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xvii-chapters · 7 years ago

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PRIDE || MAFIA!Seokmin [Chp 4]

BLURB: Sometimes we put on facades to seem stronger than we are, when all we need is someone to tell us they will hold our hand through it all.

GENRE: mafia!au, action, mystery, family, monsta x cameos

WORDS: 1366

PART: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

In the weeks that followed you worked as a runner for SVT in exchange for board and bed at the safe house. Technically you were ‘working’ at the safe house too – as a nanny of sorts to the children there – but it never felt like work; you were one of them there, the older sibling they turned to when they needed a listening ear or someone to hold them when they were missing their families too much. For the first time in a long time, guilt was no longer a feeling that sat like a heavy stone in your gut every time you woke up in the morning. You didn’t have to steal any food, didn’t have to lie about your age, didn’t have to hurt someone else every day just to survive. And it felt nice too, that you could smile now, even if it was just to the kids.

You were doing good and it made you feel good.

Being a runner wasn’t half bad either. All you had to do was gather information here and there – already a lot less confrontational, and thus a lot easier, than what you had to do before – and your age became one of your strengths instead of a liability. Your seeming innocence was key to making other people slip-up.

Currently, you were walking down the street on the way to one of the street corners where gangs love to meet up. No one knew yet that you were out of Kihyun’s gang – Kihyun himself probably thought you were still in mafia hands or just didn’t care – so you could easily blend into the old crowds without much worry.

There was still time before you had to pick the kids up from school so you took your time socializing, bumping spots before anyone could get too suspicious. Halfway through, however, you realized you had a shadow.

"Are you stalking me?" you called out.

Seokmin’s chuckle sounded somewhat impressed. He stepped out from the shadowed alley, bright grin on his lips. "Just making sure you stay out of trouble."

“Right. As if you could protect me from the big bad wolf.”

He raised a brow. “Did you forget that I'm the one who saved you from those thugs before?”

“Are you going to keep holding that against me?”

“Just stating a fact.” He shrugged. “Wouldn't want all my effort of saving you go to waste by letting you walk into another bear cave.”

You rolled your eyes and decided to ignore him. Ten metres down the street you couldn’t take it anymore. He was being so obvious.

You whipped around, scowling. “How am I going to do my job if you keep scaring off the big game?”

He laughed. Actually laughed. “Stop talking big; you wouldn't know game if it hit you in the face.”

Suddenly there was a little shout to the left and a woman cried, “Help! That man stole my wallet!”

With a smirk, you nodded your head towards the sound. “Found it.”

You ran after the thief, covering the head start he got in half the time he did, matching him pace for pace. Soon, you were running alongside him.

“Are you gonna return that back?” you asked without losing breath.

“What?” The guy, on the other hand, was winded. “Y/N? That you?”

You blinked, taken aback. “Minhyuk?”

“Why are you chasing me? Get that guy off my back and we'll split the spoils!”

“What gu–”

But before you could get the question out, Minhyuk went down with a loud thud, a nice straight stick rolling away from where it had him in the back of the head.

“SEOKMIN!!” you couldn't help but whine. “I had that covered!”

“Sorry princess,” he grinned, coming over to you, “You were talking too much.”

You pouted. He laughed, touching your chin. “Don't do that. It makes me want to kiss you.”

“Y/N?” A voice came from the ground. “You're with them now?”

“Unfortunately,” you sighed. You crouched down to check on your former colleague. The stick had hit him pretty hard but nothing he couldn’t recover from. Minhyuk skinnier than before, bruised in places he hadn’t been before. “You could join their little pet project too if you want; getting kids off the street,” you started softly. “At least I'm fed and there's a warm bed to sleep on.”

At first, it seemed like he had heard you. But then his face twisted into a scowl. “Go to hell.”

You sighed, getting up. “Suit yourself.”

From his pockets, Seokmin produced a couple of cable ties and tied the boy's wrists together. Then he hoisted him up and tied him to a metal pole. You picked up the forgotten purse and returned it back to the lady.

She almost cried when she saw it. “Thank you thank you!” she gushed. “You don't understand how important this to me!”

You smiled cordially. “It's no problem.”

“Tell your boyfriend thank you too, I don't know what I would've done–” And then she did burst into tears. You put an arm around her and sat her down on a bench, letting her tears fall. You wanted to stay and comfort her but you knew you'd be in big trouble if the police arrived and you were still there, so you slipped away quietly without a word. Instead, you watched from far away as they arrived – somebody, maybe Seokmin, must've called – and swiftly took Minhyuk and the woman in separate cars.

Seokmin returned to your side. “That felt good, didn’t it?”

“…She cried when I gave her back the purse.”

“Must’ve been important.”

“But it’s just a purse.” You recalled many times when you had stolen things the exact same way back when you were still with Kihyun, just for a bit of cash or if you were lucky, a bunch of credit cards before they all got cut. If the purse was branded, it would be pawned away. Everything else would be thrown out.

“But it’s never just a purse, is it?” Seokmin was saying. “There’s a story behind every item a person owns. Maybe that purse was given to her by her late husband. Maybe, that purse contained all her life savings and she would have nothing without it. Maybe there’s something irreplaceable in one of the pockets of the bag.”

All the personal items you had tossed away, the photos, the seemingly useless letters – all that had meant something to someone.

“Just because there isn’t a dollar sign attached doesn’t mean it’s not valuable.”

The both of you had reached the end of the pavement, and traffic dashed past at the crossroads.

“I liked that feeling, of having the lady thank me,” you said eventually. “Instead of you know, usually having them curse after me.”

He grinned, bumping his shoulder against yours. “To be honest, I like doing this too.”

“You do?”

“Mmm. I missed it actually. The simplicity of setting things from bad to good. Now it’s getting all fuzzy with politics and treaties and stuff,” he sighed. “But this right here was what I signed up for.”

The light turned green and you tugged him forward.

Seokmin remained tense, mouth tugged in a frown and brow furrowed. Hesitantly, you squeezed his shoulder. He responded like a cat would; closing his eyes and curving into your touch. He looked back at you, the warm heat of his body radiating on your arm. He grinned. “But I wouldn’t have changed a thing. You know why?”

“Why?”

“It let me meet you.”

You felt yourself turn red. “Yah, don’t say such corny things.”

“Why not? They’re true.”

Just as you were about to respond, something whistled across the air towards the both of you, dropping to the ground with a metallic, cling cling cling. The resulting silence is what you imagined the fear of dying might sound like.

You’re both frozen in shock as you tried to register the image before you.

A grenade, with its pin removed.

Strangely, you’re the first the snap out of it. “Seokmin!” you yell as you tried to pull him away. The bomb goes off a second later.

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xvii-chapters · 7 years ago

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heya! hehe i had this random idea like for a soulmate au? slightly dystopian though like at birth everyone is branded with a tattoo or bar code? and your soulmate will have the other half of the tattoo/bar code hehe it would be amazing if you could use this for a dk/hoshi soulmate au! if not it's alright and thank you so much! your stories are amazing<3

Oh my, I just found this message in my inbox from so long ago. :”) I didn’t use the idea for a dk/hoshi soulmate AU unfortunately, but I feel you should be given partial credit for Chan’s AU where I used the idea. I forgot to thank you before, but now, thanks so much!

#anon #answered #request

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xvii-chapters · 7 years ago

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13 with hoshi pleaseeee 💙

I know you probably requested this for a reader insert (a really, really long time ago), but it turned out into a soonwoo here instead. I hope it still meets expectations, even though it’s been forever :)

#answered #request #ao3: xviichapters #fic: soonwoo

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xvii-chapters · 7 years ago

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your master list doesn't work... the link to it wont work (im on pc too)

Ahhh I apologize! It didn’t work bc I changed urls for a bit but I’ve fixed it now!! Thanks for telling me :)

#answered

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xvii-chapters · 7 years ago

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Welcome to SVT95NET, a network dedicated to seventeen’s 95line, its ships and their content creators. We aim to encourage more content dedicated to the OT3 and its relevant ships in any form — be it fanfiction, fanart, graphics, fan-videos, etc. — as well as to spread the love for the ship. :) Do note that we operate on Twitter too under the same name!

