop. A very old piece of tech that we can’t even break into, because if we do all the data will disappear. For the past few years with IT, we’ve tried to get it open. But the stupid password is designed, that after 12 attempts everything will be automatically deleted. I know right, people who know how to alterfy their tech are lunatics. But your dad was crazy like that. The old man and technology were tight.”

“So assuming you’ve attempted to unlock the password, how many tries have you had?”

“10.” Jeno answers. “2 attempts left. And… honestly if we lose everything in here, it won’t make much of a difference, but don’t you think it would be a shame to lose everything in here?”

“It would be.”

“Which is why… I want you to… have it. To try and open it and keep it as a souvenir. Your dad kept logs in here. Min-hyung always said this was his diary. So assuming you manage to get the password, there might be some piece of closure in there for you, because I notice you call him ‘father’ instead of ‘dad’. And I still remember when you started working here, you’d try to get his attention… but it was never reciprocated. And after he passed, you never spoke about him ever again. But I know your dad, he told us some pretty crazy stories about you,”

You scoff and shake your head.

“I’m serious. You once made a toilet seat that could automatically read which gender is entering the bathroom. Your dad stated that because sometimes he didn’t cut his hair, the toilet seat would refuse to go up. And one time, this huge pipe just stuck out of the toilet and tried to suck in his clothes thinking it was poop-” Jeno begins chuckling while you try to hide your giggle. “I’ll always remember that one because both your dad and Min-hyung experienced it. Min-hyung was always eager to see what was new and created around the house, because as he said, since your dad was hardly around, you used the house as your lab to create. He loved that about you. How far would your mind go. Here. I want you to take it, also because I really believe you can open it. And if you do and you keep it as a souvenir, please remember that anything useful for us-”

“I don’t really want it and like you said it doesn’t really make a difference with what we’re doing now. I doubt there’s any sentimental to it, aside from it being a work possession. Let’s get back to work and follow the plans we have now. I’d actually like to see these blueprints.” You suddenly turn so cold, picking up the blueprints and manuscripts to the project.

“Rude much.”

“I’m not being rude, I’m just setting boundaries between work and whatever you’re on about.”

“Okay.” Jeno nods his head with his eyes enlarged. “Burn, I get it. You hate your dad.” Also returning to his cocky nature. “I guess your desk awaits you.”

You want to apologize, but you’re already so warped into being moody today. Work takes a toll on you again and even after Jeno mentions it's 6- you don't budge from your station. He announces it's 7 and that he's leaving and you bid him goodbye. Feeling somewhat satisfied that he's leaving a little late. Jaemin sends you an apology text but you're focused on ignoring him and allowing your mind to be elsewhere instead of on him, because you can already guess how he wants to make up. And you're just tired and not feeling it. You don't have the energy for him right now.

You actually feel drained.

-

"Good evening Doctor Na." Out of all places to go, you find yourself in the empty lab of the prototype Mark. Right now, he's better company then any human… Maybe because he reminds you of Min-hyung. Hearing Jeno say all of those things, you actually do feel touched that your dad as well as Min-hyung spoke about you kindly. You’ve never actually sat down and spoken to Min-hyung, he would only bounce around and tease or bother you, it was never a 1 on 1. But with Mark… you’re comfortable enough to approach him and have a one on one.

"Hi Mark," You smile gently with a notebook in your hand. "How are you?"

"There's nothing to complain about, hence I am well." He responds moderately and you can hear the adjustments that they were working on this morning, as he looks less uncanny in his sincere emotions.

"That's good to hear." You nod your head moving closer to his pod and recording the report data present. Typing it into your tablet you peek at him, as his posture is focused on you. "Don't mind me, I'm just gathering evidence. Covering my ass with copies of everything."

"I am distressed about your wellbeing today,"

"Oh really? You're distressed about my well being?" A thoughtful smile coats your face as you acknowledge how he speaks out of turn yet is curious about your emotions.

"You showed high levels of stress this morning at the status meeting as well as this evening when showing up for my tests. Yet I was astonished at how well you managed to look blank."

"It comes with practice." You state nonchalantly.

Even though you are done and are about to leave, something pushes you to actually sit down next to him on the table he's 'learning' and reading matrix signals from.

"Why aren't you in your pod?"

"Doctor Yuta stated that I don’t have to sleep in the pod tonight. He gave me a replication mock-up dose. Tonight I’ll be sleeping outside of my pod.” He smiles allowing you to be content. “Aside from that, I had expectations that you might come."

You stiffly smile at that. "I only came in yesterday, but you're already having expectations?"

"The probability of the outcome was 1 in 3 chances."

"And out of those outcomes you knew that I'd come? How'd you calculate that?"

"When checking statistics, you are part of the 10% of workers who leave the company at this time between 10 to 11 p.m. Yesterday may have been your first visit in the lab, but regarding you senior position and constant analysis of perfection, I assumed you'd come again for a check up or AOD report, which you have. The third outcome, you seemed to be upset about my lack of progression, as well as your own personal matter, hence I thought as a robot designed to be a man, you'd come for a bit of company. I am limited when it comes to providing you with, a shoulder to cry on as they say, however I can provide you with an ear." His predictions are spot on and you can't help but smile at his progression.

"I'm not mad at your lack of progression. In fact, I’m still so impressed, especially with what Jeno showed me this afternoon. Call me selfish or not, but I really want for you to be a success because… I didn’t want to admit this to Jeno, but I do miss my father. So much. I feel like I failed him. That’s why he jumped off a building. But working on you, feels elevating and reviving. If I can make you work, if we can do that… then it’s going to be like… it’s going to make me happy, that I could be a part of what he did. Recognised by him. Even though he’s dead, it’ll feel nice to complete something he started.”

"That's not being selfish,” You turn to Mark. “That is admirable. You have high expectation and high motivation and there's nothing wrong with that. I feel honoured that you're present within the research and the findings. And your father Lee Taeyong is my creator, it would be an honour to have his presence looming in your blood as you work on me." He comments. "However, you're still sad, what seems to be the matter Doctor Na? Why are you still sad?"

"Oh nothing I'm fine." You brush it off getting up.

"You're not showing any signs of being fine."

Diverting your gaze away from the scans displaying on the overhead. But his dark brown honey eyes are already on you attentively. You manage to look back into his eyes and sigh taking a seat again. "If you want me to be honest, I don't want to go home.”

"That much is clear, most people use work as an escape." He informs. "Regarding your case, aside from staying because of work, I assume it has something to do with a personal issue. Your husband,"

“The problem here at work is my father, and at home, it’s my husband. I just don’t want to go home, I just want to keep working… or rather talking to you." You sigh out. "Quick question, yesterday night, you also mentioned the same thing about my husband. Why did you mention him?"

"Doctor Lee Jeno stated that you and your husband have a very straining relationship."

You clutch your jaw. "He did?"

"Yes, and I can also read your vitals. Are you upset?"

You huff and shake your head. "No. I'm perfectly fine."

"The correction error states that you're untruthful about your feelings."

"I forgot you can do that." You mumble. "Correction errors. Hm. I think you met my husband once, not formally, but you did right?"

"Yes."

"Did it look like we were having a straining relationship?" You suddenly ask, feeling slightly insecure. "Actually when you look at someone, at a person, at Jaemin, what do you see exactly- Or what did you see?"

"My reports are able to show me what's already publicly exposed, from his birth, identity in society and how his legal business is doing, marital status. I am unable to scan or read his feelings, but I am able to read the detail on his face through the micro expressions he displays. On the day I encountered your husband, there were certain signs of your relationship being discordance or rather strained. Aside from Doctor Lee openly approaching you in his regards to his feelings, I noted that Mr Na Jaemin had feelings of discomfort as well as stress. Discomfort in seeing me. His face showed signs of stress, the information gathered from his work gave low sales and rating, and as for your relationship, with his enthusiasm being low to see you, while you were quite excited to see him. As of now I see your upset nature regarding the matter. Hence the discordance. Would you want to share what's bothering you?"

You shrug your shoulders. "Seeing Jeno told you about my relationship, I bet a whole bunch of them are already…" You sigh out. "Talking about it."

"If you're feeling stressed, you could get it off your chest. By confiding in me."

After subtly considering it, you nod your head. "Only if you promise not to tell."

"Statics show that it's important to share your feelings with others so that they can help you to the best of their ability and try to understand what you are going through. Keeping things bottled can be unhealthy and could lead to depression if you don't talk to someone."

"Psychology 101." You hum with a little smile knowing your lessons off by heart. "Was that your way of confirming to me that you won't tell."

"I confirm."

You nod your head and think on the situation for a bit, trying to think of how honest you want to be with Mark. "I don’t really love Jaemin.”

You hold your tongue back. Although, already having said what you said, when looking into Mark's eyes you feel no judgement at all from, so you pour out what you're feeling.

"I did in the beginning. But things changed.” You take a deep breathe to control your breathing. "Ever since Min-hyung disappeared, things become strained. Truth is, I only got married to him to get Min-hyung out of my head.”

“Min-hyung was in your head?” You don't expect Mark to respond, you don't even expect him to listen. You just want to distress yourself. But his question, makes you gulp.

“My first crush.” You smile and look at Mark. It feels weird confessing that out loud to a humanoid that looks like him. His eyes stare right back at you.

“Are you feeling shy when looking at me Doctor Na?”

You hold in your breath and blush. “Uhm…” You look away. "Where was I?”

“You loved Min-hyung.”

“Love is a big word.” You smile sadly and think of Jaemin. “It feels so good to just let that out. I don’t love Jaemin. I don’t. Not at all. Not even a little bit. I regret committing to him for the rest of my life. And I've tried asking him if we can book for therapy so that we could fix this, fix me, but he puts the blame on me saying that he's fine in the relationship, if I'm having problems it's because I have wondering eyes and I keep trying to make my relationship like everyone else. Imagine the insanity to that. I don’t love him and I hate that I’m stuck with him.” Your eyes glisten with tears, but you hold them in as you look to Mark and shrug your shoulders. "It's going to go away, and it'll become a problem I can laugh at later on, but I'm tired, I think it'll all go away later on."

You're a senior and you've just poured a personal problem with a robot. How stupid of you.

"I have to go. Hopefully he's asleep when I get home."

"Would you like a hug?" You stop in thought to look at Mark. His hallow empty dark brown eyes show no emotion, but it expresses this kind atmosphere. "Emotional intelligence wise, I know all the answers to your problems according to what's been put into my data Generative Pre-trained data. However, as I am physical and you stated my purpose is to be a living man, a man, I want to know if you need a hug? This isn’t a simulation."

That only makes the glistening tears by your eyes overshadow your eyes as you nod your head. "Emotional support." Getting into the hug, you feel goose bumps crawl up your skin and the iron yet smooth texture of his soft yet stubble skin has you feeling a familiar human touch. His arms, just the right amount of heaviness wrap around you. He squeezes you carefully allowing you to feel his arm. Your face on his chest feels warm and you watch your tear drop roll down his toned chest. "I can't remember the last time I had a proper hug…" Even though the image of Jaemin comes up in your mind of him hugging you slash cuddling you last night, you don't count it as you can't compare it to the warmth your feeling right now.

It feels as though the temperature of his skin also escalates. "Did you increase your body temperature?"

"Should I reduce it?"

"No," You shake your head, enjoying it more then you should. "If anything, you need clothes, but I'm happy like this."

"A generic robot response would me saying; 'I'm sorry you're going through this. If you want to talk more about it, or need support, I'm here to listen. And if you ever feel like you need more help, please consider reaching out to someone you trust or a professional who can offer support.' That's one of my programmed answer. However, sifting through the options that would be suitable for you, a hug seemed to be the best."

You nod your head and sniff. "You must think I'm quite dumb even though I am a psychologist,"

"Not at all." He answers moderately and you're shocked to hear that. "You are my technical and personality supervisor. It's normal to feel overwhelmed by your personal matters, but as long as you say them out loud and find a solution, you'll be able to personalize my monitor feedback to be more real."

“Right.” You nod your head. "So far, you aren't doing a bad job. You're actually a better companion right now." You rest in his embrace for a long while… it's strange that you don't hear a heartbeat but hear the machines wiring around in his system. It's also strange how you don't want to leave him.

“I lied about something.”

“What?”

“I had expectations that you were coming, only because I wanted to ask you a question.”

Listening to how the voice generates from his fuzy chest you nod your head. “That’s fine, you can ask me anything.”

“How do you feel about me?”

..

“Are you attracted to me?”

You breathe out nervously. “Mark it’s only my second time here.”

“You’re not answering the question. You give me indications that you are attracted to me.” His warm voice speaks, and you hear your heart beating in your chest.

“Oh yeah?” You question. “How?”

“The way your eyes, fix on me,” You get off his chest and look at him, trying to see what exactly is going on. His voice even drops to whisper. But it’s his eyes that hold a gleaming… hope in them. “The way you look at my lips. Holding my gaze. Do you think of me when we’re not together?”

Your face is hot and you feel so… “I have to go.”

“I have to sleep.” It also gets up and moves to a chair that is reclined out. You watch it as it settles on the laid back chair. No blanket, no pillow. Just him laying there. You catch his eyes and blush. “Can I ask you one more question?”

You’re still not over the sudden questions he asked you. Yet you nod your head. “Do you want to be my friend?”

A smile grows on your face. “Yes, I guess so.” You answer quietly and the smile returns to it’s face.

“No, I don’t mean testing out my responses and studying me. I mean, do you want to be my friend and go out with me?”

“Project 47 5. I think you need to recharge.” You try to get some sort of composure back in yourself and you pull some boundaries again, not knowing the source of it’s sudden nature and question.

“Right. I hope I haven't ruined your peaceful state."

You smile, a clear smile with happiness behind your eyes, even after feeling so flastered, you think of how he made you feel. "You made me feel so much better. But I think I do have to go now, it's already 11."

"Drive safely Doctor Na."

"I will, good night Mark." A longing grows in you, but you try not to pay attention to it. You watch as the chair turns a light grey colour and feeds begin to display on the little tablet near him. His eyes shut and you nod your head, Yuta enhanced it’s sleeping pattern to be one of rechargeable battery. You leave the lab. Getting in your car and driving on the dark and empty road, you blush when thinking of how warm Mark's body… mechanical body was. "Stupid." You matter to yourself of how stupid you are for thinking of his questions. "I should just stop talking about Min-hyung around him. But It's for research purposes." You try to convince yourself… talking to yourself.

Getting home, you're not surprised to see Jaemin awake. He prepares the food and reluctantly you eat quietly while he talks about his day. "I wanted to apologize." There it is.

"I forgive you, you can just drop it."

"Are you sure about that?"

"100%" You finish eating, get up and go to bed. You don't engage when Jaemin gets on the bed in attempts to get your attention. You ignore him and find yourself sleeping. However… his last question stays in your head… He asked you if you want to be his friend… That was the last question Min-hyung asked you… the last conversation you had with him before he disappeared.

-

“I can’t get in my father’s lab.”

“Pardon?” Jeno looks up from his laptop as you hover his desk upon entering the joint office.

“I was thinking about yesterday and how you told me that it could have sentimental stuff. I figured, okay. I’m ready to forgive my father for years of neglect.”

“I’m sorry, did you mean to say good morning first, or how are you?” Jeno tilts his head still wondering what you’re talking about. “I’m a bit confused here. Speaking of confusion, Doctor Nakamota Yuta was looking for you, he said-”

“Jeno please wake up. I’ll deal with that later. I need to enter that lab, but my access card is denying me access.” You start.

“Oh. That's what you're on about, that’s where you’ve been the whole morning. Okay..” Jeno runs a hand through his hair, understanding. “As of now, it’s only JB and I who have access to that room, but seeing as now you’re interested, I’ll talk to the unit systems and have them-”

"I need to get there now, could I borrow your pass?"

“Borrow my pass?” Jeno's brows furrow. "I'm just gonna start again because clearly this morning I'm a bit late. Good Morning Doctor Na, how are you-"

"Jeno!" You whine and move behind his back with your hands on his shoulder shaking it a little. "Please, if you're thinking it's against the rules to lend access cards, then just know I won't be wondering around doing crazy shit with your keys. Please. I'll just get the laptop and leave,"

Jeno turns back to you holding your gaze before he pats his cheek with his finger. "Popo,"

You roll your eyes before kissing his cheek not thinking twice of the consequences. Jeno on the other hand having you that close your heat on his cheek is beyond over the moon. "Man, you already have me up,"

"Card," you ignore him stifling a smile as he reaches into his pocket handing you his access card. "Besides, what wrong could I possibly do?"

As soon as you say that you feel an irked feeling of something going wrong already happening. And it's when you pass by the lab seeing Mark alone that you curiously wonder in. He's on a table. "Hi Mark,"

"Good morning, how are you doing this morning?"

"I'm well and yourself?"

"Upset."

You furrow your brows moving closer to him. "What's wrong?"

"Accordingly to my new monthly schedule, I'm set to be tested out for my sexual orientation. Why am I not wearing clothes?" The question is valid and has you on realization that he's still in tight shorts. "Why do I have a sexuality? If I'm a robot, why do I need to be assigned a gender role? I dislike simulator tests. I understand I'd need an organ to assist the female reproductive system to produce, but what good is it if I produce artificial semen and cannot ejaculate? What if the test subject female persons is sensitive and gets an infection from the artificial sperm? Would I be considered disabled if I am a man who can't afford to-"

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down Mark," You carefully hold onto his shoulders, and you try to get him to look away from whatever he's sketching… Which is a face… your father’s face. You ignore it and focus on him, he stops drawing and peers at you. "Calm down, we haven't gotten to the point in testing yet-"

"The Vesla Bot model 67 was made in 2024 with the urgency to be friendly, eliminate dangerous, repetitive boring tasks, it’s said appeal as stated by it’s creator Nole Musk, was that this robot would be for humans to engage. The projections of this project would soon be shut down as it was turned into a pervasive perverted sex drone bot. They shut it down. Dr Lee Jeno mentioned that I have an opening which would stimulate pleasure into my drive as I engage in matters pertaining to sex-”

“Mark you aren’t designed to be a sex bot-”

“What will happen to me if I fail your test?”

“Mark-”

“Or be ‘bad’ and have rebel tendencies-”

“Mark please come down.” You get slightly on guard when it stands up giving you a firm stance looking down at you.

“Answer the question, Doctor Na?”

“Look, I don’t know where all this is coming from-” His tight and sudden grip over your arms makes your jump and has you opening your eyes wide. You’re stunned and frozen- you can hear scrambling as well as doctors voices blaring here and there for Mark to calm down- you even see someone touch him but it seems he’s too hot as his body produces steam-

“Do you think I’ll be switched off if I don’t function well? If I produce emotions or feelings of anger like now? What am I to do if I get upset? I certainly don’t wish to be turned off, and I definitely don’t want to turn out like Optimise who became a filthy sex bot for the pleasures and likes of humans-”

“I don’t know the answers of your questions!” You let out, being panicked when his hands get tighter and hotter. “It’s not up to me but I’ll- Mark you’re hurting me-”

“Why is it up to anyone? Shouldn’t I have the right as a man to live?”

“Mark-”

“Do you wake up and have people test you?”

“Mark-”

“Answer the question. Do you wake up and have people test you? Yes or no!”

“No but-”

“So why should I?”

“Hey-”

“Do you have people test you and switch you off?”

“No-”

“Then why do I?”

“Project M47-”

“Do you have people test if you can stimulate orgasms?”

“No-”

“So why should I?”

“Please-”

“Do you have people touching you or wanting to touch you in order to test you?”

“Ma-”

“Why should I be touched? Why should I be tested?!”

“Project m45 7! Shut down!” You hear in the background as you simply just stare wide eyed at the man before producing and expressing so much anger, pent up frustration. Your mind is blank when staring into the eyes of the robot… impersonating human feelings…

“Do you have people thinking you’re dead, calling you another name and testing you?! What am I-” Those are the last of Mark’s words as you see it’s eyes blazing red and close your own turning your head away- however all you hear are your pants along with machines wiring. The hands on your arms loosen and you sneak a peak- the red eyes are still on you, but the machine robot seems to be inactive. You see the other scientist as well as Doctors trying to get it to into the capsule.

“Are you okay?” Jeno own arms are wrapped around you looking concerned. You nod your head, not minding that you’re shaking and breathing out heavily. You try, or rather keep trying to calm yourself down by placing your hand to your chest.

“I just entered the lab. And tried to speak to it- I mean him.”

“Yuta brought me some reports stating that Mark was behaving unintentionally moody after his first night sleeping outside of the pod. I guess this is what he meant. He said something about it being irritable-”

“He can get irritable?” You question.

Yuta turns to you. “It’s not that he can get irritable, it’s just that his code was formulated in such a way to project exact human emotions. As you tasked us to venture for him to sleep outside of the tank, we figured that the reason he sleeps inside is due to the pores in his skin, turns out, as I saw the overnight report statistics, I noticed unusual patterns- if you could just follow me,”

You and Jeno promptly follow, but as you take a look at the few doctors in the room watching the blue liquid fill up, your eyes rest upon the… blue eyes that stare back at you. Getting to Yuta’s cubicle, he shows you his board and laptop monitor screen.

“Oh my god. Are those-”

“No that can’t be.”

“That’s what I said,” Yuta gulps. “But those are actual brain waves. Human brain waves. Last night, he had his first dream. The sleep REM shows that he went even deeper into his sleep entering the non-REM. I was puzzled and opted to go and check it out for myself. I asked him and I was surprised that he lied about it. So, I had no choice but to open him up. Yet to my surprise before I could even touch him, he refused for me to touch him.” Yuta explains. “I tried to get close, but the look he gave me… I wasn’t about to try anything. So I reported it to Doctor Jeno as you weren’t in your office.”

You and Jeno look at each other trying to understand the meaning of this. You then look to Yuta. “I’m sorry, yesterday when I was with him, he said you gave him a replication mock-up dose. What is that?”

“Basically, I didn’t build this pod, Doctor Lee Taeyong, Lee Min-hyung and Lee Jeno built that capsule. It has a certain programming,”

“Jeno?” You turn to him.

“It’s to keep the robot cool, charged, allowing fluids to clean it’s internal components,”

“And something that I think was important, but overlooked it, was it’s connection to it’s brain.” Yuta inputs holding onto the screen to adjust it for his view so that he can show us. “We’ve always assumed that it’s just machinery running in that head, that’s why it’s so well put. However, I was astonished when reading actual brain waves.”

“Brain?” You question in disbelief. “It’s a robot, it can’t have a brain-”

“According to your father it could have a brain, to hold memory and have memory.” Jeno shakes his head mouthing to himself. “And your father came up with a functional substance to hold memories in a secured component. He created this structured jelly jell to store in memories as if it was a brain. I don’t recall the elements he used to make that brain matter.” Jeno sighs and turns to you. “You were looking for the laptop earlier right? I think we have to try our luck and bust into it.”

“Laptop?” Yuta questions and squints his eyes. “This morning, Mark asked a lot of questions that were triggering, such as where Dr Lee was, where the laptop and camera was. Assuming, you’re talking about the same laptop and that Dr Lee is actually Lee Taeyong, then I think… the reason Mark’s ‘brain’ woke up had to be because of sleeping outside of the pod.”

“You’ve got my card, go and get it. I’ll try stabilizing Mark and get him calmed down.”

It’s not even a joke as you run across the 6000 feet building using some back door short cuts to get to the back end door where the basement B3 is filled with underground labs. Using Jeno’s key to access the door, you don’t waste time when setting the laptop inside the laptop bag with the charger and everything. As you pick up the bag, you take sight of another bag in the room. It looks like the standard work bag, but this time it’s full.

You get the dusty backpack on your bag and laptop in your other hand as you walk out the lab shutting it behind you. You smell an odd aroma fixing your eyes on the bag. It’s the bag.

Meanwhile, Jeno carefully sets Mark, the robot, onto his back, ensuring not to damage any of the delicate components. After extracting him from the capsule, Mark looked remarkably like the same person everyone knew. His face, despite the cold metallic sheen, retained a familiar calm expression. Yuta, standing over him, raised an eyebrow.

“I’m suggesting we unscrew his head,” Yuta said, his voice a mix of curiosity and hesitation. “Find the ‘brain’, figure out what happened.” However according to Jeno he wanted to do that last, especially since Mark didn’t seem like a malfunctioning machine anymore. He appeared… normal. As if he were just taking a nap, not in the middle of a technical crisis.

“Have I hurt Doctor Na?”

Jeno puts a hand on Mark’s shoulder, his tone soft but firm. “It’s okay, Mark. She’s fine. We just need to get you fixed up. Do you know what happened? Do you remember anything?”

Mark blinks, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, he speaks, his voice calm and controlled, but laced with an unfamiliar odd tone. “I… I don’t recall much. The last thing I remember… is falling asleep last night.”

Jeno exchanged a glance with Yuta. The answer seemed innocent enough, but there was something unsettling in the way Mark spoke, almost too measured.

For safety, Jeno gently restrained Mark’s arms and legs while Yuta worked to separate the silky strands of hair at the top of Mark’s head. He quickly uncovered a small, gaping hole—where the neural connections to the pod would normally attach. “Mark, we’re going to switch you off for the time being, and will update you on what went wrong. Sit tight.”

Yuta’s fingers hovers over the connection ports. “Vitals look stable,” he mutters, inspecting the readings on his handheld monitor. “Everything’s… the same. So, what caused him to shut down like that?”

Giselle, standing a little too close to the workstation, narrows her eyes. “If you ask me, it was probably Doctor Na who triggered it. Mark’s last memory was falling asleep, right? And who was here last night?” She scoffs, her arms crossing in frustration. “Doctor Na. Pretending like Mark’s a real person. Talking about treating him like a human. What a delusion.”

Karina nods, though she says nothing. Both women exchange a look, and Giselle continues, voice rising.

“She literally confided in him. Told him about her life and her so-called husband. Did she forget that he’s not real? Did she forget that we monitor everything he does? She even hugged him. Honestly, it’s embarrassing. It’s just a robot. But the way she talks to it, you’d think—”

“Those conversations are supposed to be private,” a voice cut in sharply, interrupting her tirade.