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AFTER ACCEPTANCE:

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If there are any changes to your username on any platform, do notify the admins

That’s it! If you have any other questions or wish to become an affiliate, do drop us a message! We hope you will join the network~ ♡

#shutout #I'm in this network

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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Your badlands fanfic got me shook cjjsjcj I nearly cried when jihoon died if it weren't for my mom sitting infront of me

omg eeueu about time badlands got the love it deserves! Thank you for this HAHA, imagine f you did cry in front of your mom tho ><

#answered #ty

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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GREED || MAFIA!Jeonghan [How It Ends]

BLURB: Power makes most men weak but you’re his special brand of kryptonite.

GENRE: mafia!au, action, mystery, romance

WORDS: 2125

PART: 1 | 2 | This is How It Ends

A/N: Thousands of apologies to everyone who was waiting for a proper update. This is very unfortunate but I’ve since lost the passion, will or time to continue this story or any other story here on this blog. However, being a reader myself, I know how much it sucks not knowing how a story ends, so here is what was supposed to happen in this narrative if I had ever finished it.

When you woke up, Jeonghan could immediately tell there was something a little off... about you

You had the maturity of a young child; very naive, very innocent (It was like you had never really grown up since the last time he saw you - stunted at the mental growth of a nine-year-old)

There was also something else; you were deathly afraid of all males except Jeonghan

Seungkwan had walked into your room, wondering if you or Jeonghan needed some food, and you started freaking out, clinging to Jeonghan and yelling at Seungkwan to get out of your room

Jeonghan held you the entire time, rocking you back and forth like he would a child until you felt better again

That is also when Jeonghan deduced that something really really bad had been done to you

He didn’t know who or what or how but he vowed to find out

You were his special something, come back from the dead, and he would do absolutely anything to protect you

You enjoyed spending time with him in the back garden of the mansion

The both of you could spend hours outside and the rest would joke about how tan Jeonghan was getting from being out in the sun so much (You would just smile, not really understanding what was so funny but knowing that they weren’t saying anything offensive about you)

Jeonghan treated you like a queen, just like the rightful Queen of Faery you are were supposed to be

Everyone else treated you like a china doll - carefully, as if you might break

You knew Jeonghan and everyone else thought you were a little mentally challenged but it was actually because it was so much easier to pretend you didn't know anything

Your head wouldn't hurt so much and nobody would ask questions while looking at you with that hopeful, expectant look that made you feel bad because you couldn't answer them right away

They expected fully-formed answers but all you could think to give came in pictures; pictures of thick, rippling muscles grabbing at your body, lewd smiles and dirty fingernails. The bloodied corner you cowered into, pleading with them - “Please not today” - but-

If our minds are a canvas then yours was painted in these pictures and blotted black when they became too hard to paint. You remember the rough-handling, the teasing, but nothing after that. And you don't want to anymore. Don't have to.

So you didn’t tell Jeonghan but you knew he already knew anyway. He always knows.

He knows everything; always have and always will. "Y/N?" soft hands touched your arm gently. "Are you okay?" You looked up into his worried eyes and smiled. Then you hugged him. "I'm okay. You're here." He hugged you back tightly. This never failed to surprise him, even though you've been back for weeks now. The feeling of you alive and real in his arms - safe. "I'll always be here. I won't go anywhere. I promise." You pulled back, beaming up at him. He smiled back gently. "I miss your long hair," you said nonchalantly as you went back to the flower crown you were braiding. "I used to be able to thread flowers through it."

Jeonghan ran a hand through his short crop self-consciously. "Do you want me to grow it back out?" "Only if you want to," you replied diplomatically. You placed the completed flower crown on his head. "In the meantime, you can wear this crown. King of Faeryland." You beamed. "I'm no king Y/N," Jeonghan said softly, playing with your fingers. "Why not?" Jeonghan frowned, wondering if you knew. Faeryland was nothing now. Back in reality (outside of your headspace, beyond the walls of the mansion) Faeryland was close to death.

The conflicted expression on Jeonghan’s face triggers a memory

Your parents looked the exact same way when the advisors warned them of the war coming their way. They had turned the expression on you back then but you hadn’t known what it meant.

You did now, with sudden frightening clarity.

They didn’t know whether to keep you by their or send you off to be married to the Northern Kingdom (too many years too early) where you be would safe from the inevitable war.

Even now you weren’t sure what you have preferred. And then you realized you don’t want to know but the pictures are coming in so fast; all that came after that first conflicted look your parents gave you

The curfews, the barricades, invasion -- you have a little panic attack and Jeonghan feels really bad for having brought any of it up so he brings you inside and calms you down and later you two cuddle on the couch together

At some point Areum comes in and starts talking to you and you and the other girls join in too

You all (including Jeonghan) end up just talking and playing games as the night turns cold outside

You found you liked it here at the mansion very much. You liked the way Jeonghan is holding your hand now, smiling at you when he thinks you're not looking. You liked the girls, even Hyewon, even if she was a bit cold. Liked the warmth and the fuzzy feeling gathering in your chest. You liked it here a lot. You hope you never had to leave.

Jeonghan is dreaming.

It’s a bad dream: There are soldiers pouring in, it's dark and raining, and it depicts people going for battle to attack a kingdom. He's trying to stop and ask some people what's going on but they all just pass through him like ghosts. That’s when he looks up to the looming castle and it clicks - this isn’t a bad dream; it’s a memory.

Your memory, to be specific.

It is from the day your kingdom was attacked.

Even though he knows he can't stop it he runs to your room anyway and sees you were being dragged out by some soldiers away from your mother who was shot the moment you were pulled away. You saw her die. Then you're calling for your father but he was being dragged out onto the courtyard and there was a man, with an evil glint in his eye. He was hooded so Jeonghan couldn't tell who it was (but you could) and he put a gun to your father's head and shot him. And you're screaming for your father but you're being dragged away again and you're being pulled into the Dark Forest and for some reason who were screaming his name: "Jeonghan! Jeonghan!" and Jeonghan is pulled from the dream.

He wakes up and you're still screaming his name but your eyes are closed which means you're dreaming so he shakes you to wake you up. With much difficulty, he finally wakes you, but not before you've woken half the house. Once you've calmed down, Jeonghan is petting you back to sleep, and you're too exhausted because you didn't even yell when Minghao comes up next to you and puts a hand on your forehead. He sends you good dreams. "Thanks, Hao,” Jeonghan mumbled as he continued to rock you back to sleep. “Don't mention it,” the Chinese boy murmured. “She was having a particularly hard time.”

Jeonghan peered over his shoulder and sure enough, Areum and the others were looking in with concern by the door. “It's alright guys, just a bad dream,” Jeonghan tried to reassure. “This one was really bad though. Worst than mine ever was.” A little shiver ran through Seoyeon as she said that and Soonyoung pulled her close immediately. Jeonghan pursed his lips. “I know. I saw it.” Minghao's eyes flashed. “Saw it? What do you mean?” “I'll... Tell you guys in the morning.” Jeonghan turned back to look at you, now sleeping soundly thanks to Minghao. “I think there's a lot that we don't know, and we should all get some rest.

For Jeonghan, that horrible dream was the last straw. Enough was enough; he needed to know the truth of what happened to you.

He goes to interrogate his mother about what really happened that day.

He left you in the care of the other girls.

Jeonghan expected to be alone with his mom but his uncle/stepfather appears. Jeonghan is rightly pissed - he hates his step-father because: 1) Married the Mom 2) Is a terrible king 3) is a snake. Then he notices something the uncle is wearing: A ring with a snake insignia. He's trying to figure out where he's seen it before when someone else walks into the room and it's Sanha, Jeonghan's younger half-brother. He's wearing the same ring and Jeonghan is even more confused.

Jeonghan gets into an argument with his mom because she keeps edging about what happened with the Southern Kingdom and his uncle/stepfather isn’t letting him have a word in.

Jeonghan warns that he will be coming back to Faery more often because he doesn't like how things are going here.

“Soon, I’m taking back what’s mine,” he says, sweeping out of the throne room.

When he gets back he finds you were laughing and talking animatedly with Seungkwan and Jeonghan is shocked that you're so comfortable with another boy. The ringer: You... Ask Jeonghan on a date! :)

As days past, you slowly become better.

Your nightmares are lessening in frequency and you're slowly getting back your memories. It’s hard sometimes, and Jeonghan still has to hold you through the worse bits but with everyone new memory you also gaining emotional maturity.

The safer you felt in the mansion, the better you got. It wasn’t so much that you lost your memories - you had been suppressing them.

It wasn't like it was unexpected, what happened to you. How you had acted (ie. regressing to a younger age) had helped in uncovering what had happened.

The one thing you couldn’t remember, however, was how you got out.

While you were satisfied with leaving the bad parts in the past, Jeonghan couldn’t let it go.

He wanted to know why it happened; why you were taken away from him, why your family was killed, how you escaped, and who did it all.

So he went back to Faery again because he was certain the answers were there.

Jeonghan was snooping around in his house one day and at his uncle's desk and he finds suspicious letters between his uncle and this other guy (name?) --- Jeonghan finds out its the uncle who ordered to the kill

He also finds what the snake insignia meant: a Secret Organisation of the magical kind

Jeonghan’s uncle had been behind it all, with the aim of owning all of Faery to himself

Jeonghan’s angry as hell and wants to end his uncle once and for all but the Mafia can’t do anything about it because there's a pact that the Humans can't get involved with magical beings

Seungcheol decides that Jeonghan shouldn't go back to Faery again because the forces there can't create trouble in the Human world due to pact so Jeonghan and you would still be safe here

It’s a huge injustice and as the Prince to Faery, Jeonghan refuses to just sit around and let his uncle do as he pleases.

He flares up at Seungcheol. “I am Yoon Jeonghan, Prince of Faery and rightful heir to the throne. My duty is to my people first, no matter how small our size or how our land dies. I will not abandon that for the sake of my own safety. I will not have my Queen’s honor go undefended. I will not let a snake pretend to be king any longer.” Then he sweeps out of the room and straight into Faery.

Jeonghan goes to the palace and demands for a fair duel

His uncle chuckles, a loud, diabolical laugh. It is the laugh of a maniac, Jeonghan thinks, it’s the laugh of a man who will bring this country to ruin.

“So you finally figured it out, huh, dear nephew.”

“It wasn’t difficult,” Jeonghan sparred back. “You left the letters out unlocked. It’s like you wanted me to find out.”

Jeonghan is cocky, thinking he has the upper hand, until he assesses his uncle again. His frown turns to understanding. “You did want me to find out! But why? What would you gain?”

His uncle just grins, eyes a little manic, and with a flick of his wrist Jeonghan barely notices, the great doors behind the throne opens and Jeonghan is immediately on his guard

Instead of the thousands of soldiers he was certain he would face (he was probably only 40% sure his uncle would agree to a duel), it was Sanha

He was dressed to spar (In Faery, they fence)

Jeonghan could barely tell it was Sanha at first but there was no denying the long gangly legs, the knobbly knees

“What’s happening?” Jeonghan asks, glancing between Sanha and his uncle.

“We’re about to duel of course!” his uncle cackles. “Except Sanha will duel in my place, won’t you son?”

Slowly, Sanha nods. Jeonghan lowers his sword, shaking his head. “No. I came here to fight you. Not my brother. Not my family.”

His uncle chuckles again. “But you would fight me? I am family too, nephew. I am your father’s brother.”

Jeonghan shakes his head. “You are not family. No family would kill their own. That’s what you did, didn’t you? You poisoned my father? You killed him first, to gain the Northern seat for I was too young to ascend, and then you had the Southern Kingdom attacked, their last remaining heir kidnapped so I would never be able to marry her and join the two kingdoms.

You didn’t kill the Southern Princess because one day, when she was old enough, you would marry her. So you could finally have all of Feary.

That was your plan, wasn’t it?”

His uncle doesn’t say a word, just grins that same mad grin, and it was confirmation enough, for everyone in the room.

Jeonghan hears his mother gasp. He hadn’t even realized she was there the whole time.

Behind the netted mask, Jeonghan could see his half-brother was pale and trembling. Jeonghan turned to him, fixing his gaze. “Why do you still have your sword up, insisting we fight? After all that I’ve said?”

Sanha gulps. On the sidelines, the fake King grins.

“Because he is my father.” Then Sanha lunges, headlong fence to his brother’s heart.

It’s instinct that saves Jeonghan: He sidesteps like he’s been trained and taught, years and years of sword classes coming back to him, reflexes sharpened by hundreds of sharpshooter kills. He turns, inhumanely fast (the way he is), the exposed back of his brother wide and for his taking, and before his mind could catch up with his hands, they swing wide, sword plunging in the younger’s soft flesh.

Sanha falls, choking on his own blood.

The weight of what he’s done floods through Jeonghan instantly.

“No,” he gasps, falling to the ground next to his dying brother, “No. This wasn’t meant for you; you aren’t supposed to die!”

“SON! BEHIND YOU!” his mother yells but it’s too late.

He hits the ground before he registers the pain.

Blood seeps through his clothes; he blacks out.

Far away, you scream.

F I N

This series is up for adoption. If you would like to adopt the narrative and turn it into your own story, please DM me here for details. || For more of my works, find me on Archive of Our Own as xviichapters.

#jeonghan scenarios #svt mafia #seventeen scenarios #jeonghan fanfiction #seventeen fanfiction #jeonghan fanfic #seventeen fanfic #svt fanfic #svt fanfiction #jeonghan imagines #17 fanfic #17 fanfiction #svt imagines #17 imagines

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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Amusement Park || Happy Birthday Soonyoung || Oneshot

BLURB: You and the performance unit are at an amusement park for Soonyoung’s birthday.

WORDS: 2144

“3.”

“I can’t believe we're doing this,” Jun stated, coming up on your right. He crouched down into a running position.

You shrugged. “Soonyoung wanted it, so…”

“And it’s his birthday,” Chan said to your left, copying Jun’s movement. “He gets to make us do whatever he wants.”

“2.”

“It’s still crazy,” Jun muttered.

“It’s Soonyoung.”

“What if we get caught?”

“Then we’re dead,” Minghao added unhelpfully.

“1.”

“I can’t believe you kids talked me into letting you do this.”

You scoffed. “Please Jun, you’re the one who put the idea in his head.”

“Well you didn–”

"GO!"

You shot off into the crowd, immediately losing the rest of them behind you. The summer heat beat off the pavement as you pressed through sticky bodies, everyone out enjoying the mild weather before it turned too hot to even step foot outside. The amusement park wasn’t very packed, seeing as how it was a week day, but there were still enough people around for a game of hide & seek to prove to be a challenge.

Why were you playing hide & seek, one might ask?

Because it was Soonyoung’s birthday and he seemed intent on abusing his power any way he could, which included making you and the other members of the performance unit play a game meant for kindergarteners.

Not that you minded.

You zoomed passed a bubbling fountain, a smile creeping onto your face as the wind whipped across your cheeks. It had been a long time since you could be this free outside.

Being Soonyoung’s girlfriend meant you had to keep a low profile so you wouldn’t spoil his or Seventeen’s image. But today was different. The five of you had been tasked to keep him entertained while the rest prepared for his surprise birthday party back at the company building.