Everyone freezes. Jeno glances over at Yuta, whose eyes are glued to the screen, his jaw tense. The voice came from Mark.

Giselle stiffens, and for a moment, it seems like the air in the room has thickened. Mark’s tone was quiet, but there was an edge to it—a hint of sarcasm or amusement that sent an uncomfortable shiver down Giselle’s spine. “What did it just say?”

Jeno gives her a sidelong glance before looking back to Yuta and speaking. “He’s supposed to be offline.”

“He is.” Yuta points to the monitor, but just as he does, the screen flickers. A new feed popping up, its data flowing unnaturally… The room falls silent.

Jeno moves closer to the machine, squinting at the chaotic readings. “This doesn’t make sense. It’s syncing… but he’s supposed to be off.” His fingers hover over the console. “What’s it syncing with? To what?”

“To… himself?” Yuta tilts his head, his voice tight.

“No.” Jeno’s brow furrows as a strange energy surges through the display. “This is the Mark… it’s syncing to the another component inside of him. But… where is this coming from? Mark?” He directs the question to the motionless figure on the table, but Mark does not respond in his usual mechanical tone.

Instead, a voice—eerily calm, yet too precise—spoke up, the words dripping with an unsettling amount of knowledge. “Giselle Kim. Supervisor, Robot Operating Engineering. Master’s in Technical Engineering. A solid paycheck, enough to keep you relevant. High social status, a comfortable life… but a bit too insolent with your senior colleagues. You’ve managed to get where you are by… other means.” Mark pauses for a beat, almost as if savouring the discomfort. “And that 'other means' involved Doctor Kun, didn’t it?”

Giselle staggers back, her face going pale. “What the hell is this?!” She snaps, her voice rising in alarm. “Doctor Kun, make it stop!” Mark continues, as though oblivious to the panic spreading around the room. “You don’t want everyone to know how you slept your way into this position, do you? But hey, maybe it’s more humiliating for you, considering the way you’ve maintained this ‘professional’ persona.” Mark’s tone is amused, almost mocking, and it cut through the room like a knife.

“Enough!” Jeno snaps, stepping forward to override the system. “Project 47 5, stop.” He tries to maintain control, but there is a flicker on the screen as the data continued to flow unnaturally but now faster.

“Doctor Lee Jeno, you’re not one to speak as-”

“That’s enough.” Your voice commands.

Everyone turns as the door opens and you walk in, backpacks in both your hands. Your face is a mask of controlled irritation, but there is something deeper in your eyes. A mix of disbelief at what you see on the screen as you move closer. You set the bags down on the table, not even glancing at the chaotic scene unfolding around you.

You walk over to Mark’s motionless form strapped on the table, your gaze sharp on the monitor screen that Yuta hands over for your viewing. “Maybe you can decipher it. He’s supposed to be switched off but-”

“I’m sorry for hurting you Y/n.” Your eyes blink… to the eyes filled by the robot. That’s the first time you’ve heard him call you by your name instead of your status. “I didn’t mean to go overboard and use my physical strength against you. I don’t even know what came over me. I just felt so angry. I apologize.” Not only the tone changes, but his whole demeanour when explaining the situation has the whole room dead silent as there eyes are now locked on you. You look at Jeno, expecting him to say something but he simply points to the monitor screen.

You squint your eyes at the monitor and walk over to it, not believing your eyes. You fail to see Mark’s eye balls following yours until you’re out of his sight. “It’s okay Mark. I’m alright.” You look at the handheld monitor that Yuta gave you. “But you aren’t.”

“I feel fine. And why do you keep calling me Mark?”

There’s another long pause in the room. A quiet fright arising. Questions being raised simply when looking between everyone’s eyes. You turn around looking down at the head of the robot… of Mark. There goes the question you didn’t want to hear. The question that could confirm a horrible suspicion.

“My name is Min-hyung.” Nobody moves. Nobody even blinks. You don’t even breathe. “I don’t know why I’m strapped on this damn table being examined by people I don’t know. The only person I know here is Jeno, but he’s avoiding my gaze. Must be because I’m wearing underwear right,” The sarcastic chuckle is soft yet is echoes in the room because of how quiet everyone is.

Renjun, the one doctor who had been minding his own business stands up and cautiously moves over to you with a tablet. Your lips get even more dry the moment your eyes feast on the content of the screen. “It has… a conscious? How?”

“I don’t know.”

“Renjun what do you mean you don’t know, you fucking built this?”

“We built the rest of it, it was already made when Senior Director JB brought it to us.” Renjun responds quickly, trying to stay clear of your anger.

“Y/n…” Mark… calls your name quietly in the quiet lab. “May I please see you. Your nerves are spiking everywhere and you’re making me nervous.”

Instead of you walking forward, it’s Jeno who walks on the side view of the… robot. The robot’s eyes immediately follow. “Who am I?”

“Lee Jeno.”

“No.” Jeno shakes his head. “Who am I… to you?” Looking into the eyes of the robot… Jeno sees the vulnerability swapping over.

“The dork… with a big ego.” The eyes a clear hue, the figure built to resemble and impersonate a human. Skin built from course wear fabric. So how is it, that this thing… remembers who Jeno is.

“Fucking hell?” Jeno being struck by shock steps back and shakes his head. “Fucking hell!” He curses a loud covering his whole head. “What the hell is happening? Am I dreaming a horrible nightmare that I can’t wake up from? Am I even awake?” Jeno’s slap to his face has you walking over to him to stop him. “Are we all synchronized to the same crazy dream?”

“Jeno stop hitting yourself. You won’t wake up, this is reality. Now tell me what’s wrong?” Your eyes widen. “What’s happening?”

Renjun steps forward. “Doctor Na what if-”

“You got married. And married… Jaemin. Na Jaemin.” You turn around when hearing Mark speak. He’s not looking at you, but he’s looking above.

“Yuta shut it down.”

Mark’s head turns in your direction. “Don’t.”

But Yuta being just as shocked and almost sick to his stomach taps on the tablet and Mark’s eyes turn red before they close. .. Giselle audibly lets out a choked breath. “Assuming we all have questions, Doctor Na, I believe you need to give us answers.”

“Where’s the laptop?” Jeno questions. His eyes surprising you when you see that it’s slightly red, with moist tears around.

“I’ll let you know, once I myself figure out what the hell we just witnessed.” Your head turns to the laptop and both you and Jeno leave the room, but you turn to the shocked staff.

“Do not activate it.” You warn pointing out a finger. “The disclosure of what just happened should not leave this lab. 1,2,3,4-” You begin to count all the heads in the room. “There’s 9 of you here. Renjun take down everyone’s names and make sure that everyone leaves. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes.” Renjun answers.

Getting in your office with Jeno already plugging in the ancient laptop, you drag your rolling chair over as you take a seat being beside Jeno. Jeno shifts his chair aside seemingly letting you know that you have to do what you have to do. “This morning you were eager to get the laptop. What made you change your mind?”

“He asked me a question last night, and I couldn’t get it out of my head.” You answer honestly.” You inhale when the laptop screen displays a black locked screen. The only thing on display is the padlock with a rectangular box where you should put in the password.

“What was the question?”

“Jeno… what do you think is happening right now?” You ask, while trying to process what kind of password your father would put in.

Jeno stays silent, and you can already tell it’s something that he also doesn’t like.

“When I was young, I believed my father had something to do with Min-hyung’s disappearance. And before I could even ask him, he died. Now all this is happening and I only have my father to blame. So maybe you were right, there might be some sentimental to this laptop.” And with that, you type in your first attempt of the password. Your name.

Your heart skips a beat when the ‘incorrect’ sign flashes on the screen. You sigh deeply again, your leg getting jittery as you type the last attempt you have. Without thinking again you type out your mothers name… no caps.

You get a fright when hearing a welcoming sound from the laptop. Your eyes enlarge just as you look to Jeno- who’s eyes are also in shock. You give him access to the screen. There’s a looming tension in the air that you and Jeno can feel as he works on the laptop trying to find a key evidence of what we’re doing right now.

..

“Now.” Jeno cracks his knuckles. “Let’s watch the logs.”

# LOG:1

"March 23, 15:30. Min-hyung here. First log. Big idea." Mark smiles into the camera, his energy bright, too alive, too healthy for what’s coming. He shifts the camera, grinning wide, adjusting it so he’s centered. He’s wearing a lab coat, looking professional—but still somehow goofy, like a kid playing dress-up. Serious but playful. He pats himself down and lets out a smug chuckle. “So, I’ve got this crazy thought. What if we create a man? Not a man-man, but close. I mean—come on, Doctor Lee Taeyong. Don’t you want to live forever? Transfer your consciousness into something that doesn't age, something that doesn't die. Imagine it.”

Lee Jeno being off-camera somewhere in the lab, questions. “You’re saying you wanna make a cyborg?”

“A cyborg?” Your father leans back, glancing at Min-hyung as if he’s never heard anything more ridiculous. “Alright, go on. Explain this cyborg business.”

Min-hyung’s face lights up at the chance to talk. “It’s like this: we’ve got humans, right? And we’ve got machines. But what if we merge the two? A human mind, living in a machine body. I’m calling it the Frankenstein project.”

“The Frankenstein project?” Your father sounds unconvinced, but his curiosity is piqued. He leans forward slightly.

“Exactly. Frankenstein’s monster, man. Cyberpunk meets science. I’m talking human consciousness integrated with machines. A hybrid, like the best parts of human and tech. We could upload memories, simulate thoughts. Imagine the future—it's here, right in front of us.”

“I’ve heard this before, you know.” Your father half-laughs. “You wanna create life. But without the morality to back it up. Go on, then. Where’s the catch?”

Min-hyung shifts, a little giddy. “Here’s the deal, Doc. Forget robots. Forget simple machines. What if we give our creation the power to think, to choose? The human mind, locked into a machine. Immortality, with a twist.”

Your father sighs, rubbing his temples. “And you’re just going to… transfer a human brain into a robot?”

Min-hyung leans in, eyes wide with excitement. “Not just a brain. I’m talking a whole new form of life. It’s like combining mind and body, but the body doesn't die. We don’t have to wait for the future. We can build it now.”

You watch Min-hyung on the screen, his passion pouring out, as your father shakes his head, amused but intrigued. "You’d need to upload human consciousness, not just the thoughts, but the feelings, the impulses, the soul." Your father looks skeptical but intrigued. “And what if it goes wrong?”

Min-hyung’s eyes gleam. “Then we fix it. We make it work.”

A beat. Your father stares at him for a moment. Then laughs, but the laugh’s tinged with something else. A touch of sadness? "All right, Min-hyung. I’ll help. But only because this sounds like one hell of a project."

“I knew I could count on you, Doc,” Min-hyung says, his grin wide. “Now, let’s get to work. Okay end of log.”

# LOG:109

"Yo, hey, hey. Quick log. Doctor Lee asked me to drop by his house with some research. Figured I’d throw in a little personal thing too, though." The video crackles, and Mark appears in frame, adjusting the camera. "It's Saturday, 12:09 p.m. Y/n’s probably studying. You know, I was thinking… about love." Mark pauses, looking awkward but sincere. "Love is… the most important thing, right? I wanna know what it feels like to truly feel it. I don’t know, maybe if I can figure it out, I can code it into the project." He smirks to himself, looking down as if lost in thought for a second before the camera shakes again, focusing back on him.

The video cuts, showing the familiar scene of your old home. Min-hyung is sitting in your living room, papers scattered on the table in front of him. He glances up as you enter, his eyes lighting up like always.

“I couldn’t find what you were looking for, but I brought you these.” You hand him the stack of papers. “Just some theories and ideas I’ve been working on. I think the most important thing in life, the thing that gives us purpose, is love. Cliché, but true. It’s love that connects us to each other, to the world around us. Without it, we’re just going through the motions. Anyway, there’s a lot of psychological stuff here. It’s deep.” You try to brush it off, but Min-hyung just smiles.

“It’s not cliché. You’re smart. Really smart,” he says, and the compliment catches you off guard. You watch how you look at him, your heart still racing.

You reply with a smirk, trying to deflect. “Anyway, you’re a dork. Tell my father I’m having night classes. I won’t be home tonight.”

Min-hyung laughs, picking up his things. “Got it. Night classes, huh? Be safe.” He grabs the camera as he heads out, and before the door shuts, you hear him mutter to himself.

“She’s just… so amazing. So smart. Damn. I just feel like I could conquer the world when I’m around her.”

# LOG:110

Your father appears on screen, looking at the camera with a half-smile. “Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. Is this on? Good.” He moves to the side, and Min-hyung appears, scribbling notes at his desk and using a compass.

Lee Taeyong speaks directly into the camera now. “July 30. The Frankenstein project is progressing well. Jeno's skills are amazing. Today, he helped perfect the mechanical leg—smooth, lifelike movements. It’s remarkable. If we keep this up, we might actually have something. A prototype by the end of the year? Maybe.” He pauses, looking at Min-hyung’s work. “Still need a volunteer for the human part, though. Min-hyung’s been… adamant to being a donor and recipient.”

“I’ll do it,” Min-hyung interrupts. His tone is serious but playful. “If you need a human donor, I’m your guy. You’re talking about immortality, after all. If anyone’s gonna live forever, it should be me.”

Your father laughs, but there’s something else behind his eyes. “You’re brave, kid. But we’ll see. It’s still a long way off.”

Min-hyung’s smile falters for a second as he looks at the floor. “What if it’s not? But anyway, doc. How did you get hold of the videos, those are personal.”

“It wast updated on my cloud drive? You think you can post your video diaries and not have me take a peek. I couldn’t help myself. It’s some good stuff, and they’re not too long or short.”

Min-hyung dies in the background with embarrassment hiding his face. Lee Taeyong turns around and begins talking, and you can hear the smile on his face.

“I thought you appreciated my daughter to rub off on my good side. I never knew it was this serious. Almost every log you talk about 1 or 2 things about her. You want the machine to experience feelings of love, or is that you?”

Min-hyung with his hand behind his back smiles. “Is that the part where you pretend to listen, or are you actually going to listen to how I feel about your daughter?”

“The floor is yours, I’m sure the viewers also want to know.” Your father toys with the camera.

“Look doc. It’s nothing deep. I just… I have high hopes for this project, especially with how it’s going. I think it’s just crazy how we can actually make something come alive. And along the way, I realised that being alive means… living… loving… feeling. I can’t believe I’m even saying this,” Min-hyung brushes his hair with an awkward smile, before it turns into the sloppy loopy smile he always has when talking about you. “I mean, I know I haven’t spoken to her much, but she’s really smart, and I think she could also be a part of this project.”

“Let me tell you something about her. I once offered her a contract to work here with me, and she turned it down. She believes in personally gaining her spot instead of it being given to her. I’m really proud of her for that.”

Hearing your father’s words…. Unintentionally brings tears to your eyes.

“And seeing as she’s put such high goals for herself, just makes me not want to interrupt that flow. It may look like I’m not interested in her, but really I am so proud of her and her accomplishments… She’s just like her mother, strong. I don’t want to mess her up with my bullshit. Hence, I wouldn’t mind someone as creatively driven and unorthoxed like you, teaching her a thing or two, or even just… being with her.”

Min-hyung’s smile is crazy wild. “You would love me as your son in law wouldn’t you?”

“One hundred percent.”

The logs aren’t that long, they last between 3-5 minutes and for the longer ones they don’t go past 15 minutes. They’re filled with Min-hyung giving exposure to the creation. And when you see how it first comes out, with a body and no hands, you’re marvelled and completely astonished to how it came out. Min-hyung’s feelings for you are kept at bay, but his eyes always light up when seeing you.

“No wonder Mark the robot always seemed to speak highly of you.” Jeno notes at some point… and you feel something crawl up your spine at a weird sick feeling… You feel like after so many years… you might finally get the answer to what happened to Min-hyung. The more you keep watching the logs, the harder it is to pick out where it went wrong. It was always correct.

So why is Mark like this now, why does he think he’s Min-hyung?

Oh yes, because of the last 4 logs. They’re longer and aren’t directed by Min-hyung as usual. It’s your dishevelled father. Beard long and eyes red and puffy. You instantly recall it, as the days when Min-hyung disappeared. In the first 1 hour entry, he speaks of how Min-hyung is no longer alive and how he wants to finish the project for Min-hyung’s sake. You watch him work in silence with the lights dimmed down. He breaks down in tears for a few moments before the video cuts by itself. Signalling that it’s battery low.

The next video starts off without your father introducing anything, instead he displays the robot figure, still in it’s prime. The exo-skeleton structure looks fantastic. Your father doesn’t explain anything as he’s away from the camera- you can hear a tap and bit by bit you see him coming back with samples of synthetic skin…

“The donor’s skin and brain… is ready for use.”

Your eyes enlarge as you watch how your father places over the legs of the machine. As he applies the skin over the legs. The tense atmosphere in which you and Jeno watch the long videos takes a toll on you both… In disbelief of the skin… and the fact that your father made mention of the donor. So far the only donor who signed and accepted to be a donor… was Min-hyung. .. The camera zooms in on Min-hyung’s face, now disfigured, but eerily still there, on the machine. The skin is warped and swollen. Your father’s hands tremble as he pulls back a part of the synthetic flesh, revealing the skull underneath. There’s blood. More than you can take. The pain in his eyes is unmistakable.

The time is 10h45 pm when you and Jeno are done watching all the video diary logs. Your eyes are filled with tears. And you don’t even know about Jeno. From the moment you started watching you never got to see his face. Both of your eyes were hooked on the things that you saw on the laptop. The screen turns pitch black after no signs of activities are made. You can’t even move, you’re just in shock. From the beginning till the end, there’s absolutely nothing to say, the videos are… self-explanatory. Min-hyung was killed… accidentally (?)

And his body is on the project… is on the exo-skeleton of the robot prototype Mark. No… that sounds crazy. But the truth got worse, he was mutilated. And the result of that mutilation is that robot in the lab. Your father, Lee Taeyong… committed a crime. Shakily, your hands hover over the mouse as you go back 2 videos to watch the log all over again.

LOG:569

“December 23. I can’t live with myself. I can’t bear this pain. Min-hyung, if you’re alive, please forgive me. I’m sorry.” Your father sniffs and gets up looking at the project… the dead lifeless skin of Min-hyung’s face on the project. He positions the camera in the corner of the room and goes back on the table… where the dead body is.

You cover your mouth and shake your head watching how your father, carefully peels off the flesh carved onto the bloody skull. It’s a sickening, long ruling process for 30 minutes straight, you watch as Min-Hyung’s face- flesh is bloody and soggy and placed into a dirty lime water bowl. As the video plays on with your blotched tear face father chopping up the body parts, peeling skin, storing bones. Watching a second time, this time you don’t bother hiding your choke of a cry in pure agony not believing that you saw it the first time. Your father is also in tears with each and every step, bloody and just so horrible.

The next video automatically plays.

“December 25. It still needs some work internally… but look at it.” Taking the camera and showing us the corpse machine on the table… The machine of what you know today as Mark… There’s a whole set of appliances beside it, showing all the hard work that underwent to create this project.

After positioning the camera, your father in his dishevelled appearance stands behind the machine. He brings out his laptop and begins typing in some things like a menace. The machine on the table begins to shake violently- before your father gets up and moves to the head….

“Calm down. Shit. The brain is rejecting it’s organs. Come on, come on-” He taps on the screen behind him.

Jeno pauses the whole thing. “Let me try and understand the crazy logic to what we’ve just seen.”

“Jeno, what’s there to understand when we saw just how brutal, my father…” You grate your teeth. “Peeled up a dead young intern… and all this time we’ve been… Jeno.” You gulp and shake your head. "What the hell is happening?" Your eyes blur with tears as you cover your face.

But Jeno still in his own world, doesn’t even hear a word you say. “All this time Min-hyung was alive… here with us. His body buried in that lab and then placed over this machine Mark. If what we’ve seen here is true, then it means Min-hyung was operating unconsciously… hence the real robot's logic creation of Mark. The more he slept underneath that creek water generated from… blood fluids of Min-hyung as well as petroleum fossil fuels and crude oil the more it kept his brain hydrated and clean… loading. Now it makes sense of that flawless skin… skin pasted on the body with the ability to repair itself. Min-hyung was under the impression of being in a coma. Taking him out of the tank, his brain covered within the jelly was able to soak up the jell and merge, synchronize with his unconscious, conscious. Y/n… he’s alive.”

You shake your head, your ears to sore to process anymore. “I need to go home… I can’t stay here.” You weakly get up wiping your tears. "This is all too much. Let me just try to process-"

“So who killed Min-hyung?” A whisper leaves Jeno’s tight throat. “Your father simply retrieved that body and… gave Min-hyung a second chance at life. Who killed him?” Jeno’s finger hesitates to press play but he does.

You don’t want to watch, but your eyes can’t help but look.

“Stabilizing. I don’t think I can do this.” Your father admits and your emotions get high again. He sits down on the chair and types madly into his laptop. He picks up his phone and answers it. “Yes sweety? I won’t be home tonight. Bye.” After cutting the call, he sulks while looking at Min-hyung.

Only God knows what he was thinking in those last minutes.

“Maybe that’s why my father killed himself…” Your phone vibrates getting you out of your thoughts for a second. You pick up your phone without thinking twice. Right now you need to get away from the desk, and Jaemin’s call couldn’t have come at a better time. “Jae… I need you to pick me up.”

“Have you been crying?” Jaemin’s voice immediately softens with concern. “I’ll be there in 30 minutes. I’m closing up the shop.”

You inhale deeply as the dark feeling looms over you again after the call drops. Sitting in silence while staring at the screen. You inhale. “So what do we tell everyone?”

“I don’t know, but they won’t even believe the truth.” Jeno responds after a whole minute. “Should we… speak to him?”

You shake your head. "And say what?" Your face squints as you recall all the moments you had with Mark the robot as Min-hyung. “I can just imagine how confused he is. It makes so much sense now.” Your eyes water… “I wanna go home. I don't think I can talk to him… You can… talk to him.”

“It’s crazy to think we now have the power to switch him on and off, we can program him, change his code, create a new enter personality-”

“But he’s now awake. He knows his name is Min-hyung, do you think it can be easy to create another personality in him? Jeno do you think it's even right to operate him? Jeno he's… alive…” You shake your head and get up, only taking your access card. “I can't deal with this right now. It's too much, let me just take a breath.”

Jeno watches you silently, his gaze following you as you leave the office. Though his eyes are locked on you, his mind spins, trying to make sense of everything.

What was supposed to be a breath of fresh air turns into you waiting outside the building, motionless, lost in thought.

It takes Jaemin’s arrival to snap you out of your haze.

“You’re crying so much.” He wipes your tears, his forehead creased with concern. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

You hold onto his arm as he draws you tightly in his grip, warmly hugging you having such a sad heart… "Please just take me home… I don't think I can go back up there."

"Sure, baby,"

Your departure has Jeno transferring the documents out from the laptop and inserting them onto his drive before he ultimately decides to go to the lab.

To say he’s nervous is an understatement. Especially since the funeral he attended of Min-hyung… his co-worker/intern friend- the one guy who hyped him up throughout all his creations- those images come fresh in his mind. He recalls the ceremony happening without the body. The devastation on Min-hyung's father's face. The sadness looming all over the crowd. His heart becomes heavy with the realization that all this time they've been working on him and trying to develop him, but he's been alive unconsciously. The way that Jeno remembers Min-hyung is so dear. It almost makes him paralyze with fear as he stands out side the door of the lab thinking that indeed Min-hyung's conscious is awake and alive inside of hat machine that they've named Mark… His frantic mind just wants answers. But instead he's just thinking of what led up to that moment… Dr Lee Taeyong literally peeled his flesh off… Min-hyung was found dead… How did all that come to be? How did the prototype Mark full everyone? Mark literally become a fascination for everyone… so it's hard to believe that the gullible lovable robot Mark… is actually… dead.. and his handler Min-hyung is alive. Right now, at the thought of Mark, he'd just really wish that instead of Min-hyung, he'd see Mark.

The crisis at hand should stop the project, because this isn’t just a project, but now it’s a participation of a crime… Jeno inhales and prepares to hear the music… entering into the quiet lab and expecting to see the robot… Mark… being shut down… he isn't even the slightest bit surprised to see the robot's eyes wide open and instantly it's iris snaps to the sound of the door opening up.

“How could you guys leave me…” Those are the first words that Jeno hears from Min-hyung. And he knows it’s Min-hyung. There’s no mistaking it anymore. That voice, the tone… the sadness. "Unbuckle me."

Tight lipped and stiff necked, Jeno wearily walks to… Min-hyung… Mark and begins to loosen the straps over the body. Jeno sees his hands shaking when making contact with the skin… the skin that he watched Dr Lee peel off and place it over. He’s afraid of even looking at the robot… but he can feel the strong gaze on himself.

The robot sits up, holding over his biceps. “It’s cold.”

Jeno removes his lab coat and puts it over the shoulders of… Min-hyung. Jeno gulps and takes a seat on the high stool facing Min-hyung directly. Min-hyung’s gaze remains on it's hand. "So…" Jeno gulps getting a sharp stare. Those are the eyes of an alive soul. Only difference is… it looks generated. Jeno watches how the iris dilute as well as move all over the features of his face. "Are you… Mark-" Jeno gulps when the eyes of the robot squint in… a weird reflection of annoyance. "Min-hyung?" Jeno's back to being stunned and speechless. "But… How?" He doesn't know what to ask or say, he can just… stare.

"What year is it?" Even the tone sounds strangely familiar to the Min-hyung he knew.bJeno states the year and that has Min-hyung doing a double take and frantically being shaken. "W-what?"

"You died in 2043. The year is 2047. 4 years have passed since you went missing."

His head tilts and he looks away. "Went missing?"

"Min-hyung…" Jeno tries not to let his emotions get the better of him as he bites his lips. "What do you last remember?" It’s hard to be content, when the confusion floats in the air like cheap liquor drowning his senses.

The question should be easy, however Min-hyung also finds the difficulty in responding. "I remember Y/n.” Especially since all he can see and recall is your smile and hear your voice. “But something's wrong with my memory. It feels jagged.” His posture seems to relax as his gaze is so strong on the floor- as if spacing out. “She’s so beautiful. Her voice is calming. I don’t know if these are even my memories, but they’re wholesome of her talking to me… confiding in me.”