The performance team and you had mulled around for a bit, trying to figure out what there was to do when Jun suggested hide & seek as a joke. Soonyoung took the idea seriously however and the next thing you knew, you six were being dropped outside the gates of the local theme park, Soonyoung grinning so widely that you didn’t have the heart in you to talk him out of it. He’d given each of you face masks to hide your identity, as if that will fool their fans.

In the end there was nothing anyone could do but go along with it.

You ran by a group of school students and their eyes widened, squealing suddenly in excitement. You stopped to stare at them, “Do you recognize me?”

They nodded, smiling nervously at you.

You grinned, "Don’t–”

"READY OR NOT HERE I COME!" You froze up, realizing it was Soonyoung’s voice.

"Shoot," you muttered. How did he find you so quickly? Without thinking you darted behind the girls and crouched low, hoping he would just walk pass them and move on.

"Don’t tell him I’m here!" you whispered up loudly to the girls. They nodded, stifling their laughter. Seconds later you heard his footsteps pounding down the cobbled street you had just been on, stopping near the group of girls.

"Jagi-ya, I know you’re here~” his familiar voice crooned, “I saw you running!"

"Cheater!" you gasped involuntarily. The girls overheard and started giggling excitedly. You tried to shush them but Soonyoung already noticed their odd behaviour.

His narrowed his eyes at them, four girls standing in a perfectly straight line, hands clasped behind their backs. They avoided his gaze, trying hard not to smile or burst out laughing. They were clearly blocking the path but refused to move. He saw a flash of black jeans behind their pale legs. He grinned.

"Jagi-ah~ Where are you? I know you're around here somewhere…"

He looked around at the people gathered there. Everyone was looking at him now because of all the noise he was making. Those who recognized him gave excited waves. He waved back.

“Everyone! I’m playing hide & seek now but I can’t seem to find my girlfriend! Has anyone seen her?” Most people shook their heads ‘no’ but the girls only became even more excited, their ability to supress their giggling decreasing by the second.

"No?" Soonyoung drew it out.

"No!" people chorused.

"That’s too bad…”

You knew you were going to get caught if you sat just there so you moved and tried to lose yourself in another big group who was passing by. You crept carefully to the edge, standing slowly to make it look as natural as possible–

"JAGI!" Soonyoung pounced. "I found YOU!"

The crowd burst into squeals of laughter. Some even clapped. You ducked your head, blushing red. He came over to you grinning, wrapping his arms around you. You hid your face into his chest.

“You cheated!” you accused.

“And you’re cute,” Soonyoung complimented.

“Yah Soonyoung–”

“EVERYONE THIS IS MY GIRLFRIEND!” he turned you to face the crowd, “ISN’T SHE PRETTY?!”

The crowd whooped.

“VERY PRETTY!” the crowd called back. “Oppa is so lucky!”

He chuckled. “I am aren’t I?”

You scurried back to hide in his shirt, unused to all the attention. He wrapped his arms around you easily, making people squeal even more.

“Do you guys know she was my fan?” he was saying, “She wasn’t this shy when I met her though.”

They laughed.

“Oppa do you think I have a chance with Mingyu-ssi?” a girl called out.

“Mmm Mingyu?” he laughed. “I think Mingyu and Wonwoo will end up together.”

While Soonyoung was enjoying himself talking to his fans you were still wrapped in his chest trying to hide your face. You weren’t camera shy but this was the most public you’ve been with Soonyoung and didn’t know what to do.

“Soonyoung we have to find the rest,” you reminded quietly.

“Ah right.” He pulled you away and turned his back towards you. “Jump on.”

You blinked. “What?”

“Jump on! I’ll carry you to the Ferris wheel.”

“The Ferris Wheel? But we have to find the others!”

His eyes twinkled when he turned back to you. “Let’s not look for them. Let’s spend what little free time we have together at this wonderful theme park, okay?”

You couldn’t answer amid the ‘awwws!’ coming from the crowd. You felt yourself blushing red again. “Soon-youngg,” you whined but he only laughed and turned around again, urging you onto his back. “Come on!”

“I can walk Soonyoung.”

“I know that but I wanna show them how strong I am now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean!”

“It means I’ve been working out and you’re light,” he grinned cheekily. “So get on!”

“No!”

He pouted. “But it’s my birthday…”

Around you, you were aware of eyes watching both of you interact and suddenly you grew incredibly shy under their gazes. You also knew what it might look like to his fans for you to be rejecting his offer like this.

You sighed. “Ahh fine fine just stop it with those eyes!”

He brightened instantly. “I know they’re your weakness.”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” you muttered, jumping on his back. Instantly everyone started squealing. You hid your face in his shirt, blushing intensely.

“Soonyoung!! Go!!!”

Meanwhile Soonyoung was just soaking in the attention. “No wait look! They want to photos of us!!”

He lifted one hand to wave at his fans. You yelped. “SOONYOUNG!”

“Hello everyone! Isn’t my girlfriend pretty!” he announced. Everyone giggled which made you blush even harder.

“Soonyoung-ah! Ask her to lift her head!” someone called out. Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.

“Jagi-ah, they want to see your pretty face.” You shook your head violently, refusing to reveal yourself. He chuckled. “Ahh it seems she’s very shy. Sorry guys, maybe some other time.”

There were sounds of disappointment through the crowd. “Soonyoung I will kill you when we’re home,” you threatened into his ear.

“Kill me with your love~” he murmured back. You hit him. It instantly brought a response from the crowd and you quickly hid your face again.

Soonyoung just laughed. “Guys! We’re gonna go on the rides for a while so if any of the members come looking for us tell them you don’t know where we are okay?”

“There are other members in the park?!” the fans all started asking.

Soonyoung nodded. “They’re playing hide and seek now and waiting for me to find them. Please find them for me so I can spend time with my jagi!”

There was a chorus of understanding from the crowd before they dispersed off excitedly, looking for the other members. Only a few remained to see what would happen next between the two of you.

“Forget about me killing you. It’ll be lucky enough if the boys let me stick a fork in your thigh.”

“Always one for the dramatics,” Soonyoung said.

“They’ll throw you in the river.”

“Thankfully I know how to swim.” He flashed his signature cheeky grin and you couldn’t help butroll your eyes. “Don’t worry so much Y/N, I’ll be fine! It’s my birthday.” He flashed that signature smile and started running towards the ride.

“But what if–”

Before you could finish that thought Soonyoung took off running down the street towards the rides.

“SOONYOUNG!” you screamed, clinging to him in mild terror.

“It’s fun right?” he yelled back laughing. It was so wild and carefree that you started laughing too, your head falling back with abandon as you grew braver, letting your hair fly out behind you.

The next day someone posted a beautiful still of you two; a frozen portrait of happiness with your arms on his shoulders, head thrown back and a gigantic smile on his face, so full and wide that his eyes disappeared into cresecent moons.

Even after all the scolding he received the next day for being so reckless, that picture and the time spent with you made everything worth it.

“Wow!” he gasped, looking up at the Ferris wheel. He looked star struck – like a blind man seeing light for the first time.

“Come on its not like you’ve never seen one before,” you teased.

“That’s true,” he smiled at you, “But it’ll be the first time I’m riding it with someone as pretty as you.”

You rolled your eyes but inside you were secretly flustered. “Let’s just get on the ride.”

He let you down and took your hand, leading you into a carriage. It was small – just enough space to fit two people on either side. You moved to sit opposite him but he grabbed you by the waist, pulling you onto his lap. He buried his face into your hair.

“Soonyoung!”

“What?”

“We’re in public!”

“No we’re not, we’re in this carriage!” he laughed. “And it’s already moving up, no one will see.”

You were still uncomfortable and wouldn’t properly settle until the wheel was high in the sky. You relaxed into him, letting him pull you closer. He nuzzled your neck gently.

“Ahh Soonyoung that tickles,” you giggled. He started to poke your sides. “Ahhh stop!”

“You’re so cute Y/N,” he murmured going back to cuddling with you. The carriage filled with orange light from the setting sun.