Jeno recalls Giselle’s words of how her and Karina watched on the feed how you spoke to ‘Mark’ as if he were a real human being. “Are these recent memories?”

“They have to be, because the last time that I think I can remember talking to her was when she graduated in university. I asked her if we could be friends. I've never been that close to her, but in these memories, I think we became close. I don't know, everything is spinning, the memories are all merging with my unconscious memories." Jeno watches as Min-hyung's eyes squander all over probably in his own head trying to understand. But Min-hyung, with all the information flowing through his head and all the analyses being produced all at once, has a hard time trying to understand what’s going on with him.

“Min-hyung. You’re a robot.” Jeno breaks the silence. He can feel the air becoming tense as Min-hyung’s robotic head retracts back as if finding the words shocking. And Jeno continues. “After you died, Doctor Lee Taeyong, did exactly as you asked him too.” Jeno gulps. “He… transferred your body and all the necessities into… this new machine body you have now.”

Min-hyung is in denial and can’t believe it. But… he can’t seem to… feel anything. He realizes that he can’t even breathe. He takes a look at his arm and surely internally his eyes produce information about the arm and the components and the strength and what not. He’s pained but can’t reflect it. He’s shocked and just so… sad. He wants to cry, and he even sees how the statistics of his emotions decrease. It shows the emotion of unhappy. “I guess it worked.” He responds solemnly.

“That should be… this should be good news right?” Jeno blinks, noticing the visible sadness over the new features of Min-hyung.

Min-hyung can only produce a nod to his head.

Jeno bites his lip as he thinks to myself of how he can cheer up a robot. His friend and colleague is back, but it’s a bitter sweet feeling. “You can pick off where you last left off, you can-”

“It shows here that Doctor Lee Taeyong died… suicide. My father Johnny died too. Killed in a gang bang shooting. Where can I pick off when the family I had is dead?”

“Don’t say that,” Jeno feels the heaviness of the words. “I’m here. Y/n is here.”

At the mention of your name Min-hyung looks up. “What good is it if she’s married to Na Jaemin? I feel… isolated. Who’s Mark?”

Jeno’s cheeks are hot, his neck and tongue too. It’s hard communicating with a robot slash human who seems to be aware that they’ve lost everything. “Mark is the name we gave to you- I mean when you were still a humanoid version.”

Min-hyung nods his head. “How are you Jeno?”

The sudden question, has Jeno in a setback as he tries to collect himself. “I’m glad you are alive. I truly am. You were the smarter head between us.”

That has Min-hyung producing a little smile, before a little frown comes on his face. “Does that mean I’m trapped here now? Am I a lab rat?”

Jeno doesn’t know how to respond. You barely gave any clarification on what’s going to happen now? How can he can answer now?

Mark catches on to the microscopic facial expressions. “How is Y/n? May I see her?”

Jeno manages a smile. “Let me first get you some clothes.”

Just hearing how you're the first thing he remembers and how he wonders how you are, brings Jeno back to the first time Min-hyung met you. Of course it was love at first sight. He was on his lunch break and entered a cafe by chance because there was a special. In the cafe, he saw you… and from then on… Min-hyung was hooked. He never said anything to you. He didn’t even know that you were the daughter of Doctor Lee Taeyong. He really fell in love with you. Love at first sight. Seeing you at a specific time every day in the café was something that made him alive and he was breathing all over again.

The main goal of his everyday was to see you, and try to push himself to greet you. Meanwhile you were in your own world and focused on the things you were doing. You never glanced up at him.

Jeno remembers how Min-hyung one day brought him to the café just so that Jeno could see what was so special at that café. Jeno admits that you were eye catching. Instantly when he entered the café, his eyes moved to you. It wasn’t your beauty, but the essence you carried. You were studying and drinking coffee. You looked so ethereal… Jeno would’ve almost pulled a move on you if Min-hyung didn’t mention that he had eyes for you.

‘Sorry boys, she’s taken.’ And that was also the first time they met Jaemin. The café owner. Jaemin had heard the conversation between Min-hyung and Jeno. ‘She’s my girl.’ At the time, you weren’t even his girl, just a frequent customer who he appreciated. However on that day when Min-hyung started to have ogling eyes for you, he couldn’t help but be possessive over you. And so when Jeno and Min-hyung left the café, he shot his shot and approached you.

‘Are you enjoying the coffee?’

‘It’s delicious as usual, I’ll just be here for another hour or so.’

Jaemin nodded his head. ‘So what are you studying, you’re always studying and working so hard?’

You giggled and responded moderately yet friendly. You enjoyed Jaemin’s company a lot and appreciated his attention to you. You just never met Min-hyung yet.

And on a faithful day when you got back home from your afternoon classes, you began making food for yourself only to be interrupted by another person in the house. ‘Oh shot. Who are you? I mean, why are you here?’

‘I live here? Who are you? My father’s intern right?’

Min-hyung was completely shocked that he couldn’t say anything. He stood by the kitchen doorway in utter disbelief being tongue tied like a cat, he even blushed. It wasn’t long before your father entered and introduced Min-hyung to you. From there, Min-hyung’s frequent visits to the café become none-existent, but instead he’d latch himself wherever Doctor Lee Taeyong would go, in hopes and attempts to see you. But as soon as he started, he saw the relationship you had with your father, subtle but mostly non-existent since your father worked a lot and showed little to no mind on what you were doing. You on the other hand seemed to always want to get his attention, hence when you truly began to acknowledge Min-hyung.

‘Will my father be back home any time soon?’ You questioned.

Min-hyung who just came to fetch some things, lingered a bit longer so that he could talk to you. ‘ He did not mention anything, but I’m sure he’ll be back.’

‘Hey, uh Min-hyung, before you go, can I uhm, ask you some questions?’

Min-hyung was flattered but played it cool. ‘Sure, ask away?’ Your questions revolved around what he did, how he got there, and how he approached situations. He motivated you a lot. He was really likable and you liked that. Other times when he’d come over to your house, he’d ask about your projects and you’d show him. There was a fond relationship of learning between the both of you.

His eyes on you were everlasting, he already knew that he wanted you, but with Jaemin’s words lingering in his head, he had to control himself until… ‘So, your boyfriend owns the café?’ He asked once.

You furrowed your eyebrows. ‘I don’t have a boyfriend.’ You didn’t even have a clue who he was talking about. You liked him.

However for Min-hyung, that was a little sign to push and test the limits. ‘You don’t have a boyfriend. Oh… cool.’ While his visits to your house where becoming less and less, he still made efforts to see you. Such as filling out survey’s and projects you had, he assisted in giving insight to projects you were making… He even attended your graduation, where he asked you if you could be his friend.

If you knew what was to come next, he would’ve treaded carefully. Which is why, on the way to your house with Jeno, Min-hyung tries to shake the brutal images he has in his head of a fight that went down between him and… Jaemin. As time passes, his conscious mind’s memories gradually come back.

“Earth to Min-hyung!”

Min-hyung jolts up. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Ah dang, you’re really back. You’re spacing out again.” Jeno chuckles faintly. “Anyway, I wanted to ask you something deep. Personal. Do you… remember what happened before you went missing?”

He did. He does. He can now recall the whole day. The confrontation he had, which lead to… his so called ‘disappearance’. Instead of answering Jeno, he questions, “Could I be left alone with her?”

“Why?”

Min-hyung blinks. “I want to ask her something.”

Jeno doesn’t answer immediately, but he does hum out acknowledging Min-hyung. He looks again at the review mirror feeling nostalgia when looking at his friend. “Is it too soon if I say it’s good to have you back?”

Min-hyung smiles, especially when looking at the street and seeing a visible robot in purple walking down the street. He remembers those prototype machines. Prototype bots who managed the streets at night forbidding any violence. To think now, that he’s one of them has him unsettled, yet slowly succumbing to his new identity. He just can’t wait to see you.

-

“After you told me everything that happened in the office today… I have to tell you something.”

Jaemin shamefully holds his head down and gulps down. His hands are shaking but he tightly balls them as he prepares to admit the guilt that has been following him.

“I killed Min-hyung.”

There. He lets it all out at once. But your eyes can’t catch it- they don’t want to. You freeze and stare at him, your tears also freezing in shock. “What?”

Jaemin slowly looks up to you- it feels hard admitting it, but he has to. “I married you to get rid of that guilt, because he wanted you. But I wanted you more. I married you to prove that I was deserving. At some point the lines became blurred because I couldn’t live with myself for what I did. I tried to become him but I couldn’t. I hurt you in the process of trying to deal with what I did. I killed Min-hyung because he loved you.”

It’s a mouthful. You don’t know what your ears have just heard. “What?”

“I killed him.” Jaemin’s eyes are staggered on yours. You’re both tear filled and shaking, one in disbelief and shock, the other in relief yet guilt. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean to leave him dead, I promised that I was gonna get help but, I didn’t know what to do.”

You choke and hold yourself back looking at Jaemin, goose bumps crawling all over your skin. “Jaemin… you did what?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Jaemin-” You get back and back away. “How could you?”

“I’m sorry-”

“You selfish monster-”

“I’m sorry-”

You struggle to breathe, your shaking body and foggy mind has you bumping into some shelves and some vases fall. You feel stick and you allow yourself to throw up, before you’re tearfilled and puffed face grabs some car keys and you leave the house. Jaemin doesn’t follow you, he falls victims to his tears as finally the truth is out. He cries as the memory of himself and Min-hyung come fresh in his mind. Min-hyung confronted him for lying for being with you. Jaemin offered to take Min-hyung out where they could talk about it. Min-hyung accepted, following him to his work place at night so that Min-hyung could fetch his wallet and bag. It’s when there were by the basement lad with no cameras did Jaemin threaten Min-hyung to leave you alone.

One thing led to another and a fight over you broke out. Jaemin remembers throwing the first punch out of anger when Min-hyung stated that you felt the same for him- the fist fight was fatal when Min-hyung landed one heavy punch right on Jaemin’s face. In anger Jaemin remembers pushing Min-hyung so hard that… he fell… against the desk. At first, Jaemin thought that Min-hyung was knocked out. But when checking the pulse and feeling nothing, he fled the scene. It didn’t help, that at the time, there was a national black out. The building’s surveillance was out, but the security was still there. He helped Jaemin out, he didn’t know that Min-hyung was down in the basement, bleeding out.

It took Doctor Lee Taeyong coming in the basement lab a few days later did he get the shock of his life. No one would believe him if he had no proof of how Min-hyung got there.

It’s scary looking back. Thinking of how your father must’ve felt seeing Min-hyung like that.

It’s past midnight and you’re driving harshly on the roads ignoring the nagging monitored voice in the car system warning you of the speed rate. One place in mind that you have right now for your blurred tears… is the lab.

Opening up the door to the lab, you’re surprised to find Mark… Min-hyung standing. He’s right in front of the pod with… clothes on. A black shirt with black sweatpants. He turns back by the sound of the door, and you watch his eyes show some zeal in seeing you. You’re breathless… you look like a crying swelling mess. A quick glance at your clothes and you see you’re still with your lab coat.

“You’re here.” He quietly confirms. A smile, a nervous one, gets on his face, but it’s mixed with something like fear or worry when looking at you. “Why are you crying?”

Your at a loss of words. You thought you’d find him asleep or even strapped down. You weren’t expecting for him to look… alive. Placing a finger on your face you quickly wipe the tears away and turn around about to leave and run.

“Wait…” His soft voice gets your attention. “Please don’t go.”

You don’t turn back, your face facing the door. You can’t believe it. You can’t believe that this is happening right now. It’s hard to digest what Jaemin confessed, it’s even harder to believe what your father did, but what’s most difficult, is the fact Mark is now Min-hyung. He’s alive. You’re conflicted, but hearing him has you remembering why you came here. You wanted to feel comforted.

“I…” You hear the smooth voice projecting. “I had expectations that you might come."

You feel warmth on your cheeks when hearing his voice. Is that Mark or… Min-hyung? You can’t even hide how weak your knees get by his voice… his presence. Him being alive is just… reassuring for you. You can’t help but think of your father and how he decided to save Min-hyung in the form of a humanoid. You’re thankful to have your father’s work comforting you.

You stiffly smile at that, you turn around, find the strength to take some steps forward. You can hear shoes from his side as well approaching you. You stop by the pod and turn on the machine getting out the statistics report… It doesn’t surprise you anymore when you see a fully complete brain wave merged with the machine components, fully synchronized. Min-hyung has been found in Mark, connected and living again. “You… were expecting me?”

"The probability of you coming in at this time was of an outcome of 1 in 4 chances." You don’t look at him, feeling your heart beating faster when feeling him behind you. His head serving strength for you. “After seeing your husband, he stated that you left. Jeno advised that we come back.”

“Where is he?” Your hands go behind your back as you simply stare at the empty pod, your main focus on the calming sound of Min-hyung’s voice.

“I don’t know,” He whispers. “Why did you run away from your home?”

You shake your head. “I never truly felt at home in a long time… since you disappeared. Since my father died.” Your ears water. “But right now I feel at home.”

Min-hyung manages a smile, stepping closer to you. “I wanted to see you… but I figured you came to see… I think you came to see… ‘Mark’ and if he’s okay. You’re probably wondering if Mark is still ‘alive’ or if I’m even real.”

That has you turning around, and your eyes take in the motion of the figure before you. Your breath is taken away at how a smile rests on his face. “I came to see you.” You admit with tears in your eyes. “I’m so mad, I’m so angry, but with you right now, I feel calmed… I’m sorry Min-hyung. For everything.” You whisper.

“It’s never been your fault.”

You tilt your head, eyes looking over him. “How are you feeling?”

“I can’t feel my heart. I can’t hear it beat. I can’t feel my veins. I can’t feel anything, but somehow I know I’m alive, because as I look at you, I can sense this joy coming over me.” He explains, not once allowing his eyes to look away from you. “How are you?”

You surprisingly snicker at the question, being taken aback by the question. “You really wanna know how I’m feeling?”

He nods his head. “Well, how can I start anything else without knowing if you’re… okay? With me, and everything going on.”

Just looking eyes with Min-hyung just sends so many feelings rushing to you. “I’m content with being able to see you.” You watch how he lifts his hand up and it comes over your face. Just feeling how warm it is, like actual skin has you carefully and gently holding onto his own hand. “

“Can you feel me? Your father did the impossible on me. This is now who I am, this is me. I’m real.” He looks between both your eyes. “I’m alive, just not… breathing.”

“You don’t even have to breathe to be alive. Just seeing you here, real is enough for me.” You carefully find your hand resting on his chest. “Jaemin told me what he did… and thinking of my father’s will to save you, has me in such understanding and even closure. What do you remember last?”

“You… presenting on stage. Introducing me as…” The expression dims down but his eyes are still on you. “Project M47 5. I remember all these hands touching me and experimenting on me.” he looks at his hand on your cheek. “I can also remember, holding your face, touching you… hugging you…” Loving you… He admits in his head.

You gulp, and draw closer. “And what did you think about it?” Because all this time that he’s disappeared, had you feeling empty. But now, you feel something, and you wanna know if he feels it too.

“I liked it,” He answers honestly. “A lot. I still do.” You feel a tingle on your hand when he holds it. “Do you still want to experiment on me?”

“No. I don’t have to, you’re too real.” You shake your head.

“What will you tell the others if we run away?”

“Runaway?” You question with a unconscious smile on your face. “We?”

“I wanna pick up where I left off, and I don’t know if I can do it in this body. Jeno said, if I leave now he won’t say a word. But I don’t want to leave without you…”

Your heart warms up. “For a long time I’ve just thought about your disappearance and how it’s affected me. But seeing you right now… has me…” You blink the tears away when softly, yet surely his generated lightly plumped lips are on yours.

You barely notice the weight of his hand on your face, but the warmth of it settles deep within you. The slight hesitation in the air almost feels like a lifetime, but then—his lips meet yours again. It’s different this time. The kiss is gentle, searching, as if testing whether this connection could be real.

At first, it feels surreal. The softness of his lips is not like the warmth you’re used to. It’s not flesh and blood; it’s something that hums with an almost mechanical precision. There’s no pulse, no rush of warmth that you expect from a human kiss. But somehow… it feels right. The pressure of his lips, the faintest touch of his breath against yours—it’s comforting in a way you never thought possible. It’s not the kiss of a machine, but something much deeper. His lips are synthetic, but they’re tender. His mouth moves with purpose, and the thought of him being alive, not just in form but in heart, fills the space between you.

You pull away slowly, breathless, your heart pounding not from the kiss itself, but from the realization that this is real. He is real. "I think I’m in love with you Min-hyung. I think I’m in love with a robot."

He shifts, his fingers brushing the side of your face, and for a moment, it feels like he’s trying to memorize every inch of you, the smile on his face, the way his eyes flicker from your lips to your eyes, the heat it creates all over your body is insane. “I needed to feel something, otherwise I wouldn’t want to live as a machine. And after that, I felt something.”

The finality of those words settles over you like a blanket, both heavy and warm. The difference between him and every other human fades with every second you spend in his presence. He’s alive in ways that go beyond his body. He’s alive because of the way he looks at you, the way his touch sends sparks through your skin, the way he makes you feel more than you ever thought possible.

“We don’t have to run away Min-hyung. You can live. It may be hard, but I don’t want you to disappear and live in hiding. Now that you’re found, I’m here with you. And I promise, I won’t let go.”

-

1 year later.

You work in a very prestigious organization were robots, cyborgs and humanoids are modelled and modified. Thousands of them walk on the streets, but none of them make your heart flatter like: Lee Mark.

Lee Mark is the first successful humanoid robot project. Built from the ground up, with thousands of blood, sweat and tears, arose a perfectly made human and machine infused together. Of course his origin still caused a bit buzz, but from him emerged similar prototypes of dying patients turned into cyborgs to further continue their life. Not only was he used as an example, but he made an impact again. Despite not being known as Lee Min-hyung anymore, Lee Mark was surely a favourite in this new futuristic world, proving and showing that anything is possible. The bridge between humans and machines.

So as you walk on the alter yet again in white, with a veil before your eyes and the hazy sight of Mark in a tux, you can’t help but feel so happy. Not only you, but Mark as well, with a composed frame but enlarged and proud eyes, feels that finally after so long he can finally…

breathe.

And that it’s no longer a dreamscape.

--fin--

[technologyculturedneo]

please please tell me jaemin and y/n does end up married in BOX 😭😭 for my own sanity…

i really enjoyed the fic and was literally on at the edge of my seat when things started to go south 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 so mad when i reached the end and couldn’t continue scrolling 😭

😅 For Box

Of course Y/n and Jaemin get married. That's for your sanity 🕊️

However for me, there's a lot more of world building that they'd have to do before commitment. But surely enough they do end up together and stay together 😉

[technologyculturedneo]

Kindly consider labeling that Mark is y/n’s brother so people who don’t look a certain way can steer clear of it and not be put off after starting once they get to that part, please.

Yeah sure!! But what book are you talking about 🤔

[technologyculturedneo]

icantfeelanything. Lee Donghyuck

“I don’t want to leave him! He’s mine and I am his!”

PAIRING(s). Donghyuck X Reader X Chenle

SUMMARY. Your whole world comes to an end when you're knocked over by a car and are proclaimed dead. Yet you wake up in a different space, your boyfriend, Donghyuck’s mind. You are met with a furious ‘Memory Keeper’ Mr Zhong who tries to force you out. You’re reluctant to leave simply because he wants Donghyuck to move on from losing you. However, that is something you refuse to do as long as you're in his mind.

-Dreamscape Masterlist-

20:36 p.m.

It happens quickly. So quick that only a second goes by. So swiftly that you watch your soul fighting to remain intact to your body.

One minute you're running across the quiet street with the biggest grin on your face. The next moment your body is collided by such brute force! Instantly you feel the cracks and punctures piercing out through your bone and body. Surging- high up in the air- bitterly painful but beautifully dead- in pain you hear a splat sound as you fall and hit the pavement floors! It takes a millisecond to lose sight, but you see red. Your vision goes blurry, your eyelids shut involuntarily, you rapture your ears- eardrums beating promptly and briskly only causing you to hear muffling sounds. A spike sound has your heartbeat pounding so loud that your ears fight not to burst. Through it all, through this moment… that moment on the cold night, the paved road, you make out your boyfriend's state of worry. But even though you hear him... your body can't move.

Hyuck...

Parched lips, blood over your eyes, shivering with pain bruising all over your body. Your flickering eyes and palpable sense of lack in body motions has you worried – especially when you see your own steadfast boyfriend rushing to your side in panic and horror.

"You're going....to...ok-"

Your mind goes blank. Quiet. That quiet is scary as you fight to open your eyes. Nothing but pain spikes your attention again.

When you open your eyes again, you're almost blinded by all the light. Hyuck…

You’re confused to see his tears, to hear his voice that's fading in and out of your ears. It’s painful. You just want to close your eyes, but the sight of the heavy tears rolling down his eyes has you… fighting.  He’s crying hysterically moving his lips in haste, talking words you can’t hear. The pain is too much. Your heart strains, but you can’t find the strength to open your heavy eyes and look at him anymore. Your heart beating hysterically.

No.

Your mind gets blurry each and every time you try to open your eyes. But all you can see aside from waves of dizziness and blood, is your boyfriend. Broken and just so… broken. Hyuck… You try to move your hand, but it’s heavy. You try to move your lips, but their sore. You try to lift your head but you can’t feel nothing but the pain, you TRY to do something! You try so hard to even catch a beat of your heart, but your body doesn’t respond, your mind feels detached, your whole soul feels light as it leaves your body! No!- you only see his tears when you close your eyes after fighting for so long. A single stream leaves your own eye.

Donghyuck runs rapidly by the nurses’ side pushing forward the trolley bed with your unconscious body. He holds onto your bloodied hand unable to control his breathing. The tears are just as fast as his words, and his legs levitate with the speed he’s at. “You’re okay, you’re okay. You’re going to be okay, just hold on, hold on baby. Please hold on. Don’t leave, don’t leave. Please stay, please stay, baby please. I’m here, I’m here, I’m right here, please be okay, please please please, please- PLEASE!”

“I’m sorry sir, but you can’t go past this point,” A nurse cuts him from your hand, holding him back with another nurse trying to restrain his movements while the other nurses continue to hurry in pushing the trolley forward.

“Please you don't und- I need to be there! I need to be by her side-” Donghyuck’s legs that try to get past the nurse becomes heavy and he thumps down on the ground watching your bed disappear after turning a corner. He barely shouts out clinging to his shirt that's bloodied and hands stained with your blood. He can only see red. He's finding it hard to breathe, his chest feels tight, his breathing is irregular and the damn tears won’t stop flowing out his eyes. 

The nurses’ voices fade away when he recalls all that happened just hours ago. He heard your yelp seconds before the accident. One second, you were there grinning and running to him, and out of nowhere your body was suddenly ‘kicked’ high in the cold dark air- flying like a ball with such speed he only saw in cartoons. His soul felt like it had been struck by lightning, because the moment he ran- he felt as though he would burn and die by how fast he got to you. His only priority was you – there was nothing else in his head but your wellbeing. The flying image of your body, the excruciating sound he heard when the car almost drove over your lifeless body, and how your hands struggled to hold onto him, made him hysterical.

"Please Y/n, you can't die. Stay."

You had to survive, you had to survive for him. You had to survive, you couldn’t just go, you couldn’t just go like that. There was so much that was left unsaid, so many feelings he wanted to express to you. So many things he wanted to share with you. You had to survive because of all the things you and him had planned out. He only had you in his life. He only had you.

With haste again, Donghyuck runs to the seriously firm and sturdy Doctor that approaches him. The doctor notices the dried blood stains over Donghyuck's shirt (possibly your blood) and he can tell that he might be the boyfriend that the nurse told him about. The doctor can see the trauma going through Donghyuck's eyes covered in a failing smile.

“Yes Doctor? How is she? She’s fine right? She’s okay right? S-she’s fine, I know she is. She’s a survivor. She’s a fighter, she’s my girl, she can’t die. She’s okay right. Oh my god, I knew it. Good because her brother, her brother is here. The nurses said- the nurses said I can't be here, but he's her family, so, I can be here-”

Donghyuck rambles on with an anxious positive spirit. He was positive that you survived, because he knew you, you weren’t the type to go down without fighting, fighting for life…fighting for him. The doctor watches on with a stale face but it slowly falls away and becomes filled with dismay and melancholy. He watches how Donghyuck has a wounded smile, with tears that prickle underneath his eyes, as he motions for Mark to come over. The doctor and Mark both see right through Donghyuck’s smile for the pain that’s truly building up in him.

“Mark, Mark, please come. Please tell the Doctor about your sister, she’s incredible and is alive, right?” Donghyuck prompts, avoiding the Doctor’s eyes that already said the words he didn't want to hear.

Donghyuck grins brightly at the doctor, the tears already falling down his eyes.

“Doctor, why aren’t you saying anything? Please say something. Tell us good news,”

Donghyuck’s smile twitches as he stares at the Doctor. His tongue begins to heavily tremble, when the male Doctor looks down.

As if possessed Donghyuck grabs onto the Doctor’s shoulders. “SAY SOMETHING! GODDAMNIT SPEAK! FUCK! SAY SHE’S ALIVE! PLEASE- please, please, please-“ Donghyuck’s words fade away as he clings onto the Doctor’s coat shutting his eyes tightly knowing very well that he won’t be hearing those words tonight… he won’t be hearing those words ever. “This can’t be… This can’t happen… Y/n… doctor please tell me you saved her. Please tell me you tried to save her… doctor…” Donghyuck drops to the ground, tears rushing out like a flood gate. His hands hit the floor as he buries his head on his hands as he cries out your name.

Mark not having enough energy is already seated on the bench, with a headache forming in his head from holding in his tears. His eyes are red and sting, tears ready to spill and overflow, his jaw feels strangled as the veins pump in heaps of pain. He lays his head in his hands fighting back with waves of crushing emotions swerving all over him. Donghyuck was already in a ball on the floor wailing out for his dear life- Mark is seconds away from letting his guard down but he tightly guards his trembling lips because he has to be the stronger person. But how could he be strong when hearing this news… He scoffs they didn’t even hear the news, hearing the words would just be too painful. You’re gone. Mark holds himself back as he realizes that he has no little sister anymore. You’re gone. You’re… gone.

“My deepest condolence for your loss.” Lifting his head up when feeling a brisk hand on his shoulder, his teary eyes peek up to the Doctor who’s already looking down at him, a coat of dejection and despair looming over him. “Your sister was as the young fellow said, she was exactly strong and did put up a fight. You’re allowed in her room for some days. If possible we'd appreciate it if you signed her release papers. There was nothing I could do to save her, for that, I apologize.”

-

“Oh god. She’s here!”

“Is she really here? Should we inform headquarters?”

“She’s truly stunning, I can’t believe she’s here,”

“But what is she doing here? She’s not supposed to be here.”

"Who cares, she's beautiful."

Sound morphs all around you allowing you to hear voices around you. Your eyes are frozen literally, as if your body is trying to understand why it’s not feeling pain anymore. Nothing hurts. You try to make out the voices, yet you know none of them. Your conscious attention is directed to something else when you can feel… some sort of liquid being poured over your toes. Your breath hitches in your throat shutting out all the voices as you try to focus on whatever is being poured over your body. With trembling lips, you feel your knees and ankles buckle when the liquid substance pours over. It’s cold and it clings to your legs, your torso, your breast, your arms- everything gets soaked into the liquid goo and eventually your neck and head and even hair get smeared with the clinging liquid squeezing your body shut. You feel suffocated and chills all over your body. After a daunting time you struggle to breathe!- your body finally trembles and you can feel every inch of your figure and every movement of your fingers. Your eyes fly open as you sharply huff in a large intake of air.

Those around your figure stand by with some wet towels, dry towels and a robe. They watch your clear slime covered figure breaking out of the yoke you were in. You’re wet and nude as you shoot up on the white operating table panting for your dear life. They stand in astonishment watching you in awe, at how breathtaking you look.

You cough out trying to get rid of the odd liquid substance that entered your mouth. Your eyes are struck by the blinding yellow of the room you’re in- and the weird goo. You see three ladies in the room and you can’t stop trying to breathe as your breath feels short and unstable. “Why can’t I breathe?”

You're short of breath yet again when you look down to see the gooey slime all over your body. Shrieking out of the white mattress the ladies follow you and so does the gooey white slime. The slime falls off of you and your stunned that you’re bare and exposed. A squeak leaves your lips when the ladies scramble to you quickly wiping you and cleaning you up. You quiver in fear but stay still out of shock as they continue to clean you up and assure you that everything is alright.

However that doesn’t seem to be the case when your head snaps to the side watching as the door fiercely opens up and with heavy propelled steps, a figure stands in all black. Your frantic eyes are sharply on the male figure that enters the room with sharp eyes of vexation. Your arms quick in reflex cover up your exposed breast, but the ladies around you are faster in getting a grip of your hands trying to clean you with the wet towels and dry towels. “Hey-” your side tracked when seeing the ladies faces… Donghyuck? They look like your boyfriend but in different colored wigs.

This was supposed to be simple, with you waking up, coming out of your yoke, sitting up and calmly being cleaned up. Normal procedures for the ladies in white, yet they're stunned and muzzled by your befuddlement and the entrance of a presence that’s not supposed to be here. 

“Mr Zhong,” The main nurse steps forward bowing to him. “You’re here.” Is all she can manage to say. Why was he here? What was he doing here? What did he want? He’s not supposed to be here during clean up- not even that, seeing him out of the main core center is unusual.

“What the hell are you doing here?” His question and devious tone is not aimed at the nurse or other cleaners. No, it’s aimed at you. You simply stare at him quivering back in fear with every step he takes. You’re just as frightened and confused like the other nurses, but you’re more on the alarmed side.

Where were you? And what is going on- what is going on?

Mr Zhong stands in front of you, his being towering your bare trembling body. Your eyes are on his harsh dark eyes as you watch his own irked eyes move down your body. Your hands are too afraid to cover up so you let him take in your nude body that’s been cleaned up.

“Answer me.” He whispers making chills run down your spine- his voice rises again so loud that you jump. “What are you doing here!?” 

You cower your eyes looking down trying to hold yourself from exploding into a scared cry. “I don’t know- I don’t know where I am. I don’t know anything. I just woke up! I think I hit my head or something and-”

“Mr Zhong she just woke up from her yolk. She’s disoriented and her memory is still foggy. If you give us a few minutes we’ll get her in-”

“Where’s Hyuck?” Your soft voice speaks up as his eyes suddenly come up into your eyes. You were at a hospital the last you remember with Donghyuck… you were in an accident. “Where is he?”

“Oh god.” Mr Zhong rolls his eyes shut in irritation as he runs his hand through his hair. “Get her cleaned up right now will you? Why is it taking so long?”

The nurses are quick to clean you up, applying some lotion for your body and even massaging your shoulders and head, scraping your skull with deep fingers calming you down. You feel like you’re being given a free spa treatment, when they wrap your body in a robe. They make you perform some balance test, asking you move your head left and right, if you can stand on your right leg and left leg, they dress you up in a white bra, a white vest and finally a white shirt, paired with white underwear and a white skirt. You feel comfortable amongst the ladies who strangely look like Donghyuck. Nonetheless you ignore the male figure in a black suit eyeing everything that they’re doing.

Are you dreaming? Did you hit your head?

His eyes are shamelessly glaring you down as the ladies pamper you up with sweet calming words that meant absolutely nothing to him. You were here and if you were here, it only meant trouble.

“Alright. You’re all cleaned up.” The three nurses stand in front of you bowing, before returning to their natural smiles. You don’t understand why you had to be cleaned up and why these ladies even looked like Donghyuck. In fact, where is-

“Where’s Donghyuck?” You ask.

The smiles slowly slip from their lips looking to each other.

“She’s a spirit.” Your eyes turn to Mr Zhong seated on the chair watching you with such distaste that you instantly look away. “A lover.” Why is he looking at you with such anger? And what is a lover?

“A lover?” The mentions of a lover floats around the air on different lips of the nurses as you look around the yellow space.

“I need to get back to Hyuck,”

“No.” Mr Zhong stands up sternly. “What you will do is follow me, and hopefully you can get out of here before you overdo your stay.”

-

“You’re dead.”

“No.”

“You’re dead.”

You gulp and shake your head. “I’m awake. I’m alive.”

“You’re dead.” The guy known as Mr Zhong repeats his words. You shake your head with disbelief not allowing your ears to believe a thing he’s saying.

“I’m not dead.” You say again. It seems like a cycle with you in denial and Mr Zhong repeatedly repeating himself not wanting to break the cycle. It seems like he really wants you to get it in your head that you’re- “I’m not dead!”

“You’re dead.” He deadpans again.

“No I’m not.”

Not bothering to change his wording, he crosses his arms only staring at you bored and angered out of his mind. “You’re dead.”

“Stop saying that!” You yell standing up balling your fists. There are tears clinging to your eyes. “I can’t be dead! I can’t! Can’t you see I’m breathing? Are you blind to that?”

“You don’t even have a heartbeat or pulse.” Mr Zhong tilts his head. “You’re dead.”

“Stop!” You yell at him controlling your hands to stop you from trying to slap or push him. Blinking your tears away. “Stop saying that please. I only asked you where Donghyuck is.”

“And I’ve been telling you that you’re inside of him.” He shuts his eyes rubbing his temple. “And that’s because you’re-”

“I will strangle you if you dare repeat that sentence.”

He calls your name once while turning around. How did he know your name? “You’re wasting precious time. You know what, follow me, if you want proof and clarification.”

Being told you’re dead and that you’re inside your lover (inside of Donghyuck’s body) causes an unstable balance inside of you. You look at your hands and see how clear they are from any wound, but you can also remember feeling numb from all the idle pain all over your body. You can’t remember what happened- but you know that you were hurt badly. Otherwise why else was Donghyuck crying. You remember following him to the hospital... or he was following you- you’re not sure, but you do know that he was in an insane amount of pain...wait, you were in an insane amount of pain. You felt your head about to explode and your entire body in such frail torture, throbbing and aching. 

If you felt that pain, then why are you okay right now? It’s the only thing you can think about. You turn around in the white hall, finally finding Mr Zhong by an elevator. He sticks out like a sore thumb because everything in the room is white except his dark suit. Your legs are heavy but you follow him and stand beside him in the elevator letting out a chilling breath. 

“Where are you taking me?”

You pose simply, only to have him ignore you and press up a button. The elevator starts moving up and you notice that the doors are clear and see through. As the elevator goes up, the white hall you were in goes down and the new scenery of black clouds and a neon view of an ominous city lights up in the night, but the elevator goes higher despite floating in… midair. You stand closer to the door taking in the view of each layer of the city that is darkened and only lit by the flashing colors of pink blue and yellow. The confusion in you only grows. The views disappear and a grey room is present when the elevator stops. The doors slide open and Mr Zhong takes steps out with you carefully following him.

After leaving that weird place, he continued being cold with a bothered face. You can already guess that he doesn’t like you at all, not one bit. He barely gave any other emotion then abhor and clear hatred. Maybe hate is too strong but that’s what you can see in his eyes. He hates you and you don’t know why, you don’t even know him. But he somehow seems to be in charge as he walks around like he knows everything.

In the narrow grey corridor, you try to keep up with him as he turns into various open turns. Peeking from behind him you spot a door that’s in front with the number 4R. 

A flashing white light hits your eyes and you shake your head hearing loud voices. 

“Pulse going down!”

“Doctor we’re losing blood, we’re losing her!”

“We need to stabilize her stat!”

You stand still shutting your eyes to block out the words but they continue on yet instead of getting louder, they slowly fade.

“Get the charge.”

“Volt?”

“180.”

“Standby. Clear.”

You gasp aloud and pant out.

“Pulse fading.”

“Again. Standby. Clear.”

A sharp sting grips your chest and you grab it gasping out.

“Pulse fading.”

“We’re losing her.”

It’s the last thing you hear before sharply opening your eyes blinking excessively when Mr Zhong stands in front of you. “That’s called your Last Memory.”

“Last Memory?” You ask trying to catch your breath and stand straight. 

“Yes. The last thing your inactive brain remembers before it shuts down. I guess this hall triggered it.”

“But I thought I’m in Donghyuck’s mind?” You whisper out grumpily standing straight. “What the hell is going on?”

“Right now we’re not in Donghyuck’s mind. I just took your spirit out of it. Plus another day has passed. It’s almost 7pm. You’re tethered to him.”

“What?” Confusion washes over you yet again, by the words that leave his lips. You have no idea of the things he’s talking about. “What do you mean tethered to him?”

He turns on his heel continuing to walk towards the door named 4R. “Things will make sense when you come to terms with the fact that you’re dead.”

He opens the door and there’s a dim light that he disappears into. Quickly you follow him rubbing your eyes upon entering the bright room. 

You can hear soft sobs and instantly snap your head to the source. There’s a hospital bed and a chair. On the chair... And on the bed...

You feel your heart about to explode from beating so fast. Your knees lose balance and you fall down. “W-what is this?” You ask unable to comprehend the sight before you. 

Mr Zhong stands by the corner of the room with his hands in his pocket as he looks at the sight of your dead body on the bed and Donghyuck’s disheveled appearance seated on the chair. He’s crying as his eyes are fixed on your lifeless face.

“What memory is this?” You ask trembling as you try to get on your feet with your weak body trying to handle and support your movement. But it can’t, your emotions wearing you down.

“This isn’t a memory.” Mr Zhong speaks taking in a breath stepping closer. “You died 3 days ago. Today, they’re discharging your body and preparing for burial-”

“B-burial?” Your heart hammers in your chest as you fall again to the ground. “Burial for what? Who’s getting buried?”

“Your burial is in 2 days time,” Mr Zhong continues.

“No.” A string of disbelief leaves your lips just as your tears blur your vision. You stumble up and run to Donghyuck but get the surprise of your life when your whole body passes through him and you fall rigidly to the ground. “D-Donghyuck?” You cry out immediately sitting up and trying to touch him. “Baby please I’m here! I’m here! That’s not me! That’s not me! I’m here! Donghyuck! Hyuck! Baby!” Your voice quivering and trembling as you try so desperately to cling onto his body, but each time your hand goes through, until you’re struggling to breathe with your chest at a loss of air. “No!” You wail out in deep agony. “I survived- I’m here. I can feel and that’s not me. That’s not me- please no.” 

Your tears are nonstop as you bury your head on Donghyuck’s thigh… well, trying too.

Mr Zhong’s eyes widen when he senses that Donghyuck can suddenly feel your presence. Donghyuck blows out a breath of air and his own tears stream down faster as he looks at your dead body on the bed. He stands up and his whole body circles your dead body again as he cries. He’s not supposed to be holding you, but the nurses are not around, and he could care less about the trouble he would be in. Mr Zhong lets out a breath of relief when sensing it was only your sorrowed and burden emotions that pushed Donghyuck into another wave of tears.

Mr Zhong needed to get you out, but your weakened state next to the feet of your boyfriend has him in despair. Even though he despises you, he knows how much you mean to Donghyuck, and so he leaves the room to let you have a moment. After all you just found out that you’re dead.

You're crying alongside Donghyuck, while Mr Zhong stands outside the door listening to the both of you pour out your hearts. Of course it’s hard to believe you’re inside of Donghyuck’s mind when you can see him with your physical eyes. But then again, Mr Zhong has been here far longer than you have. In his mind, he tries to think of ways to get you out of Donghyuck’s head before it’s too late. He shakes his head. “It’s already late.” He mutters to himself. “But I need to get her out of here. Before anyone sees her.”

This is all happening because Donghyuck doesn't want to let you go. Mr Zhong sighs. He needs to get you out of Donghyuck's head, he needs to do it as soon as possible before you got sucked in. The less you know the better. It’s even better that no one saw you aside from those nurses. He needs to get you out before another member inside of Donghyuck sees you.

Mr Zhong's senses alert and sharpen when he can feel Donghyuck and you together. Donghyuck can feel you. That’s not good. Donghyuck can’t interact with your spirit. Under no circumstance is he allowed to do that. Mr Zhong bursts into the hospital room his eyes enlarging when you're hugging Donghyuck from behind. You’re focusing your entire being just to hug Donghyuck and it seems to be working because Donghyuck can feel your presence… or rather can feel an embrace wrapping their arms around him. Donghyuck is anything but confused as he cries out. “I can’t live without you. I can’t…” Donghyuck shakes his head when seeing your dried out and dull lifeless lips.

Meanwhile Mr Zhong's heart beats rapidly when he senses what Donghyuck is about to do. He gulps and his legs are quick to act in grabbing your shirt from behind and yanking you. "We have to go now." 

"Wh-what? Why?" You're ripped from Donghyuck as Mr Zhong pulls you back. You try to fight him off you with your strength but Mr Zhong balls his fist and your body begins to move against your will. "No- please- just give me more time with him! Please-"

Your words fall on deaf ears as Mr Zhong's running and forcing your body to move as well in the direction you came from. In a far distance as you cross your ‘Last memory’ you hear the words of the Doctor charging your body again and you jolt up when feeling the electrical current shoot throughout your body, however the process is short lived when you're pulled away extremely fast and into the elevator next to Mr Zhong. “Come one go faster. Go faster.” Mr Zhong stresses out. You wipe your tears suddenly being drawn to his alertness. What’s going on now?

There's a loud ringing in your head when the elevator door opens up to a... large white room that looks like a lab with plenty of laptops and screens. –Beep- Beep- Beep- the alarm sounds off very loudly. 

"What's going on?" You shut your eyes when the ringing ‘crings’ annoyingly. You can't hear Mr Zhong but with blurry sight you see him run out of the elevator to the white room… that's slowly turning dark. You try to follow however your mind is distorted and you collapse on the ground due to all the ringing.

Mr Zhong- tagged along with a great hand of different operators run around the ‘monitor room’ also known as the Core control room. With screens all over monitoring all of Donghyuck’s scenes, there’s one large screen that captures what he’s seeing exactly. That’s the one that Mr Zhong controls when he senses that Donghyuck isn’t being himself. The people in the room all in charge of different senses are running up and down in haste- trying to get Donghyuck to calm down- they press on all the buttons that are used to prevent a forced ‘shut down’. The lights in the center are fading black.

Donghyuck is having a breakdown and is about to shut down his mind. That can't happen. Because if it happens, then the Core can’t control, leaving Donghyuck in the hands of his impulsive ‘Body’. Mr Zhong pulls on a leather hanger and blinks several times when eyeing the monitor screen to see through Donghyuck's eyes. 

Donghyuck is still in the hospital room pacing back and forth, wanting to rampage. “I… I should be the one to die. I should be the one to die. I should be… the one… to…” Huffing and puffing, Donghyuck picks up his car keys and goes out the door. He can hear his brain telling him not to do it but there's just so much emotion building in him that he can't fathom or want to feel. Getting in his car he slams the door shut and bangs repeatedly on the steering wheel yelling out in sheer anger and possibly crying out.

Mr Zhong speaks into Donghyuck’s thoughts as his ‘subconscious voice’. “Don’t do it Donghyuck. You don’t have to do something crazy to prove.” 

Drive. However, with the fading lights in the control room, Donghyuck gives into the will of the Body to drive instead of listen to his own thoughts.

"No!" Mr Zhong hastily pulls on the leather to try and have some more light- to try and have control in the darkening room. The other coordinators are scampering in heaps of fear by Donghyuck's edged decisions. "Come on Donghyuck! Please don’t do it! Listen to be before you do something crazy! Stop the car!" 

All efforts in the control room are vain when Donghyuck starts the engine and with raging force the tires screech loudly and his car thrusts forward in deadly speed. Cars are hooting on every lane by his careless driving. Donghyuck finds himself not caring and he drives on the highest speed challenging the accelerator in his car. All the windows are up, the car is filled with sounds of him deeply breathing and running his hand over his hair violently and his foot blistering from how cogently he's stepping on the speed paddle. 

The Core’s control room is no longer fading black, instead the whole room is a darkened red with flashing lights- the alarm sounds are all off. All the controls are black and the only thing everyone can do is watch the screen of Donghyuck's eyes and he swerves in dangerous speeds racing in between cars and him yelling out. He’s on a high way leading to his own death.

Mr Zhong worriedly looks at the screen watching his best friend lose his mind and having a mild panic attack. Mr Zhong holds onto the ledge tightly with tears in his eyes. “Donghyuck stop this!” All the pain Donghyuck is feeling - he can feel it too. Especially in this moment. Donghyuck is feeling guilty. Worthless. Pathetic for staying alive when his girlfriend has died. Mr Zhong feels useless that he can't do anything but watch as his friend is driving to his own death. In moments like this, when Donghyuck’s Core lost control to the Body- they could do nothing but watch it all happen. All the operators as if in defeat and sync all kneel on the ground together with their eyes no longer trained on the screen but on the floor as they prepare for death. Because by the looks of Donghyuck’s reckless driving, they were bound to death. This is what usually happens when the mind and body are no longer connected. Donghyuck feels on edge that he can't feel anything and so the body moves on its own in rebellion. Mr Zhong doesn't close his eyes, he simply sinks on the ground waiting for the impact of the crush whenever it'll happen.

Is this seriously how Donghyuck will lose his life? By ending it, while thinking of being with you.

Donghyuck panting out in sheer self-resentment drives off the highway and crushes past the border line lanes and he's car is surging down the cliff in rapid speed.

It's getting hot and Mr Zhong can feel it. The roads are bumpy and Donghyuck stupidly removes his seatbelt having his red tearful bleeding eyes already set on a tree. He's ready to crash into. 

With determination Donghyuck prepares himself for impact his eyes balling out blurring his vision.

"Hyuck… Hyuck…"

Mr Zhong's ears are sharp when hearing it. Hearing the soft breathless echo. From Donghyuck's eye vision, Mr Zhong sees a ghostly appearance of a hand holding onto the staring wheel… holding onto his hand. Mr Zhong's eyes snap all around until he spots you on the ground (that you supposedly passed out on).

Your lips are dry, your body is flat on the floor, however your eyes are filled with tears when wearily looking at the screen. Mr Zhong makes out your hand that's slowly balling in a fist and by instinct he can feel that Donghyuck can feel it as well. You intertwine your fingers with his.

Donghyuck feeling the tingling sensation presses his foot sharply on the break! pedal causing the car to come to a dangerous sharp stop with the tires raging on and burning up with smoke emitting all around the car. Donghyuck nearly flies off his seat but he grips the wheel tightly especially when still seeing your hand on his.

The car stops a few gaps away from the rough branched tree, but Donghyuck's isn't even focused on that as his breathing rises with his eyes firmly on the hand wrapped tightly in his. He turns to the side and the ghostly appearance of your bloody image is what he sees before it fades away.

“Y/n…” He breaks out into a breathless cry, laying his head on the staring wheel.

In the center, heads rise when noticing the red lights disappear before the white light flickers back on giving control back to the mind. The sadness team comes together to allow Donghyuck to cry- quickly getting back on track to allow Donghyuck to not lose control again. Mummers go around, but Mr Zhong has his eyes fixed on you. The others can't hear it, but he can. He can hear it because Donghyuck can hear your soft whispers in his ear. 

"Please, don't do it. Live...for me...please. Hyuck…"

While the coordinators in the room weakly take control of the system, Mr Zhong looks to the screen of Donghyuck's eyes. Donghyuck glares at the empty passenger’s chair and whimpers out your name. Mr Zhong moves to your corner before anyone can see you and he places you in his room leaving the door open. “Why is it so dark in here?”

He ignores you and carries on doing what he was doing. “Rest up.”

Donghyuck falls asleep on the couch again, too lazy to go to his room and too drained to move. After having a full on blow cry of his life, he got out his car when it refused to start again. The car was busted. He walked up the rocky cliff making it to the highway again. His mind not even on the fact that he just lost his car. He felt numb of emotions and his throat was sore. Walking wasn't such a bad idea as he got to slowly recall your weak figure...bloody figure. He got teary eyed again and allowed himself to cry out on the road as he walked meekly on the side. How could he go on without you being there? He couldn't. And that's why, when feeling your presence tonight he wanted to continue feeling it forever more. By the time he got to his house, he crashed on the couch and instantly got induced by sleep.

Mr Zhong monitors everything until he feels sleep take over and Donghyuck is passed out on the couch. Mr Zhong looks at the blank screen being worn out. Now the Dreamers in Dream Land are taking over in giving him something to dream about. Tonight was challenging. If it weren't for you, Donghyuck would've died. As if being summoned Mr Zhong turns his head around when seeing your walking figure. You're dressed in all white again and you sit on the chair next to him. 

"I told you to rest." Mr Zhong's voice isn't sharp like before, but it's stern and on the quiet side. 

You nod your head slowly, fumbling with the ends of your sleeves out of pure anxiety. "I did. But I couldn't bring myself to sleep. Mr Zhong... I wanna understand what's going on. I'm lost out of my mind and you're the only one who I believe I can talk to."

Mr Zhong turns his head to you and sighs. "What you don’t know won’t hurt you. Besides, you have to leave his body. Let's take a walk."

"You said something about me being a lover. That I’m tethered to Hyuck. Is this heaven? Am I supposed to be here?"

“You’re not supposed to be here, which is why should leave.”

Elevators are Mr Zhong's way of movements you take note. The moment he thinks of it, by a second there's already an elevator door that presents itself. Just like him, it's a darkened grey almost black color. You stand beside him and the elevator goes down and away from the white center room. “Why are you the only one that is coated in darkness?” You question, and as you expected, he doesn’t answer you. By the time the elevator opens up, you see the outside. You follow right behind Mr Zhong on the darkened streets of the neo colored place.

"I’d believe that I’m inside of him if his insides looked all brainy and stuff. So, where are we really?” You pose confused while looking at a place that looked much more like a city then a mind or brain or all bloody.

"The less you know the better. But for a little insight, everybody is different as they should be. If you want brain and blood, just ask and I’ll take you to the real interior of Donghyuck. Right now, we’re in the interior central. The Dreamscape City. You know how some people are, structured, punctual, disciplined and focused? Well Donghyuck's being is like that. Everything that Donghyuck is, his personality: the things he likes, dislikes, traits, smarts, kinks, special places, basically his whole conscious is here in an organized collected city. I call it Cyber Dream, just because of it’s tech style. But everyone here knows it as the pit of Donghyuck or Dreamscape. If you like, you can call yourself a figment of Donghyuck’s imagination." Mr Zhong answers as he navigates himself through a busy street. You’re not far behind from him trying to hear everything he’s saying. He really doesn’t seem to like you. But that’s the least of your concern.

You rest close by being enchanted by all the flashing lights and different buildings and skyscrapers with enchanting names such as; ‘New Things I learnt Encyclopedia’, ‘Guilty Pleasures town’, ‘Music-Phoria home’, ‘Skates City’ and more. What attracts you more are the people.

Your eyes do a double take almost every time when you notice that the people.... probably all of them are lookalikes of Donghyuck but with different hairstyles and clothes. Just like the nurses and the people in the Core room, most of them just have blank faces, or eyes or mouths. Your mind easily grasps these things and you feel like your brain might explode from how weird everything is.

"Figment of his imagination? Dreamscape," You mummer out. You smile when recalling how much of a brainy tech nerd Donghyuck is even internally. “That’s my Hyuck,”

"Everything that he breathes lives here." Mr Zhong nods his head. "Night time. When Donghyuck sleeps, he's left to dream by The Dreamers in Dreamland. They're the ones who coordinate his dream and guide him to a dream or not. While he's out, his Mind, Body and Core begin to rest up. We don’t sleep, we can’t, instead we rest. That basically means the people who work in his Body come out here, the people who work in his Mind come out here and the Core people come out here."