“Look,” he pointed at the bleeding sky, “That sunset’s as pretty as you.”

“Stop it,” you said.

“But it’s true. You’re so beautiful.”

It was quiet in the carriage. After a while he stood up, wrapping his arms around your shoulder from behind. “I can’t believe I’m twenty-two.”

“I can’t believe you’re twenty-two,” you agreed.

“Hey!”

You chucked softly. “My boy’s growing up.”

He spun you around to face him. He was so beautiful. You couldn’t help but feel so lucky to have him. Up here it felt like you were the only two in the world.

“Happy birthday Soonyoung,” you murmured, placing a long kiss on his lips.

“YAH WHERE DID YOU GO!” Jun pounced on you two the moment you found them.

“We took a ride on the Ferris wheel.” They eyed your hands intertwined together.

“Is that okay?” Minghao asked concerned.

Soonyoung just shrugged. “It’s my birthday. Let them think what they want.”

Jun looked like he wanted to say something but bit the words back. Eventually, he just sighed. The sun was gone and now the dark blue sky was slowly tinging black; it was about time to get back. Taking Chan’s arm in with other hand you four followed Jun back to the car for the drive back home.

“Yah Soonyoung if it wasn’t your birthday I would hit you for what you did!” Seungcheol was screaming the moment they stepped inside the building.

“But it is my birthday,” Soonyoung declaring, squeezing you tightly. “And you guys just let me spend it with someone I love a lot. Thanks hyung.”

Seungcheol stuttered as you blushed wildly.

“Happy birthday to me,” Soonyoung announced happily.

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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I just read Chan soulmate!au and I'm a mess... seriously, I can't choose a bias in Seventeen, but nowadays I'm really suffering because of Jihoon, and you JUST DID THAT!!!!! I'm just hoping a bright future to Chan and his love... aaah girl, you always makes me suffer with a smile in my face lol

YAYYYY hahahahaha I’m glad you liked it :“) the only reason why i can write for every boy is because im a hoe tbh i love them all too much too :”)

#answered #ty

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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brb crying

Skin’s Surface

Junhui liked the company that skinship offered. » jun-centric. angst-y. fluff.

Keep reading

#i dont usually rt stuff but this was too freaking cute #junhui my baby #rt

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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O to the H to the G, oh my goodness! Chan's soulmate!au was amazing! Beautifully written, beautifully planned out. Wahh. I seriously got so excited reading it, I had to pause and digest what I was reading for a few moments. If that was food, it was exquisite until the last bite. -Seal clapping in a distance- -B.C. anon

I think you meant O to the M to the G 😂 😂 But thank you! Really thankful you thought so because I put a lot of time into it D: I thought no one would read it because its so long but I’m glad you did thank you again :”)

#answered #anon: bc

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xvii-chapters · 8 years ago

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Badlands || Soulmate!AU Chan

GENRE: soulmate!au, dystopian!au, prince!au

WORDS: 6265

BLURB: In this world, soulmates are born with half of a mark somewhere on their bodies which slowly light up when they come to stand by each other. However, in an attempt to keep the castes in place, the government rebranded everyone with new soulmate marks – barcodes – that work the same way but their new “soulmates” will only ever be people from the same caste.

A/N: inspired by this ask.

“They’re only going to get stronger if we remain on the defence!” The King’s voice reverberated through the heavy oak door, echoing down the hallway. “We need to start attacking and squash their forces now!”

The anger in his father’s voice made Chan step away from the door but it didn’t shock him. Things have been tense since two summers ago, when the rebels first showed themselves. They have been pushing the boundaries ever since, coming down from the mountains and occupying the Badlands, the buffer region between the Lee Kingdom and the rebels’ own exiled territories. They’ve went past the city walls too, slithering underground like rats in the sewers and exploiting old mining tunnels that had once been used to transport minerals from the caves down to the city. It was only a matter of time before the rebels tired of simple theft and rebel graffiti. Rumour had it that there were already over a hundred safe-houses mushrooming around the kingdom, and the people’s loyalties were swaying. The officials were getting antsy and Chan’s father, the highest ranking official around, was the antsiest of them all.

Chan decided it was time to move on, leaving the great War Room behind and continuing his journey down the hallway. There was no one around. His quiet steps echoed in the emptiness. Even as he descended the stairs to the back garden where one of the castle exits was, no guards stopped to greet him. In fact, there were no guards about at all. Castle security had been lax ever since more and more men were sent to patrol the Walls. Not that it mattered – the rebels were still evading capture somehow. His father’s words from a few days ago rang in Chan’s ears, “If anyone is caught harbouring these rebels or assisting them in any way, they will be arrested and executed immediately.”

Chan carefully unlocked the garden gate, looking furtively around. When he was satisfied no one was watching he slipped outside.

It could just be the placebo effect but Chan felt the sunshine was warmer out here than it was inside. The alley he was on was also quiet and void of people, but it was different somehow, the sounds and sights up ahead creating a sort of ambience that was absent from the emptiness within the castle walls. Crowds pleased him and he enjoyed being able to walk about without the responsibility of being his father’s son heavy on his shoulders. No one seemed to realize he was a prince and treated him like everyone else.

He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head nonetheless as he walked out into the crowd.

Chan wasn’t sure yet where he stood on the matter of the rebels. Being the King’s son, he should be more concerned about the state of affairs than most people his age, but like most people his age, his thoughts were often elsewhere. A lot of the time they were on the barcode that had been branded onto his arm when he was just a new-born – specifically, the person who had the other half of the barcode, the one who was supposedly his soulmate.

There weren’t any results yet from the Database which was understandable considering he had only just turned eighteen. At that age citizens were allowed to submit their half of the barcode to the public data pool so that the computers can help them match-up with their soulmate. Since matches were often 100% accurate and the government decreed immediate marriage to soulmates who had found each other, people were advised to submit their barcodes only when they were ready. Some people never end up submitting theirs at all and meet their soulmates the old-fashioned way – by bumping into each other on the streets and having the barcodes light up.

Chan was probably one of the youngest to submit his barcode in. He would have to wait a while. Still, he couldn’t help but check his mail every day to see if anything came through.

As he strolled down the half-empty streets, Chan found himself in the middle courtyard, still occupied by merchants and fruit vendors who have not yet finished selling their wares for the morning. He bought an apple and continued to walk around. There were a couple of street performers and some bird watchers, but it was already midday so the courtyard wasn’t too busy.

Suddenly there was a loud yell behind him.

“HEY! GET BACK HERE YOU!” A large burly man shouted, running after a much smaller figure with his big meaty fist raised in the air, “GIVE ME BACK MY APPLES!”

You stopped short at the command, turning around with a cheeky smile on your face. You took a large bite from one of the apples. “Are you sure you want it back?” you taunted, mouth full and chewing loudly.

The man turned red.

You sprinted away, grinning wildly as you zipped between bodies with the loud bellows of the fruit seller thundering after you. People cried out in protest as you shoved them aside but you were buzzing with the thrill and couldn’t bring yourself to care.

Chan watched all of this with mild amusement. As you came closer towards him, he couldn’t help but catch your eye. You grinned wickedly before whipping past him like a violent wind.

That’s when he felt it – the crackle of electricity. It made him stagger.

When he looked back up you were already a good distance away and didn’t seem to have felt anything at all. But something caught his eye. You weren’t wearing any shoes and because of that he could see that at the bottom of your right foot there was a mark in the shape of a crescent moon, lighted up in the way barcodes do when two soulmates meet. Curiously, that very mark matched the one at the bottom of his left foot which, if they stood together side by side, would make a perfect circle.

Chan was too caught up in his thoughts to realize someone was tugging at his sleeve.

“Sir?” the child called, pulling harder, “Sir I think your foot’s on fire.”

Chan started, looking at his feet. There, coming through the crack where his soles met his sandals, was the same bright light he had seen on your foot.