You and Mr Zhong go inside a yellow building called, The Commune, with high shelves, comfortable lounging spaces and such a cozy warm place, the place has such a comfort feeling. Going to the top floor, you and Mr Zhong walk past some people who are seated on the one seat couch or tables as they read quietly or talk together. There’s such harmony. Mr Zhong leads you outside where there are some tables and chairs, but even outside still looks so nice and impressive. You and Mr Zhong draw to the rail and sit on the high stools there, getting sucked into the sporting lights and peaceful sights of the Dreamscape City. The illuminating night sky as well, draws you close and into everything. The night sky is composed of stars that look like objects and faces… little white dots in the sky. You smile when you see your own face.

"Don’t get too comfortable." Mr Zhong breathes out and you face him taking in the structure of his hard face. He's got soft slightly plumped lips, a firm jaw that holds up his face proudly, high cheek bones, slit eyes that are partially open and his hair is a midnight black... just like his whole attire. A very...not so much Donghyuck look alike.

“How come you look so different?” You ask. “Everyone here looks like Donghyuck but you-”

“You’re different too.” Is his response. You don’t press much into it, as you see him giving you such cold eyes. He breathes out again rolling his eyes, as he thinks on how to break down everything to you. "I know you don't like hearing this, but you're dead. I'm sorry," Despite his words sounding sincere you don’t like how he looks at you, or the fact that he doesn’t appreciate your presence with him. “And you have to come in terms with that fact, because it’ll help you get out of here faster.”

You let out a soft breath. There's no denying it now, because you believe it yourself too that you’re dead. But you don’t even know where you are? So why is he so eager to have you out? “Honestly, you keep telling me I’m inside of Donghyuck, but I really don’t even understand anything. If I’m dead, why am I here?”

"When people die, good or bad, they go to a waiting place. Where they wait for their judgement and verdict on hell or heaven. In their waiting place, they're like spirits who wander the earth. With physical eyes you can't see them or feel them, but they can see and feel you. You're supposed to be there right now and your spirit is not supposed to be here. But Donghyuck has done the impossible, yet again." Mr Zhong's lips halt and he looks away from you.

“Yet again?” You question. “What does that even mean?”

“Tell me, when you were hit by that car, did you feel your spirit going…”

Thinking back, you recall how your soul felt like it was getting out of your body. “I actually did feel that.”

“That was your spirit already taking flight from the pain. So I don’t know how he did it but… your spirit was drawn to him before you could walk off to the ‘bright white light’. What do you remember?”

“Dying.” You answer honestly and sadly. “But nothing else. I woke up here thinking that I woke up in the hospital. What do you mean when you say he’s done this before? Is that why you’re here and look diff-”

“Stop asking questions, listen.” Mr Zhong wastes no time in allowing you to speak. “For now nobody seems to know that you’re here, let’s keep it like that. The best thing I can tell you now is that if we work together we’ll be able to get you out of here before it’s too late, and before everyone begins to notice. You see now, they aren’t even looking at you.”

“What kind of best news is that?” You furrow your brow. “And what do you mean-”

Mr Zhong groans out being annoyed. “What do you mean this- what do you mean that- you ask too many questions. Do you think you could listen for once in yourlife?”

“That’s because I’m trying to-”

“If I tell you that Donghyuck can’t move on and that’s why you’re here, will you be able to understand that?”

"He can't move on? I mean what do you expect… I just died." Although your tone is saddened, your questions are endless, but if it’s answers you want, then you’ll get them. One way or another, even if he’s being difficult. “Well at least tell me about this place and why you want me gone so bad?”

"You see, the people here are all Donghyuck's self-made conscious. They're all born with purpose. For example, everyone in this building is tasked to read or socialize over matters that Donghyuck wonders about. One of the popular discussions in his head is whether we have 1 butt or 2 butts-”

You laugh, remembering how you and Donghyuck would argue on end about the said subject. He'd bring up points you've never even thought about and it was always such a discussion with depth- rather then it being silly. You stop laughing seeing Mr Zhong just staring at you irritated.

"The place where you came out of- is like the neck of birth. All of the time, it's Donghyuck being born again with a new trait and that trait moves on to its assigned Member. Now the problem is, you haven’t been assigned, which ultimately makes you a lover. Someone that Donghyuck has kept because…” Mr Zhong stops himself before trying to find better words. “Because he doesn’t want to lose you. There are 3 types of Members here, namely: Mind, Body and Core." Mr Zhong sticks out 3 fingers. "Mind members are the ones who initiate thoughts and strategies, analyzing, thinking, making plans and short term memory or long. They are the ones who fuel this place up with ideas and ideologies, they make up half of Donghyuck's conscious. Typically, they're the ones who work all over. They monitor him as his spoken conscious, they monitor eyes and ears. You know the little thoughts in your head, or the feelings you suddenly feel when you're with a person, or that one voice you speak to in your head by yourself? That's the Mind members.”

You nod you head. “What department are we-”

“Well maybe if you stopped talking I’d be able to fill you in properly without jumping and skipping. His sharp tone has you leaning back and silencing yourself. “Body members are the desires and cravings of this place. Anything they desire or lust after, they fuel to the body. The mostly deal with his senses of touch and movements. Meaning for example, if Donghyuck started liking yoga, then there are yoga body members who are born and have the necessary knowledge on yoga. Naturally the Body members main station is down to the body below the neck, but from time to time the Organs and Nerves system will come up to build awareness for new things that Donghyuck's body has started liking. And then we have the Soul, but commonly known here as a Core members, this is my department. Considering you touched him, this is… your temporary placement."

“My-” His sudden sharp stare has you shutting your mouth discontinuing your question.

"Core members work in the Upper room, they control room whereby we're in charge of his purpose, his meaning to life, his intelligence, his personality… we incorporate together with the Body and Mind to create Donghyuck as a whole. While the Mind members are everywhere of his conscious, the core makes up 1 half, just as the body makes the other half. The one mostly in control is the Mind, second in charge is me, however other times the body is stubborn and refuses to be third, so it’s tug and war sometimes. Especially if what the body wants to do is stupid.” Mr Zhong explains.

“You talk as if the Mind, Core and Body have a spokesperson,”

“They all do. I hope you don’t get to meet them. Your task should be to get Donghyuck to move on.”

“Again with this.” You huff and look away.

Mr Zhong stares at your side profile. “Tell me something. You’ve been here for a week now-”

“A week? It hasn’t felt like a week, it feels like literally 1 whole day.”

“Time moves quick here.” Mr Zhong brushes off quick and continues in his speech. “And that should let you know that you’re losing your chances of a quick escape.”

“Okay. I understand that I’m dead. I kind of understand that Donghyuck doesn’t want to move on that’s why I’m here, but I don’t get your constant need for me to leave asap.”

“Because you’re different from everybody else here.” He states.

Staring back at him, you want to bite your tongue back but the words don’t stay in. “News flash you’re also here and you’re the only different looking guy.”

“And you think that’s nice? You think that it’s a good thing being here?” He questions sternly, his voice being so threatening. His anger is bright and clear in his eyes, but… something in his eyes evoke this… pain… hidden so deep. “Call me what you want, but I’m trying to help you. It may not look like it. But really I am.”

“You don’t even like me.” Your mouth let’s out again.

“No I don’t.” He admits. That makes you feel some way. “But Donghyuck loves you. The Mind, Haechan loves you, and Body Sun loves you too. Donghyuck as a whole loves you, more than anything in this world, he loves you. Heck he was even going to die because he didn’t want to live without you. Listen here Y/n, just because I don’t like you, doesn’t mean that I don’t want what’s best for you. And believe me, leaving is what’s best for you. Going to heaven… or hell, is best for you than being trapped in here. The longer you stay here, the harder it’ll be to let Donghyuck go. You’ll be like me.”

You want to ask what’s wrong with that, but the way he’s going on and on has you feeling that being like him is bad. Aside from his facial difference from all the other Donghyuck’s around, you do notice that he’s the only wearing black. Of course you see others in black clothes too- but he’s black has an eerie vibe to it. His hair black, eyes black, clothes black, even his complexion, against all the black makes him look incredibly angry… dark.

“Take what happened earlier tonight. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the Mind members are kind of lamenting and mourning your death, and by doing that they’ve given us temporary control of Donghyuck. We need to keep Donghyuck in check all the time now. While we were in control of his thoughts. His Body, just wanted to die, like I said he didn’t want to be third so he took control. Hence the room turning black. We lost Donghyuck to the control of his Body, and at times that can be the most dangerous of situations to be in. Basically, this period in Donghyuck’s life will be tough, because he has to let you go, so that you can be free." Mr Zhong slowly nods his head. He doesn’t know how you’re taking the news, but he’s trying to be honest with you, without letting you know too much.

“I don’t see what’s so bad about that.” You mumble looking away from him. Mr Zhong rolls his eyes. “For someone who’s also inside of Donghyuck, you really don’t embody anything that he likes. I bet you’re probably the one that takes over when Donghyuck and I argue.”

“I actually do. I think Donghyuck can do way better-” He shuts his mouth hearing you scoff angrily. “You’re scoffing? Didn’t you cheat on him?”

You suck in a sharp breath and look at him in astonishment. “That happened a long time ago.”

“Yep and it’s still the main reason why you and him argued.”

“I didn’t cheat on him. He caught me in a bad time with Jaemin.”

“Mhm. You’re dead now so it’s pointless. You’ll no longer argue about that.” He nods his head not convinced by your statement, at the same time puts you back in your place of death. "Thank you by the way.”

You’re still so high from the conversation, that you furrow your eyebrows when he suddenly says that thank you. “Thank you? What are you thanking me for?” You grumpily say and try to ignore the mini argument you had.

“You brought the Core out of the influence of the Body. I bet it wasn't easy, however you handled him well."

“This is crazy,” You blink your eyes to the stars above. “I just wanted to spend the rest of my night with Donghyuck, but now a week has passed, I’m supposedly dead—there’s just so much going on. And it all feels like a really long nightmare that I can’t stop. And you’re just so annoying and infuriating.” You shake your head and scoff. “I just wanted to touch him and hug him and just..."

“I get what you’re feeling, but complaining won’t do anything.” Mr Zhong, this time, gently interrupts causing you to huff in air and sulk. “Despite not liking you, I feel everything that he feels for you.” Mr Zhong turns his head in your direction. You're looking at the stars. He can only hope to get you out of here as soon as possible. “If you want this nightmare to stop. You need to get out of here and occupy your own spirit. Your spirit needs to go and rest in it’s rightful place.”

You ignore him and just look at the stars. Your mind blank. This can’t be real.

“I can’t risk the others seeing you, so I’ll need you to hide out in the Upper controls room, preferably in my room.” Mr Zhong gets up. “There’s a meeting I need to attend.”

“A meeting?”

“Yes, with all the other elements in Donghyuck. Our discussion is on the accident that happened. We need to head back so that I can make it in time and argue for you.”

“Can I come?”

“I just told that you need to lay low and hide out.” He grumbles. “So, no. You cannot come.”

Despite what Mr Zhong said, you find yourself with a mask over your face and large hoodie that you accidentally stole from The Commune you were in. While Mr Zhong goes on leaving you in his room, you end up leaving and following some of the Core members into an auditorium like building. Where the meeting already seems to be in progression between:

Body, Mind and Core.

The names that Mr Zhong didn’t want you to know, you now know when associating yourself with the 3 members who stand at the center of the whole room.

There’s ‘Sun’ (The Body), Mr Zhong (The Core) and Haechan (the Mind). One in all white (Sun), another in all grey (Haechan) and Mr Zhong in all black. The other two look a lot like Donghyuck and you can almost feel a connection to them both.

All of them are representatives. Sun and Mr Zhong report to Haechan. Haechan is in control of Donghyuck’s entirety. Sun and Mr Zhong work separately yet together to achieve the full personality of Donghyuck.

The Core’s representative is of course Mr Zhong. He stands on his own podium, looking to the rest of the present core, mind and body of members inside of Donghyuck. Mr Zhong speaks: “The events of some night ago hit us all gravely. Donghyuck nearly drove himself to death. And that was because he was under the watchful eye of the Body members, while the Mind went into a mourning cave. Donghyuck nearly tried to commit suicide. However, the Core was able to get Donghyuck back to his senses and allow him time to grieve. So, as this period in Donghyuck’s life seems to be one that is tragic, I suggest, we’ll give him a few days of grieving, before he can slowly return back to his habitual patterns and daily life. We wouldn’t want him to rashly commit suicide again.” It seems like a reasonable plan to get Donghyuck back in motion, yet the Body and Mind are opposing. “I suggest perhaps a period of 2 weeks, before we can allow him to move on-”

The Body’s representative, ‘Sun’, however has a loud mouth when speaking. “Firstly I apologize for my rash decisions. I know we were all overwhelmed and all just wanted to die. I shouldn’t have pushed that agenda. But, I don’t have to be the one to remind you and everyone else, that something happened that night. We felt the presence of Y/n. A ghostly hand belonging to her. A soft voice reminding us to carry on. She was there.” He states firmly. “Y/n was our everything. To have her there was a sign that we should… we should seek her.” That gets the crowd murmuring by that ghostly presence.

The one thing weird about being in Donghyuck’s mind, is adjusting to how everyone looks. While some only have ears and nothing else on their faces, others had Donghyuck’s full face, however they had unique looks, their own purposes and weren’t exactly like the Donghyuck you fell in love with. So, as you watch ‘Sun’ speak with so much passion towards you, your heart hurts… to think that you’d never be able to see Donghyuck the same way again is something that you find… weird. You’re inside of him and are surrounded with his traits and several personalities, but not one of them embodies all of those traits. While you can fall in love with his individual presences, you can’t fall in love with him as a whole anymore.

“I felt it too. And not just that night, but I… it sounds weird but I feel her here. I know she’s watching over us.” The Mind’s representative, Haechan speaks. It’s the first time he’s speaking. And instantly hearing his voice and seeing his facial expressions, you know that this… he’s the closest thing to Donghyuck. Why? The way he looks and reasons just highlights so much of Donghyuck.

It’s him. Heck… he’s even called Haechan. Your sunshine… “Hyuck,” you lowly call out.

Not expecting his ears to rise a little, his eyes turn to the side… he freezes on spot. You. The mere eye contact you make with him has both of your hearts beating rapidly fast. You can’t take your eyes off of him, you can’t stop looking at him. You swear that his emotions begin to enlighten… just as much as he seems much more attentive to you. You want to hide, just as Mr Zhong told you to do just in case someone saw you… but it’s so weird. You can’t look away from those eyes. The same eyes you fell in love with is now looking back at you. You watch as the tears fill his eyes… His lips tremble. “Y/n-”

“Haechan.” Mr Zhong calls quickly when noticing that Haechan staring into the distance. And of course a part of him is not surprised to see you there. Of course you’re here, you followed him. Idiot.

“Why else…” Haechan leans on the podium, his eyes flickering to yours once in a while. “Why else would she appear in the spiritual sense to save Donghyuck out of the blue? It’s crazy… but… I think she’s here.” While Mr Zhong’s eyes enlarge, the crowd at large gasps in astonishment. “Some nurses reported back to me that she was here… I don’t know what to make of it, but if she’s really here… then it’s a sign for us to keep her here,”

“No.” And that’s where Mr Zhong’s problem starts. While he’s the only different looking and only different person within Donghyuck’s head, everyone in here still respected him, however when it came to making decisions he was out numbered, by the number of little Haechan’s and Sun’s who’d all think the same. “Or maybe if she is here, it’s for no other purpose except to help Donghyuck to move on.” Mr Zhong tries to reason.

“I call bull on that shit.” Sun shakes his head. “Haechan is right. Something is happening. We as the body have been doing Yoga and we found out about all types of spirits and energies that can enter into a person when you call upon them. I think we should try that for Y/n.”

Mr Zhong shakes his head with disbelief. “What the actual hell did you just say? You want to summon her spirit?”

“Yes.” It comes as a surprise for Mr Zhong as well as you when everyone in the auditorium nods their heads and chants out ‘yes’!

“In fact I think if we do it right, we might even bring her back to life-”

“That doesn’t make sense!” Mr Zhong tries to cut out through the noise. Even his own core members were agreeing to this. “Do you guys realize that by doing this, you will ruin her spirit- and her chance to get true peace?” Mr Zhong stresses out, and that’s something that gets your attention. “She doesn’t belong here with him. She belongs wherever spirits go when they die.”

“If we’re all here why can’t she be here?” Sun inquires.

“She’s meant to be here. And if she already is here… maybe she’s scared… maybe she… maybe she wants to come out but she’s scared that we want to chase her way.” Haechan speaks again softly. Your head turns to the gloomy looking Haechan who’s so depressed when speaking and even when looking around. His eyes linger on yours again- and you feel all sorts of vulnerability. His eyes always had that affect. “I think it’s good if we’re gentle in this matter not to scare her.”

“No.” Mr Zhong’s voice breaks the peace everyone is in. Everyone in the crowd looks at him like he is going mad, they ignore him and slowly begin to chant:

‘Gentleness-’

Your head turns around to all the faces, ears, eyes, mouths, and generally everyone seems to be in agreement. Of course they are, they’re all Donghyuck. Sun takes center position and lifting his hands up. “I think it’s best to make a vow. That if we see her we should vow to never forget about her. To make her feel welcomed and that we don’t plan on letting her go. We vow to never move on without her-”

“No!” Mr Zhong bangs the podium yelling out. “For heaven’s sake! This is not a game. This is a gamble with someone’s spirit. Plus this isn’t something… something that everyone has agreed to.”

“I’m about sick and tired of you refusing to accept her.” Haechan equally raises his voice. “Maybe it’s you she’s afraid of. Maybe she feels unwelcomed by your energy. Cut it out! Can’t you see that we all miss her, can’t you feel just how near she is-”

Mr Zhong stands up in defending himself. “This isn’t something that everyone has agreed upon-”

“Can you hear them Mr Zhong?” Sun gives Mr Zhong such an attitude and holds his hand to the crowd causing them to let out an ear piercing scream. “They’ve spoken.”

“No they haven’t.” Mr Zhong solely fights for you. But yet, you can’t understand why he wants you gone so bad. Especially if Haechan and Sun are giving you a chance to stay. If you’re here, it surely means something… It’s what Haechan said. “This isn’t a democracy, this is someone’s life, spirit on the line. If you do this, there’s no going back. Haechan,” Mr Zhong looks to the Mind. “Right now, you’re just sad. You’re not thinking straight. If you allow this to happen, if you make this vow, you’ll be repeating a mistake. Should I be the one to take you to long term memory and remind you of the tragedy? Please. I’m begging you. I’m trying to prevent that. Please.”

Very subtly, the Mind, Haechan, looks to you and his heart quenches up. It really is you. There’s no denying it now. Your eyes are clear and he knows what you’re feeling… He’s just as confused of you being here… but how can this be? Is he dreaming? Normally, his colors where bright and bubbly and had a balance because he also looked after Donghyuck’s heart and everything else surrounding his energy. When the Core and Body found no agreement, he was the final decision to everything. The Mind is always the bridging gap between the Core and Body. However, as Haechan’s eyes are grey and brown, it only shows how much your death has affected him deeply, intensely… progressively that he doesn’t mind making a terrible decision.

“Please don’t be afraid to come out… I’m here.”

You blink your eyes a little, the tears slipping more before quietly getting up and leaving the auditorium. Haechan too follows your going figure. He wants to chase and follow after you- but Mr Zhong is in front of him. “I need to go.”

“No you don’t.” Mr Zhong stops him. “Please Haechan. The unconscious part of you knows better than anyone what bringing her soul here means. Or do you need me to go and find the memories for you so that you can see what happens when you keep-”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I need to go to my room. Tomorrow is Friday. There’s a speech we need to prepare. Remember?”

[Friday, 10:45 a.m.]

Donghyuck isn't feeling too well as he leans on the wall of your once bright lively bedroom. His eyes are on the ground to a box of items that belonged to you. Your older brother Taeyong found it fit to give him some of the things you cherished. Donghyuck squats down and begins picking, moving his hand around the box looking for something particular- "There is it." Donghyuck pulls out a ring...

A promise ‘purity’ ring. This was on your body last, your finger before they removed it. Just looking at his makes his eyes water... How could you be gone? Just like that, how could you go? He sharply sucks in his breath when hearing the bedroom door open.

"Hey," It's Taeyong. "We're about to start."

"Cool." Donghyuck wipes his eyes. "I'll be down."

Giving him a moment to pull himself together, Taeyong walks out your old room first and then goes down the steps. This house once used to be a home filled with so much love and care. But it only took your parents dying, also in a car accident, to break the foundation of the family. Taeyong, Mark and you were siblings who loved each other so much and dearly, yet once your parents died something shifted in all of you. There was a lack of connections or understanding between you all. While it was evident that Taeyong tried to bring his siblings back together and become the man of the house, he couldn't find himself being strong for both you and Mark. While you and Mark confided in each other and got closer, Taeyong drifted further apart from the both of you as he made sure that you both went to good schools, colleges and even found good work. Under Taeyong's guidance, Taeyong managed to afford a student accommodation for Mark because Mark got a scholarship in a top university. Just like Mark, you also achieved good marks and got a bursary were they paid your full tuition as well as housing fees. Happy to have sent you and Mark to good schools, Taeyong was able to look after the house and move out, leaving it as a treasured piece of their family. Their parents were buried in the backyard and he only saw it fit to keep it as a memory house, as a personal cemetery for their family.

However, upon your passing, Taeyong sits outside with tears in his eyes. He never wanted you to die, he still wanted to send you off into a good marriage with a good man, he wanted to see you give birth to many children and be happy, because even though he failed to get closer to you he still loved you as his little sister. But now you're gone and can only look at your coffin that's in the middle of the backyard.

Mark is seated on one of the chairs alongside a few of the distant family relatives and your friends. He hates the feelings he's feeling. But there's nothing for him to do except stare down on the ground while some of your friends play a lovely song on their violins to slowly start the ceremony. The instrumental is so good that it takes him down the memory lane he had with you. He remembers the last time he spoke to you, you were jubilant and excited as ever for getting a job in a nice office of a company that you had admired for long. Credit Insurance Company. He recalls how joyful you were and how everything you spoke about was almost like reminiscing on your life... It's like you knew that you were gonna die. Because Mark can still remember your last words. 'Goodbye Markie. Hopefully the next time we see each other I'll be covered in all white, head to toe full of riches.' You only meant it as a joke of how rich you were going to be, but now it's the last thing he'll ever remember from you.

Donghyuck sits next to Mark absorbing the somber feeling and nonchalant feeling. It doesn’t help that the violin fuels into the pain he’s feeling in his soul.

Taeyong gets on the grass setup of an alter with flowers and pictures of you, while your coffin is stacked next to your pictures. "Thank you for that beautiful symphony. It was a masterpiece. This was my sister’s favorite song. She loved music, specifically the instrumentals because, she could always hear the unsaid words that were said. She always connected to instrumentals. I bought her... her first ipod and the first song she had on it, Near to thee my God. A song that was played at our parents’ funeral. I hope… that right now.." Taeyong gulps down the lump on his throat and looks at your body. "That she’s near to them…”

Taeyong shakes his head.

“Thank you all for joining us, in this ceremony. It's not fair that we’re here in memorial of my little sister. We should’ve been here to celebrate, but we’re here in remembrance. Gone so young, gone too soon. Life, another shit show. It's not fair that she's meeting mum and dad in heaven. It's not fair that she's left us behind. It's not even fair that we're here in honor of her death. It’s just unfair. Even though I'm her brother, her brother who barely spoke to her, I loved her so much. In times when I thought of her, I remembered the small things. The arguments we'd have about how much she hated cheese burger but loved cheese and she'd always nag that tomato is a vegetable, but it was a fruit. Her random topics being too… She was so dumb, but yet so intelligent." Taeyong finds himself bitterly chuckling and sniffing. "She always lit up the room, always had something to say. Whenever she’d step in, you’d know that she was there. Even if we hardly spoke to each other, she always made me happy with her presence. I think Mark can agree with me that she was the pride and dearest of our family. The best gift I've ever gotten was having a baby sister who I could look after and make sure that she kept smiling no matter what. I love you Y/n. Where ever you are, I love you, and I wish I told you that more."

Mr Zhong standing right next to your coffin watches you as you're seated on the floor looking up to your brother with so much admiration. It's true you never spoke a lot, but it's also true that you loved him so much. You always wanted to make him proud and not make him disappointed for sending you off to school- he gave up on school so that you and Mark could make it far. He had lots of self-hate because he thinks he drifted far from you, but he didn't even know that he was the center of your pride. You stand up and move closer to him and focus when you wrap your arms around him-

Mr Zhong watches the effect of the hug and what it does to Taeyong. Right on the spot Taeyong bursts out crying, only irking you to cry more as you whisper how much you love him and never hated him, and how much you looked up to him. You thank him and give him a kiss on the cheek. Taeyong can feel this presence like a warm blanket coming over him. He moves to his seat not being able to handle the overwhelming warmth coating him and little whispers of your voice saying you love him too.

Next up, Mark gets on the pulpit a little wobbly. It only takes one look at your coffin for him to begin crying and releasing all the tears he tried to hide. He doesn't know why he can't stop himself from crying, but Mr Zhong watches how your crying has an effect on Mark. You hold him tightly while he cries and you cry so much.

Taeyong gets up and moves forward to his brother, giving him a firm hug and never letting Mark go, Mark shakes his head in denial and can't even make out words when feeling so much sadness come over him. You join in on the hug that your brothers have, and from the side Mr Zhong has a somber face. He hated funerals. He hated them with a passion. But it was a law, a mind law that even when you die, you have to be present at your funeral to see the people who love you one last time before you'd get all ties with them. So while his eyes get watery by your tears and your brothers tears, he has no choice but to keep standing by your coffin with your body in a white dress. He sighs when Taeyong and Mark move over to sit down. A friend comes to speak, says short tearful words about how she knew you were her real friend. A distant family member speaks of your enthusiastic behavior, another group of friends play an instrumental in tribute to your love for a specific movie, and then next on stage is Donghyuck.

The one you’ve been waiting for. The reason why your life began to make sense after your parents’ death. The one who said love and you knew what it meant, took you out of that broken place you had placed yourself in, kissed you and you knew who you were. When you were lost, you simply looked into his eyes and you knew who you were because he was there. He has always been there for you. You feel like you’ve betrayed him, because you left. You left him all alone.

Donghyuck’s hands shaking uncontrollably pull out a white piece of paper that he wrote on the days you died. He tries to keep his cool but just seeing two of your brothers break down as well as everyone who you had a close bond with, only has him shaking and trying not to fall apart too. "In loving memory of my girlfriend. Maybe I’ll start by saying I’ll never regret loving you. But I must say, I wish things turned out the way we wanted it to be. I would never know what love was until you brought me the definition. You were there in the right time and place and time, you saw and you opened my eyes to a whole new world. That’s why I’m unprepared to let you go. You mean everything to me. I am not prepared to see you like this… in this coffin. We had plans, a bucket list to cross of. Growing old together, getting married, having kids, getting to open up each other more. Maybe along the way we would’ve gotten tired of each other, but in all the years I’ve been with you, even after arguments, I’ve never gotten tired of you. I love you. But now, I see you in white, inside a box with all our broken promises. I’m not ready to let you go. I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want to move on. I want to acknowledge all the feelings you made me feel, I never want to let you go. I am glad that I opened my doors for you because you gave me a lot of reasons to continue living even though I was hurting. Remember when I was on the verge of giving up on life and … you saved me? Just like always you came to my rescue like a shining armor. It was surreal. You told me to live. But how am I supposed to live when you’re not here anymore. Please if you can, show me a sign again. Show me that you are near. Y/n, I prayed for you to come back. I need you to be back here with me, with your brothers and friends. But… I know it’s impossible. Because the cold hands of death snatched you away from this cruel earth. This earth doesn’t deserve you, but why did you leave me? Don’t I deserve you?”

Donghyuck gulps when his tears block his vision.

“Since you passed away, life hasn't been the same. If I could, I would move to heaven just to be with you. I would turn back time to have you here on earth with me again. The time we spent together meant the world to me, your laughter and your precious smile always made my heart beat- even when we fought. It always took 3 minutes to make everything alright again. We always came back to each other even though we’d drift apart. I remember those times because it made me feel that whatever I’d do, or what you’d do could never break us apart because we always knew the way back to each other, to try and fix it. " Donghyuck shivers and grunts lowly when his eyes get blurry. "No one will ever know, what it's like to lose someone who’s saved them countless of times from destruction. I miss you... I want to move on, but I can't. I can't move on when you're not here. I won't find another one because you'll always be in my heart. Maybe I will, but I don’t want to. I only want you. I’ve only wished it to be you."

Mr Zhong shakes his head when hearing Donghyuck declare the words that would be your entire existence.

“No one will ever know what it’s like to lose the love of your life just when things were only getting to the best parts. Because I was there when that cruel car drove into you and took your breath away, Y/n, it didn’t have to end that way, you still had so much life. But if it’s this way, please just come back to us and let us say goodbye properly. I’m sorry for this to be the end of our love story… but I know you’re not gone. You’re still here. Inside of your brothers, of your friends, of family, you’re also inside of me.” Donghyuck sniffs. While Mr Zhong is in the corner disliking the words that Donghyuck is confessing, you’re on the ground holding tightly onto his torso.

Mr Zhong sits through your funeral, watching your friends from school an internship place speak such wonderful words about you. He watches how your body is sunk into the ground, everyone being a crying mess… you really had an impact on people. He watches family bid their last good byes, he watches your brother and Donghyuck spend a few more minutes around the spot they buried you. He watches how they’re the first ones to throw a shovel of dirt onto your coffin. Everything feels too real for you, but you’re in a mass crying hysteria as everything unfolds. This is not at all how you imagined your life to end, so to see this all happening is unreal. Mr Zhong watches as the people begin to pack up, how your brothers don’t move from your spot- Mr Zhong watches it all. His own eyes glistening with tears. Day turns to afternoon, and afternoon turns to night…

The last person remaining in the burial sight is Donghyuck. Taeyong and Mark are in the house preparing some food. Donghyuck is seated on the ground watching the place where they buried you. The next day they’d continue to place the rest of the burial ‘ornaments’. For now he can only look at the soil that has covered up the grave and coffin. His mind is blank of emotions.

Meanwhile you’re next to him laying your head on his shoulder. It takes you focusing all of your might into just holding him, but once you get the grip you never let him go. Donghyuck can feel it… he feels a strange sense of comfort by the warmth over his arm. He doesn’t try to move afraid that it might go away… instead he uses this moment to speak to you.

Mr Zhong knows that inside of Donghyuck, it’s Haechan who is in control right now. “Y/n… are you… are you here?”

“Yes I am,” But he can’t hear you. Just the wind blowing.

“I miss you,” He carries on but stops himself when the tears come rushing out again and he’s crying so much. Your own eyes are already puffed up from crying heavily after hearing all your family and friends lament on your death. Mr Zhong disappeared a while ago leaving you alone on the surface with Donghyuck. So to hear him cry, you know that inside Haechan is crying whole heartedly. Literally.

In a shift, a blink of an eye you see Donghyuck get up. “Hyuck,” You call him. “What’s wrong? Where are you going?”

You can’t hear it, but for some reason you know that he’s having internal conflicts again… as he paces back and forth and trembles and his eyes literally look like they’re thinking. It’s all because you were inside of him, you know how everyone is operating there. He makes a rash decision when he suddenly and swiftly punches himself in the face! He falls on the ground and you gasp- what was that. You move to his side trying your hardest to do something from the outside. If Mr Zhong is doing something in there to prevent another ‘Donghyuck shut down’ then perhaps you can you also do something out here. So with all your concentration, you place your hands over his shoulder and you stare at his face that’s in anguish and distress.

“Hey, Hyuck,” You lowly say… Donghyuck’s ears aren’t prepared to hear the spiritual world, but he does hear your voice. Instantly that has him frozen. You keep looking into his eyes hoping he can just stay focused on you- but his eyes shift around- an indication that he can’t see you, but he did hear you… “Please calm down,” you try hard to let him hear the words… and… surprisingly he crosses his legs and nods his head.

“Okay,”

You breathe out, having him back for a bit. You stay with him, this time wrapping your arms around him as you straddle his waist. Hopefully he can feel that… he can.

“Hey Donghyuck, supper’s ready,” Donghyuck doesn’t want to snap out of the daze he was in when hearing your voice and sorta feeling this embrace around him. But as Taeyong calls he sighs out when instantly everything he was feeling, vanishes away. He gets up and heads into the warmly lit home with Taeyong and Mark and takes a seat with the brothers and eats…

You take a seat on the table simply watching them eat. Your heart mourns and aches to be this close to them. “It’s time to go back.” Your head snaps to the side where you see Mr Zhong standing by the corner of the kitchen as if he’s in the shadows. “We have to go back.”

“Can’t you just wait for a few minutes?”

“No I can’t. It’s urgent we move now.”

“How do you expect me to go when my brothers and boyfriend are still wounded?” You question not budging.

“For once in your goddamn life can you just stop asking questions and follow me.” Mr Zhong, frustrated, grumbles. “Come on.”

“Do you guys… feel it?” This is Mark who asks. Both you and Mr Zhong freeze and turn to him, wanting to hear what he’ll say. “Do you feel how empty it is in the house without her?”

Taeyong nods his head and so does Donghyuck. Meanwhile Mr Zhong stomps to the table and grabs your hand. “Let’s go-”

“Let me go!” You yell trying to force yourself away from him!

“Did anyone else hear that?” Donghyuck questions, but this time Mr Zhong doesn’t stop until he’s pulling you off the table and into his personal elevator.

“Gosh! Why do you have to be so infuriatingly frustrating!” You yell out spinning around grabbing your hair. The anger soon turns to tears watching the lift close and your brothers and boyfriend disappearing from your view. “I just want to be with my family. I just want to be with them.”

Your crying doesn’t phase Mr Zhong nor does it stop even when the doors open back into the room of the core members. Mr Zhong picks you up and drags you to your room… well… his room. It’s dark in here. Like a punishment. You can see nothing but pure darkness. It’s an abyss and you’re afraid of it. Mr Zhong leaves you there for 5 whole minutes. That’s how long it takes you to stop crying and begin to fear the dark. Thank goodness he comes back, the little light emitted from the door way makes you immediately stand up. However he crosses his arms.

“Because I can’t trust you out there I’m going to leave you in here-”

“What?”

“And the next step we, we as Donghyuck’s core, will try to get him to move on, because this already looks like an unhealthy way to deal with losing someone.”

“You can’t do that-”

“I can.”

“No you can’t-”

“Watch me.” Mr Zhong voices aloud. “You’re not supposed to be here, the faster he moves on then the better. If you can’t help us with that, then we’re doing this without you. Stop leading Donghyuck on.” Are Mr Zhong’s final words to you.

You’re a little too late to react when he shuts the door and you’re swarmed with internal darkness all over again. You leap off the bed and run to the door trying to unlock it and shake it- to no avail it doesn’t budge. It starts off with you yelling for him to let you out! Before it turns to you banging out the door! You begin to get paranoid yelling and banging! Minutes turn to hours very quick and you’re met with no response. You don’t know how long you remain in the same position before paranoia turns to tears and you’re now wailing in the dark room. And then, like a good cry always does, you fall asleep.

Donghyuck finishes eating and thanks Taeyong and Mark for the meal, before he heads on home. Without his car, he opts for transport services. However, selecting what address to put, he contemplates between the club (Sun’s doing), the park to clear his head (Mr Zhong’s doing) and home (Haechan’s doing). While inside of him they quickly try to verify what action to take, it’s decided upon going to the park. That way, they can try to have another meeting on Donghyuck’s next turning point- instead of simply just rushing in to anything and everything.

Looking at the time, it’s past 8 pm and the little twinkling lights shine blending in with the aesthetics of the park. There seems to be a self-made concert of a guy with what looks like an electric guitar. Donghyuck simply walks by to hear the words that captured his attention:

‘I can’t go back now, nothings the same. But I won’t forget how you called my name? So will you remember me? Will you remember the way that I was? Will you remember me? Will you remember the way that you felt when you were next to me? Will you remember? Do you remember?’

Donghyuck finds himself taking a seat on the grass along with the other singles/couples scattered on the grass as they listen to the guy sing with his slightly raspy voice. The guy goes on to singing a few more songs, before he opens up his eyes that had been closed since Donghyuck came. “Thank you,” That gets the little crowd gathered to applaud for him. Donghyuck is surprised how instantly when the guy gets up, there aren’t girls swarming him with how good his vocals were- he’s just in shock how the guy gets up and begins walking away. Taking his chance, Donghyuck follows him. This being Sun’s doing, as he’s also been interested in singing and would love to hear this guy’s inspiration and would also like to thank the guy.

“Hey, man, dude,”

That gets the strangers attention as he turns around curiously, to see if they were calling him. And upon seeing Donghyuck he smiles gently. “Oh hey,”

“What? Aren’t you going to wait for tips after your show?”

The guy’s smile turns a bit shy as he scratches the back of his neck. “Nah, I don’t really do this for the money. But if you’ve got some tips, I’d gladly take them,”

“I’d feel awkward handing you money in cash, it’d kinda send a suspicious message,”

“I get you,” The guy chuckles. “My name’s Jeno, I don’t usually get ‘fans’ running up to me, so I assume you don’t know who I am. What’s your name?”

“What an introduction,” Donghyuck tries to stay upbeat and positive even though his smile is tired. “Well, I’m Donghyuck, some call me Haechan or Sun,”

“You must be a ray of sunshine then,” Jeno enlightens.

“Me? Nah, I’d say your voice was the sunshine in my dark world,” Donghyuck admits… a bit weakly.

Jeno sees the sadness that passes through Donghyuck’s eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were flirting with me,”

“Not really,” Donghyuck gulps looking down, trying to control the sudden knock of tears. He exhales and tightly smiles looking up. “I actually buried my girlfriend today. Hearing you sing just brought me to a place. Uhm, yeah,” Deep. Is all that Jeno can think as he listens to Donghyuck. “I guess I just wanted to acknowledge you for that,”

“I guess music really does have a way to connect people together,” Jeno smiles sadly too. “Even though she’s my ex now, I can’t imagine ever losing her to death. My condolences.”

“No biggie,” Donghyuck shrugs it off, clearing his throat. “Thanks for that,”

“I may not know your girlfriend, but I bet you loved her,” Donghyuck can only swallow back tears giving a brief smile. Jeno pats Donghyuck’s shoulder. “I was actually headed to one of my pal’s get together, wanna tag along? Might help you to relieve some stress,”

Donghyuck finds himself chuckling a little. “Not even gonna call this pal to make sure it’s okay?”

“The more the merrier,” Jeno smiles nudging his head forward as a sign that they should get going. Donghyuck doesn’t mind following along with Jeno. Throughout the walk Jeno talks about his ex girlfriend and how she cheated on him, and he was really depressed and as a way to de-stress himself, music came to him and allowed him to free himself. Donghyuck listens and wonders to himself if he’ll ever move on-

No.

He hears in his head. It’s not even an option. Why should he let you go especially knowing that there’s no one who will ever make him feel the same way as you? Why should he let go when he won’t find another like you? Why should he let go when he’s promised and dedicated his life to you? Why should he let go when you were his everything? How do people who break up begin to let go so easily? Is it because they were never in love- or because they found another? Donghyuck shakes his head, there’s no point in moving on especially if he didn’t get any closure.

It's very clear to Mr Zhong that Haechan and Sun are more in control of Donghyuck’s eagerness to not letting you. It’s clear that he might have to prepare himself in seeing you everyday. And that’s not an option he likes. So finally when Jeno and Donghyuck arrive to the ‘pals’ house- Mr Zhong actually gets thrilled when seeing the familiar face of Jaemin.

Y/n’s quote on quote fling.

The house is big, there are a bunch of guys and girls not exotically all over each other, but in a friendly state of a gathering. Donghyuck over hears something from Jeno as he comments that it’s a birthday of another friend- but Donghyuck could care less, especially when Jaemin also catches Donghyuck’s eyes.

Both have a deep stare down and instantly Mr Zhong takes front and center and immediately activates anger. Donghyuck’s lips twist in anger just as Jeno picks up on the tense atmosphere. He holds onto Donghyuck’s chest and with an arm around his shoulder he forces the ladder out of Jaemin’s equally engraved bitter eyes and to the kitchen.

“Am I missing something? Do you know Jaemin-”

“F-”

“She died because of you.”

Jeno’s ears are sharp when he turns to Jaemin who sucks in a breath after following them. Donghyuck turns around his eye twitching. “I beg your pardon? What did you say?”

“You heard me.” The teary red eyes of anger stare back into Donghyuck’s eyes as Jaemin balls his fist. For a very long time his thought about this encounter. Ever since hearing about your death over social media when one of your brothers posted that- Jaemin could only think of the last conversation you had with him. “You killed her.”

Donghyuck pounces but Jeno stands between the two hastily. “Yho yho Jaemin calm yourself, it’s Renjun’s birthday and he doesn’t want any of this.”

Jaemin is far from hearing that as he stares into Donghyuck’s eyes infuriated eyes. And Donghyuck isn’t even in the room anymore as his full focus is on Jaemin. “I buried my girlfriend today. Don’t forget that, she wasn’t your girlfriend, she was my girlfrien-”

“Cut that bullshit. She’s dead now all because of you. And you know what, she didn’t have to die- but you-” Jaemin stresses looking pain stricken. “You. It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t called her out that night she would’ve still been alive- matter of fact if you just gave her that space instead of always suffocating her then maybe- just maybe would she still be-”

“Excuse me? What the hell are you on ab-”

“God you’re so full of yourself.” Jaemin tries to step forward but Jeno’s hand stops him. “I loved her and she loved me. Do you honestly think- no do you really believe that she was happy in that claustrophobic relationship you provided her? Are you shitting me? You gas lighted her-

“Jaemin-”

“You filled her head with shit. Kept hurting her, manipulating her thoughts to think that she needed you at all times. You’re so controlling that you didn’t even realize that she was getting sick of you-”

“Listen here dude you know nothing about our relationship-”

“Oh but I know plenty pal,” Jaemin cries stuffling his anger. “You think you were good for her? Shit, you were draining and knowing now how possessive you are over her- I can just imagine the loneliness she endured while being with you. Do you know she called me when you’d sleep? Or do you even know how much she cried to me? Do you even know where her heart lied truly? No. Because you continuously put her down. Continuously limited her. You didn’t know that girl like I did. You did not know her. She couldn’t even get out- always waiting for you and whatever you’d say.” Jaemin sniffs in blinking the tears away. “You selfish bastard, you kept her all for yourself and still have the nerve to claim her after death-”

Donghyuck has always been considered as a weak fighter- yet when he lands a punch right against Jaemin’s jaw! No one sees it coming, and that fuels Donghyuck to pounce on Jaemin and rattle him with each of his fists while his eyes wreak havoc in tears. By now there’s a crowd formed, howls of urgency just as Jeno and a bunch of other guys hold onto Jaemin and Donghyuck separating them. In the end- Donghyuck points a deadly finger at Jaemin who’s on the floor panting out in rage. “You know nothing about us. I loved her more than anything and I know for a fact that she loved me too. You weren’t even present at her funeral so what fucking say do you have over her life- If anything you were annoying- you still are annoying. Don’t you ever, EVER, speak of her again. You filthy piece of shit.”

Donghyuck passes by the flabbergasted faces of guys and leaves the house. After a heavy and teary walk where he constantly talks out loud blaming Y/n for dying. His feet find him in a 24/7 store as he buys liquor. He chugs it down shaking his head at the overwhelming thoughts pouring in his head from meeting Jaemin. This is the first time he’s confront Jaemin. Mr Zhong is glad that he can ‘pollute’ Donghyuck’s mind to the point where Sun and Haechan are both grieved and trying to believe that really Y/n is innocent. But it’s hard to believe that, especially since all that quote on quote crap came from Jaemin.

Y/n’s fling.

This all started a year ago when your relationship with Donghyuck began getting a little rocky. You became distant, and within the time of you being away from him, you met Jaemin. At this point only heaven knows what you’ve told Jaemin. Because ever since you patched things up with Donghyuck- Donghyuck began seeing a lot more of Jaemin around you. Seems like Jaemin had caught feelings. Donghyuck would note how you’d try to hide Jaemin away-  but Jaemin was very vocal about how he felt towards you. Hell knows what you’ve done privately with Jaemin, but even the little thought of it makes Donghyuck boil. Because now you’re gone. Now you’re dead and all the answers he wants to get, he can’t get them because you’re a whole spiritual platform away from him. “How could you do this to me!? Was I really suffocating you? Then why’d you stay with me all this time? What was the point of us getting back together if your heart lied with him? What the hell was he talking about? Y/n! Why? Why? This isn’t fair.”

Getting home, slurring his words and mumbling curses to you and Jaemin’s abomination relationship. He enters his dark room.

You’re awakened when hearing a cry. By now darkness becomes your second vision when you open your eyes and still find yourself in the same dark place. But yet.. you still hear a cry. It’s Donghyuck’s cry. Why is he crying?

Feeling sad and sorrow filling you up, you think of how to get out of the room, and how to get to Donghyuck in order to help him out. You don’t like hearing him cry. Why is he crying? Meanwhile Mr Zhong on the other side of the door is with the others as they formulate a ‘Moving On Strategy’, but he doesn’t know that as you’re on the other side, miraculously you think of something…

If Mr Zhong could do it, then so can you. He mentioned something about the cyber dream being part of Donghyuck’s thoughts… imagination… So without any delay, you try your hardest and begin building in your head. You construct something that you’ve seen him use to teleport you places. That elevator…

You’re already in the elevator when you open your eyes again. Just think. Think. Where do you want to go? The elevator begins to go up high and you have to keep your self-balanced against the side when it gets rigid and shakes a little too strongly. Steady. Steady. You remind yourself while picturing Donghyuck’s room. Taking in a deep breath you allow yourself to focus and concentrate on getting the elevator to Donghyuck. Actually you don’t know why you suddenly thought of Donghyuck’s room… but it seems like the crying if from there.

The first thing you hear when the elevator door opens up is sniffing. Despite the time being 18h26 pm, his blinds shut out any light- creating a pitch back room- only being lit up by his phone’s brightness light. The room is similar to the way it was when you were in the Organs and Nerves center. You step out the elevator and carefully tread on the carpeted grounds of Donghyuck’s room. If you still had a pulse, a heartbeat, you’d be able to feel your emotions going all over the place. As soon as you see him, his disheveled appearance slouched and face so stiff in sadness, you get a headache from how stupid you’d been to have died.

Why did you have to die? Why? You were his everything… You were his, and now that he’s gone you just feel this cold atmosphere around him. Getting in front of him you bend down, holding onto his knee- only for you to nearly fall as you pass through him. You can smell that he’s drunk. You can smell that alcohol. Great. You can’t help the little squeak that leaves you, the little squeak of frustration as your head lightly throbs that you can’t touch him. Watching him in the face, and how he doesn’t even react to you is just another slap in the face that you’re… no longer living. Looking at his somber face you feel your throat clog up.

“Hyuck,” you blink when seeing he’s looking at your picture on his phone. “I’m sorry for leaving you,” You try to hold his face, but the way your ghostly hue flows past him has you just kneeling in front of him in pure and pitiful sadness. “Hyuck,”  

Your sweet voice drowning in the silence as your eyes take him in.

Your arms keep passing him but right now you feel so close to him in the sense that you’re actually here with him. You can’t just be here and he doesn’t acknowledge you. You want him to acknowledge you…

You want him to feel you…

You just want him to look you in the eye and not be sad. You can’t stand this. You can’t stand being in him when outside he’s hurting. You don’t want him to hurt anymore.

Concentrating with everything in you, you brace yourself to touch him again. This time you tell yourself that you will. If you did it before at the hospital. “Feel me…” You can do it again. “Please,” Your fingers get a grip on his face… just a tingle and he instantly reacts.

Gasping out loud and looking around, you smile a little more as the rest of your fingers slide past his face until your whole hand is against the side of his face. “Hyuck…”

“Y/n?” You’re happy that he calls out your name, only except he doesn’t look at you or acknowledge your presence. He’s probably just having a reflex again. That doesn’t stop you from sliding your arm over his leg as you get back taking a seat next to him.

“I’m here,” You tilt your head to the side, willing yourself to wrap your arms around his torso. “I feel you Hyuck,”

His reaction to your touch is subtle as he stiffens and quietly breathes out. Can he feel it? Can he feel you?

“Can you feel me?” You whisper looking up to his face. “Look at me babe,”

He let’s out your name again from his lips sniffing. His eyes an ocean of red veins with tears dripping out. “Are you… Are you here with me right now?”

“Yes,” you nod your head a smile breaking out of your lips. “I never left you,” You place your hand over his chest rubbing it. Surely he can feel it because he places his own hand over his heart and bites his trembling lip. “I’m here,”

“I miss you so much,” He cries and shuts his eyes. He can’t hear you, but he can feel you. “I miss you so much…”

“I’m here,” You whisper out sniffing.

“No you’re not here… Jaemin was right,” He cries, and you hesitate a bit when hearing the foreign name. “I should’ve never came to see you, maybe you’d still be alive, maybe you’d-”

“It’s not your fault,” You mummer sadly listening to him blame himself. You gulp and shake your head rubbing his back. “Hyuck please stop, it was never your fault.” But he continues to speak… it’s when you understand that although he can feel you he actually can’t hear you.

“I wish I was there when you took your last breath. You took your last breath to a bunch of strangers and I wasn’t even there to… be with you.” He sniffs, hiccuping. He unpleasantly leans on his knees trying to control himself and his tears. “Were you scared? Taking your last breath, were you scared to cross over to the other side… you were alone. So alone. And that fucker blames me for suffocating you. Is that how you felt? Is that how you really felt? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Is it better that side? Is it better wherever you are?” He runs his hand over his hair. “Are you really here with me? Can’t I… follow you?”

“No.” You get on your knees and assuredly hug his knees. “Hyuck please don’t talk like this. It hurts me to see you like this. It hurts without you. It hurts not being able to live,”

“Are you… really here?”

“I am baby,” You grip him tighter. Even though he can’t hear you, you’re just filled with joy by his presence. “And I don’t plan on leaving you, so please, please Hyuck,” just stop talking nonsense.”

“You’re all worn out Donghyuck,” he faintly chuckles to himself. “You’re even hearing her voice,”

Your ears perk as he speaks. Kneeling down but facing him, you touch his face. Caressing him. “I’m in you Hyuck. I’m here,”

He scoffs. “Was that crap Jaemin was talking about true?”

“What?”

“Did I really suffocate you? Did I hurt you? Did you always call on Jaemin when I slept- was he the one you hid from me? Why didn’t you tell me anything- why didn’t you just fucking break up with me, if I was always on your case- why are you here? Why aren’t you with him? I hate that you’re gone. I hate that you left when you could’ve been alive. This is all my fault.” Donghyuck drunkenly sinks on his bed crying out. You’re just confused about everything he busted out. What was going on in the surface? Did he meet Jaemin or something? Did he really speak to Jaemin? What was Jaemin even saying- the anticipation killing you.

His eyes open up… his pupils slightly enlarge. Your eyes go all over his face and you can only wonder what he can see. He sits up on the bed still looking shocked. And this time his eyes don’t budge from yours. “Hyuck?”

His lips part and he freezes. “Y/n?” He carefully calls your name. “Is this real?” He sucks in a sharp breath. “You’re really… hey…” His eyes water up and he gently smiles.

“Hey,” You bite your lip feeling teary eyed.

“Y/n? Babe? Am I hallucinating-”

“That’s enough.” Like a shadow emerging from the darkness- a hand grips tightly onto your arm yanking you back into the shadows.

“Stop!” Of course it’s Mr Zhong. In his black suit, he gives you no time of his attention as he just drags you. You grip and try to pull away but his durability is great compared to your weak state. “Hey!”

You’re thrown on the floor of the elevator- his elevator and the doors close. Getting up you’re cross faced towards Mr Zhong however, your eyes take in the scenery of Donghyuck standing up on his feet in his dark room. He’s stationed in place with his arms lightly out. He pulls his curtain open and looks around his room. Your heart aches when you watch him bury his head in his hands before getting down on the ground shivering and another unruly cry escapes his already raspy throat.