Rebel crackdown began in the kingdom. The King issued searches throughout every house and out of the two million two, hundred and thirty-two thousand, one hundred and eleven total households, four thousand, six hundred and forty-three were found guilty of being rebel supporters. There were too many people to execute at one go so they were jailed and made to march around the city everyday as a reminder to the public. It was broadcasted live daily and executions were carried out on Sundays in the middle courtyard. Those were televised too but only citizens aged 21 years and up could watch.

Chan grew quiet. He went out on walks more and more, the newfound freedom incredibly liberating, and ventured further from the castle each time. Soon enough he learnt the further away from the centre he went, the less perfect the kingdom he once knew became. His robes that once passed without a blink of an eye started to draw attention and prying looks from miles away.

The kingdom was laid out in a large circle with the castle at its core and each caste sprawling outwards in a ring. At the start of every ring there was a gate and Chan passed by each one easily by scanning his barcode. What was not so easy however, were the looks he would get every time he came through from an inner ring. It was no secret that the outer castes were less wealthy than the ones nearer the core, but Chan never expected things to be like this. There would be whispers and stares, sometimes even looks of anger or envy. He learnt to trade his cloak in for a shabbier one at the market place of each ring, the quality and material becoming worse for the wear the further away he got from the castle.

Somewhere between the fifth and sixth castes, pleading hands started to cup up in front of him. There were only a couple at first, children mostly, but then they started to line the roads, people of all ages – women with babies, teenagers the same age as he was, elderly men. The people got smaller and thinner too, and not in the way the models and actresses looked like on TV. They had hollowed cheeks and skinny arms, skin pulled taut over bones and large haunting eyes that swallowed him whole.

They all came up to him – “O far traveller, could you please spare some change?” – and during his first encounter Chan had felt so guilty to say – “No, I’m sorry, I don’t have any money right now” – that he promised to come back the very next day with something for everyone.

He became known as The Kindly One, the generous giver from the inner walls who had come to share his wealth. Chan had heard stories when he was growing up in the castle, of how people from the outer castes were selfish and barbaric, so it surprised him (and continues to surprise him) that no one had yet taken advantage of his charity and only ever asked for what they needed.

Today Chan was going further than he had been before and came prepared with the right attire and a bagful of coins.

At the gate of the penultimate ring, Chan paused. He had never been in the last caste before. He had heard many stories about it, none of which he was sure were true anymore. After all, a lot of the hearsay about the previous castes had been proven wrong. Beyond the final caste were the Badlands. And after the Badlands, rebel territory.

Chan wasn’t sure why he was so uneasy. He wasn’t at the Badlands yet.

But when he passed through the final gate, he felt that surely the Badlands couldn’t be as bad as this.

The odour that Chan had first attributed to bad drainage permeated all of the air here, hanging overhead like a yellow cloud such that he could only see a few feet in front of him. The people were a sight for sore eyes too. They looked like they hadn’t washed in ages, the tired lines on their faces caked with soot and dirt. Their clothes were a little more than rags, blackened and fraying at the edges. Before he was even three steps through a gaggle of kids were already running up to him, holding their palms out desperately.

“Do you have some food, mister, a biscuit, anything?” the smallest boy pleaded and all around Chan the kids echoed the same. There were so many of them Chan thought he might fall over.

“F-food?” Chan stuttered. That was new. In the previous castes the children would usually ask for some money, a penny or two, to go buy some food. But here they were skipping step. “I don’t have food,” he began and already the children were moving away, crestfallen, “but I do have some coins to spare.”

“What are coins good for?!” one of the older boys burst out angrily, “We can’t eat them!” The kids surrounding him murmured in assent, shooting Chan disgusted looks. They trudged away fuming, disappearing behind the smog. Chan looked after them in confusion. Some of the kids who were still standing around looked at him sadly. “Did I say something wrong?” he asked them.

One shook her head.

“No,” she said, “It’s just that your money is worth nothing here.”

She gestured around the place and Chan saw for the first time what the problem was. Unlike all the other rings he had been in, this one was completely devoid of a market. The booths where fruit sellers sold their fruits and bread-makers laid out their fresh bakes were nothing more than metal poles and dirty puddles now. It seemed people had stripped the tables of their wooden tops and cockroaches and the occasional rat have made their homes in the empty area. A single store stood abandoned in the middle of the yard, a brick having met unfortunately with the glass window. Spiders spun webs in the broken display cases.

The children had no use for his coins because there was nothing to buy. Slowly they began retreating back into the fog.

There was still something puzzling Chan though.

“Wait,” Chan called out to the little girl, “Why don’t you guys just go up to buy something?”

She frowned. “Up? You mean to the inner rings?”

“Yeah,” Chan replied, “If I gave you my coins, you could buy something from the market up in Six.”

“But I can’t go to Six.”

“What do you mean, sure you can.” Chan demonstrated by sticking his hand under the scanner which promptly opened the ring door. The girl’s eyes widened, more interested in looking into the ring beyond before the doors closed again instead of answering Chan.

“Can you pass that gate too?” she asked, pointing to the far wall where tall imposing doors separated Five from Six.

Chan nodded. She narrowed her eyes at him. “You must from very deep in, huh.”

“I guess you could say that.” The girl continued to stare at him suspiciously. Then she shrugged her shoulders, forgetting about the whole thing in the way little kids do. “Well, lucky you then but I can’t get pass that gate.” She stuck her barcode under the scanner – the doors remained stationery. “See? Inners can go out but Outers can’t go in.”

Then the girl turned on her heel and fled away.

Chan was stumped. This was one thing he did not know.

“You must be confused.” Chan whipped around at the voice – his jaw dropped when he saw you. Immediately his heart started racing wildly for reasons he couldn’t fathom. You had a little smirk on your face, the same one you had given him the first time you met in the market in the city. “I would expect as much from you.”

“Who… Who are you?” His throat was dry.

The corners of your mouth lifted ever so slightly as you placed a finger over your lips and took his hand. Immediately sparks ran up his arm, electrifying, but Chan couldn’t imagine ever pulling away. Your hand buzzed warmly in his as if it was made to sit there, the calluses on your palm like puzzle pieces lining up to fit the groves on his. He didn’t know you – not yet – but he already knew he would follow you anywhere.

Chan thought he must be going crazy.

You pulled him down dark alleys and hazy streets but never once did he hesitate, already putting his trust wholeheartedly into you. You could feel it, the thrumming in your own heart, the emotion threatening to spill out, and you had heard so many stories about this moment but nothing you previously imagined had done justice to what was happening right now.

Not to mention you never thought your soulmate would be him.

“Prince Chan,” you said, a little breathless, as you finally reached the small shelter underneath the 17th Seven bridge.

“Hello,” he said back, just as breathlessly.

There was a beat in which neither of you said anything – just hearing to each other breathe in the small, cramped room.

“You’re my soulmate, aren’t you?” he asked finally. You nodded. “And you’re… A rebel.” You looked up, surprised, wondering how he knew. Chan gestured to your arm. “You don’t have a barcode. You weren’t born here.”

You smiled. “I knew my soulmate wouldn’t be a dimwit.”

He chuckled. “Well I am the future ruler of this kingdom. I think that requires some brains.”

At that your face fell. Chan caught it immediately and walked up to you, putting his hands on your arms on instinct. “Did I say something wrong?”

You shook your head sadly. “No. But we are.”

He frowned as you slipped out of his grasp, moving away. There was a single rickety chair in the room so you sat on it and Chan moved to stand opposite you, settling down on the floor instead. This way he was looking up at you, eyes open wide and questioning. You were both close enough to touch so he tapped at your knee absentmindedly as you traced the planes of his cheek. It felt like you had known each other for years. Chan knew you weren’t ready yet to explain what you meant so he let the matter drop for now, taking interest in the way your lips curled when you smiled and how soft your fingers were across his skin.

“How can we be soulmates if you don’t have a barcode?” he asked finally. “I’m not denying that we are – I would die for you already,” you didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at that, “but since the barcodes are our soulmate marks, where’s yours?”