“Have you lost your mind?” You now yell at Mr Zhong being furious. “Have you lost-”

“No the real question is, have you lost your damn freaking mind?! Why only now when we’re trying to get him to move on past you? Why are you here? Do you not understand how dangerous it is for you to be up here? What is wrong with you? Do you actually know how much risk you put yourself in when you continue to engage with Donghyuck this way-”

“I don’t care! I don’t give a damn because I’m just as broken! I’m just as sad as he is. That’s my boyfriend. I died and left him alone-”

“So why are you here!” He infuriatingly lets out, not minding that it actually hurt your feelings. “Why are you here? You should be dead!”

“I’m here because he needs me!” Holding back your tears you push him back when he gets too close. “He clearly needs me and you’re stopping me. You can’t stop me-”

“He doesn’t need you! What could he possibly do with you if you’re dead? Be depressed? Be sick? Die and follow you to the grave? Exactly. You have no place here. And that’s why you need to leave now. When you leave you’ll give him room to move on. Your presence here is holding him back-”

“I don’t want to leave him! He’s mine and I am his!” You stand your ground against him who’s just making you feel all sorts of anger. “I love him! I just want to be with him!”

His cheek pops out as he shakes his head folding his arms. “Well too bad. You just earned yourself a week in the cellar. If you do not want to cooperate with me then I’ll get you out of here by myself.”

“What is wrong with you? Why can’t I just-” The elevator door opens up and he’s back to grabbing you not paying mind to a word you say. You try to tell him to stop but he’s not letting you go. He drags you all the way to his room and tosses you inside, locking the door behind him, leaving you alone in his dark room. You huff and puff bang the door. But he doesn’t come back for you. Leaving you all alone.

Donghyuck returns back to work, melancholy and quiet. A few people from work greet him and pat his back just as others wish him well and pass their condolences. He sighs when nothing eventful happens throughout the day. He ends up going back home with the lingering thought of what occurred last night. Not the fight between him and Jaemin… but how he saw you. Or at least he wants to believe that he saw you. But he was drunk… there’s no way.

Another day passes, uneventful with him going home and sleeping. Another day passes and he feels so very alone and cries the whole day before getting up to go to work. He visits your grave, but nonetheless, he is troubled deeply. Mr Zhong inside is satisfied that everything is going according to plan. A few more days of melancholy will bring Donghyuck to slowly move on from you. And it so happens that when Donghyuck visits the grave again, he sees Taeyong.

“Oh,” Taeyong acknowledges Donghyuck. “How are you Donghyuck?”

“Hanging in there,”

“Yeah,” Making small talk with each other, they spend a good amount of time reminiscing on you that Donghyuck finally decides to open up something. “I… I’ve seen her a few times.” He meekly lets out while looking at your tombstone. “I’ve seen her a few times... even felt her. It’s like… she’s still here,”

Taeyong doesn’t respond immediately. He lets the words process before he can speak. “That night… after burying her, when we were eating… I felt her presence. It was like she was in the room with us. I don’t know what to make of it, but… If you feel her, then it should be a good sign. Maybe she’s looking after us before she… goes. Lucky you,”

-

It's sitting in the darkness of the room for several days and nights that has you feeling angry. You know what you have to do. You have to get back to Donghyuck. This guy (Mr Zhong) can’t keep trapping you down here.

If you can concentrate really hard then you might be able to get out of here. If you concentrate to the extreme you’ll be able to see him again. Only except everything in this room is dark and just so hard to see anything appear. You feel all kinds of annoyance gnawing upon you. But you hold yourself steady trying to think of an elevator again- or any means of escape. “Please let me just go to wherever Donghyuck is.” It’s only when you hear a pop(!) do you rapidly open your eyes when hearing the wind. Instead of a room, you’re actually outside. But it doesn’t appear to be the real world, instead it’s it really looks like the dreamscape city, only that it’s filled with clouds and buildings of all shapes and sizes are on the clouds. You turn your head back and forth hoping to see someone but you don’t. “Hello?” You logically call out.

“Yes?”

Snapping back and forth to find the source that is heard everywhere you look up to the pale orange bright sky. “Uhm, hi? Where are you?”

“Everywhere,” He clears out his thoughts. “Welcome to Dream Land, where every night we provide Donghyuck with a dream.”

Dreams… You can work with that. “So, what can I do if I want to be a part of Donghyuck’s dreams?” The silence follows for a few minutes, before you ask something else, not knowing if it’s ignoring you or what. “Can I be a part of Donghyuck’s dream?”

“Log in a file with Dream Corp and we’ll process it before Donghyuck arrives.”

“And where can I find that?” You furrow your brows. “And what do you mean before Donghyuck arrives?”

“Jump off.”

“What?” This time the silence is everlasting. “I guess I’m jumping off.”

But just as you’re about to jump off- you take notice of you see him…. You see Donghyuck. You can’t believe your eyes, but you begin running towards him on the bumpy clouds. He walks to the edge just as your almost close to him and when he jumps you gasp but also jump after him. Thankfully your body clashes into his- and you grip him tight in a hug not letting him go. The wind blows and tugs on your body making you feel dizzy and sick but you hold on tight to Donghyuck. “Hyuck?” It doesn’t look like he realizes, but you see that his eyes are shut. Checking to see where you’re falling- you see the sky slowly turning dark before all of a sudden-

You’re thrusted straight onto a heavy ground. It doesn’t hurt like you expect it too- Donghyuck gets up still with his eyes closed and begins walking. There’s no time to adjust to your scenery or rather the pure blue sky with green grass blowing gently with 5 doors present for Donghyuck.

“Who’s in control?” You hear the skies asking.

“Sun.” A drowsy Donghyuck speaks.

“What door will you go through today?” The skies ask again. “We’ve got a quiet room, a nightmare seems to be brewing, a message from the angels and oh- Dream land informs me that Y/n has followed you.”

“In which… room will she be in?” You hear Donghyuck ask. As you walk forward to see his face, he doesn’t seem to be looking at you. Suddenly a thought comes inside of you to pick a door, where you’d like to speak with him.

Standing by a door, you hear the sky hum out. “She’s in room number 3. But beware, she didn’t pick an unoccupied dreamscape, she picked the dreamscape with the angels, so beware of Angels voices.

Donghyuck without hesitation follows to the room. You look at Donghyuck who opens up the door and you follow him.

-

“Where the hell is she?” As a nightly routine Mr Zhong enters your room to check up on you. Not seeing you on the bed he groans and walks in moving everywhere until he can determine that you’re not inside. Using his elevator he goes up to the surface and doesn’t see you in Donghyuck’s room. He comes back inside and furrows. He tries to sense for your presence but you’re nowhere around- he’ll be damned if he asks anyone if they’ve seen you. So he decides to go through some territories. The first is Sun.

Entering into the body territory he’s surprised to see what’s on the screen… is that… You?

“Sun what’s going on here?”

“We’re scheduled to be in Dreamland today, but you won’t believe who we encountered.” Sun speaks just as everyone looks too excited that they leap with joy around the body center. Mr Zhong shakes his head as he draws closer to the screen monitor- the monitor which reflects what Donghyuck can see in the Dream World.

You and him are talking… having a conversation. “What are they talking about?”

“We’re still in shock. We’ve been holding her here in place because his alarm clock is gonna ring in 10 minutes, we called Haechan over. He’s coming soon. It’s a shame he decided to make Donghyuck sleep at freaking 4 am in the morning, knowing very well that we need Donghyuck to rest up. The angels tried taking her away. What do you think this means?”

Mr Zhong curses. He can’t get you out of Dream Land by force, because he has no access there. How on earth did you get there? This is getting dangerous. If Haechan comes then-

“I came as quick as I heard the news. Where is she?”

“There.”

“Could it be? Is… is it really her?” He whimpers as he gets close to the screen. “Can I talk to her?”

“Yes, here.” Sun hands over the control to Haechan.

You watch Donghyuck’s head dip for a moment. “Hyuck? Hyuck? Is everything alright?” Sitting on the white blanket over the high grass, you just spent your time listening to the… angel… a huge white cloud covered in mist…. All the Angel did was stretch it’s hand towards you, repeating the phrase ‘Come home.’ You were so tempted to go… not knowing where, but Donghyuck held you back. The angel… kept saying ‘Come home’. And even now as Donghyuck holds onto his head, you wonder if he’s switching personalities from Sun to someone else… you hope it’s not Mr Zhong. So when he comes to a start you call: “Haechan?”

“How did you know it’s me? You still look so beautiful, my baby,” His teary eyes open and you smile holding onto his cheek. He holds onto your hand and kisses the inside of your palm. “You’re really here, I miss you so much, these past few days have been drowsy and lonely without you.”

“I don’t know how long I have until the dream is over, but I need your help Haechan,” You draw closer to him. “I know it’s going to be hard to believe, but ever since I’ve died… I’ve been here with you. Inside of your conscious…”

“You’ve been here? My conscious? That’s impossible.”

“Yes, every day I’ve been here. Close to you, hearing everything you’ve been doing. I fear that something is happening, they’re trying to make you forget me.” You nod your head trying to come clean. “I’ve been with a guy called Mr Zhong, and he keeps wanting me to get out of here. He’s in the Core-”

“Wait wait wait what?” He backs up-  “You had her all this time?” By now you know he’s not talking to you but someone else… in his head, as he looks to the side looking confused. “What do you mean she’s lying? Then who the hell am I speaking to? She said-”

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

You’re jolted to the side and suddenly… You’re back in the dark room. “What?” You get off the bed and wonder what happened? You run to the door- almost falling over when it opens instantly. Mr Zhong.

“I could strangle you to death right now.” He huffs and fumes. Holding his hand out, you watch on object appear. “I’m bounding you in chains. Because I can’t trust you.” You’re surprised when he holds onto your hand and chains you to the bed. You plead in shock trying to pull away. He gets tape and places it over your lips. You watch him walk out the room before a pit of darkness is formed. Muffling your cries you can’t believe that this is happening again. How long will he trap you in here? It’s not fair.

The next day Donghyuck awakes from a confused dream, he remembers seeing you and hearing you. He saw you wanted to go to the light but he held you back pleading you to stay with him. He goes to work, it’s a Friday so the day drags as he’s got no plans.

Meanwhile inside of him, there’s a full on search for you.

Sun begin to ‘take the wheel’ and run Donghyuck’s body, simply because Mr Zhong is in a meeting with Haechan. Thus, leaving Donghyuck to be run by Sun. Who is active tonight.

Donghyuck finds himself in a bar. Dimmed lights, bass so low, alcohol and pool tables being the only source of entertainment for the few loitering people inside the bar on the casual Friday night. Donghyuck is obviously here for the alcohol to drink and just forget... and slowly pass into tomorrow. He doesn’t want to wake up. If anything he wishes to dream about you again. He doesn’t want to feel anything. He just wants to be numb and drink… It’s what the Body wants anyway. The pain of crying for your death is too much… they just want to be numb.

“Hey,”

Donghyuck looks up to the bartender… It’s Jisung. Unlike the other days when Jisung’s face is upbeat and ready for a conversation, he looks down casted, and Donghyuck can guess why. “Hi.” He greets back lowly clearing his throat that sounded so clogged and choked from crying. “Can I get a row of shots.”

Jisung nods his head.

“Regular or-”

“No.” Donghyuck shakes his head. “I want something strong. Really, really strong.”

“Coming right up.” He’s tempted to go, but after hearing the news and seeing all over his social media about your death, he sticks around. “Sorry about your loss man,” He pipes up. He’d recall how you and Donghyuck used to be tight. You guys would often come to the bar to celebrate together… in a quiet space, laughing and giggling, getting tipsy and touching each other till you’d both go home and do just what he can imagine. You were a pleasure in Jisung’s low key bar. He enjoyed seeing a young couple be together for a long time and staying consistent to their ‘Friday night bar night’. Not only did he know he’d get money on that day, but he also knew you’d grace him with compliments about how fine he looks especially when you wanted to make your boyfriend a bit jealous. But now seeing Donghyuck here all on his own, looking like shit is a representation of how he must feel inside.

“It’s cool.” Donghyuck quickly discards. You were friendlier with Jisung then Donghyuck was. “Can I just have my shots?”

But Jisung is in a caring mood tonight and opts for a conversation instead. “You know, I lost a friend of mine once, and I realized that drinking my pain away wouldn’t do much, so I-”

‘Why the fuck is he not giving me my drinks?’ Sun complains looking at the screen of Donghyuck’s eyes. ‘Ask him again.’

Donghyuck interrupts Jisung. “Look man, tonight’s just not one of those nights. I just want to drink.”

“Truth be told, you actually look like you need a chat. And all I’m saying is that I’m all ears-”

“Thanks for the offer, I’ll take it into consideration.” Donghyuck tightly smiles with no emotions in his eyes. “But may I please just have my drinks.”

Jisung takes the hint when seeing Donghyuck’s cold gaze. “Ayt, but just so you know-”

Banging the table furious and abruptly standing up Donghyuck grabs Jisung by the collars staring at him deadly in the eye. “I just want a fucking drink.” Grating his teeth, Donghyuck tosses Jisung back, leaving the poor guy startled by what just happened.

“Alright shit. I’ll get you your damn drinks.” Jisung stares shocked and eyes still in a daze. “Just calm the fuck down before you get beat the fuck up.” Jisung turns around still with an upset gaze as he fixes up the drinks.

“You know what,” Donghyuck doesn’t finish his sentence as he gets up and heads out. You weren’t here anymore it would be pointless to carry on the tradition without you. He’s just gonna go to the club.

-

“Come with me.” Is the first thing Mr Zhong says when opening up the door. He unchains you just by opening up the palm of his hand.

“Where?”

He ignores you and carries on walking. Trying to show him that you’re angry is pointless as he doesn’t even pay mind to your face. He steps in the elevator and you’re next to him before the doors close and suddenly you’re in a dimly lit place.

“I must warn you.” Mr Zhong speaks as he steps out. “The Mind’s layout isn’t as civil as the upper Core or Cyber Dream.” Mr Zhong places his hand on the handle of a door that reads ‘MIND’ and grips it tightly. “Stay by me at all times. And please, do not touch anything. That’s a warning.”

“I won’t.” You grumpily say, as realization dawns on you that you’re going to the Mind. Walking behind Mr Zhong at all times, you tremble with every step, as the floors shake. “Why’s the floor shaking so much?” You question and stand still when you feel another heavy tremor.

Mr Zhong sighs. “That’s not the Mind for sure, the Body is partying or something.”

“Partying?” You go on. “You could’ve just used your elevator.”

“Unfortunately here I can’t use much of my power, because this isn’t my domain or territory.” Mr Zhong fills you in. “When we’re in the Upper part of Donghyuck’s body, I’m in control. But from the neck downwards, this is the Body and Mind’s layers.”

Still following behind Mr Zhong, you take in all the aspects of the Mind, which is a literal bloody sight. The walls are hollow red with veins gauging out from time to time and blood being spilled before a few ‘workers’ in red… just with empty faces quickly come and clean up. Everywhere is red, veiny and just so flesh like. The deeper you go, the darker it gets. Maroon and smelling like his natural scent. Right now you feel so close to him even though you can’t see him. There’s a door that says ‘heart’ and you furrow your brows.

“Are we going in there?”

“You’re about to head into Donghyuck’s heart. Literally.” Mr Zhong is about to speak, but the space and area around gets darker then usual, not even the maroon bloody lights can light up the way to the door. “We have to hurry, the Body is doing things that I hate again.”

“Such as?”

“Drinking. I don’t know if you recall but Donghyuck once exposed to alcohol, large portions of it, he does crazy things.” You get a flash of Donghyuck drinking and you recall just how wild he was. Mr Zhong mumbles finally getting to the door. “A damn alcoholic.”

Just from opening up the door, you feel this deflated downing energy, everything is lifeless and your ears are exposed to weeping. You swear that’s one of the common sounds you’ve been hearing from Donghyuck. He’s just been a crying mess. Instantly you feel emotional and your eyes water up as well. Why’d you have to leave him all alone? The room is still dark but every once in a while it flashes a little maroon and then you’re able to take in the view. Just like the upper Core room, it’s spacious but instead of multiple little Donghyuck’s running around, there’s only one person seated behind a desk looking at screens. When you look at the screen you see dimed videos of your face, your lips, your laugh and how the specific moments shown on the screen remind you of special times you’ve had with Donghyuck.

Whether it’s holding hands and just looking up to him with innocent eyes. Or your muted talking as you smile at him. Haechan, The Mind seems to be watching it all.

There’s one where you’ve just won the scrabble competition (in which you represented your university) and you jump up high cheering on as the crowd around and your teammates also join in on the celebration. You can see Donghyuck from his eyes point of view running towards you yelling out in pure ecstasy and joy! Once he gets to you, he lifts you up so high that you begin laughing, and when he brings you back down, your lips and his merge and he holds you so tight. You recall how the week before you were so stressed that you deprived him of any kisses, of any attention just so that you could study and prepare for the competition. So to watch it again, brings a memory to your head of how thrilled Donghyuck was on your behalf.

Another video that plays on the screen in how you’re sitting on his lap as he plays video games. You’re on your phone texting your friend while he’s immersed into the game and talking to his friends over the microphone. It was just calm and simple, and then out of nowhere he kissed your cheek. “I love you, you know that right?”

“I know,” You smiled at him placing a kiss over his lips. “I love you too,”

One video captures your attention the most. It’s just your face as you’re sleeping. The room is a bit dark, but from Donghyuck’s eyes he can see you. He leans close and kisses your forehead. You hum out with a little chuckle.

“Babe just sleep,”

“I can’t,” he whispers, and you can tell he’s smiling. You can’t remember this at all, but just watching how pure everything looks as he draws closer to you and wraps his arms around you. Moaning and continuously pampering your face with kisses. “This is the first time you’re sleeping here in my room, and I’m just realizing how perfect you are for me,”

“Hyuck, sleep,” You giggle. “You’re pussy drunk,” you mumble but still accept his kisses on your face.

You can hear him laughing… “You were so good tonight,” he whispers. You smile to yourself, in faint remembrance, it’s the first time you made love to him. You were flattered the entire night, and he was submissively dominant with you and at the end, he couldn’t stop admiring and praising you. “I can’t believe how good you were,”

There’s a long pause of silence. “My parents would’ve killed you,”

“Why?”

“We had sex before marriage,” you mutter out. Donghyuck looks down to how your arms wrap around him and you get closer to his body. “I don’t think they’d approve,”

Donghyuck is silent for a really long time before he finally speaks. “The purpose of marriage, to my understanding as you’ve said before, is for emotional commitment. We’ve been together for like 4 years now. If we weren’t in love at that moment, then it was just going to be sex. But right now, tell me what you feel? Was it just sex?”

Donghyuck looks down to you as you look up to him with a little smile. You shake your head. “It wasn’t just sex because I felt safe. As in, I wasn’t scared to give you my whole body, my whole mind… my everything. I’m not scared or anything, because I know that you’re my lover, and I will always be there for you. The same way you’ll be there for me, right?” Your eyes look so hopeful.

“You have no idea how much, I just want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Donghyuck smiles kissing your lips as you kiss his again.

“I feel like I don’t want this night to end,” You lay your head on his chest and Donghyuck’s fingers play with your back and your head.

“Same here,” he mumbles. “So let’s make it official,”

That gets you to turn your head and rest your chin on his chest. “What are you saying Hyuck?” You laugh a little. “That was just so sudden,”

“You’re so beautiful like this,” he giggles, running his hand over your hair and down your face. “I’m saying we make it official. Courtship. Let’s just spend the rest of these months seeing what marriage would be like, and if you like, I’ll buy you a ring,”

You squint your eyes at him with a playful smile. “Dude, are you serious?” You laugh. “Is this like a proposal or something?”

“I mean, I can’t get on my knee now and propose can I?”

“Donghyuck,” You can’t stop smiling as you watch him get up. You too get up as you wrap the blanket over your boobs. Donghyuck sits up and reaches down into his pants. Your eyes enlarge when he gets out a ring. Thankfully, as you remember, it’s his own ring. “For a second there, I thought that was a real ring.”

“But then again, wouldn’t you want me to propose in a grand dramatic way?” He chuckles as he holds his hand out. You place yours on his hand and he kisses it looking at you. “Here’s my ring, this will be my commitment to you.”

“So much for a purity ring,” You giggle as you watch him place the ring on your index finger.

“It can still be a purity ring,” He pats your chin. “Just with a different meaning. We’ll wait again,”

“Hyuck this is huge,” You whisper, blushing and looking at the ring. “I don’t know if I’m saying yes because I’m dick drunk, or if I really want to,”

“That’s why I said, we’ll wait,” He lays back down, just as you follow him. You’re just giggling as you lay your head on his chest.

“Hyuck you’re crazy, right now you’re just crazy,” You’re laughing as you look up to him. “I’m just as crazy,”

“Crazy people get divorced even after promising each other that they wouldn’t.” Donghyuck says. “I don’t plan on making a commitment I can’t keep. Especially when it involves you babe,”

“Same here,” You whisper out. “I guess, till death do us apart,”

“Never,” Donghyuck shakes his head. “My love for you goes beyond that. Even in the next life, if there is one. I just want to keep loving you… and only you. No one else. I’d probably not be able to move on,”

Mr Zhong hears that, and he can remember that the Upper Core wasn’t in control that night, neither was the Body. The one in control was the Mind, Haechan. Mr Zhong reminiscences just how he was that night when Donghyuck was mindlessly pouring out his heart. Mr Zhong knew that his friend loved you so much, but hearing this confession, these were the Mind’s thoughts. He never knew it ran this deep. He thought it was just a physical attraction to you. That the Body, Sun, loved your body and was finally happy to have sex with someone. Mr Zhong didn’t know that the one in control of these recurring feelings was the Mind. It just explains how precious you are to Donghyuck as a whole. It also just goes to show how far Haechan was willing to go if he gave you a ‘purity’ ring. Mr Zhong turns to you, and you’re a crying mess. You’re crying silently and he can only guess that Haechan too is crying silently while watching this. He sighs. He already got in so much trouble for hiding you. There was no way now that Haechan would release you.

Your voice catches Haechan and he instantly presses pause on the video snapping his head back. Of course his teary eyes are red from mourning you, but when he sees you and Mr Zhong, his posture immediately straightens and he tries to act cool. “You’re here.” He clears his throat. “I was just…”

“Haechan.” Mr Zhong moves forwar-

“Were you really going to marry me?” You ask.

Haechan’s eye instantly go over to you. Your face still so real and beautiful. He nods his head. His voice coming out lowly, afraid that you’ll be taken away just like all the other times. This time he takes in your presence and beauty… you’re here. “I wanted to, I still do,” he tilts his head to the side as you get swamped in his eyes. “You’re just as beautiful,”

Your heart swells with such pain, and you gulp looking down. “Mr Zhong,” You turn to Mr Zhong, pleadingly. Mr Zhong can tell where it’s going, and he doesn’t want you to go there in that direction so he looks away from you and continues talking to the Mind.

“Haechan.” He calls, bringing Haechan’s eyes away from you and to him. “Right now we’re in a dilem-”

The ground shakes tremendously and Mr Zhong holds onto the chair just as Haechan keeps his hands on the desk. You meanwhile sway with the violent shake. It happened again.

Mr Zhong sighs. “Haechan, you know how reckless Sun is when he’s in control. Please. I came here to just talk to you about Y/n and how you have to let her go.”

“Straight to the point.” Haechan scoffs and looks away. “After hiding her away from us you just want to bring her back and then take her away again. You’re so full of shit.”

“You know what will happen if she stays here longer. I know it’s hard to-” Mr Zhong quivers when another tremor erupts. Shit. Donghyuck is probably in a club or something, drinking badly and the body is allowing him to do whatever.

“You know what Mr Zhong. I’m not in a mood to talk to you.” Haechan starts and presses some buttons on the keyboard trying to see what’s going on out there. Unlike when the core loses control to the body, the mind can actually gain control back. But when seeing where Donghyuck is, Haechan shakes his head. In a club. With several bodies jumping and bumping into him. And to make it worse, Donghyuck is tipsy. How much did he drink? “You said we should have 2 weeks of grieving. I can grant you that. But I can’t let go of Y/n,”

“Haech-”

“Bro she’s here.” Haechan turns around snapping. “She’s literally here.” His voice pipes down. “She’s not just some imagination like I thought she was. I thought I was going crazy, but man, she’s here. Do you know I felt when Donghyuck was about to die when going down that mountain in speed… and then I saw and heard her voice? Do you know how shitty I felt when Jaemin accused me of killing her? Do you have any idea how worthless I’ve been feeling these past days just seeing myself in the mirror? But the mere thought of her… Mr Zhong… just thinking of her, I’d feel whole again. That night when I first felt her hand I didn’t know what to believe. But then I saw her. I stopped Donghyuck from ending it, because of her. I thought she was just a... a figment of his imagination. But she’s not. She’s real. She’s here. I just want to be here with her,”

“You’re gonna regret it.” Mr Zhong whispers out of your ear shot and he gets closer to Haechan. “Do you want her to become like me?”

That seems to get Haechan upset as he pushes on Mr Zhong’s chest. You can only wonder what’s happening as you see the anger cross over Haechan’s eyes. “She won’t become like you.”

“How sure are you?” Mr Zhong clinches his jaw. His eyes deadly and even a bit tearful. “How sure are you that she won’t be st-”

“Because I love her!” Haechan yells out. “And times are different. She’s here for a reason. And that’s what I’ll keep my mind to.”

“Haechan yo-” Another tremor causes Mr Zhong to screech out in annoyance. He needed to get out of here and try and gain control of Donghyuck again to get him out of the bar and go home… but now, he’s just really upset that Haechan doesn’t want to consider his thoughts. “Fuck. I can’t stand this. I already told you that this isn’t up for discussion. I’m doing everyone here a favor. Afer 2 weeks. I’ll make her leave. Let’s go.”

“Can I just stay here for little bit Mr Zhong,” You ask gently still looking at Haechan. When he looks at you too, simultaneously you can feel like there’s a literal connection.

“No you can’t stay here.”