You lifted up your right foot, pointing to the sole. “Right here.”

“But that–”

“Looks exactly like the ‘birthmark’ on your left foot, am I right?” He was taken aback but nodded nonetheless. Chan lifted the said foot to reveal the faint circular shape on its sole. It had stopped glowing when you took his hand.

“It’s not a birthmark, if you were wondering,” you continued. “It’s our soulmate marks. Thankfully yours isn’t as obvious as others if not they would’ve burn it off you at birth.”

“But why–”

“Because love knows no boundaries,” you said and when you leant down to look at him with that look in your eyes Chan knew it was true. “Love is not bounded by the castes we are born into or where we come from.” Chan knew that was true too; he couldn’t care less that you were a rebel, the very people trying to strip his family of the Crown, the reason his father, the King, was drawing up battle plans and hopping mad every day. It was illogical and crazy and too fast but Chan already knew – he loved you. “Love is strong and terrifying and powerful and that’s why the barcodes were devised to keep people in their place.”

Chan gasped. “That’s why people only ever married others from the same caste.”

You nodded sadly. “And that’s also why Outers can’t pass the gates to go inside – to prevent true soulmates from ever meeting each other.” There was a bitter taste on your tongue. “Inners were always too proud or scared to go out anyway so nothing ever changed.”

“The poor stayed poor and the rich just got richer.” It should’ve been obvious but Chan never did realize anything was wrong until the words fell from your lips.

Chan thought about his mother and father, about the people he knew, who were supposedly soulmates. They never did look at each other the way you were looking at him now, never did touch and trust and cling to each other the way he had so quickly done with you.

This was what finding your soulmate looked like.

And never once had Chan witnessed anything like it.

“You’re my soulmate,” he breathed, as if realizing for the first time. “You’re my true soulmate.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes my prince. And you are mine.”

Weeks passed. Chan continued on his daily walks, getting angrier and angrier at how things were. He spent more and more time in Seven, giving help in any way he could, but he was only person and there was only so much he could do. He wondered why no one had thought to help them before, why the King couldn’t give out food aids as easily as he threw his parties. Now with the rebel attacks becoming more frequent and relentless there was no way Chan could breach the subject.

You would accompany him on these walks sometimes, seeming to know all the ways to getting pass the gates even without a barcode and somehow escaping the King’s wrath despite relentless rebel hunts throughout all the castes.

To survive, those in Seven who knew how to would venture out onto the Badlands to hunt. Chan wondered how they could even get past the Walls, seeing as how more and more guards were being sent to patrol it, but you had just laughed at him when he asked.

“How do you think I get about not being seen?” you retorted.

“The mining tunnels?”

You nodded. “No matter what the King does, there will always be rebels in his kingdom because we help his people in the way he does not and in return they help us.”

Chan would spend his whole life like this, out here in the lower castes, denying his loyalties and lineage if it meant he was being the prince he should be. But when a giant bomb went off in the city, the King roped all of his children back behind castle walls and forbade them from even going out onto the gardens.

And suddenly you were out of his reach.

“Careful there or you’ll walk yourself through the floor,” someone called, pulling Chan from his restless pacing. He looked up at the voice, finding his older brother assessing him with a raised eyebrow.

“Jihoon hyung,” Chan greeted. The elder nodded back.

“What’s on your mind?” Jihoon asked, moving inside the room. “I hardly see you around the castle anymore and when father makes us all stay inside you look like you might run out at any moment.”

Jihoon didn’t know how right his words were.

Chan was squeezed up tightly like a pent up spring and every moment he spends away from you the pressure builds until a time when he would surely explode if he’s trapped here any longer.

Jihoon was still waiting, looking at him intently.

“Hyung, do you think it’s possible for us to have two soulmates?” Chan blurted out before he could stop himself.

Jihoon blinked. “Two soulmates? You mean like if your first one died?”

“No no,” Chan played with his hands agitatedly. There was no turning back now. “I mean, what if we have a soulmate from this,” he pointed to the barcode, “like everyone else does. And then another true soulmate, the one who’s truly meant for us.”

“I don’t think I follow you Chan,” Jihoon said but his face had turned dark. Instantly Chan knew his brother was hiding something.

“You know, don’t you?” Chan’s voice had dropped to a hush. When Jihoon didn’t answer, that was all the confirmation the younger needed. Chan felt anger rise up in him. “Tell me. Stop hiding things from me.”

Jihoon suddenly had a hand on the boy’s shirt, dragging him away from the window and into a dark crevice in the corner of the room. His eyes were hard and flashed with barely concealed temper.

“You can’t say anything,” Jihoon growled, “You can’t know anything. This is rebel talk Chan. You’ll get in trouble.”

“But you know it!” Chan fought back. He had never been defiant to his elders before but now he was mad. He was mad and hurt.

“That’s because I’m the crown prince,” Jihoon said coolly, “I’m supposed to know these things.”

“So it’s true? These barcodes are fake? They don’t actually lead us to our soulmates?”

Jihoon didn’t say anything. That was all the confirmation Chan needed. Whoever had the other half of this barcode… wasn’t Chan’s soulmate. He had known that already, of course, but he couldn’t believe that his own brother could stand by and let others think they had found their soulmates when they have not.

The thought made him angry, and disgusted. “Do you know then, crown prince, what’s happening out there in the outer castes?”

Jihoon remained immovable.

“They’re starving out there. They’re living like animals, hunting to get by and we’re here! In our high towers looking down at them and doing nothing to help!” Chan was livid now. Still Jihoon was emotionless.

“I’m sick of this.” With a flourish Chan left the room and trudged out the door, exiting the castle, King’s orders be damned.

It wasn’t long before you found him.

“What are you doing?” you asked curiously, watching as he trudged through the hazy street, a hastily packed bag thrown over his shoulder and the hood of his ratty cloak pulled down low.

“I’m running away,” he said easily.

“To where?” Chan shrugged. “Anywhere. As long as it’s away from the castle.” He suddenly stopped short. “Maybe I could follow you and become a rebel.”

“What?”

“Let’s do it,” his face was eager now. “I’m strong to make the journey. You can bring me beyond the Badlands and I can give you guys intel about the castle. I want to see it gone as much as you anyway and it would do a lot of good for the people too. Just don’t hurt my brothers.” He added, almost as an afterthought. “Let’s do it.”

“Chan, you’re a prince.”

“Well what if I don’t want to a prince!” The previous optimism on his face melted into frustration. “What if I don’t want to be the King’s son! What if I don’t want to see my people suffer like this and know that my own brother won’t do anything about it!”

The empty street reverberated with his words.

You sighed. “Come with me.”

Chan followed you wordlessly, sullen and stubborn. Somewhere along the way however he reached out to take your hand and though he still hung back, you knew it his way of saying sorry for getting angry earlier. You couldn’t help but smile and gave his hand a squeeze.

“Where are we going?” he murmured eventually. You had pulled him underground some time ago and it was getting hard to see two feet in front of him.

“The Badlands,” you replied. He stopped short. A crack of light fell across his worried eyes. “Trust me,” you said.

“I do.”

Ten minutes later you were leaning on a heavy metal door and it moved away to reveal a stunning sight.

Sunshine poured into the dark tunnel, momentarily blinding him but soon enough his eyes started to adjust and what he saw had him questioning why it was called the ‘Badlands’ in the first place.

“It’s beautiful,” he breathed, looking out in awe onto the clearing where tall grass swaying in the wind. Wildflowers bloomed in abandon and the trees grew up high, leaves casting dappled shadows across the ground. A rabbit nibbled happily at a strawberry bush while birds picked on the fruit.

“This is what wildlife looks like,” you announced, spreading your arms wide.

“No wonder the Sevens are always trying to leave.”

You smiled sadly. “There’s not much we can do for them until they cross the whole thing though. And some of them are so weak, barely any make the journey.”