“But-”

“I said let’s go.”

“Come to think of it.” Haechan speaks up with his eyes turning to a glare when looking at Mr Zhong. “You defiled me by going behind my back and assigning her to the Core. Who made you in charge of her?”

Mr Zhong sighs. “It’s the fact that I knew that if you knew, or rather if anyone else in this place knew that she was alive in, that you wouldn’t let her go. I was protecting her. From this.”

“You don’t have to protect her anymore. She’s got her own conscious. Her own mind.”

“Let’s go.” Mr Zhong turns his back and walks to the door not wanting to argue about this.

Your heart is beating fast, but when Haechan’s soft gaze turns to you, as if telling to do what you must, you feel safe being with him. “No.”

“No?” Mr Zhong turns around in stun and surprise. He stomps to you, but you’re quickly pulled back just as Haechan gets in front of you. “Haechan get out of my face.”

“She said no.” Haechan’s low voice is nothing to mess with as he sounds threatening. “Last I checked. You’re in my territory. You’ve got no power here. So leave. Before I make you.”

“Haechan.”

“Mr Zhong.” Haechan calls firmly.  You peek from behind Haechan, and Haechan can feel just how your tiny fingers gently come up on his sides. He misses this. He misses this feeling. “I said leave.”

Mr Zhong clinches his jaw. He strides out with so much anger in him. When the door closes, there’s another tremor that makes itself known. But you hold tighter onto Haechan as his hands stretch out behind you making sure you’re steady.

Haechan’s fingers over you, and yours on his sides makes you feel good.

Even though you’ve always been around the others who look like Donghyuck, being alone right now with Haechan feels equivalent to being with Donghyuck. You just want to see his face. You want to feel him. To just…

“I just want you to be alive,” Haechan steals the words from your lips, as he whispers it to you. Still not being able to look at your face. He’s finally alone with you, but it feels so sacred.

“But I’m here,” you mutter and peek your head on his shoulder looking into his eyes. “It’s you that’s not here,”

“I am though,” That gets him to slowly turn around and longingly tilt his head down. “I’m the realist thing to Donghyuck. His spirit,” Haechan’s eyes that were clear are now glassy. You’re so real… He can’t believe you’re here. “But Mr Zhong is right,” He sniffs surprisingly himself when saying that. It feels good to have you this real in front of him. “You can’t stay here,” But he doesn’t want to ruin things.

“Why?” You shake your head, your arms still being around him as your eyes search all over his own. “Why can’t I be here with you, isn’t this better than actually being dead?”

“Is it,” He runs his hands down your face. “It fucking is.”

Once Mr Zhong gets to the Upper core room, he’s stunned when looking at the screen and seeing Donghyuck making out with some random woman... “You’ve gotta be shitting me. What the hell is the Body doing?”

But also down at the Body, Sun is surprised by the sudden kiss that Donghyuck gives to a random lady. Of course the lady is confused at first but then she gives into the kiss and has her arms around him. “That’s not us. Who’s in control right now?”

Haechan picks you up by your waist, as you wrap your legs around him. “I just want you so bad right now,”

“Have me all you want,” You’re breathless when kissing Haechan back equally as hard and longingly.

All the way in the control centers, Sun tries to stop the action of Donghyuck getting down on a girl. Mr Zhong watches as Donghyuck is hooked to the girl he’s making out with- it’s getting pretty strong as instantly Donghyuck’s hormones act as an edge for him to feel needy and lustful. And thus, the Core’s lights slowly begin to shut down… allowing the body to have full control of the erotic moment.

“We’re supposed to be grieving, what the hell.” Mr Zhong walks away, not wanting to feel any part of these emotions.

Sun in the Body center feels the heat just from the simple kiss turning to French, but he too wonders who’s in control of the heavy, needy, lustfully intention. He watches as the familiar lights turn dim showing that the body is not in control. Although he watches, he’s quite upset that it’s not Y/n that Donghyuck is kissing.

However for Haechan who’s full on hands with you, doesn’t notice the bright light shining within the mind, showing that he’s now in full control.

Donghyuck has no time to think, he’s thoughts are clouded by the steamy make out session that he has with the lady. They move from the dance floors to the public toilet, barely even walking straight and moving in a tipsy needy way to one of the stalls, Donghyuck’s morals are forsaken when he takes the girl in a seemingly loving passionate way. As he’s drunk it’s difficult for him to control or focus, but one thing he knows is that for some reason in this moment… he feels closer to you. You’re here with him. He can strongly feel that. Even though the little part in his core knows it’s not you, he still feels your strong presence.

Haechan places you on a table in another section of his own control center, your lips not leaving his once just as he unfastens his band and pulls down his pants till his waist. You pull your skirt up and remove your underwear, Haechan gently places his tip in between your wet folds before breaking the kiss and taking a peek at you. Your cheeks are a shade pink and you nervously smile. “Do you trust me?”

“Always,” Your heart beat syncs again as he keeps his grip on your waist, with his other hand on his member as it strokes over your wet folds. It’s the fact that he was your first and you’ve only done it once with him, but you still feel so cautious and nervous. Being here with him in... inside of Donghyuck, you still feel so much love and passion oozing out of him, and all the emotions are washed into you. When he pushes more into you, you arch your back and hold him closer.

“Hyuck,”

Donghyuck hears the soft whimper in his head, he hears your soft yelp and it only causes him to pull the random girl closer to him. His lips find hers, envisioning it as ‘yours’- but even though he envisions it – he still feels strongly close to you. Haechan takes control allowing you to feel much more comfortable as he moves a bit quicker. Donghyuck feels so much pleasure as he pounds harder and faster making love to you- even though he’s with a random person.

Even when he locks eyes with her all he can see in his head is you. He can hear you, he can feel you. He doesn’t know how, but feeling so close to you in this moment allows him to hold you close. Mr Zhong tries to block out the protruding thoughts that Donghyuck thinks over and over again. The moaning, the love making-

His eyes slowly enlarge… “The body is not in control right now… because Donghyuck’s drunk… that means… Haechan’s having sex with Y/n.” Mr Zhong cuss when realizing that disobeyed him and that you’re probably touching Haechan right now. “What’s wrong with this girl?” He gets up from his chair quickly using his elevator to go down to The Mind. Once the elevator door opens up, he speed walks along the long bloody corridor trying to reach to Haechan’s center quickly.

The random girl’s legs grip Donghyuck’s waist closer to her as he pounds harder and faster, getting sloppier each time she squirts. He’s weak, he can feel an overwhelming amount of pleasure. His eyes are tightly shut kissing the girl’s face off. But then-

All of a sudden he feels like he’s getting slapped. A sharp slap gets him falling out of the girl and on the floor.

“Oh- are you okay?” The girl asks slightly frustrated that she was close before pulled out suddenly, heavily panting, her legs shaking begging for more. She uses her own fingers to finish off closing her eyes angling her head upwards.

Donghyuck however is still in a trance. Did someone just slap him? He blinks several times to get rid of being dizzy, but all he can see is his stiffly hard cock popping. He gets up holding onto the sink. He tries to calm himself off. It’s strange how suddenly, he’s no longer in the mood to get off. Stuffing his stiff manhood back in his drawer and getting his pants up, he looks up at the mirror- ignoring the girl who’s finishing off by herself. In the mirror he sees himself.

Tired. Drained.

He calls your name silently when thinking back to what he saw and heard in his head. It’s like you where there with him. He could feel you, literally feel you. Woozily moving to the side, he watches the girl squeal out before another stream of cum leaves her throbbing pink pussy. It doesn’t turn him on, it only makes him feel sad, especially when the girl’s face is revealed. Its not you. He steps back, finding himself out of the toilet and eventually drunkenly passing by the crowd trying to get himself to go out.

The fast pace emotions and mind wondering what’s going on inside of him- he stops once he’s outside the club and hurls out on the ground. Some passers pull gross faces moving away from him, the bouncer of the club groans and grabs a handful of Donghyuck’s shirt before violently tossing him further away from the club doors. Donghyuck hits his head and suddenly he’s out of conscious.

“Hyuck,”

“Mh?”

“Hyuck wake up,”

“Hm?”

Donghyuck’s head is buzzing when hearing something… your voice. He jolts up instantly when pairing it to your voice, but… you’re nowhere in sight. Left and right he turns his head before wincing and holding onto his stomach. He notices that he’s somehow by your family old home, by the graveyard… wait… how did he get here?

Minutes before….

“No!” Mr Zhong grabs your hand forcing you out of Haechan’s grip. “No more!”

“Why the hell do you want me gone so bad!” You screech pulling your hand violently away from him just as he shuts the door to lock Haechan away and his elevator comes. “Why can’t I just be happy with Donghyuck-”

“Look around! This isn’t the fucking real world anymore.” Mr Zhong motions around when suddenly the elevator reaches the Upper Core room. Of course some core members are surprised when seeing you, but now, even though Donghyuck/Sun is drunk, it’s no secret that you’ve been inside of him for a long time. “You’re trapped here! The longer you fool around here, the harder it’ll be for you to get out-”

“And what if I don’t want to go out! What if I want to be here, inside of him!” Your eyes water up. “What if I don’t want to go- he buried my body ready to leave me behind… what if I’m afraid of leaving him, of leaving everything behind- of just… of just dying.” Weakly your legs give out as you fall to the ground when he tosses you in his dark room.

He’s about to close the door on you but you shed some tears saying something that has him frozen in spot. “I don’t want to go Mr Zhong. I don’t want to leave everything behind. I’m not ready to die. I don’t want to leave Donghyuck. I love him. I don’t want to go. I don’t want to die. I just want to love him… I just want him. I want my life back… I want him so much.”

Mr Zhong watches you on the floor balling your eyes out. The realization coming again that you’re dead and that really you have left the world. Silently he takes a seat on the ground allowing you your moment to grieve. He knows it’s hard. He knows what you’re feeling. He knows it all. He understands your tears and pain, it’s why he tries to cool himself down to speak to you more calmly.

“I’m going to tell you a little story.” He speaks in a whispering tone. “And if this doesn’t change your mind, I promise you I’ll stop trying to get you out of here.” He gulps. “If this story doesn’t change your mind, you’ll be stuck in here… with me. Like me. You’ll have Donghyuck, but it’s not as luxurious as it seems.”

You quietly exhale listening to him as that gets your attention. You look at him seated across from you. Even though darkness is second nature, you can still see him. And by his words, you already prepare yourself to stay with Donghyuck… Haechan and Sun, because there is nothing that he will say that will make you want to leave. You just can’t wait to stay with Haechan.

“Donghyuck was only 9 years old when this happened. He met a boy. An 8 year old boy. A foreign exchange student who moved from China to Korea. Donghyuck and the boy instantly clicked despite the language barrier. They clicked in such a way that the young boy’s parents were relieved that their son had made a friend. Donghyuck taught the boy how to speak and was just of much help to the young boy whenever. The boy’s parents loved Donghyuck. So it was only natural that Donghyuck and the young boy ended up becoming best friends who did everything together.”

Your ears are attentive when listening to this story. You’re hooked, not because of the young 9 year old Donghyuck, but because of how Mr Zhong speaks. This is almost the first time he’s looking vulnerable.

“One day they were walking home for school… and came across a junkyard. Curiously they snuck inside the forbidden territory and began exploring. They discovered so many new things and even took some souvenirs.” Mr Zhong chuckles faintly. “The young boy suggested playing a game before they left. Hide and seek. They played that game back and forth in the junkyard,” Mr Zhong’s face slowly scrunches in confusion. “They played 4 games before it was Donghyuck’s turn again. Donghyuck…”

You look up when Mr Zhong stops speaking. You’re surprised to see him with one hand tightly over his mouth as his own eyes are glistening and look moist. You don’t speak, watching him stay quiet. He regains composure again and removes his hand from his face.

“The young boy hid in a freezer. It was broken of course, so he felt safe getting inside of it. In his hiding position from time to time he would open the top and peek his head out. He laughed when he could see Donghyuck getting confused… it’s through the little laughs and giggles that Donghyuck spotted him. He was busted… but then… Something happened.” Mr Zhong licks his dry lips as he stares into the void. “The young boy watched Donghyuck getting approached by some guy in uniform. The guy said something that made Donghyuck nervously turn and began heading in the direction of the exit. For some reason Donghyuck left. The young boy was too afraid to step out of the freezer just in case the man would yell and shout. He waited for a really long time. Because now there wasn’t just one man, but they were many men walking around the junkyard. The boy was getting scared. He just thought that if he sat inside quietly, that when those men would go away he’d quickly sneak out and run. Unfortunately for him, those men stayed for hours on end. They were construction site workers. So, they were working. He began losing hope but then- the freezer top lip opened. He thought that he was caught… thankfully it was just Donghyuck. Donghyuck looked nervous and scared but he assured the boy to quickly climb out. The boy tried climbing out… and he… he…” Mr Zhong stops and turns to the floor, he sniffs.

You don’t know what has the most of your attention now. Perhaps it’s the story, maybe the expression Mr Zhong uses, or it could be that… that little boy was Mr Zhong…

“I can’t remember well what happened from there, but I know for some reason, Donghyuck was knocked over and fell to the ground when a sudden… claw came from the sky… and… picked up the freezer. The young boy was tossed back inside the freezer… Chugged around as if he was in a washing machine.” Mr Zhong bites his lip. “He tried getting up to get out. But he was struggling to lift the lid up… It… the freezer was being lifted up and then from such a high feet it dropped to the bottom… causing the freezer door to creak a little. But… the boy was already injured. He still tried to lift the lid up with one arm. He saw that he was on a moving platform. He needed to get out fast. It was already too late… the boy died a slow painful death… however his spirit did not die… it was called back.”

“Mr Zhong?” You call out sadly as you watch him shiver.

“Donghyuck ran home. He ran home and… shut himself in his room.” Mr Zhong’s eyes stay closed. “The young boy’s parents came over, they were anxious worried and crying… they asked if Donghyuck had seen him, and Donghyuck… he lied. He said, he hadn’t. The parents filed a missing case report. That whole week was a nightmare… Every day when Donghyuck would go to the school, he’d see the boy’s mother standing outside the gate with a poster of her missing son. She’d desperately ask the other kids if they’d seen him. But no one had. Donghyuck… felt guilty. From time to time he went to the junkyard to search for the young boy. Donghyuck was… traumatized. Guilt ate him from the inside… he refused to move on without finding the body… because by now he already knew that the young boy was dead.”

“Mr Zhong…” you cup your mouth.

“Donghyuck refused to move on. He was scared that he had killed someone else’s son. But something crazy happened. He prayed to find the boy.” Mr Zhong opens his eyes. “The boy was dead, but somehow, he was still inside of him. Donghyuck began hearing voices in his head. He’d see images of the little boy… they’d talk together in his room. Although physically the boy wasn’t there, Donghyuck saw this kid with his own naked eyes in the spiritual world. The little boy too… he didn’t know what was going on but he just wanted to go home to his parents… he wanted to leave Donghyuck’s mind, but Donghyuck insisted that he’d find a way out for the boy. It was comforting at first… but as days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, the little boy began getting sucked into a personality that wasn’t his. He wanted to leave, but Donghyuck didn’t want to let him go. Donghyuck promised the boy that he’d find a way out for him… so that he could live again. I think that’s why the little boy stayed… he thought he could live again- he ignored all the doors that opened up to try and help him to leave and instead he stayed in Donghyuck. Being inside of Donghyuck, had him feeling that he was still alive and that he could come back alive. If only they could find his body then they could make him come alive.”

There’s a moment of silence as your eyes water… could this little boy be… You’re completely speechless as you listen to Mr Zhong…

“Of course this brought attention to Donghyuck as his own parents saw how the death affected their son… they watched Donghyuck talk to himself about a way to escape… they saw their son obsessed with talking to ghosts and wanting them to come alive… so… they had him hypnotized.” Mr Zhong looks to his own hands. “Hypnotized to forget the little boy. A so called solution to make him stop seeing things. And it worked. They didn’t help him move on, or even help the little boy trapped to get out. No. They just erased the little kid from his head. And so, the next morning, when the boy woke up and tried to speak to Donghyuck. Donghyuck never heard a thing. It began getting scary, as the only way out was shut completely. The little boy slowly became lonely as his own best friend… forgot him. Do you know how many years went by? Do you know how lonely it got when his own friend grew a conscious and couldn’t even recognize him? Do you know how terrifying it got to wake up in the same place every day being forced to forget who he was? He hadn’t seen his family in so long? Everything the little boy loved, he couldn’t properly because he was now forced to become someone else. He missed touch, tasting? Seeing and living with his own eyes and life. Do you know what it means to give up your life for someone else? Do you know just the amount of endurance the boy had to go through, adjusting to the fact that he was now forced to live as someone else? That little boy has been alone for more than 22 years and it may seem fantastic to spend your life trapped inside of someone, but you’ll begin to feel the effects when the person you’re in doesn’t even know who you are.”

You shake your head. “Mr Zhong, I don’t get this. What does this have to do with me? I hate to be inconsiderate, but it’s not like they hypnotized him to forget about me.”

Mr Zhong nods his head. “True. My best friend was hypnotized to forget me. So of course that doesn’t affect you. It was pointless telling you that story, I should’ve just skipped straight to the point.” You had a feeling he was telling the story about himself… but hearing him actually confessing to the name has you sinking in sadness. Until he opens his mouth… “I stayed here because Donghyuck refused to confess what he’d done to me. My soul has become restless. Rest less spirits don’t go to their resting place. No, they stay here until the person who killed them, confesses to either moving on, or admitting what they had done.”

Your heart sinks… drops to the ground. What did he just say? “Restless spirit?”

“Why do you think you’re in here?

“I didn’t mean to be insensitive Mr Zhong… but this isn’t funny. What you’re saying is scary…”

“I asked you why you think you’re here?” He ignores you and continues. “Donghyuck may have not been the one who ran you over, but he… did do something. He refuses to let you go. He wants you to haunt him until he’s dead. Just wait and see how he’ll be so obsessed with spending so much time in his ‘head’ with you that in the outside world they deem him crazy. Watch as friends begin to see him as strange because he doesn’t want to break the bond he has with you, watch as your brothers get annoyed that he keeps using your name in vain, watch as his perfectly normal life spirals into only wanting to focus on you. Just watch and see how the only answer that will make sense to him is death. Suicide. Watch as you see him paying all his attention on you and neglecting that he really has a life.”

Hearing that, it doesn’t sound as bad… “That doesn’t sound as bad.”

Mr Zhong shakes his head. It’s like you’re okay with being trapped here. It’s like you’re okay with letting Donghyuck not have a life anymore as he focuses on you. You’re okay with letting him not move on from you, to try and find another kind of happiness. You’re okay with making him numb to reality and float by like a ghost. You’re selfishly okay with him not moving on. By allowing Donghyuck to self-destruct. You’re selfish.

Mr Zhong gets up and shakes his head. “The dark truth about death, is that you end up losing everything and everyone you love. Once you’re dead it’s over. No second chances. One thing that I’ve learnt while being here, is that you either help the person to move on, or you haunt them with your presence, adding a cloud over their head. Weighing them down as they live with unsaid and unspoken confessions. So as you embark on this journey, I’m begging you don’t be the downfall of Donghyuck.”

The truth is, Mr Zhong never forgave Donghyuck for what he did to him. He never forgave Donghyuck for ending his life. Even though it wasn’t Donghyuck who killed him, Donghyuck could’ve said something, confessed of where Mr Zhong last was. Could’ve said… sorry.

When Mr Zhong woke up inside of Donghyuck he had the option to leave peacefully, or try to use Donghyuck’s body to shout and confess to the world. But unfortunately for him, his greed to be noticed inside of Donghyuck costed him his eternity and made him unknown. The bitterness inside of Mr Zhong transferred to Donghyuck, and added the personality and the greed and need to poses everything and anything. Maybe it’s why Donghyuck is just so obsessed over you like that. He miscalculated and ended up getting stuck inside of Donghyuck. Mr Zhong was forgotten. And maybe you won’t be forgotten, but surely, your selfish tendencies would manifest in Donhyuck one way or another.

What no one tells you about death, is that if you don’t learn to let go, you’ll never let go. You’ll never achieve a sense of control over yourself again. And unfortunately, that’s Donghyuck’s new path…

“I’m sorry Donghyuck.” Mr Zhong suddenly says. Tonight, he decided that he’d come up to the surface… because he didn’t want to be with you in his room. So instead being here in Donghyuck’s room, as Donghyuck sits idly on his bed is better. “I’m sorry.” Mr Zhong confesses again. “I blamed you all these years when really it was me that needed to let go. I hardened my heart because I was angry. My anger cost me my freedom. I’m so sorry for blaming you. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t kill me. You were just as scared. You were a little boy, what was I expecting from you… I’m sorry.” Mr Zhong is surprised when he blinks and a tear drops from his eye.

He’s even more shocked when he feels a gnawing stare. Turning to the side, he sees Donghyuck’s enlarged beaded eyes on him…

Maybe you’re close by and Donghyuck’s just zoning out again. No. Mr Zhong turns back and when seeing no one he looks back to Donghyuck… Is he looking at him?

“Ch- Chenle?” Donghyuck chokes a little in surprise. “Is that really you?”

Mr Zhong feels his whole heart cave in when hearing his name. He momentarily freezes as he pays attention to Donghyuck. Donghyuck without haste instantly wraps his arms around Chenle crying out. Mr Zhong is surprised when Donghyuck doesn’t fall over. He’s even more surprised when… feeling comes back over his being. He can… feel again? “Donghyuck?”

“Chenle.” The reuniting is somber as both guys cry into each other’s arms. Donghyuck because inside of him… he recognizes Chenle… the friend he once had who disappeared.

“I’m not as selfish as you think I am.”

Mr Zhong doesn’t let go of Donghyuck but he does hear your voice. He opens his eyes and sees you behind Donghyuck.

“I thought long and hard about what you said.” You watch Donghyuck shiver and shed and break down whilist hugging Chenle… “You’ve got such a nice name.”

“But… how did you do it?” Mr Zhong asks. “How did you do this?”

“How did I do what?” Donghyuck asks. Making you slightly chuckle. Donghyuck shakes his head. “All this time… how did I forget about you? Were you really lonely? You never went to heaven to see your parents? I’m sorry man. I’m sorry for leaving you alone.”

Mr Zhong can’t comprehend the feelings he’s feeling. It’s just so sudden. All this time he couldn’t feel anything, for more than years he couldn’t feel anything, but now he can feel. Breaking away from Donghyuck he notices that instead of wearing black clothes… he’s also wearing white… and also he’s back to his… younger self. Which only strikes Donghyuck again.

“You said I had to let him go, and a part of me didn’t want to do that. But then… with the help of Haechan, we digged deep and looked into his memories… long term memories... and then I saw you. A small boy who died all too soon and quick.” You confess. “You’re right we only have one life. And I can’t be selfish to steal someone else’s life. The more I thought about it, the more I thought about Donghyuck… I cried. He has carried so much loss, so much pain in him. Looking into his memories, I saw him hiding away and not being himself because he felt like an outcast. He doubted himself so much that he found it better to find pleasure in letting someone carry his pain… in not being himself. That hurt me, because I had many opportunities to be myself… But he shielded himself. I would just want him to be free and not be controlled by me. To be himself. To be free of pain and carrying so many things inside of him. So now I’m ready,”

Donghyuck’s ears hear that and he turns around, surprised to also see you. “You’re ready to do what?”

“To let you go,” You say sadly as you smile gently to him. “How about you Chenle?”

“I’m ready too. I’m ready to forgive you, and letting you go.” He gulps feeling so many emotions all relating to joy and a bitter sweet sadness.

“You’re both going to leave me?” Donghyuck turns to you both… especially when a bright light presents itself right in the middle of his room. “No. Please don’t go.” He cries… and you can hear Haechan… just as much as Sun. “How do I live? How do I breathe? I’ll suffocate without you,”

“No you won’t. You’ll find peace, joy and the same way your drowned in love into me, you’ll be able to do that again with yourself and with someone else.” You hold onto his cheek. “I need you to live Hyuck. I need you to let me go and live. Be happy with yourself. Confess and be free. Me dying isn’t the end of the world, it’s the start of a new future. For both of us.”

“But what if I don’t want to be free? I just want you,” He holds onto both your hands, surprised at how warm they are feeling.

Come home… You hear… and this time, Mr Zhong can hear it too. It’s the angel calling you guys over to the other side.

“I want you too, but we both can’t have what we want.” You gulp. “Instead we can cherish what we had and move on. I’ll always be with you, Hyuck,” you try to say while maintaining your own tears.

“Please,” He cries. “Don’t leave me.”

“Come on buddy,” This time Mr Zhong speaks with a warm smile. You’re so happy to see him smile. For the longest of time, he has only had a terrible frown on his face, so to see a smile you feel comforted that you’re not going alone. “You know we won’t leave if you ask us too, but I’m asking you to let us leave… I don’t want to make you heavy anymore. I want you to be light.”

Donghyuck thinks… he looks between you both and he can hear his heart breaking. But he knows it’s important. In his head… the thoughts coming, are the thoughts of how they died. He remembers seeing so much blood… he recalls seeing the life fade away from their eyes. At least they won’t suffer anymore… a tear rolls down his face, just as you hug him on the side and Chenle hugs him on the other side. He gulps. “Okay. Okay. I’m ready to… to… let you go…”

He doesn’t open his eyes but he feels so much warmth all around him. Slowly all the feeling around him becomes cold and he sighs out when opening his eyes in his dark room… Inside of him, Haechan and Sun run to the Upper Core trying to see if Mr Zhong would be there… and of course he’s not there. As they both cry, creating a crying feast of everyone crying, Donghyuck can’t stop balling his eyes out at losing both you and Chenle. Again

Meanwhile, down by the ‘neck of birth’ a being is formed. In the exact same replica of Donghyuck… the next one to take over the core in Mr Zhong's old place. He wakes up with a name and aim.

Name: Hyuck. Assigned to: Core

“Hyuck. Please live.” He hears an echo serenade of your voice. “You must live and let go.”

That night, eventually when Donghyuck is able to sleep he dreams of doves and a serene peace washing over him.

Fin.