“Just because it’s beautiful doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous,” Chan agreed, but you weren’t sure if you two were talking about the same thing anymore. He had come to stand close beside you, brushing his fingers across your cheek. His eyes flickered to your mouth. You held your breath. “You look very beautiful in this light,” he said.

“Just because something is beautiful, doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous.” He laughed, one short bark, before his lips were on yours, warm and gentle, one hand on your waist while the other cupped gently against your cheek. Then suddenly you found yourself against a tree, breathing hard as he kissed deeper, biting on your lower lip so that you moaned and let his tongue explore the inside of your mouth.

You were both panting heavily when he finally pulled away.

He grinned shyly. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“It didn’t feel right kissing you when everyone else around us would never get to experience this same type of love.”

You didn’t know what to say to that. So you wrapped your arms around his waist and listened to his heartbeat slowly calm down in his chest. Then you both sat down and talked for what felt like hours. It was the first time you two had been alone like this. He talked about what got him so riled up today and you told him about what the rebels were planning to do next. He pet your hair as he spokes and you played with his fingers. “Be careful,” he reminded. “Don’t get hurt.”

You won’t you assured, giggling when he tickled your ears.

A horn sounded from the kingdom.

“That must be the curfew,” Chan grumbled. You didn’t realize so much time had passed. The light was already turning orange. “Get going my prince.”

He sighed. “You knew I would go back if you brought me here, didn’t you?”

You shrugged. “I just wanted to show you that it’s not all bad. Your people will survive a little longer. We need you in the castle, my prince.”

“I’m only the third in line.” Chan kicked at the ground in frustration. “Even if you guys could topple the King, there’s still Jihoon and then Seokmin. I don’t know where their loyalties lie but if Jihoon’s reaction today was any indication…”

“Go home, prince,” you repeated. This time you started pushing him to the door.

“I wish you could come with me.”

You smiled and as always, the one you gave before parting was undeniably sad. “I wish I could too.”

The King was gleeful.

He was absolutely ecstatic for some reason and that made Chan worried. The King hadn’t caught a break for a while now so to have him this happy meant something really bad had happened to the rebels. His smile was almost manic when he called his three sons before him.

“I have some great news,” the King announced proudly, “Our forces caught a group of rebels trying to enter the City today!”

Chan felt like he’d been hit by ice water.

“We knew they were using the old tunnels to get about so we had a massive search and finally found the blueprints to every single route ever built!” The King was clasping his hands together like an delighted child. Chan had a sudden itch to run outside and warn you immediately. The King’s next few words called him back. “We’re executing the rebels in court right now and the three of you can watch!”

He paled. Jihoon glanced uncertainly at his youngest brother. “Father, are you sure? Chan’s not old enough yet to see this.”

At that the King frowned. “He is a prince – he is obliged to witness it.”

Saying nothing more, the King marched to the throne room and his three sons could do nothing but follow. Jihoon caught Chan’s eyes dart to the castle exit behind them that was getting smaller the further they walked away. The elder pinched his brother’s hand, catching his attention. He knew what the younger was thinking. Jihoon gave a subtle shake of his head. Then they continued waking down the hallway.

The throne room was buzzing with the voices of dozens of ladies and gentlemen, fighting to speak over one another as the chattered animatedly about the execution that was about to happen, as if it was some new drama series on the telly. They quietened when the King entered, taking his rightful place at the throne, but that couldn’t contain the charged, excited energy that permeated the air. Chan felt sick as he took his seat on the left of the King’s throne. Jihoon was in the centre, directly beneath the King as the rightful crown prince, while Seokmin sat on his right.

Idiots! Chan wanted to yell. The only person who should be executed is the king!

The word ‘father’ had long left his vocabulary.

A sudden hush fell over the room as the King raised his hand. He gave a wave and the grand doors opened. A group of six people, shackled around their hands and feet, shuffled forward, heads held up high in defiance to the King. The court gasped but Chan’s might have been the loudest of them all.

Because standing dead centre, eyes stubborn and aflame, was you.

Chan stood on instinct and all eyes shot to him. Jihoon made a warning sound at the back of his throat that held the younger back.

“Son?” The king raised a brow. “Is something the matter?”

Chan swallowed. “Do they really have to be restrained like that? Some of them look like they’re still minors.”

The court held their breath, looking to the King for his response. Unexpectedly he laughed. “Ever the compassionate one, eh, Prince Chan?” The court chuckled along after him. Like stupid sheep, Chan couldn’t help but think.

“Yes Prince, they do have to be shackled that way. They’re enemies to the state, no matter their age. Do take a seat and don’t feel too moved. They had it coming for them.” Chan realized he was still standing and reluctantly lowered himself into his seat. You refused to look at him.

Be careful, he had told you. Why didn’t you listen?

The King clapped his hands to disperse any lingering uneasiness and the court’s attention quickly returned to him. He blabbered on about the rebels’ crimes but all Chan could here was the erratic pounding of his heart thrashing in fear at the thought of you being executed any minute now. His stomach churned and his body itched to do something, anything, to stop this madness. He had never been brave like Seokmin or smart like Jihoon. He would never have the guts to spring out of his chair now and run to you, fighting off any guards that came, or be able to think fast enough to talk the King out of this execution. He only knew how to stay quiet and hide himself so no one expected a thing from him, but he would kill himself if he did that now.

He wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t. He found himself standing again with more confidence this time when suddenly–

A scream cut through the crowd.

“HANDS IN THE AIR!” someone yelled and then it was chaos.

The guards closest to Chan were surrounding him in an instant, trying to protect him, but through the spaces between their enclosing bodies Chan could see people running, people with guns, shots going off, and you somehow free of your shackles…

“TRAITOR!!!” the King yelled and at first Chan thought it was directed at him. But then he saw Jihoon, poised coolly in front of his father, a gun on the old man’s throat and–

Bang!

A shot went off. The King was dead.

In quick rapid successions, the surrounding guards took aim at the crown prince and he too, fell. Chan could only watch in horror as the blood pooled around his brother. Their eyes met. “GO!” the oldest screamed, red liquid gurgling from his lips. “Y/N TAKE HIM AND GO!”

Before he knew what was happening, Chan felt the familiar rush when your skin met his and then you were pulling him down a hallway, feet slapping loudly on the ground as screams echoed through the corridor. It took him a while to realize the cries were his own.

He was calling for his brother Jihoon.

He pulled at your arm. “NO!” he yelled, distraught, “NO, MY BROTHER’S IN THERE!”

“Chan we have to go–”

“Jihoon will die!”

Sudden shots went off behind you and there were guards hollering, shocking him enough for you to pull him further down the tunnel. “I’m sorry Chan,” you murmured, pulling him deeper and deeper into the darkness, seeming to know where you were going, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

The boy sobbed as he ran but at least he was following you. You squeezed his hand. “We’re going to be okay,” you tried to tell him, “It’s going to be okay.”

Somehow you made it out onto the Badlands without encountering any guards along the way, despite what the King said about knowing all the mining routes now. It was the same clearing from when he first entered the Badlands. It did not look as beautiful as it was before. Maybe he would never find anything beautiful again. There was still the sound of fighting in the castle, even from this far away and the deafening boom of cannons going off.

Seven times for the seven castes – it was to signify the King was dead.

“We have to go,” you urged, as another three cannons went off immediately after each other. “That means the military have taken back control of the castle. We can’t stay here long.”

Chan didn’t budge as he watched the flag rise up to half-mast.

“Chan,” you called again. The flag was black – the mark of a traitor. Right below it was the coat of arms – the mark of the royal family. Both flags were up in flames.

This was what it meant: A prince has died a traitor and Chan knew, with a sickening feeling, who it was.

“Chan,” you sobbed, “We have to go.”

You were both crying now. You pulled him closer and quickly wiped his tears away, forcing him to look at you. “We have to go.”

He nodded.

Then together, you both ran.

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